Carlthorp School | Reopening Plan

Fall Planning 2020

The situation in Southern California related to COVID-19 continues to evolve. Under the guidelines released by Governor Newsom on July 17, 2020, in-person instruction is permitted when a county in which a school is located has been off the statewide monitoring list for more than 14 days. If a county does not meet this requirement, schools must conduct distance learning. Therefore, until further notice, Carlthorp School will conduct academic instruction virtually through a Zoom platform, although we are hopeful that in-person instruction will be possible.

Return to Campus Planning

The COVID Task Force continues to closely observe the statewide monitoring list and we are prepared for all possible scenarios. Should we be able to return to campus safely, we have mapped out the following safeguards. The current situation is uncertain and requires not only thorough preparation but flexibility. We will continue to update the information as our planning evolves.

Health & Safety

List of 4 frequently asked questions.

Hygiene and PPE
- Cloth face coverings for all members of the community will be required while on campus except while eating, drinking, or conducting similar activities that prevent the use of a face covering.
- Students must bring at least two extra masks to school every day. Disposable masks will be provided to anyone who has forgotten, misplaced, lost, or in any other way made their masks unusable.
- Cloth masks must be washed daily and/or new disposable masks must be used each day.
- Vented masks, bandanas, and gators are not recommended.
- Faculty and staff will be provided with face shields to be worn in conjunction with masks.
- Hospital-grade cleaning will continue to occur throughout the school day as well as evening deep cleaning.
- Hands-free faucets for all bathroom sinks have been installed.
- Hand sanitizing stations have been installed in all classrooms and increased throughout other areas on campus.
- Hand washing breaks will be scheduled frequently throughout the day especially before and after eating.
Arrival & Dismissal
- Staggered drop-off and pick-up times will allow for physical distancing.
- Multiple entrances and exits will be utilized with individual students/classes assigned to a specific entry and exit plan.
- Staff will monitor arrival, dismissal, and movement of students to their classrooms to ensure that students maintain proper physical distancing of at least 6 feet.
- Daily health questionnaires via the Ruvna system must be completed by all students, faculty, and staff members prior to entering campus.
- Daily temperature checks will be administered upon arrival to campus - If a temperature of 100.0 F or greater is detected, your child will not be allowed on campus.
- Special events will continue to be held virtually and parents and visitors will not be allowed on campus until it is determined that increased activity is safe and prudent.
Ventilation
- Per CDC recommendations, air filters have been replaced with an increased Merv 13 rating.
- Airflow within confined areas has been updated to eliminate recirculation.
- The ventilation schedule has been adjusted to allow for maximum room air flush.
- Doors and windows will be propped open for maximum ventilation in areas occupied by students, faculty, and staff.
- UVC lights are being installed in all bathrooms.
- Portable HEPA air purifiers are being added to all classrooms.
COVID-19 Testing
- All faculty and staff members that will be on campus for in-person learning will receive COVID-19 testing prior to the return of students and on an ongoing basis.

Teaching and Learning

List of 3 frequently asked questions.

Classroom Configurations
- Adjustment of classroom configurations and outdoor common areas have been clearly mapped out to allow for the physical distancing of at least six feet between desks and during outdoor activities.
- Maximum occupancies for each room have been established based on physical distancing of at least six feet.
- Desk configurations have been adjusted so that all students are front-facing and at least six feet apart.
- Teaching protocols are being adjusted to minimize shared equipment and materials.
- Increased hygiene procedures and education have been developed and are being taught to all students prior to a return to on-campus instruction.
- All extracurricular and after school activities including sports will take place virtually until further notice.
Pods and Decreased Student Mixing
- Classroom configurations and student “pods” or cohorts are being designed to keep students in smaller, consistent groups throughout the day.
- Pods will consist of ten to twelve students to reduce the risk of viral transmission.
- The movement of students between classrooms will be limited throughout the day.
- Eating will be outside only if space (can maintain a distance of six feet or greater) and weather permitting.
- Smaller, discrete pods minimize the number of students who need to be quarantined in the event of infection and eliminate the need for a complete campus closure and all-school shift to distance learning.
Technology
- New classroom technology including webcams has been installed to ensure remote access.
- Temperature check stations have been installed at all major campus entrances.

Community Care & Well-Being

List of 4 frequently asked questions.

Illness Protocols
- All students, employees, and visitors who feel ill, for any reason, will be required to stay home or leave campus promptly.
- If a student or staff/faculty member develops a fever (100° F or greater), and /or COVID-19 symptoms, the student will be placed in a secure isolated area until the parent arrives, and the staff/faculty member will be sent home.
- All students and faculty members in a pod will be sent home to quarantine for 14 days if a faculty member or student in their pod develops a fever and/or COVID-19 symptoms while on campus, or if there is a confirmed COVID-19 positive case, or there is a notification of someone having been exposed to COVID-19.
Nurse/COVID Compliance
- Gloria Farmer, our school nurse will be responsible for contact tracing along with DPH. DPH will contact families with any positive case and assist in contact tracing.
- An area of isolation has been established should a community member become ill while on campus.
- Parents will be notified immediately if a student has a fever (100° F or greater) and/or presents with any COVID-19 related symptoms. It is expected that the child will be picked up in a timely manner (within 30 minutes).
- Gloria Farmer, our school nurse, will be the contact should a student or close contact develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19, have a known exposure, or have been tested or waiting for test results - nurse@carlthorp.org.
- Emergency contact information was collected from all families in August 2020. If contact information changes, all parents are required to notify the school or update their information in the Parent Portal.
Communication of Positive COVID-19 Cases or Exposure
- Per city and state laws and regulations, the School will notify local health officials, staff, and families of any confirmed cases and/or known exposures and advise those who have had close contact to stay home and self-monitor for symptoms.
- The administration will notify the entire school community if they are informed of anyone directly associated with the school testing positive for COVID-19. This includes students, siblings, parents, nannies, all staff, staff's family, and any person with daily/weekly interactions with our students or staff. The administration will be specific about the nature of the relationship of the person infected but not the identity, for example, "a Carlthorp parent tested positive." Specific names will not be given and confidentiality will be maintained.
Building Hours
- The school will be open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Faculty and staff can access the campus outside of classroom hours.

Guiding Principles

We recognize that the ideal teaching and learning environment, under normal circumstances, is one in which students and teachers are able to interact with each other face-to-face. It facilitates learning, supports our children’s social/emotional development, and enhances well-being.
Just as important, the safety, health and well-being of our students, faculty, staff and families remain our highest priority. For that reason, any plans that involve bringing our community together physically are being developed under the guidance of medical professionals who are providing their insight on the current research and best practices as well as data-driven predictions for what the future may hold. Our plans for the fall will comply with all applicable national, state and local health and safety guidelines.
Carlthorp School’s commitment to excellence in education is of paramount importance and a guiding focus as we develop not only the physical planning around our return to school but the curricular considerations necessary given the fluid nature of the current climate. Our faculty, staff and administration are diligently developing multiple curricular models to ensure the strongest academic experience for our students whether it be in-person, full distance learning, or a combination of both.
A community commitment to understanding the intricacies of the coronavirus and how best to protect ourselves and each other is a priority.
Inclusivity and access for all students is of the utmost importance. Full-time distance learning will remain an option for those families for which a return to campus is not possible and/or not comfortable. All classes will be available via Zoom and technology is being implemented to maximize the learning environment both in the classroom and at home.

Important Resources

The following resources are helpful for understanding the current information surrounding COVID-19.

If you have questions or concerns about our return to campus planning, please contact:

fallplanning@carlthorp.org