COVID-19 Action Plan

COVID-19 Action Plan

Dear Parents,

Over the last several days, we have been tracking the updates about the outbreak of the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has reported cases of COVID-19 in 38 different states across the country, including Tennessee. The CDC updates its information about the virus daily; you can access that information here:  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/cases-in-us.html.

We want you to know that the safety and well-being of your child and your family is a top priority. The CDC recommends that all schools, business, and communities take the necessary steps to prepare for any potential threat of COVID-19. The Summit Preparatory Academy is taking this advice very seriously. All of us are keeping up-to-date with the latest information from the CDC as well as from the Tennessee Department of Health, which you can access here: https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov.html.

Summit Prep is also taking steps to ensure that our policies are aligned with the CDC’s suggested preventative measures and procedures. We are implementing the following steps:

Effective Monday, 03/16/20

  1. Every student and teacher entering our center will be checked for a fever. Any student or teacher with a temperature of 100.4 or greater will be denied entry to the classroom on that day. Parents are encouraged to check their child for a fever prior to making the trip to school.
  2. As part of our plan to ensure the health and security of your children, as well as of our teachers and staff, Summit Prep is offering to take the temperatures of parents or guardians of children enrolled in our school, so that you can take appropriate steps to get tested for COVID-19. This is strictly voluntary on your behalf, but we hope you will consider taking us up on the offer. The sooner adults can be tested, the safer our vulnerable populations will be.

Continuing safety procedures

As teachers and educators, we know that children get sick all through the year. As such, our policies and protocols have always implemented the highest standards when it comes to keeping our rooms and building clean and sanitary. In addition to our regular cleaning processes for our classrooms and the items within them, we have also committed to increased frequency of the following:

  • Wiping down doorknobs, light switches, student cubbies, and learning materials
  • Ensuring that all items within each classroom, faculty room, and other rooms in the building are disinfected
  • Shampooing our carpets

Please know that it has ALWAYS been our policy to clean and sterilize our rooms and the items within them. To ensure your children’s safety, we have increased the frequency with which we clean throughout the day, as an added precaution.

We are also pleased to tell you that Summit Prep has purchased hand sanitizer dispensers that will be installed throughout the building within the next week.

The CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) have both encouraged frequent handwashing. We are following the proper handwashing procedures at Summit Prep. This means that we are following the CDC’s suggested steps for 20-seconds of handwashing: Wet, Lather, Scrub, Rinse, Dry. We encourage you to do the same with your children. The following songs all last 20 seconds, and could make the experience both educational AND fun for your kids!

  1. Mary Had a Little Lamb (the first 2 verses)
  2. If You’re Happy and You Know It (try changing “clap your hands” to “wash your hands,” to really reinforce the point!)
  3. Happy Birthday (once slowly, or twice quickly)
  4. Row, Row, Row Your Boat
  5. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Next steps if you think you or your child may have contracted COVID-19

We are reminding all teachers, staff, parents, and others:

  • If you or your child is sick, please stay home/keep your child at home.
  • If your child is experiencing the symptoms of COVID-19 or any illness, please consult with your doctor and then inform the school.
  • If you or a loved one has been in direct contact with anyone with COVID-19 over the past two weeks, we encourage you to please consult with your physician, and then inform the school.

We understand that there is much uncertainty when it comes to COVID-19, and that staying home from work or school may present impositions for people. However, this is a highly contagious virus, and Summit Prep is dedicated to protecting our students, their families, and our staff. By reducing the risk of transmission, we can help reduce the risk of vulnerable populations contracting COVID-19. We hope you will work together with us to help ensure the safety of all.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns. The Summit Preparatory Academy appreciates your assistance.

 

Elizabeth Crain, Director