• Mask-wearing will be optional in all classrooms other than:
  • for students younger than five, as the NYC DOH and the Mayor have decided to continue the mask mandate for children under five;
  • for those classes who will be leaving within the week for an overnight trip. For example, some third and fourth graders who are going on trips on Tuesday and therefore must wear masks on Monday; We will alert these students and their families as to when they will need to wear masks in school.  
  • if there is an in-school exposure that we feel warrants all wearing masks. 

• Families are encouraged to make thoughtful decisions regarding their children’s mask-wearing and to realize that these decisions can change, are fluid. 

• In the lower school, teachers may ask students to wear their masks if they are mixing with other classes, especially if this is between grades.  

• In middle school and in high school, mask-wearing will be optional in all areas of the typical daily program, including extracurricular activities. Students and families can make choices about whether or not to wear masks, and during which parts of the day or week they may choose to wear a mask, if at all.  

• Mask wearing will be optional for employees, as well. 

• Parents and other visitors to the buildings must wear masks. We may ask students to mask if visitors are in their classroom for a significant amount of time.

• In terms of quarantining and isolation, masks will be required at the following times:
  • When returning from isolation prior to day 10, masks are required by the NYS Department of Health on days 6-10. Negative antigen testing will continue to be required by LREI.
  • Those who have been exposed to COVID in any setting will be required to wear a mask in school for 10 days after their exposure and will be directed to test in accordance with Department of Health protocols.
  • Those students who are not fully vaccinated will be required to quarantine, per NYC Department of Health guidelines.
  • We anticipate changes to these regulations and will communicate any changes with the LREI community. 

• We will ask students to wear masks when larger groups are gathering, allowing us to more comfortably move back to a regular assembly schedule, for example.  

• We may also ask students to wear masks when we are concerned about the health of any particular classroom, grade, division, or of the school. Thank you in advance for your understanding. 

• Students are required by the NYC Department of Health to wear masks in the nurses’ offices. 

January 27, 2022   Dear LREI Families,    Hello, all.  I hope that this note finds you well. We appreciate all that LREI’s families are doing to focus on the health of the institution and the people in it.  We have seen the number of Covid cases in the community drop and while it is harder and harder to discern, we are confident that there is no in-school transmission.     Isolation and Quarantine Protocol Changes - Beginning January 31, 2022 We have decided to adjust our protocols to include a shortened quarantine (people with known exposure to COVID who do not have any symptoms) and to include modified isolation (people who have a positive COVID-19 test). These protocols are adapted for our program from the NYS Department of Health guidelines. You can find the complete set of protocols on Connect under Healthy LREI “Quarantine & Isolation Guidelines.” Please pay special attention to the following documents:    Isolation Chart Quarantine  Chart How to Isolate How to Quarantine   Please note that students who are in modified quarantine or isolation have additional requirements and restrictions for the full 10 day period. Specifically, to return from isolation prior to 10 days, you must satisfy all of the following:   No symptoms and fever-free without medication for over 24 hours AND A negative antigen test taken on day 5 at home, repeated at school on day 6 (or your return date if these dates fall on a non-school day). If your child tests positive on either of these tests, they will complete the full 10-day isolation. Students must remain masked at all times in a KN95 or equivalent mask, indoors and out for the full 10 days. Students who are not able to mask will be sent home. Students may not participate in sports/afterschool/extracurricular activities for the full 10 days. Students returning prior to day 10 commit to not having outside of school close contacts or sleepovers during their 10 day isolation period. Students Currently Excluded The adjustments to isolation end dates for students currently restricted due to COVID-19 will be made on an individual basis by the school's nurses. If your child is currently home in isolation, you will receive a phone call to review the protocols and be given a new return date if your child meets the criteria to return. Please be patient as we call each affected family.    Below the principals of the three divisions have described how we will support the learning for those students who are quarantined or isolated.  A reminder that those students who are eligible for the vaccine and who are excluded due to in-school exposure will have limited access to instruction while quarantined.  The limited hybrid program we will offer is only available to those who were exposed to Covid at home or in school, if ineligible for the vaccine, and not for other illnesses or needs that keep students out of school.  If a student has a health need that keeps them home for a day or so, they should rest and recuperate.    Our goals are to keep everyone healthy and to keep teachers and students in the classrooms together. We ask for your continued partnership in this - vaccines, masks, handwashing, limited indoor gatherings.  We are all hopeful that in the coming months we will be able to contemplate additional time together and a return to more typical gatherings and activities.     Divisional Plans for Excluded Students   Lower School Learning Continuity Plan Beginning Monday, January 31, 2022 Unvaccinated students that are excluded due to an in-school or at home exposure will have access to daily asynchronous student work while they are quarantined. This work will become accessible to you on the second day your child is home. All students who have a positive COVID-19 test and vaccinated students that are excluded due to an in-school or at home exposure, will have access to daily teacher check-ins and a mix of synchronous and asynchronous core academic subject lessons. These lessons will begin the second day a child is home. Students who are home for non-Covid illness or for school-notified mental health days should rest and get the care they need; they will not zoom to class.  Middle School Learning Continuity Plan Beginning Monday, January 31, 2022 ZOOM OPTION: All students who are excluded due to positivity, at-home exposure, or symptoms will be allowed to Zoom into class if they feel well enough to attend. Students will join class on Zoom (using one link provided by their advisor) via a laptop, so that they can more easily join group discussions and ask questions of peers. Students who are home for non-Covid illness or for school-notified mental health days should rest and get the care they need; they will not zoom to class. This guideline reflects a return to our practices at the MS in trimester 1.  High School Learning Continuity Plan Beginning Monday, January 31, 2022 ZOOM OPTION: All students who are excluded due to positivity, at-home exposure will be allowed to Zoom into class if they feel well enough to attend. Students will join class on Zoom via a laptop in the classroom, so that they can more easily join group discussions and ask questions of peers. Students who are home for non-Covid illness or for school-notified mental health days should rest and get the care they need; they will not zoom to class. This guideline reflects a return to our practices at the HS in trimester 1.

 

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January 11, 2022

Dear LREI Community, 

Hello to all on this chilly evening.  First of all, I want to offer a big “Thank you” to your children for hanging in there and having a productive school day when the buildings were a wee bit chilly.  Thank you, as always, to the teachers for making the day enriching and welcoming.  

As we are returning from a week of remote learning and have completed two rounds of testing, it seemed like a good time for a brief update.  

Most of the results of yesterday’s testing have been returned. As you remember, we tested half of the children (half of each class/grade) and half of the adults. Those folks who are currently home because they are positive and those who had Covid in the past 90 days were not included in the testing. With about 60 results still outstanding, we had 17 positive cases identified through this round of testing. Most of these positive cases are in the older middle school grades and the high school.  At this point we are scheduled to test the other half of the community next Tuesday.  We may decide to test 100% instead.

 

If your child/children tested positive you have been contacted. In-school contacts of cases will be contacted by tomorrow. Any unvaccinated contacts will be contacted this evening. We expect parents of positive cases to contact their outside of school and close friends to inform them of their exposures.

We will continue to run our current academic program each day. For those students who are excluded due to Covid we will provide a hybrid experience. This is only available to those students who have been told by the school that they must stay home. It is likely that as the number of excluded students drops, which it should do soon, that we will end the remote program.  

Please know that while we are doing all that we can to keep students in school each day, one of the limiting factors is the number of adults we need in school every day to provide the progressive classroom program that you expect. There may be times when we have to ask a classroom or grade or division to be remote for a short time due to the number of adults who can be in school that day/week and our estimation of the best situation for the students.  

Finally, a reminder that our mitigation efforts continue to limit transmission in school.  You can help with by: 

• keeping your children home if they have symptoms, 
• keeping them home if they are unvaccinated and exposed, 
• keeping them home if they have a high-risk in-home exposure, 
• making sure to complete the Magnus health survey each day, 
• and making sure that your children arrive at school with high quality well-fitting masks. We recommend that all students wear a KN95 or KF94 mask. 
• helping your children to select safe social activities, keeping socialization masked and PLEASE no sleepovers at this time.  

Thank you.  We so appreciate all that the community is doing to keep us all healthy.

Questions?  Don't hesitate to email me or to contact Ava and Brian at nurses@lrei.org.  

Best,

Phil

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January 7, 2022

Dear LREI Families, 

I write with a number of reminders and updates. Most importantly, we will be in school in person on Monday, 1/10/22, as planned. The divisional principals will be in touch with any division or grade-specific information that you need. We look forward to seeing everyone on Monday.  

We all missed being together in person this week. We know that there is nothing better than being in school in person. However, as we move through this winter, it is possible that some number of us will need to return to LREI@home at times - by grade, by division, or the whole school. We will do everything we can to avoid this and ask for your help in this effort, as well.  

What can we do to keep the community (both LREI and the larger community) as healthy as possible:

• Return to School Testing - 488 students and staff tested at LREI on Tuesday. All but 25 results have been returned by Enzo Labs (as of January 7 at 11am). We are also waiting for 25 tests from those who tested outside of school. At this point we have 17 students and 9 adult employees who tested positive in this round of testing.  Some of these cases were reported during the winter break and some over the past week. The student and the adult cases are spread throughout the institution and are not clustered the way they were before winter break.  These community members will return to school over the next week or so, depending on their testing dates.   

• Individual results are available in your Enzo portal. If you have difficulty accessing the portal, please contact Enzo directly. Ava has contacted anyone who tested positive. If your child tested positive, you are responsible for notifying any close contacts they have had since Sunday, January 2. Any contacts must be tested with a PCR on day 5 after their last contact with a positive person. Unvaccinated contacts must quarantine.

• • If you tested at home and have not submitted your test results, they are due today by 4pm. Send all results to nurses@lrei.org.
  • We strongly recommend that everyone take a home antigen test prior to coming to school on Monday morning as an added layer of mitigation. 

• Vaccinations - Please make appointments to have your 5-11 year olds vaccinated as soon as possible. The increase in childhood hospitalization is almost all due to illness in unvaccinated children.

• Boosters - If you have a child who is 12 or older and was vaccinated over 5 months ago, please schedule a booster shot for them ASAP.  This is essential!!

• Boosters part 2 - If you have yet to do so, please get a booster shot for yourself.  

• Symptoms - If your child has symptoms of Covid-19, please do not send them to school. As we experienced earlier this month, and as we are learning about the experiences of others, many who are infected with the Omicron variant display symptoms before they will test positive for Covid-19. 
  • We will have a “0 symptom” policy in January. Students may not return to school with symptoms, even if testing negative, due to the number of lagging positives we have seen after symptom onset. We hope to be able to relax the testing and exclusion policies after the current surge level cases decrease.
  • If your child develops symptoms, they should have a rapid test immediately, if that test is negative, they must get a PCR regardless of vaccination status. 
  • If they test negative on PCR, but continue to have symptoms, they must stay home. If the symptoms continue for 3 days, repeat testing is required. 
  • If repeat testing is negative, then a doctor’s note will be required to return to school. 

• Magnus - Please complete the Magnus health survey each day. The survey will be turned on again on Monday.
• Masks - Consider the masks that your children wear. Please make sure that masks fit, have a metal nose-piece, do not gape on the cheeks, and have adjustable straps.  Please consider either a KN95 or KF94 mask (fitted for your child) or a cloth mask paired with a disposable surgical mask. Please make sure that your child comes to school wearing a mask and has at least two extras.  
• Warm Clothes - Please send your children to school with a sweater or sweatshirt on cold days as we will keep windows open a bit to ensure there is fresh air in the rooms.
  
  
• Home Tests - Home tests can be a helpful tool. If you are able to, please secure home tests for your children for when you are concerned about their health status. 
  
  
• Exposures – The harder question is the ways in which we spend our time - where, with whom, how? Fewer folks outside of your immediate family is better, outside when possible, masked when not. We know that much of what caused our local surge in the high school in December came from unmasked gatherings of fairly large groups of kids in people’s homes. We understand that our students, your children, of all ages, want to spend time with their friends, have sleepovers, go to parties, etc.. Unfortunately, 20+ months in we still have to do this carefully or we are bringing others along on our risky adventures. We are asking that you prioritize in-person schooling and do whatever you can to limit exposure. 

  • If your child has an exposure, they must take a PCR test 5 days after their exposure date, regardless of vaccination status. Report positive results to nurses@lrei.org immediately. 
  • Fully vaccinated (2 weeks past 2nd dose) students are not required to quarantine after non-household exposure at this time. LREI requires quarantine for household exposures, even if vaccinated.
  • Unvaccinated students are required to quarantine for 7 days after exposure. They must have a negative PCR on day 5 of quarantine to return on day 8. 
  • The definition of “fully vaccinated” may change within the coming weeks to include only those within 6 months of their 2nd shot, or those who have had a booster. If NYC adopts this change from the CDC, we will require quarantines of those who have not received boosters. 

• Isolation Periods - We will, for the time being, continue with a 10-day isolation period.  The CDC recommendation that this be reduced to five days has been adopted by the NYS Department of Health but NOT by the NYC Department of Health and has not been approved for schools at this time. The NYC DOH has indicated that it is reviewing the new recommendations and may have new guidance soon. We will let you know of any changes.  We feel strongly about a longer period of isolation while infection rates remain very high and will reconsider as they fall.  

• Ongoing Surveillance Testing - During January we will increase our surveillance testing.  On Monday, January 10th (NEXT MONDAY) we will test half of each grade, regardless of vaccination status. The other half will test the following week. Anyone who has tested positive since 12/1/21 will be exempt.  If you have questions please email nurses@lrei.org.   

In closing, we know that the continuation of Covid protocols is frustrating as are limitations on activities, masks, tests, and on and on. We are prioritizing in-person classes and extracurricular activities when possible. Believe it or not, being remote this week was due to in-person schooling being our priority. Please join us in this effort. 

A last reminder - if your child is eligible for a vaccine or a third dose and has not received this dose, please make an appointment today.  

To our health, 

Ava Dawson, Health Director

Phil Kassen, Director 

=========================================

January 3, 2022

 

Dear LREI Community, 

 

Happy New Year!  Welcome to 2022 (WOW!)

 

A wise person recently suggested that for clarity’s sake, I start all communication with any necessary logistics, and end with other, less detailed, comments. I will follow that advice here, beginning this note with specific reminders and suggestions for the coming week and ending with a few more general thoughts. 

 

Covid - the coming week and a few reminders:

• LREI will operate remotely this week.  No classes on Monday.  The principals have or will share schedules and instructions for Tuesday - Friday. 
• Testing:
  • Please pay close attention to the testing schedule.  We want to make sure that we have time for everyone who is planning to use the school as their testing location.
  • All tests will take place at the Sixth Avenue buildings, for all three divisions.  
  • If your insurance has changed with the new year, you must update your insurance information directly with Enzo by calling 800-371-5227. 
  • I have copied all of Ava Dawson’s emailed instructions (sent to you on Friday, 12/31)  re: testing at LREI, testing elsewhere, etc. below my signature in this message.

• Boosters - Boosters will likely be approved and available for children 12-years old and older today. I urge you to schedule a third dose for your 12-year old or older children ASAP.  This will protect their health, the health of others, and our in-person program.
• Boosters, part 2 - If you have yet to do so, please get a booster shot for yourself. 
• Vaccinations - Please make appointments to have your 5-11 year olds vaccinated as soon as possible. The increase in childhood hospitalization is almost all due to illness in unvaccinated children. 
• For NYC vaccination sites, check out https://vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/.
• Please do your best to limit potential exposures during the coming week, and notify nurses@lrei.org if a known exposure occurs.
• The NYC Department of Health will likely be updating operating guidelines for schools this week. We will align our policies with best practices, and will be maintaining a 10 day isolation period for any student or staff member who tests positive. We will communicate any changes once we receive guidance from the DOH. 

Again, you will hear more from your divisional principals throughout the week.  Later this week, we will send information regarding our return to campus.  

 

With sincere wishes for a healthy, happy, and peaceful New Year, 

 

 

 

 

Testing information from Ava Dawson’s email of Friday, 12/31/21.

 

All students must have a test result to return to school.

 

We encourage you to test at school, as we can monitor the results and can assure that you will not wait in long lines at a testing facility. IF you choose to test outside of school, you may have your child tested on or after Tuesday January 4th and submit the results to nurses@lrei.org. All test results must be received by Friday January 7 at 4:00p.m.  

 

Traditional PCR, Rapid PCR, and saliva (Vault) tests are accepted. Home tests (Cue or similar) are NOT accepted. Antigen tests are NOT accepted. 

 

For students who live in NJ, the NJ DOH is providing free Vault testing. 

 

If your child tested positive for COVID in the last 90 days (on or after 10/5/2021):

• No PCR testing is required to return to school IF the nurses have documentation of the positive test on file. Because it is possible to remain PCR positive for up to 90 days after initial testing, we do not ask you to retest. 
• If you have not already, you must send the nurses one of the following:
  • Copy of the positive antigen or PCR test result OR
  • Photo of the positive home test (with date and child's name) OR
  • Letter from your child's medical provider documenting the date of the positive test with return to school date. 
• If we do not have documentation of a positive from a test or medical provider letter, your child is required to submit a PCR test taken on or after January 4. 

Testing Schedule

We ask that you please arrive at the scheduled times below. If a family has a child in more than one grade, they may take both children to the younger child's time. 

 

Please wear your masks while waiting in line to be tested and maintain distance from other families. 

 

Lower School (4s - 4th Grade) - Lower School Art Room - Please line up outside of the Art Room Door and you will be called in for testing. 

• 4s, 4s/K, K: 8:30
• 1st: 9:15
• 2nd: 9:45
• 3rd: 10:15
• 4th: 10:45

Middle School (5th - 8th Grade) - 6th Avenue Music Room - Please line up outside of the Bleecker Street Door and you will be called in for testing.

• 5th: 8:45 
• 6th: 9:15
• 7th: 9:45
• 8th: 10:15

High School - Testing at 272 6th Avenue

• 9th Grade - Lower School Art Room (Entrance on Bleecker first door from the corner of 6th)
  • Last name starting with A -L 11:30
  • Last name starting with M-Z 12:00
• 10th Grade -  Lower School Art Room (Entrance on Bleecker first door from the corner of 6th)
  • Last name starting with A -L 12:30
  • Last name starting with M-Z 1:00
• 11th Grade - 6th Avenue Music Room (Line up at Bleecker Street Entrance - 196 Bleecker St )
  • Last name starting with A -L 11:30
  • Last name starting with M-Z 12:00
• 12th Grade - 6th Avenue Music Room (Line up at Bleecker Street Entrance - 196 Bleecker St)
  • Last name starting with A -L 12:30
  • Last name starting with M-Z 1:00 

=========================================

November 15, 2021   Dear LREI Community,    I write with a few reminders for the coming weeks and my continuing reminders of the value of the Covid-19 vaccine for five - 11 year olds.     Community Zoom Gatherings: Covid-19 Vaccine for five - 11 year olds - Wednesday, 11/17, 6:00p.m.-7:00p.m.  Join me and our school nurses for a conversation regarding the Covid vaccine for younger children.  We will share a few thoughts and will respond to your questions.  (Click here for the Zoom link which is on the Community Calendar.)    Thanksgiving Break Travel If your child/children is/are vaccinated and you plan on traveling, please read the recommendations on the CDC site - wear a mask, wash your hands, stay home and test if you have symptoms. If unvaccinated, the CDC recommendations include a test before travel, precautions while at your destination, and a test 3-5 days after you return, during the 7-day self-quarantine.   By “travel” we mean, any air or long-distance train travel or traveling by any means to a location with a Covid prevalence of over 35/100k.  Unsure?  Ask via email at nurses@lrei.org.  For the latest stats, click here. Please be aware of the current COVID surge in Europe when visiting with friends and family. We encourage you to discuss testing with guests if you are entertaining guests from abroad.  Week of November 29 - We will be testing 100% of the LREI population (vaccinated and unvaccinated) in school during the week after Thanksgiving Break. Please email nurses@lrei.org if you would like to test your child outside of school. Vaccines: A reminder that vaccines are now available for all children, five years old and older. A reminder that vaccinated students do not have to quarantine if there is exposure in school, and can return to school with a provider-performed rapid antigen test if they experience symptoms. The good news is that we have only had five exposures in school.  For the two that involved vaccinated students, all students were back in class within 72 hours.  For the three that involved unvaccinated students, the classes were out for a week.    In the New Year we will conduct classes for vaccinated students in-person without offering on-line classes for unvaccinated students who were exposed(other than the fours.) The vaccine for children will help to mitigate the risk of another virus surge, which seems quite possible this winter.   Protect your child, your family, your community.   Thanks for your attention and I look forward to seeing you on Zoom later this week.

=========================================

November 9, 2021

 

Dear LREI Community, 

 

Thank you to those who reached out with questions and thoughts after I sent our Covid-19 policy reminders last Thursday. I am always happy to answer your questions. Please be in touch.

 

As you have undoubtedly heard, the FDA has given Emergency Use Authorization to the Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for 5-11 year olds and the CDC has encouraged its use and created a set of recommendations. Below you will find LREI’s plans for student vaccinations followed by thoughts on how we arrived at this decision.

 

November 2021 - Vaccines are now available for children between the ages of 5-11. We are asking all families of children who are 5 - 11 years old to vaccinate their children as soon as possible. You can find information about getting the vaccine at NYS goes #vaxtoschool. If you have any questions, please speak to your child’s health care provider(s). Vaccines are available at many pediatricians, most pharmacies, and NYC mass vaccination sites. 

• • NYC Vaccine Finder
  • Public School Vaccination Clinics (open to independent school students)

January 9, 2021 - Our goal is to have all children receive their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine no later than Sunday, January 9th, 2022, one week after Winter Break.  

• A fully or mostly vaccinated student body in the New Year will allow for broader in-school opportunities, some of which will not be available to unvaccinated children. These will include some of our most exciting activities including trips, sports, and ensembles, for example.

• Fully vaccinated students will not have to quarantine due to in school exposure and can have a provider-performed antigen test (no home tests) in order to be cleared for return to school when experiencing symptoms.  

• Those students who have not turned five by January 9 will continue to test once per month until fully vaccinated. It is expected that children will receive their first dose within two weeks of their 5th birthday.

• Eligible children who do not receive the first dose of vaccine by January 9, 2021 will also continue with monthly Covid-19 tests in school. If other mitigation strategies are relaxed, testing of eligible but unvaccinated students may be increased to once every other week.  

• Eligible but unvaccinated students will have to continue to quarantine for all exposures and to have PCR tests to return.  

• It is possible that our third grade - sixth grade overnight trips, if we can have them at all, will require vaccination. Our goal is to have the most enriched and enriching school year possible. Vaccines increase the possibility of this.   

It is highly likely that we will require all students, age 5 and up to be fully vaccinated to return to school in September.  

 

We feel strongly that our 5-11 years old students get vaccinated for a few reasons, including: 

• Vaccinated children will have a decreased likelihood of Covid-19 infection and will decrease the severity of their illness if they do contract the Covid-19 virus.  

• Fully vaccinated students are not required to quarantine after COVID exposure, allowing the students to mix more freely, have a more typical academic program, and miss fewer days of school. As we stated, the testing requirements for vaccinated students have been relaxed.

• Unvaccinated students who are exposed will continue to quarantine though if the rest of the class is in person, we may not move the academic experience on-line.  

Vaccinated children are less likely to transmit the virus to younger, unvaccinated members of their household and also to older members of their household and family. As the winter drives us all indoors, vaccinated children will be protected during the most challenging time of the year in terms of viruses of all sorts.  

 

If all who are eligible can receive the vaccine we will protect those in our community who are unable to be vaccinated. Each person who is vaccinated supports the larger public health effort to decrease the prevalence of Covid-19 infection in the wider community and to decrease the likelihood of new variants, etc.  

 

From the FDA and the CDC - the risks of receiving the vaccine are fewer than those of not being vaccinated. This is an important point. Yes, the vaccine is not 100% risk free. However, the Delta variant of the coronavirus has created a significant uptick in the number of cases involving children. The risk of getting Covid and all that that can entail is greater than the risks that come with getting the vaccine.

 

While there may be a desire to wait until more is known, we will, I hope, always learn more about the vaccines and the virus.  This is the nature of science. We are always learning more. Waiting means a continued risk of infection.  The trials for these vaccines were rigorous and conclusive.  

 

Is there a difference between vaccinating younger children and older children? Adults? There may be an emotional difference. The medical and scientific differences were accounted for in the creation of the vaccines and in the trials. For some, these are challenging parenting decisions. The care and love involved are real and powerful.  Acknowledging this, Covid-19 is a danger to children and to our communities. The vaccine will protect us - each and all.    

 

Please, if you have any questions, contact me, Ava Dawson, health director, Brian Rizzo, Sixth Ave. nurse, or anyone with whom you feel comfortable speaking. We are eager to have these conversations with you.  

 

Vaccination cards should be uploaded to the “Immunization” section in Magnus after both the first and second vaccine. Uploading to this section will not erase any student records.

 

We will host a community conversation for families regarding the Covid-19 vaccine for 5-11 year olds

 

Wednesday, November 17, 2021, 7:00p.m.-8:00p.m.

The Zoom link can be found on the Community Events Calendar. 

 

We will also continue to share helpful resources, like this from Columbia University.  

 

Final thoughts....  Soon after the adult vaccine became available we chose not to mandate it for school employees.  We spent a good deal of time sharing information about the vaccines, helping to allay the concerns that some colleagues had, and emphasizing all of the benefits the vaccines offer. Quite quickly the vast majority of the faculty and staff were on their way to full vaccination, safeguarding their health, that of their families, and that of the communities to which they belong. We are grateful to our colleagues, 100% of whom are now proudly and voluntarily vaccinated, and who began the process with far less information than we have now. Then came the 12 and ups. We required these vaccines, though by the time we did so most of these students were happily following the example set by their teachers, thereby allowing us to plan for a more open school experience for these grades. We are so grateful to have our program back in full swing for the 7th - 12th graders. School feels more like school again. Now it is time for our younger students to participate in this effort, safeguarding their health and that of the community (including many of the fours), and in keeping our progressive program going full strength. Thank you, kindergarteners - sixth graders (and parents) for doing your part.  

 

Be well, 

P.S. We recommend that all students receive the flu shot, as well.  These are also widely available, and there is no required spacing between the COVID and flu vaccines.

=========================================

November 4, 2021

 

Dear LREI Community, 

 

I hope that this letter finds you well. It has been terrific to catch up with many of you at the grade level potlucks.  For so many of us, we have not seen each other for over a year and for some, this fall’s gatherings are their first chance to participate in a community activity since coming to LREI.  See you soon, 5th, 6th, and 12th grades!

 

A few items for this week, all Covid-19 related. First a few reminders for all followed by thoughts on the coming decision regarding vaccinations for five - 11 year olds.  

Coughs, Colds and Illness

A reminder that the NYC Department of Health still requires a negative molecular COVID test (PCR, Rapid PCR, Rapid Molecular) for unvaccinated students to return to school if the student has any of the following symptoms (effective Monday 11/8/2021 vaccinated students may submit a provider-performed rapid antigen test, but molecular is preferred):

• Fever (100 F)
• New cough or congestion
• Sore throat
• Loss of taste or smell
• Vomiting or Diarrhea

Some symptoms can allow for a monitoring period before testing. If the following symptoms occur and do not resolve within 24 hours, unvaccinated students must take a molecular COVID test (PCR, Rapid PCR, Rapid Molecular), and vaccinated students must take a provider-performed rapid antigen or molecular PCR test:

• Headache
• Fatigue
• Muscle aches
• Abdominal pain

After experiencing symptoms and obtaining a negative test, students may return to school when they are fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication and have symptom improvement. They must be feeling well enough to succeed in their school day, and they must be able to tolerate masking without frequent breaks for nose blowing or coughing. 

Reminders for Thanksgiving Week, November 22-26  

Schedule

• Lower school and middle school families will have conferences on Monday and Tuesday, November 22 - 23.  
• High School students will have online classes on Monday, November 22 and conferences on Tuesday, November 23.  The principals will send information about online classes.
• Conference sign up information will be sent home soon by the principals. 
• No School -  Wednesday, 11/24 - Friday 11/26

In School Testing

We will be testing 100% of the LREI population (vaccinated and unvaccinated) in the weeks after both Thanksgiving Break and Winter Break. If your student tests positive, they will be required to isolate for 10-days, and any unvaccinated contacts will be required to quarantine for a minimum of 7-days. 

 

To be tested in school, your child must be registered with Enzo Labs. If you have not already done so, you can register your child here.

 

Enzo Labs will bill your insurance for the testing. You can check to see if your insurance is accepted here. If you choose not to test your child in school, you must test independently on your child’s assigned day and submit a molecular test (PCR, rapid PCR, rapid molecular NAAT) to nurses@lrei.org. Please inform the nurses ASAP if you plan on being tested independently.

Travel

• If your child is vaccinated and you plan on traveling, please read the recommendations on the CDC site - wear a mask, wash your hands, stay home and test if you have symptoms.
• If unvaccinated, the CDC recommendations include a test before travel, precautions while at your destination, and a test 3-5 days after you return, and a 7-day self-quarantine.  

A reminder that we are NOT requiring that you report travel plans to LREI and are NOT monitoring your adherence to the CDC guidelines. We ARE asking you to PLEASE consider the impact that your plans could have on the LREI community, among others. Please allow your unvaccinated child to have the 7-day quarantine and required test time prior to returning to school if you choose to travel. Do this knowing that we will NOT be offering remote school after the Thanksgiving or Winter breaks. Please make your plans accordingly, using the nine-day Thanksgiving break (this includes one day of Zoom school for high school students and a conference for all families) and the 16-day Winter Break as guides. 

 

By “travel” we mean, any air or long-distance train travel or traveling by any means to a location with a Covid prevalence of over 35/100k.  Unsure?  Ask via email at nurses@lrei.org.  For the latest stats, click here.

Covid-19 Vaccines for 5 - 11 Year Olds

As you have heard, the Food and Drug Administration has given emergency use authorization to a Covid-19 vaccine for 5-11 year olds and the Centers for Disease Control has endorsed this vaccine and is encouraging parents to have their children vaccinated.  I will be in touch early next week with more specific recommendations from LREI.

 

There are many reasons for 5 - 11 year olds to be vaccinated:

• Vaccinated children will have a decreased likelihood of  Covid-19 infection and will decrease the severity of their illness if they do contract the Covid-19 virus.  
• In most circumstances, fully vaccinated students are not required to quarantine after an in-school COVID exposure, allowing the students to mix more freely, have a more typical academic program, and miss fewer days of school.  Unvaccinated students who are exposed will continue to quarantine and will miss more school.   
• Beginning in the New Year, we will offer activities for which we will require vaccination.  
• I am hopeful that NY State will allow vaccinated students to remove their masks, this year or next.  

There are many other reasons for students to be vaccinated, some having to do with the child’s health, or the health of their family, and others having to do with the health and well-being of both our immediate community and the wider community.  For example, vaccinated children protect those who are unable to be vaccinated.  Also, the more of us who are vaccinated the less likely we are to be challenged by new variants.  

 

As you can imagine, we will have more to say about these vaccines when we communicate what our plans are, which should be within a week.

 

At this time, vaccines can be scheduled with many pediatricians, with the local pharmacies, and at the NYC vaccine sites.  If we are able to arrange for vaccinations on campus, we will let you know.  

 

Vaccination cards should be uploaded to the “Immunization” section in Magnus after both the first and second vaccine. Uploading to this section will not erase any student records.

 

We urge you to vaccinate your child/children ASAP, to protect them and to protect others.  Please speak with your health care providers for answers to your specific questions.  

 

Be well,
Phil

=======================================

August  2021  

Dear LREI Families, 

I hope that this note finds you well and enjoying the summer. If you are anything like me, you are balancing summer fun and summer treats (More watermelon, anyone?), with excitement about our return to school in a few weeks.  

I write with a Covid-19 policies/procedures update. Please be sure to read all of this long email.  The Covid-19 landscape is changing rapidly and we may well adjust these plans in the coming weeks as we have leading up to this letter, as you will see below. As we have seen, NYC has revised its procedures and policies nearly every day for the past few weeks.  

We will base our plans on the range of recommendations/requirements from the CDC and the NYC Department of Health and our various advisors. Clearly, the health of the students and adults in school is at the heart of our decision making as is providing your children the best progressive program possible.  We will, of course, keep you updated throughout the year. 

First, and most importantly, it is our plan to begin school for all, in person, as scheduled, on September 9, 2021. We want to be back in school, together, learning, full time. Next to the health of each member of the community, this is the most important thing.

In order to achieve these dual goals, being in school and keeping everyone healthy, LREI has decided to require that all students who are eligible be vaccinated against Covid-19.  Given the timing of this announcement, we are asking that all students who are eligible receive their first dose no later than September 22 and the second by October 27.  All who turn 12 during the school year must be fully vaccinated within five weeks  of the child’s 12th birthday.  Please submit proof of vaccination via the Magnus portal. At the end of this message I have included instructions for uploading vaccination records to your child’s Magnus account.

Families whose children have documented medical/health reasons or other grounds to claim an exemption should email me (pkassen@lrei.org), CCing Ava Dawson (adawson@lrei.org), the school’s health director, with this request. 

We want to thank those families, the majority of families, who have already had their eligible children vaccinated. 

Updates:  

Return to School Testing - We ask that all students, vaccinated or not, have a negative PCR test prior to returning to school on September 9.  This test should be taken no earlier than Sunday, September 5, 2021.  Please upload the result sheet to your child’s Magnus account by 5:00p.m. on Wednesday September 8. Email nurses@lrei.org if you have difficulty. Rapid antigen tests will not be accepted.

Periodic Testing

We are creating a rotating schedule for all those who are unvaccinated to participate in a periodic testing program.  We will be in touch about the specifics of which tests, how often, etc.   

Masks - Given the current guidance by the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics, we will ask that all students in all grades be masked when in the school buildings during the school day. We will allow students to remove their masks when they are outside during the school day and when eating in classrooms/cafeterias.  We will allow students to remove masks in the building during the school day as soon as the health authorities tell us this is safe.  

Physical Distancing - The required distance between students will be reduced from what it was last year, with the goal of creating classrooms that are active and collegial spaces, while protecting the health of each student.  

Athletics, Vocal / Instrumental Music, Drama Productions, Etc. - We are working hard to find ways to conduct all extracurricular activities and will continue to update you on these efforts.  We hope to hear from the athletic leagues shortly and we are making decisions on how to conduct indoor extracurricular sports safely.  We are also working to create safe opportunities for music, in all forms, to return to LREI.  We so missed hearing the students’ beautiful music.   

Daily Health Surveys (Magnus) - We plan to begin the year without a daily health screening, though this may ultimately be required and we will reinstate the surveys as needed/required. We can forestall reinstating the survey by paying attention to a few common sense precautions - wash our hands, stay home when symptomatic, take common-sense precautions.  

It is essential that families keep their children home when they have any symptoms of Covid-19 or any other communicable disease, for that matter. 

• Vomiting or diarrhea?  Stay home for 24 hours.  
• Fever of over 100℉? Stay home for 24 hours after your child’s temperature returns to normal without medication. 
• A negative PCR will still be required to return to school after experiencing any symptoms, even if vaccinated. We will continue to ask that parents who experience any symptoms of Covid-19 be tested themselves, even if vaccinated.

Travel - The following requirements reflect current travel guidance, these could change. 

 

If you are unvaccinated and are traveling domestically - no quarantine before testing/return is needed.  If unvaccinated and traveling internationally - the CDC continues to recommend a 7-day quarantine with a test on day three - five.  We ask that you follow these recommendations.  

Quarantining - We will continue to require unvaccinated students to quarantine for 10 days if they are exposed to a positive case of Covid-19 in accordance with NYS Department of Health Regulations.  NYS does not allow testing out of quarantine for exposure. As per CDC guidance, vaccinated students who are exposed to COVID will be required to take a PCR test between 3-5 days after exposure, even if asymptomatic. At this time, they will not be required to quarantine pending results. Note that this guidance may change without notice.

Contact Ava Dawson (adawson@lrei.org) immediately if you are informed of exposure outside of school or receive a positive test result.

The divisional principals will communicate division-specific information, as needed.  

Family Visits to the Buildings - We will enter the school year with most parent events happening remotely.  As we can do so safely, we will invite families into the buildings for in-person events and hope to do so for all families a few times in the first part of the year.  We will likely ask for proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid-19 test. Even if vaccinated, we will require masks of all visitors, and ask you not to enter the building if you are having any symptoms of illness. 

For Lower School Families - Families of fours, kindergarteners, and first graders will be able to have one vaccinated adult per day walk their child into the school.  Faith Hunter, Lower School Principal, will be in touch with details. Second, third, and fourth grade families will be able to accompany their children to their classrooms for the first two days of the school year. Again, Faith will be in touch with details. 

Clearly, all of this will depend on the trajectory of the virus. Thank you for your attention to these important matters.  Please remember to submit all required health information ASAP via Magnus.  

For those who have questions, please be in touch via email, though know that over the summer our replies might be a little slower than usual.  We also invite you to join a conversation on Tuesday, August 31, at 6:30p.m., when I will be available, along with several colleagues, to discuss this information and any additional updates.  I will post the Zoom information on the LREI Connect Community Events Calendar.  

The good news for the summer is that the more time we spend outside, the safer we are. Enjoy!

Optimistically yours, 

Phil

=======================================

July 9, 2021

• We strongly encourage all students who are 12-years-old or older to complete their Covid-19 vaccination series. 
• The Covid-19 vaccine no longer needs to be spaced from other routine childhood immunizations.
• The more students who are vaccinated the safer school-life will be for all. 
• Vaccinated students will surely be able to take advantage of all that our program has to offer, participating in athletics with other schools, for example.
• Vaccinated students will not have to quarantine if exposed to a Covid positive person.
• It is possible that we will ask for all unvaccinated students to have periodic Covid tests.  This will possibly be the same for adults when attending in-person events.
• A reminder that vaccinated adults at home further protect students who are yet to be eligible for the vaccine. 

• Student Health Record (data) – please review and revise the information you provided in past years to ensure that it is up-to-date and accurate. This section includes updating your child’s emergency contacts, please make sure that all phone numbers and associations are current.
• Parent Consent to Treat and Consent for Communication – electronic signatures required annually
• Health Policy Confirmation - please review to ensure you understand the health policies of the school. Parent electronic signature required annually. 
• Parent Over-The-Counter Permission – electronic signature required annually
• Immunization Form –  Vaccines are due according to the NYS required schedule. We have emailed families  individually if a child is missing a vaccine required for their rising grade. Per NYS regulations, students will not be permitted to attend school after September 22, 2021 if they are missing any required immunizations.
• Physical Form – CH-205 or equivalent. Physicals are due one year from the date of the physical exam completion (example: Your child’s physical was completed on 10/12/2020, you need to upload a new physical on 10/12/2021).
• Athletic Participation Form- required only if your child will be playing a sport
• Prescription Medication Form- required annually if applicable
• Asthma Action Plan Form- required annually if applicable
• Food Allergy Action Plan Form- required annually if applicable
• Diabetes Action Plan Form- required annually if applicable
• Seizure Action Plan Form- required annually if applicable

• We strongly encourage all students who are 12-years old or older to get a Covid-19 vaccination.  If/when the vaccines become available to students younger than 12, we encourage families to vaccinate these students as well.  
• The Covid-19 vaccine must be spaced at least 2 weeks after and prior to any other vaccines. Please discuss the timing of this with your pediatrician if your child has other vaccines due. This article may be helpful to you. 
• The more students who are vaccinated the safer school-life will be for all. 
• Vaccinated students will be able to take advantage of all that our program has to offer, participate in athletics with other schools and are less likely to have to have periodic Covid tests. 
• It is possible we will ask for all unvaccinated students to have periodic Covid tests.  This will possibly be the same for adults when attending in-person events.
• We are optimistic that younger students will become eligible for the vaccine in the fall.  We encourage families to vaccinate their younger children as soon as possible. 
• A reminder that vaccinated adults at home protect students who are yet to be eligible for the vaccine. 

• We want to have in-person school (for those who are choosing it) on every single day that is safe AND productive to do so. We understand the differences in the experiences of in-person and @home schooling.  We understand the challenges that being home presents for families. We understand how deeply the students want to, need to, be with their schoolmates and teachers. 
• We have a responsibility to keep all people in the community safe and healthy - both children and adults.  
• In making decisions about the two points above, we use our experiences over the past year, we use the guidelines and regulations that we are required to follow, and we make judgment calls at times. We try to have our responses be predictable. That said when we have the opportunity to make a change that will either improve health and well-being or improve the educational experiences of our students we feel it is important to be able to change course. We will continue to do this as the situation evolves and as we learn more.    

Covid-19 Reminders 

Random Sampling Testing

• Thank you to all who have participated in the past few weeks. This program continues to be hugely helpful in helping us to gauge the health of the community. You can view the weekly results here.  (A reminder that these numbers only represent tests conducted at LREI.)
• We will not be conducting any random testing during the week of February 15. Testing will resume on Tuesday, February 23.

Holidays

• There are a number of holidays and celebrations in the coming months - Lunar New Year, Passover, and Easter among them. I encourage you to limit the number of people with whom you observe any holiday/observance and to consider celebrating with your immediate family/household only.  
• We wish all who are observing the Lunar New Year on Friday the very best of Covid careful celebrations.

Presidents Day Weekend

• Monday, February 15 and Tuesday, February 16 -- no classes. 
• We will not be extending this short break nor adding remote days after it.  
• Our expectation is that all students will return to class for a typical Wednesday on February 17.  
• Lower School students will not be able to join a remote group next week unless they are remote already or if they have been excluded due to exposure or illness.  Questions about this? Middle school and high school students MUST connect with their principals ahead of time to inquire about joining remote groups.  
• I strongly suggest you resist the urge to travel over this long weekend.  

Spring Break

• Spring Break runs during the weeks of March 22 and March 29.
• We will be adding a week of remote learning for all students in all grades during the week of April 5, immediately following Spring Break. I am concerned about any travel during Spring Break and do not want to seem to be encouraging it by adding this week. That said, I am being realistic that some will make the decision to travel.
• All families who choose to travel are required to follow the requirements outlined below. 
• As I calculate it, it is nearly impossible to travel for the full break and to return to in-person schooling on time. Please keep this in mind if you choose to travel. You will likely have to return a number of days before the end of the break. Please plan accordingly.  

Return to School After Spring Break

• Spring Break ends on Friday, April 2.
• For the week of April 5 - April 9 we will be operating as LREI@home for ALL grades.
• Onsite Learning Center information will be emailed to families soon.
• Family Conference Days (NEW DATES) 
  • Thursday, April 8 - Lower School and Middle School conferences. High School is in session, remotely. 
  • Friday, April 9 - Conferences for all three divisions. 
• In-person schooling will resume on Monday, April 12.  
• Everyone must have a negative lab-confirmed COVID PCR test to return to school in-person in April.  
• Tests must be taken on or after Saturday, April 3. 
• If you are planning on gathering with anyone outside of your household for Easter (Sunday, April 4) please wait until the fourth day after your gathering to have your child tested. Email results to testresults@lrei.org. You may have to find a rapid lab-confirmed COVID PCR test in order to return on time.
• Test results must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 10 in order to return on Monday, April 12. 
• Students who do not submit a negative test result by 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 10 will not be able to return on April 12 and will not be able to join remotely.  

Travel Guidelines

• Please email nurses@lrei.org with your travel dates. If this protocol is not followed, you will be required to quarantine for 14 days (by the state of NY).
• The nurses will be on break as well. If you do not email your plans by Thursday, March 18, we will not be able to respond with specific guidance until April 5.
• The NYS Travel Advisory applies to anyone traveling outside of NY or the contiguous states (NJ, PA, CT, MA, VT) or to a CDC Level 2, 3 or 4 Country for 24 hours or more.
• Test while traveling, no earlier than 3 days before your return to NYS (may be rapid, saliva or PCR testing).
• Arrive back in NY and quarantine for three full days (travel day does not count as a quarantine day).
• On your fourth day back in NY, test again (MUST be a saliva test or PCR). 
• If traveling internationally, you must quarantine for at least a full 7 days prior to returning to campus AND have a negative test on or after day 4 of quarantine (CDC). 
• If you travel to a destination that is subject to a virus-related travel ban, you will not be able to test out of quarantine and must quarantine for the full 14 days.
• Send both results in the same email, with your travel location and dates to nurses@lrei.org, and wait for clearance to return to school.
• Refer attendance questions to your division's principal.
• NOTE: All household travelers must follow this protocol. If an adult travels without all household members, the adult must quarantine fully away from the rest of the family until their NY test is resulted as negative.

Reminders/Requests

• Please limit gatherings to a small consistent group, if you must have them at all.
• Masks must be worn out-of-doors.
• Children and adults must stay a minimum of six feet apart. 
• You will be considered to be exposed to a person if you were proximate to another person for more than ten minutes, cumulatively. 
• No sleepovers, please.
• Limit adult gatherings, following the same guidelines as listed above for your children.
• And for our older students - the same rules apply.  No small group gatherings or parties.

Be well,

Reminders/Requests 

• Please limit gatherings to a small consistent group, if you must have them at all.
• Masks must be worn out-of-doors.
• Children and adults must stay a minimum of six feet apart. 
• You will be considered to be exposed to a person if you were proximate to another person for more than ten minutes, cumulatively. 
• No sleepovers, please.
• Limit adult gatherings, following the same guidelines as listed above for your children.
• And for our older students - the same rules apply.  No small group gatherings or parties.

Upcoming Breaks/Calendar Updates 

Holidays

Presidents Day Weekend

Spring Break

Everyone must have a negative lab-confirmed COVID PCR test to return to school in-person in April.   See details below.

Return to School After Spring Break

• Spring Break ends on Friday, April 2.
• For the week of April 5-April 9, we will be operating as LREI@home for ALL grades.
• Family Conference Days (NEW DATES) 
  • Thursday, April 8 - Lower School and Middle School conferences.  High School is in session remotely. 
  • Friday, April 9 - Conferences for all three divisions. 
• In-person schooling will resume on Monday, April 12.  
• Everyone must have a negative lab-confirmed COVID PCR test to return to school in-person in April.  Tests must be taken on or after Saturday, April 3. If you are planning on gathering with anyone outside of your household for Easter (Sunday, April 4) please wait until the fourth day after your gathering to have your child tested. Email results to testresults@lrei.org.
• Test results must be submitted by 5:00p.m. on Saturday, April 10 in order to return on April 12. 
• Students who do not submit a negative test result by 5:00p.m. on Saturday, April 10 will not be able to return on April 12 and will not be able to join remotely.  

Travel Guidelines

• If you are planning to travel, please read the protocol below. This protocol is subject to change with little notice.
  • Please email nurses@lrei.org with your travel dates. If this protocol is not followed, you will be required to quarantine for 14 days (by the state of NY).
  • The nurses will be on break as well. If you do not email your plans by Thursday, March 18, we will not be able to respond with specific guidance until April 5.

• The NYS Travel Advisory applies to anyone traveling outside of NY or the contiguous states (NJ, PA, CT, MA, VT) or to a CDC Level 2, 3 or 4 Country for 24 hours or more.
• Test while traveling, no earlier than 3 days before your return to NYS (may be rapid, saliva or PCR testing).
• Arrive back in NY and quarantine for 3 full days (travel day does not count as a quarantine day).
• On your 4th day back in NY, test again (MUST be a saliva test or PCR). 
• If traveling internationally, you must quarantine for at least a full 7 days prior to returning to campus AND have a negative test on or after day 4 of quarantine (CDC). 
• If you travel to a destination that is subject to a virus-related travel ban, you will not be able to test out of quarantine and must quarantine for the full 14 days.
• Send both results in the same email, with your travel location and dates to nurses@lrei.org, and wait for clearance to return to school.
• Refer attendance questions to your division's principal.
• NOTE: All household travelers must follow this protocol. If an adult travels without all household members, the adult must quarantine fully away from the rest of the family until their NY test is resulted as negative. 

• If you traveled outside of NY or a bordering state (NJ, PA, CT, MA, VT), you should have tested three days prior to your return and will need to test four days after your return.
  
• If you were in a large group for Thanksgiving and it included people outside of your immediate household, please test Monday 11/30 or later.
• If you were only with people in your immediate household you can test today or later.
• If you heard from Ava and she asked your child to quarantine, you should test no earlier than December 2.
• All tests must be PCR tests.

• LREI 101 for Parents NEW to Lower School and Middle School ONLY - Wednesday, September 16, 7:00p.m.-8:00p.m.  You will find the Zoom link and password for this gathering on the LREI@home Community Events Calendar on LREI Connect. 
• LREI 101 for Parents NEW to the High School ONLY - Friday, September 18, 9:00a.m.-10:00a.m.   You will find the Zoom link and password for this gathering on the LREI@home Community Events Calendar on LREI Connect. 

• Please remember to fill out the Magnus survey each school day.  
• Review these instructions, if needed.
• Download the Magnus V2 App.
• Sign-in Monday - Friday. (it won’t save your login) and answer all of the questions.
• Still not working?  Click here. 
• Need tech help?  Email help@lrei.org.
• Thank you for sticking with this.
• Children will learn their coronavirus habits from the adults they trust.  We all have to help them to remember to wear masks and keep distanced from each other. 
• When we are in the buildings, we will all wear masks and stay six feet apart.  If we are chatting outside, we will wear masks and stay six feet apart.
• Thank you for understanding that in almost all cases we will not allow parents into the buildings.  
• Please remember to physically distance yourself from others when you are dropping off or picking up at school.
• Students should wear masks when on playdates, even when outside.  Adults who are supervising playdates should wear masks, whether outside or at home, if there are children from another home present.
• Playdates should be restricted to a small number of children at a time and should be only with a small group of children over time.  
• Playdates should be outside when possible and with masks, of course.
• Activities (sports, arts classes, etc.) require mask-wearing, hand washing, and a small, consistent group of children.  If rules of good health and hygiene are not followed, please avoid these activities.  
• Lots of handwashing for everyone.  
• Parents of older students - The guidelines above are not meant only for our younger students.  Substitute “hanging out” for “play date” and it describes our concerns related to older middle school and high school students.  There was a lot of hugging and hand-shaking going on over the past few days as the high school kids were on campus. They have to stop it.  Masks on / hands off, please.  

• If you remain in any country listed as level 2 or 3 on the CDC list or in any state NY has identified as high risk for more than 24 hours you will have to quarantine for 14 days even if during that period you have a negative Covid-19 test.  
• If you have visitors from countries listed as level 2 or 3 on the CDC list or from any state NY has identified as high risk you may not interact with them for the full 14 days of their quarantine to avoid having to quarantine yourself.