As a partner of the School District of Philadelphia, Sunrise of Philadelphia will operate in accordance with the District’s COVID guidelines. We share the most recent guidelines at our live document, HERE; these may change throughout the year and will be updated as needed.
In all situations, our teams will work closely with principals, District officials, and Department of Public Health staff to make decisions regarding COVID and to communicate fully with our students, families, and staff.
DAILY COVID-19 BUILDING PRE-ENTRY SCREENING
All parents/guardians will be required by the School District to conduct a daily Pre-Arrival Screening of their children at home, before their children leave for school, which involves taking temperatures daily and monitoring for the symptoms identified below.
If any of the following are true, the parent/guardian must keep the student at home and contact the school nurse for further instructions:
Either a fever of 100.4 °F or greater, new onset of cough, or shortness of breath unrelated to a pre-existing condition, OR
Two of the following symptoms: sore throat, chills, headache, muscle pain, loss of taste or smell, OR
Close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19.
DAILY COVID SAFETY PRACTICES
The participants and staff in each group must maintain 3 feet of distance whenever possible.
Masks usage is strongly recommended while indoors
Participants will be asked to wash their hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds or apply hand-sanitizer of 60% alcohol or above to their hands, immediately upon entry and throughout the day.
Participants must wash hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer prior to and immediately after eating. Participants should be 3ft apart during meals. Meals should be eaten at participants assigned desks/workstations or outdoors. Food sharing should be discouraged.
FACE MASK PROTOCOL FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF
In accordance with Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH), and the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), all School District of Philadelphia students are strongly encouraged to wear masks when indoors and in the same space as other people.
Cloth masks alone are no longer considered to be effective protection against the spread of coronavirus. Students and staff who choose to wear a cloth mask should double mask with a cloth mask over a 3-ply disposable mask, which SDP currently provides. For those who choose to wear a single mask, a 3-ply disposable mask is preferred over a cloth mask alone, or they can also choose to wear a well-fitted KN95, KF94, or N95 mask. Ultimately, people should wear the most effective mask that they can keep in place over their nose and mouth consistently.
Please review the Updated Student Mask Protocol for additional guidance.
PROTOCOL FOR STUDENTS WHO DEVELOP COVID SYMPTOMS WHILE AT PROGRAM
If a student develops one of the following symptoms:
Either a fever of 100.4 °F or greater, new onset of cough, or shortness of breath unrelated to a pre-existing condition,
Two of the following symptoms: sore throat, chills, headache, muscle pain, loss of taste or smell,
Sunrise will:
Isolate the student
Contact the family for pickup
PROTOCOL FOR COVID-POSITIVE STUDENT RETURN TO PROGRAM
When a student is tested and determined positive, the student will remain home until all of the following are true:
Must isolate for 5 days from symptom onset
Symptoms must be improving and no fever present without medication for 24 hours
If symptoms aren’t improving or new symptoms have developed youth must remain in isolation through day 10 after onset of symptoms
Must mask for days 6-10 after symptom onset if returning to the program
Any students who are unable to wear a mask over their mouth and nose for the entirety of the program day including during outdoor activities on days 6-10 should remain home
When a student is symptomatic but COVID test is negative the student will remain home until:
The student meets normal criteria for return after an illness including being fever free, and vomiting and diarrhea free for greater than 24 hours OR
A clinician has evaluated the child and documented an alternative diagnosis and that the student may return to school
When a student is symptomatic but COVID TESTING WAS NOT COMPLETED, the student will remain home until ALL of the following are true:
At least 10 days since the onset of symptoms AND
24 hours free of fever without the use of fever reducing medication AND
symptoms are improving
OR
A clinician has evaluated the student and documented an alternative diagnosis and that the student may return to school
COVID-19 EXPOSURE NOTIFICATION PROTOCOL
Should a positive COVID-19 case occur at school or programming, consistent with both notification requirements for other communicable diseases and legal confidentiality, Sunrise will follow PDPH regulations for exposure to a communicable disease; Sunrise staff, the school nurse, the office of student health services or employee health services will notify PDPH.
All students, staff, and families who have been potentially exposed to a positive COVID-19 case will be notified. These notifications will be completed by administration, in consultation with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, by phone with follow-up written correspondence which will include:
If known, date of potential exposure
Information on self monitor for symptoms, and safety protocols that help to limit exposure (hand washing, face coverings, physical distancing)
Local testing site information to schedule an appointment for testing.
Students:
Contact information for the school nurse
Return to school protocols when applicable
Close Contact Protocol
Close contacts are defined as individuals that have been within 6 feet for 15 minutes or longer within a 24-hour period masked or unmasked
Mask to Stay, Vaccinated: close contacts may remain in programming but must mask for
7 days if test after day 5 is negative
10 days with no testing
Test to Stay, Unvaccinated:
Mask and test every other day for 7 days
Those unable to wear a mask over the mouth and nose for the entirety of programming including outdoor activities must quarantine at home and test after day 5
PROGRAM/SCHOOL CLOSURE PROTOCOL
Guidance regarding the closure or dismissal of a classroom, school and/or other Sunrise/District facility due to COVID-19 will be provided by PDPH. The decision to close or dismiss students and/or staff from any District facility does not rest with Sunrise or with the School District. PDPH will work closely with Sunrise and the District’s appointed designee(s) to make the determination that best addresses the specific circumstances. Decisions about closures will be made carefully, and with the health, safety and needs of our students and families in mind. As a situation evolves and decisions are made, communications will be sent out to all necessary stakeholders.
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