Those students with a medical condition, mental health condition, or religious beliefs that preclude them from wearing a face mask may request an exemption as required by law. Exemption forms will be available in the front office beginning Monday, August 30th.
Requiring face masks inside the school building will provide an additional layer of protection to our existing COVID mitigation strategies which include:
Keeping Sick People Out of the Building
For 2021-22 GVA-DC will continue to ask that all students and staff complete a daily symptom check (including temperature check) at home before arriving to school.
Temperature monitoring of students and staff will continue to occur upon arrival using thermal imaging technology. Individuals with elevated readings will be temperature-checked by the nurse or designee. Students or staff with a temperature of 100.4 degrees or higher will be sent home.
Quarantines
Families will be informed if their child(ren) has been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID. Students or staff members who test positive for COVID, or show symptoms commonly associated with COVID, will be asked to isolate themselves for 10 days. When isolating at home, unvaccinated parents and siblings who are unable to distance themselves from the COVID positive individuals must also isolate themselves.
Under the new guidelines, quarantines of healthy/non-symptomatic students and staff will be discontinued. Therefore, unless your student shows symptoms of COVID-19 they DO NOT need to isolate and can attend school as normal.
Parents choosing to test their asymptomatic student for COVID-19 should do so 5-7 days after the possible exposure. In addition to testing centers, medical offices, and authorized pharmacies accurate results can be obtained at home using the Binax At-Home rapid COVID-19 test.
Hand Hygiene
GVA-DC will continue to encourage good hand hygiene, such as reminding students to wash hands after using the restroom, before meals, etc., and provide access to handwashing stations and hand sanitizer.
Ventilation
Every classroom and office at GVA-DC is outfitted with a HEPA Filter Air Purifier with UV Light Sanitizer. In addition, GVA-DC’s HVAC system has been upgrading to increase its efficiency. HVAC filters are changed on a monthly basis.
Cleaning and Disinfecting
Day Porters will clean and disinfect high-frequency touchpoints (door handles, stair railings, bottle filling stations…) and restrooms throughout the day. Teachers and staff will continue to have access to disinfectant supplies, including disinfecting spray, to clean high-touch areas within the classroom regularly as needed. Deeper cleaning and disinfecting will occur every evening and on the weekends.
Mask Protocols
For the definition of face coverings go to https://www.tchd.org/DocumentCenter/View/9241/Public-Health-Order-Requiring-Facial-Coverings-for-Schools-and-Child-Care-Settings?bidId =
Students will provide their own face coverings. Should students report to school without a face mask or if their face covering becomes wet or soiled, masks will be provided by GVA-DC.
Mask Breaks
Mask breaks are a normal and necessary part of the day. Breaks will be scheduled throughout the day and will be followed by hand washing. Mask breaks will include:
- When eating or drinking including snack time and lunch
- During outdoor recess (2-3 x per day)
- During PE class (when held outdoors)
- Other school activities conducted outdoors
How to Wear a Mask Correctly
- Wash your hands before putting on your mask
- Put it over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin
- Try to fit it snugly against the sides of your face
- Make sure you can breathe easily
- Do not touch your masks while wearing if the. If you do, they wash your hands before and after with soap and water or sanitize hands (using a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol).
- CDC does not recommend the use of masks or cloth masks for source control if they have an exhalation valve or vent
Additional Recommendations
Masks should not be worn if they are wet. A wet mask may make it difficult to breathe.
Students and staff should never share or swap masks.
Students’ masks should be clearly identified with their names or initials, to avoid confusion or swapping. Students’ masks may also be labeled to indicate top/bottom and front/back.
Masks should be washed after every day of use and/or before being used again, or if visibly soiled.
GVA-DC has additional masks available for students, teachers, and staff in case a backup mask is needed during the day and to facilitate every day washing of masks.
Once again, I am asking our community to support each other – and “honor different ways of being, acting and believing, even when we don’t agree with it”. Requiring face masks for students is not a simple or straightforward matter. There is significant data to support both sides of the issue. Please know as with all decisions, we made this decision in good faith, keeping the physical and emotional well-being of our kids at the forefront.
However, we also recognize that the implementation of this required policy is going to be imperfect. Parents may hear and/or observe students not wearing a mask. Please trust that these students have exemptions and reasons for not doing so.
Thank you again for your support and for partnering with us to provide a world-class K-5 education in a safe, in-person environment that promotes children’s health and well–being.
Warmly,
Stacy Bush
Principal
Global Village Academy Douglas County
With support from the Global Village Academy Board of Directors