Yes, CHS is requiring all employees to be vaccinated.

Yes, all vaccinated CHS staff will be working in the building.

• Indoors: Yes, all students, staff, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, will be expected to wear masks when they are inside school facilities.

• Outdoors: Students, staff, and visitors will not be required to wear masks when outside (for recess, PE, lunch, etc.).

• At morning drop off (for students): Please have your child masked before they leave your car/ board the bus so that students will be masked when entering the building/CHS bus.

Staff talk with all students to be clear that mask wearing outdoors is a personal choice. Staff will talk to children about mask wearing and distancing.

Yes. Students will mix indoors and outdoors.

• Mixing will occur outdoors at play.

• Mixing will occur during grades 5 - 6 lunch, though maximum distance will be kept for students in mixed grades.

• Mixing will occur before 7:55 am, though maximum distance will be kept for students in mixed grades.

• Mixing will occur during Extended Day, though maximum distance will be kept for students in mixed grades.

• All other grade level activities (learning partners or assemblies) will be outside or via Zoom.

Yes. Starting September 13, all staff and students have been engaged in weekly Routine Covid Safety Checks (formally called pooled testing). Testing occurs at CHS at no additional cost to families. CHS will continue weekly testing through at least the month of October. We will monitor internal and external data on the rate and prevalence of COVID-19 to determine whether to shift our approach to testing.

Two shallow nasal or saliva samples are collected and stored in separate vials. One is tested as part of a group (pool) and the other is held in case the group test is positive. If a group test is positive, individual follow-up testing occurs at the lab, using the second sample. Testing will occur every Monday. We expect initial results on Tuesday, with any specific positive cases reported by Wednesday. CHS will report positive cases in a manner which protects individual identity and shares necessary community information. All testing will be done through CIC, and their site includes video and other information about the testing.

Yes. Please check your child for symptoms every day.

Yes. You will complete one form in Magnus Health at the start of the school year; this form states that you will check your child’s health every day. This form replaces the daily attestation form from last year.

• If your child exhibits any of symptoms below, they should not come to school AND must produce a negative PCR COVID-19 test before returning:

  1. Fever (100.0° Fahrenheit or higher), chills, or shaking chills

  2. Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

  3. New loss of taste or smell

  4. Muscle aches or body aches

  5. Cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic cough)

  6. Sore throat, when in combination with other symptoms

  7. Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea when in combination with other symptoms

  8. Headache when in combination with other symptoms

  9. Fatigue, when in combination with other symptoms

  10. Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies) when in combination with other symptoms

You will receive a call from the school nurse. You will need to pick up your child. A negative PCR test will be required in order for your child to return.

We understand that symptoms can be vague and families sometimes have many people involved in dropping off children. We must all work together. Families who knowingly disregard CHS health and safety protocols may be subject to further action, including decisions about continued and future enrollment at the school.

If a student tests positive for COVID-19, the student will need to stay home and self-quarantine for at least 10 days before returning to school. In addition to the 10 day quarantine, prior to returning to school, the positive individual must be without fever for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medications) and other symptoms must have improved. A positive COVID-19 case does not need a PCR test to return to school. (Tests can be positive for up to 3 months following having COVID-19.)

In accordance with DESE guidelines, a “close contact” is anyone who is within 6 feet of a confirmed positive individual for more than 15 minutes, while indoors and while either party is unmasked.

• CHS will be providing a “Test and Stay” testing program. School close contacts will be able to continue coming to school as long as they are administered a rapid BinaxNOW test each school day for 7 days after the initial exposure.

• The test is a shallow nasal swab, and results are available in 10 minutes. If your child is asymptomatic and has a negative test for each of the 7 days, they may continue to attend school. If a test is positive, you will be contacted to pick up your child for an outside PCR test. If your child becomes symptomatic over any of the 7 days, they will need a negative PCR test to return. This process allows us to test daily and to also prioritize in-person learning when possible.

• If a student or family does not want to participate in the “Test and Stay” program, the child will need to stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days (be fever free for 24 hours and have reduced symptoms) before returning to school.

The student will need to stay home and self-quarantine for 10 days (be fever free for 24 hours and have reduced symptoms) before returning to school.

The “test and stay” program is not available for close contacts when the contact occurred outside of CHS, as per DESE guidelines.

• This will handled on a case by case basis. If a student tests positive and must self-quarantine at home for 10 days, they may be able to watch some of their classes via Zoom, as long as they feel well.

• CHS will not provide this parallel learning option for students who are missing school for any other reason than a positive test or a need to quarantine (not based on discretionary travel).

• Students who are sick should not engage in school.

Yes. We will notify the community broadly, and we will write additional information to the grade level/homeroom. We will not release information about the identity of the person; we will share information about exposure and timeline as we know it, and we will provide any necessary instructions (contacting health care providers, test and stay, etc).

No. Teachers will be focused on providing in-person instruction. That said, CHS is prepared to pivot to fully remote learning, if needed.

If there are multiple cases in a grade (several students testing positive within a several day period), the entire grade will pivot to fully remote learning for at least 10 days. If this occurs, the school administration and faculty will work with students and parents to ensure a smooth and productive transition and continuation of learning.

CHS reserves the right to request negative tests for students prior to the return from extended breaks and vacations (Winter Break, Spring Break, etc.)

CHS will be following CDC and MA guidelines for domestic and international travel.

Travel guidelines are changing constantly. Please read carefully and follow all instructions as stated.

We ask that all families monitor the risks of any activities, regardless of whether they involve travel. We ask that all families monitor personal health and follow all CHS guidelines when any symptoms appear.

• • Students will eat outside by grade level whenever possible.

  • When necessary, students in Beginners - Grade 3 will eat in their classrooms.

  • When necessary, students in grade 4 will eat in our Community Meeting Room.

  • When necessary, students in grades 5 and 6 will eat together in the CMR. Fifth and Sixth grade will be seated separately.

• When indoors, students will eat in silence (when they are not masked).

• Anyone who wants to speak puts on a mask before talking.

• Teachers play various videos and games while eating. Some grades will watch a video associated with that day’s lesson or be read aloud to.

• While silent lunch is not ideal, some students have found it relaxing. In addition, some students eat more now that they are talking a bit less. Teachers have found creative ways to use the time creatively and joyfully!

Yes, staff open windows, we use MERV-13 filters in every AC/heating/air supply unit and we have industrial-grade air purifiers in every classroom and throughout our building.

Yes. Some will be in the homeroom and some will take place in other spaces (Gym, Spanish). Families will learn more information about their child’s schedule during Curriculum Night.

Yes. They will be on Zoom.

Yes. Students will be sent to their cubbies in rotation so that they are not at their cubbies while the adjacent student is present.