As the global COVID-19 pandemic circumstances continue to evolve, the health of our students, faculty and staff remains our top priority. We will implement measures as follows, all of which are subject to change based on federal, state, and local directives, as well as any changing local conditions.​

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COVID-19 Safety Protocols

There are many mitigation strategies we are continuing to implement to reduce the possible spread of COVID-19 in our school. COVID-19 policies are intended to mitigate, not eliminate, risk. No single action or set of actions will completely eliminate the risk of contracting COVID-19. Strategies and protocols may be changed at any time as deemed appropriate by the school, in accordance with emerging information, new variants, local/state/federal directives, and/or CDC guidelines.

 

Our strategies currently in place include:

• Requiring students, faculty, and staff to self-screen daily for COVID-19 symptoms before coming onto campus each day (a list of daily self-screening questions is provided at the end of this document)

• Daily temperature checks

• Routine use of outdoor learning spaces when feasible and appropriate

• Opening windows and/or outside doors as frequently as possible, to allow outside air to come into buildings and classrooms

• Addition of HEPA air filters to classrooms

• Use of “sneeze guards” in PreK-2nd grade classrooms

• Frequent hand hygiene

• Routine cleaning and/or disinfecting by students and staff

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Mask Policy
Masks are recommended but not required for students, faculty, and staff. In accordance with current CDC guidelines, we recommend that persons who are not fully vaccinated wear a mask when indoors.
 

Return-to-School Criteria

 

If your child has a fever or other symptoms that could be from COVID-19 and does not get tested OR is not cleared by their healthcare provider, it is assumed the child has COVID-19 and may not return to school until they meet re-entry criteria:

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• Option 1: Standard Return

You may return to school/work after at least 10 days have passed since the onset of symptoms, at least 24 hours fever-free has passed without the use of fever-reducing medications, and your symptoms are improving.

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• Option 2: Early Return (With a properly worn mask)

Stay home for 5 days after the date your symptoms began. If no symptoms or symptoms are resolving after 5 days, AND you have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications, you may choose to return to school/work while *wearing a mask for days 6 through 10. *(if not already required for your grade level).

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Consistent with school notification requirements for other communicable diseases, and consistent with legal confidentiality requirements, we will notify all teachers, staff, and families of all students if a lab-confirmed COVID-19 case is identified among students, teachers or staff.

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Protocol for COVID-Like Symptoms, Without COVID-19 Test 

In the case of a student or faculty member who has COVID-like symptoms (sore throat, congestion, fever, etc.) but has not received a COVID-19 test, the individual must either:

(a) present a note from a physician clearing the individual to return to school based on an alternative diagnosis; OR

(b) adhere to the 10-day isolation guidelines: 10 days since symptoms first appeared, fever-free without medication for at least 24 hours, and symptoms improving (with possible exception of loss of taste/smell, which may linger but need not delay return).

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Protocol for COVID-Like Symptoms Onset During School Day
Any students or staff member with fever and/or other symptoms will be isolated and cared for by school personnel until the parent/guardian can be reached to pick up. Parents/Guardians are asked to pick up their child as soon as possible. Employees will be sent home immediately. Any areas used by the individual who shows COVID-19 symptoms while at school will be cleaned and disinfected as soon as is feasible.

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Visitor Policy

Visitors will be limited to close family, essential services, and case-by-case requests to be approved by the Director. 

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Daily Home Screening Questions

Each day, students, parents, and staff should evaluate the following before coming to campus. If any of the following are present, you should not come to school that day, and you should confirm with the Director when you may return:

• Temperature 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher when taken by mouth

• Sore throat

• Loss of smell or taste

• New, uncontrolled cough that causes difficulty breathing (OR, for those with chronic allergic/asthmatic cough, a change in their cough from baseline)

• Diarrhea, vomiting, or abdominal pain

• New onset of severe headache, especially with a fever

• Close contact (within 6 feet of an infected person for 15 minutes or more) with a person with confirmed COVID-19 in the last two weeks