1. • Strict adherence to the MDS sick policy, with a zero-tolerance policy for sick children and staff

   • Parents and visitors restricted from entering school premises except in the case of emergency

   • Daily screening of students and staff before entering the premises - including:

     • Temperature check

     • Mask check

     • Health screening questionnaire

   • Disclosure of potential or known exposure to COVID-19 by staff and parents

   • Students with COVID-19 symptoms during the school day will wait in an isolated room (with an adult) until picked up

   • Provisions will be made to provide remote instruction to students who may need to be in quarantine at home, or students who are home due to stricter "stay-home-until-well" policies

   • Contact tracing will be kept to monitor exposure

   • Symptomatic children and adults, and those who are pre/asymptomatic but have been placed in quarantine due to exposure to a COVID infected individual or recent travel to COVID hotspots, will not be allowed to enter the premises

   • Field trips will not be held for the time being

   • Facility tours will be suspended

   • A symptomatic individual can return to school, if there is a confirmed alternative diagnosis from a healthcare provider:

     • If fever was the symptom, once there is no fever without the use of fever-reducing medicines, and they have felt well for 24 hours; and the individual has received medical clearance from their healthcare provider, or

     • If they have been diagnosed with another condition; and the individual has received medical clearance from their healthcare provider.

   • An individual who is diagnosed with COVID-19 by a healthcare provider based on a test or their symptoms, must self-quarantine and may only return to school when all the following four conditions have been met:

     • It has been at least 10 days since symptoms first appeared; and

     • It has been at least 72 hours since the individual had a fever (without using fever-reducing medication); and

     • The individual has been symptom-free for at least 72 hours; and

     • The individual has received medical clearance from their healthcare provider.

   • If a household member is Covid-19 positive or pending a test -- all household members must quarantine

   • An individual who was in close contact with someone who tested positive must self-quarantine for a period of 14 days as per CDC and DOH guidelines, before returning to school unless medical authorities advise otherwise.

   • Close contacts include:

     • Any person who has been within 6 feet of a person diagnosed with COVID-19, for at least 10 minutes,

     • Immediate family members of the infected person,

     • Students and teachers who are in a cohort with the infected person, and

     • Individuals who ride to and from school in a vehicle / bus with the infected person.

   • COVID sick and quarantine policies may change based on the guidance of the CDC and DOH.

   • Individuals with runny nose, common cold, seasonal allergies, or chronic cough should be evaluated by a healthcare provider. If given clearance, they may attend school.

1. • Increased sanitization of high-contact areas and common areas (ex: bathrooms) throughout the day

   • Daily disinfection of classrooms after each school day

   • Cleaning and sanitizing products/procedures will follow CDC guidance

   • Increased ventilation of indoor spaces

   • Each classroom will have a Medify Air medical grade air purifier

   • Installation of additional hand washing stations where needed, as well as hand sanitizer dispensers

   • Increased frequency of hand washing throughout the day; hand washing and use of sanitizer will be ritualized throughout the day

1. • Students learn in groups of 10-15 students at a time (depending on the grade level)

   • Face masks worn by staff and teachers

   • Masks will be required to enter the building for staff and students (ages 5+) (see the Face Masks section below for more information)

   • Preschoolers nap and eat at a distance

   • Redesign of K-8 classroom spaces so that students are able to be seated at a distance from each other

   • Use of physical barriers where needed (ex: polycarbonate barriers on some desks)

   • Adjustment to schedules to allow for distanced transitions and surface wipe-downs

   • Meal service within classrooms rather than the lunchroom

   • Food served in individual portions (plated in preschool, pre-packaged portions in K-8 - ordered in advance)

   • K-8 specials will take place in classrooms (or the gym), reducing the need for students to travel through school spaces (i.e. designated art or music rooms will be eliminated)

   • K-8 students would keep an individual set of supplies rather than share communal classroom supplies

   • Water fountains have been replaced with bottle fillers in K-8. Students will bring their own water bottles for daily use.

   • Reduce contact in common areas by placing marked floor direction in hallways and stairways, marking outdoor play “zones”, etc.

   • Staggered drop-off and dismissal times to accommodate entry screening, reduce crowding and enable social distancing

   • Limit face-to-face meetings of staff, using Zoom or Google Meets instead

1. • Preschool = a class is a cohort; K-8 = a grade is a cohort

   • Schedules and school spaces will be redesigned to ensure that cohorts of students would not come in contact with other cohorts

   • The possibility of offering early drop-off is being evaluated at this time

   • Inter-grade in-person classes, programming or activities would be canceled (ex: clubs, assemblies); these will be replaced with appropriate alternatives

   • Only 1 cohort at a time would play in a common space; if there are students from another cohort in the yard, they will play within designated zones

   • Inter-grade in-person classes, programming or activities will be replaced with appropriate alternatives

1. • Signage throughout school building with protocols, hygiene, and social distancing reminders

   • Students and staff will receive training in effective mask-wearing, proper hygiene, and handwashing

   • School will begin with a phased start in Grades K-8 so as to enable the training of students in safety procedures

We recognize that at various points of the year, there may be a need to alternate between in-person learning and remote learning, for all students, depending on the status of COVID-19 infections at the time. If there are points in the year, when remote learning is necessary, it would likely be for intermittent, limited periods of time. Therefore, in addition to preparing for in-person learning, we are also preparing for scenarios of remote learning. To do so we will:

1. • Implement 1:1 device distribution in grades K-8

   • Upgrade remote learning model based on Spring 2020 experience

   • Enhance progressive educational model with the use of technology for increased differentiation, learning management, assessment and more

   • Provide teacher training in effective instructional practices for remote learning

   • Designate school-wide LMS (learning management systems) for K-8 students to use when submitting assignments throughout the school year

MASK POLICIES BY GRADE

PreNursery

• 2 year old children should not wear masks.

Nursery and PreK

• Nursery and PreK children may wear a mask to school if they are able to, at parents request.

Kindergarten and First Grade

• It is strongly recommended that all students in kindergarten and first grade wear masks as much as possible throughout the day, to the best of their ability.

• Students must wear masks in the following scenarios:

  1. • Upon entry to school

     • When in common areas (ex: hallways, staircases, bathrooms, handwashing stations, elevator)

     • During davening, when talking, singing or during indoor recess

     • During transition times in classrooms where distance can be compromised

     • When in a learning center with other classmates or during small group work/teacher time.

     • When riding the bus.

     • Any area/situation in which at least a 6’ distance cannot be maintained

     • Gym class with no strenuous activity

• Parents are encouraged to coach their young ones regarding mask wearing.

• Masks can be removed at the following times:

  1. • During mealtime (breakfast, lunch, snack)

     • When taking a drink

     • During gym when 12’ doing strenuous activity and OUTDOOR recess when proper distancing is ensured

     • During designated mask breaks (i.e. when children are seated at a 6' distance)

Grades 2-8

• All children in grades 2-8 must wear face coverings that cover the mouth and nose at all times except during the times listed below. Mask breaks will be embedded into the daily schedule.

• Masks can be removed when at a 6 feet distance from others:

• During mealtime (breakfast, lunch, snack)

• When taking a drink

• During gym when 12’ doing strenuous activity and OUTDOOR recess when proper distancing is ensured

• During designated mask breaks (ex: silent reading or writing time) which will be embedded throughout the day

Mask Recommendations:

• Cloth masks should be double-layered

• Child-sized surgical masks are acceptable

• Masks should NOT have valves or vents

• Masks should fit well (not fall off easily, cover mouth and nose, not be loose)

Feel free to order a mask from Land's End (our uniform vendor) with an optional logo or buy one in any store you would like. It is important that the mask is comfortable for your child and fits well. Children should have at least 2-3 masks with them a day, in case they are lost or soiled.

Storage

During mask breaks, masks should be kept:

• On a short lanyard

• In a brown paper bag (using a new one each day)

• In a sealed Ziploc bag (using a new one each day)

• In a pouch or fanny pack (which should be cleaned daily)