Any student, faculty, or staff who exhibits one or more COVID-19 like symptoms (as listed below) in a way that is not normal for them must stay at home and notify Stuart or their supervisor and follow the instructions for when you can return to school.

• Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit  
• New loss of taste or smell  
• Cough 
• Difficulty breathing  
• Shortness of breath  
• Headache  
• Fatigue
• Sore throat  
• Shaking or exaggerated shivering/chills 
• Significant muscle pain or ache 
• Stomach ache and/or diarrhea
• Red eyes
• Skin rash
• Red palms/soles  

** While the above are known symptoms, it has been found that many children and some adults are asymptomatic and still testing positive. 

Contact tracing is a strategy used to determine the source of an infection and how it is spreading. As with any other communicable disease outbreak, Stuart will assist in identifying the close contacts within the school and communicate this information back to the local health department.

In the K–12 indoor classroom setting, the close contact definition excludes students who were within 3 to 6 feet of an infected student where both the infected student and the exposed student(s) correctly and consistently wore well-fitting masks the entire time. 

If a vaccinated student is a close contact of someone with COVID-19, they do not need to quarantine but should get tested 3-5 days after the date of exposure and wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days after exposure or until a negative test result. 

We will support families who wish to quarantine until a negative test result is received. Please contact your division head and school nurse if you are determined to be a close contact. 
 

Requests for remote learning will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Students who do not receive permission from their division heads will not have an approved absence. 

As a general guideline, students who are COVID positive or who have been identified by the school as a close contact, will be offered a remote learning option. Families should discuss remote learning with their division head. 

Testing of vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals is at the discretion of the Athletic Director, School Nurse or Head of School.

If you’ve been fully vaccinated:

• You can resume activities that you did prior to the pandemic.
• To reduce the risk of being infected with the Delta variant and possibly spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission.
• You might choose to wear a mask regardless of the level of transmission if you have a weakened immune system or if, because of your age or an underlying medical condition, you are at increased risk for severe disease, or if a member of your household has a weakened immune system, is at increased risk for severe disease, or is unvaccinated.
• If you travel in the United States, you do not need to get tested before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel.
• You need to pay close attention to the situation at your international destination before traveling outside the United States.
  • You do NOT need to get tested before leaving the United States unless your destination requires it.
  • You still need to show a negative test result or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before boarding an international flight to the United States.
  • You should still get tested 3-5 days after international travel.
  • You do NOT need to self-quarantine after arriving in the United States.
• If you’ve had close contact with someone who has COVID-19, you should get tested 3-5 days after your exposure, even if you don’t have symptoms. You should also wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until your test result is negative. You should isolate for 10 days if your test result is positive.

Click here for more guidance on fully vaccinated individuals from the CDC.

If you have COVID compatible symptoms it is recommended that you contact your Healthcare Provider to discuss to be tested for COVID-19 as soon as possible.

If you are determined to be a Close Contact and have no symptoms you should wait to schedule an appointment for a COVID-19 test to be performed 5-7 full days after the last day of contact with the COVID-19 positive individual.

* Quarantine duration is dependent upon the infection rate as determined by the NJDOH. The categorization (low, moderate, high risk) is monitored by the state and local public health office and subject to change on a regular basis. 

COVID-19 Quarantine Time Frame for Persons Who Have COVID-19 Compatible Symptoms or Who Test Positive for COVID-19:

• Ill individuals with COVID-19 compatible symptoms who have not been tested or individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 should stay home until at least 10 days have passed since symptom onset and at least 24 hours have passed after resolution of fever without fever reducing medications and improvement in symptoms.
• Persons who test positive for COVID-19 but who are asymptomatic should stay home for 10 days from the positive test result.
• An alternate diagnosis (including a positive strep test or influenza swab) without a negative COVID-19 test is not acceptable for individuals who meet COVID-19 quarantine time frame to return to school earlier than the timeframes above.  

Regardless of vaccination status, if a student or staff experiences COVID-compatible symptoms, they should isolate themselves from others, be clinically evaluated for COVID-19, and tested for SARS-CoV-2.  

Quarantined individuals who are close contacts of staff or students who tested positive for COVID-19 may be considered for a reduced time frame based on community transmission levels.

IF YOU HAVE BEEN DETERMINED TO BE A CLOSE CONTACT: 
You will need to quarantine based on the local infection rate.

IF YOU HAD COVID WITHIN THE PAST 3 MONTHS:
You do not need to quarantine. 

FULLY VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS:
If you are fully vaccinated, you do not need to quarantine. See definition in the fully vaccinated section. 

Please, email the COVID-19 test results to Tine Boss, School Nurse, nurse@stuartschool.org before sending your child back to school.

Immediate Action - Regardless of vaccination status: Staff/student will be provided with a surgical mask to wear. The nurse will evaluate the individual who will then go to the Isolation Room and wait for being picked up asap. If capable, the staff will leave the building immediately and go home.

Please refer to the NJ Department of Health of up-to-date travel guidance. 

Immediate Action: 

Close off area/s used by the individual. After 24 hours, or as long as possible, we will clean/disinfect the area/s.

Stuart will notify all faculty, staff, and parents via email if a lab-confirmed COVID-19 case is identified among anyone on campus. Additionally, Stuart must notify the Princeton Health Department, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations, including confidentiality requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

*A determination about closing campus and length of quarantine will be made based on the extent of the exposure and outbreak. Source: NJ Department of Health

By state law, it is required that all children between the ages of 6 - 59 months must receive the influenza vaccination annually. Parents/guardians of children this age must submit proof of vaccination by uploading the immunization record to your child’s Magnus account (Immunization section) as soon as the child has received the vaccination - at the latest December 1. Lack of compliance will result in exclusion from school. If your child does not receive the vaccination due to medical or religious reasons, a medical exemption notice must be written by the pediatrician.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (though not required) that EVERYONE (any child older than 59 months and all adults) receives a flu vaccination for the 2020-21 season.

Getting a flu vaccine will not protect against COVID-19; however, a flu vaccination has many other important benefits: Flu vaccines have been shown to reduce the risk of flu illness, hospitalization and death. Getting a flu vaccine this fall will be more important than ever, not only to reduce your risk from flu but also to help conserve potentially scarce health care resources.

RESOURCES

• Interim Guidance for Routine and Influenza Immunization Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pandemic-guidance/index.html?deliveryName=USCDC_7_3-DM34944
   
• Chart for comparing COVID with other flu-like diseases: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/documents/topics/NCOV/COVID-19_symptoms_illness_comparison_cdc.pdf
   
• What is the flu? Symptoms, Spread and Prevention: https://www.stuartschool.org/uploaded/parents/health_office/2020-2021_Documents/About_the_Flu.docx.pdf?1604428142248

While Stuart does not require students to be vaccinated, we join the CDC in highly recommending the vaccination for those aged 12 and over who are able to receive it. 

Fully vaccinated Stuart students and adults must still follow all of our current mitigation strategies (mask wearing, 6’ social distancing and hand hygiene). Please note that a person is not considered fully vaccinated until 2 weeks after the 2^nd injection if it is a 2-injection series. If it is a 1 injection series, then you are not considered fully vaccinated until 2 weeks after the initial shot.

In order to be able to monitor the requirements for our students, it is very important that we know who has been fully vaccinated. Please submit an image of the vaccination card to the immunization section in Magnus should you have chosen to have your child vaccinated.

Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones by Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine

COVID-19 vaccines are free regardless of your insurance or documentation status. No one will have to pay for the vaccine! You can even use sick leave to get vaccinated so you don’t miss a paycheck.

For full details or to file a complaint, see mysickdays.nj.gov.

Don’t have a lot of time?

• Make an appointment at a time and place that works for you.
• Just walk in to any megasite. No appointment needed.
   

Need a ride?

• Get a free ride to and from your vaccination with NJ TRANSIT's VAXRIDE.
• Or call 211 for a free ride to your vaccination site wherever Lyft operates in New Jersey.

Families will be expected to submit a health screening on a daily basis by 7 AM via a Magnus Health mobile app especially designed for COVID-19. Parents/Guardians must complete a daily symptom check each morning, prior to leaving for school. No one will be able to enter campus without completing the daily symptom check and showing proof of passing. NO EXCEPTIONS.

This screening process helps us create the safest possible environment for everyone on campus by avoiding contact at the school entrances where person to person transmissions could take place. This process allows the Health Office a secure way to collect and manage the daily screenings.

The first step in getting started with the Magnus Health app is to create an account through the myStuart parent portal. Once you follow the instructions via the button below, then you can download the app and practice the temperature checks. 

cLICK HERE FOR MAGNUS APP INSTRUCTIONS

COVID-19 Hotlines

The NJ Poison Control Center and 211 have partnered with the State to provide information to the Public on COVID-19:
Call: 2-1-1
Call (24/7): 1-800-962-1253
Text: NJCOVID to 898-211
Text: your  ZIP code to 898-211 for live text assistance.

PA residents are advised to direct COVID-related questions to 1-877-PA-HEALTH (1-877-724-3258)

Resources

• List of travel restrictions for NJ: https://covid19.nj.gov/faqs/nj-information/travel-and-transportation/are-there-travel-restrictions-to-or-from-new-jersey
• NJDOH COVID-19 Information for Communities and the General Public: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/covid2019_community.shtml
• Symptoms of COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html
• Testing: https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/testing
• What to Do if You Are Sick: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html
•  

Flu Resources

• Interim Guidance for Routine and Influenza Immunization Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
   
• Chart for comparing COVID with other flu-like diseases
   
• What is the flu? Symptoms, Spread and Prevention

COVID-19 FAQs

Penn Medicine (with a location in Princeton) recently published a list of FAQs addressing COVID-19 concerns like identifying symptoms, testing, treatment and illness prevention. Click here for the full list of questions. 

1. Complete the Magnus App symptom check by 7 AM every morning BEFORE arriving on campus.
2. Student drop-off may begin at 7:15 AM and extend until 8:00 AM (MS/US Classes begin at 7:55 AM). Drop-off  will be at the following locations:
   • Early Childhood: EC drop-off door on the side back door.
   • Lower School and Junior Kindergarten: Cor Unum lot (back of school). Students proceed to the Sundial Garden entry. 
   • Middle School: Flagpole (first level of parking lot). Students will then proceed to the main entry. 
   • Upper School: Drop-off on the main drive in front of the Art Wing. Students proceed to the Upper School entry.
   • PLEASE NOTE: Parents are not permitted in the building unless for a previously scheduled meeting. 
3. Late arrivals will be dropped off at the main entrance. 
4. Pickup begins at 3:00 PM for LS and 3:15 PM for MS and US students. A backup of cars on Stuart Road is a violation and can be dangerous.  Students will be released to the pick up locations (same as drop off) at the end of their classes.  In cases of inclement weather, students will be called from their classroom.  If your child is not at the location when you are in the front of the line when you arrive, please travel around to not block others.
5. If your child is staying for the extended day program or after school library program, you will need to park and come to the front door to pick up your child.  Please be sure you are wearing a mask.
6. Students participating in athletics will be released directly from their practice locations.  Students in after school music programs will be released at the end of rehearsal and can be picked up from the front desk once the rehearsal is over.

All students, faculty, and staff will be encouraged to wash their hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds throughout the day including before and after eating, after restroom breaks, after touching the face and, as feasible, between other significant transition periods. It is strongly encouraged NOT to touch eyes, nose or mouth. Signage about hand hygiene protocols will be posted throughout the school. Additionally, Stuart will provide hand sanitizer stations across campus for use when leaving a classroom or when it isn’t possible to use soap and water.

Masks are required while indoors for everyone on campus. Masks will not be required while eating/drinking or for individuals working alone in offices or empty spaces. Face shields may be worn in addition to a mask but not instead of a mask. This protocol will be fluid depending on the local public health circumstances. 

Masks should not be used:

• When children are asleep or younger than 2 years old.
• Outdoor in extreme heat
• Person having difficulties in breathing
• Person engaged in intense aerobic or anaerobic  activity

Masks will be required while outdoors unless eating or drinking..

A student may wear any type or color of mask that they choose as long as it isn’t knitted (gaiters) or doesn’t have a vent on it. You should not be able to see daylight through a mask.

When the mask needs to be removed for eating, drinking or an outside break it must be kept safe from contamination. It may be held on a lanyard if it is then placed inside the shirt or in a pouch. In any case, the mask must be stored in a protected area.

If students cannot wear a mask, they must provide a doctor’s note.

Parents/caregivers must wear a mask at pick-up and drop off.

1. Bathrooms will be coned off when being cleaned.
2. Remind students to close lid before flushing and wash hands for 20 seconds.
3. Adult bathrooms will be located in the teacher lounge, main hall, downstairs by Learning Center, landing in Cor Unum.

Students, faculty, and staff will be encouraged to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or with their elbow. 

If an individual needs to blow the nose or touch the face, the hands must be cleaned/sanitized afterwards.

Tissues must be deposited in a trash can.

Stuart will not require social distancing guidance unless required to increase by Princeton Health Department, CDC or New Jersey Department of Health.  Respiratory Hygiene

Students, faculty, and staff will be encouraged to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or with their elbow. 

If an individual needs to blow the nose or touch the face the hands must be cleaned/sanitized afterwards.

Tissues must be deposited in a trash can.

Sources:

https://nj.gov/education/reopening/faqs/index.shtml

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidace.html 

Update for 2021: Air will continue to be circulated at the highest levels in our classrooms coupled with bi-polar ionization. A strong emphasis will remain on hand-washing, classroom and bathroom sanitization protocols and mask-wearing for all members of our community.

Stuart is committed to reducing the risk for the spread of COVID-19 through enhanced cleaning, sanitation and disinfection procedures, implemented through the facilities team, the custodial service providers, and faculty staff and students.

Stuart acknowledges that COVID-19 is spread through several methods, including fomite transmission, which occurs when an infected person deposits the virus on objects such as desks, door handles etc, and those are transferred to another person who touches those deposits. Data has shown the risk of this form of transmission to be low, however cleaning, sanitizing and disinfection strategies are meant to reduce this risk further.

Our school buildings and campus provide Stuart with unique solutions for conducting school in healthy environments. Our overall strategy includes:

• Enhanced cleaning and disinfection protocols that include disinfection of high touch surfaces with EPA registered cleaners.  
• Modifications to the HVAC system to comply with ASHRAE recommendations for COVID-19 including increasing outdoor air ventilation, upgrading to MERV-13 air filters, and extending the use schedules to change over building air.
• Measurement and verification of the quality of classroom air using CO2 and humidity monitoring. 
• The addition of air purification through bi-polar ionization, as used in hospitals.
• Use of outdoor spaces for classrooms whenever possible.
• Installation of no-touch hardware at bathroom doors and fixtures.
• Hand sanitizer stations mounted in every classroom.
• Classroom setups and signage to promote physical distancing. 

The Health Office will have a temporary second location (U23) that will be used for isolating and dismissing ill children. This will allow the nurse to serve students with routine needs in the current nurse’s office (i.e., medication dispensing, minor injuries) without risking exposure. 

When children are being sent home because they are ill they will wait in this room, be picked up and leave the building through the exit by the Stuart Little Theater.

The bathroom directly next to to the nurse’s office is the isolation room bathroom. No other students or employees should use this bathroom.

The corridor in front of the nurse’s office will be closed to foot traffic if a student is being evaluated for COVID in that location.

When a student asks to go to the Nurse the first step should be:

1. Find out what the reason is
2. If it is e.g. a complaint of headache, stomach ache or just uncomfortable then offer the student to rest with head on arm by the desk for 10 min. Drink some water.
3. If it is minor cuts or scrapes offer the student cleaning wipes and a band aid from the First Aid kit for the student to clean and band aid herself after sanitizing hands. Finish with hand sanitizing. 
4. Teacher contacts Division Assistant for student pick-up.
5. If the issue isn’t resolved then contact the Administrative Assistant for your division. The Division Head will then contact the Nurse and escort the student to Nurse’s office.

Breakfast

1. No breakfast will be sold. 
2. Gouter items may be available for purchase. 

Gouter

1. General 
   1. Pre-packed and individual.
   2. Can be purchased in advance for afternoon snack option.
2. EC/LS
   1. Delivered in individual packages.
   2. Handwashing before and after.
3. MS
   1. Option to purchase in individual packages or bring own.
   2. Grab and go options available in central location.
   3. Students able to purchase Gouter snack in the am.
   4. Handwashing before and after.
4. US
   1. Option to purchase in individual packages or bring own.
   2. Handwashing before and after. 

Lunch

1. Parents will be able to select items through FLIK for LS.
2. MS/US students will select for the week.
3. Employees will select and receive lunches in assigned rooms for faculty; staff will pick-up at assigned times. 
4. All items will be cold to begin the start of the year. 
5. Allergies will still be accommodated.
6. Students will wipe down spaces
7. Waste will be disposed of in room.
8. Lunch containers back into cart at the end of the meal.
9. Water will be provided for lunch.

Recess

1. Masks required when close. 
2. Games and sports should be contactless. Children should play independently. Items may be used and cleaned before another child uses it (ie. hula hoops ).
3. Disinfection of playground will be handled by classroom teachers.

Stuart visitors are permitted outdoors with no restrictions. 

Parents and Volunteers 

At this time, parents will be allowed in the buildings for select events or when visiting faculty and staff for a scheduled meeting. We strongly encourage virtual visits or telephone calls with the faculty/staff member with whom you would like to meet when possible Drop-in visits are not permitted including at drop-off and pick-up.

Stuart Parent Association (SPA) meetings and gatherings will be hosted in-person, however, no food or beverage is permitted in doors. 

Vendors  

Campus visits by any vendor will be limited to those who are essential for school operations and programming. All vendors must be accompanied by a Stuart employee and submit to the COVID screening.

Suppliers

Suppliers such as mail carriers will be required to wear a mask upon entering the building and are not permitted outside of the front foyer.

Admissions Visitors

Admissions visitors will be permitted during the standard school day and required to wear a mask during their visit. No meals will be served. G All visitors must be accompanied by a Stuart employee and submit  screening.Tutors and Guest Educators

Tutors

No tutors or guest educators will be permitted in the building without prior authorization.