Covid-19 Procedures
We are thrilled to be offering an in person learning experience for the 2020-2021 school year. With the safety of children and staff as a priority, we have developed ECC COVID protocols in compliance with directives from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), and the Montgomery County Health Department. We continue to monitor the COVID situation and may add to, or modify, any ECC policies, including these, as we believe may be necessary and appropriate.
Class Cohorts
-
Children are assigned to classes of up to 8 children with 2 teachers in each classroom and 13 children with 2 teachers in the larger, Monday-Friday pre-k classroom.
-
Classroom groups are stable in that the same group of children and the same teachers remain in the same classroom throughout the day (cohort separation).
-
Cohorts remain the same for the Afternoon Adventure.
-
Only one group may use the outdoor playground area at a time. Play equipment is professionally cleaned between each group’s use.
-
Adequate supplies are available to minimize sharing of high touch materials to the extent possible (art supplies, equipment etc.) or are limited to use by one group of children at a time and cleaned and disinfected between uses.
-
Classes will spend as much time outside as possible. Please make sure to send weather appropriate clothing
Drop-off/pick-up protocols
-
Student drop-off will be staggered; families are assigned a time to arrive at school.
-
Adults and children over the age of 2 must wear masks on campus.
-
Adults other than ECC staff will not be permitted to enter the ECC building.
-
Health screening conducted at drop off which includes temperature check, whether the child or anyone in the household has COVID symptoms, any signs of illness in the child, or any recent exposure to COVID.
-
Car and walker pick-up are conducted outside in the circle at the entrance to the property.
​
​
Healthy environment
-
Adults and children over the age of 2 must wear masks on campus. Staff must wear a mask while working and at all time on campus.
-
Masks will be worn at all times except while eating, drinking or resting. Masks will be changed anytime they are soiled or wet.
-
Children and staff are required to wash their hands upon entry to the building, and frequently throughout the day.
-
Classroom windows are kept open, to the extent practical, to increase air flow. Air purifiers have also been added to each classroom.
-
High-touch surfaces, such as door handles, light switches, faucets, toilets seats and handles are disinfected frequently. Bathrooms are thoroughly cleaned between each class.
-
Classroom materials and toys are sanitized daily.
COVID symptom communication
-
In the event that someone in the school community shows symptoms of COVID-19 or receives a positive test result, the director will call the County Health Department and MSDE Office of Child Care. The Health Department will review the situation and advise the school about procedures to follow, and if necessary, the length of closure of the facility and any quarantine requirements for staff, children and families. The director will then notify parents of any such directives.
-
Families must promptly notify the school in the event that a child or any member of the child’s household(s) will be traveling outside of the United States or to any location (including within the United States) that is experiencing a substantial number of cases. If a family travels to a state with a COVID-19 test positivity rate above 10% or a case rate above 20 per 100,000 the family will need to quarantine or submit PCR test results before returning to school.