Berkley Schools Return to School Plan 2021
Berkley Schools COVID-19 Guidelines
The Berkley School District's goal is to offer in-person instruction this entire school year, while protecting the health and safety of our students, school staff, and broader community from COVID-19. In order to do this safely, the District will follow the guidance and recommendations from public health experts.
The following guidelines are in place for the 2022-23 school year. These protocols align with Oakland County Health Division (OCHD) recommendations, and are in place for all students.
It is important to be continually monitoring your child’s symptoms daily. If your child is ill or develops any illness symptoms (especially fever and cough), please keep them at home and consider testing them for COVID-19. At this time, the District’s daily testing clinic is closed, however, we have home test kits available, while supplies last. As a reminder, it is still required to tell your school if your child tests positive for COVID-19.
Additional Details
- We will report school related positive cases to OCHD.
- The COVID-19 dashboard is no longer a requirement and will no longer be available/updated on our website.
- We will send elementary classroom notifications for positive cases of COVID-19.
- Masks will remain optional for everyone, including for visitors.
Positive Cases
If your child tests positive for COVID-19, whether on a rapid or PCR test, they will need to do the following, regardless of their vaccination status:
- Monitor symptoms for Days 0-10 (Day 0 is the day symptoms started or the test date, if asymptomatic)
- Stay home and isolate away from others for Days 0-5
- If symptoms have improved or no symptoms develop, your child may return to school on Day 6. Oakland County Health Division also recommends mask wearing through Day 10.
Household Exposure
If someone in your household tests positive for COVID-19, but your child has tested negative, regardless of vaccination status, your child will need to do the following:
- Monitor symptoms for Days 0-10 (Day 0 is the day symptoms started or the test date if asymptomatic)
- Oakland County Health Division recommends that your child wear a mask around others for 10 days and take a COVID-19 test 3-7 days after last exposure to the positive case or if symptoms develop
Quarantine
OCHD states: Quarantine is no longer recommended for people who are exposed to COVID-19 except in certain high-risk congregate settings such as correctional facilities, homeless shelters, and nursing homes.
Close contacts will not be required to quarantine.
Vaccine Availability
Oakland County Health Division is offering free vaccines to any persons aged 6 months and older. The health division is offering Save Your Spot Community Clinics with the ability to set an appointment online or simply walk-in to receive a vaccine. Many pharmacies and other health care providers also have shots available and are welcoming walk-in visits. Visit the Oakland County Vaccine website for details on the vaccine as well as locations to receive the shot.
Cleaning and Disinfecting
- All classrooms will continue to have disinfecting wipes, hand sanitizer, and latex-free gloves
- All buildings will be cleaned and disinfected nightly
- The District will ensure safe and correct use and storage of cleaning and disinfection products
Ventilation
As a result of the 2015 Bond, the Berkley School District replaced all Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems in all buildings. This modernization of the system included new Vertical Unit Ventilators (VUVs) that greatly improved air quality by circulating fresh air into the classrooms. This new system filters the air using MERV 13 filters, the highest the system can hold and highly recommended by the CDC. Filtered air systems remove particulates that can include viruses and bacteria.
In 2022, the District commissioned a study to ensure our systems were running as expected. Strategic Energy Solutions (SES) studied both the air exchange rates as well as carbon dioxide levels in classrooms in every school building for two weeks. As a result of the study, we learned the following:
The Berkley Schools VUVs, on average, exchange the air 9.4 times per hour. This is called supply air. Supply air means the air is moved through the filter and around the classroom 9.4 times per hour, or approximately every 6 minutes. In addition, the air in each classroom is replenished with outside air, on average, 2.6 times per hour.
The current Michigan Mechanical Code (MMC), along with the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 62.1 - Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality, do not require a minimum supply or outdoor air change rate for schools. There are air exchange rate requirements at the state level for other building types, like healthcare. For example, a patient room in a hospital requires a minimum of 6 supply air exchanges and 2 outdoor air exchanges per hour.
In addition, we learned that on average, carbon dioxide levels in our classrooms are below 1,000 parts per million (ppm) for 90% of the spaces evaluated, and that the spaces that exceed 1,000 ppm, rarely ever exceed 1,200 ppm.
Currently, ASHRAE Standard 62.1 has no threshold for maximum carbon dioxide levels within a school space. For reference, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) requirements limit carbon dioxide exposure to 5,000 ppm. Design requirements for The International Space Station and submarines limit carbon dioxide levels to 4,000 ppm.
The District maintenance team checks our HVAC system daily to ensure all units are working properly. In addition, air filters are changed four times per year.
*This information was updated in December 2022, following the air quality study.
