Infection Control

Douglas County School District’s Infection Control Plan

Potential outbreaks in a school environment can be extremely detrimental to student and staff health, not to mention interruptive to the educational process. The spread of these infections is increased as a result of students and staff interacting with each other in a fairly confined space for hours each day. The various touch points such as doorknobs, handles, sinks, desks/chairs, sporting equipment and books allow microbes to pass from one individual to another seamlessly. The ease of transmission in a school setting requires that all steps should be taken by all levels of Douglas County School District to react, respond, and minimize all potential impacts quickly and effectively.

When an infectious outbreak has already been detected in a school/office setting, steps need to be taken to effectively disinfect the affected surfaces in a timely manner. These actions will not only provide crucial infection elimination and control, but also provide non-infected students, staff, and parent’s peace of mind that infection is not running rampant inside the building. These steps are taken to effectively disinfect impacted school facilities and transportation.

Douglas County School District's Highly Infectious Disease Response Plan (HIDRP) and Infection Control Plan are two elements of an overall prevention and response plan. The district and schools should also:

  • Encourage sick students and staff to stay home and seek medical attention for severe illness.
  • Facilitate hand hygiene by supplying soap and paper towels and teaching good hand hygiene practices.
  • Educate students and staff regarding proper respiratory etiquette such as using a tissue or coughing into their arm as opposed to their hand.
  • Be vigilant about cleaning and disinfecting classroom materials and surfaces.
  • Provide messages in daily/weekly/monthly announcements about preventing infectious disease.
  • Adopt healthy practices such as safe handling of food and use of standard precautions when handling body fluids and excretions.
  • Encourage students and staff to get annual influenza vaccinations.

For more information regarding the districts response to potential outbreaks in our schools please contact the Environmental Health Manager at 303-387-0467 or [email protected]

Website by SchoolMessenger Presence. © 2024 SchoolMessenger Corporation. All rights reserved.

In compliance with Titles VI & VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, and Colorado law, the Douglas County School District RE-1 does not unlawfully discriminate against otherwise qualified students, employees, applicants for employment, or members of the public on the basis of disability, race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, religion, ancestry, or need for special education services. Discrimination against employees and applicants for employment based on age, genetic information, and conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth is also prohibited in accordance with state and/or federal law. Complaint procedures have been established for students, parents, employees, and members of the public. The School District's Compliance Officer and Title IX Coordinator to address complaints alleging sexual harassment under Title IX is Aaron Henderson, 620 Wilcox Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, [email protected], 303-387-0127.

Outside Agencies

Complaints regarding violations of Title VI, (race, national origin), Title IX (sex, gender), Section 504/ADA (handicap or disability), may be filed directly with the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 1244 North Speer Blvd., Suite 310, Denver, CO 80204. Complaints regarding violations of Title VII (employment) and the ADEA (prohibiting age discrimination in employment) may be filed directly with the Federal Office of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 303 E. 17th Ave., Suite 510, Denver, CO 80202, or the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, 1560 Broadway, Suite 1050, Denver, CO 80202.

NOTICE OF DESTRUCTION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION RECORDS

Special Education records which have been collected by Douglas County School District related to the identification, evaluation, educational placement, or the provision of special education in the district, must be maintained under state and federal laws for the period of five (5) years after special education services have ended for the student. Special education services end when the student is no longer eligible for services, graduates, or completes his/her educational program at age 21, or moves from the district. This notification is to inform parents/guardians and former students of Douglas County School District's intent to destroy the special education records of students who exited special education services as of June 30, 2016. These records will be destroyed in accordance with state law unless the parent/guardian or eligible (adult) student notifies the school district otherwise. After five years, the records are no longer useful to the district, but may be useful to the parent/guardian or former student in applying for social security benefits, rehabilitation services, college entrance, etc. The parent/guardian or eligible (adult) student may request a copy of the records by requesting the records at this link ( Douglas County School District Transcripts and Records Requests ).