COVID-19 Safety

COVID-19 Protocols

The health and safety of our students and staff is our highest priority. We have implemented new policies and procedures to minimize the risk of disease transmission. Because of the ever-changing nature of this pandemic, these procedures are subject to change as we respond to new recommendations from health officials.  At present, these are the policies we have implemented.

Even with the best restrictions and practices listed below, it is impossible to remove 100% of the risk associated with COVID-19 as the virus can be transmitted by asymptomatic individuals. Therefore, every member of our preschool community (teachers, management, janitorial staff, students, parents) plays a crucial role in keeping everyone safe by agreeing to abide by these policies.  

Health Policies

1. All students and staff are required to pass daily health screenings, including body temperature checks, to make sure nobody is permitted in the building who shows signs of or has potentially been exposed to COVID-19.
2. Please do not give your child any fever or cough reducing medication before school as these could mask symptoms and invalidate our health screening results.
3. If your child develops potential COVID-19 symptoms (cough, fever, shortness of breath, chills, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, muscle aches), we now require your child be symptom free without medications for 72 hours AND have a doctor’s note confirming they are not contagious before they may return to school. While we recognize this presents an inconvenience and hardship for working families, we are obligated to operate out of abundance of caution to ensure the health and safety of our preschool community. All staff are required to adhere to the same health standards as the children.
4. All staff and parents of students must sign a COVID-19 disclosure statement which states that they agree to abide by all CDC and governor’s orders to reduce general risk of exposure in the community. This includes agreement to quarantine if so ordered following travel to areas with high rates of COVID-19.
5. All staff and families agree to notify the school management if they become aware that they have been potentially exposed to COVID-19 and agree to self-quarantine to protect the health of the school. They agree to self-quarantine if any household member or close contact has a confirmed or suspected COVID-19 diagnosis.
6. Preschool management will promptly notify the entire school if there are any COVID-19 related cases in any classroom without disclosing the identity of the infected individual(s).
7. If an outbreak of COVID-19 occurs in the school, individual classrooms or the entire school may close without notice to protect the health of the preschool community. The duration of the closure may depend on staffing levels, community outbreak levels, and the severity of the illness in the affected individual(s). We will follow the advice of health officials. No tuition or fees will be refunded during closures.

Masks & Social Distancing

1. To limit to the extent possible everyone’s risk of exposure, parents and visitors are not routinely permitted in the building. Under special, emergency circumstances, parents may enter, but they must first wash their hands, don a mask, and pass a body temperature screening. Once inside, they must remain 6 feet from everyone but their own child.
2. We adhere to class sizes restrictions per current guidelines established by the CDC and VDSS (VA Department of Social Services). We do not permit the mixing of classes and each classroom is fully self-contained throughout the day. 
3. Staff are required to follow the CDC, VDSS, and governor’s orders pertaining face coverings while indoors. Children under age 2 are not required to wear masks. Children ages 3-5 will wear masks during designated periods of the school day when social distancing is impractical (such as center play time and circle time).
4. While we recognize that children are social beings, we do our best to teach and encourage social distancing. We have eliminated sensory tables and soft, hard-to-clean surfaces from the classrooms. Each child has their own separate supply of art materials to limit sharing of high-touch items.
5. To eliminate the use of shared indoor spaces, music classes have been converted to an outdoor learning program which will take place in the picnic shelter. In addition, each class has an assigned playground time so as not to allow classes to mix.

Cleaning, Sanitization, & Ventilation

1. We have obtained cleaning and disinfecting products which have been certified by the EPA to kill emerging pathogens (COVID-19).
2. Our teachers follow a rigorous cleaning schedule throughout the school day. We also employ a professional janitor who cleans and disinfects classrooms and common areas prior to each school day.
3. We require children to wash their hands both upon arrival and frequently throughout the day. Teachers supervise or assist them to make sure they are washing thoroughly.
4. Each classroom has its own heating and cooling wall unit which means there is very little cross ventilation between rooms. 
5. To improve ventilation even further, we open windows whenever possible to allow fresh air to circulate.

If a student or staff member presents with any signs of illness, our illness policy will be strictly enforced.
If a student or staff member has a known COVID exposure, the following flow chart indicates what actions we will take.