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Epworth Preschool

 2023-2024 COVID-19 Policies and Procedures

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A child’s educational success is based on the strength of the school/home partnership. This strong partnership is also necessary for ensuring the health and wellness of our entire student and staff population, as well as our school’s ability to operate. We are not health care providers and will not be able to determine if your child’s runny nose and congestion is allergy related, the common cold, or COVID-19. Therefore, we must strictly follow the guidelines shared below, which are based on the recommendations from the CDC Early Care Guidelines. For a quick guide to COVID-19 isolation policies and precautions, please visit cdc.gov. 

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The most important things you can do for our collective health is to keep your child home when they are not feeling well or do not have the energy to participate in all activities of the school day.
 

COVID-19 Health Policies:
COVID-19 vaccinations are available for children ages 6 months and older. We recommend that every child, staff member, and family member get their vaccination and boosters if eligible.
 

If your child has the following symptoms, they will need to stay home. 

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  • Fever or chills

  • Cough

  • Shortness of Breath or Difficulty Breathing

  • Fatigue

  • Muscle or Body Aches

  • Headache

  • New loss of taste or smell

  • Sore throat

  • Congestion or runny nose

  • Nausea or vomiting

  • Diarrhea

 

​According to the CDC, if a child or staff member has any of the symptoms above, they are presumed positive for Covid-19; therefore, one of following things is required for your child to return to school:

 

1. Keep your child home for 5 days after the first symptoms then they will wear a mask for the remaining 5 days. They must be fever free for 24 hours (without the use of fever reducing medicine), their COVID-19 symptoms are improving, and they have felt well for 24 hours. 

 

2. Receive a negative PCR/molecular Covid-19 test or 2 rapid antigen tests 24 hours apart. They must also be fever free for 24 hours (without the use of fever reducing medicine) AND have felt well for 24 hours.

 

3. Visit a health care provider to receive an alternate diagnosis. Your child must also be fever free for 24 hours (without the use of fever reducing medicine) AND have felt well for 24 hours. In the case of a communicable infection that requires antibiotics, the child must be on medication for at least 24 hours before returning to school. 

 

Once you have done one of the three things to return to school, please make sure your child's runny nose and/or congestion has improved to the place where it is manageable at school and they have the energy to participate in all activities of the school day. 

 

If a child or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, they may return to school 5 days after symptoms began or a positive test was received if:

  • They have been fever free (without using fever reducing medicine) for 24 hours AND

  • Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving AND

  • They have tested negative on an antigen (rapid) test AND

  • They can wear a mask for the full school day for an additional 5 days.

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Individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19 and have not developed symptoms should:

  • ​Wear a mask for the full school day and get tested on day 6 after exposure.

  • If the person develops symptoms, they should stay home and get tested immediately. 

  • If it is a household exposure and the person who tested positive isolates from the family, the student may return to school if they are able to wear a mask for the full school day. If family member is unable to isolate or the child is unable to mask for the full school day, they will need to stay home until they can test on day 6 after the last exposure.

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Masks are optional indoors and outdoors unless:

  • ​A person has tested positive for COVID-19 within 10 days.

  • A person has been exposed to COVID-19 within 10 days.

 

If a staff member or student develops symptoms of COVID-19 while at Epworth Preschool, we will immediately isolate the person who develops symptoms and send them home as soon as possible.

 

Standard Health Policies:

If a child has any of the following symptoms, the child must stay home until they are symptom
free without the use of medication for 48 hours:​

  • Vomiting

  • Diarrhea

  • Two or more stools in a 12-hour period that are inconsistent with the child’s normal pattern

 

Parents are asked to notify the director of exposure to contagious diseases, head lice, signs of cold, fatigue, or changes in the family dynamics. In the case of a communicable infection that requires antibiotics (strep throat, pink eye, etc.), the child must be on medication for at least 24 hours and fever free with symptoms resolving before returning to school.

 

A child should stay home from school if they are unable to comfortably participate in activities or if they have symptoms that result in a need for care that is greater than the staff members can provide without compromising the health and safety of other children.

 

The health policy outlined in our handbook book regarding common childhood illnesses still applies. As always, your child cannot come to school under any circumstances if they are fever free due to medication such as Tylenol or ibuprofen.
 

Classroom/Outdoor Learning Expectations:

  • All classes will have increased outdoor time, weather permitting.

  • We will increase indoor time at school if the temperature will be above 90 degrees for most of the morning OR if the temperature will be below 35 degrees for most of the morning OR below 45 degrees with precipitation.

  • The church has installed air purification to all HVAC units. For maximum purification, it is recommended that windows are closed when the HVAC units are in use. If the units are not in use, classrooms will open windows to increase ventilation.

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General Campus Cleaning Protocol, Safety Rules and Procedures:

  • Both staff and students will wash hands and sanitize regularly throughout the school day, to include upon arrival, before snack, after using the bathroom, and after sneezing or blowing his/her nose.

  • Teachers will sanitize surfaces and materials throughout the school day.

  • Communal areas such as the playgrounds, outdoor learning spaces, and outdoor eating spaces will be equipped with a cleaning station that includes disinfectant, paper towels, and hand sanitizer.

  • Toys that cannot be easily cleaned will be removed.

  • Any item or toy that enters a child’s mouth will be removed from play for the day and disinfected.

  • The school building will be cleaned daily by a professional cleaning company or our church sexton.

  • If a student or teacher tests positive for Covid-19, the classroom as well as areas they visited will be cleaned and disinfected.

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