M-DCPS Updates Protocols to Address Surge in COVID-19 Cases

DORAL, FL – Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) has been closely monitoring local COVID-19 conditions and following the guidance of the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention (CDC) and medical experts when developing protocols to ensure the health and safety of our students and employees.

Due to a surge in COVID-19 cases during the holidays, driven by the highly contagious Omicron variant, M-DCPS is modifying its existing protocols.

Beginning Monday, January 3, 2022, and until further notice, the following protocols will be implemented:

• All M-DCPS employees, volunteers, visitors, vendors, and contractors will be required to wear facial coverings while indoors at any District school or facility.
• Transportation employees will also be required to wear facial coverings while transporting children.
• Facial coverings will not be mandated for students, but they will continue to be highly encouraged as this practice provides an additional layer of protection against COVID-19.
• All spectators at school sporting events will be required to wear facial coverings.
• Protocols for the enhanced sanitization and cleaning of classrooms and common areas, which were implemented at the beginning of the pandemic, will continue.  

Self-isolation and quarantine protocols for students will remain the same. However, in accordance with newly released guidance from the CDC, any M-DCPS employee who tested positive for COVID-19 prior to December 29 and is asymptomatic or has symptoms that are resolving (no fever for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication) can return to work on January 3.

Prior to sending their children to school, parents/guardians are asked to complete the At-Home Daily Student Health Screening which can be found at http://pdfs.dadeschools.net/reopening/Parent_At_Home_Daily_Student_Health_Screening-English.pdf

Parents of students who are home self-isolating or quarantining due to exposure to COVID-19 should contact their children’s teachers for makeup assignments and links for remote access via Teams or Zoom. More information about remote learning options during quarantine can be found at ICP.dadeschools.net

Frequent handwashing, social distancing, COVID-19 testing, and vaccination will continue to be encouraged. Additionally, the District will leverage its existing partnerships with local health and municipal entities to further expand COVID-19 testing and vaccinations in our schools.

M-DCPS will analyze available data on local conditions each week and follow the guidance of medical experts to identify opportunities for additional adjustments to its health and safety protocols.

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