COVID 19 Response

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During this difficult time, it is very stressful and challenging for both families and children.  We need to stay strong and stay resilient to move forward. Challenge School is doing our best to follow guidelines from CDC, San Mateo County Health Department, and Community Care Licensing.  

• CDC Covid Information, CDC Fact Sheet (in Chinese), CDC Fact Sheet (in English)
• San Mateo Health County Covid
• Community Care Licensing PIN regarding COVID
• Pandemic Recovery Framework (12/6/21)

We encourage the household member who is qualified for vaccination to get vaccinated.  All of our staff are mostly or fully vaccinated.  CDC guidelines of what fully vaccinated people can do (Also see attachment below)

For families who are choosing to come onsite with us, here is our COVID Policy:

Social Gathering Policy:

• Try to do your social gathering outdoor as much as possible
• Child can return to school immediately if (1) he/she gather indoor (mask off) with ONLY fully vaccinated people (2) he/she and other unvaccinated household gather indoor with mask and social distancing
• Child should quarantine for 5days and tested on 5th day if he/she or other unvaccinated household member gathered indoors with mask off
• CDC social gathering guidelines April 2021

Healthcheck and Illness Policy:

• All staff and children MUST conduct a daily health check before entering the school
• Cold symptoms such as runny nose or congestion could return to school after 72 hours without medication and without other COVID symptoms
• COVID symptoms include: Fever of 100.4 F or more, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, new loss of taste and smell, etc
• They may return to the center if 72 hours symptom-free without using medication AND (a doctor note OR a negative covid test)
• Any staff and children should stay home if they or any of their direct household members have Covid symptoms.   
• Children who stay home due to household member covid symptoms may return school when the household member ok to return school OR children have a negative test
• For afterschool only: Students who got a notice from School's exposure should quarantine at home and change to online service.   Please refer to the Exposure and Quarantine Flowcart from SMFC school district.
• School administrators will accept Molecular (PT-PCR), Antibody test results and Antigen tests (At home covid test kits) results for evaluation.

Stable Group Requirement 

• As of April 2021 CDC guidance, stable group size is as small as possible
• Children and Staff shall remain in its stable group as much as possible.  

Check-in/out Procedure and Daily Health Check Requirement:

• Both Staff and Children need to fill in a daily health check before coming to school
• Preschool Children will be scanned for fever one more time in the afternoon
• No visitors/parents are allowed inside the school
• Children are asked to wash hand OR use hand sanitizer before coming inside the school
• Preschool is open 8:30-5:30 pm.  Dropoff time is 8:30-9:30 am and pickup time is 4:30-5:30 pm.  We will revisit the schedule when Delta variant subsides.
• Please adhere to the 6 ft Social Distancing Requirement

Mask Wearing Requirement:

• All staff are required to wear mask all the time
• All children older than 2 years old are required to wear mask all the time
• Mask can only be taken off during mealtime and nap time
• Masks are required all-time including indoor, outdoor, on the bus

Travel Requirement:

• Both staff and children + families are asked to limit any non-essential travel as much as possible
• If your child or any unvaccinated member of your household travel by air, pls follow the CDC Travel Recommendation.
• Child of a fully vaccinated household member will not require any quarantine if that household member (not child) travel domestic OR  tested negatively 5 days after international travel

Possible COVID Exposures:

• Staff/Children should follow the quarantine guidance if staff/children or their direct household member has a COVID exposure in last 14 stays should stay home
• We follow the Quarantine Guidance from CDPH before the child or staff can return to the center
• Any confirmed case of COVID will lead to a closure of the classroom and dismissal of that STABLE GROUP for 1 week or more (per the quarantine guidance) in order to do deep cleaning.  Children will be sent home attending our at-home learning during the school closure

Risk of COVID:

Please understand that sending your child to a group setting may have a COVID-19 exposure.  Teachers and the school will follow CDC, San Mateo County Health, and Community Care Licensing guidelines vigorously and work extra hard to clean and disinfect any common areas and shared toys/supplies/furniture.