Health & Safety

During COVID-19

​We ask that all families carefully monitor exposure to anyone you have come into contact with who has been diagnosed with COVID-19. If you find that you or someone in your household has been exposed to the novel coronavirus, please contact the school immediately for contact tracing purposes and so that we may implement best practices in health and safety.​

Please review our comprehensive COVID-19 Health & Safety Policies.

All families must sign our Community Agreement before their child may begin school. Download a printable copy.

COMMUNITY AGREEMENT

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed the world in a public health crisis. The health, safety and well-being of each of us depends upon the cooperation of the community as a whole. To keep our families, staff, and above all, our children as safe as possible, each of us must do our part to uphold best practices as outlined in the COVID-19 Health & Safety Policy Handbook, which was developed in consideration of city, state, and federal guidelines as well as measures recommended by  leaders in science and medical fields. With that in mind, please review the following document that gives an overview of how WSNO will be putting forth efforts in good faith. As a valuable member of our community, we ask that you work with us in making our school as safe and healthy as possible during this global public health emergency. We need each other to work through this together.

Waldorf School of New Orleans will do its best to:

• Provide an environment which has been assessed for risks and made as safe as possible in response to COVID-19.

• Provide timely and sensitive communications between home and school through e-newsletters, email, text, and the school website. 

• Adhere to the social distancing rules as set forth by the city and state mandates and current best practices.

• Continue to provide a curriculum that meets the needs of your child’s well-being, mental health, and academic needs. 

• Contact parents / caregivers immediately if your child displays symptoms of COVID-19.

• Contact parents / caregivers immediately if someone who has been in close contact with your child is diagnosed with COVID-19.

PARENTS & CAREGIVERS— To help my child at school, I know and understand that:

I understand that I’m an important member of the community and can help prevent the transmission of COVID-19. I will do my part in using my best judgment and notifying the school when necessary, as in some of the following circumstances:

• I will uphold the safety of our community by  agreeing that my child(ren) will only begin in person schooling after having been symptom-free for 14 days.

• I agree to support all school staff in their efforts to create the safest possible environment during this crisis including fostering support for proper hygiene (handwashing), mask wearing mandates, and social distancing efforts when I speak to my child(ren) at home. 

• With things changing rapidly, I agree to stay up to date by reading all letters/messages/emails that are sent home.

• If anyone in my household shows symptoms of COVID-19, I will not send my child(ren) to school, and we will self-isolate until we are able to confirm that we are negative for COVID-19 via testing or by quarantining for 14 days. 

• If my child has been exposed to someone with COVID-19 outside of school, I will keep my child home under quarantine per school guidelines and notify school immediately.

• If my child shows symptoms of COVID-19 at school, I will collect my child from school immediately. Symptoms include: loss of taste or smell, fever of 99.6 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, dry cough, shortness of breath, chills, sore throat, muscle aches

• In the event that my child or anyone in our household has a positive COVID-19 test result, I agree to notify school immediately.

• If my child(ren)  are consistently unable to uphold behavior standards and / or abide by health and safety guidelines after multiple strategies have been tried to modify unsafe behavior, they will be sent home and may not return until they are able to do so. 

• I have read and understand the COVID-19 Health & Safety Policy Handbook. I may review it at any time via Google Drive and the school’s website.

• I will follow drop-off and pick-up procedures, designed to maintain social distancing, as outlined in the COVID-19 Health & Safety Policy Handbook.

• I agree to  ensure lunchboxes and water bottles are labelled and disinfected each day before they come to school. 

• I will abide by the Mask Policy as outlined in the COVID-19 Health & Safety Policy Handbook by providing a clean mask for my child each school day, as well as a backup clean mask that can be kept in my child’s backpack to be used as needed.

• I acknowledge that for their well-being and the well-being of the community, my child will have their temperature taken on arrival and during the day if they feel, or present as being unwell. 

• I will support our community by fostering  a sense of responsibility and kindness by reminding my child(ren) about social distancing and mask-wearing rules.

• I agree to support our community by helping my child learn and remember to use good hand, nose and mouth hygiene measures.

• I agree that I will  only be allowed in school in the case of an extreme emergency. I can communicate via phone or email.

• I agree to inform the school immediately of any changes to parent/carer and emergency contact details.

STUDENT—I will do my best to:

Please read and review with your child(ren)

• Be safe at all times in order to maintain the health and well-being of myself and others.

• Help my community by following  the social distancing rules in class and in the playground.

• Tell an adult if I feel unwell.

• Only bring  my lunch box, water bottle, reading book, backpack, school supplies, musical instrument, and coat.

• Only use equipment provided to me by school.

• Play, learn, talk, and stay with my own class instead of mixing with other children in the school.

• Enter and exit the school building from the places where I am allowed to.

• Keep myself and others safe and healthy by following good hand, nose, and mouth hygiene like coughing and sneezing into a tissue or into an elbow.

• Make sure I always use good hand hygiene – I will use soap and water for 20 seconds / hand sanitizer.

• For the health of my community and myself, when using public transport I will keep a safe distance and wear a face covering.

• Rise to these expectations and understand that if I choose not to, I will be sent home and will not be able to come back into school until I can show that I can be safe by  following my school’s health and safety guidelines.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT & DISCLOSURE

Please sign below and return to the school office or email a scanned copy to nrixner@waldorfnola.org.

Please read and initial each statement below.

_______ I understand that during this COVID-19 Public Health Emergency I will NOT be permitted to enter the facility beyond the designated drop-off and pick-up area. I understand that this procedure change is for the safety of all persons present in the facility and to limit to the extent possible everyone’s risk of exposure. I understand that it is my responsibility to inform any Emergency Contact persons of the information contained herein.

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_______  I understand that IF there is an emergency or special circumstances requiring me to enter the facility beyond the designated drop-off and pick-up area, I MUST wash or sanitize my hands before entering and wear a mask. While in the facility I must practice social distancing and remain 6 feet from all other people, except for my own child. 

_______  I understand that to enter upon the facility premises my child must be free from COVID-19 symptoms. If, during the day, any of the following symptoms appear my child will be kept in a safe, isolated area. I will be contacted, and my child MUST be picked up from the facility within 30 minutes of being notified to the best of my ability.

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Symptoms include:​

• fever of 99.6 degrees Fahrenheit or higher

• dry cough

• shortness of breath

• chills

• sore throat

• muscle aches

While we understand that many of these symptoms can also be related to non-COVID-19 related issues we must proceed with an abundance of caution during this Public Health Emergency. These symptoms typically appear 2-7 days after being infected so please take them seriously. Your child will need to be symptom free without any medications for at least 3 days (72 hours) before returning to the facility.

_______  I understand that Waldorf School of New Orleans (hereinafter referred to as, “Waldorf School”) is taking every precaution to keep my child healthy, utilizing the Office of Public Health guidelines. These include: 

• Requiring staff to take everyday precautions to prevent the spread of respiratory illness such as COVID-19 such as washing or sanitizing hands often, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, avoiding close contact, directing coughs and sneezes into an elbow, and covering mouth and nose with face masks.

• Requiring sick children and staff to stay home. 

• Isolating children who become sick (before they are picked up) followed by cleaning and disinfecting processes. 

• Implementing social distancing strategies. 

• Changing parent drop-off and pick-up processes. 

• Screening children and staff upon arrival.

• Intensifying cleaning and disinfecting efforts.

• Ensuring proper diapering techniques are followed.

• Ensuring proper washing, feeding, and holding of children. 

• Ensuring healthy hand hygiene of children and staff including using CDC-recommended handwashing procedures throughout the day using warm running water and rubbing with soap for at least 20 seconds.

• Addressing vulnerable/high risk groups. 

_______  I understand that outside of care, in order to control my child’s exposure in the community, I will comply with any and all state, county or local stay-at-home orders, and CDC recommendations. 

_______  I will immediately notify Waldorf School management if I become aware of any person with whom my child or I have had contact within the last seven (7) days exhibits any of the symptoms listed in Number 3 above, is advised to self-isolate, quarantine, or has tested positive, or is presumed positive for COVID-19. 

_______  I understand that while present in the facility each day my child will be in contact with children, families and other employees who are also at risk of community exposure. I understand that no list of restrictions, guidelines or practices will remove 100% of the risk of exposure to COVID-19 as the virus can be transmitted by persons who are asymptomatic and before some people show signs of infection. I understand that I play a crucial role in keeping everyone in the facility safe and reducing the risk of exposure by following the practices outlined herein.

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_________I understand that persons with COVID-19 symptoms or those who have tested positive for COVID-19 and may be identified as asymptomatic by their physician who were directed to care for themselves at home may return when the recommended quarantine period has passed and / or at least 3 days (72 hours) have passed since recovery meaning: 

fever free without the use of fever-reducing medications; and,

improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and,

at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. 

_______  I understand that to the extent I cannot or will not be able to comply with the above-described procedures, or any procedures or policies subsequently imposed by Waldorf School in response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, Waldorf School reserves the right to take any and all reasonable actions to ensure the safety of its students and employees, including, but not limited to:​

• requiring my child to stay home for an extended period of time; or,

• creating a virtual learning program for my child; or,

• in extreme cases, removing my child from enrollment in the school.

_______  I further understand that if my child participates in remote learning and I elect to allow them to return to in-person learning, I will notify the school two weeks prior to the date of reentry. My child will have one of two options: undergo testing for COVID-19 and have a negative result or self-quarantine with the members of my household for 14 days prior to the start date. If my child is a new student joining the school, my child will have one of two options: undergo testing for COVID-19 and have a negative result or self-quarantine with the immediate family for 14 days prior to the start date. All students who start in-person learning on August 17 must be symptom-free for the 14 days prior to the starting date.

I understand and agree that I will do my best to uphold the above, and the school will, in turn, do the same as outlined above and in accordance with the COVID-19 Health and Safety Policy Handbook. I also understand that H.B. 59 states that there “shall be no cause of action related to a person contracting COVID-19 at a public or nonpublic school, other public or nonpublic school facility, on a public or nonpublic school bus, or at a public or nonpublic school-sponsored event, which is based on the actions or failure to act by school officers, employees, or agents in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency.”
 

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I,______________________________________________, certify that I have read, understand, and agree to comply with the provisions listed herein. 

Child’s Name:___________________________________  Grade / Class:_________

______________________________________________________________________

Guardian / Parent’s Name                                                   Date

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Please review our comprehensive COVID-19 Health & Safety Policies.

All families must sign our Community Agreement before their child may begin school. Download a printable copy.

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