Children’s Academy 2022-2023 COVID-19 Protocols How We are Keeping our Community Safe
Updated: 11/22/22
*PLEASE NOTE THAT AT ANYTIME THE BELOW POLICIES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AS PER DOH GUIDELINES. PLEASE BE SURE TO PERIODICALLY CHECK YOUR EMAIL REGARDING ANY POLICY CHANGES AND BE SURE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS YOU MAY HAVE BEFORE TAKING ANY UNSURE ACTIONS
Staff Vaccinations:
Children’s Academy will require vaccination of all staff against COVID-19 for the 2022-2023 school year, subject to valid medical exemption supported by a doctor’s note issued within the last 30 days. Proof of vaccination must be supplied.
Student Vaccinations:
All students aged 5 years old and up who are now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine are required to receive it unless they have a valid medical exemption supported by a doctor’s note issued within the last 30 days. Proof of vaccination must be supplied to our school nurse.
COVID-19 Screening:
CA will no longer implement a daily COVID-19 screening questionnaire or temperature checks for all individuals prior to entry into the school building.
We kindly ask that all CA families continue to personally screen their children for COVID symptoms daily before sending their children to school. To keep our community safe, we also ask you to notify school administration immediately if your child has been exposed to COVID outside of school.
Face Masks:
Following guidance from the NYC Department of Health in March 2021, face-masks will no longer be mandatory while inside the school building. The decision to wear or not wear a mask is now a personal choice, and we will fully support any staff or students who choose to continue to wear a mask.
Exemptions to the Masks-optional policy:
Students and employees who test positive in school must leave immediately and not return for 5 full days, and after taking a rapid-antigen testing and receiving a negative result. Day 0 is the first day of symptoms, or if asymptomatic, the day of the initial test. These individuals MUST wear a mask indoors when they return to school through day 10 of their isolation period. We will continue to be vigilant with our monitoring in school and NYC COVID data and trends. We will update our Health and Safety Policy on the Children’s Academy Website.
Hand Washing & Hygiene:
CA will frequently (throughout the day) sanitize high contact surfaces and encourage frequent handwashing.
*Please visit https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html to view all CDC handwashing guidelines
COVID-19 Testing:
CA will require testing of ALL individuals on a weekly basis and after all extended breaks. Testing is provided through Sovereign Labs to all students and staff. Those who opt out of CA’s partnership with Sovereign Labs will be responsible for finding their own testing location. Acceptable forms of testing are PCR, Rapid and Saliva tests. All test results must be submitted every Monday.
Please visit https://www.schools.nyc.gov/school-year-20-21/return-to-school-2020/health-and-safety/covid-19-testing to review the testing measures set in place by the NYC DOE. Although CA is NOT a part of the DOE we ARE held to the same standards concerning COVID-19 as stated by NYC DOHMH. Failure to comply or uphold these standards can result in steep fines.
*Sick Students and Students who Tested Positive for COVID-19:
If an individual shows any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 upon screening or while in the building, such individual will: be immediately separated from all others, isolated, sent home, and required to test negative for COVID-19 before returning to school.
What will happen if there is a positive case at Children’s Academy:
If your child is exposed to a positive case, you will be notified ASAP.
QUARANTINE REQUIREMENTS:
Children’s Academy will also follow the 5 day isolation period for students and staff who test positive and are asymptomatic (i.e. the absence of a runny nose or severe cough, fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication, etc). For Children’s Academy, it is required that on the 5th day of quarantine, you will need to get a rapid antigen test, not a PCR test. A negative Rapid Antigen Test shows an individual is not contagious and will allow one to return to work/school. To read further, please see “When Can I Stop Isolating” section of this New York Times article. This distinction between rapid vs PCR test was made by Children’s Academy because there have been reported instances where an individual can test positive via a PCR test for up to 90 days after they have fully recovered from COVID.
Fully vaccinated individuals exposed to COVID-19 who are experiencing related symptoms must isolate themselves, be clinically evaluated for COVID-19, and tested for COVID-19 after being asymptomatic.
Individuals should be encouraged to consult with their healthcare provider if they have any questions about their individual situation, such as immunocompromising conditions or other concerns.
For those who are Exposed: (“Exposure”: defined as within 6 feet for 15min or more with someone who is positive):
If you are fully vaccinated and show no symptoms, you do not need to be isolated. On your 5th day after exposure, please get tested and provide a negative test result.
Fully vaccinated individuals exposed to COVID-19 who are experiencing related symptoms must isolate themselves, be clinically evaluated for COVID-19, and tested for COVID-19.
Travel Policies:
As of April 1, 2021 (*source), asymptomatic domestic travelers, including healthcare providers, arriving in New York State from other U.S. states and territories are not required to test or quarantine. Domestic travelers do not need to quarantine if they are fully vaccinated or have recovered from laboratory confirmed COVID-19 within the previous 3 months. However, Children’s Academy has decided that for any individual who has traveled outside of the tri-state area (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut) will be required to submit a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours before returning to work/school.
Asymptomatic international travelers arriving in New York must comply with all CDC requirements for testing and quarantine after international travel. This requirement applies to all international travelers irrespective as to whether they were tested before boarding, are recovered from a previous COVID infection, or are fully vaccinated
