Milbank School Board Votes to Change Quarantine Policy

The Milbank School Board has updated its close contact quarantine policy. The vote was held during their regular meeting on Monday, January 11.
According to Superintendent Justin Downes, the adjustment was based on the decreased number of cases in the community and the school. It also follows a decrease in the number of quarantine days recommended  by the
CDC. 

The board passed the vote to reduce the close contact quarantine time of 14 days to seven days.  The only deviation from the CDC recommendation is the school is no longer requesting a negative test. The district still recommends that students wear masks. 

MILBANK AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT COVID-19 QUARANTINE POLICY

(UPDATED 1.11.21)

1. Milbank School District strongly encourages students identified as “close contacts” to follow the SD-DOH recommendation of a 7-Day quarantine.
2. The district will use social distancing, length of contact time, and use of masks in determining whether an individual is considered a potential “close contact.”
3. Students following the District recommendation of wearing a mask and identified as a potential “close contact” may remain in school under the following conditions:
   1. The student remains symptom free,
   1. The student must wear a mask at ALL times (with the exception of lunch),
   1. The student will be subject to daily temperature check(s).
4. Students NOT following the District recommendation of wearing a mask OR students identified as a “close contact” (as determined by paragraph 5) may return to school under the following conditions:
   1. If upon the 7th day of quarantine or later, a student does NOT exhibit any symptoms associated with COVID-19. The Student must also wear a mask through day 10 of exposure as well as do daily temperature checks.
5. The SD-DOH determines who is considered a “close contact” and conducts out of school close contact investigations and recommends who should be quarantined. Out-of-school “close contacts” determined by the DOH are required to quarantine.