The CBA COVID task force continues to meet weekly to assess the pandemic. The task force encourages us to increase our efforts to limit transmission while Charleston-area numbers are spiking.
In addition to the multi-layered approach to protecting our children, CBA is now:
- Strongly recommending that children wear a mask/shield when they are not socially distanced indoors
- Requiring teachers to wear masks/shields when they are not socially distanced indoors
- Requiring school visitors (including parents) to wear masks/shields if they enter the building
The task force continues to consider every option in order to limit disease transmission and maximize time in school. If a quarantine does occur, please be ready to seamlessly move to virtual schooling during the seven to ten-day quarantine period.
The most important component of community health is for parents to keep children at home if anyone in the house has been exposed to COVID or is symptomatic. Parents will inform the office if either has taken place. Symptomatic students must have a negative test before reentry. There are home tests that are simple to use.
What CBA is doing to prevent illness at school
- We will continue sending text messages each morning reminding parents to inform the office if either has occurred.
- Facility-wise, we have maximized social distancing by renovating the blue house for 2 classrooms and renting the Armory Park for additional elementary space.
- We will again be limiting visitors into the school.
- We have a dedicated Sanitation team, led by Ms. Lakeisha Perry, who clean and disinfect the facilities throughout the day. At the end of the day, we use the latest electrostatic technology to ionize germs.
- Will continue to run Halo Remo filters within our HVAC system to ionize germs.
- We have structured classes to maximize our outdoor time again this year.
- We will continue to have hand sanitizing stations around our campus as well as mandatory hand sanitizing upon entering the school.
- Parents reinforce at home good hand washing techniques (20 seconds scrubbing all sides and under the fingernails) and coughing/sneezing in the elbow).
What happens if there is a positive case in the school?
- If someone who attended school within the prior 48 hours tests positive for COVID, please text and call Dr. Nathan Johnson directly at 843-804-8232.
- If a child shows symptoms during school, he/she will be taken to an isolation room (supervised by an office worker). Parents will be called and expected to come pick their child up immediately. Please save the school number as a favorite in your phone so that you will always hear our call (843-779-2472).
- After confirming the positive test, the school will conduct contact tracing to identify the people who were exposed for 15+ minutes indoors, which will include anyone who attends the same class.
- The school will contact the teachers, the class, and anyone else who had a close exposure via text message and email and identify the quarantine period. The email will explain how the school will take 24 hours to set up small group Zoom call schedules and create a packet that parents will pick up outside of the front entrance. If the office does not contact your family, then your child did not have a close exposure. Within 48 hours Dr. Johnson will email the CBA community to inform parents of the exposure and steps taken.
- If a student is quarantined due to an exposure outside of school, the school can provide a temporary KOM account that will provide some small group tutoring during the quarantine.
Currently, exposed people can return to class after 7 days if they have a negative COVID test and are asymptomatic. If you choose to not have a COVID test, the student can reenter after 10 days if they are asymptomatic.
