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On August 4, 2021, the Hawaii State Department of Education (Department) issued a memorandum outlining “new safety guidelines with vaccination requirements for athletes, adults to participate in sports” (Memorandum). In relevant part, the Memorandum states that all student-athletes, athletic staff, and volunteers will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by September 24, 2021, to participate in school- sanctioned athletic activities for the 2021-2022 school year. Full vaccination is defined as two weeks after the second dose in a two-dose series or two weeks after a single- dose vaccine.

The Department’s Civil Rights Compliance Branch (CRCB) will be responsible for fielding requests for Religious Accommodations regarding the new vaccination requirement from student-athletes, athletic staff, and athletic volunteers.

Please find attached a form entitled, Request for Exemption from COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement (for Student Participation in Athletics) on Religious Grounds, specifically for student-athletes seeking religious accommodations related to the vaccination requirement under the Memorandum.

Students may submit a completed request form to the applicable CRCB Equity Specialist for their Complex Area.

The CRCB Equity Specialist will review the request, and shall contact the student’s parent to ask follow-up questions regarding the student’s religious beliefs/practices/observances.

The CRCB Equity Specialist will issue a written determination to the student’s parent.

Should you have any questions, please contact Title VII Specialist Toby Yamashiro via phone at (808) 586-3322 or email at toby.yamashiro@k12.hi.us.

Phyllis Unebasami,
Deputy Superintendent

Click Here to Download and Print Request for Religious Exemption for COVID-19 Vaccine Form

Operation Expanded Testing - COVID Testing For Students

9/13/2021

Aloha PHIS Parents and Families,

We hope that your family is in good health and your child(ren) are adjusting to school.

Our school is part of a new program called Operation Expanded Testing which will help us get a more accurate understanding of the spread of COVID-19 in our community. We will have free, weekly COVID-19 testing available on our campus for students. If your child is showing symptoms of covid-like illness, or have been identified as a close contact of a covid-positive individual, do not come to school. Seek testing at an alternative location.

Who can participate: Participation is open to all school staff, students, contracted workers,
and volunteers. Participation is completely voluntary and students may test every week for as long as the program runs if they choose, but they are not required to test every week.

Registration: Families can register their students to participate in advance at
https://home.color.com/covid/sign-up/start?partner=hhs-787-300-Students. By registering online, parents/guardians will be providing consent for their child to participate. We will also provide the same link at pahoahis.org. If you do not register in advance at the link, your student will have to come with the attached forms signed.

Testing: The test is simple and painless, and is conducted with a nasal self-swab. Samples are then collected for processing without any physical interaction between students and staff.

Results: After the testing is complete, all samples are shipped to a lab for processing. Parents will be able to find their child’s test results in about 48 hours by visiting the Color COVID Testing link on our homepage at pahoahis.org. Test results are also shared with the school administrator and the Department of Health, for the purposes of contact tracing. These agencies are expected to adhere to all HIPAA confidentiality (privacy) requirements.

Scheduling: Student testing will happen 7:30-7:55 AM, 10:00-10:20 AM, and 12:30-1:00 PM on Wednesdays in front of the health room at our school. No appointment is necessary.

Kim Williamson
Principal, Pahoa High and Intermediate School

Click Here to Download or Print Parent Letter

COVID-19 Health Protocols for PHIS

8/2/2021

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Pahoa High and Intermediate School will be implementing a health screening process for all staff and students. These guidelines are for the safety of our community. Should you have questions, please contact us at 313-4300.

The key mitigation measures that should be implemented without fail are:

Whenever possible, be vaccinated against COVID-19
Wear masks while on campus
Wash/sanitize your hands as often as possible
If you are sick, stay home.

Other mitigation measures that will be in place:

Daily table and chair disinfection with wipe down of chairs and desks by the next school day due to pooling on the furniture and gumminess of the disinfectant as it sits for more than 24 hours. .
Wiping down high contact areas periodically throughout the day
Social distancing of three feet while wearing masks, to the greatest extent possible
1. While in the classroom, teachers should work to have students face the same direction, whenever possible
2. Seating charts need to be accurate and maintained
3. Suggestion: have a cleaning protocol in place for students as they enter class
Six feet of distancing in the cafeteria - once seats are full, alternative eating areas will be used.
No whole school/whole class gatherings
No public events

Beginning of Day:

Staff and Student Screening
1. Each role group will be provided a link to do a home screening check
2. VPs and security will do spot checks of students to verify that they are doing the health check at home.

If someone exhibits symptoms, they should stay home; however, if they should come to school:

Students:
1. If coming off the bus, the student will be escorted to the health room and isolated until a guardian can transport the student from school.
2. Student will have to stay out following the health aide guidelines provided to each student
3. Siblings of students sent home may also be sent home, including students at the feeder schools
Staff
1. If symptoms of illness are present, the person will be asked to leave campus. No access to campus will be provided.

During the Day

Visitors to campus
1. No unauthorized visitors to campus will be allowed.
2. Everyone will need to check in at the front office. Signage will be hung up at various entry points for visitors to enter at the office for screening.
3. All meetings will be scheduled virtually unless unable to do so.
Student/Staff Develop illness during the day
1. Students
  1. Students will be sent to the health room to address illness
  2. Staff will work to insure that exposure are to other students and staff is minimized
  3. As warranted, custodial staff will come in to disinfect the student's desk and the immediate area surrounding the student.
  4. At the end of each day, custodial staff and room cleaners will disinfect high touch surfaces such as desk tops, student desks, door handles as well as wipe down the disinfected high touch surfaces by the next school day..

Staff
1. Staff members will notify the front office and make arrangements to leave campus.
2. Staff members should work to minimize contact with others once they are feeling unwell.

End of Day Protocols

Immediately following Student release
1. Leaving Campus
  1. Adults will be in place to monitor students to maintain social distancing.
  2. All students should leave campus in a timely fashion; no loitering after 3:00 unless in an approved program.
2. Athletics
  1. Students participating in athletics will report to the gym or other designated area for screening (🔗see athletics protocols)
3. All Stars Program
  1. Students participating in the After School All Stars program will gather at the Senior Pavilion to go through the screening process and moved into the cafeteria.
  2. Students will be moved to the cafeteria in order to prevent students gathering.
  3. See All Stars Protocol for more details.
Meetings
1. Whole Staff
  1. Virtual meetings from classroom space when appropriate; some meetings will be held in person depending on the topic and activity.
2. Department/Data Teams/Committees
  1. Depending on the size of the group and whether social distancing can occur, these will have both in person and virtual options available.
3. IEPs/504
  1. All meetings will be conducted virtually unless unable to do so

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Summary Guidance For COVID-19 Cases & Contacts

1/20/2021

Preview Below Summary Guidance for COVID-19 Cases & Contacts:

Click Here to Download and Print Summary Guidance for VOID-19 Cases & Contacts Document

For additional information, visit 🔗 hawaiicovid19.com/resource

Cleaning Procedures for PHIS

8/24/2020

Click Here to Download and Print Cleaning Procedures for PHIS

Cleaning Procedures for PHIS

Classroom Cleaning:

Classroom Cleaners will:
- Sweep Daily
- Empty Rubbish Daily
- Sanitize all high contact areas including desk tops and chairs daily
- Mop floors daily with bleach water solution
Additional staff are being hired and trained
Custodial Staff will step in on an as needed basis.

Cafeteria Cleaning

All tables and chairs will be sanitized daily.
Between meals, the tables and chairs will be sanitized by cafeteria staff.
Each student will be offered a cloth with cleaning solution to use on his or her seat prior to sitting.

Restroom Cleaning:

Each day, the bathrooms will be disinfected
Throughout the day, the high contact surfaces will be sanitized on a regular rotation (8:00, 10:30, 1:00).

General Cleaning

High contact surfaces wiped down periodically through the day
- Railings - Door handles
- Water Fountains
- Desks

In all areas of cleaning and disinfecting, these personnel will follow best practices as dictated by the CDC, DOH, and HIDOE guidelines:

HIDOE Return to Learn School: Reopening Plan Health & Safety Handbook

COVID-19 Related Information

Return to School/Work Criteria & Daily Wellness CHeck

COVID Testing INformation & Resources

ATHLETICS STUDENT PARTICIPATION - REQUEST FOR EXEMPTION FROM COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENT MEDICAL EXEMPTION

Student-Athlete Vaccination Policy Religious Accommodations

Operation Expanded Testing - COVID Testing For Students

COVID-19 Health Protocols for PHIS

Summary Guidance For COVID-19 Cases & Contacts

Cleaning Procedures for PHIS

COVID Related Info & Websites

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