Plan for 2021-22

In 2021-22, Boys' Latin of Philadelphia will return to in-person teaching and learning. The health and safety of our students and staff is our top priority. Our plan addresses this priority and the school's mission: preparing boys for success in college and beyond. Please learn more below.

Overview

The Boys' Latin of Philadelphia Health and Safety Plan serves as our local guidelines for all instructional and non-instructional school reopening activities. As required, our plan is tailored to the unique needs of our school, responsive to feedback from the school community, approved by the school's board of trustees, submitted to the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), and shared with the public via our website.

Our plan was originally approved on July 27, 2021, and revised on the following dates: January 13, 2022, February 2, 2022, March 2, 2022, and April 6, 2022. As required, we will review our plan at least every six months during the period of the school's American Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) grant. The school will also review and update its plan whenever there are significant changes to public health recommendations for K-12 schools. Like the development of the plan, all revisions will be informed by stakeholder input, approved by the board of trustees, submitted to the proper authorities, and shared with the school and broader communities.

Our plan is grounded in best practices to ensure the health and safety of students and employees. To learn more about our plan as of April 6, 2022, review each section below. To download the most recent version of the Boys' Latin of Philadelphia Health and Safety Plan, please click here.

Plan

Face Masks

The school requires the universal, consistent, and correct use of well-fitting face masks with proper filtration to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 through respiratory droplets. A clean reusable or new disposable face mask that completely covers the nose and mouth must be worn during all indoor and outdoor school activities regardless of vaccination status. Gaiters and bandanas are prohibited. Face shields may only be used in addition to a face mask. According to infectious-disease specialists, single-layer cloth masks can block larger droplets carrying the virus but are not as effective in blocking smaller aerosols or particles carrying the virus. Pairing cloth masks with surgical models or wearing a surgical mask or KN95 or N95 is recommended.

Face masks are checked at the point of entry. Face masks are worn at all times in all indoor and outdoor school settings, including school vans, by all students, employees, and visitors. Face masks may only be removed during indoor and outdoor school activities, briefly, while actively eating or drinking at designated locations and times.

One reusable Boys' Latin mask is provided to each student and staff member. Single use surgical masks are available onsite for students, employees, and visitors. A supply of N95 and KN95 masks is also available for employees.

In alignment with the updated guidance for schools released by PDPH on March 2, 2022, face masks as described above will no longer be required, effective March 9, 2022, with the exception of the week following spring break.

Physical Distancing

A physical distance of three feet is maintained between students and other students, and six feet between employees and students and other employees. Visitors to the school are limited and all visitors physically distance from others.

The school maximizes physical distancing to the greatest extent possible. To support this, signs and floor decals are located throughout each school building, serving as visual cues for students, employees, and visitors. The maximum occupancy for safe use in accordance with physical distancing guidelines is posted. In classrooms, desks are forward-facing and three feet apart. Physical distancing is followed in entryways and hallways. Dining Hall occupancy is capped at 75 percent of the maximum occupancy. In settings where physical distancing of three feet cannot be achieved, other mitigation measures - facing the same direction, opening windows, double-masking - are increased.

In alignment with the updated guidance for schools released by PDPH on March 18, 2022, physical distancing as described above is no longer required.

Sanitizing, Disinfecting, and Ventilation

The school teaches and reinforces handwashing and respiratory etiquette. Students, employees, and visitors must wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol is available outside of each classroom and office for use when handwashing is not possible. Extra hand hygiene encouraged especially when infection or germ-spread is likely. Students, employees, and visitors are encouraged to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue when not wearing a mask and immediately wash their hands after blowing their nose, coughing, or sneezing.

Touchless sinks, drinking fountains, and soap, hand sanitizer, and paper towel dispensers are available throughout each school building.

The school expanded its contracted cleaning services to support additional sanitizing and disinfecting. The school facilities are thoroughly sanitized over the summer to prepare for the return to school. Cleaning supplies used meet OSHA and CDC requirements for COVID-19. High-touch areas prioritized during the school day. The school is closed between 6:30PM and 6:30AM to allow for thorough nightly cleaning. Classrooms and offices are equipped with disinfectants.

To improve ventilation, the HVAC system in each school building is enhanced with hospital-grade filters, ultraviolent germicidal irradiation lights, and increased maintenance.

Health Monitoring and Screening

The school abides by, to the maximum extent possible, any contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine requirements issued by local, state, and/or federal authorities.

Prior to departing for school, students, employees, and visitors are expected to complete a self-check for COVID-19 symptoms and stay home when sick or following a suspected or known exposure to COVID-19. The school employs a flexible attendance policy to encourage adherence to this policy. Suspected or known cases are reported to the school. Employees or visitors who develop COVID-19 symptoms while at school are required to leave the school’s property immediately. Students who develop COVID-19 symptoms while at school are isolated immediately and the student’s emergency contact is contacted to retrieve the student from the school isolation space as soon as possible. The school monitors the number of COVID-19 cases among students and employees, the number of students and employees in quarantine, and levels of community transmission.

Students and employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 must isolate for a minimum of 10 days (minimum of 20 days if immunocompromised), which means staying at home and away from others. In the event the positive student or employee was in school during their infectious period, the school identifies and quarantines close contacts. In alignment with the updated guidance for schools released by PDPH on March 18, 2022, individuals who test positive for COVID-19 will now be contacted by the school to identify their close contacts.

Employees and students who meet one of the following parameters do not need to quarantine following a close contact exposure: (1) individuals who are 18 years or older and have received all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses, including booster and additional primary doses for some immunocompromised individuals; (2) individuals who are 5 to 17 years old and have completed their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines; and (3) individuals who had COVID-19 within the last 90 days. Employees and students who meet one of the following parameters must quarantine following a close contact exposure: (1) individuals who are 18 years or older and completed the primary series of recommended vaccine but have not yet received a recommended booster shot when eligible; and (2) individuals who are not vaccinated or have not completed a primary vaccine series. Close contacts who are not vaccinated or not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations may end the 10-day quarantine early if they test after Day 5 and receive negative results, then they may return to school after Day 7. Per the PDPH, a close contact is someone who was within six feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, masked or unmasked.

In alignment with the updated guidance for schools released by PDPH on March 18, 2022, the school has elected to maintain a Test to Stay option for asymptomatic close contacts who are not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations. This means that all exposed students ages five to 11, unvaccinated students ages 12 to 17, and students and employees aged 18 or older who are not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations can elect to participate in regular testing after close contact exposure in order to stay in school. Parents are given the opportunity to allow their student to complete quarantine at home.

In alignment with the updated guidance for schools released by PDPH on March 18, 2022, all individuals who meet one of the following parameters must participate in Mask to Stay following a close contact exposure: (1) individuals who are 18 years or older and have received all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses, including booster and additional primary doses for some immunocompromised individuals; (2) individuals who are five to 17 years old and have completed their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines; and (3) individuals who had COVID-19 within the last 90 days. This means that close contacts would mask to stay in school, ideally with rapid or molecular testing within 48 hours and again on or after Day 5. Masking should be maintained for 10 days after exposure or seven days with a negative test on or after Day 5. All close contacts should mask after an exposure, regardless of vaccination status. All close contacts must monitor themselves for fever and cough, shortness of breath and other COVID-19 symptoms for 10 days after their last exposure to someone with COVID-19.

In the event of a known or suspected exposure to COVID-19 outside of school, student and employees are requested to report the exposure to the school so that the school may identify the appropriate quarantine protocol in alignment with PDPH guidelines for schools.

In alignment with the updated guidance for schools released by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (“PDPH”) on January 19, 2022, a random sample of 10 percent of the school’s unvaccinated population, including employees and students (with the consent of their parents/guardians), will be tested weekly. Per the updated guidance, the school also provides screening testing for students who play indoor sports who are 18 or older but not up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations or who are 5 to 17 and have not completed a fully primary series of vaccination. The school also offers Test-to-Stay, a testing strategy that allows unvaccinated close contacts to remain in school instead of quarantining by testing every other day for seven days after exposure. In alignment with the updated guidance, employees who test positive for COVID-19 will be provided with rapid tests to use on the fifth and sixth days following the test date or symptom onset date. If both tests return negative results, the employee can end isolation early and return to school on Day 6.

Vaccination

Becoming fully vaccinated against COVID-19 is the number one way to protect students and employees and reduce interruptions in learning. Anyone who is eligible should be vaccinated. At this time, Boys' Latin strongly encourages, but does not require, all eligible students and employees to receive all recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses, including booster and additional primary doses for some immunocompromised individuals.

Beginning February 2022, the school will offer vaccination clinics on one or multiple occasions to allow students, employees, families, and community members to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and booster at school.

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