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COVID-19

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COVID-19

The Fay School’s COVID-19 Task Force has invested an extraordinary amount of time evaluating our best course of action to remain open to in-person learning. As a school intent on providing your child with authentic and meaningful learning experiences through project-based learning, we have approached the school year with this same framework, using these driving questions:

  • How do we keep our community members safe and healthy?
  • How do we balance the varying perspectives within the community?
  • How do we remain open to 100% in-person learning?
  • How do we take steps to return to more normalcy and sustainability?
We ask that you all remain flexible and patient with us as we navigate the pandemic. These policies and procedures are subject to change, especially as new information and guidance from local, state, and national health officials become available. The Fay School reserves the right to change, modify, or adjust any of these procedures and policies at any time and without notice.

2021-2022 COVID-19 Policy Update Emails

Spaces, Scheduling, and Activities

School Events and Extracurriculars
  • We will aim to pursue in-person group events, gatherings, and activities which include field trips, assemblies, special performances, and school-wide parent gatherings.
  • On February 14, 2022, The Fay School moved to a mask-optional policy while indoors for all students in Kindergarten through Fifth Grade.
  • On February 14, 2022, The Fay School moved to a mask-optional policy while indoors for all Fay employees, parent volunteers, and third-party volunteers who have submitted proof of vaccination.
  • Fay continues to adhere to a mask requirement for students in Primary School and for all adults working with those children until that age group has had the opportunity to vaccinate.
  • Masks may be removed by campus visitors only if the individual is outside and practicing social distancing, alone in a classroom and/or office, or if the campus visitor has submitted proof of vaccination to covid19taskforce@thefayschool.org.
Food
  • Children and Fay employees are required to eat lunch and snacks picnic-style in outdoor spaces when eating with others (covered outdoor spaces if inclement weather). In addition, we have made updates to several outdoor spaces to increase the availability of comfortable outdoor dining.
  • We will continue to partner with Simply Fresh as they offer individually packaged meals in disposable packaging.
  • Having your child bring their own meals is still permitted.

Hygiene Practices

Masks (cloth facemasks)
  • On February 14, 2022, The Fay School moved to a mask-optional policy while indoors for all students in Kindergarten through Fifth Grade. 
  • On February 14, 2022, The Fay School moved to a mask-optional policy while indoors for all Fay employees, parent volunteers, and third-party volunteers who have submitted proof of vaccination.
  • The Fay School will continue to adhere to a mask requirement for students in Primary School and for all adults working with those children until that age group has had the opportunity to vaccinate.
  • As of February 14, 2022, all Fay volunteers, parents, or third-party vendors who will be supervising children while outside are required to wear masks while outside unless they have submitted proof of vaccination to covid19taskforce@thefayschool.org.
  • Masks can be taken off by adults who have not submitted proof of vaccination if the adult is alone in a room and/or office with the door closed.
  • The school will provide an unused mask for every Fay Employee or permitted adult who does not have one.
  • The neck gaiter style of face mask is not permitted.
  • Personalized mask patterns and designs are encouraged for everyone, but neither the pattern nor design should cause disruption. If it does, the school reserves the right to require a less disruptive mask. Masks referencing any politics are not allowed by anyone.
  • Masks should not be placed on children younger than two years old, on anyone who has trouble breathing or is unconscious, or anyone incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
  • The Fay School reserves the right to update this policy at any time and with short notice.
Personal Hygiene
  • We will teach and reinforce hand washing for at least 20 seconds with soap and water and increase monitoring to ensure adherence among students and Fay employees.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol can be used (for Fay employees and older children who can safely use hand sanitizer).
  • We require that Fay Employees and students cover coughs and sneezes with the crook of their arm instead of a tissue.
Cleaning and Disinfection
  • We will clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces within the school daily and between uses.
  • We will ensure the safe and correct use and storage of cleaning and disinfection products, including storing products securely away from children.
  • Cleaning products should not be used near children, and Fay employees should ensure that there is adequate ventilation when using these products to prevent children or themselves from inhaling cleaning product fumes.
Enhanced Ventilation

Sickness and Community Interaction

Navigating Sickness in the School Community
  • Fay employees and students are not permitted at Fay and should notify the school immediately if they or their child becomes sick with COVID-19 symptoms, tests positive for or is diagnosed with COVID-19, or has been exposed to someone with COVID-19 symptoms or a confirmed or suspected case. To notify the school, log in to My Portal, click "Resources," and click "COVID-19 Self Reporting."
  • If Fay learns that a child tests positive for or is diagnosed with COVID-19, then Fay will immediately notify other members in the grade-level cohort of the positive test while maintaining confidentiality in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA).
  • If an employee or student has close contact with someone who tests positive for or is diagnosed with COVID-19, submit the "Self Reporting" form found in the "Resources" section of My Portal, and contact your healthcare provider to navigate the proper next steps.
  • All employees and students who submit the COVID-19 Self Reporting form must follow the CDC’s quarantine guidance AND pass a health screening conducted by a Fay Nurse.
Navigating Sickness if Someone Exhibits COVID-19 Symptoms on Campus
  • We will immediately isolate Fay employees and children with COVID-19 symptoms (such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath, etc.) at school.
  • Individuals who are sick should go home or to a healthcare facility depending on how severe their symptoms are and follow medical guidance for caring for themselves and others who are sick.
  • We will close off areas used by a sick person and not use them until cleaning and disinfecting are completed.
Visitor Policy
  • As of February 14, 2022, The Fay School has implemented a mask-optional policy while indoors for all Fay employees, parent volunteers, and third-party volunteers who have submitted proof of vaccination. While outdoors, volunteers, parents, or vendors who supervise children must wear masks with students unless they have submitted proof of vaccination. Parents can submit proof of vaccination against COVID-19 to covid19taskforce@thefayschool.org.
  • Parents may visit campus by appointment only.
  • We are restricting parents from convenience visits, like eating lunch on our campus with students or stopping in to enjoy the Wolfe Library with your child.

FAQs

What will happen when a positive test for COVID-19 happens within the Fay Family?
  • Once a confirmed COVID-19 case becomes known in a person who has been at the school, Fay will complete the following steps:
    • Fay will notify the grade level that a positive case has been reported. That section will be required to wear masks for ten consecutive days inside, with day 1 being the last day the positive case was on campus.
    • A child who is required to self-quarantine may return to campus once the following conditions have been met:
    • In our weekly Fay Flyer, we will update our community on the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases identified on our campus that week.
    • We will thoroughly clean and disinfect any frequently used areas by the positive individual.
What should I do if my child tests positive for COVID-19?

If you or your child test positive for COVID-19, please log in to My Portal, click "Resources," and fill out the COVID-19 Self Reporting Form. 

If your child tests positive for COVID-19 and has recently spent time on campus, Fay will:

What if a Fay parent or household member tests positive for COVID-19?
  • If a member of your household tests positive, please log in to My Portal and submit a "COVID-19 Self Reporting Form" found in the "Resources" section of My Portal. 
  • If a parent or member of your household tests positive, your child will:
    • Wear a mask around others for ten days, with day one being the day after  the date of your child's confirmed close contact.
    • Test on day 5, if possible, with day one being the day after the date of your child's confirmed close contact.
    • If your child develops symptoms get a test and stay home.
  • A child who is required to self-quarantine may return to campus once the following conditions have been met:
Will you require masks for everyone on campus?
  • Effective February 14, 2022, The Fay School moved to a mask-optional policy while indoors for all students in Kindergarten through Fifth Grade.
  • Effective February 14, 2022, The Fay School moved to a mask-optional policy while indoors for all Fay employees, parent volunteers, and third-party volunteers who have submitted proof of vaccination.
  • The Fay School continues to adhere to a mask requirement for students in Primary School and for all adults working with those children until that age group has had the opportunity to vaccinate.
    • Volunteers, parents, or vendors who supervise children while outside are required to wear masks with students unless they have submitted proof of vaccination to COVID19taskforce@thefayschool.org. 
    • There are only two scenarios where a Fay Employee who has not provided proof of vaccination is not required to be securely wearing a face mask:
      • When alone in an office or classroom with the door closed.
      • When outside and socially distancing.
  • Mask policy outdoors:
    • Masks are optional outdoors for students.
    • Masks are optional outdoors for employees who have submitted proof of vaccination against COVID-19.
Will The Fay School offer any sort of refunds or tuition credits if the school cannot offer In-person Learning for any amount of time?
  • The Fay School will be unable to offer any sort of tuition refunds or credits if the school does not offer in-person learning for any amount of time during the 2021-2022 school year. This is because we are contractually bound to our Fay employees and many third-party vendors. 
Will the school conduct contact tracing in the event of a positive test?
  • No. We will, however, notify the entire grade level that a positive test has occurred (while maintaining the privacy of the individual). We will also notify the entire Fay Family in our weekly Fay Flyer if a positive test(s) has been reported that week.
How often will Fay sanitize classrooms?
  • Cleaning and sanitizing classrooms will happen throughout the day and at varying levels. Each evening, though, our custodial services clean and disinfect all frequently used areas on campus.
  • Adequate ventilation will be assured and frequently touched non-porous surfaces will be cleaned with disinfectant solutions. Cleaning supplies will be stored securely away from children and will never be used near children.
Did the school engage professionals to gather more perspectives and input?
  • Fay has officially formed a consulting partnership with Hamilton Health Box for an additional layer of community safety and protection during this pandemic. In this role, Hamilton Health Box will provide ongoing healthcare consultation to The Fay School to help keep our community healthy and safe. Hamilton Health Box will consult with us to ensure that we have the most up-to-date information to make the healthiest decisions for our Fay Family.
  • Fay has created a Fay's Medical and Community Health Advisory of current parents, healthcare professionals, and alumni parents to counsel Fay's COVID-19 Task Force.
How do I keep up with what Fay is thinking and doing?
  • Each Thursday afternoon, The Fay School emails the Fay Flyer to all families. All school-wide critical information is included in the Fay Flyer. We work to streamline this weekly email for quick reading, providing families with the information they need. We ask that all families read the Fay Flyer to coordinate all institutional needs. Although we work to streamline our communications, please know that should critical information need to be shared with our community, an email will be sent as quickly as possible. 
  • Follow The Fay School on social media!
  • Read Fay's Blog
Are prospective parents allowed on campus for school tours?
  • Conducting individual tours with prospective parents is part of conducting an essential business function. Please know that the majority of each tour is held outside. Also, all tour guests must wear a face mask while indoors. Tours guests are also accompanied by a Fay employee 100% of their time on campus.
The Governor of Texas has mandated that public schools cannot require masks in schools this year so why is The Fay School not following this mandate?
  • The Fay School is an independent school and is not required to follow the governmental orders surrounding operating or educating children. Had we followed the public school system last year, we would have only offered online learning for most of the school year. Our independence is one of our most valuable assets!
The Fay School has communicated that someone in my child’s class has tested positive, is my child required to get a COVID-19 test or to quarantine?
  • No. It is up to the individual family on how to proceed, and The Fay School encourages that you seek the advice of your family’s health care provider.
Why isn’t The Fay School offering online learning this year?
  • Offering a hybrid model is unsustainable for The Fay School, and we want to keep as many children engaged with in-person learning as possible.
When will The Fay School update its policies and procedures to reflect more normalcy?
  • We will continue to monitor the impact of the ongoing pandemic and will communicate steps when appropriate.

 

Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Association of Independent Schools, Harris County Public Health, Fay’s COVID-19 Task Force, Fay's Medical and Community Health Advisory, and insights from heads of school across the world have informed these policies and protocols.

 

 

Fay's COVID-19 Task Force

In March 2020, The Fay School assembled a COVID-19 Task Force as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and state of emergency declared by our local and state authorities. This group of dedicated individuals helps to minimize the unprecedented disruption of learning experienced by our students, families, and faculty. This group is responsible for developing and deploying the necessary resources to meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of our students and parents.  

Fay's Medical and Community Health Advisory

This group of current and alumni parents helps evaluate the policies and procedures to help The Fay School's COVID-19 Task Force meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of our students and parents.

  • Betsy Eason, MD, Pediatrix Medical Group, Neonatologist, Parent of Fifth Grader
  • Adele Houghton, MPH, DrPH Candidate, Biositu LLC, President, Parent of Primary Student and First Grader
  • Tracy Patel Moorjani, MD, Texas Children's Hospital, Medical Director of Pediatric Endocrinology, Parent of Fifth Graders
  • Sogol Pahlavan, ABC Pediatric Clinic, Pediatrician, Alumni Parent
The Fay School
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The Fay School admits students of any race, color, religious, national, or ethnic origin. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious, national, or ethnic origin in the administration of it's educational, admissions or financial aid policies or any other school-administered programs.

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