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 during the pandemic:

   
  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. Fully vaccinated staff/students will NOT need to quarantine after international travel but will need to get a PCR test on day 3-5 post-travel; they can attend school during this window as long as they are asymptomatic.  

   
  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 families make thoughtful decisions regarding small group gatherings for children, weighing the social and emotional needs of their children with the potential risk of the exposure.
  

• 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 any of the following symptoms are present:

  
  

  • 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 (rapid antigen or PCR test) 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 24 hours 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 test or is cleared by their physician.

   

  If your child is diagnosed with COVID-19, your child must remain home until:

  
  

  It has been at least 5 days since your child first exhibited symptoms AND

   

  Your child has a negative rapid antigen or PCR test on day 5 or later AND

   

  Your child is asymptomatic.   

  
  

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

  
  

  
  Quarantine Policy:

  
  

  Non-household Exposure - If a fully vaccinated* student or staff member is exposed to a COVID+ person living outside the household and remains asymptomatic, quarantine is not necessary.  (*Fully vaccinated is defined as within 6 months of the second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer series or 2 months of the J&J vaccine and/or having received a booster dose of any COVID-19 vaccine.)

  
  

  If a student develops any symptoms compatible with COVID infection after a known exposure to a COVID+ person, the school nurse must be informed regardless of their test result.  Decisions will be made on an individual basis regarding the return to school.

  
  

  Unvaccinated individuals with a non-household exposure will "test to stay" in school and wear a mask for 10 days after exposure. 
  

  
  

  Household Exposure - If a person living in the same house as a fully vaccinated student is COVID+, quarantine is not required as long as the student remains asymptomatic.  The student will "test to stay" in school and wear a mask for 10 days after exposure. 
  
  An unvaccinated student with a household exposure may return to school after a 5 day quarantine with a negative antigen or PCR test on day 6. Unvaccinated students returning to school after a 5 day quarantine must mask until day 10. 

  
  

  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, student or household member 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. 

  
  

  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 hand washing, 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, staff and other adults on campus do not need to wear masks when outdoors.
  
  Effective Monday, March 14, masking indoors will be recommended (but not required) for students in Gan through grade 5. Ganon students (including those who are already vaccinated) must remain masked indoors for now.
  
  Adults and students may choose to remain masked indoors and/or outdoors. 

  
  

  Masks are required for Perelman students on buses (regardless of individual school district policies). These mitigation measures are required due to confined spaces with mixed grades.

  
  

  Masks are required for large, indoor events that involve mixed grades-levels and/or outside guests (parents, siblings, etc).
  
  Students must mask if they visit the nurse for any reason. 
  
  Students must continue to bring masks to school daily.  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 may 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.  Desks may be configured at the teacher's discretion (and may include grouping/pods to facilitate collaboration).  Effective Monday, March 14, strict physical distancing of 6 feet between desks will no longer be required.

   

  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.  For fully vaccinated students and adults (2 weeks post-second shot, regardless of whether the individual has been infected with COVID), a quarantine is no longer required after international travel. A PCR test is required 3-5 days post-travel, but the student/adult may attend school during this period as long as they are not having symptoms. Students/adults must be fully vaccinated (2 weeks post-second shot) before leaving for the trip for this to apply.

   

  For unvaccinated students/adults, a 7-day quarantine is required after international travel. A PCR test 3 -5 days post travel is required, but regardless of the test results, the student/adult must still quarantine for the full 7 days. 

   

  Visitor Policy

  Limited visitors, parents or volunteers may be permitted in school buildings.  All visitors will be required to comply with all school procedures, including health screenings prior to entering the school.  Visitors are required to mask indoors. 
  
  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.