Culpeper County Public Schools 

Participation in Athletics Activities 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Phase II Mitigation Plan 5-17-21 

Purpose 

School-based athletic competitions have long been an important part of the education of youth and a source of pride and entertainment for the community. In order to allow our students to once again enjoy participation in these activities during the coronavirus pandemic, Culpeper County Public Schools (CCPS) has developed the following, Participation in Athletic Activities Coronavirus (COVID-19) Phase II Mitigation Plan (hereafter referred to as the “Athletic Activities Mitigation Phase II Plan”) for students, parents, coaches, staff, and volunteers to be able to return to athletic activities with guidance from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the Governor’s Office, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and the Virginia High School League (VHSL). 

Team Athletic Activity and the Increased Risk of Coronavirus Infection and Quarantining 

Team sports increases the risk of the spread of the coronavirus for participants in a number of ways: athletes are not wearing protective facial masks during play while engaged in close proximity to one another where rapid, heavier breathing, bodily contact and perspiration occurs; players touch a common ball or equipment; they share tighter, enclosed spaces like locker rooms and team buses. Therefore, if a player or coach on the team is infected with the coronavirus there is a likelihood several members of the team and coaching staff will have to quarantine for up to fourteen (14) days. If a member of the opposing team is determined to be infected, the student-athletes on the field, court, or mat with the infected player may be quarantined. The decision to quarantine a student-athlete or coach is made by the School Nurse or the School Division Nurse Coordinator and is not subject to appeal to any school administrator, public health official, or private health care provider. 

Points of Contact 

The point of contact person for any questions regarding the Athletic Activities Mitigation Plan will be the Activities Director at each high school and middle school: 

EVHS-Mark Settle (540) 825-0621 Ext. 2017 CCHS- Danny Nobbs (540) 825-8310 Ext. 6219 CMS- Courtney Cox (540) 825-4140 Ext. 4609 FTBMS- Mike McCombs (540) 829-6894 Ext. 4256 

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Any significant updates or changes to Athletic Activities Phase II Mitigation Plan will be distributed to students, parents, coaches, and volunteers through email, hand-outs, CCPS websites, or media releases as available. 

Student Participation Requirements 

All students and parents must have read and signed an agreement to follow the CCPS Coronavirus (COVID-19) Phase II Mitigation Plan for Increasing In-Person Teaching and Learning. 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xqoqL4_8bqh5GxBhoPz9Ebgw03oqWEDt/view 

In addition to reading and agreeing to this document, parents and students who seek to participate in CCPS athletic activities will have to complete the following as a condition of participation: 

● Each student and parent will review the Athletic Activities Phase II Mitigation Plan. Each student and parent will sign they have read the requirements for participation and agree to adhere to the mitigation measures. 

● An acknowledgement of the assumption of risk that the activity may present for becoming infected with the Coronavirus. 

● An acknowledgment of responsibility to protect self and others from infection by following disease prevention measures. 

● Student-Athletes must have a current (dated after May 1, 2020) VHSL physical form on file with the Activities Director. NO EXCEPTIONS. 

● Student-athletes and parents must have read the CCPS Student-Athlete Handbook and viewed the Athletic Trainers’ Concussion Management presentation available on secondary schools’ webpage, and submit all signed accompanying forms as directed. 

Note: Failure to submit signed documents as required, to accurately self-report COVID-19 symptoms or risk factors, follow the Coronavirus (COVID-19) prevention measures, or to participate in coronavirus testing will be cause for suspension from athletic activities for a period of time or removal from the team. 

Training of Staff and Volunteers 

Prior to working with students, activities directors, coaches, and volunteers will be trained by a school nurse or athletic trainer in the following: recognizing symptoms and risk factors associated with COVID-19; proper personal hygiene; communicable disease prevention measures specific to different environments, equipment, and circumstances. These persons will be given copies of the Athletic Activities Mitigation Plan and the VHSL Guidelines for Return to Participation for their sport. 

Activities directors will coordinate with School Environmental Services supervisors related to training custodians in proper cleaning and sanitizing spaces, equipment, and surfaces as provided for in the Athletics Mitigation Plan. 

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Training of Students 

Prior to participation in an activity, students will be trained by a coach in the following: recognizing symptoms and risk factors associated with COVID-19; proper personal hygiene; communicable disease prevention measures specific to different environments, equipment, and circumstances. Coaches will also train each student in the mitigation strategies for their sport or academic activity as detailed in VHSL Guidelines for Return to Participation. 

Coronavirus Testing 

CCPS is participating in a pilot program with the Virginia Department of Health to obtain BinaxNOW antigen testing kits for the purpose of diagnostic testing symptomatic students (and staff ) and for screening non-symptomatic students (and staff) for infection with the coronavirus.. Parents of students under age 18 will be notified before testing in order to give consent. The testing will be conducted by the school nurse in a private location. 

Diagnostic testing using the BinaxNOW Antigen Test will be offered for any student-athlete, coach, or volunteer under the following circumstances: 

1) Person is experiencing symptoms for COVID-19. Depending upon the specific symptoms and risk factors of the person, a negative test result may allow for continued attendance at school or work. A follow-up Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test may be necessary before returning to school or work. 

2) Person experienced a specific exposure to an infected person at school or work. 3) Person is believed to be a close contact of an infected person. The test will offered on day five (5) after the close contact exposure. If test result is negative, the student or staff may return to school or work on day eight (8) provided the person remains asymptomatic. 

Refusal to Participate in Testing 

If the parents or student refuses to give consent to take the BinaxNow antigen test for infection with the coronavirus, the student will be excluded from participation in athletics up to fourteen (14) days. The student may also be excluded from attending school or school activities in accordance with the CCPS Phase II Mitigation Plan for Increasing In-Person Teaching and Learning. There is no appeal of the decision of the school nurse to request a student to participate in testing. 

Daily Activity Attendance Procedures 

Students attending in-person learning: On days when a student has attended in-person learning the student will report at dismissal to the designated location for their athletic activity. 

Students not attending in-person learning: 

For students not attending in-person learning that day, students are to 1) Arrive no earlier than fifteen (15) minutes prior to the appointed time for the activity. 2) Be dressed for the activity 

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upon arrival with water 3) Wear a properly-fitted mask covering the nose and mouth to enter the building, while walking around, and until such time they are given permission to remove the mask 4) Report directly to the designated location for their athletic, curricular, or extracurricular activity. 

Students are NOT to arrive early while school is in-session. Any student arriving early may be denied entry inside the building. Continued early arrivals after being warned, may lead to removal from the team or participation in the activity at the discretion of the school administration. 

Spectators for Indoor Events 

Per the Governor’s Executive Order 72 amended, spectators may be allowed to the thirty percent (30%) fifty percent (50%) of the capacity or one hundred (100) two hundred fifty (250) persons (whichever is less) for indoor events. 

Spectators for Outdoor Events 

Per the Governor’s Executive Order 72 amended, spectators may be allowed up to fifty percent (50%) of the capacity or one thousand (1000) persons (whichever is less) for outdoor. 

Spectators who are fully vaccinated will not have to wear masks when outdoors on school property. Wearing a mask will be necessary to enter a restroom, press box, concession stand, or other enclosed structure. 

Other Spectator Rules 

Spacing among family groups will be six (6) feet. 

Properly fitted masks must be worn at all times while in the school building. Disposable masks are available to spectators who do not have a proper mask. Bandanas, scarfs, and neck gaiters are NOT suitable properly-fitted masks. 

Walking around the school, gym, stadium, or field may be restricted. Spectators are asked to remain seated to watch competitions. Where no bleacher seating is available, spectators will need to provide their own chair. 

Spectator attendance at away events will be determined by the authorities of the hosting school or site. CCPS activities directors should make students and parents aware of spectator attendance rules for away events as they become known. 

Schools may provide live streaming of home competition events in addition to or in lieu of in-person attendance as determined by the school administration. 

Persons in the restroom and concession areas will be limited to avoid standing in line for excessive periods of time. 

Concessions and Consumptions of Food and Beverages 

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Indoor and outdoor concessions will be available at selected events with consumption at designated locations. Persons shall remain at least six feet (6) from other persons not in their household while consuming food and beverages. 

Transportation to Away Events 

School bus transportation will be offered to students for away competitions with mitigation strategies in place. Assigned seats for each student will be required. Students must wear a proper face-covering at all times while on the bus. Students will be seated two to a seat. 

There will be no eating or drinking on the bus. 

Parents may drive their own children to and from an away event, but carpooling is discouraged due to the creation of close contacts in a vehicle if the ride is fifteen (15) minutes or longer (even with masks on). Note: Parents may not be allowed to be spectators depending upon the rules of the hosting school. 

Signage 

Directions to physically (social) distance, wash/sanitize hands, and clean shared equipment before and after use will be posted in areas of the school where it is needed. Signage indicating the rules for wearing masks outdoors will be posted at outdoor venues. 

Handwashing and Hand Sanitizing 

All persons are expected to wash (for a least 20 seconds) or sanitize their hands frequently throughout the day, particularly after coughing, sneezing or touching their hands on their face. Washing or sanitizing should occur before drinking or eating, and when handling a document or object shared with another person. Using products with at least 60% alcohol is recommended. 

Coughing, Sneezing, & Face Touching 

Coughing or sneezing in your sleeve, elbow, or handkerchief is needed to prevent the spread of air droplets that may contain disease. Cleaning or disinfecting skin, clothing, or handkerchief after using them to block air droplets is needed. 

Mask Wearing 

Staff- Coaches, volunteers, and staff will need to wear a properly-fitted mask covering their mouth and nose when indoors. Masks must be worn outdoors when walking, standing or sitting within six (6) feet of another person. Bandanas and scarfs are NOT suitable mouth and nose coverings for preventing the spread of disease. Coaches and volunteers who are fully vaccinated will not have to wear masks outdoors. 

Student-Athletes- Masks do not have to be worn when engaged in drills, running, strength or aerobic exercise, practicing of plays, game simulations, scrimmages or during athletic competition. Students-athletes will need to wear a properly-fitted mask covering their mouth 

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and nose when not engaged in those activities (i.e. team meetings, watching from the sideline, being assisted by a trainer or coach). Neck gaiters may be worn by student-athletes only when outdoors provided it remains covering the nose and mouth. Student-athletes who are fully vaccinated with parent permission will NOT be required to wear masks when outdoors.