Anyone who tests positive will have to quarantine.  This is our best way to mitigate the spread. However, if your child has been identified as a close contact, is wearing a mask, is vaccinated, or has had COVID in the past 90 days (and symptom free), then they do not have to quarantine.  

The COVID Team consists of representations from several areas.  These team members meet when when we need to discuss moving in between levels or learning models.  These team members include:

Donita Stepan - Superintendent

Nicole Wienen - District Nurse

Kayla Jore - Local Public Health

Joeanna Larson - Sanford (adhoc)

Mike Wienen - Elementary Administrative Rep

Bob Wayne - Secondary Administrative Rep

Reid Froiland - Teacher Rep

Mike Biermaier - Althetics Rep

Kendra Hackney - Parent Rep

Michelle Westerman - School Board Rep

Craig Mattson - School Board Rep

Luckily, we believe in a team approach and decisions are not made by one person.  We have a great group of people who are a part of the decision making process.  Safety of our students and staff is a top priority and is outlined in our strategic plan. 

We meet with the following groups or representatives as we make decisions:

Leadership Team: 

• Includes all administrators for TRFPS

COVID Team: 

• Includes administrator reps, teacher rep, school board reps, parent rep, Local Public Health, Sanford and our District Nurse

School Board members: 

• All school board members are consulted before any final recommendation or decision is made.
• School Board members will vote on any changes in Levels.  

In addition, this summer, we sought guidance from the medical community:

• MN Dept of Health
• Local Public Health
• Center for Disease Control
• Mayo Clinic
• Minnesota Medical Association (MMA)
• Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP), and
• Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (MNAAP)  

And MN Based Guidance:

• MN Dept of Education
• Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA)
• Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA)

After synthesizing all of the guidance from the above mentioned groups, we were able to develop the TRF COVID Matrix

Contact Tracing will happen, but, depending upon the Level on the COVID Matrix, quarantining may be limited.  Any students or staff who are wearing a mask, are vaccinated, or who have had COVID in the past 90 days, will not have to quarantine. 

All close contacts will work through our District Nurse.

Close contacts and Quarantining

• A student or staff will be considered a close contact when:
• A student or staff has been within 6 feet (for a cumulative of 15 minutes) of someone who tests positive within their infectious period (starts 48 hours prior to symptom onset or test date if asymptomatic, + 10 days)
• Any students or staff who are wearing a mask, or are vaccinated, or have had COVID in the past 90 days, AND are symptom free, DO NOT have to quarantine (unless you’ve tested positive).  
• Any students or staff who are NOT wearing a mask, or who have NOT been vaccinated, or are showing symptoms, will be required to quarantine using the following guidelines:
  • Lengths of quarantine - when determining quarantine timing, the date of exposure = day 0 and the final day of quarantine is the final day at home.
    • 7 days – close contact gets tested 5-7 days after last exposure and the individual remains asymptomatic (if negative, return on Day 8)
    • 10 days - close contact was NOT a household member and they stay asymptomatic during the quarantine period.
    • 14 days - close contact WAS a household member and they stay asymptomatic during the quarantine period.

Supporting students during quarantine or isolation

• First, if a student is isolated (has been diagnosed with COVID) due to COVID or COVID-like symptoms, our primary concern is for the care and full recovery of the student.  The amount of time spent on schoolwork and the completion of assignments should be carefully considered.
• If a student has been placed in quarantine (has been identified as a close contact), to every extent possible, the child will have access to classroom assignments via their assigned technology device through the use of SeeSaw (Grades K-3) or Google Classroom (Grades 3-12).  It is acceptable that children will be provided with assignments and tasks that promote the learning of “key learning concepts” during their absence.  Especially at the elementary and middle school levels, not every assignment will be able to be provided to students on a daily or per period basis.
• Due to the absence of distance learning, there is no expectation for synchronous instruction during the student’s absence.
• It is the expectation, however, that teachers remain in contact with the student (or the parents of the students depending on the age) during their absence.  Contact could be done through Seesaw, Google Classroom, or email.  Each classroom, at various levels, will likely look different.

In making a determination on school closures due to illness, the District would collaborate with Pennington County Public Health and Human Services, Minnesota Department of Health, our Local administrators, our COVID team and our school board. We are continuously monitoring how the virus is impacting our community and our schools. The District maintains a list of school-related activities and events which will be monitored for possible cancelation. School closures and activity cancellations are sent directly to families via School Messenger, and are posted on our official social media channels and our website.

This is still TBD.  Watch for additional details soon. 

The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) has prepared guidance for parents to talk with their children about COVID-19.

• Read the NASP guidance in English.
• Read the NASP guidance in Spanish.