District Updates
As Springfield Local Schools continues to move through the COVID-19 era, decisions have been made on specific protocols for the health and safety of our students, staff and visitors. Over the past three school years, many protocols were handed down from “above” while some were designated to “local control” and/or the decision of area boards of education.
As previously communicated, Springfield Local Schools will transition to the following:
•The policy of masks optional began at the start of the third trimester (Thursday, February 24). The wearing of masks will remain strongly encouraged and supported for all wishing to do so.
•Those encountering home/social exposure to a person with COVID-19 are strongly recommended to wear a mask in all settings.
•The federal mandate for masking on public transportation remains in place through March 18, 2022, and will be followed on Springfield Schools’ Transportation (transit.dot.gov/TransitMaskUp).
•Since the requirement for universal contact tracing is no longer in place, Springfield will no longer provide notification to students who may have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
•We will continue to keep our COVID-19 dashboard up-to-date with data reported on all positive cases for students and staff. This can be found on the main district webpage and under the departments tab; health services page.
For students testing positive for COVID-19:
Families are asked to please continue reporting positive cases of COVID-19 to our building nurses, whether your student is ill or asympto matic with the COVID-19 virus. Please follow the protocols below for the situation that matches your child’s case:
•Positive Covid-19 case and ill with symptoms: student to remain home in isolation with a minimum of five days. Students may return to school after being symptom free for more than 24 hours. The school nurse will release students to return to class. Upon returning to class after the minimum five days out, a student will be required to wear a mask for the remaining five days. A parent may choose to keep their child at home for the full 10 days.
•Positive Covid-19 case with no symptoms (asymptomatic): students must quarantine at home for five days from the positive test date. If no symptoms have shown within the five-day quarantine, the student may return to school on day six from the positive test date. The asymptomatic student must wear a mask for the remaining days six to 10. Again, a parent may choose to keep their asymptomatic child at home for the entire 10-day quarantine.
•For students who are ill (showing symptoms) and do not wish to undergo testing, please follow guidance found above under Positive COVID-19 case and ill with symptoms.
COVID-19 testing and vaccination are not required for attendance in Springfield Local Schools. However, these are best practices to limit the spread of COVID-19, and these practices are supported by the Toledo Lucas County Health Department and Ohio Department of Health. The district will hold a COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Wednesday, March 9, from 4 to 6:30 p.m., at Holloway Elementary School. For further information, contact Amanda Saucedo, district director of health services, at 419-867-5762.
The district operates the Springfield Digital Academy (SDA). The SDA allows movement in and out at grading period transitions or our trimesters. These windows have been effectively communicated and the window for the third trimester is closed. We will advertise the next window later this spring, offering entrance into the SDA for the first trimester of the 2022-23 school year. These opportunities are advertised in columns within the Holland-Springfield Journal, our weekly update and via our parent instant alert system. Please review the contact information you’ve provided the district to ensure its accuracy. If you need assistance, contact the secretary at your student’s school. For weekly updates, email community liaison Kristina White at kristi nawhite@springfieldschools.org.
We do appreciate the ongoing support shown to the district, our staff and students within the Holland Springfield community and beyond.
