Yesterday, Mayor Bowser announced that all school employees and contractors in all schools and childcare centers MUST be vaccinated against COVID-19 by November 1, 2021. Additionally, Mayor Bowser is mandating the vaccine for all students 12+ who will participate in winter sports.
We believe this is the best public health decision — for our staff, for our students, and for our families. We also know that vaccines save lives, and that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective. We will support our current unvaccinated staff members and our student athletes through their next steps. We believe this decision brings an important additional layer of protection to our community and will continue to review the best strategies to keep us all safe. As always, we will keep you posted as we update our processes.
All student-athletes over the age of 12, must be fully vaccinated by December 13, 2021 to be eligible to practice or compete in school-based extracurricular athletics. And though Mayor Bowser mandated the vaccine for staff and student-athletes over the age of 12, we strongly encourage all eligible individuals receive the COVID-19 Vaccine.
Next Steps for Students Who are Eligible to Receive the COVID-19 Vaccine (12+):
- Sign up to receive the COVID-19 Vaccine. To continue to support our staff, students, and families in becoming vaccinated against COVID-19, we will host our next vaccine clinic on Friday, October 1, from 4 – 6 p.m. At the clinic, participants will receive the FDA-approved Pfizer vaccine. You can sign up here. For students who attend, they will receive a $25 gift card for each dose, and be entered in a raffle to win an Apple watch or an Oculus VR system. You can also find a full list of free, walk-up vaccination sites here.
- Submit your student’s vaccination card to your school’s front office staff. If your student has received the COVID-19 vaccine, be sure to contact a member of your campus office staff to submit the proof of vaccination. If you or your student have already shared a copy of their vaccination card, please confirm with the front office that the card has been logged appropriately.
Vaccines are critical to protecting ourselves and each other, and together with our other practices, we are successfully minimizing the spread of COVID-19. Thank you to everyone — students, staff, and families — for their commitment and participation. From arrival procedures, health screenings, to mask-wearing and more, these practices keep us all safe, and provide students full access to our educational program.