Health and Safety Considerations

What health screening protocols will the school require?

We are currently researching tools that facilitate the process by which each morning, parents are required to complete a short questionnaire attesting that their child is symptom-free and has had no known close contact with someone who has tested positive. As previously stated, in keeping with the state guidelines, the school will not temperature check all students at entry due to the significant number of both false-positive and false-negative results.

What is the school’s planned response if a student does not complete the health screening requirement?

Should a student arrive without having done so, the staff member positioned at each point of entry will ask the student to contact his or her family and the student will not be permitted to enter until we can verify that the questionnaire has been completed.

What symptoms should I be screening for?

As enumerated in the Return to School Plan and in the Parent and Student Handbook, the symptoms you should screen for are:

Fever (100.0), chills or shaking chills
Cough (not due to another known cause, such as a chronic cough)
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Headache, when in combination with other symptoms.
Muscle aches or body aches
Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
Fatigue when in combination with other symptoms
Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies)when in combination with other symptoms.

What if my student is symptomatic before coming to school?

They are asked to please STAY HOME (and inform the school and a physician.) Additionally, they should get a test for active COVID-19 infection prior to returning to school. If the test is negative, they may return to school once they have been asymptomatic for 24 hours. If the test is positive, they will not be permitted to return until they have quarantined for 10 days, gone 3 days without a fever, experienced improvement in other symptoms, and received clearance from public health authority contact tracers. If a test is not administered, the individual is required to self-quarantine for 14 days.

What if my student is symptomatic while on campus?

The student will be directed to the health room, a parent(s) or emergency contact will be called, and the student will be required to go home as soon as possible. The student will not be permitted to return to school until the school can verify that the student has tested negative for COVID-19 and is symptom-free. If a COVID-19 test is not administered, individuals are required to self-quarantine for 14 days.

What if my/a student tests positive for Covid-19?

The student remains at home and is required to isolate for at least ten days, has gone 3 days without a fever, experienced improvement in other symptoms, and received clearance from public health authority contact tracers. The school will also close off any areas used for prolonged periods of time by the sick person, wait 24 hours before cleaning and disinfecting to minimize exposure potential for others, and inform the Falmouth Department of Public Health. In partnership with a representative from that office, we will determine who has been in close contact (>15 min without a mask inside six feet) for a prolonged period of time and inform them. Finally, we will inform the community via email that a person tested positive on a certain date and is now self-isolating and the close contacts have been told and were asked to leave the workplace/school and self-isolate.

Would a positive student or employee trigger a school closing?

Not necessarily. Such a decision will depend on how many spaces need to be closed for disinfecting and how many “close contacts” have been affected. There are scenarios where a single class or activity, or a single grade will be required to quarantine. The broader the exposure the greater the likelihood of a school closing/transition to remote learning. It is possible that a discrete number of close contacts can be identified, but the more likely response will be that any class or group the student has been in an indoor space for a prolonged period of time within the previous 48 hours will be considered a close contact.

What if my child is identified as a close contact of someone who tests positive for Covid-19?

If the student is home, s/he should remain at home. If at school, you will be contacted and asked to pick him/her up as soon as possible, but no later than 3 PM. Students identified as close contacts will not be permitted to travel on school transportation. Students should be tested but must self-quarantine for 14 days regardless of the results per the Massachusetts DESE and Department of Health. Finally, we will inform the community via email that a person reported that someone they had been in close contact with had tested positive for COVID-19 on a certain date and that the person is being tested and will not return to school until it is safe to do so.

What if one of my child’s teachers is quarantined?

If the teacher is asymptomatic but self-isolating because he or she has tested positive, has been identified as a close contact of someone who has, or is awaiting a test result, s/he will continue to teach students who are in school via Zoom. A substitute teacher will be on-site to manage the classroom, reinforce social distancing norms, and otherwise support the teacher’s work from home.

Does my child need to wear a mask/face covering throughout the day?

Absolutely. The importance of this simple, albeit inconvenient, safety measure cannot be overstated. Masks affixed to the ears or strapped around the back of the head that cover the nose and mouth (and without exhalation valves) are to be worn by students, staff, visitors, and vendors at all times. Please note: scarfs, bandanas, and pulled up turtlenecks or collars do not qualify as masks. Beyond these requirements, the school does not endorse or require a particular mask although many medical experts recommend that you look for masks made with at least 2 layers of fabric with a bendable border at the top so you can mold the mask to fit the bridge of your nose.

What steps are being taken to ensure spaces are properly ventilated?

As previously stated, we have replaced classroom ventilators and checked and replaced all filters. Additionally, doors and windows, weather permitting, will be left open for the entire class day.

Will my student have access to hand-sanitizing disinfectant during the day?

Each classroom has been outfitted with a full supply of sanitizing wipes for regular surface-cleaning. Additionally, hand sanitizer dispensers have been installed at strategic locations throughout the building. Students will be reminded to wash or sanitize their hands upon arrival and dismissal and before and after eating, and at the start and end of each class.

What do I need to know about the school’s expectations related to traveling out of the state or out of the country?

According to Mass.gov, starting August 1, all visitors and Massachusetts residents returning home, including students returning to campuses for the fall semester, must fill out a “Massachusetts Travel Form” and quarantine for 14 days unless they are coming from a COVID-19 lower-risk state or they can produce a negative COVID-19 test result administered no more than 72 hours prior to arriving in Massachusetts. The school is not taking responsibility for enforcing this policy, but our expectation is that all students, including but not limited to international students, will comply with this and future directives.

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