Pandemic Program Guidelines
As you know, the safety and well-being of our children, families, and staff is our top priority. We created this resource in our website to address your questions and provide as much up to date information as we have.
Remaining Open
Our goal is to maintain our regular schedule in our preschools as well as our daycare and school age program as long as it is safe to do so. The safety and well-being of our children, families and staff is our top priority. We recognize that school closures strain families and communities – affecting learning, nutrition and other critical services such as healthcare. At this time we will remain open, continue to monitor the situation and cooperate with state and local officials.
Screening Process
- All staff is instructed to stay home if they are sick and parents/guardians are reminded to keep sick children home.
- We conduct mandatory health screening assessment (questions and temperature check) for employees, and children, either directly or through their parent/guardian. On file we keep an OCFS health screening attestation from all child care employees, volunteer, parent, child and essential visitor that enters our program beyond the drop off space.
- Screening questions include (1) COVID-19 symptoms in past 14 days, (2) positive COVID-19 test in past 14 days, and/or (3) close or proximate contact with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case in past 14 days. Responses are reviewed and documented daily.
Physical Distancing
- Non-essential visitors are prohibited on site.
- There are designated areas for pick-ups and deliveries, limiting contact to the extent possible. All parents will drop off and pick up on the church side. Teachers will bring children out to the parents/guardians at pick up time.
Hygiene, Cleaning, and Disinfection:
We adhere to hygiene, cleaning, and disinfection requirements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Department of Health (DOH)
- We provide and maintain hand hygiene stations: hand washing with soap, running warm water, and disposable paper towels; alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing 60% or more alcohol for areas where hand washing is not available/practical.
- Employees and children must perform hand hygiene immediately upon entering the program.
- We provide appropriate cleaning/disinfection supplies for shared and frequently touched surfaces (e.g. door handles, toys, art supplies, areas where children eat), and employees are encouraged to use these supplies before/after use of these surfaces, followed by hand hygiene.
- Rest periods for children, we make individual clean bed coverings available for each child and do not allow bedding to be shared unless cleaned/disinfected.
- Children to not bring toys from home.
Positive Case within the Program:
If a child or teacher at our school was diagnosed with COVID-19, we would follow guidance from the state and local health departments.
Contact with a positive person
We are requiring that your child stay home from school for 14 days following the most recent exposure to any member of your household, or any other person in contact with your child, who has a confirmed case of COVID-19.
Please print out and complete one of these forms for our files. One form per child, staff member or essential visitor is required to be kept on file.