• ARRIVAL
  - Parents or guardians are asked to keep sick children at home.

• - Parents or guardians of students in first grade and above are not permitted to walk students to class or visit classrooms in the effort to limit unnecessary interactions and exposures for our students and staff. Exceptions may be considered in extenuating circumstances upon approval of the building principal.

• - When possible, separate entrances will be utilized for car riders, bus riders, walkers and daycares, etc. Students will proceed directly to their designated areas set by each campus.
  DISMISSAL

• - Children with symptoms of COVID-19 will be sent home.

• - The campus will designate staggered dismissal groups when possible.
  - Separate exits will be utilized for car riders, bus riders, walkers, and daycares, to the greatest extent possible.
  - Parents picking up students during the day will be encouraged to call ahead so that students can be sent or accompanied to parent vehicles upon arrival. Office staff will sign the student out, document both the time the student left the building, as well as the time the parent requested for early dismissal, to the greatest extent possible.

• - Parents should ensure that contact information is updated as necessary. 

- Outdoor eating will be prioritized as a first option for eating space whenever possible.
- All students are expected to wash hands or use hand sanitizer prior to entering the cafeteria.
- At schools with open lunch for seniors in High School, students are required to wash hands or use hand sanitizer upon their return to school.
- Breakfast and lunch will be served in the cafeteria, except at schools where breakfast may be served in the classroom.

• - Multiple locations of hand sanitizer will be available throughout classrooms and common areas to minimize student and staff movement.
  - High-touch surfaces (i.e. tabletops, chairs, door handles) will be disinfected daily.
  - Students are encouraged to bring their own reusable water bottle for use throughout the day and expected to take water bottles home to be cleaned on a daily basis.
  - Students will be permitted to bring backpacks to class.

• - Federal, state, and local officials recommend a COVID-19 vaccine to help lower your chances of getting COVID-19 and spreading it to others. The District is partnering with local organizations to provide COVID-19 vaccine opportunities to students, staff, families, and the community. Getting the COVID-19 vaccine is not required, but strongly encouraged. 

• - The District follows the CDC guidance for cleaning. DPS utilizes disinfectants that meet the EPA’s criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

• - Participants and teacher sponsors are recommended to wear face coverings when participating in an activity.
  - Practices and games/competitions will follow protocols established by COVID-19 Response Manager and District Athletic Director.  In-season and off-season activities will follow the most current guidelines available.
  - Coaches/Directors will provide an orientation of protocols and expectations for students at the beginning of their respective season(s).
  - Parents and students will be expected to provide timely notification of any health concerns to their coach, athletic trainer, or director.
  - Sharing of water or sports drinks will not be allowed at any time.
  - Performances/exhibits/games may be adjusted based on prevailing health and safety guidelines from state or local health authorities. Adjustments could impact transportation procedures and the number of attendees.

• - All students, teachers, staff members and adult visitors, including volunteers, are recommended, but not required, to wear face coverings on buses and while inside school buildings during the regular day.
  Update: April 5, 2022

- DPS will communicate with families via email regarding any positive case or probable case on the campus. Close contacts to a positive or probable case will be communicated with directly.

- The CDC defines close contact to include anyone who came within six feet of an infected individual for at least 15 minutes starting from 48 hours before illness/symptom onset until the time the patient is isolated.

- The District will maintain a COVID-19 Dashboard on the District’s website, updating weekly with student and staff cases. The frequency of updates may change based on prevailing conditions.

Update: April 5, 2022

•  Members of the same household are encouraged to sit together.
  - Students should not share food, drinks, or personal devices.
  - Buses will be disinfected at the end of the day.
  - A/C air filters are cleaned and changed regularly.

• - Durham Public Schools has modified operating parameters of the HVAC equipment in order to introduce more outside air into the buildings during occupied times. Between occupancy, outside air is being used to “flush” building spaces. Exhaust fans are being used, where possible, to assist with the exchange rate.
  - HVAC systems are equipped with improved filtration to reduce the spread of airborne illnesses. Additionally, staff monitors  HVAC systems to ensure they are operating according to design.

The North Carolina General Assembly, through the passage of Senate Bill 654, removed the authority of a local Board to return to virtual instruction as a primary mode of education for our students, and also significantly limited the manner in which virtual instruction may be offered by school systems in North Carolina. Outside of the listed circumstances below, remote instruction is not permitted.

• Local boards of education may use up to five (5) remote instructional days (or 30 instructional hours) when schools are unable to open due to severe weather conditions, power failures, or other emergency situations.  In addition, a local board may apply for a good-cause waiver to allow for up to 15 days of remote instruction for this same reason.
• Local boards of education retain the authority to make day-to-day decisions regarding the possibility of providing instruction remotely for a particular single classroom or a particular, single school building, if the reason for closure is based on specific lack of personnel and/or required student quarantines.  Any shift to virtual instruction for this reason must be reported to DPI within 72 hours and must return to in-person instruction as soon as personnel are available or the required quarantines are complete.  Any decision by DPS to move a classroom or a school to remote instruction under this provision will be based on specific documentation regarding the numbers of staff/students required to quarantine and a timeline for returning based on the anticipated length of quarantine/staff unavailability.
• Any local district pursuing virtual academies that would allow for voluntary remote instruction (i.e. with parental consent) were required to submit a virtual instruction plan to DPI no later than October 1, 2021.  It does not provide for the creation of virtual academies beyond October 1, 2021, except that they can be offered beginning with the 2022-2023 school year only if they have a separate school number.

• All visitors must sign in at the front office.

• Visitors must adhere to current masking policies, at this time masks are recommended NOT required.

• It is strongly recommended that visitors experiencing any contagious illness or having signs of sickness please stay at home.

• Visitors and volunteers that will be interacting directly with students and/or staff must attest to our visitor/volunteer vaccination attestation.

• Parents or guardians of students in first grade and above are not permitted to walk students to class or visit classrooms in the effort to limit unnecessary interactions and exposures for our students and staff. Exceptions may be considered in extenuating circumstances upon approval of the building principal.

• Schools will provide appropriate access accommodations for parents/caregivers for PK and K students. 

• There are no restrictions for in-person events; including but not limited to, curriculum nights, performing arts and athletic events.

• There are no capacity restrictions on spectators for events; such as, performing arts and athletic events. 

• The following COVID protocols are required in order to become a DPS volunteer. 

  • All volunteers must be FULLY vaccinated for COVID-19.

  • All volunteers must be screened upon entering the building. 

  • All volunteers are strongly recommended to wear a mask consistently while indoors.

  • All volunteers must depart immediately at the end of their shift. 

• - Students are encouraged to bring their own reusable water bottle for use throughout the day and expected to take water bottles home to be cleaned on a daily basis.
  - Students will not drink directly from water fountains.

Beginning April 11, the following COVID Protocols will be in effect for all arts and extracurricular activities. 

Participants

• While outdoors, teachers and performers are recommended to wear face coverings while not engaged in active performing.
• Weekly testing is required for all unvaccinated students to participate in activities.

Spectators

• All audience members (indoors) are recommended to wear face coverings.  Community members without masks will not be allowed into any venue.  Face coverings will be provided for community members attending performances
• Audience members are expected to remain seated at all times.
• Congregating in open areas is strictly prohibited.  

Update: April 5, 2022

Beginning April 11, the following COVID Protocols will be in effect for all winter athletics: 

Athletes

• Athletes are recommended to wear a face covering except when engaged in physical activity.
• Weekly testing is required for all unvaccinated athletes to play.

Spectators

• Indoor venues will be limited to 50% of capacity with the home team getting 80% and the visiting team 20%.
• All spectators are recommended to wear face coverings.
• All concessions will be pre-packaged food and drinks, with a limited number of individuals working to allow for adequate spacing.  
• Lobby areas for concessions will be clearly marked for adequate seating and spacing.  
• Bags are not allowed in any DPS athletic event. 
• Spectators may not reenter any athletic contest after leaving.

Update: April 5, 2022