Health And Safety Practices
Updated June 1 2022
The Glen’s Health and Safety Practices are based on the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) guidelines and are in accordance with those developed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for schools and child care centers.
At The Glen, we are cognizant and mindful that there is no vaccine available for a large portion of our student body (60% of our enrollment is less than 5 years of age). Therefore, our mitigation efforts to minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19 remain stringent.
Mask Policy – no changes from April 4, 2022
The CDC recommends universal indoor masking in early childhood education programs and K-12 settings, for all* students (ages 2 years and older), staff, teachers, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. Pennsylvania Department of Health and Human Services (DHS) supports this guideline. Masks are optional outdoors.
The Glen will continue to follow this advice. Additionally, staff and faculty will be expected to model this behavior until students can be vaccinated. Read more about Masks at The Glen here.
Podding
Podding will continue; as The Glen updates mitigation strategies to reduce exposure for students and faculty, podding is viewed as the most effective way to limit exposure within the building and across classrooms.
Increased Sanitation and Cleaning
Children and staff will continue to wash their hands after using the bathroom, before or after using a shared work, before lunch, after lunch, etc.
The Glen has developed an increased schedule for cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces and objects, including works, door handles, bathrooms, sink handles, handrails, etc., per CDC guidelines.
Vaccinations
According to the CDC, achieving high levels of COVID-19 vaccination among eligible students, teachers, staff, and household members is one of the most critical strategies to help schools safely resume full operations. Our COVID-19 Committee strongly agrees with this statement and feels vaccination is also the leading public health prevention strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Glen, however, is required to follow whatever vaccination guidance is set (or not set) by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and/ the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. There is no policy or mandate at this time regarding COVID-19. Until there are additional requirements from these governmental entities, families are welcome to share their child’s vaccination status with the school once they are eligible for the vaccine.
We can not predict what quarantine requirements will look like as this pandemic evolves. Currently, a vaccinated individual, who does not demonstrate symptoms, is not required to quarantine if they have a direct exposure or travel domestically. Thus, a vaccine has the potential to provide your family with greater certainty and flexibility concerning in-person instruction, travel, and childcare. But the school will not decide your child’s vaccination status for you.
Illness and Pick-up Policy
— If your child presents with illness symptoms that are consistent with a COVID-19 illness (see The Glen’s Health Policy, above), you will be contacted.
— Please answer your phone when we call. We typically email for things that can wait, so if we are calling it is important. If you do not pick up or return our call promptly, we will move on to the Emergency Contact persons on your list. We ask that your child is picked up within one hour of the first attempt to contact you.
.– Please ensure your contact information, and your Emergency Contacts’ information, is complete and up to date with the school.
— You must have LOCAL emergency contacts on file with the school, so they are able to pick up your child if you are unable to do so.