Derryfield School Health and Safety Updates

Definitions

List of 2 items.

Close Contact

A close contact is defined as anyone who for more than 15 minutes was within 6 feet of an individual suspected or positive for COVID-19, starting from 24 hours before symptoms onset (for an asymptomatic COVID-19 person, 24 hours before testing). The CDC recommends that anyone who is a close contact wear a mask for 10 days after exposure. If symptoms appear, stay home from school and get tested.
Isolation

Refers to someone who has had a positive COVID-19 test.
The individual will need to stay home from school and isolate for 5 days from the onset of symptoms or their positive test if they are asymptomatic. If symptoms are improving then the individual can return to school and wear a mask for an additional five days.

Key Contacts

Fall 2022 Update

Derryfield is committed to providing and maintaining a healthy and safe environment for students, faculty, and staff each day in order to teach, learn, relate, and work. We know that having students on campus for full-time, in-person learning contributes positively to ensuring an optimal educational experience as well as to nurturing the well-being of our students. In addition, we always have a duty to protect the health and safety of our most vulnerable, which include high-risk students, faculty, staff, and any outside contacts of our community members.

We have been fortunate to partner, since the pandemic began in 2020 with Fusion Cell epidemiologist, Mike Klingshirn, who has offered advice and guidance to our community on topics related to COVID-19 as well as other infectious diseases, including influenza and monkeypox. Our aim has always been to align our policies and protocols with the available scientific studies, so as not to overreact or underreact. The cost of overreacting is the student experience, while the cost of underreacting is community health.

Similar to how we have managed influenza for many years and COVID-19 these past few years, it will be important to lean into good health and hygiene practices, encourage personal responsibility, and adhere to the following health and safety guidelines:

The best strategies we have against all infectious diseases, such as Influenza and COVID-19, are frequent hand washing, coughing/sneezing into your elbow, and staying home when you are sick.
STAY HOME AND GET TESTED for COVID-19 if you are not feeling well and/or experiencing symptoms.
Do not socialize outside of school with people who are symptomatic or have tested positive for COVID-19 and/or the flu.

Virtual Learning

List of 3 items.

Update on Virtual Learning

We are excited to be back on campus and in person in all of our classrooms and extracurriculars. Education research and our own recent experiences tell us that in person, student-centered teaching and learning are more beneficial for social and emotional well-being and meaningful learning. However, there are times when virtual learning will be available.
When is virtual learning appropriate?

When a student has tested Covid positive for COVID-19, must stay home to quarantine per CDC guidelines, but feels well enough to attend classes, we will allow them to participate virtually, connecting via Zoom for “balcony view” observation and listening in. In addition, when a student has been approved for extended medical leave by the Division Head and the Student Support Team and has been approved by medical professionals to connect via Zoom, we will allow them to connect virtually.

In both cases, students will “zoom in” for “balcony view” and listen in. Students should expect that they will only hear what is going on in the class. For consistency and clear communication, students will be required to connect via Zoom to all of their classes (not pick and choose which classes to attend), if they attend school virtually on a given day.
How do we communicate with the school about connecting for “balcony view” or “listening in”?

When a student tests positive for COVID-19, email Brianna Rourke at schoolnurse@derryfield.org; Division Heads Mark Blaisdell and Reina Stimpson will let the advisor and the student’s teachers know that the student will zoom in. Once a student has alerted the school of their health status, they too can email their teachers to request Zooming in. They can also reach out to friends in the class to let the teacher know of their request if the student is having trouble connecting. At times, Zooming in might begin the day following the decision in order for teachers to be notified.

When a student is on approved, extended medical leave, the Division Head will communicate with faculty about making zoom available.

As we move through the fall and into the winter season, we will continue to follow the guidelines from the CDC and the advice of our epidemiology consultant, Mike Klingshirn, at Fusion Cell, and will make modifications to our in-person/virtual policies as needed for health and safety for the community.

FAQs

List of 6 items.

COVID-19 Symptoms
Please keep your child home if they present any of the following symptoms:
- a fever greater than 100.0 F
- cough
- shortness of breath
- new or unexplained congestion
- body aches
- chills
- sore throat
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- headache
- runny nose
- loss of taste or smell
CDC Isolation Guidelines

An individual who tests positive for COVID-19 must stay home from school and isolate for at least 5 days from the onset of symptoms or their positive test if they are asymptomatic. If symptoms are improving after that isolation period the individual may return to school but must wear a mask for an additional 5 days. Brianna Rourke, school nurse, will communicate with families when a student is allowed to return.
Contact Tracing

Contact tracing is not recommended or required by many health officials and experts. Therefore, Derryfield will not conduct contact tracing as we begin the school year.
Mask-optional Policy & Mask Availability
- Derryfield is a mask-optional campus.
- N95 masks are available in the nurse’s office.
- Disposable surgical masks are available in key locations throughout campus.
- Please be respectful of others’ choices to mask.
Vaccinations

We strongly encourage families to stay up-to-date on all vaccines as recommended by their personal healthcare provider.
Reporting Absences Due to Illness

Please contact Andrea Stevenson (Middle School) or Diane Wall (Upper School) as well as Brianna Rourke (School Nurse) via email or phone to report an absence.