



COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS 2022-2023
Vaccination:
According to the CDC, “ vaccination is currently the leading public health prevention strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic. People who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are at low risk of symptomatic or severe infection. A growing body of evidence suggests that people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are less likely to have an asymptomatic infection or transmit COVID-19 to others than people who are not fully vaccinated.”
CMS strongly encourages all who are not already vaccinated and boosted to do so as soon as they are eligible!
Proof of Vaccination:
In order to be recognized as fully vaccinated, students and staff must provide proof of vaccination. Parents should plan to bring a copy of the vaccination card (or the original to be copied) to their registration appointment.
Mask Requirements:
Based on the current transmission rate and community case levels, CMS will be using a universal masking policy inside the building to help prevent spread of COVID-19.
Indoors:
Mask use is required for all teachers, students and guests, unvaccinated and fully vaccinated alike.
Masks may be removed for eating, regardless of vaccination status.
Outdoors:
While outdoors students and staff will have the option to remove their masks.
Mask requirements and care:
Masks should cover an individual’s mouth and nose. These coverings should be fitted to the face and permit breathing without restriction. Individuals are strongly encouraged to change their masks throughout the day (plan to send 3-5 extras to keep in student lockers). Reusable masks should be washed regularly and a clean mask should be worn each day.
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Refusal to Comply:
Pursuant to CMS’s Policy on face coverings on school premises, students who refuse to wear a mask will be sent home, excluded from instruction and activities. Offenders could be dismissed from CMS for repeated violation.
Social Distancing:
CMS has configured all of our spaces to maximize the distance between students.
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As previously stated, CMS strongly encourages all who are not vaccinated and boosted to do so as soon as they are eligible!
Weekly Screening Testing:
CMS will once again be offering weekly screening testing to all students and staff. We will use the SHIELD testing and are able to offer this testing FREE of charge to our families (currently through December 2022). With current numbers, we will be screening all students/staff to catch asymptomatic cases. An opt out form will be available at registration if you would not like to participate. All students will be required to submit proof of a negative test result weekly, if opting out.
Ventilation:
CMS will be running air purifiers in all of our classrooms. We also have Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Monitors in each classroom to help monitor air cycling and will use these monitors to alert us when the CO2 levels exceed 800 parts per million so we can immediately open doors and windows to introduce more fresh air into the space.
Symptom Screening:
Individuals with one or more known symptoms* of COVID-19 may NOT enter the building and should not come to school without evidence of a negative COVID test (home tests will be accepted; email results to office@campusms.org).
Symptoms include, but are not limited to: • Fever (24 hours free before returning with a negative test result) • New cough • shortness of breath or difficulty breathing • Fatigue from unknown cause • muscle or body aches from unknown cause • Moderate to severe headache • sore throat • new loss of taste or smell • nausea or vomiting or diarrhea (24 hours free like fever)
COVID-19 Symptoms at School:
If a student displays symptoms at school, we will immediately isolate the student until they can be picked up by a parent or guardian. CMS strongly recommends the student be evaluated by a medical professional and be tested for COVID-19.
Sibling/Household Members:
If one household member is being evaluated for COVID-19 or displays symptoms COVID-19, all members of the household who are not fully vaccinated must be quarantined until an alternative diagnosis is made or a negative test result is received. If diagnosed with COVID-19, siblings or other members of the household attending CMS, will be required to follow the CMS Test to Stay Protocol.
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Test to Stay Protocol:
The CMS Test to Stay Protocol attempts to keep persons at school while asymptomatic after a known exposure. Test to Stay increases the likelihood of identifying a transmission if a person is a close contact.
All asymptomatic unvaccinated students and staff will be required to COVID test on days 3, 5, and 7 in order to remain in school after being identified as a Close Contact. If at any time the close contact becomes symptomatic, they will be sent home and must remain home for AT LEAST a 5-day quarantine. It is the family’s responsibility to test and report negative results. If testing aligns with CMS’s weekly testing day (Tuesdays) the close contact may test at school.
All vaccinated students and staff identified as a close contact should continue to mask, monitor for symptoms and test 5 days after exposure. If at any time the close contact becomes symptomatic, they will be sent home and must remain home for AT LEAST a 5-day quarantine.
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Positive Cases:
All students and staff are required to provide CMS with immediate notification of a positive case. Please email this notification to: director@campusms.org
If parents are reporting an absence, staff will ask for details of the illness, whether the student has been tested for COVID-19, and if they have been in close contact with a positive case to ensure that all information is collected.
CMS will notify families of a positive case based on potential exposure. This will likely be done on a grade level basis.
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Close Contacts:
Close contact means the individual was within 6 feet of the person who tested positive for COVID-19 or is suspected of having COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes cumulatively within a 24 hour period while the individual was infectious. All unvaccinated close contacts will be required to follow the CMS Test to Stay Protocol detailed above. Those identified as a close contact who are fully vaccinated will be required to continue to wear a mask, monitor for symptoms, and consider testing 5 days after the potential exposure.
Per IDPH, contacts of a person who is a close contact to a COVID-19 case do not need to self-quarantine unless they develop symptoms or if the person identified as a close contact develops COVID-19.
Remote Asynchronous learning during Quarantine:
In the event a student is required to quarantine, CMS will provide information regarding the Remote Learning Plan. This will be asynchronous learning. A teacher may offer zoom/google meets time, but it is not expected.
Travel:
At this time CMS will not require quarantine due to travel for all students who participate in the (FREE) weekly onsite (SHIELD) testing. If a student/family opts out of (SHIELD) onsite testing, proof of a negative COVID test (administered within 24 hours of returning to school) would be required before returning to school.
If travel restrictions are implemented by the State of Illinois, CMS will reevaluate this decision and will likely implement a Test to Stay policy similar to the one outlined for those identified as close contacts.
CMS STRONGLY encourages vaccinated and unvaccinated alike to test after ANY out of town travel.
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Cleaning And Sanitation:
According to the CDC, “in general, cleaning once a day is usually enough to sufficiently remove potential virus that may be on surfaces. Disinfecting (using disinfectants on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency COVID-19 list) removes any remaining germs on surfaces, which further reduces any risk of spreading infection.” All classrooms will have cleaning and sanitizing products, cleaners and disinfectants, hand sanitizer, and paper towels to use as needed. The custodial staff will clean the classrooms and common areas nightly.