Back to School Health Protocols: 2022-23
We are looking forward to welcoming our students back to campus in September. The pandemic continues to linger, so we must plan accordingly. Following the 2021-22 school year, we continue to evolve our model in an effort to work toward a more “normal” school experience while maintaining our commitment to community health and safety. As we did last year, we plan to follow CDC and NYSDOH guidance for the 2022-23 school year. That said, there are three significant changes to the protocols this year from last year:
- Families and/or guardians are expected to pick up boarding students who test positive for COVID-19 within 24 hours of testing positive.
- We will no longer isolate or quarantine close contacts; we will only isolate COVID-positive individuals. The CDC no longer recommends isolation for close contacts; we will align ourselves with the CDC on this protocol.
- When COVID-19 community levels reach a high-risk level, when we are repopulating our campus after breaks, or when the community experiences a positive case or outbreak of any other communicable illness, the School will require community members to mask for a period of time. Masks will be optional except during these times.
We look forward to a happy and healthy school year and hope that these evolved measures will keep our community together and healthy. Please review our more detailed protocols outlined on this page.
Protocols for COVID-19 and Other Communicable Illnesses
COVID TESTING
Students should arrive on campus with a negative, over-the-counter rapid antigen test. This negative test result should be dated on the day of arrival (9/10 for international boarders, 9/11 for domestic boarders, and 9/12 for day students).
Repopulating Campus
VACCINATIONS
We strongly encourage all students to receive both doses and any eligible boosters before the school year begins. For those students who cannot access the vaccine at home, we can coordinate for them to receive the vaccine locally upon arrival.
- International students arrive on September 10
- Domestic boarding students arrive on September 11
- Day students register on campus September 12 followed by student orientation
- Orientation, dining, and activities will all take place outside
- We will readminister rapid antigen tests for all community members on Wednesday (9/15) to ensure a clean bill of health
MASKING
All community members will be asked to mask indoors and during transportation until Wednesday, September 15.
Daily Measures
MONITORING
North County School will closely monitor COVID-19 community levels to assess whether additional actions and/or precautions are required to protect the health of the community. When COVID-19 community levels reach a high-risk level or when the community experiences a positive case or outbreak of any other communicable illness, the School will implement additional layers of precaution.
MASKING
Masking will be optional except when:
- We are masking because the regional positivity rate reaches a high-risk level
- Individuals are experiencing cold and flu-like symptoms
- Individuals are close contacts and exposed to COVID-19
- An individual has tested positive for COVID-19
CASE AND EXPOSURE MANAGEMENT
- Individuals experiencing cold or flu-like symptoms will mask for the duration of their symptoms and be tested regularly
- Individuals who are ill will stay out of programming or stay home until cleared by the health office
- All community members with a positive case in their household will be asked to isolate
- Close contacts will mask for 10 days and be tested on day 5
TESTING
NCS holds a limited lab certificate issued by NYSDOH. Rapid antigen tests will be available for all community members on campus at any time and rapid PCR testing will be available for anyone who is symptomatic. All positive test results will be reported to the Essex County Department of Health. NCS will also maintain stores of Strep A and Influenza A/B testing supplies, which will be available for all NCS community members.
COVID-19 on Campus
We learned during the spring of 2022 that operating an extended quarantine space is untenable. Therefore, any boarding student who tests positive for COVID-19 will be expected to leave campus within 24 hours. Families should plan in advance to pick up their student or arrange for a guardian to do so within 24 hours of testing positive.