7-28-21 Parent-Staff Update

July 28, 2021

Greeting to Parents and Staff Members,

I hope you have been able to spend time this summer doing the things you enjoy with your loved ones. As July comes to an end, I wanted to provide the latest information pertaining to what schools in Uinta 4 will look like when staff and students return from their summer break. Please note that the school district's decisions are being made in a very fluid and changing environment based on current recommendations and orders. If anything changes between now and the beginning of the school year, you will be notified immediately through Swift Alert, the district Facebook page and the district website.

The Wyoming Department of Health does not currently have public health orders in place and, according to a recent email from Dr. Harrist, does not plan to have health orders in place for the 2021-22 school year.

Therefore, masking recommendations will be determined by Uinta 4. Specifically, the option to utilize masks or other face coverings will be left to the discretion of families and employees. Mask wearing will be recommended, but not required in all district facilities, vehicles and buses. Uinta 4 will ensure the decisions on face coverings made by families and employees are supported and respected.

Consistent with the Wyoming Department of Health's protocols from last year and consistent with CDC's guidance for the K-12 setting, the Wyoming Department of Health will continue to conduct contact tracing and require that individuals who have COVID-19 and who have been exposed to COVID-19 remain out of school either in isolation or in quarantine. The Wyoming Department of Health has said that individuals who are fully vaccinated or who have been diagnosed with COVID in the prior three months and are exposed will not need to quarantine. If both the person with COVID-19 and the person who is exposed are wearing masks, then the person exposed does not need to quarantine. If any of these protocols or orders from the Wyoming Department of Health change, parents and staff members will be notified of those changes and how they impact students and staff in Uinta 4. The district will continue to focus on high-level cleaning and disinfection of our facilities. We ask that students and staff members remain at home when showing symptoms or feeling sick.

The teamwork and resiliency demonstrated by students, parents and staff members last year was inspiring and provides hope that there is nothing that we cannot overcome by continuing to work together. Let's all enjoy what remains of these wonderful summer days!

Jeffrey M. Newton, Superintendent
Uinta County School District 4