COVID Safety Measures

Springboard Schools Inc is open and operating in alignment with all guidance and directives from the Department of Early Education and Care, in coordination with the CDC, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and our local health departments. Decisions pertaining to closures due to COVID-19 are made in coordination with these entities and their systems and processes in place or in the event of widespread illness in the school.

Springboard Schools Inc has always adhered to rigorous health and safety practices within all our schools. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Springboard has utilized enhanced protocols and prescriptive practices in place that meet or exceed state and governing bodies recommendations for Early Education and Childcare facilities. We ask that all our staff, teachers, parents, and students make every effort to follow these guidelines when requested. The primary measures are described below. In addition, further details and protocols are included in our COVID-19 addendum and Health and Safety Policy distributed to members of the Springboard community.

Masks and Face Coverings – At times of increased exposure and cases of illness, all individuals over the age of 2 may be encouraged to wear face coverings or masks. This is done to protect the health and safety of our students and prevent widespread illness that can cause school and classroom closures.

Hand Washing – Hand washing is critical to maintaining a safe and healthy environment. Springboard Schools operates in compliance with the minimum requirements for health and safety and provides adequate supplies to promote effective hygiene behaviors.

Gloves – Non-latex gloves are worn when diapering or helping with toileting activities, food preparation, screening activities requiring contact, and applying sunscreen.

Cleaning, Sanitizing and Disinfecting – Springboard Schools has a rigorous cleaning schedule in place as prescribed by the EEC and uses EPA-registered disinfectants, focusing on items that may have been on contact with respiratory droplets or saliva. Equipment, classroom materials, toys, and/or surfaces (including floors, walls, and tabletops) are washed with soap and water and disinfected as needed to maintain a sanitary environment. Eating areas and high touch surface areas are sanitized and disinfected after each use and as needed throughout the day. All shared items, spaces (i.e. toys, sandboxes, water fountains) and items that cannot be readily and easily wiped and cleaned have been temporarily removed or closed.

Illness

Our illness policy (both COVID and Non-COVID provisions) applies to all staff, children, and their household members when necessary. The final decision on whether to exclude an individual from the program due to illness will be made by Springboard Schools. Please see our COVID-19 Addendum and Illness Policy for symptoms list and exclusion periods. We strongly encourage staff and students to stay home when ill. This is the most effective strategy in mitigating illness. Parents should not send their students to school when sick. Students with symptoms should be tested prior to coming to school. To reduce the risk of transmission, children must be picked up within 1 hour of notification of illness.

Our schools request that all students over the age of 2 years of age have a Consent to Test form on file, in the event there is exposure and/or they become symptomatic.

If a student/teacher or household member is symptomatic for COVID-19, we reserve the right to require of COVID test. A confirmed COVID-19 case (positive test result as described by the CDC algorithm) cannot return to school for a minimum 5-day period.

Exposure

When our school is notified of a confirmed case and that individual has been in school and a classroom within a 48-hour lookback period, all close contacts will be notified and required to test and mask according to the school’s protocols. If any non-immune member of your household has a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 that individual should test. When there is a confirmed COVID case in a household testing and masking requirements may be more rigorous.

Communication

In instances of exposure, our schools make every effort to notify the classroom in a timely manner. In the event of wider spread illness, administration will notify the entire school according to the school’s protocols and policy in place.