Health & Safety Plan

Dear SF Day Community,

The San Francisco Day School administration, faculty, and board of trustees are aligned in our commitment to care for the health and well-being of our community - children and adults alike.  

We remain strategic, flexible, and nimble in our response to this situation as it evolves. This communication, the SF Day Health and Safety Plan, is another important step  toward making the transition to in-person instruction at school following protocols and procedures that mitigate risk. 

The goal of this document, a requirement of the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH), is to map out a safe reopening of in-person instruction at 350 Masonic Avenue. We remain committed to safeguarding the health and well-being of our community - students, families, faculty, staff, and administration. Developed with the protocols issued by SFDPH and CDC, this document is also informed by peer schools and professional organizations such as the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS). This plan reflects our current knowledge and will be updated as new information becomes available. SF Day will continue to keep the community informed as this situation evolves. 

Sincerely,

Dr. Mike Walker
Head of School

Research has determined that exposure risk to COVID-19 is a gradient, rather than an all-or-nothing condition. Science indicates that a person must spend at least 15 minutes, accumulated within a 24-hour period (regardless of face coverings), within 6 feet of someone with COVID-19 to be at risk of infection. Shorter interactions at greater distances are lower risk. Being outside substantially lowers the risk of infection, and universal face coverings decrease the risk further. Other factors include whether the infected person was sneezing or coughing, or doing an activity that produced more respiratory droplets (singing or shouting has been shown to spread COVID-19 efficiently, particularly in enclosed spaces).

SF Day’s Health and Safety Plan is designed to reduce risk according to these parameters. By keeping our students in stable cohorts, minimizing adult interaction, and emphasizing the importance of physical distancing and facial coverings, we can reduce risk of exposure. 

Families play a critical role in this effort. In the interest of our collective health, it is essential that the home-school partnership is strongly aligned in mitigating the risk of exposure to COVID-19 within our communities. Success, both as individual community members and as a full community, depends upon clear expectations, norms, and protocols that must be adhered to in order to preserve our health and safety. 

In order to safely welcome students and adults back to campus, SF Day has established a comprehensive list of measures that include, but are not limited to:

• Implementing a COVID-19 Health and Safety Plan (this document) that adheres to SFDPH and CDPH guidelines.

• Conducting COVID-19 testing of all employees based on local prevalence outlined in Table 2.

• Developing and performing protocols for daily symptom tracking of all students and employees.

• Supporting COVID-19 testing and contact tracing. 

• Regularly cleaning and sanitizing the campus, especially high traffic, high touch areas.

• Training all employees and students on health and safety protocols.

• Hiring a full-time Health Coordinator. 

• Creating a caring and respectful isolation space for any person who may become symptomatic at school.

• Communicating with key constituencies in a prompt, respectful, and legal manner about COVID-19 cases.

• Supporting the mental health and social-emotional well-being of all members of the SF Day community.

At SF Day, actively protecting and caring for one another’s health and well-being is a commitment we all share. The responsible actions of all adults and students, both on and off campus, are vital to our collective success in maintaining a safe and healthy community. 

The home-school partnership will require an even higher level of communication, collaboration, and understanding during this reopening period. As such, we ask that every community member practice the following guidelines: 

• Cooperate with orders and guidelines from state and local health officials.

• Monitor personal and family health by conducting daily personal health  and temperature checks. If experiencing COVID-19 related symptoms, stay home and seek medical attention.

• Follow testing protocols provided by SF Day and stay up-to-date as protocols may change over time.

• Observe healthy hygiene by washing hands often, wearing appropriate face coverings, and avoid touching the face.

• Practice physical distancing and avoid large gatherings and crowded places. Consult the recommendation from SFDPH regarding safer social interactions. 

• Avoid non-essential travel, particularly to locations with known high rates of infection.

• Keep SF Day informed if anyone in your household tests positive for COVID-19 or comes into close contact (less than 6 feet away for more than 15 minutes) with someone who has tested positive.

• Support your child’s (and YOUR) physical and emotional well-being.

• Encourage physical activity and time outside.

• Provide children with the space to share and ask questions.

• Maintain a routine at home for stability.

• Reach out for help. Visit www.sfday.org/healthandsafety for resources.

All community members - families and employees - will be asked to sign their commitment to the SF Day Community Health Pledge.

Family Commitment, Handbook and San Francisco Department of Public Health Risk Acknowledgement Form

The required SFDPH Risk Acknowledgement Form will be sent to each SF Day family, who must sign the form electronically in advance of their student(s) returning to campus. (Website link: https://www.sfday.org/home/sfdph)

At SF Day, we are committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment as expressed in our DEI statement. In seeking to proactively financially support our community members in this extraordinary time, the School established a Community Support Fund in 2020. As we work together to navigate this situation, SF Day will continue to be mindful of equity and inclusion issues as part of our decision-making process. In particular, SF Day has made the following considerations:

• Students who are likely to experience the greatest negative impacts due to a lack of in-person instruction, such as our youngest learners, will be prioritized to return to campus. 

• Shifting students to full-time Connected Learning from in-person learning due to difficulty complying with safety and health plan protocols should be considered only after exhausting efforts to encourage compliance (e.g., face coverings) and careful consideration of the unique circumstances of each individual student.

• COVID-19 is not at all connected to race, ethnicity, or nationality. School staff should be mindful that intimidation or harassment of students based on actual or perceived race, color, national origin, or disability (including the actual disability of being infected with COVID-19 or perception of being infected) may result in a violation of state and federal civil rights laws.

• The School will take immediate and appropriate action to investigate what occurred when responding to reports of harassment. 

• If parents and families believe their child has experienced harassment or intimidation related to the COVID-19 outbreak, they should contact their child’s teacher or grade level administrator.

Families:

Complete the Student Form each morning before school, which now includes temperature as a required entry. 

• NEW! The Student Form is on the SF Day app for your convenience.
• You’re welcome to use your handy Kinsa thermometer or another thermometer to obtain your child’s temperature; you are not required to use the Kinsa app.

Employees:

Complete the Employee Form each morning, regardless of whether you will be on campus, at Rob Hill, or working remotely. 

Everyone entering the School’s campus will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms. The following policies and procedures have been developed: 

Do NOT enter building if:

• You have been diagnosed or tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 10 days.
• You have been in close contact with someone isolating for, or diagnosed with COVID-19, in the last 14 days.
• You’ve had any COVID symptoms within the last 24 hours.
• Any other restrictions required by SF County  

Symptoms & Exposure Screening

• All persons entering the building or campus must complete a symptoms and exposure to COVID-19 screening, including staff, students, parents/caregivers, contractors, visitors, and government officials. Emergency personnel responding to a 9-1-1 call are exempted.

• Screening takes place through a Google Form/QR code and aligns with SFDPH screening questions.

  • Personnel

  • Children

  • Visitors

• Any individual at the School with a temperature of 100.4F or above, or who has COVID-19 symptoms, will not be allowed to enter campus or, if on campus, will be required to leave campus (see protocols in “Testing of Students and Staff” section).

• School security and the school health coordinator will be trained on safe and equitable screening procedures, and will wear provided appropriate PPE. 

Employees:

• On-campus employees will be required to symptom screen daily following the Employee QR code on all entrances.

Visitors, upon entry:

• Answer symptom-screening questions prompted by the visitor QR code.

The School complies with COVID-19 Health Checks at Programs for Children and Youth (student screening) and Asking COVID-19 Screening Questions at Any Business, Organization or Facility (adults).

To mitigate the risk of exposure to COVID-19 on campus, all SF Day students and staff will be required to wear face coverings. The following policies and procedures around face coverings and essential protective gear will apply: 

Students & Face Coverings

All students will provide their own masks consistent with CDC recommendations. In addition:

• All students should bring clean reusable masks to campus each day.

• Masks with one-way valves are not considered adequate facial coverings and will not be permitted. 

• The School will provide disposable face coverings for individuals who have forgotten to bring one.

• All K-8 students will be required to wear a face mask or cloth face covering that covers their nose and mouth while on campus, except when eating or drinking. 

• Student masks should be clearly labeled with the student’s name.

• Students must have a string attached to their masks so it can hang around the student’s neck when removed.

• Students are prohibited from sharing or swapping face masks.

• Teachers and staff must wash and/or sanitize hands prior to assisting students in putting on or adjusting face masks.

• If a student refuses to wear a mask or has other difficulties with wearing a mask, their parent/guardian will be contacted. Teachers will work with the student and family to get the student prepared to consistently wear a mask, a requirement for in-person instruction. 

Adults & Face Coverings

All employees will provide their own masks consistent with CDC recommendations. In addition:

• All employees and students should bring clean reusable masks to campus each day.

• Masks with one-way valves are not considered adequate facial coverings and will not be permitted. 

• The School will provide disposable face coverings for individuals who have forgotten to bring one.

• All adults on campus, including employees and visitors, will be required to wear a face mask or cloth face covering that covers their nose and mouth when in any common or shared space such as a classroom, bathroom, outdoor recreation space, work room, or hallway. 

  • Employees with a documented medical contraindication to a face covering may be allowed to wear a face shield with a cloth drape on the bottom tucked into the shirt.

Overall Face Coverings Guidelines Applicable to All

• Face masks should never be worn when wet. A wet face covering can make it difficult to breathe.

• Face masks should be washed daily.

Other Essential Protective Gear

• Disposable gloves in both child and adult sizes are available to anyone who would like them.

• Face shields will be provided to all adults should they want to wear one in addition to their face covering. Parents/guardians may also provide face shields for children if desired. Face shields will not be used in place of face coverings.

To prevent the spread of infection through physical contact, the following actions are being taken with regard to handwashing and hand sanitization:

• All staff, students, and visitors on campus are required to wash or sanitize their hands at the start of their time on campus, before and after eating, upon entering or reentering a classroom, and before and after using shared equipment.

• Each classroom, instructional space, common area, and bathroom on campus has soap and water or a hand sanitizer station accessible by students and adults.

• Signs encouraging frequent and thorough hand washing and sanitizing have been placed throughout campus. Students and staff should wash their hands for 20 seconds with soap, rubbing thoroughly after application.

• Maintenance personnel will check each bathroom and hand sanitizing station on a frequent, rotating basis (at least three times a day) to ensure stations do not run out of soap, sanitizer, or paper towels.

The required SFDPH Social Distancing Protocol Checklist is posted at all entrances to the School. The checklist is available at www.sfday.org/healthandsafety. The requirements articulated in the checklist are addressed throughout this SF Day Health and Safety Plan.

Students & Learning Spaces

• Students will be separated by 6 feet in the classroom with individual desks, facing the same direction (forward) as much as possible.

• Large tables and furniture have been removed from classrooms in favor of individual workspaces that encourage physical distance.

• Plexiglass desk dividers have been placed on shared tables.

• Teacher desks are a minimum of 6 feet from students in all classrooms and learning spaces.

• Students will sit in the same seats each day. Changes of seating arrangements more often than every 4 weeks will be avoided, unless needed for student safety or well-being.

• Outdoor spaces will be used as much as possible. 

• While at school, all students (K-8) will wear face coverings and follow physical distancing guidelines in indoor or outdoor spaces. 

Students & Music, Sports & Field Trips

• All in-person group singing will be suspended to limit the risk for COVID-19 transmission due to the larger numbers of respiratory droplets singing produces. 

• Physical education (PE) will only be held outdoors and be limited to activities that limit close contact with other students or shared equipment. 

• Interscholastic sports programs and field trips will not take place until further notice.

• All multi-day trips have been cancelled for the year.

Students: Meals & Snacks

• Students will eat meals in their cohort’s classroom or outdoors. When eating, students will sit 6 feet apart in their designated cohort and under the supervision of their teacher.

• When on-campus meal service resumes, meals will be individually boxed and delivered to the classroom or the outdoor eating area. Students will not use self-service buffets.

• When students eat in their classroom, they will wipe their desks after the meal is complete and wash their hands or use hand sanitizer. 

Faculty & Staff

• Employees whose job duties do not require them to work from campus will be encouraged to work from home.

• Employees on campus will maintain 6 feet of space from all individuals as much as possible.

• Employees on campus who do not have individual offices will have socially distanced workspaces.

• Employee meetings will continue to operate in a virtual format, including parent-teacher meetings, staff & faculty meetings, and other group meetings. Exceptions will only occur when in-person meetings are necessary for essential business (facility inspections for example), and social distancing protocols will be followed at all times.

To minimize the number of individuals students and instructional faculty come into contact with while on campus, SF Day has created stable cohorts with fixed membership that stay together. Students are further broken down into sub-groups for all on-campus activities (e.g., instruction, lunch, recess). Cohorts will avoid contact with other groups or individuals who are not part of the cohort.

Cohort Membership

• Stable cohorts will be maintained. Cohorts and sub-groups will remain in designated instructional spaces and have consistent instructional schedules.

  • Cohorts are composed of students in the same grade level. 
  • Students in grades K-5 will stay in stable cohorts of 24 and up to 5 adults. Children will be broken out into sub-groups of 12 or fewer for instructional purposes with a designated space.

  • Students in grades 6-8 will be assigned to grade-level cohorts equivalent to their grade size (up to 52 children) and up to 6 adults. Children will be broken out into sub-groups of 15 or fewer for instructional purposes. 

  • To minimize hallway movement, children will not rotate out of their designated spaces for instructional purposes. Adults will rotate in. 

• Aligned with our DEI statement, cohorts and sub-groups will reflect the diverse and dynamic learning experiences of all SF Day students.   

• The membership of each cohort and sub-group will be communicated to families in advance of students returning to campus.

Cohort Teaching & Learning Experience

• Instructional faculty will work with the same cohort(s) of students to the greatest extent possible in order to prioritize stable and consistent cohorting and reduce cross-cohort mixing. When possible, instructional faculty will also be assigned to a primary sub-group for a stable period of time. 

• Instructional faculty must sign in on the sheets provided at each door before they enter any classroom, and should only enter a classroom that they have been assigned to teach in, except for emergencies.

• Student cross-sub-group interaction will not take place during in-person instructional time.

• Lunch, when reintroduced to the schedule, will take place in sub-groups in assigned instructional spaces or outdoors.

• Use of outdoor spaces will be staggered to limit mixing of sub-groups. In instances where multiple sub-groups must use an outdoor space at the same time, sub-groups will have clearly designated separate areas.

• Larger gatherings will be prohibited and only be done virtually (i.e., school assemblies, performances).

San Francisco Day School is aware the testing guidance for schools may change. We will continue to monitor the SFCDCP website for guidance.  The current practices listed below meet the most recent guidance of the SFDPH as of September 10, 2020.

• Students are required to comply with daily health screenings (see “Health Screenings”) but will not have required asymptomatic testing. Families will be encouraged to contact their pediatrician and seek testing if their student is symptomatic or has had close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case.

• The School will offer community testing events. Families will also be encouraged to participate in asymptomatic testing, including children over the age of 10.

• The School will require all employees who will be returning to campus to test within 14 days of reopening. Employees will be required to submit testing results to the School.

• On-campus employees will be required to test monthly and testing for both students and employees will be prompted to test based on local prevalence outlined in Table 2 or as required per SFDPH guidance, if more frequent than the School’s minimum. . Student testing will be highly encouraged, but not required.

• The School will provide testing options to employees and the broader community. The School’s health coverage (Kaiser or Blue Shield) should cover the cost of testing. If an employee is covered by another carrier that does not cover the cost of testing for individuals in a congregate setting, the School will cover the cost. 

• Employees with symptoms or possible exposure will be asked to be tested. Symptomatic employees with a negative test result may return to work sooner than the 10 day isolation period. Early return to work requires that the employee is no longer symptomatic and is fever free (over 24 hours). Per SFDPH, an additional test does not need to be taken if the 10 day quarantine period is followed.

• Employees must report a positive or inconclusive test result to the School (Jeni or Health Coordinator) within one hour of receiving results, and within 24 hours if negative.

• COVID-19 testing will be provided to employees who had potential COVID-19 exposure in the workplace during their working hours at no cost. 

• Employees must report a positive or inconclusive test result to the School (Jeni or Health Coordinator) within one hour of receiving results, and within 24 hours if negative.

Data, Evaluation and Review

The School’s Health Coordinator will track COVID-19 cases to ensure all protocols are followed. In the interest of public health, the School will also follow these procedures: 

• The School will share anonymous data with the SFDPH or other researchers in order to contribute to and learn more about best practices and protocols for keeping our community safe.

• The Health Coordinator will review daily attendance and the daily anonymous employee and student health screenings to watch for any illness trends. We will keep track of the number of absences and will follow up with anyone calling out sick from work or school.

• Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 will be added to our tracking spreadsheet. The Health Coordinator will clear students to return to campus and enter the data.  

Periodic Workplace Inspections

We will conduct periodic inspections as needed to identify unhealthy conditions, work practices, and work procedures related to COVID-19 and to ensure compliance with our COVID-19 policies and procedures.

Table 2: School Testing Actions for In-Person Instruction, by SF Tier

To ensure safe entrance, egress, and movement within the school, SF Day has reconfigured the campus and implemented a number of measures that will mitigate risk and promote safety precautions:

Visitors

• Campus will be closed to all non-essential visitors, including parents/guardians, until otherwise noted. All work required from outside vendors will be scheduled after normal operation hours or on weekends whenever possible.

Student Cohorting & Recess

• Stable cohorts with fixed membership and smaller sub-groups that stay together for all on-campus activities (e.g., instruction, lunch, recess) in limited and designated locations and specified and designated bathrooms on designated floors (Lower School = 2nd and 3rd floor, Upper School = ground floor), will limit and reduce student movement through hallways.   

• Recess times will be staggered by grade level with designated spaces for each sub-group to prevent the mixing of sub-groups.

Arrival and Dismissal

• Drop off and pick up times will be staggered to decrease density at the entrances and exits of the school and minimize contact. 
• Each cohort will have a specific route to and from their instructional space.
• Markings 6 feet apart will indicate where students should wait to enter the building where adults should wait to pick up students.
• Signage will remind family members to maintain distancing when dropping off or picking up their student.
• Wherever possible, pickup and dropoff will be encouraged without adult departure from vehicles; children will be encouraged to open/close car doors themselves.
• Face coverings are required for adults who are dropping off or picking up children in person outside. 
• Spaces will be marked 6 feet apart for students waiting to enter the building and for adults waiting to pick up students on foot.

Carpools & Shared Rides

• Any carpools must be composed of a stable and consistent group of people. 
• Vehicle windows should be open and outdoor air circulation maximized when feasible. 
• Everyone in the vehicle must wear a face covering.

• Students will eat meals in their cohort’s classroom or outdoors. When eating, students will sit 6 feet apart in their designated cohort and under the supervision of their teacher.

• When on-campus meal service resumes, meals will be individually boxed and delivered to the classroom or the outdoor eating area. Students will not use self-service buffets.

• When students eat in their classroom, they will wipe their desks after the meal is complete and wash their hands or use hand sanitizer. 

To limit and dilute the presence of any infectious respiratory virus, following actions are being taken to increase the intake of fresh air and minimize recirculated air on campus:

• Usage of the ASHRAE guidance and checklists for building and HVAC system readiness.

• Upgrades to all HVAC system filters from MERV 8 to MERV 13, as recommended by ASHRAE.

• Opening of all outside air dampers to 100% to allow the maximum amount of fresh air to be brought into the building from the HVAC systems.

• Thermostats adjustments to maintain a relative humidity level of 40% to 60%. 

• Opening of windows and outside doors to maximize fresh airflow. Windows will still be left substantially open even when the weather gets cooler and wetter.

• Constant operation (24 hours) of HVAC systems during occupied days to maximize air circulation throughout the facility. 

• Installation of air scrubbers (portable filtration system Pred750) with HEPA filters for larger rooms, such as the gym, AEP room, lower and upper music rooms, and cafeteria.

• Installation of portable air cleaners (PACs) in all classrooms, set to maximum settings ensuring a minimum of at least 4 air changes per hour.

• Testing and inspection of all HVAC units by a licensed vendor to ensure all components are operating properly.

Outdoor activities, both on and off campus, will be encouraged to the extent possible as weather conditions permit. 

• Activities will be moved outside as much as possible, especially activities that produce more respiratory droplets such as active exercise.

• Use of outdoor spaces will be staggered to limit mixing of cohorts. In instances where two or more cohorts must use an outdoor space at the same time, cohorts will have separate, clearly designated areas.

• Students may participate in recess, engaging in various socially distanced activities. However, the playground will be temporarily decommissioned.

• While at school, all students will wear face coverings and follow social distancing guidelines in indoor or outdoor spaces.  

• Students will wash/sanitize hands before and after using outdoor space.

Lower School

• During academic blocks, sub-groups and cohorts can opt to use their indoor or designated outdoor spaces for learning.

• Outdoor spaces for lower school include: Masonic Courtyard, Fountain Courtyard, K backyard, and roof.

• K-4 will use the roof space for PE.

Upper School

• Roof will be used for 5th and 6th grade students for PE.

• 7th and 8th grade will have outdoor instructional time at Rob Hill Campground.

Bathrooms, Elevators & Similar Spaces

Occupancy of all bathrooms, elevators, and similar shared spaces will be limited to allow 6 foot distancing.

• Signs with occupancy limits will be posted.

• Floors will be marked with 6 feet markers in places where students congregate or wait in line.

• All students will have designated bathrooms on designated floors (Lower School = 2nd and 3rd floor, Upper School = ground floor).

Lockers

• Use of lockers in hallways has been eliminated.

• Grade K-4 students will have specified individual spaces for their materials.

• Grade 5-8  students will hold personal items at their desk and in their backpacks, or on the back of their chairs. 

Employee Break Rooms/Teacher Work Rooms

• Maximum occupancy will be posted and 6 feet markers will be placed where employees sit or stand.

• Signage will be posted reminding employees to stay 6 feet apart.

• Employees will be asked to eat in their classrooms or designated, physically distanced work spaces.

To ensure a clean and sanitary campus environment for students and staff, the School is following the CDC cleaning and disinfection guidelines. Our protocol includes:  

• Utilizing soap and water, as well as products listed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and in accordance to the CDC guidelines (including storing products securely away from children) use against COVID-19.

• Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces on campus at least three times per day, including door handles, student and staff desks, countertops, phones, keyboards, light switches, handles, toilets, and faucets.

• Supplying each classroom with disinfecting materials and wipes for work areas and tables after use.

• Encouraging the use of personal reusable water bottles; drinking fountains on campus have been decommissioned.

• Sharing of classroom supplies, manipulatives, electronics, sports equipment, clothing, books, games, and other high-touch materials will be limited to the extent possible. Any shared items that are used will be cleaned and disinfected before and after each individual use.

• Storing each student’s supplies and belongings in separate, individually labeled storage spaces. Students in grades 5-8 will not use lockers.  

Frequent disinfection, which was originally thought to be a key safety component, can pose a health risk to children and students due to the use of chemicals and has proven to have limited to no impact on COVID-19 transmission as per the CDC and CADPH. Disinfection with specific products, as stated above, is recommended in the event of a suspected or known COVID-19 case on campus. In addition we will include the following steps:

• Opening windows and using fans to increase air circulation in the areas to be cleaned.

• Waiting and closing off space(s) for 24 hours, or as long as practical, before cleaning and disinfection (1 hour minimum).

• Cleaning and disinfecting of all surfaces in the areas used by the sick person, including electronic equipment like tablets, touch screens, keyboards, and remote controls.

• Signage has been posted throughout the campus reminding staff, students, and parents of the school’s COVID 19 protocols.

• Specific routes will be marked and designated for entry and exit to the campus for each cohort, using as many entrances/exits as feasible.

  • Grades K-4 will each have their own entrance through the Masonic entrance and will not travel via indoor hallways unless they have been designated for their use.

  • Grades 5-8 will each have designated entries, exits, and hallways, and stairways will be made one-directional.  

  • Upper School students will use only the ground floor, gym and roof for classes.

To ensure community awareness and engagement, the following actions are being taken to educate and train students, staff, and families about the School’s plans and procedures:

• Health and Safety training sessions will be conducted with all employees.  Additional sessions will be held with instructional staff, security and maintenance staff focusing on scenario training.

• Families and students will receive the Health and Safety Plan and engage in ongoing education through community meetings, email, and website updates.

• Weekly updates will continue to be sent via The Week Ahead newsletter sent to all parents, staff, teachers, and trustees.

• Community meetings and informational webinars will continue to be hosted by administrators and the COVID-19 Advisory Group.

• Ad-hoc communications will be created and sent by the Communications Office as needed.

Many of our families rely on the Extended Day program for childcare, and we consider this an integral part of our program. We will do our best to provide care, starting with Virtual Learning Support on-campus, as part of the phased reopening of the school, prioritizing care for essential workers.

In collaboration with the SFDPH, the school will determine the individuals and groups within the community who require notification by email. The email communication will:

• State the facts of what we know in clear language, and without violating student and employee privacy.

• Provide any applicable state and local health department recommendations for guardians, faculty, and staff.

• Outline the facts about COVID-19 and how it is transmitted and prevented.

• Provide CDC and SFDPH-recommended practices for mitigating the spread of COVID-19, including but not limited to proper PPE usage, social distancing, hand washing, and staying home when sick.

• Any specific information regarding a scenario outlined in “Protocols in Symptom and Confirmed Case Management.”

We have prepared sample communications for the different scenarios that may occur. SF Day will comply with privacy requirements such as FERPA and HIPAA.

The School will follow the guidance from the document  “What to do when someone has suspected or confirmed COVID 19: Quick Guide for Schools, Childcares, and Programs for Children and Youth” and support SFDPH in the process of contact tracing.

Identification of “close contacts” is important for contact tracing. Close Contacts are individuals identified as a close contact by a health care provider or public health official, or who meet the definition below that you were in contact with during the 48 hours preceding the onset of their symptoms or the date of their positive test result if asymptomatic.

Close contacts include:

• People in your home, and people who take care of you or who you take care of. This includes other family members and caregivers.

• People who stayed within 6 feet of you for more than 15 minutes (accumulated over a 24-hour period), or who had direct contact while they were not wearing a face covering.

• All staff and children in the same cohort.

• People you carpool with, eat with, or socialize with outside of school.

“Contacts of close contacts” are individuals who are one step away from the confirmed positive case. This includes family members of close contacts for example. Contacts of close contacts do not need to quarantine or test, but should symptom track. If the close contact tests positive, then the “contact of the close contact” becomes a close contact and the protocols below should be followed.

The on-campus Health Coordinator is the primary point of contact for SFDPH, and will maintain tracking records in order to submit accurate and comprehensive lists to SFDPH in the event of a confirmed case. 

To enable identification and tracing of contacts, we have adopted these tracking processes:

• Cohort attendance lists.

• Adult classroom sign-in sheets.

• Touchless employee and visitor check-in process captured at campus entrances.

• All files will be stored by the Health Coordinator for contact tracing purposes.

• In the event that there is a confirmed student or employee COVID-19 case, the Health Coordinator will contact SFDPH Schools and Childcare Hub within one business day or less at (628) 217-7499, email Schools-childcaresites@sfdph.org, and provide SFDPH with information, including:

  • The individual’s name, date of birth, and contact information.

  • The last time the individual was on campus.

  • List of close contacts during time on campus, starting from 2 days before onset of symptoms.
• The Health Coordinator will partner with the SFDPH for contact tracing and notification.
• The cohort will transition to Connected Learning with a return date of 10 days from last exposure, unless otherwise advised by SFDPH.

School-wide Closure Protocol

SFDPH will help the school determine if a school-wide closure is required. Current SFDPH guidance:

• Schools with smaller and more contained cohorts are less likely to require school-wide closure.

• Situations with multiple cases in multiple cohorts or cases affecting a significant portion of students and staff are more likely to require school-wide closure.

• School-wide closure also may be appropriate if at least 5 percent of the total number of students, teachers, and staff are cases within a 14-day period, depending on the size and physical layout of the school. 

• School will follow the Action and Communication steps in “Protocols for Symptom and  Confirmed Case Management.”

• School systematically tracks, documents, then archives the case.

  • These records are available to employees with personal identifying information removed.

Parents and employees may access “Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): COVID-19 Contact Tracing at Schools, Childcares, and Programs for Children and Youth” for more information.

• The Health Coordinator, or another staff member if the Health Coordinator is not available, will be contacted to escort the student to the isolation room. 

• The Health Coordinator or administrator will use Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions when caring for sick people.

• The Health Coordinator will contact the student’s parent or guardian for pick-up. 

• Parents and guardians should not enter campus to pick their child up; the student will be sent outside to meet their parent once the parent arrives, unless they are already waiting outside with an adult. Since children with COVID-19 may have been infected by a parent or other adult in their home, the parent may also have COVID-19.

• Parents and guardians will be asked to consult with the child’s pediatrician and seek testing as soon as possible.

Protocols for Facilities Following Symptom Incident

• Alternate locations will be identified and used for classes when regular classrooms are being cleaned or disinfected.

• Windows will be opened in areas used by the symptomatic person to maximize outdoor air circulation. Areas used by the symptomatic person will be closed off as soon as feasible, until the spaces can be cleaned and disinfected.

• Rooms used by symptomatic people will be disinfected  and deep cleaned before they are used again.

The School’s Health Coordinator will track COVID-19 cases to ensure all protocols are followed. In the interest of public health, the School will also follow these procedures: 

• The School will share anonymous data with the SFDPH or other researchers in order to contribute to and learn more about best practices and protocols for keeping our community safe.

• Collective Go participants are given the opportunity to share anonymous testing data with public health offices and researchers. 

• The Health Coordinator will review daily attendance and the daily anonymous employee and student health screenings to watch for any illness trends. We will keep track of the number of absences and will follow up with anyone calling out sick from work or school.

• Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 will be added to our tracking spreadsheet. The Health Coordinator will clear students to return to campus and enter the data.  

• In all communications, the School will not disclose the identity of the person, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act.

• The Symptom Guidance email contains information on how to get tested, and additional guidance, including when they can return to campus.

• The Potential Exposure email and General Exposure Advisory email includes symptom guidance.

• The Close Contact Advisory email contains information on how to get tested, and guidance as to when they can return to campus, usually 10 days after the exposure but can be up to 24 days.

To ensure all students remain engaged in a consistent curriculum, the following actions are being taken to provide simultaneous distance learning for any students who are required to, or elect to, stay home:

• SF Day’s gradual return to campus requires the both on-campus and home-based learning environments through Interconnected Learning. 

• This model enables us to adjust the balance of at-school and at-home instruction as circumstances change and family needs shift. Interconnected Learning bridges the connection between learning environments, preserves instructional continuity, and promotes student wellness by fostering social emotional support and peer connection.

• The Interconnected Learning Model is grounded in a blended learning and teaching approach. This approach leverages technology to facilitate teaching and learning across various areas of inquiry both at home and at school. Blended learning will occur in virtual and in-person, synchronous (same time) and asynchronous (different/flexible time) curriculum.

• The Interconnected Learning Model supports families who choose to have their children learn from home. Teachers will provide curricular overviews and be available to assist students. Additional support tools for learning at home include live video that follows the teacher’s movement within the classroom and facilitates collaborative learning and various hardware and software tools for synchronous learning activities.

San Francisco Day School will follow guidelines from SFDPH about school closure, and will take into consideration the following factors when making a determination about school closure:

• Number of cases in the school, across multiple cohorts

• Number of faculty absences and impact on student-teacher ratios

• CA State and Department of Education guidelines

• Increase of positivity rate in San Francisco

A cohort will pivot to the Interconnected Learning Model if:

• The cohort has been exposed and needs to quarantine.

• There are not enough teachers available to teach in person due to symptoms or exposure.

A Division-wide closure may be appropriate if at least 5 percent of the total number of students, teachers, and staff have positive cases within a 14-day period. 

If the air quality is expected to be between AQI 100-150, the school will proceed with open windows and active air purifiers. If the AQI is expected to reach the red zone (AQI 151 or higher), SF Day will not hold classes on campus. If we need to close school because of air quality concerns, we would announce the decision before the school day begins through the Omnilert/e2Campus system and students would participate in connected learning for the day.

SFDPH guidance states the following: Increasing outdoor air circulation lowers the risk of infection by “diluting” any infectious respiratory virus with outdoor air. Opening windows and adjusting mechanical ventilation systems to maximize outdoor air intake will effectively increase the amount of outdoor air in a room. Although increased filter efficiency may be desirable for other reasons, such as improving indoor air quality near freeways or during wildfires, it is less important than maximizing outdoor air intake for COVID-19.

For students with outdoor instruction at Rob Hill, instruction will shift to Connected Learning if the air quality index is above 150 or there is severe inclement weather (storms, wind, etc.). Students will be notified no later than 7am day of school if outdoor instruction is cancelled.

For inclement weather: drizzle: there will be minimal changes to our protocols - students will likely eat and play outdoors in their raincoats. For heavier drizzle/rain: students will stay indoors for break periods, the windows and doors will remain open, with air filters on, as much as possible.

Cohort Plans

• In grades K-5, each stable cohort will have 24 children and up to 4 adults. Children will be broken out into sub-groups of 12 or fewer for instructional purposes with a designated space.

• Each cohort will be supported by a consistent number of adults.

• Each adult will see that particular cohort for a consistent amount of time each day (see below for more detail).

Some example structures to support this model:

• The lead teacher will support 2 cohorts (max 24 students).

• The fellow teacher (support teacher) will support 2 cohorts (max 24 students).

• The learning specialist will support 2 cohorts in a grade for a stipulated period (eg. 1-2 weeks) before rotating to the other 2 cohorts in a grade.

Sample Schedule

• In an effort to provide the least amount of disruption to the teaching and learning experience, and in preparation should there be a need to shift back to the Connected Learning model, the Lower School reentry schedule will closely mirror that of the Connected Learning (C.L.) 3.0 schedule.

• C.L. 3.0 Schedule → Reentry Schedule: Similarities

  • The morning time (AM) will focus on core academics (English Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies) with the core academic instructional team (lead teacher, teaching fellow, learning specialist).

  • The afternoon time (PM) will focus on extension and enrichment (Spanish, Music, Library, Wellness, Math Lab, Science Lab, Innovation, Art, PE) with the Specials teachers.

    • Weekly specials teachers - teachers who see all LS students (K-4) once a week

    • Long specials teachers - teachers who see one grade for two consecutive weeks.

Note: This is a sample schedule for a lower school student. Each class will be sub-divided into two cohorts; A & B. Example: KG-A/KG-B and KW-A/KW-B. Time blocks are not to scale. 

Cohort Plans for Grades 5 & 6:

• Students in the 5th grade will be divided into stable cohorts of 24 children and up to 4 adults. Children will be broken out into sub-groups with no more than 12 students for instructional purposes with a designated space. Each cohort will be facilitated by a Lead Teacher and Teaching Fellow using both in-person and online learning.  Language, art, electives, and music practice will be taught through our Connected Learning model to limit the number of adults interacting with students. PE will be in-person as much as possible, utilizing outdoor spaces.  

• Students in the 6th grade will be on campus two times a week. Students will be assigned to grade-level cohorts, which will be broken out into sub-groups of 15 or fewer for instructional purposes.

• Adults will limit cross-cohort contact with students. Language, music practice, and art will remain virtual. PE, and when possible, athletic activities, will happen outdoors extending into after-school opportunities when possible.

Cohort Plans for Grades 7 & 8:

• Students in grades 7 and 8 will meet in person once a week, with a goal of increasing this to two times per week as conditions improve. Students will remain in their grade-level cohorts, and ABC and G/W sub-groups with no more than 15 students per sub-group. Language, music practice, and art will occur virtually.  Outdoor activities and opportunities for students to see and connect with peers will be emphasized.  

• On days that 7th or 8th grade students are on campus, sub-groups will remain in designated classrooms and learning spaces to limit cross-contact and to maintain a lower number of students on campus.  7th and 8th graders will have both in-person and Connected Learning classes. Faculty will limit the cross-cohort contact.

Sample Schedule 

Note: This is a sample schedule for a 5th grade student and is subject to change. Time blocks are not to scale. 

WEEK 1

WEEK 2

With approval from SFDPH, SF Day has begun a phased approach to ensure a safe return to campus. Concurrently, SF Day will continue to explore the use of outdoor spaces for in-person instruction as well.