Good evening PUSD,
This week, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) updated their COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for PreK-12 Schools. After today, the universal indoor masking in Preschool and K-12 school settings will move from a requirement to a strong recommendation.
Throughout the pandemic, Porterville Unified School District (PUSD) has aligned its practices with public health guidance. As a result, when PUSD students and staff return from Spring Break on Monday, March 21st, masks will be optional in all settings. This applies to students and staff, as well as parents/guardians, visitors, contractors, bus drivers, and/or spectators on school sites and in school buses.
Additionally, along with the transition away from universal indoor masking, the CDPH also updated guidance associated with quarantines and other procedures and our PUSD nursing and healthcare staff will be adopting these new guidelines. The California Safe Schools For All Hub contains additional information should you have any questions regarding the new guidance and is accessible at the following link: https://schools.covid19.ca.gov/
The health and safety of our school community continues to be our highest priority. We want to remind you that masks are available at no cost upon request from school offices and remain an option for students and staff. Additionally, the district has made a significant investment in enhancing indoor air quality through the deployment of filtration systems across all school sites as well as improving cleaning procedures.
We are looking forward to taking the next steps in planning our traditional end-of-the-school-year activities while being mindful of everyone’s safety. Open communication between families and our schools continues to be one of our best tools in supporting the health and safety of our students and staff.
Please enjoy your time off, be safe and please consider a COVID-19 test prior to your return to school.