Sick Policy

Updated September 2023

We will continue with our health and safety practices in our center and ask that all families continue daily health screening of your student at home before arriving to school. This is the most effective way to catch signs of illness early. Frequent hand washing and maintaining hygienic classrooms and disinfected surfaces throughout the center will remain in practice. Windows in each classroom will remain open, and additional windows or door(s) will also be open to encourage cross ventilation. Additionally, air purifiers are installed in the classroom for extra caution. 100% of staff are vaccinated and practice daily health screening.

Please communicate directly via email if you wish for your child to remain masked indoors. Although masking is optional, we will support families, students, and staff who wish to continue wearing masks. We know that each family has different needs, preferences, and opinions on the matter. We share in the collective concern for the impact on speech and language development and the social/emotional effects of continuing to mask up beyond what is required due to a positive exposure, a positive case, or underlying health issues. This is something we encourage parents to consider as they navigate forward through this endemic. We will continue to heed state and county guidance around masking, COVID-19 health protocol, and testing.

Masking is required under the following circumstances:

10-Day Masking Requirement – Any child directly exposed to COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, must remain masked for a total of 10 consecutive days.

COVID-19 Positive Masking Requirement – If your child tests positive for COVID-19, they will be required to stay out of the program for a minimum of 5 days. The day of a positive test is considered day zero (0). Upon return on the 6th day (and mostly symptom-free), they will be required to mask up through day 10. If symptoms are not resolving, continue to isolate until symptoms are mostly resolved, and no fever has been present for 24 hours (w/o the use of fever-reducing medication) or until after day 10.

School Covid Exposure – You will be notified of any reported Covid exposures within the program, and your child may remain in attendance if they are symptom-free. We will have them mask for 10 days indoors. It is highly recommended to test your child immediately and again 3-5 days after receiving an exposure notice. Persons previously infected in the last 31-90 days should also test, even if asymptomatic and regardless of vaccination status.

Off-Site Covid Exposure – If your child is exposed outside the program, they must remain home for at least 24 hours to monitor for any Covid-like symptoms. A child is to test 3-5 days after exposure. The child is to wear a mask around others for a total of 10 days. Persons previously infected in the last 31-90 days should also test, even if asymptomatic and regardless of vaccination status.

Testing:

Symptoms – If your child is experiencing a 100° + fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, they are to stay home for a minimum of 24 hours. Once resolved for 24 hours, without fever-reducing medication, they can return to school with a negative Covid test.

It is at the Administration’s discretion to determine if a student is well enough to attend the program. Symptoms must be mostly resolved and not hinder their ability to participate while on campus.

Students with the following mild symptoms may attend school, provided there is a negative Covid test result on the morning of symptom:

Headache
Cough
Sore Throat
Congestion/runny nose *(Students with allergies: provide a letter from your child’s physician indicating current allergy and plan of action)

Procedure to return to school:

Email photographic proof of your student’s negative COVID test to california.montessori@gmail.com, including the child’s name and the date the test was taken.

We will continue to support our families the best we can amid this developing endemic, and we thank you for entrusting California Montessori School to provide your child(ren) with a solid learning foundation within a fun, caring, and social environment. We will do our best to maintain a high level of communication and truly appreciate your partnership and support in doing the same on your end.

Travel Policy:

Please be mindful of the health of all household members upon return from travel. As a precautionary measure, we prefer your student to be tested prior to returning to the program and retested again 2 days after returning to the program. Please provide photographic proof of the test result via email to california.montessori@gmail.com.