FALL 2021 COVID PROTOCOLS Posted on August 12, 2021 in From the Head of School, Press Releases Community Update COVID Protocols for Fall 2021 Saint John’s Preparatory School is committed to providing a safe and healthy campus for students, faculty and staff, families, and visitors. Our health and safety protocols seek to reduce the risk of transmission of the COVID-19 virus. We will update and amend these practices and protocols as medical and public health guidance about the disease changes and evolves. We strongly encourage families, faculty, and staff to seek a COVID test if they experience symptoms consistent with the disease. HEALTH SCREENING We will NOT use a daily symptom screener as students come to school each day. However, we request that families continue to pay close attention to their student’s health. Students who do not feel well or are sick should stay home. MASKING The Centers for Disease Control and Minnesota Department of Health, as well as medical professionals in our Prep community, have strongly recommended indoor masking for all people, regardless of vaccination status, in any county where the COVID-19 transmission rate is substantial or high. As we begin the 2021-22 academic year, Stearns County has been identified as having a high transmission rate. We will begin the school year requiring all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (vaccinated and unvaccinated) to wear masks INDOORS as a temporary action. Our mask requirement is consistent with both Saint John’s Abbey and Saint John’s University, which also require indoor masking. Together with the Abbey and University, we will evaluate the mask requirement weekly based on the transmission rate in Stearns County. Masks need not be worn in private offices, in Saint Michael Hall commons areas or residential rooms, while eating, or when outdoors. PROOF OF VACCINATION All vaccinated students must present their vaccination card to Heidi Severson in the Main Office prior to the beginning of the school year on Wednesday, August 25. While we will not collect images of the cards, we will record vaccination status to assist with contact tracing and quarantine requirements. We treat all health information reported to the school, including vaccination records, as confidential in accordance with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) privacy regulations. QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION Unvaccinated students in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 will be required to quarantine for 10 days. Fully vaccinated students in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 may attend school and do not need to quarantine unless they are symptomatic. However, they are encouraged to get tested 3-5 days after their exposure and wear a mask indoors for 10 days following exposure or until they receive a negative test result. Individuals who test positive for COVID-19 will be required to isolate at home or, for boarding students, in their residence hall room, for 10 days. Classroom assignments will be available via Schoology. VISITORS Visitors and volunteers are welcome at school. As in prior years, all visitors and volunteers must check in at the Main Office upon arrival. Visitors and volunteers must wear masks indoors. ACTIVITIES AND ATHLETICS We expect all athletic, club, and academic team competition and practices to occur as scheduled. We will continue to follow guidance of the Minnesota Department of Health and Minnesota State High School League if changes are required.
