Covid-19 Policy | heavenlyangelsfhcc

Heavenly Angels Childcare #2 (HA2) will always consider the health and safety of our students, families and staff our first priority. We are continuously monitoring the latest developments from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Child Care Licensing Department (CCLD), the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and other government organizations. Moreover, in order to remain committed to providing a safe learning environment for all our students during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we have adopted strict safety measures and protocols in addition to our sick policy to reduce the exposure and prevent the spread of Covid-19. Any child, parent/guardian or staff member experiencing any of the following Covid-19 symptoms should contact their physician, be tested for covid-19 and remain away from the facility until all symptoms have subsided. Children, Families members and/or staff members who do not adhere to these Covid-19 safety measures and protocols will be sent home. These symptoms included but are not limited to:

Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Any Cold or Flu like symptom (including: cough, excessive runny/ stuffy nose, sore throat, body aches/chills, headaches, fatigue or extreme tiredness, etc.)
Diarrhea or vomiting
Loss of taste or smell
Fever or a measured temperature great than or equal to 99.1
Exposure/known close contact with a person who is lab-confirmed to have Covid-19

In line with safety measures, we are implementing the following COVID-19 protocols:

School Hours

6:00AM to 6:00PM Monday to Friday
Drop off must be by 11:00AM

Drop Off and Pick Up Policies and Procedures

Parents/authorized pick up are required to wear a face mask during drop-off and pick-up.
Parents/authorized pick up and staff will meet at health and wellness station at the facility entryway.
Parents/authorized pick up are required to maintain 6 feet distance from other parents/families and follow the markers on the floor.
Staff will check in the child(ren) at the health and wellness station one child at a time to allow for physical distancing.
Staff will go over brief questionnaire on check in screen regarding the health of the child as well as the child’s immediate family.
Staff will make a visual inspection of the child for signs of illness which could include flushed cheeks, rapid breathing or difficulty breathing (without recent physical activity), fatigue, or extreme fussiness.
Staff will use touchless thermometer to take the temperature of the child(ren). Forehead temperature of the child(ren) must be less than 99.1°F to be admitted into the school.
Parent’s visits should be as brief as possible, and parents are discouraged to enter the facility.
Parents may enter the facility under necessary circumstances but when doing so must maintain a 6ft distance from other children and staff!
Each case that a parent is permitted to enter the building must be pre-approved by the school’s director
No more than two parents at a time may enter the center
Parents/authorized pick up should wash their own hands and assist in washing the hands of their children before drop-off, prior to coming for pick up, and when they get home.
Hand sanitizers will be out of the reach of children, but near all entry doors, classrooms, and other high traffic areas.
Ideally, the same parent/authorized pick up should drop off and pick up the child every day. If possible, people with underlying medical conditions should not pick up children, because they are more at risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

Wellness Check for Staff and Children

School has implemented screening procedures for our staff and children. This includes:

Asking all individuals about any symptoms (primarily fever, cough, difficulty breathing or other signs of illness within the last 72 hours) –
If they, or someone in their homes, might have.
If they have had any exposure to another individual with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases.
PLEASE NOTE: We will document and inform everyone of all known incidents of possible exposure to COVID-19.

Parents must notify the school if a child has taken any fever reducing medications in last 72 hours and must not bring the child to school. Children who show signs of illness must not come to school until completely clear of any illness. Upon the child’s return to the center a negative COVID-19 test must be submitted. Our school will take children and staff’s temperature each morning and afternoon by using a non-touch thermometer

If a child or staff has a temperature of 99.1°F or higher or exhibits signs of illness, we will follow the facility procedures for isolation from the general room population and notify the parents immediately to pick up the child and the staff member will be sent home immediately.

Children or staff that have a fever must return to the center with a negative COVID-19 test result
If a parent or a member of the same household tests positive for COVID-19 they will be required to provide a proof of clearance from a doctor prior to bringing the child to school, same protocols applies to school staff.
Although we have our own pre screening process we are encouraging anyone entering the building including parents and children to self-screen before coming to school. If you have a fever or show any signs of Covid-19 you must remain home and follow CDC guidelines.
County Public Health Department, Child Care Licensing Department and Parents will be informed if there any known cases of COVID-19.
School will follow guidelines given by Los Angeles County Public Health Department.

Teacher to Child Ratio & Small Group Size

Same teachers will remain with the child(ren) throughout the day except during breaks and lunches. Select staff will float.
School will try to accommodate children from same family in the same classroom.
Furniture and children’s play area will be arranged to provide ample space.
School will adhere to the following teacher child ratios and small group size outlined below for prevention, containment, and mitigation measures.

Please Note: Our current class ratio is 1:5.

Social and Physical Distancing

Children will remain in groups as small as possible not to exceed ratio and capacity requirements in the charts above. We will keep the same children and teacher or staff with each group and include children from the same family in the same group, to the greatest extent possible.

Extend the indoor environment to outdoors, if applicable and weather permitting. Children ages 2 to 5 are required to wear mask. The children are encouraged to wear their mask throughout the day.
Children ages 2 to 5 are not required to wear mask outdoors
Arrange developmentally appropriate activities for smaller group activities and rearrange furniture and play spaces to maintain 6-feet separation, when possible.
Limit the number of children per table to maintain separation during activities or meal/snack times.
Limit the mixing of children, such as staggering playground times and keeping groups separate for special activities such as art, music, and exercising.
Educate children about social distancing and give verbal reminders.
Implement strategies to model and reinforce social and physical distancing and movement as best as possible.
HA2 will be limiting social gathers and events to minimize the amount of people in the building and the exposure to COVID-19.

Healthy Hygiene Behavior/Hand Washing

Signs are posted in restrooms and near sinks that convey proper handwashing techniques.
Children will be lined up for hand washing with soap and water, while keeping a safe distance from one another.
Faucet will be kept running, so that children do not need to touch the faucet.
Staff will practice frequent hand washing by teaching a popular child-friendly song or counting to 20 (hand washing should last 20 seconds) and use paper towels to dry hands thoroughly.

All Children and Staff will engage in hand hygiene at the following times:

Arrival to the facility and after breaks.
Before and after preparing food or drinks.
Before and after eating or handling food or feeding children.
Before and after administering medication or medical ointment.
Before and after diapering.
After using the toilet or helping a child use the bathroom.
After coming in contact with bodily fluid.
After playing outdoors.
After handling garbage.

Routine Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting

Windows and/or doors (where possible) will be kept open to allow for increased air circulation.
On top of our regular daily cleaning, the school will routinely clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects throughout the day (e.g., doorknobs, light switches, classroom sink handles, countertops, shared toys).
Tables and chairs are disinfected after each meal.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Staff will have access to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including masks, gloves and face shields to prevent the spread of germs. Children ages 2-5 are required to wear masks while at school and it is the parent’s responsibility to provide the school with a clean cloth mask every day or disposable mask daily. Parent must wash the mask daily if using a cloth mask. If children decide not to keep the mask on, staff will continuously encourage and remind them to keep their mask on along with the importance of the mask.

Food Preparation and Meal Service

The school will continue to provide an Breakfast, Lunch, AM and PM snack for the children.
Parents should not send water bottles from home. Water will be provided to children in a disposable dixie cup.
DO NOT pack foods containing nuts, seeds, shellfish, eggs, sugary snacks or desserts.
DO NOT pack popcorn, grapes or any snack that could be a choking hazard.

Personal Items

Backpacks and diaper bags are not allowed in the center. All personal items should be labeled and kept in a separate gallon size or larger zip top bags to ensure personal items are separate from others. Children are encouraged to keep their own materials (crayons, markers, pencils, etc.) to themselves to limit sharing and exposure to germs.

Napping

Napping cots will be spaced 3 feet apart from each other. They will be arranged with the head of each bed alternately, in opposite directions, to lessen the possible spread of illness between children from coughing or sneezing. All cots will be wiped down and disinfected after each use.

Parents of children ages 2-5 are required to bring a blanket. Blankets will be washed on Fridays by staff to ensure that the linen is fresh for Monday morning.

Outdoor Play Time

Outdoor play activity will be staggered to reduce the number of children in the same area.
Group size will be limited to group of 12 children at a time.
More play time will be given to children, weather permitting.
The use of slides and play structures will be limited, more free play will be encouraged.
More opportunities will be offered for individual play and solo activities.
Frequently used surfaces will be cleaned as frequently as possible.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a challenging and fluid situation. Federal, state, and local orders and guidance may change frequently, therefore our policies and procedures are subject to change accordingly. Although, the School has placed all commercially reasonable preventative measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19; however, the School cannot guarantee that your child(ren) will not become exposed to or even infected with COVID-19 in the course of their use of the School’s childcare services and facilities.

Plan for when a staff member or child test positive for COVID-19

If a staff member or child has tested positive for COVID-19 and is symptomatic or asymptomatic and has been in our building in the 2 days before symptom onset we will require everyone who was present at the facility to be tested and quarantine for 5 days. Those individuals who were diagnosed are asked to quarantine for 10 days and monitor health for 14 days per Los Angeles Public Health guidelines. If no symptoms occur in the 10 days of isolation, they may return to school accompanied with a negative COVID-19 test result.

HA2 will evaluate and review who would have been exposed to the person that tested positive and determine if the entire school needs to be closed (up to 14 days) or if just the classroom of positive person will be closed (up to 14 days). All children and staff who have been exposed will be required to submit a negative COVID-19 test when returning to school.

Upon learning of a positive test of a staff member or child we will notify all who have been exposed immediately. Please follow the above guidelines to ensure the spread of the virus is limited.

If a staff member or child is sent home with a fever and tests positive for Covid-19 less than 2 days after close contact with our facility, staff or child we will follow the above cleaning and notification guidelines of those who have come in contact with positive person.

HA2 will have a designated room and person for all persons in building to go to if a fever is suspected. They will be required to stay in designated room until leaving property to go home. This will continue to limit exposure to any other persons. If a person is needing to be picked up from school, ONE adult will be allowed in the building to do so. All of the person’s belongings will be sent home with them. The building and or classroom where a positive case is determined will be cleaned and disinfected per CDC and/or LA Public Health guidelines.

If a staff member or child tests positive for Covid and they are symptomatic, they may not return to school until 14-day quarantine is complete, they are symptom free and they have gone 3 days with no fever or fever reducing medication. A retest is NOT required; however, they must provide their Covid antibodies test results before returning.

If a staff member or child tests positive for Covid and they are asymptomatic, they may not return to school until 10-day isolation is complete, they are symptom free and they have gone 3 days with no fever or fever reducing medication. A retest is NOT required; however, they must provide their Covid antibodies test results before returning.

Plan for when a parent test positive for COVID-19

The child would be considered exposed (close contact) with a confirmed case. Only those who had close contact with the confirmed case must be quarantined and should get tested and quarantine. A confirmed COVID-19 case from a parent does not equal immediate closure of the school because there is no evidence of exposure to the school to require closure.

The parent must follow quarantine instructions recommended by the Los Angeles County Public Health.
The child and everyone in the household should be tested and must follow isolation instruction recommended by the Los Angeles County Public Health.
If the child in our care test is positive and was present at school we will shut down after determining the infectious period and close contact with school cohort.
The positive COVID-19 case will be instructed to follow isolation guidelines from the Los Angeles County Public Health.
All close contact will be instructed to quarantine and get tested.
If parent refuses to have their child tested for COVID-19 entry will be denied to the school for 14 days.
All parents whose child had close contact with positive case will be notified of temporary closure, required to get child tested before returning to school and expectation of sharing data.

PLEASE NOTE: The facility will undergo a deep cleaning monthly and ever time a positive or close contact case is reported.

HEAVENLY ANGELS CHILDCARE #2, LLC

HEAVENLY ANGELS
CHILDCARE #2, LLC