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Mandarin Academy COVID-19 Guidelines

In anticipation of a full return to in-person classes, Mandarin Academy will put forth and implement the guidelines within this document. Like before, Mandarin Academy continues to follow the guidelines set by the CDC and Santa Clara Health Department. These guidelines are subject to change and will adjust to the changing landscape of COVID-19 accordingly.

Disclaimer

The following guidelines do not constitute legal or medical advice and are not an endorsement of any products or services. These guidelines are a starting point that outlines various precautions and rules in order to ensure a safe reopening of Mandarin Academy’s in-person classes.

Introduction

The health of our students, staff, and parents is Mandarin Academy’s top priority. As stated before, Mandarin Academy has and will continue to follow the guidelines set by the Santa Clara Health Department. COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 schools in California, 2021-22 School Year (2021) California Department of Public Health. https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/K-12-Guidance-2021-22-School-Year.aspx.

Appropriate COVID-19 Test Types

Mandarin Academy requires that COVID-19 tests be the PCR or Rapid Molecular Tests (PCR-like). For any FDA emergency approved test kits, please send an email to jsu@mandarinacademy.org for us to assess the viability of such tests and determine whether the results from these kits will be accepted. Negative results from non-FDA-approved at-home tests or screening will not be accepted as valid results for the purposes of COVID-19 testing in this guideline.

Testing Dates for Staff, Parents, and Students

In an abundance of caution, Mandarin Academy will require the intermittent testing of Staff, Parents, and Students. These results can be uploaded at the following google form https://forms.gle/B5Zxqw8aXFbYLwym7. Any family unit (including the student) or staff that does not submit the result of their test within the 6 days following the listed dates will be required to stay at home until a negative result is submitted. The dates are as follows:

August 25, 2021

September 8, 2021 ; September 22, 2021

October 6, 2021 ; October 20, 2021

November 3, 2021

December 1, 2021

Janurary 5, 2022 ; January 19, 2022

Feburary 9, 2022 ; February 23, 2022

March 9, 2022 ; March 23, 2022

April 20, 2022

May 4, 2022 ; May 25, 2022

Precautions Taken by Mandarin Academy

Staff members are required to follow the guidelines listed below. Please note that these precautions are subject to change and additions may be made in light of any changes in the ongoing pandemic.

Disinfection: Classrooms will be disinfected before and after each class. Staff members are required to spray down high contact surfaces with isopropyl alcohol including counters, cabinets, and writing utensils. Playgrounds will be disinfected before and after each usage. All bathrooms will be disinfected intermittently throughout the day. Door handles and handrails will be wiped down regularly throughout the day.

Social Distancing, Barriers, and School Items: Mandarin Academy will seat students in a manner that provides ample social distance between the students. Each student will have their own clear divider in their seated areas. Furthermore, each student will be provided with their own set of writing utensils, coloring utensils, workbooks, textbooks, etc. There will be no sharing of any of these items amongst the student. Staff members are required to disinfect all writing and coloring utensils before and after class.

Hygiene: Staff members will continue to teach and promote healthy hygiene habits to the students including the usage of hand sanitizer while entering and exiting classrooms.

Temperature Check: Prior to entering the classroom, Staff members will measure their own temperature. Staff members must also check the temperature of each individual student prior to their entrance into the classroom and log the temperatures in the provided spreadsheets. All Staff members are required to report any abnormalities in temperature they measure in both themselves or any students to Mr. Jonathan and Su Lao Shi immediately.

Masks: All Mandarin Academy staff members are required to wear masks while around other staff members or students. Staff members are only allowed to remove face coverings when working alone in an office with closed doors or when eating and drinking. Individuals who are exempt from wearing masks for medical reasons are required to wear a face shield with a cloth drape attached at the bottom to tuck into the individual’s shirt. The masks, as provided by Mandarin Academy, are medical grade and must completely cover the nose and mouth.

Testing: Staff members must undergo a COVID-19 test every other week. The results of these tests must be recorded in the provided spreadsheets.

Contact With Individuals Tested Positive: Staff members must notify Mr. Jonathan and Su Lao Shi if they have come in contact with any individual that has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past two weeks. Said staff members must stay home until a negative test is provided to Mr. Jonathan and Su Lao Shi. If the individual who tested positive is an individual in the same family unit as the staff member, the staff member must quarantine at home until the symptomatic individual has tested negative twice in two separate tests spanning a week. A negative test for the staff member must also be provided

Staff Members Experiencing Symptoms: Any staff member that experiences symptoms of COVID-19 must stay at home and notify Mr. Jonathan and Su Lao Shi. Said staff members must stay at home and may only return following a negative COVID-19 test. The length of the staff members’ quarantine at home will be under the discretion of Mr. Jonathan and Su Lao Shi after assessing all relevant documentation.

Staff Members that Test Positive for COVID-19: Staff members that test positive must contact and report the positive test to the Santa Clara Health Department. Staff members are not permitted to return to work until all the following have occurred:

At least 48 hours have passed since a fever of 100.4 or higher has resolved without the use of fever-reducing medications
COVID-19 Symptoms have subsided
Presentation of a negative COVID-19 test taken two weeks apart.
The staff member has completed 14 days of quarantine following the negative COVID-19 results.

Staff Members back from Overseas Vacation: Staff members that have come back from an overseas vacation must remain at home for 10 days and provide a negative covid test following the 10 days before returning.

COVID-19 Policies for Mandarin Academy Parents

A safe reopening is not possible without the cooperation of all parties. As such, Mandarin Academy asks that parents read and follow the policies listed below. These policies carry the same weight as the rules set out in the student handbook and continuous failures to comply may result in the expulsion of the student.

General Policies

Masks: All parents, irrespective of whether they have received a vaccine, and students are required to wear masks while on campus. Parents must provide students with a mask before coming to school and must provide a spare mask in the student’s bag in the event the student’s mask becomes unwearable. Mandarin Academy will provide a disposable face mask for students who intermittently forget to bring face masks. Nevertheless, please do not take this to mean that Mandarin Academy will provide a mask for students every day. Staff members will call parents if a student continuously fails to arrive at school with a proper face mask. Though surgical masks, otherwise known as spit masks, are preferred, parents unable to obtain such masks may have students use face coverings that are within the following criteria: Masks must have three or more layers of washable, breathable fabric. These masks must completely cover the student’s nose and mouth and fit snugly against the side of their face.

In limited situations where a face mask cannot be used for health reasons, a face shield can be used instead. Parents must notify the school of the reason prior to coming on campus. If a student is using a face shield, a cloth drape must be attached across the bottom and tucked into the shirt or tied around the back of the neck. Face coverings will only be removed during snack and lunchtime.

Temperature Check: Parents are required to check the student’s temperature before coming to school. Students that exhibit a temperature of 100.4 or above must stay home and parents must notify the school. Students must stay at home until at least 24 hours have passed since a fever of 100.4 or higher has resolved without the use of fever-reducing medications along with a negative COVID-19 test.

Social Distancing: Social distancing will be enforced in class and during break times. Due to social distancing, staff members will not come in close contact with students. Mandarin Academy asks for the parent’s help in this department. A big part of teaching is having the students feel comfortable and welcome. However, it may be hard for some to understand why the teachers are not coming close to them and thus they may feel that the teacher doesn’t like them. We would like your help in explaining to the students why social distancing is in place and that the teachers are doing this for the student’s safety. Mandarin Academy’s staff members love each and every student and it hurts us to not be able to interact closely with them too.

Pre-existing Health Conditions: If the student has any pre-existing health issues that would prevent them from complying with the guidelines within the document, parents must notify Mr. Jonathan, Wu Lao Shi, and Su Lao Shi. Mandarin Academy will reach out to the parent so all parties can work out a method to allow students to come back on campus safely.

Allergies: Parents must notify and provide a doctor’s note to Mr. Jonathan, Wu Lao Shi, and Su Lao Shi for students that have allergies that may produce symptoms similar to COVID-19. Examples include allergies to pollen and dust.

Small Disinfecting Wipes: Please prepare a small pack of disinfecting wipes for students in their lunchboxes so that students may clean their hands and the area around them after they eat. Moreover, students will use these wipes to wipe their containers before asking a staff member for help in opening it.

Contact With Individuals Tested Positive: Parents must notify Mr. Jonathan, Wu Lao Shi, and Su Lao Shi if they or the student have come in contact with any individual that has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past two weeks. The student must stay home until a negative test is provided to Mr. Jonathan, Wu Lao Shi, and Su Lao Shi. If the individual who tested positive is an individual in the same family unit as the student, the student must quarantine at home until the symptomatic individual has tested negative twice in two separate tests spanning a week. A negative test for the student must also be presented.

Students Exhibiting COVID-19 Symptoms: Any student that experiences symptoms of COVID-19 must stay at home and notify Mr. Jonathan, Wu Lao Shi, and Su Lao Shi. Said student must stay at home and may only return following a negative COVID-19 test.

Students that Test Positive for COVID-19: Students that test positive must contact and report the positive test to Mr. Jonathan, Wu Lao Shi, and Su Lao Shi. Students are not permitted to return to work until all the following have occurred:

At least 48 hours have passed since a fever of 100.4 or higher has resolved without the use of fever-reducing medications
COVID-19 Symptoms have subsided
Presentation of a negative COVID-19 test taken two weeks apart.
The student has completed 14 days of quarantine following the negative COVID-19 results.

Students back from Overseas Vacation: Students that have come back from an overseas vacation must remain at home for 10 days and provide a negative covid test following the 10 days before returning.

Students that Test Positive for COVID-19

Along with the health and safety of everyone, Mandarin Academy understands the importance of continuous and uninterrupted education. As such, Zoom links will be sent to the parents for the classes. Students may attend class remotely while at home if they wish. ，However, teachers will have recordings of each class that will be compiled and provided to the parents so that students may review them at their own pace. Moreover, teachers will provide parents with an email detailing the assignments and the topics that were completed. Nevertheless, being sick is never enjoyable so please make sure to remind the students that their health is the top priority. Only have students review the topics once they feel they are well enough.

Dropoff & Pickup

Dropoff: Parents may bring the student to the picnic area in front of the classrooms. Once there, the student will walk into the classroom themselves. The teacher will be at the doorway to receive them! If it is raining, you may stop at the handicap parking area and have the student walk under the overhang to the classroom before returning to your vehicle.

Pickup: Parents may wait at the picnic area after school is ending. Please continue to wear your mask and observe the social distancing rules in place. Once school is over, the teacher will open the door and let students out one by one based on the parents they see.

Lunch & Playground Time

Lunch Box: Along with what was outlined in the student handbook, such as no peanut items, please pack an extra bottle of water for students to minimize contact with communal water sources.

Social Distancing: Students are allowed to take off their masks when eating. Snack and lunchtime will take place in Mchattie hall where students will have ample space to sit socially distanced.

Playground Rules: Students must wear masks at all times during playground times due to how difficult it is to ensure social distancing. Staff members will always remind students to keep their masks on and will have hand sanitizer on hand for the students to use before and after playground time. Students that exhibit coughing during playground time will sit on the side until the coughing subsides. If it continues, staff members will notify the parents.

Online Class

In the event that a student or staff member has come to school sick followed by a subsequent positive COVID-19 test, Mandarin Academy will move all classes back online following a one-day break for staff members to get all materials together for parents to take home. Online classes will go on for two weeks. During these two weeks, all staff members and students must undergo a COVID-19 test and report them to Mr. Jonathan, Wu Lao Shi, and Su Lao Shi. Once Mandarin Academy has identified that all individuals are negative following the two weeks, the school will resume in-person.