Health and Safety
Health and Safety Protocols
The COVID-19 landscape is fluid and changing rapidly; guidelines have evolved and will continue to evolve. Therefore, many of the plans listed in this section may be altered at any point during the school year.
ON CAMPUS
To support the well-being of our community, SVDP has made many adaptations to procedures on campus. In all situations, the School’s approach will be informed by city, county, state, and federal guidelines.
Cleaning and Disinfecting
The school will continue its already consistent practice of disinfecting all buildings and equipment prior to anyone returning to campus for the start of school. Once the year begins, frequent sanitization of soft and hard surfaces, electronics, and equipment will be required.
Cleaning will include:
Disinfecting frequently touched surfaces daily
Avoiding use of items that are not easily cleaned, sanitized, or disinfected
Ensuring safe and correct application of disinfectants
In addition, the School will maintain a reserve supply of soap, disinfectant spray, hand sanitizer, and paper products.
Physical Distancing
Physical distancing is no longer required if proper mitigation protocols are in place.
COVID-19 Testing
According to the County of San Francisco COVID-19 Response, testing needs to be performed by a laboratory certified for high-complexity testing. There are many testing sites throughout the county where families and students can get tested. Learn more about free testing sites on the resources page.
Testing for Staff
Staff members are no longer required to participate in surveillance testing.
If a staff member tests positive for COVID 19, they are required to inform the school immediately (within one hour of learning the results).
Testing for Students and Families
Student and families are not required to get tested before returning to school.
It is highly recommended that students test before returning to school after an extended weekend or vacation. School will communicate when it is necessary to test and share results with the appropriate school contact.
The school requires parents or guardians to inform the school immediately (within one hour of learning the results) if their child and / or a member in their household tests positive or has an inconclusive test result and to provide documentation.
Preemptive testing may occur on campus if a positive case or close contact is identified. This are self-administered tests provided by the school.
Hygiene
Reinforced through training and signs throughout campus, hygiene practices (coughing/sneezing etiquette, handwashing, wiping down tables, chairs, and equipment) will be promoted consistently throughout the day. Upon entering and exiting buildings on campus, students, faculty, and staff will be asked to utilize sanitizing stations provided by the School. In addition, when entering and exiting classrooms, students and faculty/staff members will be required to use hand sanitizer. After using the restroom students will be required to wash hands. Before and after eating and outside activities, all community members will be asked to wash/disinfect hands.
While members of the facilities team will deep clean spaces after hours as well as wipe down door handles and hard surfaces during the day, students will partner with faculty/staff to prioritize regular cleaning practices for desks, equipment, writing utensils, and other classroom materials.
Masks
Face coverings are an important way that we, as a community, can slow the spread of the coronavirus and protect each other. Masks are note required but highly recommended for all faculty, staff, and students when entering a school building and walking throughout the campus and inside classrooms.
Remember that face masks are not a fashion statement, but rather a health statement. If a face mask becomes a distraction, students will be required to remove it and another mask will be provided.
Hand-washing and Hand Sanitizer
Classrooms are supplied with hand sanitizer. Restroom sinks will be available to students during scheduled break times.
Reusable Water Bottles
Students are required to provide their own water bottle for each school day. Reusable water bottles must be stored in the student's backpack. Water bottles must be clearly labeled with the student's name and must be brought home each day for cleaning.
Cell Phones and Personal Devices
We recommend that students and staff frequently clean their phones and personal devices as they are “high touch” products and can easily carry virus particles for a prolonged period of time.
COVID-19 TESTING AND CONTACT TRACING
ILLNESS AT SCHOOL
Monitoring illness -- screening and reporting -- is essential to our ability to mitigate, contain, and respond to the possible spread of COVID-19 at Saint Vincent de Paul School. Families and individuals implement daily screenings to determine their health and exposure before entering campus. As recommended, this will involve daily self-screenings and symptom checks at home before arriving to campus.
If a student falls ill at school, the front office will check their symptoms, isolate them if appropriate, and contact their family for pick-up.
Students may return to school after 24 hours from the last symptom (such as fever, diarrhea, or vomiting) with a negative COVID-19 test administered at a doctor's office. Otherwise, a student may return to school 48 hours after last symptom (such as fever, diarrhea, or vomiting).
It will be important for the School to know if anyone who comes to campus has tested positive for COVID-19, resides with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, and/or has come in direct contact within a 10-day period with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Tracking diagnosed cases within our community allows us to better understand health conditions on our campus and mitigate the spread of infection.
If a student or faculty/staff member is diagnosed with COVID-19, SVDP will adhere to CPH procedures as of July 1, 2022.
Resource link found on HOME page.
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Volunteering and Visitors
In order to minimize risk and maintain a healthy environment for our students and teachers, any volunteers and/or visitors must comply with diocesan requirements - creation of Virtus account and online training completion, Livescan - fingerprinting, and proof of vaccination status sent to volunteer@svdpsf.com.
Travel
All community members are required to follow CDC travel guidelines. The CDC strongly recommends that individuals are vaccinated before traveling. Review the Domestic and international travel guidelines before making travel plans.
AT HOME
The changes Saint Vincent de Paul School is making on campus are only one aspect of supporting a healthy campus environment. Keeping our campus healthy is a collective effort, one we are asking everyone in our community to support.
Health and Wellness Pledge: A Family Commitment
All families must commit to supporting SVDP’s health, wellness, and safety protocols and must agree to keep children home when they are not feeling well, have COVID-like symptoms, or have potentially been exposed.
The “Return to Campus Agreement” for our families, will be included in your registration packet. Signing this agreement along with the other medical documents is required before your student can attend school in-person.
Self-Screening at Home
During the school year, families and staff will be required to perform daily at-home self-checks for common COVID-19 symptoms. The School may practice additional health screening measures at other times of day, including temperature and symptom checks.
Illness at Home
More than ever, it is important for families to follow school guidelines for keeping students home when they are ill. Any student who develops COVID-19-like symptoms and tests negative may return to campus with a doctor's note. Any student who tests positive for COVID-19 should notify the School immediately and coordinate their return to campus with the School, following CDC recommendations and CPH guidelines. Our stay-at-home policies may change over time. We will provide updates to our community as needed.
Parents should exercise caution about sending students to school with any other type of illness. After three days of absence from school, parents must provide a doctor's note for reentry.
As mentioned above, it will be important for the School to have knowledge of the COVID-19 status of anyone in our student, faculty, or family community.
Please work with us by sharing information and following all of our protocols regarding illness.
Agreement to Abide by Covid-19 Protocols
Risk Acknowledgment by Parent/Legal Guardian
COVID-19 Non-Discrimination Policy
Saint Vincent de Paul School recognizes the sensitivity of any and all health information, particularly with respect to any diagnosis or symptoms related to COVID-19. To the extent we are not otherwise required to disclose health information related to COVID-19, Saint Vincent de Paul School will keep all such information confidential. Moreover, other than complying with isolation, quarantine, and/or similar requirements under federal, state and/or local guidelines, Saint Vincent de Paul School will not discriminate against any student, parent family, or school employee who tests positive for COVID-19, has COVID-like symptoms, or is otherwise believed to have been exposed to COVID-19. Similarly, Saint Vincent de Paul School will not allow any student, parent, family or school employee to discriminate against any other community member with respect to any COVID-19- related health concerns. Should we become aware of such discrimination, the school will follow appropriate disciplinary measures as set forth in the SVDP Community Handbook.
SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND MENTAL HEALTH
The social and emotional health of our students, faculty, staff, and community is one of our highest priorities during this unprecedented time.
As we learned in the spring, a daily school routine connecting with others can positively impact the wellbeing of students who are otherwise experiencing stress and uncertainty due to the pandemic. We recognize that over the summer, students and staff members have been at home for an extended period of time while having less than normal social interaction; we are all looking forward to being on campus.
Understanding that our community has already been under stress for some time and that we may experience a return to shelter-at-home at any point, our Student Success Teams, composed of grade band teachers and staff, will be ready to provide support when students return to class. We ask that families let us know if we can help in any way.