2020-2021 Return to Campus Plan

Dear TCS Families,

We are excited to share our Return to Campus Plan for the 2020-2021 school year as we prepare to welcome our students back to campus on August 26! This year will be The Christ School’s 25 year anniversary, and we look forward to celebrating with our community throughout the year.

We have taken many factors into consideration while developing the plan outlined below. We have conducted research and engaged in conversations with healthcare professionals in order to develop a plan and implement proactive measures that will help ensure a safe on-campus learning environment for our students, faculty, and staff. We have also considered the importance of continuing to use educational practices that provide academic excellence, maintaining the unique characteristics that make TCS so special, and providing our students with a sense of normalcy amidst a trying time. This plan is for the start of the 2020-2021 school year and we expect parts of the plan to be modified as the year progresses and changes occur in our community.

While we are confident with the safety measures in place, we also know that some families may not feel comfortable sending their children back to campus on August 26, or may have special circumstances that make learning from home a better option at this time. Every family has the option to participate in Flex Learning. If your family is interested in exploring starting the year learning from home, please email Michael Noto (mnoto@thechristschool.org) if your children are in lower school, TJ Ross (aross@thechristschool.org) if your children are in middle school, and Alissa Plaisance (aplaisance@thechristschool.org) if your children are enrolled in The Bridge. Please let us know by July 29 so we can have everything prepared for your children.

We look forward to a great year partnering with your family and loving and educating your children.

Sincerely,

Aaron Farrant, Ed.D.
Head of School

Before Each School Day

All families should review the Home Wellness Check provided by TCS and take their child’s temperature before leaving school.
If a child has symptoms associated with COVID-19, or has a temperature of 100.4 or greater, please do not bring the child to campus.
Contact your child’s teachers if he or she is staying home and they will help you get the work needed.

Arriving to Campus

We request that everyone use the morning carpool line, if possible.
Staff members will open all car doors and greet your family.
When your children exit the car, a staff member will check each child’s temperature. If a child has a temperature of 100.4 or greater they will need to re-enter the car and leave with you. No student with a temperature of 100.4 or greater will be allowed to enter the building. This policy is also in place for our faculty and staff who will follow the same procedure before they enter the building each morning.

Please ensure your child is wearing a face covering when they exit the car or walk onto campus.
If you need to walk your child to campus, there will be a station under the Angel Wing to check the temperature of students who walk up. Please walk your children to this station and have their temperature checked before you leave.
If you arrive after the gate is closed, please walk your child to the front door so we can check their temperature and welcome them in.
Parents will not be allowed to enter the building during carpool.
Morning REACH will be available. Parents will need to walk their children to the front door and have their temperature checked before their children enter the building.

During the School Day
Chapel

We will continue to start each day with worship.
The first week we will use the new BenQ boards for chapel.

After the first week we will follow this schedule:

Monday: All school chapel on BenQ boards.
Tuesday:

TK-2 will be in the sanctuary.
3-5 will have a devotion/Bible time in their classroom.
MS will meet by houses. A MS student will share a devotion with his/her house.

Wednesday:

TK-2 will have a devotion/Bible time in their classroom.
3-5 will be in the sanctuary.
MS will have Advisory (Small group environment focused on their spiritual growth).

Thursday:

TK-2 will have a devotion/Bible time in their classroom.
3-5 will have a devotion/Bible time in their classroom.
MS will be in the sanctuary.

Friday: A class will lead the all school chapel on the BenQ boards.

In the sanctuary, classes will be socially distanced and face coverings will be required.
Parents are welcome to join on Tuesday-Thursday in the sanctuary. Please enter through the back doors, sit in the balcony and remember to wear a mask.

In the Classroom

Rooms will be reconfigured to allow for more social distancing and clear barriers will be used in some spaces to support social distancing.
Classrooms will continue to use large group instruction and small group collaborative learning to promote academic excellence.
There will be times when face coverings will be required in classrooms and times when face coverings will be optional based on the activity in the classroom and the ability for the students to be distanced.

PE

Lower school will attend PE one class at a time.
Social distancing will be encouraged and face coverings will not be required if a child is actively playing/moving.

Recess/PAWS

Each student will continue to have Recess/PAWS outside every day.
Social distancing will be encouraged and face coverings will not be required if a child is actively playing/moving.

Lunch

Students will eat lunch in the lunchroom or other indoor/outdoor spaces.
The lunchroom will be reconfigured to allow for more social distancing between classes and grades.
Each lower school class will have their own space to eat 6 feet apart from other classes.
Each middle school grade will have their own space to eat 6 feet apart from other grades.
Students will use one side of each table.

Specials/Electives

Students will continue to participate in specials and electives.
High touch surfaces will be cleaned between classes.

Parents/Visitors on Campus

To start the year, parents and visitors will not be allowed past the outer lobby area.
If you need to check your children out early, please arrive no later than 2:50 pm.

Departure from Campus

All families will need to use the carpool line for pickup. Please no walk ups in the afternoon.
All children will wear face coverings when they leave the classroom until they enter your vehicle.
Afternoon REACH will be available.
- Students will be required to wear face coverings indoors when social distancing is not possible.
- Social distancing will be encouraged when they are outside and face coverings will not be required outdoors if a child is actively playing/moving.

Response to Possible or Confirmed COVID-19 Cases*

If a student shows symptoms and/or has a temperature of 100.4 or greater during the school day, the student will be isolated and the parents will be called to pick up their child.

If a student has been in close contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19:

The parents will need to inform the appropriate director: Lower School – Michael Noto (mnoto@thechristschool.org), Middle School – TJ Ross (aross@thechristschool.org), The Bridge – Alissa Plaisance (aplaisance@thechristschool.org).
The student will need to stay home and may return to school after 14 days from last contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, if symptoms do not develop.
The student will be able to participate in Flex Learning.

If a student has tested positive for COVID-19 but does not have symptoms:

The parents will need to inform the appropriate director: Lower School – Michael Noto (mnoto@thechristschool.org), Middle School – TJ Ross (aross@thechristschool.org), The Bridge – Alissa Plaisance (aplaisance@thechristschool.org).
The student may return after 10 days from a positive test if no symptoms develop.
The student will be able to participate in Flex Learning.

If a student has tested positive for COVID-19 and does have symptoms:

The parents will need to inform the appropriate director: Lower School – Michael Noto (mnoto@thechristschool.org), Middle School – TJ Ross (aross@thechristschool.org), The Bridge – Alissa Plaisance (aplaisance@thechristschool.org).
The student may return after:
- At least 10 days since symptoms first appeared AND
- At least 24 hours with no fever without fever-reducing medication AND
- Symptoms have improved
The student will be able to participate in Flex Learning if they are able.

If a family wishes to have their child return earlier, they are welcome to have their child tested for COVID-19 and show two negative test results at least 24 hours apart.

*TCS Employees will follow the same protocol.