COVID-19

Prospect Heights Academy is dedicated to providing a safe and healthy environment for our families and communities. The following mandatory protocols are in place to ensure the safety of all students, staff and family members in addressing COVID-19, in addition to our existing stringent health and safety policies and procedures.

PHYSICAL DISTANCING

• Facial coverings are required for all staff, students, consultants and visitors
• Employee and children groupings are as static as possible by having the same group of children with the same staff whenever and wherever possible. Group size must be limited to no more than 15 children (not including employees).
• Different stable groups of up to 15 children will have minimal contact with one another or utilize common spaces at the same time, to the greatest extent possible.
• Adequate social distancing will be maintained adequately in small areas, such as restrooms and break rooms, and signage and systems (e.g. flagging when occupied) to restrict occupancy when social distancing cannot be maintained in such areas.
• Classroom space is reconfigured to limit overall density of rooms to 15 or fewer children.
• Non-essential visitors on site are prohibited.
• Drop-off and pick up times are staggered to minimize the contact between families.
• Parents/guardians are not permitted to spend an excessive amount of time in the child care facility.
• Parents/guardians will only be permitted to drop off child at front entrance to maintain social distancing.
• Designated areas are established for pick ups and deliveries, limiting contact to the extent possible.
• In-person gatherings of employees (e.g. breaks, meetings) are limited to the greatest extent possible.

PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

• Employees are required to wear face coverings any time they are less than 6 ft. apart from one another, and at all times when interacting with children, regardless of distance.
• Employees are provided with an acceptable face covering at no cost to the employees and have an adequate supply of coverings in case of need for replacement.
• Acceptable face coverings include but are not limited to cloth (e.g. homemade sewn, quick cut, bandana) or surgical masks.
• Face coverings will be cleaned, replaced and are prohibited from being shared.
• Face shields are used in addition to masks when in close proximity of children. 
• Employees have been trained how to put on, take off, clean (as applicable), and discard PPE.
• Parents must wear face coverings during drop off and pick up of their children while inside the facility.
• Sharing of objects (e.g. electronic equipment, arts and crafts materials, touch screens) and surfaces is limited; when in contact with shared objects or frequently touched areas, employees are required to wear gloves (trade appropriate or medical). Employees and children are required to practice hand hygiene (i.e. hand washing)

ACTIVITIES Gross Motor Activity 

• Stable groups of children will be separated as feasible.
• Focus will be on activities that promote limited physical contact between children and shared equipment.
• Circle time area will be conducted with feasible distance between children.

ENHANCED CLEANING PROTOCOLS 

• Shared equipment is sanitized thoroughly before and after a child or employee comes in contact with the equipment.

FOOD SERVICES

• Individual portions of food is served to children.
• Stable groups of children are separated as feasible.
• Tables with seating are separated at least 6 ft. apart from other tables, as feasible.

HYGIENE, CLEANING AND DISINFECTION

• Hand washing station located at entrance of building/ lobby area to be use by all visitors,children and staff.
  In adherence to hygiene, cleaning, and disinfection requirements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Department of Health (DOH), logs are maintained on site that document date, time, and scope of cleaning and disinfection.
• Hand hygiene stations are provided and maintained: hand washing with soap, running warm water, and disposable paper towels; alcohol based hand sanitizer containing 60% or more alcohol for areas where hand washing is not available/practical.
• Hand sanitizer is available throughout common areas in the facility and classrooms.
• Employees and children are required to practice hygiene in the following instances: – Immediately upon arrival to the center; – After using the restroom; – Before eating.
• Appropriate cleaning /disinfection supplies are readily available for shared and frequently touched surfaces (e.g. door handles, multi seat strollers, toys, art supplies, areas where children eat), and employees must use these supplies before/after use of these surfaces, followed by hand hygiene.
• Equipment and toys are regularly cleaned and disinfected.
• Children are limited from using toys that cannot be cleaned/sanitized (e.g. dress up clothes, puppets, plush toys).
• Rest periods for children will have individual clean bed coverings as provided by parents/guardians and are prohibited from being shared. Cots are clearly labeled with each child’s name and are prohibited from being shared. Cots will be safely cleaned before and after use.
• Additional measures: – Frequent and thorough hand hygiene for both staff and children. – Whenever a child is soiled with secretions, the child’s clothes will be changed and the child will be cleaned as needed. – When diapering/providing assistance with toileting, staff must wear gloves, wash hands (staff and child), and follow with cleaning and disinfection.

DEEP NIGHTLY CLEANING 

•  In addition to all other measures, we use a state of the art ionic sanitizing solution fogger system which reaches behind, between and around furniture, equipment and all areas within the classroom.

COMMUNICATION

• All staff are required to receive training on applicable precautions/policies in the State’s guidance either remotely or in person, using appropriate social distancing and required face coverings for all participants.
• Signage is posted inside and outside of the facility to remind individuals to adhere to proper hygiene, social distancing rules, appropriate use of PPE, and cleaning and disinfecting protocols.

SCREENING

• All staff and children will be screened with a temperature check upon arrival at the center. Additional temperature checks will be conducted as needed throughout the day.
• Staff are instructed to stay home if they are sick and parents/guardians are required to keep sick children home.
• Employees and families are required to complete a daily screening survey in addition to the temperature check. Screening will ask about (1) COVID 19 symptoms in past 14 days, (2) positive COVID 19 test in past 14 days, and/or (3) close or proximate contact with confirmed or suspected COVID 19 case in past 14 days. Responses must be reviewed and documented daily.
• In the event that a parent/guardian of a child must be isolated because they have tested positive for, or exhibited symptoms of, COVID 19, the parent/guardian must be advised that they cannot enter the site for any reason, including picking up their child.
• If the parent/guardian who is a member of the same household as the child is exhibiting signs of COVID 19 or has been tested and is positive for the virus, an emergency contact authorized by the parent must be utilized to come pick up the child. As a “close contact,” the child must not return to the child care center for the duration of the quarantine.
• If the parent/guardian who is the a member of the same household as the child is being quarantined as a precautionary measure, without symptoms or a positive test, a staff member will walk out or deliver the child to the parent/guardian at the boundary of, or outside, the premises . As a “contact of a contact” the child may return to the child care during the duration of the quarantine.
• If a child or their household member becomes symptomatic for COVID 19 and/or tests positive, the child must quarantine and may not return or attend the child care program until after quarantine is complete.