Saint Gabriel Preschool/Daycare

HYGIENE, FACE COVERINGS, SPACING AND CLEANING 

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Daily Health Checks: Temperature screenings with non-touch thermometers 

• Students who have fevers of 100 degrees or more or exhibit other COVID-19 symptoms will go directly home or should stay home.

• Parents must not give their children fever-reducing medications in the morning, before sending students to school.

• Any child that is showing symptoms is to remain home for two weeks symptom free. No exceptions will be made due to the uncertainty that surrounds COVID-19.

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• Children, staff, and teachers will wash hands in the front office sink before entering the classroom.

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• All adults will need to have a face covering at all times. Face coverings should align with Saint Gabriel's policy (no offensive or inappropriate language or images).

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Teachers and staff will wear masks and/or face shields. 

• If needed, teachers will be able to remove their masks when providing direct instruction while maintaining a distance from students, but they must have their face shields on during this time.

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Children are not required to wear face coverings, but it is highly recommended. 

• There will be a three to six-feet distance between each child's table in the classroom. 

• Students will use their own supplies located at or near their desks instead of sharing supplies and resources. When this is not possible, materials will be disinfected after each use.

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​Office staff will monitor the rate of student illness and absenteeism as well as any related health information on a daily basis.

 

All faculty and staff will be promoting good hygiene, hand washing, and use of face coverings.

• Hand-sanitizing stations will be installed/placed at every entrance, office, and in hallways for use whenever students and teachers enter or exit. Hand-sanitizer will be used when hand washing is not easily achieved.

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Drinking fountains will remain closed to prevent cross-contamination.

• Children should have individual water bottles filled at home each day.

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Staff will clean the bathrooms at regular intervals throughout the day.

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Anyone who enters the building must wear a face covering while inside (and complete the health screening and temperature check). 

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Throughout the day staff will clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces such as door knobs, light switches, etc.

• In addition to performing routine cleaning services of our school, deeper professional cleaning will take place after school when student desks and chairs, and other surfaces are cleaned.

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Parents will be required to notify the school immediately if their child or family member exhibits any symptoms of COVID-19 and/or is diagnosed with COVID-19.

1. If a confirmed case of COVID-19 has been identified within the school community, the school will notify the Fairfax County Health Department immediately to determine a course of action.

2. We will keep all families informed while maintaining the confidentiality of the student or staff member as required by law. 

3. Following CDC guidelines, we will seek guidance from local health officials to determine when students and staff should return to schools and what additional steps are needed for the school community.  (See CURRENT APPROACH TO ILLNESS #’s 6-11)

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All enrolled students must have current paperwork and updated immunizations per Virginia state requirements.

• (This is a requirement from VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH and VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION-no waivers allowed).

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THE CURRENT APPROACH TO ILLNESS:

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Parents must keep sick children home, and teachers and staff must stay home when ill. This is the first and most important line of defense against a contagious disease.

• If a student becomes ill while at school, parents will be expected to pick up their student within 45-60 minutes of being notified by the school. An earlier pickup time will be greatly appreciated in order to maintain school operations.

• As mentioned above, no one registering a temperature of 100 or over will be admitted to the building.

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For ordinary illnesses (colds, stomach bugs, ear infections, etc.)

• Students, staff, and teachers must remain home for the duration of their illness and be fever free from 24 hours to 3 days without the use of fever-reducing medications.

• To return to school, no symptoms from 24 hours to 3days. Additionally, a doctors' note/negative test result is required (to be taken on the 3rd day after the first sign of fever) before the child is able to return to school or the 14 day procedure is to be followed.

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The symptoms of contagious diseases vary widely, with reports of mild symptoms ranging to severe illness. 

1. Symptoms requiring non-admittance/temporary removal:​

   • Fever: The center policy observes a fever defined as having a temperature of 100°F or higher. A child needs to be fever free to attend care, that means the child is fever free without the aid of Tylenol®, or any other fever reducing substance.

   • Fever AND sore throat, rash, vomiting, diarrhea, earache, irritability, or confusion.

   • Diarrhea: runny, watery, bloody stools, or 2 or more loose stools within last 4 hours.

   • Vomiting: 2 or more times in a 24 hour period. Note: please do not bring your child if they have vomited in the night.

   • Breathing trouble, sore throat, swollen glands, loss of voice, hacking or continuous coughing.

   • Runny nose (other than clear)

   • Draining eyes or ears.

   • Frequent scratching of body or scalp, lice, rash, or any other spots that resemble childhood diseases, including what may be suspected to be ringworm.

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With the present pandemic, when in doubt contact please your pediatrician or other health professional before bringing your child to school.

• Anyone in the school displaying unexplained symptoms of COVID-19 (or testing positive) will be required to self-isolate at home in accordance with CDC guidelines until a diagnosis is ascertained. 

• Current guidelines dictate at least 14 days of self-isolation at home from onset of symptoms; symptoms must be improving and the individual must have been fever-free for 3 days (without the use of fever-reducing medications) before returning to school. After 3 days, a RAPID TEST OR PCR TEST must be taken and a negative result needs to be presented to return to school. 

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Anyone in the school community who has had direct contact with someone displaying symptoms of COVID-19 (or who has tested positive) will be required to self-quarantine at home in accordance with CDC recommendations (currently 14 days). To return a negative COVID test result is required to be taken after 3 -5 days.

• This would include an individual’s siblings and anyone with whom he/she had direct contact including his/her classmates.

• If someone in our community is diagnosed with COVID-19, the local Fairfax County Health Department will be contacted to help with contact tracing and determine if someone, a class, or the whole center needs to close and the length of time this is needed.​

• All teachers, staff, or students returning to school following a COVID-19 related absence will be required to meet the guidelines set by the CDC or local health agency regarding re-entry into the school environment. This may include a doctor’s note and/or negative tests as medical norms and practices permit.

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In the case of multiple possible cases of COVID-19, if advised by local public health authorities, the Diocese, or at the discretion of the Poor Sisters of Saint Joseph, the center may close temporarily to permit an enhanced cleaning/disinfection protocol.

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