Health Checks

The school has developed resources to educate parents/guardians and staff members regarding the careful observation of symptoms of COVID-19 and health screening measures that must be conducted each morning before coming to school. The resources include the requirement for any student or staff member with a fever of 100°F or greater and/or symptoms of possible COVID-19 virus infection to not come to school. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) list of Coronavirus symptoms was used to develop these resources. 

St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish School will implement the following practices to conduct mandated health screening.

Students: Currently we are using a manual system to conduct daily health checks (temperature check and questionnaire).  We are exploring an electronic system for the school year where families would complete the health check at home prior to school entry.  

During the week of August 31, 2020 we will hold parent/family orientations to teach families either the electronic or manual systems for health checks.  

All students will have a temperature check prior to school entry and we will have all families complete a daily health questionnaire, whether manual or electronic.  Students will not enter the building until both screens are completed.  In case of inclement weather, we will keep children socially distanced in the school lobby of the main building until the health questionnaire is complete.  

Children who arrive by car:  We are planning for staggered arrival (8:00, 8:15, and 8:30) for our drop off students. While we are still using the manual system, the door greeter will complete the health questionnaire with the parent/guardian and manually take the child’s temperature.  When we implement the online system, temperatures will be recorded at home AND taken manually at school.  The health questionnaire would be submitted electronically.  A daily report will be provided to the door greeters and we will complete the health questionnaire in-person for any parent/guardian who did not complete the online health questionnaire.  

Electronic Health Screen for Children who arrive by bus:  If a child arrives by bus and their parent/guardian has not completed the health questionnaire will wait with the bus greeter until the parent/guardian is contacted and completes the questionnaire.  All bus children will have their temperature taken by the bus greeter

Manual Health Screen for Children who arrive by bus:  Under the manual system, children will be sent home with a daily health questionnaire (developed Summer 2020) with parent completion.  The child will need to show this form to the bus greeter.  If the child or parent/guardian forgot, the child will remain with the bus greeter until the parent/guardian is contacted so the questionnaire may be completed.    Temperatures will be taken for all children who arrive by bus.  

Reports of Daily Health Screen, whether manual or electronic, will be maintained for the duration of the 2020-2021 school year.  

Staff: All staff will be required to complete a daily health screening questionnaire. This screening requires employees to take their own temperature each morning.  The health questionnaire includes questions designed to assess risk of exposure to COVID-19. Failure to achieve clearance with the health questionnaire on a given day will result in an employee not being able to report to work.  Such individuals will be directed to contact their health care provider.

Presentation of Symptoms:  

Staff:  Staff will be instructed to consult their physician when symptoms of COVID-19 present themselves. If testing is warranted for either staff or student, we will follow NYS DOH protocols for isolation and quarantine until a diagnosis is made.  We will engage in distance learning for the student(s) and use our substitute teaching staff for coverage. When testing is conducted, we will send both a written and electronic notification to families within the cohort (and any sibling group) to monitor for symptoms.  If the test comes back with a negative result, we will communicate to families with a written and electronic notification.  If the test is positive, we will notify the Schenectady County Department of Health.  We will coordinate contact tracing with them.  A written and electronic notification will be sent to all affected persons (including specials teachers, administration, AIS teachers).  In the event that a student or staff member is sick or symptomatic, notification to exposed individuals will occur pursuant to the state’s contact tracing protocols as implemented by the Schenectady County Department of Health. The school will not notify the wider community unless specifically directed to do so by local health officials.

Staff will be able to return to work only with clearance by a medical provider.  If staff becomes ill during the day, they must notify either the Principal or Assistant Principal immediately so classroom coverage can be arranged.  Staff should take care to maintain social distancing and use of PPE to protect students.  The School Nurse will also be notified.  If a staff member is too ill to drive themselves home, he/she will wait in the isolation room until a ride can be arranged.

Staff will be able to return to work only with written clearance by a medical provider.  In addition, St. Kateri Parish School will follow the Interim Guidance for Public and Private Employees Returning to Work Following COVID-19 Infection or Exposure released on May 31, 2020.   

Students: If students present symptoms of COVID-19, whether at school or home, the School Nurse will communicate with the family and the family’s physician about the need for COVID-19 testing.  If testing is warranted for either staff or student, we will follow NYS DOH protocols for isolation and quarantine until a diagnosis is made.  We will engage in distance learning for the students.  When testing is conducted, we will send both a written and electronic notification to families within the cohort (and any sibling group) to monitor for symptoms.  If the test comes back with a negative result, we will communicate to families with a written and electronic notification.  If the e is positive, we will notify the Schenectady County Department of Health.  We will coordinate contact tracing with them.  A written and electronic notification will be sent to all effected persons (including specials teachers, administration, AIS teachers).

Students will be able to return to school only with written clearance by a medical provider.   

Mid-day Temperature Screen:  

St. Kateri Parish School will conduct temperature screenings of all students mid-day as a preventative measure.  School personnel will visit each classroom to conduct the temperature screening.