PLEASE NOTE- these guidelines were current as of September 7th, 2022.

Introduction

At WNNS, our intent and mission is and always will be to keep children safe and healthy at school. Our approach serves the whole child, so a commitment to health at WNNS means attending to the physical, cognitive and social emotional well being of each student. The following practices are designed to facilitate that mission, in regards to the current health crisis. These practices are informed and guided by both the NYC and NYS Departments of Health. Our intention and commitment to the community is to continue to provide a joyful, socially vibrant school program, while adhering to all health recommendations, and doing all within our power to curb the spread of germs and keep children, teachers and families healthy. Please note that these guidelines are subject to change, should the health of the city change, or the guidelines or requirements from the city and state become updated. We will do our very best to communicate these updates in a clear and timely manner.

Physical Distancing 

  • All teachers and staff working in the building at WNNS are currently vaccinated. Visitors to the building will be limited as much as possible, and will be required to maintain a 6 foot social distance from others, if vaccination status is unknown.

  • Currently masks are optional for children and teachers at WNNS.

  • All visitors to WNNS will be required to mask, regardless of vaccination status. This includes parents who may be in the building.

  • Children will not be required to socially distance themselves from their peers during the school day. Teachers will create routines and visual aids to allow for reduced congestion and extra space during material work, and will be spaced out during group times such as Morning Meeting and Story. Children will be spaced out appropriately during Meal Times with reduced numbers and increased space at tables. 

  • For children who are resting, mats will be placed at least 6 ft apart and arranged in a “head to toe” fashion to allow maximum space between resters. 

  • Children from similar age groups may spend time together in the backyard space, as well as during rest time.

  • Pick ups of children will be at the front door whenever feasible and emotionally appropriate for children, with families remaining outside the school building. Currently our drop offs will take place in our classrooms. Parents must wear a mask while inside the building. We strongly encourage to drop off within your child’s window of arrival, and spend minimal time in the hallway. Drop offs should be finished (with a parent leaving) once your arrival window is complete (so goodbyes for 3/4s by 9:00, 2s goodbyes by 9:15) after your child is phased in and comfortable in the classroom.

  • Drop Off and Dismissal times will be staggered, to reduce congestion and crowding.

  • As of now, some meetings and extended conversations between parents and teachers will be held virtually. Curriculum Nights and conferences may be held in person, as the current rates of COVID allow.

Caring for Children at School 

NYS recognizes that to care for young children at school, teachers must be in close contact with children at times. The following measures will be taken to protect teachers and children and keep them as healthy as possible: 

  • Frequent and thorough hand hygiene for both teachers and children

  • Teachers may wear a smock/clothing covering, and will change clothes or their smock, should they come into contact with a child’s secretions/fluids throughout the day.

  • Whenever a child is soiled with secretions, their clothes will be changed, and families will have several changes of clothes at school to facilitate this practice.

  • Contaminated clothes will be placed in a plastic bag and sent home for laundering.

  • When diapering/providing assistance with toileting, teachers will continue to wear gloves, wash hands (staff and child), and follow cleaning and disinfection steps between each child.

School Activities 

  • Teachers will alter practices and routines to encourage reduced congestion during material work and increased distance at group gatherings such as Morning Meeting, Story and Circle Time. 

  • Material use will be altered to provide individual materials when possible, and shared materials will be cleaned and disinfected regularly.

  • Teachers/directors will enhance and increase cleaning and disinfecting practices, disinfecting high touch surfaces frequently. WNNS will employ a professional cleaning service for a daily deep clean/ disinfection after school hours. 

  • Communal high touch areas such as bathrooms and the kitchen area will be cleaned and disinfected between each use.

Hygiene, Cleaning and Disinfection

  • WNNS will adhere to hygiene and cleaning and disinfection requirements as advised by the CDC and DOH, including “Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfection of Public and Private Facilities for COVID-19,” and the “STOP THE SPREAD” poster, as applicable. WNNS will maintain logs that include the date, time, and scope of cleaning and disinfection. 

  • Our HVAC system has been updated, with controls adjusted to increase maximum outside air flow, uv lights installed and upgraded filtration.

  • WNNS Staff, children, and where applicable, parents, will wash hands thoroughly upon entering the building.

  • Teachers and children will wash hands well and often- in places/ moments when hand washing is not immediately available, hand sanitizer will be available. 

  • Teachers and children will wash hands:

    • Upon arrival

    • During transitions between activities/indoors-outdoors

    • After using the restroom

    • Before eating

    • Before departing for the day

  • Equipment and materials will be regularly cleaned and disinfected using registered disinfectants.

  • Teachers will limit use of materials that cannot be easily cleaned or sterilized (e.g. soft toys, dress-up clothes, etc)

  • WNNS will strongly encourage children not to bring toys from home. Should a security item need to be brought to school with a child, teachers will ensure that the item is not shared with other children.

  • Sleeping surfaces of mats and bedding will not come into contact with another child’s rest items during storage. Mats will be stored so that sleeping surfaces do not come into contact with each other.

  • WNNS will provide for deep cleaning and disinfection in the event of a positive case of COVID-19 within the school community, and will follow DOH protocols in such a case.

Daily Screening and Testing 

  • Both children and staff must stay home if they are exhibit any of the following possible COVID symptoms:

    • Fever or chills

    • Cough

    • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

    • New loss of taste or smell

  • Should children or staff show the above symptoms, they must receive and provide a negative COVID test before re-entry to school. Symptoms must also be resolved, with no fever for 24 hours without the assistance of medication.

  • Additionally, children and staff must stay home if they exhibit ANY of these symptoms of sickness:

    • Fatigue

    • Muscle or body aches

    • Headache

    • Sore throat

    • Congestion or runny nose

    • Nausea or vomiting

    • Diarrhea

  • In the case of above symptoms, children must stay home until symptoms are resolved- WNNS may request a negative covid test on a case by case basis.

  • Teachers will monitor children throughout the day for the above symptoms. If a child at WNNS develops these symptoms while at school, they will be isolated from the group and cared for by their teacher or a director. Their parent or caretaker will be called immediately and must be picked up promptly.

In the Case of a Positive COVID-19 Test, Within School or a Child’s Immediate Family

  • In the case of a positive COVID-19 test within the school, the school community will be notified at large within the same business day as we receive word, that a case has been confirmed. If the case is in your own classroom, you will be notified of such information.

    IN CASE OF CONTACT

    • Should a child or teacher at WNNS have a close contact outside of school, they may continue to attend WNNS in mask for the following 10 days. Children or teachers with a close contact should submit a rapid test result to WNNS taken on day 5.

    • Should children not be able to consistently mask (over the nose and without pulling it off), they must stay home 5 days after contact, and may return on day 6 with a negative COVID test.

    • Please let WNNS know as soon as possible if your child has had an exposure.


    IN CASE OF A COVID CASE AT WNNS

    • If there is one confirmed case of COVID at WNNS, the class MAY STAY OPEN.

    • Please let WNNS know as soon as possible if your child tests positive for COVID. The school will be notified at large within 24 hours of a positive case, and the child’s classroom will be notified as well (while keeping the child’s name anonymous).

    • The covid positive case must stay home for at least 5 days. On the fifth day, if the case is symptom free, they may return on day 6, and mask for days 6-10. If the child cannot mask consistently, they must both test negative and be symptom free before returning. The earliest return would be on day 6 if well and testing negative.

    • For other members of the class, all should mask for 10 days following exposure, as well as take and submit a rapid test on day 5. If a child who was a contact at WNNS cannot mask well, they must stay home for 5 days, and should test and then may return on day 6.

    • WNNS reserves the right to close classrooms temporarily, should there be multiple cases suggesting a wide spread at school. These decisions are at the discretion of the administrative staff.

    • Additionally a classroom may temporarily close if we are not able to safely staff our classrooms, due to multiple teachers being out with illness.In the case of more than one COVID-19 positive test result, either in one class or multiple classes, WNNS at large may close entirely for 5 days with all children and staff staying home. 

  • If a parent or immediate family member of a child tests COVID-19 positive, please confer with Sarah in regards to continued attendance of your child- whether the positive family member chooses to isolate from their child or not effects the count of days.

  • If a parent/caretaker exhibits symptoms or tests COVID-19 positive, they may not pick up their child at WNNS, and should seek alternative means (another family member, emergency contact, etc) to pick up their child.

  • WNNS will immediately notify the Department of Health upon being informed of a positive COVID-19 case amongst children or staff, according to DOH requirements.

  • In the case of an employee, parent/guardian, or child testing positive, WNNS must cooperate with the state and local health department as required to trace all contacts at WNNS, and the state and local health department where the site is located must be notified of all individuals who entered the site dating back to 48 hours before the employee, parent/guardian, or child first began experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or tested positive, whichever is earlier. Confidentiality must be maintained as required by federal and state law and regulations. 

  • Individuals who are alerted that they have come into close or proximate contact with a person with COVID-19, and have been alerted via tracing, tracking or other mechanism, are required to self report to WNNS at the time of alert and shall follow the protocol referenced above.

Conditions for School Closure 

  • In the case of wider spread of COVID at WNNS (multiple children in one class, or linked cases in multiple classrooms), WNNS reserves the right to close for 5 days and pivot to remote connection.

  • WNNS shall close if mandated to do so by the NYS or NYC Department of Heath.

  • WNNS reserves the right to independently make the decision to close, if the school’s director and Board of Directors deems it unsafe to continue to hold school in person due to a shift in circumstances that is COVID-19 related.

  • In the case of a closure, families would be notified as soon as possible.

  • In the case of short term closures, families continue to be responsible for tuition payments.