COVID-19 Precaution Measures
*Fall 2021-2022 Re-Opening Plan PDF now available through the link below:
NEW NORMAL SCHOOL - Monday thru Friday Onsite Schedule
Northside will welcome all students and staff back to our Preschool(2s, 3s, and pre-k) and K-8 campus on Thursday, September 9 for student orientation. The first full day for K-8 students will be on Friday, Sept. 10th.
The K-8 campus school day runs from 8:15 am – 3:00 pm or 3:30 pm, depending on the program (Lower School or Middle School).
The Preschool hours vary by the program selected (half-day or full-day).
The community will follow specific health precautions which will be in accordance with our local, state, and federal requirements and will include, at a minimum, the following:
- Faculty and staff must attest to being symptom-free each day.
- Faculty and staff must wear CDC-compliant face coverings masks.
- Per state health recommendations, we will require mask-use for all students at the K-8 campus.
- We are now testing faculty, staff and students weekly. Students in grades 5-8 are given nasal swabs and students in prek-grade 4 can choose between saliva or nasal swabs.
- Students in grades 5-8 receive the nasal swab test.
- Students in the PK-4 can choose between nasal swabs and saliva testing.
- All Covid-19 vaccine-eligible students (ages five and above) who have not already done so are required to receive a first dose of the vaccine by Wednesday, January 5, 2022.
- All students ages five and above are required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 by Monday, February 14, 2022
- Parents must use the Magnus app to complete a daily Covid-19 health tracking survey for their child(ren).
- Periodic health checks will occur. We purchased digital thermometers for each classroom and thermal cameras for each entrance.
- We will slightly stagger arrival and dismissal times. There will be a siblings’ window for drop-off. Tardiness will not be permitted; students must arrive during their specified time.
- Maintenance staff will disinfect shared surfaces and equipment between uses.
- UV light wands and UV toy boxes will be used to sanitize hard to clean items.
- Plexiglass and three-sided sneeze guards will be used to encourage distancing.
- Staff, faculty, and Admin are 100% fully vaccinated.
- Class sizes are limited and desks are spaced the recommended distance apart.
- Teachers will rotate rather than students whenever possible.
- Classrooms have been equipped with HEPA air purifiers.
- Upgraded water fountains will accept water bottles.
- We are limiting and restricting access to areas of our campuses to maintain safety.
- Hallways and stairwells will be marked to promote social distancing.
- Field trips will follow all safety precautions – no bus or subway.
90 day exemption policy
Children who have tested positive in the last 90 days may be exempt from maintenance testing for 90 days, where day 1 is the first day of isolation. Day 1 of isolation is defined as the day immediately following your child’s first day of symptoms, or if your child was asymptomatic, the day after their positive test result was collected. Only families that have provided proof of a positive COVID-19 test result or doctor’s note may qualify for this exemption. This document must be sent to both Amanda Dimeo at the preschool (WNP) and Nurse Anita at the K-8 campus (WNS). Please note that this only applies to maintenance testing. Children who are exposed or symptomatic may be asked to test.
K-8 REMOTE LEARNING CIRCUMSTANCES
Circumstances may arise where we need to implement remote learning at our K-8 campus. Our goal is to provide a seamless transition between these scenarios and make instruction available to all students during these periods.
Unique among schools, Northside has the capability to live stream our classes using the innovative Swivl technology which allows students off-campus to safely experience the in-person classroom environment from afar.
Blended learning, where some K-8 students are receiving instruction via our remote learning platform and some are receiving instruction on campus, does not change our mission or our commitment to providing a rich, engaging educational experience. Northside’s blended learning model combines synchronous (live) instruction with asynchronous (accessible anytime) instruction in a schedule intentionally designed to provide a healthy school/life balance.
Northside incorporates other digital and technological resources such as Seesaw, Zoom, and Google Classroom in order to improve both the quality and access to remote learning instruction.
CAMPUS CLOSURE
Following the recommendations from local public health officials, we are prepared should there be an interruption to on-campus learning. In the event our local community experiences a spike in Covid-19 cases, and an interruption of physical operations occurs, the K-8 campus will promptly shift to remote learning. In response to parental feedback, students will be sent home with Go-Bags equipped with workbooks, manipulatives, readers, and other resources which will allow for a greater balance between screen time and more traditional modes of learning.
Learn more about our Health and Safety measures.