The Health & Safety Plan for the Exeter Township School District was approved by the Board on August 17, 2021 and was last revised on March 15, 2022. This plan serves as the local guidelines for all instructional and non-instructional school activities, but does not supersede any Orders by the Pennsylvania Secretary of Health.
You can download a copy of this plan by clicking HERE.
First, please monitor your child for COVID symptoms, using our Symptom Monitoring Tool, which is located HERE.
The most common symptoms of COVID are:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
The Omicron strain of COVID reportedly can be milder and easily confused with the common cold. The Omicron strain also does not seem to be causing a loss of taste or smell or shortness of breath as frequently as the original strains of COVID. Therefore, we suggest using the CDC’s Viral Testing Tool to decide if your child should be tested for COVID-19 prior to returning to school.
Both PCR (performed usually by a medical lab) and rapid antigen tests (performed usually at home) can detect COVID. However, PCR tests are more accurate than at-home rapid antigen tests.
All Tower Health Urgent Care locations are offering PCR COVID testing. You can find more information HERE.
Rapid antigen tests can be bought at local and online pharmacies and drug stores.
Please contact your child’s school nurse immediately. A list of nurses and their email addresses can be found on our website HERE. If your child has tested positive for COVID, he/she must isolate at home for 5 days and be fever-free and relatively symptom-free for at least 24-hours prior to returning to school.
If your child is exhibiting any COVID symptoms and was a close contact of someone with COVID, we consider him or her to have a probable case and would require your child to isolate at home for 5 days before returning to school. If your child has COVID symptoms and tests negative with an at-home antigen or lab PCR test and is not a close contact of someone who is COVID-positive, you can send him/her back to school when he/she feels better and has been fever-free for at least 24 hours.
If your child is fully vaccinated*, you may decide if your child should quarantine at home or continue attending school. If your child continues to attend school and does not have COVID symptoms, it is recommended your child wear a mask (regardless of school/state mask mandates) for 10 days after the household exposure. We recommend having your child tested for COVID 5 days after the household exposure; however, testing is not required.
*Fully vaccinated means that your child received a vaccine booster, completed a series of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within the last 6 months, or completed a primary series of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine within the last 2 months.
If your child is not fully vaccinated*, you may decide if your child should quarantine at home or continue attending school. If your child continues to attend school and does not have COVID symptoms, it is recommended your child wear a mask (regardless of school/state mask mandates) for 10 days after the household exposure. We recommend having your child tested for COVID 5 days after the household exposure; however, testing is not required.
*Fully vaccinated means that your child received a vaccine booster, completed a series of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within the last 6 months, or completed a primary series of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine within the last 2 months.
The district accepts either to confirm a positive or negative result.
Parents who are interested in obtaining a vaccine or booster for themselves or their children can visit https://www.vaccines.gov to find a list of vaccine providers or can call their family physician or pediatrician to receive guidance. At this time, only students 5+ years old are eligible to receive vaccines.
No. As of March 16, 2022, the district stopped notifying parents that their child had been a close contact of a COVID-positive individual at school.
No. Wearing a mask is recommended by the district, but not required.
No. Wearing a mask is recommended by the district, but not required.
No. As per the CDC's updated guidance that was issued on February 25, 2022, the district is able to regulate mask mandates on school transportation. At this time, the district offers students and staff the option to wear masks on school transportation. These regulations may change due to Board of School Directors or government action; please continue to monitor school communication for updates.
The Exeter Township School District's Health and Safety Plan will be updated throughout the 2021-2022 school year whenever needed to adhere to any new PA Department of Health (PADOH) or Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) mandates and/or District or Board actions related to the plan. ETSD will communicate any updated mitigation strategies with all stakeholders to ensure the health and safety of its community.
Please discuss any questions with your school principal or nurse.