UPDATED January 11, 2022   (En Español) 

Addressing the surge in COVID cases through safety protocols & modified extracurricular activities 
As we shared last week, TTUSD is experiencing a huge surge in positive COVID cases. As of Monday, January 10, 2022, we have a total of 267 active cases of COVID, and over 750 absences. This represents over 18% of our school population.

Our priority is to keep our schools open five days per week for in-person instruction, and our team is working diligently to make this possible. 

We heard your feedback and realize the impact that pausing extracurricular activities is having on our students and want to make some modifications effective January 11, 2022. 

Early Monday morning, the Superintendent, board members, and a team of administrators met with student leaders (from sports teams, drama, Athletes Committed and the Academic Team) and the athletic directors from both North Tahoe High School and Truckee High School. In this meeting, student leaders shared thoughtful solutions to addressing the COVID surge while allowing for some extracurricular activities. From this meeting, and their input, we’ve come up with some modifications to allow for extracurricular activities while implementing additional safety measures. The modifications vary based on the activity and its level of personal contact. 

Extracurricular Activities
Snowsports for grades 6-12: Practices and competitions may resume this week. 
This includes Nordic skiing, downhill skiing, and snowboarding. To participate, the following must be in place: 

• Face masks or neck gaiter must be worn except during the actual competition
• Testing - weekly and day of or the day before the competition (monitored by athletic trainers)
• Social distancing 4’ whenever possible. For example, when riding the chairlift, two people per quad chair lift. 
• Wellness Checks prior to each practice. 
• No sharing of water bottles, food, etc. during practice or competitions.
• TTUSD has severe staffing shortages, especially in the Transportation Department due to COVID so transportation to events is on their own - kids can drive themselves (or parents transport their own child) OR - use school vans (if available) but students can not take other students. The driver will also be required to test prior to travel and can only go if they test negative.
• Spectators are allowed since these are outdoor events.

Basketball, volleyball (middle school), drama, wrestling, cheerleading, and Academic Teams and band: 
Practices and rehearsals may resume this week.

To participate, the following must be in place: 

• Masks are worn at all times during practice
• Social distancing a minimum of 4’ and ideally 6’whenever possible.
• Wellness checks prior to each practice
• Testing weekly (testing will be monitored by our athletic trainers)
• No sharing of water bottles, food, etc. during practice or games. 

Scrimmages, competitions, and performances may resume beginning the week of January 18, provided:

• We will take a phased-in approach to scrimmages beginning the week of January 18 
• We will allow home games beginning next week but no spectators will be allowed to attend. Note: TTUSD will live stream as many games as possible through Tahoe Truckee Media and a link will be posted on our website.
• We are still determining if we will allow spectators for drama performances. If we do, we will request either proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID test. This will be clarified in the coming weeks by the site principal. 
• TTUSD has severe staffing shortages, especially in the Transportation Department due to COVID so transportation for any away games - Transportation on own - kids can drive themselves (or parents transport their own child) OR - use school vans (if available). The driver will also be required to test prior to travel and can only go if they test negative.
• Athletes will provide proof of a negative test on game days. 

Field Trips

• There will be no field trips or outside events at TTUSD for the remainder of January 2022. 

Quarantining Guidance

TTUSD is implementing the following temporary restrictions (through January 28, 2022):

Any student (regardless of vaccination status) who has been identified as a close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID must remain home from school and quarantine for 10 days. If the student becomes ill and tests negative during their 10 day home quarantine, the student is still required to remain home for the duration of the quarantine period. 

(Note- we are using a 10 day quarantine period because there is a ten-day period where students can be infected with COVID and not yet show symptoms or test positive for COVID.)

• Any student who shows signs of COVID illness, even if they have a COVID negative test, must remain home and isolate for 5 days. In order to return back to school, on day 6, a student must be healthy (symptoms resolved) and submit a negative COVID test taken on or after day 5. 
• Any student who is ill and doesn’t take a COVID test is presumed positive and must stay home for 10 days. 
• A student who tests positive for COVID  must isolate for 10 days. If healthy on day 11, no test is needed to return to school as the individual would be past the infectious period. 
• If a family member shows any signs of COVID illness and has not tested positive, all students within the family must quarantine with the symptomatic family member for 5 days. In order to return back to school, on day 6, a student must be healthy and submit a negative COVID test taken on or after day 5. 
• TTUSD is offering two COVID testing sites for our students and staff members should they become symptomatic. This is not surveillance testing - it is only for students and staff who are ill. Testing is not available for parents/guardians, and it is not for trips or other personal means. Please register your child in Primary Health if you have not already for all testing needs. 
• NOTE: These testing sites cannot be used to be cleared for any extracurricular activities. These sites are solely for symptomatic students and staff members. 

Testing locations for symptomatic TTUSD students and TTUSD staff:
TTUSD’s District Office, 11603 Donner Pass Rd, Truckee in the modular in the back parking lot. (view map here)
8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m., Monday-Friday

Rideout, 720 Timberland Lane, just outside of Tahoe City

12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.,  Monday-Friday, non-holiday

Lastly, no volunteers or visitors will be allowed on campus for the remainder of January 2022, non-holiday

January 7, 2022 - TTUSD'S (UPDATED) COVID Response Protocols

TTUSD is experiencing a significant surge in positive COVID cases. As of Friday, January 7, 2022, we have a total of 203 active cases of COVID.

Our priority is to keep our schools open five days per week for in-person instruction, and we are taking some temporary actions to reduce the potential spread of COVID. 

TTUSD is implementing the following temporary restrictions (through January 28, 2022) to keep our students and staff safe and to prevent further spread of COVID-19:

Any student who has been in close contact with someone with COVID must remain home from school and quarantine for 10 days. If the student becomes ill and tests negative during their 10 day home quarantine, the student is still required to remain home for the duration of the quarantine period. 

(Note- we are using a 10 day quarantine period because there is a ten-day period where students can be infected with COVID and not yet show symptoms or test positive for COVID.)

• Any student who shows signs of COVID illness, even if they have a COVID negative test, must remain home and isolate for 5 days. In order to return back to school, on day 6, a student must be healthy (symptoms resolved) and submit a negative COVID test taken on or after day 5. 
• Any student who is ill and doesn’t take a COVID test is presumed positive and must stay home for 10 days. 
• A student who tests positive for COVID  must isolate for 10 days. If healthy on day 11, no test is needed to return to school as the individual would be past the infectious period. 
• If a family member shows any signs of COVID illness and has not tested positive, all students within the family must quarantine with the symptomatic family member for 5 days. In order to return back to school, on day 6, a student must be healthy and submit a negative COVID test taken on or after day 5. 
• TTUSD is offering two COVID testing sites for our students and staff members should they become symptomatic. This is not surveillance testing - it is only for students and staff who are ill. Testing is not available for parents/guardians, and it is not for trips or other personal means. Please register your child in Primary Health if you have not already for all testing needs. 

Testing locations:
TTUSD’s District Office, 11603 Donner Pass Rd, Truckee: 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m., Monday-Friday
Rideout, 720 Timberland  12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.,  Monday-Friday

• All extracurricular activities have been paused. This includes sports games and practices and band and theatrical performances. We know this is extremely hard on students and their families, but it is a necessary short-term step we must take to stop the spread of COVID and keep our students safe and in school. 
• No volunteers will be allowed on campus for the remainder of January 2022.
• No visitors will be allowed on campus for the remainder of January 2022. 
• There will be no field trips or outside events at TTUSD for the remainder of January 2022. 

On December 13, 2021, the California Department of Public Health announced new guidance for the use of face coverings indoors that goes into effect December 15, 2021 - January 15, 2022. The intent of this new measure is to bring an added layer of mitigation against the Omicron variant. Read the full details on this latest guidance from CDPH here. 

As of November 4, 2021, COVID-19 pediatric vaccines are available to the public. The Tahoe Forest Gateway Vaccine Clinic, at 11004 Donner Pass Road, is now offering pediatric Pfizer vaccines to individuals aged 5 – 11 years old. (A parent or guardian must accompany all children under the age of 18 to their appointments.) TTUSD is not hosting any student vaccine clinics. TTUSD does not have access to the vaccine nor are we equipped to host a vaccine clinic. 


Appointments are STRONGLY encouraged as walk-in appointments may not be available.  Tahoe Forest Gateway Vaccine Clinic will continue to vaccinate 12+-year-olds.

Tips from Tahoe Forest for scheduling:

They recommend using Chrome, Firefox, or Safari as your internet browser.
If you cannot find an appointment time that meets your needs, or appointments at their location appear to be full, please check back every few days. 
In this early stage of the pediatric vaccine roll-out, they are receiving small quantities of pediatric vaccines from the state. 
They will open additional appointment slots once they receive the vaccine.
After your first vaccine appointment is complete, you will need to go back onto MyTurn to schedule the second vaccine appointment.
Schedule the second vaccine appointment 21 days or more after the first vaccine.

Additional notes: 

• There may be messaging on myturn.ca.gov that indicates that school districts are having vaccine clinics.  TTUSD is not hosting any student vaccine clinics. TTUSD does not have access to the vaccine nor are we equipped to host a vaccine clinic. 
• Bring identification for both the minor receiving the vaccine and the parent or guardian.  Identification for the minor is not a requirement.

• Any individual who has been instructed to quarantine (full, modified, has already tested negative, etc.) will not be allowed inside the vaccine clinic.  Please return once your full quarantine (14 days after last exposure) has ended.
• Any individual with COVID symptoms will not be allowed inside the vaccine clinic.
• Consider consulting these tips, for how to prepare children for receiving a vaccine.  https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/visit/before-during-after-shots.html

Please visit  https://myturn.ca.gov  to schedule

TTUSD is not hosting any student vaccine clinics. TTUSD does not have access to the vaccine nor are we equipped to host a vaccine clinic.