COEUR d’ALENE — New COVID-19 quarantining protocols will go into effect Thursday in the Coeur d'Alene School District.

According to the new procedures, students or staff members who are in close contact with an individual who tests positive for COVID-19 will not be required to quarantine when both parties wore masks at the time of exposure and the exposure occurred at school during instructional class time.

Students identified as close contacts in class, and who are not required to quarantine, may participate in extracurricular activities without any additional precautions. Families will have the option to voluntarily self-quarantine their student, even if it’s not required. The district will share the student’s date of exposure with family/guardians to help determine an appropriate quarantine period as well as when the student may receive a COVID-19 test. These absences will be excused.

The school board unanimously voted to adopt the procedures during a meeting Monday evening, in response to new guidance from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Monday was also the first day secondary students returned to in-school instruction four days a week after months of hybrid learning.

"We do, at this point, see pretty good data as we've come back now, well beyond the concerning bubble, if you will, that happens from the holidays," Superintendent Steve Cook said. "We're feeling like we're on a good trajectory."

Cook said the district will target class-level shutdowns as necessary regarding COVID cases.

"There are several states that have implemented policies in this fashion, and have demonstrated that it seems to be pretty darn effective," he said.

According to the district's health services staff, only about 20% of Coeur d'Alene students who are exposed to COVID are exposed at school. About 80% of exposures happen at home or elsewhere outside the school setting.

Students and staff identified as close contacts in school, regardless of quarantine requirement, will be notified by phone and email. Starting today, school staff will contact families of any students who currently are in quarantine but no longer need to quarantine under the new protocols. All students and staff, regardless of exposure, should continue to monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms and stay home when sick.

Cook said he wanted to be sure it's understood that quarantining is not a punishment, but a guideline from the Centers for Disease Control.

"It's not being done without consideration," he said. "That's one of the reasons I feel confident we could implement this new direction with fidelity. I think it would behoove us to take just a couple of days and make sure we get it well communicated and we make sure people know and understand what it does apply to, and what it doesn't apply to."

Info: www.cdaschools.org

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Great Scott!

Press, Cd'A district officials honor communications director Maben

It was a generous gesture from Coeur d'Alene Superintendent Steve Cook and the board of trustees as Cook praised the relationship between the district and The Coeur d'Alene Press.

"It's not common for school districts to have positive, productive working relationships with the local press in many communities," Cook said Monday night. "I want to make sure that you know from the bottom of my heart, even before we give you this board recognition, that I'm very grateful for the fact that we are a phone call away at any given time, and those phone calls are often very pleasant."

The moment took a pleasantly unexpected turn when Press Managing Editor Mike Patrick took the mic and requested communications director Scott Maben to step forward.

"Scott, my friend, you've been had," Patrick said.

Patrick and Cook hatched a plan a couple weeks ago to honor Maben, who Patrick described as "efficient and professional" and an "outstanding person to have" in his role with the district.

"You are one of those PIOs who is loyal to your employer, we try to weasel information out of you, unsuccessfully, we'll keep trying, but I want you to know every reporter at The Press, our columnists, all appreciate the job you do, especially this last year or so," Patrick said. "The messenger gets shot more than anybody."

Patrick handed him a specially made plaque, dubbing him the "Communications King."

"Oh wow, that's better than our certificates," a surprised Maben said.

Maben was a news reporter and editor for more than 25 years before joining the Coeur d'Alene School District in June 2017.

"Scott, we appreciate you," Patrick said, "and we look forward to working with you for a long, long time."