• Important Updates to DOE COVID-19 Policies for the 2022-2023 School Year

    Please see below for important updates to the DOE COVID-19 Policies to ensure that everyone has a safe and successful 2022-2023 School Year.

    We ask that students and families regularly check the DOE Health and Wellness Webpage for more information.


    Vaccination Requirements:

    • Vaccination is still required for all visitors entering school buildings
    • Vaccination is still required for all DOE employees
    • Vaccination is still required for other individuals who work in DOE buildings
    • Vaccinations is still required to participate in high-risk extracurricular activities (band, orchestra, chorus, musical theatre, dance/dance team, marching band, cheerleading, step teams, flag teams) including high-risk PSAL sports (football, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, lacrosse, stunt, and rugby). 


    Daily Health Screener: No longer required to enter school buildings.

    Stay home if sick: Students and staff should stay home if they show any symptoms of COVID-19 or other illnesses and get tested for COVID-19. 

    Isolate if COVID-19 positive: Students and staff who test positive for COVID-19 must isolate for 5 days and can return to school on day 6 if they have no symptoms or symptoms are improving. They must wear mask until day 10 after symptom onset or date of positive test, whichever is earlier. These cases should be reported to school so they can be reported to the situation room for exposure notifications.

    Get tested if exposed to COVID-19: Students and staff who are exposed to COVID-19 should get tested.

    These individuals should receive home tests from their school and take two tests, at least 24 hours apart on day 4 and day 5 of their exposure. All exposed individuals should monitor for fever and other COVID-19 symptoms for 10 days after their exposure. If symptoms begin, they should not attend school and should isolate and get tested for COVID-19 again right away. 

    Testing:

    • Starting the first day of school, schools will offer home test kits to those with a potential in-school exposure and those with symptoms
    • In addition, each staff and student will receive 4 tests per month to take home. These tests can be used by school families for testing due to symptoms, exposures, high-risk activity (such as travel and large gatherings), and can give staff and students immediate results.
    • In-school PCR surveillance testing will not be a part of the 2022-23 school year.


    Masking: 

    Face coverings are strongly recommended to be worn when indoors. Masks will be made available at the school for all those who need/want them. Students and staff, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear a mask when:

    • Returning to school on the sixth day after testing positive for COVID-19, through day 10 after symptom onset or date of positive test, whichever is earlier, including when traveling on a school bus.
    • Entering the school medical room, nurse’s office, or school-based health center.
    • Exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 at school.

    Students and staff, regardless of vaccination status, are strongly recommended to wear a mask:

    • When they were exposed to someone with COVID-19, whether the exposure occurred in school or outside of school. The person should wear a mask for 10 days after their last day of exposure and get tested at least 24 hours apart on day 4 and day 5 of their exposure.
    • When they are moderately-to-severely immunocompromised, and masking is recommended by their healthcare provider.
    • In crowded indoor settings


    For additional information, please see the DOE Health and Wellness Webpage.