June 21, 2021
Dear Superintendents and School Leaders,

As you know, the state has updated face covering and other guidance for students and employees.

Under new state guidance, children are no longer required to wear face coverings while they are outside at school, whether they are vaccinated or not. Children and adults are still required to wear face coverings while indoors at school.

Additional changes to Cal/OSHA’s COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS) for employers and employees mean – among other things – that there are no face covering requirements outdoors (except during outbreaks) for employees, regardless of vaccination status. Additionally, with some exceptions, there are no physical distancing or barrier requirements for employees, regardless of employee vaccination status.

The San Diego County Office of Education’s Communications team has created template messages in English and Spanish for parents and employees regarding the changes and what they mean for your school communities.

Beyond the Blueprint Options: Face Covers, Physical Distancing, and Vaccination Status
Local educational agencies may be considering how to operationalize changes to the ETS and other guidance. This Beyond the Blueprint tool provides a summary of the guidance and lays out policy options around vaccination verification, face coverings, and physical distancing in a variety of settings (central office, school site, in-home/community).

Thank you for all you are doing during these unprecedented times. As always, please let me know if you have any questions or need support.

Sincerely,
Paul

Dr. Paul Gothold
San Diego County Superintendent of Schools
phone: 858-295-6641