At the August 16 GFW School Board meeting, Superintendent Horton presented on the 2021-22 school year COVID-19 plans. Parents are encouraged to review all information in order to make informed decisions for their students. GFW Public Schools supports and serves all learners regardless of vaccination status or face covering preference. Please support our community by respecting the rights of all persons.

Detailed plans are below. Download the Return to School Plan

*All categories of the Return-to-School Plan are subject to change

May 24, 2021 Update

COVID-19 vaccines are now open to Minnesotans 12 years old and older. Minnesota is leading the nation in vaccination and the Minnesota Department of Health has a lot more information on vaccination. While cases of COVID-19 are often milder in children, health officials have said vaccinating younger Americans would help avert future surges of cases in the adults around them and could accelerate the lifting of some public health restrictions.

• Pfizer 1st dose: Wednesday, May 26 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Pfizer 2nd dose: Wednesday, June 16 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Vaccination now available for anyone 16+

Visit the CDC’s Vaccine Finder to schedule an appointment for a Pfizer vaccine at a pharmacy near you or sign up on Minnesota’s COVID Vaccine Connector to receive more information about vaccine opportunities.

Getting vaccinated will help give Minnesota’s teens the best chance to learn in-person, participate in sports and activities, attend graduation and go to prom. Of course, they still need to remain vigilant in regards to masking, hand washing and social distancing. And for those still too young to be vaccinated, testing is critical.

Consent Guidance: 

Children under the age of 18 must have consent signed on their behalf by a parent or guardian when scheduling an online appointment. It is very important that the scheduling forms are filled out correctly in advance and to have a parent or legal guardian go to the vaccine appointment with their 16 or 17-year-old to learn about the COVID-19 vaccine and provide consent for the child to receive the vaccine. Additional information on Parental Consent can be found here.

Very important: Only the Pfizer vaccine has  been authorized to vaccinate youth ages 16 and up and will only be administered to those ages 16 and up.  

FUN FACT: If someone is fully vaccinated and is exposed, they do not need to quarantine if ALL of the following are true:

• The COVID-19 exposure was at least 14 days after their vaccination series was fully completed.
• They do not currently have any symptoms of COVID-19.

People who have had COVID-19 (with a positive lab-confirmed test) in the past 90 days also do not need to quarantine.

This push comes as Minnesota is seeing a significant increase in COVID-19 cases, especially among younger Minnesotans.

Getting vaccinated will help give Minnesota’s teens the best chance to learn in-person, participate in sports and activities, attend graduation and go to prom. Of course, they still need to remain vigilant in regards to masking, hand washing and social distancing. And for those still too young to be vaccinated, testing is critical.

The State of Minnesota has announced the launch of the Minnesota COVID-19 Vaccine Connector, which is a tool that helps Minnesotans find out when, where and how to get their COVID-19 vaccine.

This system is a proactive way for all Minnesotans to indicate their interest in receiving a vaccine, so that when they become eligible, they can be alerted and connected to resources to schedule a vaccine appointment.

Below is some information about the Vaccine Connector that you may find helpful.

Should I complete the Minnesota COVID-19 Vaccine Connector form?

All Minnesotans who would like to receive a COVID-19 vaccine should fill out the form to ensure they stay updated on vaccination opportunities in their area when they become available.

Who can get vaccinated now?

Demand for vaccine far exceeds supply, and Minnesotans are encouraged to remain patient as more vaccine arrives in the weeks and months ahead. Minnesota is continuing to distribute vaccines using a phased approach to immunize for impact by focusing on populations with the highest risk of getting COVID-19, as well as those most at risk of severe illness and complications if they become infected.

In Minnesota, you are eligible now to get vaccinated if you are a:

• Minnesotan age 65 or older
• Health care worker
• Long-term care resident or staff member
• Prekindergarten through Adult Basic and Community Education school staff member, or contracted school staff member
• Child care staff member at a licensed and certified child care center or program

How do I sign up?

• Signing up for the Vaccine Connector is easy, safe and secure.
• All Minnesotans 18 years of age and older should sign up, no matter their current vaccine eligibility status.
• There will be no cost and no restricted time period for signing up.
• Health insurance and personal identification forms are not required for signing up.
• Go to gov/vaccineconnector to sign up.
• Minnesotans unable to sign up online can have family or friends help them sign up online, or call 833-431-2053 for assistance signing up over the phone.
• Translation is available by phone in all languages. Minnesotans can call the translation hotlines at 833-431-2053 and 651-318-0989 for assistance signing up over the phone.
• All Minnesotans have to do to sign up is provide basic information such as contact information, demographic data, medical history, and employment to determine their eligibility based on state guidelines.
• The State of Minnesota is committed to the equitable distribution of safe and effective vaccines for protection against COVID-19 and the Vaccine Connector form has included questions about gender identity, sexual orientation, race, cultural identification, and disabilities to help us track and measure equity and fairness throughout the vaccine distribution process. These questions do have the option to select “prefer not to answer” or “none of the above,” and selecting these answers will not prevent you from signing up for the Vaccine Connector.

What happens after I fill out the Minnesota COVID-19 Vaccine Connector form?

As more vaccine becomes available, the Minnesota COVID-19 Vaccine Connector will send you updates about your COVID-19 vaccine eligibility and opportunities to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Minnesota.

In the months ahead as vaccine supply increases, the Vaccine Connector will help Minnesotans know where vaccine is in the state, find out when they are eligible to get it, and connect them to a vaccine opportunity near them — no matter where they live or their personal circumstances. Before and after you are vaccinated, it’s important to continue to take simple steps to slow the spread of illness by wearing a mask, staying 6 feet away from others, washing your hands, and staying home whenever possible

For more information, please visit https://mn.gov/covid19/vaccine/

The Vaccine Connector is open to all Minnesotans. Please feel free to share this information with your family, friends and others who may be interested.

The safest option is to stay away from others for 14 days.

• In certain situations, you may end your quarantine after 10 days, or after seven days with a negative COVID-19 test result.
• You cannot end your quarantine before seven days for any reason.
• Some work settings, like health care, have different rules about quarantine. Check with your employer.

You should stay away from others for 14 days if:

• Someone in your home has COVID-19.
• You live in a building with other people, where it’s hard to stay away from others and easy to spread the virus to multiple people, like a long-term care facility.

You may consider being around others after 10 days if:

• You do not have any symptoms.
• You have not had a positive test for COVID-19.
• No one in your home has COVID-19, and you do not live in a building with other people, where it’s hard to stay away from others and easy to spread the virus to multiple people, like a long-term care facility.

Even after 10 days you must still:

• Watch for symptoms through day 14. If you have any symptoms, stay home, separate yourself from others, and get tested right away.
• Continue to wear a mask and stay at least 6 feet away from other people.

You may consider being around others after seven days only if:

• You get tested for COVID-19 at least five full days after you had close contact with someone with COVID-19, and the test is negative.
• You do not have any symptoms.
• You have not had a positive test for COVID-19.
• No one in your home has COVID-19, and you do not live in a building with other people, where it’s hard to stay away from others and easy to spread the virus to multiple people, like a long-term care facility.

Even after seven days you must still:

• Watch for symptoms through day 14. If you have any symptoms, stay home, separate yourself from others, and get tested right away.
• Continue to wear a mask and stay at least 6 feet away from other people.

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