Dear Saklan Community,
As we prepare to welcome your children to campus for the start of the 2021-2022 school year, we will be employing many of the same mitigation strategies that kept us all safe and healthy last year. While we are proud of our success last year and have more information regarding COVID, there is no room for complacency. Please read below for important updates on the COVID-19 protocols and mitigation strategies that Saklan will be using to start the year.
COVID-19 Testing
All Saklan students must be tested for COVID-19 before returning to school.
- Please complete the testing so that results will be available by 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 24th. For the test to be valid, please do not have your child undergo testing before Wednesday, August 18th.
- Please send the results to office@saklan.org. If you have any questions, please contact me.
To start the year, Saklan will conduct weekly COVID-19 pool testing for all K - 8th grade students and staff on campus. We will be using testing resources provided by Concentric and paid for by the California Department of Public Health, so there will be no cost to families. More information regarding the testing will be sent to families soon.
Masks
Per CDPH Guidance, masking is required for all indoor settings. Moreover, everyone entering or approaching the Saklan campus is required to wear a mask. Please plan for you and your child to put on your masks as you exit your car to enter campus. Here is additional guidance on masking:
- Whether on campus or on a field experience, when students are participating in a school event or being supervised by school staff, face masks must be worn in all indoor settings. This includes on the bus and any other public transportation.
- Students may take their masks off outside, when permitted by a teacher.
- Please make sure your child has a properly fitting mask that is at least double-layered and does not have a valve.
- Students also need to bring two back up masks in a labeled Ziploc bag to store at school.
Modified Quarantine
The California Department of Public Health has updated their quarantine guidance to allow for a modified quarantine when both parties are wearing well-fitting face masks at the time of a school-based exposure to COVID-19. Under the modified quarantine, students can continue in-person learning after exposure, if they:
- Are asymptomatic;
- Continue to appropriately mask, as required;
- Undergo at least twice weekly testing during the 10-day quarantine; and
- Continue to quarantine for all extracurricular activities at school, including sports, and activities within the community setting.
Vaccines
- As of today, the COVID-19 vaccine is only available to children ages 12 and above. At this time, we are not requiring the vaccine for those eligible. However, we strongly encourage those 12 and older to get vaccinated.
- Currently, over 90% of Saklan’s staff members are vaccinated. Any unvaccinated staff will complete COVID-19 testing three times a week.
- The opportunity to have a mobile clinic come to campus to administer vaccines to those age eligible is possible. If you are interested in getting your child or a member of your family vaccinated through the mobile clinic, please email me.
Visitors
- Visitors and parents will not be allowed on campus during the school day without permission from the Head of School.
- As the fall progresses and we better understand the impact of the variants in community transmission, we will consider opening the campus to parents and visitors.
Additional Measures to Prevent Covid
- We continue to use an upgraded ventilation system with MERV 13 filters (same as used in hospitals), and HEPA air purifiers with UV lights in each classroom.
- We will continue to use the 3,000 sq. ft. of outdoor learning space that was created last year.
- Portable sinks and touchless faucets remain throughout the campus.
- Drinking fountains remain closed, each student should have a labeled water bottle for our touchless water dispensers.
- Our cleaning crew has been trained in COVID-19 cleaning procedures, and will continue to clean and disinfect the campus each night.
Symptoms
By now you are all familiar with the symptoms of COVID-19. We ask that you continue to be vigilant and not send your child to school if they are experiencing any symptoms associated with COVID. We will ask parents to complete a weekly health attestation that is emailed to you, stating that you will not send your child to school if they have COVID-19 symptoms, until:- At least 24 hours have passed since resolution of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications; and
- Other symptoms have improved; and
- They have a negative COVID-19 test, OR a healthcare provider has provided documentation that the symptoms are typical of their underlying chronic condition (e.g., allergies or asthma) OR a healthcare provider has confirmed an alternative named diagnosis (e.g., Streptococcal pharyngitis, Coxsackie virus), OR at least 10 days have passed since symptom onset.
Saklan’s COVID Task Force will continue to assess conditions on an on-going basis and update our COVID-19 protocols and mitigation strategies, as needed.
Thank you for all your support and commitment to keeping our community healthy. We look forward to seeing your children on campus very soon.
Warm regards,
David
