WMA Covid-19 Dashboard: Current* Cases by Grade

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Montessori: 0
Preschool: 0

PreKindergarten: 0

Kindergarten: 0

1st Grade: 0

2nd Grade: 0

3rd Grade: 0

4th Grade: 0

5th Grade: 0

6th Grade: 0

7th Grade: 0

8th Grade: 0
Non-Classroom Staff: 0

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*The student or faculty member is still within the 10 days of isolating and masking. Once the student or faculty member is outside of these 10 days, they will be removed from the grade totals. 

 

 

Total Cases** Year-To-Date: 35

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**As soon as we receive notice that a student or faculty member has tested positive, they will be added to this count. Students and faculty members will remain in this count even after the 10 days of isolating and masking.

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Waldron Mercy Academy Covid-19 Health and Safety Plan 2022-2023

 

We are hopeful that our community and our world are over the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic.  As we transition and adjust to “living with Covid-19” we still need to be vigilant in order to protect those that are most vulnerable.  Our priorities will remain the same — maintaining the health and safety of our school community, while keeping our focus on in-person learning and returning to full pre-pandemic school programming; i.e. field trips, sports, theater productions, etc.  This will require our community to continue to be flexible, remain vigilant in symptom screening, wear masks when necessary, and utilize testing when appropriate.  We must work together to provide our students, staff and their families the safest possible environment for learning and community.

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Key Points

• WMA’s number one priority is the health, safety and well-being of our students, faculty, staff and their families.

• Students and staff should stay home when sick.  Contact the WMA Health Office with any questions, and contact your Health Care Provider for a plan of care when necessary.

• Keeping up to date with Covid vaccinations remains a key strategy in the prevention of serious illness.

• Masking is welcomed and will be supported by any individual who chooses to do so, for any reason.

• Anyone who is exposed to a positive case of Covid-19 is required to wear a mask for 10 full days, regardless of vaccination status.

• Please report all positive cases of Covid-19 to the WMA Health Office: 610-664-9847 x112, nurse@waldronmercy.org.

• WMA will be following all CDC guidance regarding prevention and response to Covid-19.

• Please screen and assess your student(s) daily for signs and symptoms of illness before coming to school.  If your student(s) is sick, please keep them at home, call the attendance line, and call the WMA Health Office for further guidance.  

 

Preventative Measures

As the CDC has stated, “For COVID-19, staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations is the leading public health strategy to prevent severe disease.” Waldron Mercy encourages our community to stay up to date on vaccination, including recommended booster doses.

• WMA will maintain its existing practices in relation to providing a safe air quality environment, including the use of portable air filtration systems and high efficiency filters along with introduction of outside air.

• Increased hand washing will remain a part of WMA protocols.  Hand sanitizing stations will remain positioned throughout the building.

• Students will be encouraged/reminded to sneeze into their elbow, to use tissues as needed, and to wash/sanitize hands immediately.

• Hand sanitizer and tissues will be available in all classrooms.

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Masking

• Individuals may choose to mask at any time, and will be fully supported in doing so.

• ALL STUDENTS MUST HAVE A SUPPLY OF FIVE (5) WELL FITTING MASKS IN THEIR BACKPACKS SHOULD THEY DEVELOP SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19 DURING THE SCHOOL DAY OR SHOULD MASKING BECOME MANDATORY. 

• Individuals will be required to mask if:

  • they have a known exposure to a positive case of Covid-19 regardless of vaccination status for 10 full days;

  • they are returning from isolation after testing positive for Covid-19;

  • they present to the nurse’s office with a respiratory illness;

  • the school determines it necessary due to a period of increased transmission levels in our school.

• In accordance with CDC recommendations, the nurses in our Health Office will be required to wear a mask while providing care to students/staff. Anyone who enters the Health Office for a sustained period of time will also be asked to mask. 

• WMA will continue to consult the guidance of the CDC and the MontCo OPH in determining our mask policies, while also considering the level of transmission within our school community.

• The CDC and the MontCo OPH strongly recommend indoor masking during times of medium and high community spread of Covid-19.

• Buses and vans may set their own masking requirements which WMA students are required to follow.

• Masks must be well fitting, clean, and void of valves.  Neck gaiters and masks with valves are not permitted.

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General Sick Policy and Return to School

All individuals who are sick should stay home.  Any student, staff or visitor who arrives at school sick, or develops symptoms during the day will be sent home as soon as possible.

• Absences, for any reason, must be reported to the attendance line.  WMA’s attendance policy can be found in the Parent/Student handbook.

• Families and students will be asked to work closely with teachers if an isolation/prolonged absence is necessary.  There will not be a virtual learning option this year.

• Individuals with Covid-like symptoms can return to school with 2 negative, rapid at-home antigen tests collected 24 hours apart if they meet the criteria of WMA’s normal sick policy which can be found in the Parent/Student handbook.

• Families should contact their health care provider for additional questions and testing options.

• WMA may ask individuals to mask when returning to school until their non-Covid illness is resolved.

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Reporting Positive Cases and Exposures of Covid-19 

If your student tests positive for Covid-19, please contact the WMA Health Office. 

• Those who test positive are required to isolate for 5 full days, return to school on day 6, and wear a well fitting mask through day 10, provided symptoms have resolved.

• Reporting of exposure to positive cases of Covid-19 outside of school is no longer required, but strongly encouraged.  It is required that anyone who is a close contact of a positive case of Covid-19 must wear a mask for a full 10 days, regardless of vaccination status.

• Contact tracing is no longer recommended by the CDC or the MontCo OPH.  WMA will continue to use contact tracing in special circumstances such as sports or small groups.

• Positive cases of Covid-19 within the WMA school community will be reported on a dashboard on our website on a grade level.  There will no longer be notifications sent out for each individual positive case of Covid-19.

• An outbreak of Covid-19 is considered 3 or more cases that can be linked together.

• The WMA Health Office will continue to work closely with the MontCo OPH for guidance in the event of an outbreak.

• Please contact the WMA Health Office with any questions or concerns.

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Visitors, Volunteers and Spectators

All visitors, volunteers and spectators will be required to adhere to all health and safety protocols, including the current mask policy when on the WMA campus.

• All visitors, volunteers, spectators should self screen for symptoms of Covid-19, and refrain from coming to school if sick.

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Travel

• Please follow all CDC travel recommendations found here.