News from TTUSD

• Message from the Superintendent

• New sports guidelines go into effect on Friday

Dear TTUSD Parents & Community members,

We hope you and your family had a safe and relaxing Ski Skate Week!

As a reminder, this Friday is a distance learning day for all students, as our entire team will be getting their second dose of the COVID vaccine. We couldn’t be more thankful for the partnership between Tahoe Forest Health System, Nevada County, Placer County, and TTUSD that made this possible. Getting our second dose of the vaccine on Friday is a huge celebration and another positive step toward getting our students back on campus five days per week.

We want to get our students back to in-person instruction five days per week, and our leadership team is working on the logistics of making this possible. The planning includes new school schedules, bus route schedules, and negotiating new MOUS with our employee unions due to the pandemic.

Last month, the CA Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued new/updated guidance for school districts to reopen our schools full-time. While our district has done an outstanding job providing extensive safety mitigation measures, the changes in the guidance have created additional issues for us to address based on our current tier. We are actively working on addressing these items.

CDPH also issued updated guidelines for youth sports that go into effect this Friday, February 26, 2021. Please see the article below with all the info and how the new guidance affects TTUSD students since we traditionally compete in two states and multiple counties. (This information is also posted on our websites.)

We will continue to keep you updated each week in our newsletters and at our board meetings. Our next board meeting will be held at the district office on Wednesday, March 3, where we will share an update on our planning.

Stay well,

Carmen Ghysels

Superintendent Chief Learning Officer

Last week, the State issued new guidelines for youth sports. The updated rules go into effect on Friday, February 26.

This is good news for our student-athletes as the new guidelines make it possible for all organized youth and recreational sports to resume in Placer County. (The guidance allows counties with fewer than 14 positive COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents to participate and currently, Placer County falls into this category!) You can read the guidance here and we’ve outlined below the key things to know.

Summary:

TTUSD’s students can participate in a variety of sports, and outdoor activities; based on the sport, different restrictions apply.

Under the new guidelines, the rules remain firm that teams are not allowed to participate in out-of-state games and tournaments. We have sought additional guidance, including legal counsel, and currently, California school districts that are not abiding by the CDPH guidelines are out of compliance. This adds challenges to TTUSD since our students traditionally compete in multiple counties and states. Our legal counsel is currently in the process of challenging the state line travel mandate directly with the CDPH on our behalf.

Lower Contact Sports

• TTUSD students can participate in lower-contact sports including skiing, snowboarding, nordic skiing, baseball, cheerleading, outdoor volleyball, softball, and tennis as long as parents sign an “Assumption of Risk” form.

Higher Contact Sports

• TTUSD students can participate in higher-contact outdoor sports, outdoors, including football and soccer but there is a COVID-19 testing requirement for all athletes who participate in football prior to a competition. Parents must also sign an “Assumption of Risk” form.

The new guidelines require that, in counties with positive case rates between seven and 14 per 100,000 residents, people age 13 and older be tested every week to play or coach football. Test results must be available within 24 hours of competitions. Testing will be available to TTUSD coaches and student-athletes at TTUSD’s Testing Center at Rideout.

General requirements for all sports

• Face coverings must be worn at all times when not participating in the activity (e.g., on the sidelines).

• Face coverings to be worn by coaches, support staff, and observers at all times, and in compliance with the CDPH Guidance for the Use of Face Coverings.

• There is no sharing of drink bottles and other personal items and equipment.

• Observers maintain at least 6 feet from non-household members.

• Mixing with other households prior to and post any practice or competition must strictly adhere to current gathering guidance.

• Limit indoor sports activities (practice, conditioning) to comply with capacity limits indicated in the current CDPH Gym & Fitness Center Guidance Capacity.

• Associated indoor activities for the team are prohibited (e.g., team dinners, team meetings, film study)

• If we do not comply with the CDPH guidelines, we are out of compliance, which threatens any play for our student-athletes.