All employees and students will participate in baseline testing prior to the time schools reopen for in-person instruction. Baseline testing will help determine the prevalence of the virus in the school community and help guide decision-making around school opening.

A return-to-school baseline, test will be required for all students and staff who will be returning for learning and work on campus at our campuses and facilities.

You can be tested by your personal healthcare provider or a local healthcare clinic.

Ingenium Schools is working to establish a relationship with a preferred provider. However, while we are building this relationship, there are a number of testing sites. Click here for testing sites from LA County or click here for sites within LA city.

While we recommend the use of nasal swabs, anyone can request a saliva test at all test sites if they prefer. Both tests are what’s known as PCR tests, the gold standard for COVID-19 testing.

Ingenium Schools is cooperating with both the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) on all aspects of the testing program. Regulations require all positive cases to be reported to the LACDPH department, which will be involved in the formal contact-tracing process for Los Angeles Unified employees or students who test positive for the virus.

All employees must submit results within 3 days of taking the test. Employees should email their results to hr@ingeniumschools.org.

Staff must be tested and have a negative result before reporting to work. For subsequent tests, staff will continue to report to their assigned site while they await test results. All other staff will continue to report to work while they await test results.

An employee or student tests positive who test positive are instructed to isolate immediately. Details of the case and the list of those exposed will be referred to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health which may conduct further contact tracing.

All Ingenium Employees who test positive and require accommodations should notify their supervisor and reach out to Human Resources (hr@ingeniumschools.org).

You should schedule an appointment for a new test as soon as possible.

Test results are typically available 24-36 hours after the test is taken.

An employee or student will not require a doctor’s note, Public Health clearance, or a negative COVID-19 test in order to return to work or school.

Employees and students who have tested positive for COVID-19 and completed their isolation period should not take another COVID-19 test for 90 days because of the possibility of a false-positive result. An individual who has recovered from COVID-19 may have low levels of virus in their bodies for up to 3 months and may continue to test positive although they are not contagious.

More information is available here:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/end-home-isolation.html

Employees who are absent and unable to work due to COVID-19 must utilize benefits under the Family First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and/or use the appropriate benefit time to continue to be paid.

Immediately prior to returning to school, a second baseline test will be required for students and staff. Thereafter, periodic testing will be required by students and staff throughout the school year to reduce the number of persons with the virus who may arrive on school campuses. Students who do not wish to participate in the testing program will not be permitted to return to school campuses and will be required to continue online learning.

That person should follow the home isolation or home quarantine guidelines from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, depending on whether or not they have symptoms. More information is available at these websites:


http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/ncorona2019/covidquarantine/

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/acd/ncorona2019/covidisolation/

The district will be utilizing ParentSquare for all students to complete a daily health check required for admission to a campus or office. The daily health check will monitor for safe behaviors, physical wellness, and potential exposure to the virus.

Individuals who do not have access to the App can complete the health survey at a school or office entrance.

• Within the last 14 days, have you been diagnosed with COVID-19 or had a test confirming you have the virus?

• Do you live in the same household, or had close contact with, someone who in the past 14 days has been in isolation for COVID-19 or had a test confirming they have the virus? (Close contact is less than 6 feet for 15 minutes or more)

• Have you had any of the following symptoms today or within the past 24 hours that are not explained by another reason?

  • Fever

  • Cough

  • Shortness of breath/trouble breathing

  • Chills

  • Night sweats

  • Sore throat

  • Muscle or body aches

  • Loss of taste or smell

  • Headache

  • Confusion

  • Vomiting

  • Diarrhea

Temperature checks will be implemented at all schools as an additional health screening tool.

The spread of COVID-19 in the Los Angeles area still far exceeds state guidelines governing the return of students to school campuses. The launch of the testing program allows the district to prepare for a smooth return to school campuses and for teachers and staff to return to schools and other district buildings more safely.

In addition to testing, Ingenium Schools is implementing significant safety protocols.

Classrooms and facilities are electrostatically cleaned top to bottom, air filtration systems have been upgraded, personal protective equipment is provided to all individuals on the campus or in a classroom, and facilities have been reconfigured to keep all at a school a safer distance apart. When students return, they’ll be kept in small, stable cohorts. As additional safety practices are shown to be effective and appropriate for schools, ingenium Schools will incorporate those practices as well.

Health authorities require those who have tested positive for COVID-19 to complete an “isolation” period; those who may have been exposed to COVID-19 and do not have symptoms of COVID-19 must complete a “quarantine” period. In practice, isolation and quarantine both mean to stay home and stay separated from others who have not been exposed to COVID-19.

Principals and supervisors will be informed of any employee who should not be admitted onto campus.

No. A test result is personal health information and is protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and an individual does not have to disclose test results.

Baseline and ongoing testing will be required for students and staff to return to schools.

Students who do not participate in the testing program will not be permitted to return to school for in-person learning and will be required to continue learning from home.

Students who do not get tested will not be permitted to return to school for in-person learning and will be required to continue learning from home.

If you or anyone in your household has COVID-19 symptoms, it is important to contact your healthcare provider and schedule a COVID-19 test right away. The person with symptoms should self- isolate pending the test results because COVID-19 is very contagious. That individual should also separate themselves from everyone in your household, so they don’t transmit the virus to any family members in your house. They should wear a mask if they must be in the same room as a household member, and social distance. Wash your hands frequently and do not share personal items.

Household members of suspected COVID-19 cases should self- quarantine until test results are available. It is important to separate yourself from other people in your household even if you do not have any symptoms, because you can transmit the virus before you develop symptoms. While you are waiting to find out if your household member is a confirmed case, it is important for you to also monitor yourself for symptoms including fever, chills, cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, muscle aches and pains. If you have any COVID-19 symptoms you should call your healthcare provider immediately and make arrangement to be tested for COVID-19. If your household member’s test comes back negative, and you are symptom free, you can discontinue self- quarantine.

As per LA County Department of Public Health, reporting requirements, if you test positive for COVID-19, you should notify your school principal or supervisor that you will not be able to come to school or work for 10 days from the date of your test or according to your healthcare provider’s instructions. You should self- isolate according to the LA Department of Public Health’s guidelines and follow your healthcare provider’s instructions.

If you are an employee, you should also submit a copy of your test result to hr@ingeniumschools.org.

If a classroom teacher or student tests positive, that individual is instructed to isolate for at least 10 days. All other classroom members are informed that there was a positive case in the classroom and directed to quarantine. Personal information about the positive case is not provided in the notice.