Reminder: ECS Safety Protocols
Dear ECS Families,
First and foremost, thank you for making the first full week of school a memorable experience. It has been a pleasure to see students learning in classrooms, hear laughter at recess, and witness student creativity. As we settle into the school year, I wanted to send a quick reminder about ECS’s safety policies.
Please note that you can also find all of this information at any time on the ECS COVID-19 Dashboard and Information Center page as well as in the ECS 2021–2022 School Year Protocols at a Glimpse.
Masks
All students and staff must wear a mask inside the building regardless of vaccination status. Masks are not required outside, and students have the opportunity to remove masks for dedicated mask breaks.
Busses and Safety During COVID-19
ECS recognizes and acknowledges that bus transportation at the start of the school year in many cases has not been ideal. While ECS arrived at a solution this year for middle school yellow bus transportation, the bus driver shortage is still having a significant impact on service including longer bus routes and social distancing challenges. If your child is a bus rider and you have the ability and flexibility to transport your student to and from school, please consider doing so to alleviate some pressure from the system.
ECS also encourages families to review all bus safety protocols with students regularly. All students must wear a mask on the bus for the full duration of the ride. When possible, we also recommend that students sit next to an open window. Please follow the steps below to screen your student for symptoms of COVID-19 prior to getting on the bus. Thank you for your commitment to ensuring a safe ride to and from school for all students.
COVID-19 Symptom Checks
While filling out a daily COVID-19 screening form is not required, parents/guardians should still screen their student for symptoms daily. If your student is experiencing the following, please keep them home and contact your building’s nurse:
Your student has a fever of 100.4 or higher.
Your student is taking any medication to treat or reduce fever such as Ibuprofen (i.e. Advil, Motrin) or Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
Your student was in contact (within 6 feet for cumulative 15 minutes over 24 hours) with a confirmed case of Covid 19.
Your student is experiencing fever, cough, shortness of breath, new loss of taste, AND/OR new loss of smell.
Your student is experiencing two or more of these symptoms: sore throat, runny nose/congestion, chills, muscle pain, nausea/vomiting, headache, diarrhea, fatigue.
If a positive COVID-19 case occurs, ECS adheres to the following adapted version of the CDC’s COVID-19 Quarantine Guidance Flowchart K-12 schools.
Travel Advisory
With Labor Day weekend quickly approaching and knowing that several families plan to travel, ECS is dedicated to providing a safe environment upon return to the classroom. ECS has developed a Travel Policy based on vaccination status and whether or not your travel plans are domestic or international. Please keep in mind that ECS will continue to monitor and adjust these plans based on any new information from the CDC and/or state and local public health authorities.
Free COVID-19 Testing
Several organizations offer free COVID-19 testing. If you or your student needs to get a test, please take a moment and review the resources below to find a testing location quickly and close to home.
Thank you for your continued support and frequent review of our policies to ensure the health and safety of our ECS community.
Sincerely,
Amanda Cribbs, EdD
Superintendent
