Screening

All staff and children will be screened for fever and other COVID-19 symptoms prior to entry to the program facility each day. Children and staff with a fever in excess of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, or exhibiting other symptoms of COVID-19, shall not be allowed to enter the facility, nor will persons that have exposure to persons known to have COVID-19 during the preceding 14 days.

Masks

Masks will be required for students and staff indoors regardless of vaccination status (must cover the nose and mouth) unless it will inhibit the individual’s health.

Mask breaks indoors may be incorporated into the schedule as feasible, but only when social distancing can be maintained. Gaiters, bandanas and masks with vents are not acceptable.

As of the current NJDOH guidelines and local health department recommendations, outdoor masking may be less restrictive and we will continue to monitor and share updates with the community closer to the school opening.

Parental Responsibilities

Parents must wear a mask when entering the building at drop off and pick up; parents must be screened prior to entry.  

Notify any therapists working with your child that they must also be masked and screened.  

Parents must be on the alert for signs of illness in their children and to keep them home when they are sick.  

Symptoms

Anyone exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 will be sent home as well as persons that have had exposure to persons known to have COVID-19 during the preceding 14 days.

If a case of COVID-19 is confirmed in the school this would be reported to the Local and State Health Department for further instruction and parents would receive any information regarding procedures to follow.

Children who become ill at school will be isolated with the director in the  office. No one else will be entering this room except to be with a sick child. All medications and essential forms will be kept in the office.

Children who become ill must be picked up within an hour.  A Staff member will bring the sick child out to the parking lot when the parent/guardian arrives.

Classrooms

Each classroom will maintain a 10:1 ratio.

Each classroom will be considered one self-contained room

Each room will have the same staff and children each day.

No children will visit or be combined with others in another room.

Only vaccinated staff members may move between groups as necessary.

Limited co-mingling of groups may be permitted only under the following circumstances:

• Total attendance is substantially decreased.

• Co-mingling is limited to sibling/household member groups.

• Social distancing of at least six feet is strictly observed.

Health & Hygiene

Staff will monitor hand-washing with each child throughout the day using enhanced protocols making sure hand-washing is done for no less than 20 seconds.

Hand hygiene opportunities will be provided during the school day.  Students will be reminded to wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds: 

• at the start of the day; 

• before eating;

• after eating;

• after using the bathroom; 

• after blowing their nose/coughing/sneezing; and,

• when coming in from outdoor play.  

Children and adults will be instructed and encouraged to cough and sneeze into their arm.

Children and adults will wash hands immediately after sneezing and/or coughing.

High touch areas will be cleaned and disinfected throughout the day by staff and again at night.

Meals & Snacks

No family style eating will take place.  Children will be spread out in the classroom, so they are not sitting next to each other or directly across from each other when eating.

Teachers will sit with the children while practicing physical distancing.

Visitors

Visitors to the school including parents, third party service providers (e.g. therapists, tutors), contractors, inspectors, and all other non-emergency personnel must be subject to the same symptom screening as children and staff before being admitted.

Parents are permitted to enter the school, but this practice is strongly discouraged. Measures shall be employed to ensure separation from other children in the center, and the duration of entry should be limited to no more than fifteen minutes. 

Visitors to the school must adhere to the same masking requirements as staff. 

Though visitors are permitted, we shall limit admission of non-essential visitors as much as possible, and, whenever possible, allow access for non-child serving visitors (repair persons, prospective staff, delivery-persons) during periods when children are not in attendance. To the greatest extent feasible, unless the purpose of the authorized outside visitor is to observe the care provided to children (e.g. a DCF licensing inspector) or to provide services directly to children in care (e.g. an outside therapist), all reasonable efforts will be made to minimize visitor contact with children and staff. 

Special events requiring the attendance of parents and other visitors, including graduation ceremonies, are permissible in outdoor spaces. These events should be held in areas separated from non-participating children and staff.