COVID MONTHLY CASE REPORT>>
Carondelet Catholic School continues to carefully monitor the ongoing COVID-19 situation. After reviewing the mitigation strategies recommended by the Minnesota Department of Health, the CDC, and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, we have developed the following safe learning plan in response to COVID-19. The primary objective of our Safe learning plan is to keep our students and staff safe, while also providing students with the in-person learning experiences so vital to their development.
Our COVID response team (Paula Leider and Kathryn Martin) will continue to monitor our community and partner with the Minnesota Department of Health to ensure the safest possible learning environment for our students and staff. If case numbers begin to pose a significant threat to our community, or if government agencies enact new mandates, some portions of this plan may change according to the evolving situation.
Carondelet will keep parents informed of changes as they may occur.
Learning Model
All students will learn in-person daily. Carondelet will no longer offer synchronous, live google meet instruction due to shortened quarantine lengths. Students who are quarantined for exposure or positive test results will need to use google classroom to complete assignments or pick up materials at teacher direction.
Mask Policy
Carondelet Catholic School will move to a “mask recommended” status for all students and staff beginning one week after the City of Minneapolis lifts it’s mask mandate, but not before March 7th, 2022. Volunteers and visitors during school hours will continue to be required to mask when on school premises. The school has KN95 masks available for all students and staff who would like to wear an upgraded mask while at school.
Carondelet will use the following metrics to assess the need for a return to required masking:
If a student in a classroom tests positive, all members of the classroom will return to required masking for 5 days following the last day of exposure during including both indoor and outdoor activities, and
If 5% of students in a building test positive over a rolling 7 days, all members of the building will return to required masking for 5 days following the last day of exposure.
If a government agency reinstates a mask mandate, Carondelet will follow that mandate as a member of the broader community.
Carondelet will consider reinstating a mask mandate based on the guidance of CDC and MDH.
Additionally, masks will also be required on busses for after-school transportation, athletics, activities, and field trips.
Effective immediately, masks will no longer be required during outdoor recess or other outdoor activities unless the classroom is required to mask due to exposures.
All students will be physically distanced during lunch and snack time to avoid spread of COVID-19 while unmasked.
Activities and Athletics
Students will be offered a variety of activities and athletics throughout the 2021-2022 school year. COVID-19 mitigation strategies will be developed for each activity to facilitate safe participation and in accordance with MDH’s youth activity guidance. Effective immediately, players participating in an athletic event will no longer be required to wear masks while playing or on the bench. Masks are required for all spectators until the school-wide mandate is lifted. Masks will be required for all bussing to and from events. Updates will be shared with participants as they occur.
Drinking Fountains and Water Bottles
Our drinking fountains will remain closed. However, each campus is equipped with multiple water bottle fillers. All students should bring a water bottle to school daily to ensure proper hydration throughout the day.
Cleaning and Sanitization
Classrooms will be disinfected daily.
Common areas and high-touch areas will be cleaned daily.
Hand sanitizer, facial tissues, gloves and masks will be available for use as needed.
Attendance Policy
Students must stay home if any of the following symptoms are present:
A fever of 100.4 or higher**
A new or worsening cough**
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath**
New loss of taste or smell**
Sore throat
Chills
Severe muscle pain
Severe headaches
Nasal congestion/stuffy or runny nose
Extreme fatigue
Nausea
Diarrhea
Students who are suffering from two or more of the above symptoms or any ONE of the starred (**) symptoms are required to have a PCR COVID test before returning to school. Parents must provide documentation of the result of the PCR test. Parents may also elect to utilize a series of antigen tests to test back into school. The school has antigen tests available if needed. Two negative tests at least 24 hours apart will be necessary for return to school. Both PCR and antigen tests should be reported to the school using a photo or a pdf of the result.
Parents must notify the school by calling the office if their child stays home with any of the above symptoms OR if students have
flu-like symptoms
have tested positive
are awaiting test results
has a known exposure to COVID-19.
Parents must notify the school by emailing covid19@carondelet-mpls.org if their child has an exposure to COVID-19 so that the school can determine when the student is eligible to return to school. Carondelet will determine the length of quarantine based on circumstances of the exposure using the current MDH decision tree.
If students or staff test positive for COVID-19, they will be required to leave school and undergo a quarantine determined by the school according to the current MDH decision tree. Test results should be reported to the school by emailing covid19@carondelet-mpls.org. Parents are asked to work with the school to determine a return date after quarantine.
Students who are not vaccinated and are exposed to COVID-19 will be required to be quarantined for 5 days after their last contact (last day of contact is day zero) with the positive case. Students must have a pcr test on day 3 or later, or 2 negative antigen tests at least 24 hours apart after day 3 post exposure. Students in this situation will be strongly encouraged to wear an N95, KN95, or KF94 mask following return to school.
Vaccinated students are not required to quarantine unless they develop symptoms of COVID-19. If they become symptomatic, they should stay home and seek a test. They can return to school after a negative PCR test, or 2 negative antigen tests at least 24 hours apart.
Students and staff who test positive but have had no symptoms may return to school on Day 6 (onset of symptoms or positive test is day zero) provided they are symptom free (asymptomatic). Symptomatic students will need to isolate for a minimum of 5 full days, and may return to school when they have completed 5 full days of isolation AND are fever free for 24 hours without medication AND other symptoms have improved. Students and staff who are returning after a positive test are required to wear a paper or KN95 or equivalent until they have completed 10 days after their positive test.
Carondelet will notify MDH of each positive diagnosis and track all cases of illness, exposure and quarantines.
Additionally, all other guidance for illness outlined in the parent/student handbook apply for the 2021-2022 school year.
Visitors and Volunteers
Carondelet will restrict visitors and volunteers to essential activities only. However, volunteers are an integral part of our program, so some volunteers will be necessary. Volunteers and visitors will be required to mask while in our buildings during school hours. Volunteers will be HIGHLY encouraged to be fully vaccinated prior to volunteering in our buildings.
COVID Coordinators
Carondelet Administration will serve as the COVID Coordinators. Please direct all questions regarding this plan to Paula Leider.
Flexibility and Cooperation is the Name of the Game
The fluidity of the COVID situation will continue to require our community to be flexible and nimble, adjusting to the ongoing challenges as they occur. Most importantly, keeping our students and staff healthy and safe from COVID-19 requires our entire community to work together as a team. When we all do our part by reporting illness and exposures, keeping our students home when they are ill or have been exposed, encouraging proper hand washing and masking, practicing good habits outside of school and maintaining a positive disposition, our students will have an exceptional year.
My child is ill:
Please do not send your child to school if they are ill. If your child is experiencing any illness, such as congestion, allergies, sore throat, etc., please call the office to report your child’s absence. Please include all information about the symptoms your child is experiencing when leaving a voicemail or talking with Mrs. Phenow or Mrs. Barborak.
My child has two or more less common or one more common symptom of COVID-19:
If your child has two or more less common or one more common symptom of COVID-19, please do not send them to school and keep all siblings home from school as well. Report the illness by calling the office. The office will connect you with the COVID response team, who will help you determine next steps from the school side. Affected students and siblings should remain at home until a PCR COVID test result can be obtained and provided to the school.
If a quarantine is necessary for your child and their siblings, we will gather materials and devices for your child and they may access online class with their teachers for the length of their quarantine.
Quarantine length will be determined using the current MDH decision tree
My child has a known exposure to COVID-19:
If your child has a known exposure to COVID-19, please keep the exposed child home from school. Please call the office or email covid19@carondelet-mpls.org to report the exposure. Siblings may attend school. Please seek out a COVID-19 test and report the result by emailing covid19@carondelet-mpls.org.
The school will work with you to determine the length of quarantine based on the current MDH decision tree.
We will gather materials and devices for your child and they may access online class with their teachers for the length of their quarantine.
Students must stay home if any of the following symptoms are present:
Students who are suffering from two or more of the above symptoms or any ONE of the starred (**) symptoms are required to have a PCR COVID test before returning to to sc school. Parents must provide documentation of the result of the PCR test to Covid19@carondelet-mpls.org.