SAFETY FIRST

Our goal is for students, teachers, and staff to be present on the Embry Hills Preschool campus as safely as possible. Because CDC and DPH recommendations and numbers are fluid, we too must remain so.

Given the CDC’s current recommendations, as of March 7, the preschool will be mask optional and the following protocols will remain in effect until further notice: 

• We will continue to communicate openly with families as to positive cases, notifying close and proximate contacts.
• Masking will remain optional unless an individual has a close contact at home who tests positive or a student tests positive themselves. 
• As in the past, if your student tests positive or if someone at home tests positive, the student should stay home for 5 days and then mask for 5 days.  

Health Screening and Infection Control
No teacher, student or staff member should willingly come to campus ill. Anyone who is noticeably ill or becomes so during the school day will be isolated in a room near the front office and sent home immediately.

Daily self-screening:

Prior to school each morning, all parents must assess their student(s), and every teacher and staff member must perform a self-assessment, by answering the question below:  

Does your child have any of the symptoms listed below? If your student has experienced any of the following symptoms in the past 48 hours, do NOT send them to school:

• Fever of 100°F and above 
• Body aches 
• Chills/shaking 
• Nasal congestion or runny nose that differs from your typical seasonal allergies 
• Coughing
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea 
• Fatigue 
• Loss of smell/taste 
• Rash 
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing 
• Sore throat

 *If your EHUMCK student has taken medication to address any of these symptoms, he/she must be medication-free for 48 hours before a return to school can be considered. If your EHUMCK student has a documented preexisting condition (i.e. allergies), you should take that into account as you review the above symptoms. If any of the above are present, your student must STAY HOME. 

What to do if your child has symptoms:

Regardless of testing results, symptoms will always outweigh test results. Individuals showing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 are presumed positive and should follow the 10 days isolation rule. A negative test result does not necessarily mean that an individual does not have COVID-19 and depending upon exposure/symptoms, the individual may still be required to quarantine. 

If your child is experiencing any symptoms associated with COVID-19 or any other illness, your student should not come to school. 

Healthy Hygiene
Teaching, modeling, and reinforcing good health habits on campus is a must. Posters from CDC for hand washing guidelines will serve as visual reminders. Hand sanitizer will be readily available to teachers and staff but safely out of the reach of students. With safe and easy access to soap and water in mind, in-classroom toileting as well as common-area restrooms will have all the supplies necessary to facilitate hand health. New, sturdy stepstools allow students to more readily help themselves. Hands-free soap and paper towel dispensers already in place are added benefits.

Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Ventilation
With Carl Craig leading his custodial team, Embry Hills Preschool classrooms, playgrounds, restrooms and common areas will benefit from the disinfecting procedures successfully executed at Embry Hills UMC. We will have daily, professional cleaning. Teachers and staff have been provided the training and equipment necessary for day-long sanitizing. Most of our preschool classrooms are generously sized and have ample fresh air accessibility while students are indoors.

OUR SCHOOL DAY

1. Carpool
Parents must use carpool for drop-off and pick-up. Parents will not have the option of dropping off and picking up students at the classroom doors.

2. Bags and Lunches
In an effort to streamline each student’s coming and going from the building, book bags will be school-issued. The majority of communication will be via email. Lunches may be packed in regular lunchboxes/bags, but please do not include a water bottle; we will use cups for drinking.

3. Volunteers
We so appreciate our parents, grandparents, and church community, acknowledge the value of their willingness to contribute, and look forward to reinstating their help in the near future!