School is Closed

Date: 
Mar 16, 2020 12:00am to 11:45pm
 

Dear Parents,

We are monitoring the Coronavirus situation (now COVID-19) and wanted to give you some updated information.

We will be closing school this coming Monday, March 16th, to do a deep clean of all the environments. We will not be able to offer childcare for this day. I apologize for this inconvenience.

What precautions are LMS taking?

We disinfect the materials and classrooms frequently throughout the day. We disinfect the playground materials and structures daily. Children are taught to sneeze or cough into their elbows and are reminded to wash their hands frequently throughout the day. Please continue these activities at home. We are sending children home with fevers and respiratory symptoms (cough and/or difficulty breathing, see below). We are restricting children coming to school for 2 weeks if they or their parent have traveled outside of the country to travel restricted areas (see below).

What about Families traveling?

You may know that there are travel restrictions to China, Italy, South Korea, and Iran. The CDC has a map they frequently update with risk assessments by country: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html
If you or your child has traveled to any of the highlighted areas on this map, we will ask that you keep them home for a 2 week incubation period.

The current San Diego County Office of Education guidelines are as follows:

  1. All children and staff members with respiratory symptoms (difficulty breathing and coughing) or fever (100 F +) should remain home (from school and other activities) until they had no fever for 24 hours, without fever medication and respiratory symptoms are gone. If respiratory symptoms are not completely gone but they are improving and one week has passed since onset of illness, the student can return to school.
  2. Students and staff members who present at school with fever and/or respiratory symptoms should be sent home.
  3. Students who typically have coughs from underlying, known diseases (like asthma, allergies) may remain if there is no new symptom. (This includes children with notes from Doctors clearing them to be at school.)
  4. Persons excluded from school or work for fever may return to school when;
    (a) they have been free of fever for at least 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medications). In addition,
    (b) all respiratory symptoms must be fully resolved OR seven days have passed since the onset of symptoms and the individual’s symptoms have been improving (whichever is earlier).
  5. Persons excluded from school or work for respiratory symptoms and who have not developed a fever may return to school when
    (a) all respiratory symptoms are fully resolved or
    (b) seven days have passed since the onset of symptoms and the individual’s symptoms have been improving (whichever is earlier).
  6. Exclude students and staff members who have a travel history over the course of the last 14 days to an area identified by the CDC as Level 3 Travel Health Notice.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection have reported mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing

At this time, the CDC believes that symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure.

How can you protect yourself?

  • Practice everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
  • Additionally, the California Department of Public Health does not recommend the use of face masks for general prevention and says that hand washing provides better protection from infectious diseases.

We receive regular updates from the San Diego County Office of Education with updated information from the CDC and the State of California Public Health and Human Services. We will continue to update you. We will not be closing the school unless directed by the Health Department or the Office of Education. If the Poway Unified School District is shut down, then we will close our school too. If you are concerned about whether or not your child should attend school, please be in touch with your family Doctor.

Here are some resources:

https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/nCOV2019.aspx
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/health/story/2020-03-09/corona...

As always, I am available for questions.

Sincerely,

Kristin Edwards
Director
Lifetime Montessori