For the ongoing 2021-22 school year, Roseville High School is implementing a new quarantine and testing process, as RHS opens in full capacity to all students. The process includes a thorough contact tracing implementation and testing protocol, as well as two different quarantine procedures depending on vaccination and masking status.

According to Principal Nicholas Richter, Parents call the school to notify their student’s positive case, and the school Nurse notifies the student for contact tracing, to notify peers for close contact with a positive case. Close contact is within six feet for at least 15 minutes, or direct physical contact with other students. Then, the school finds out the student’s schedule, to determine the six-foot circle in each of the student’s classes. Students, in said circle, who are unvaccinated or unwilling to disclose vaccine status will be either quarantined full time, or in a modified quarantine model.

A full quarantine is a 10-day homestay, and a modified quarantine is the most notified situation for students, which is a 7-day quarantine with surveillance testing at J.B Gale Theater or elsewhere, and other safety procedures. A modified quarantine process is only an option if everyone in the student’s circle wore masks. 

“That’s why we’ve been so diligent about coming to all your classes,” Principal Richter said. “And teachers are reporting and if people who are not doing it consistently and following up with it, so that we can keep kids in class.” 

There are inconveniences the process brings, including early release from class. Senior Ben Lucia experienced the process firsthand, and wonders if a student were to be sent home for 10 days. 

“I know that there are people who are unvaccinated who had to be sent home entirely,” Lucia said. “And I can’t imagine how hard that is, because without Zoom,  they’re just trying to catch up, and it’s like just being absent every day on a regular school day, and it’s mandated, so they can’t do anything about it.”