Effective July 26 2022

COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidance for School Year 2022-23

 In preparation for the start of the new school year, we want to ensure that staff are equipped with the latest updates to the Department's COVID-19 Health and Safety Guidance for School Year 2022-23.

This guidance, which goes into effect on July 26, 2022, has been updated to align with the latest guidance for K-12 schools from the state Department of Health (DOH). Here are some of the latest updates:

• Indoor and outdoor masking is optional for students and employees, but highly encouraged. The Department recognizes the benefits of masking for reducing the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses and any student or employee who chooses to wear a mask will have that decision respected.

• In the event of a cluster or outbreak, masks may temporarily be required     indoors.

• Indoor masking is strongly encouraged when the CDC determines community levels are medium or high. CDC community levels are updated weekly on Thursdays on their website. As of the date of this email, state levels show all islands as medium or high, so indoor masking is strongly encouraged.

• Quarantine is not required for in-school exposures, but indoor masking is strongly recommended for 10 days following an exposure.

• Quarantine still applies for non-school and household exposures when someone is not up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations for their age group.

• Isolation requirements remain for anyone who tests positive for COVID or has COVID-like symptoms.

A parent letter from Superintendent Keith Hayashi regarding the latest updates can be found on our website here.

As we transition from the emergency response phase of the pandemic to learning how to exist with COVID-19, we look forward to focusing on prioritizing and accelerating student learning.

Mahalo for your continued support and cooperation in helping to keep our schools safe and healthy.