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Dear DSST Community,

As you may have heard, new COVID cases in multiple communities across Colorado are increasing. While I know we are closing in on the end of the school year, I wanted to let you all know that DSST remains committed to keeping our students, staff and families safe.

DSST has many health and safety precautions in place in order to maintain in-person learning in a healthy environment. We have hundreds of free KN-95 and fabric masks available for staff and students. Any student or staff who wants a mask can ask for one from their school’s front office. Additionally, every school’s front office has rapid tests available for students or staff who would like to test at home. If you are unable to ask your school’s front office or supplies are low, anyone can receive up to 4 free at-home tests by completing an order form at https://www.covid.gov/tests. For DSST staff, you can find more information on our DPS & APS COVID-19 Testing Information Guidance.

DSST is currently following the same COVID guidelines as DPS, with the addition of strongly recommending a COVID-19 test before students or staff return from quarantine after an exposure. The updated guidance is outlined below and in DPS’s COVID-19 Flowchart:

• Isolation: Any student, staff or volunteer in a school who tests positive for COVID-19 must isolate at home for at least 5 days. If at that point, symptoms are greatly improving and there is no fever (without the use of fever-reducing medication), they may return to school or work with a well-fitting mask on at all times for the next 5 days when around others. 
• Quarantine: Only students, staff, or volunteers who have direct contact in the same household with a positive case AND are not fully vaccinated are required to quarantine. 
• Fully vaccinated means you have received at a minimum two doses of Pfizer or Moderna or one dose of Johnson & Johnson.
• The person who was exposed must stay home for 5 days from the last exposure to the positive case.
• If they are symptom-free and have no fever, they may return on day 6.
• If someone was exposed to a positive case outside of their household, they may come to school but should monitor for symptoms, take regular rapid tests and must wear a mask.
• If they end up testing positive, they should follow the isolation guidance above.
• Testing: Anyone who has been exposed should be tested within 5 days after exposure. If symptoms occur, individuals should immediately get tested and then quarantine until they receive test results back. (If the results are positive, they should follow the isolation guidance above.) Once the 5-day quarantine has ended, DSST strongly recommends testing for COVID before returning to school.
• Vaccination: DSST strongly encourages individuals to become fully vaccinated and stay current with booster shots. Resources on vaccinations, testing sites and more can be found here:https://covidcheckcolorado.org/

We are grateful for your continued partnership in safely providing our students with the best possible educational experience. Let's finish this school year strong as we look forward to celebrating the Class of 2022 and their accomplishments this past year.

Danielle Felder

Chief External Affairs Officer