The latest news from TTUSD

• TTUSD's updated testing and quarantine procedures
• TTUSD will be offering COVID testing for students at schools
  
• Join our team! We are hiring!
  
• Help make sure your school, and your student, get the resources they need
  
• Public safety power outages planned
  
• Have questions about Independent Study options this school year?
  

TTUSD's goal is to provide the best in-person learning experience for our students while keeping them safe and healthy during this global pandemic. We know the best way to engage and educate our students is in person. We also realize the significant challenge on parents when students are out of school for prolonged periods.

Effective October 15, after each school site has been certified to provide COVID testing, we will be implementing the CDPH modified quarantine process for all students district-wide. This is an exciting step forward and may significantly reduce the number of students quarantined at home at a given time and allow our students to safely remain in school more often. (Click here to refer to the TTUSD announcement regarding TTUSD’s COVID-19 testing).

What is modified quarantine?

Modified quarantine is a safe way for unvaccinated students at school who are masked, symptom-free, to remain in school if they have been identified as a close contact at school with a positive COVID case. Note: The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has made it clear that students who are unvaccinated and have been identified as a close contact outside of school are not eligible for modified quarantine.

Students in grades TK-12 who are unvaccinated and determined to be a close contact are eligible for modified quarantine. Modified quarantine is still quarantine, but it allows students to remain in school for in-person instruction. One of the requirements for modified quarantine is that students get tested several times during a 10 day period (as determined by the contact tracer).

During in-school modified quarantine, the student must wear a mask at all times (including outdoors), remain asymptomatic, and the student cannot participate in any extracurricular activities for 10 days.

This article is an announcement of this new process. More detailed rules about modified quarantine will be posted on all websites by the end of this week as an FAQ sheet.

Vaccinated students who have NO COVID-19 symptoms and have been identified as a close contact with a COVID-positive case may continue to attend school as long as they are masked and show proof of their COVID vaccination. They do not need to quarantine.

Please note: If any student or staff member has COVID symptoms, they must stay home and isolate, regardless of their vaccination status.

TTUSD has received approval from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to start testing our students for COVID. We are in the process of setting up mini-testing sites at each of our schools. Our next step is to certify and launch mini-testing centers at each school site.

Once your child’s school’s testing site is certified, you will be notified by your school’s principal. We anticipate having all of the 12 testing sites up and running by October 15. Once our mini-testing sites are up and running, we will be able to safely implement modified quarantine measures for all grade levels.

In order for your child to participate in TTUSD’s COVID testing, parents are required to read the testing overview document and sign the consent page at the following link. Once it is complete, your child will be registered for testing.

We sent out a parent letter last week with this announcement that included a list of questions and answers to better describe what this will look like and answer questions you might have. This info is posted on our home page, under TTUSD News (ttusd.org), and on the home page of each of our school websites, under TTUSD news.

If you have questions, please contact your school administrator, school testing lead, or school nurse.

Join our dynamic team at Tahoe Truckee Unified School District and make a big difference in the lives of children! We have a wide range of job opportunities including:

• School Bus Drivers (training provided)

Our bus drivers are the first point of contact for many of our students and a great way to connect and positively impact a child. We need drivers and are offering $3,000 bonus pay; $1500 at the end of the first year and $1500 after the second, for new drivers during their first two years on the job!

Don’t have your Commercial Drivers License? No problem! Once hired we will provide you with all the training you need to pass the tests, and be ready to drive students!

Have questions? Call (530) 550-0745.

• Instructional Aides

A rewarding role that provides classroom and individualized support to a diverse population of students. There is a $1,500 signing bonus; $1,000 at the end of their first year and $500 after the second year. Have questions? Call (530) 582-2560.

• Food & Nutrition Services

Our food & nutrition services team provides nutritious, scratch-cooked meals to fuel our students and set them up for success! On-the-job training provided. Have questions? Call (530) 582-2528 Se habla Español.

For a full list of our open positions and to apply online, visit ttusd.org/jobs

• While TTUSD is continuing to provide free meals to all students in the 2021-2022 school year, we are asking all families to complete a meal application form this year. Why?

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• A portion of every school's funding and other resources are determined by the needs of its students. To help demonstrate that need, all families in TTUSD are asked to complete one Meal Application Form per household between now and October 31, 2021.

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• By completing the form as soon as possible, you will help our schools reach the goal of getting funds to support our student's academic achievement, creating equitable learning environments, and building partnerships to develop leadership at all levels.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Do I need to fill out a form for each child?
  No, we only need one form for each household/family!

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  Can a parent/guardian choose not to complete the school funding form?
  We encourage every parent to complete a Meal Application Form, however, it is not required.

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• Do I still need to fill out a form if I qualify for other benefits?
  Yes, if you are currently receiving CalFresh (food stamps), CalWORKS, KinGAP or FDPIR benefits please indicate which program on the meal application form.

North Lake Tahoe and Truckee and our surrounding areas are currently in an extreme wildfire season.

Our energy providers are implementing wildfire safety de-energization programs called Public Safety Outage Management (PSOM) and Planned Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS’s). Our utility providers would de-energize transmission lines that deliver power to North Lake Tahoe and Truckee based on catastrophic wildfire risk. The de-energization programs are similar to PG&E’s Planned Safety Power Shutoffs that are implemented in extreme fire-risk areas during the wildfire season.

TTUSD has been notified that our energy providers may turn off electricity throughout our school district when extreme fire danger conditions are forecast. Dangerous conditions include red flag warnings, low humidity, high winds, and dry conditions.

• Visit our website at ttusd.org/power for more detailed information on how these power outages will affect school.

What Can You Do to Prepare?

Subscribe to one of the following Emergency Alert Systems

Placer County Emergency Services: https://www.placer.ca.gov/emergencyservices

Sign up for Placer Alert: https://www.placer.ca.gov/2426/Placer-Alert

Town of Truckee Emergency Preparedness: https://www.truckeepolice.com/disaster-preparedness/

Truckee residents are encouraged to register for Nixle emergency alerts, in addition to CodeRED, which serves unincorporated Eastern Nevada County and all Western Nevada County.

The Truckee Police Department and Truckee Fire Protection District utilize the Nixle Everbridge Emergency Alert System as the primary method of communication during critical incidents which take place within the Town of Truckee and Truckee Fire Protection District limits. Residents are encouraged to subscribe to stay informed in an evolving event.

Nevada County Emergency Services

Be sure to also sign up for an alert from your energy provider (i.e. Truckee Donner PUD or Liberty Utilities).

Liberty Utilities PSPS Fact Sheet

Truckee Donner Public Utility District PSOM webpage

Short Term Independent Study is available for:

• absences of 3-15 consecutive school days or

• absences that are fixed for a short time, six months or less, and are related to an extracurricular program or competitive sport. This agreement replaces the “Sports Contract” that has been used in the past.

• for students who demonstrate the motivation, commitment, organizational and academic skills necessary to work independently and whose parents/guardians indicate a level of commitment to assist their child.

Here is the process to request a Short Term Independent Study Learning Agreement:

1. Two weeks or more before the first day of absence, you must notify the school office and request a Short Term Learning Agreement Part 1 form.

2. Review, complete, and sign the Short Term Learning Agreement Part 1 form and return it to the school office no later than five school days before the first day of absence

3. If your child has an IEP or 504 plan, you are required to discuss with the case manager at least five school days in advance of the first day of absence whether a short-term independent study learning agreement will be appropriate for your child.

Important to Know:

• Your child will receive all necessary materials and resources to complete their learning agreement no later than the day before the first day of absence.

• Within five school days of your child’s return, all assignments are due to the teacher. Assignments submitted after this time period may not be accepted.

• Within two weeks of your child’s return, the teacher(s) will communicate the grades/credit received for the work completed

• If less than 100% of the assignments are completed, your child will not receive full attendance credit for the absence(s) and will be marked Unexcused.