Guidelines for parents and staff

♦ Parents must notify the school if a child has taken any fever reducing medications in the last 24 hours and must not bring the child to school.

♦ If a parent or a member of the same household tests positive for COVID-19 they will be required to provide a proof of clearance from a doctor prior to bringing the child to school. The same protocols apply to school staff.

♦ Parents should check the child’s temperature daily at home in the morning prior to bringing the child to school. If the temperature is above 100.4 F, and the child is exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms (fever, sore throat, cough, muscle aches and difficulty breathing), please stay home and get medical care. Please inform the school ASAP. Same for the staff members.

♦ If a child or staff member develops a cough, fever, or shortness of breath at school, we will send them home as soon as possible. They should stay home until they are symptom free (no cough or fever and no fever controlling meds) for at least 72 hours.

♦ If a child or staff member is affected by COVID-19, a 14-day waiting period is required before they can return along with a physician’s note permitting school attendance.

♦ Parents and staff must maintain social distancing outside of school to reduce spread.

♦ County Public Health Department, Child Care Licensing Department and Parents will be informed if there are any known cases of COVID-19 within the school.

♦ Bright Minds Academy will follow guidelines given by the County Health Department and DSS and will modify these procedures based on updates from them. Parents, County Health and licensing will be informed if there are any COVID-19 cases within the school.

Drop off and Pick up policies

♦ The parents are required to wear a face mask during drop-off and pick-up and maintain 6-feet distancing at the entry.

♦ A staff member will meet the parent at the entry and will do a temperature check of the child at drop off time and do a visual inspection of the child for signs of illness. The staff member will go over a brief questionnaire regarding the health of the child as well as the child’s immediate family.

♦ Please keep the drop off and pick up as brief as possible. Parents are discouraged from entering the school building.

♦ Parents are required to sign in and out on a paper sign in and out sheet.

♦ Parents and Staff must bring their own pens when signing in and out.

♦ If possible, the same parent should pick up and drop off the child every day.

♦ Hand sanitizers will be placed out of the reach of children, near all entry doors and other high traffic areas. Please use the sanitizer before signing in and out.

Social and Physical Distancing

♦ Children will remain in groups as small as possible not to exceed ratio and capacity requirements in the charts above. We will keep the same children and teacher or staff with each group and include children from the same family in the same group, to the greatest extent possible.

♦ Extend the indoor environment to outdoors, if applicable and weather permitting.

♦ Arrange developmentally appropriate activities for smaller group activities and rearrange furniture and play spaces to maintain 6-feet separation, when possible.

♦ Limit the number of children per table to maintain separation during activities or meal/snack times.

♦ Masking tape or other materials will be used for children to create separation and have their own space.

♦ Limit the mixing of children, such as staggering playground times and keeping groups separate for special activities such as art, music, and exercising.

♦ Educate children about social distancing and give verbal reminders.

♦ Implement strategies to model and reinforce social and physical distancing and movement as best as possible.

Healthy Hygiene / Wash Hands

♦ We will teach, model, and reinforce healthy habits and social skills for the children. We will implement and model social distancing when interacting with children, families, and staff.  Role-play what social distancing looks like by demonstrating the recommended distance. We will provide frequent verbal reminders to children.

♦ Children must wear masks and should be provided by the parents. Please wash them daily if they are cloth masks. Provide a new mask if using disposable ones. Please mark the mask visibly with the child’s name. 

♦ Explain to children why it’s not healthy to share drinks or food, particularly when sick.

♦ Avoid touching their faces with their hands. Teach children to use tissue to wipe their nose and to cough inside their elbow.

♦ Practice frequent handwashing by teaching a popular child-friendly song or counting to 20 (hand washing should last 20 seconds).

♦ Model and practice handwashing before and after eating, after coughing or sneezing, after playing outside, and after using the restroom.

♦ We will use carpet squares, mats, and labels for spacing.

All Children and Staff will engage in hand hygiene at the following times:

♦ Arrival to the facility and after breaks.

♦ Before and after preparing food or drinks.

♦ Before and after eating or handling food or feeding children.

♦ Before and after administering medication or medical ointment.

♦ Before and after diapering.

♦ After using the toilet or helping a child use the bathroom.

♦ After coming in contact with bodily fluid.

♦ After playing outdoors.

♦ After handling garbage.

Meal Times

Routine Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting

Napping

Outdoor Play Time

The COVID-19 pandemic is a challenging and fluid situation. Federal, state, and local orders and guidance may change frequently, therefore our policies and procedures are subject to change accordingly.

We will be taking multiple precautions, but please understand that even as we do our best to protect the health and welfare of everyone, eliminating the risk entirely is beyond our control. We ask that you partner with us on the following protocols to lower the risk of possible virus transmission