Perelman Ready 2021-22

List of 5 items.

• Guiding Principles

  
  The health and safety of Perelman students, faculty, staff and their families will be the first consideration in all decisions.

   

  Safety protocols will be implemented based on credible data, as well as guidance from public health agencies and our medical advisors.

   

  Perelman students, faculty, staff and their families will abide by the protocols implemented to safeguard community-wide health and safety.

   

  Decisions will support our mission: We cultivate character, inspire minds and nurture souls, as students learn, explore, achieve and dream - all in a dual-language environment.

   

  We will remain prepared, ready and flexible in continuing to offer an outstanding Perelman education.

   

  We will support and sustain our community of students, faculty, staff, parents and friends. Kol Yisrael Areivim Zeh Bazeh—“The whole community is responsible for one another.” (Talmud, Shevuot 39a)

• Home and School Partnership

  
  There are several ways to prepare your child/ren for learning in school this fall:

   

  Encourage them to wear masks for extended periods at home to develop stamina. As masks are critically important for the safety of our school community, helping your children adjust to wearing a mask for a prolonged period enables everyone to have a successful start to the school year.

   

  Limit all nonessential travel and follow pertinent state and local recommendations to mitigate your risk of becoming infected with COVID-19. Students, faculty or staff members who have traveled internationally must notify the school; you will be required to quarantine for 10 days before returning to campus.

   

  Abide by accepted mitigation protocols outside of school to safeguard community-wide health and safety (physical distancing, mask wearing, hand washing, etc.).

  
  We ask that you refrain from hosting indoor parties, sleepovers, unmasked playdates and other social gatherings.  In addition, if children riding in your carpool are not members of your immediate family, all children and adults in the car should wear masks.

• Medical Protocol

  
  Daily Medical Screening Before Coming to Campus

   

  Students: Parents/guardians are required to screen their children for symptoms each morning to determine whether they can attend school. A parent/guardian is required to complete a brief health survey on the Parent Locker app no later than 7:30 AM each morning. Any child for whom a response via the app has not been submitted will not be permitted in the school building that day. The nurse will review the data; following up as necessary. Faculty and staff will be required to follow the same protocol.

   

  Keep your child at home if s/he has any of the following symptoms:

  High temperature (100 degrees or more)

  Cough
  Nasal congestion
  

  Sore throat

  Chills

  Muscle pain

  Headache

  New loss of taste or smell

  Shortness of breath

  Diarrhea

  Vomiting

   

  If your child has any of the above symptoms of COVID-19, keep your child home until:

  
  

  Your child has tested negative for COVID-19 (PCR test only) and is otherwise well enough to go back to school OR

   

  A healthcare provider has seen your child and documented a reason for the symptoms other than COVID-19 OR

   

  All the following are true: 1) at least 10 days have passed since the start of symptoms, 2) your child is fever free and off fever-reducing medicines for at least 3 days and 3) symptoms are improving.

  
  

  If any household member displays symptoms, Perelman students in that household must stay home until the symptomatic household member receives a negative PCR test or is cleared by their physician.

   

  If your child is diagnosed with COVID-19, please keep your child home until:

  It has been at least 10 days since your child first exhibited symptoms AND

   

  Your child has had no fever (without the use of fever-reducing medicines, ex: Tylenol, Ibuprofen) for at least 3 days AND

   

  Your child’s symptoms are improving.

   

  If someone in your household is diagnosed with COVID-19 or your child is exposed to COVID-19, notify the school immediately.

  A child who has had exposure to a COVID-19 positive family member must quarantine for 10 days from their last exposure to that family member during their infectious period.  Since the family member is presumed infectious for 10 days following onset of symptoms, this would be a total 20 day quarantine from the onset of the family member's symptoms.

  
  

  If the child was present in school within 48 hours prior to the onset of symptoms of the COVID-19 positive family member (or if the family member was asymptomatic, in the 48 hours prior to the positive test), that child is strongly urged to be tested at day 5-7 if asymptomatic or immediately at the onset of symptoms. A negative PCR test does not influence the duration of the quarantine above.

  
  

  Response to Illness During School Day

  If a staff member or child becomes sick while at school and cannot immediately leave the premises, that person will remain in the campus isolation room. For the safety of our faculty, staff and students, sick children must be picked up immediately after parents are notified. The isolation room will be thoroughly sanitized after any use.

   

  Response to COVID-19 Diagnosis

  If a staff member or student receives a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, the school must be notified immediately. Faculty and students in the same cohort and/or anyone who has come into close contact (defined as greater than 10 minutes of interaction less than 6 feet away) with someone with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis will be notified and must quarantine at home for 10 days. Anyone who develops symptoms during that time should contact their healthcare provider to request testing and notify the school.

   

  Quarantined Individuals must remain home until ALL the following are true:

  At least 10 days have passed since the onset of symptoms, AND

   

  Fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medications for at least 3 days, AND

   

  Symptom-free

   

  CHOP and CHOP Urgent Care facilities offer COVID-19 testing for children.

  
  

  Rapid antigen test results are not accepted as they are considered highly inaccurate.  If a COVID-19 test is needed, a PCR test is required.

   

  Immunization

  All students need to be fully immunized in accordance with state law and the schedule recommended by the CDC. A flu vaccine is mandatory for all 2021-22 students, faculty and staff and must be obtained no later than November 1, 2021.

• Mitigation

  
  

  Cleaning and Disinfection

  An enhanced facilities team regularly cleans and sanitizes touched surfaces and objects within the school buildings and outside. This includes door and sink handles, water dispensers, desktops, railings, etc.

  
  

  Sanitizing stations for student and teacher use are located throughout the school buildings. 

   

  Hygiene and Safety

  The following procedures will be practiced by faculty/staff, students:

   

  Proper handwashing, reinforced and required on a regular basis. 

   

  Physical contact will be minimized and avoided as possible (i.e., no handshaking or high fives).

   

  Signs will be posted throughout the school building, reminding students and staff to maintain proper hygiene.

   

  For health and safety reasons, a hot lunch program will not be offered during the 2021-22 school year. Students must bring a dairy or pareve lunch and snack each day. Refrigeration will not be available.

   

  In order for faculty/staff to comply with physical distancing requirements, we recommend:

   

  Lunch and snack items include those that are easy for children to open themselves.

   

  Velcro (or easy-close) shoes/sneakers for students unable to tie their own shoes.

   

  Masks and Face Coverings

  Students, faculty and staff will wear face masks while inside and outdoors. 

   

  Students will have “mask-breaks” when outdoors with appropriate physical distancing. They may also remove masks for eating, drinking and napping when appropriately distanced.

   

  Face masks must cover the nose and mouth securely and stay in place with normal movement. Masks should be secured to the head with ties, straps or with loops over the ears. They should fit snugly and comfortably against the face.

   

  Ideally, masks will have 2 layers of breathable material and space for a filter. Masks must be washed daily after use. Under no circumstances should face masks be shared.

   

  Bandanas and scarves and "gaiters" are NOT acceptable. Facial shields may be worn in addition to masks, but not as an alternative. Masks with valves are NOT acceptable, as they are designed to protect the wearer but not those around them.

   

  Physical Distancing

   

  Learning

  Students may learn outside, weather permitting. Additional security measures and protocols will be in place on our campuses.

   

  Tents without walls will be set up on the fields of both campuses in order to provide cover and shade. Children and teachers should dress appropriately for outdoor classes and play.

   

  Students will have assigned seats in their classrooms and maintain 6 feet of distance as feasible.

   

  Physical Education classes will be held outdoors, weather permitting.

   

  Recess periods will be staggered to reduce density on the playground.

   

  Technology, Classroom Materials, and Equipment

  Students will be assigned individual laptops or iPads.

   

  Students will have individual bins in which they keep school supplies, toys, manipulatives and other materials regularly used in the classroom.

   

  Travel Policy

  Perelman follows the guidelines established by local, state and federal agencies regarding travel. Students, faculty and staff members returning from international travel will be required to self-quarantine to monitor for symptoms of illness for 10 days.

   

  Visitor Policy

  Visitors, parents or volunteers will not be permitted in school buildings, with the exception of essential vendors or contractors, who will enter by appointment only. They will be required to comply with all school procedures, including health screenings prior to entering the school.
  
  Extra-curricular instrumental lessons will not take place on campus or in-person during the 2021-22 school year.
  

• Remote Learning Option

  
  Full-time remote learning is not being offered during the 2021-22 school year. In the event that a student will be absent from school for an extended period due to illness or quarantine, a virtual option will be available.  Students learning remotely will join their classes as active participants with the help of Swivl and Zoom technology.
  
  

  The remote learning option is only provided when a child is quarantined, the pod/cohort/grade is quarantined or if the child has a long (more than 2-3 days) illness that requires staying at home.  

   

  Remote learning is not available for a student on vacation or for a required quarantine following an elective vacation.