MONTESSORI SCHOOL ST. CLAIR
COVID-19 and Variant GUIDELINES September 2023-2024
July 1, 2023
Masks:
We plan to begin the school year with no masks, if St Clair County remains at Medium or Low levels. Yet, if St Clair County goes to high levels or a report of Covid occurs in our Classroom, during the school year, we reserve the right to mandate masks for a week, two weeks or longer. We will follow all CDC rules and regulations as set at said time. Guidelines may change over school year. We will follow all State of Illinois rules and regulations concerning the virus at set time.
Drop-Off & Pick-Up Procedures
(Temperature checks will only occur if Covid spikes and goes to High Level in St Clair County.)
Every day, Montessori staff will take their own temperature before coming into the school. When students arrive at the school, we will take their temperature. Please do not leave your child until after his/her temperature has been taken.If your child has a temperature of 99.9 degrees Fahrenheit or higher temperature, they will need to return home until they are fever-free for 48 hours.
Please inform staff if your child has had a fever, or if you have administered fever medication.
Temperature checks are performed at the front porch or the playground gate, depending on the weather and other eventualities. A staff member is located in these locations to greet your child. Only staff and children are permitted in Before/After Care room and the classroom.
Illnesses
Now more than ever, we ask parents to keep their children home if they have a sore throat, a cough, or other symptoms like a runny nose, sneezing or congestion. If your child has seasonal allergies or asthma, we will take these conditions into consideration, but please be proactive and keep your child home if they are exhibiting any sign of communicable illness. Doing so will help Montessori children and staff stay healthy and help ensure we can keep our school open.
Hand Washing
When your child arrives at school, each child will wash their hands for 20 seconds with soap and water before playing. Throughout the day, children will be asked to wash their hands on an ongoing basis. Please talk to your child about this expectation and stress the importance of hand-washing.
Indoor Shoes
To limit children and staff bringing germs into our clean school on the bottoms of their feet, all children will need washable indoor shoes to keep at school. After playground time, children must remove their outdoor shoes and put on these indoor shoes. We recommend Natives, Crocs or similar rubber shoes which can be easily wiped down and sanitized each day. Please make sure that your child can remove and put on their own shoes without assistance.
Water Bottles
Montessori children will need reusable water bottles for daily use. Please pick a unique water bottle design for your child, so that they can easily identify which is theirs, and be sure to write their name on it with Sharpie. These bottles will be washed daily by staff. This is what children will drink from during lunch time as well as during the day.
Ventilation
We keep windows and doors open for ventilation. We have air cleaners in the school to help with germs.
Lunches
We will eat outside in fresh air as much as possible.
Blankets and Pillows
Children may bring blankets for nap time in after care. We do not take naps in Extended Day. Children may bring special lovie if needed. Lovie can stay in your child’s nap bag until nap time in after care. All blankets and pillows will be sent home weekly for cleaning.
Cleaning:
Our facility is cleaned daily by our hardworking staff. Bathroom light switches, toilet handles and sink faucets are wiped after each use. Extra cleaning will continue with plant based disinfecting cleaners.
Covid-19
*If you, your child, or anyone in your family has been in contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19, variant or a person suspected to have COVID-19, please follow CDC guidelines. If you or your child has been in contact with COVID-19 individual, please follow CDC guidelines.
If any member of our school and or staff is diagnosed with COVID-19 or variant, the school will follow CDC guidelines.
We cannot refund tuition for days missed due COVID-19 virus or any illness.
Please keep abreast of all possible warning signs and symptoms of COVID-19, which can occur 2-14 days after exposure. Known symptoms at this time include:
- 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
As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to update their COVID-19/Variant guidelines, The Montessori School pledges to listen, learn, and continually revise our safety measures as necessary.
Mrs. Sharkey
Montessori School St. Clair
6182354289
(Form signed by parents)
Your Child’s name:
By signing this document, I acknowledge the receipt of The Montessori School St. Clair’s COVID-19 Guidelines.I understand I cannot hold The Montessori School St. Clair responsible in the case that my child is exposed to the COVID-19 virus.
By signing this agreement, I acknowledge the contagious nature of COVID-19 and voluntarily assume the risk that my child(ren) and I may be exposed to or infected by COVID-19 by attending The Montessori School St. Clair and that such exposure or infection may result in personal injury, illness, permanent disability, and death. I understand that the risk of becoming exposed to or infected by COVID-19 at The Montessori School St. Clair may result from the actions, omissions, or negligence of myself and others, including, but not limited to, school employees, students and their families.
I voluntarily agree to assume all of the foregoing risks and accept sole responsibility for any injury to my child(ren) or myself (including, but not limited to, personal injury, disability, and death), illness, damage, loss, claim, liability, or expense, of any kind, that I or my child(ren) may experience or incur in connection with my child(ren)’s attendance at The Montessori School St. Clair or participation in school programming. On my behalf, and on behalf of my children, I hereby release, covenant not to sue, discharge, and hold harmless The Montessori School St. Clair, its employees, agents, and representatives, of and from the Claims, including all liabilities, claims, actions, damages, costs or expenses of any kind arising out of or relating thereto. I understand and agree that this release includes any Claims based on the actions, omissions, or negligence of The Montessori School St. Clair, its employees, agents, and representatives, whether a COVID-19 infection occurs before, during, or after school participation.
___________________________________ ________________________________
Parent’s signature and Date Parent Signature and Date
(Above “Covid 19and Variant Guidelines” nullifies any contradicting guidelines set by Montessori School’s Illness/ Sick Child Policy)-