Health & Safety
With the 2021-2022 school year approaching, Montessori Learning Center is in preparation for another successful academic year. We also want to assure you that the health and safety of our students and staff remain our number one priority. When the spread of COVID-19 shifted our learning experience from on campus to online, our teachers and staff rose to the occasion to provide our students with the best distance learning and commencement of the school year that we could. I commend our teachers for working so hard to complete the year with excellence and optimism. I also commend our students and parents for their resiliency and support.
We have put an emphasis on the health of our students and staff by implementing a COVID Response Committee. The committee, which is composed of both staff and parents, will remain steadfast in making sure we are up to date on information regarding the virus and it’s spread, and will maintain a response plan of action that is best for the safety of our school. The MLC COVID Response Committee will work closely with the Okaloosa County Health Department, local physicians, and government officials to make sure we are putting our best foot forward where our plan of action and protocol are concerned. Our protocol is outlined below. It is important to allow flexibility, as we have seen how quickly information changes regarding the virus. You will be notified of any changes to our protocol or this document.
1. Facility
In the beginning of the school year, MLC will be a closed campus. Only staff and students will be admitted into the school. This policy will be evaluated within the first two months of school to determine whether volunteers or outside community members may be admitted during school hours.
a. MLC will continue to use the UV lights to disinfect the classroom throughout the day. Daily and end of the day cleaning procedures will continue.
b. Bathrooms and handles will be sanitized throughout the day.
2. Students and Staff
a. Students will be provided with individual supplies: pencils, scissors, clipboard and glue sticks, and work mats.
b. Students personal items: sweaters, water bottle, mask, bookbag, lunchboxes will be sent home daily. Students will be asked to bring snacks in either a disposable or recyclable container.
e. When walking through the halls, students will remain in a line with their hands behind their backs.
3. Schedule
a. Drop off and pick up times will be staggered to reduce the flow of traffic and contact in the hallways.
b. Students will remain with the same group through the day.
c. All students, as always, will eat in their own classroom and keep all items in the lunchbox. They will still be provided with a place mat that will be disinfected (habit we always had throughout the years).
4. Illness
a. If at any time your child has a fever of 100.4, MLC will contact a parent for pick up.
b. You will be asked to pick up your child if they present a combination of any of the following symptoms: Fever, Chills, Excessive Coughing, Shortness of Breath, Congestion or Runny Nose, Nausea or Vomiting, Diarrhea, Body Aches, Headache, Fatigue.
c. Please arrive within 30 minutes if you are called to pick up your child.
d. If we send your child home with suspected COVID-19 symptoms, you must have a doctor’s note to return
e. If your child is out of school for more than 2 consecutive days, no matter the illness reason, your child must have a Doctor’s Note to return.
f. Should we have a suspected case of COVID- 19, parents will be notified immediately.
g. Should we have a confirmed case of COVID-19, parents will be notified and we will follow the advice of the CDC and Health Department.
i. If a student is required to quarantine, we will provide online learning and send any needed worksheets home.
j. If a teacher has a confirmed case of COVID-19, that teacher’s classroom partner must immediately undergo testing. The results of that test and the guidance of the Health Department will determine if the classroom is to remain open or go to a virtual learning format for the recommended quarantine period.
k. If two staff members from DIFFERENT cohorts (i.e. Lower Elementary and Pre-k) have a positive COVID-19 result within 72 hours, operations of the entire school will halt and the entire staff must receive testing and complete the contact tracing analysis with the Health Department.
l. Sibling protocols update: If one sibling’s class has been instructed to quarantine due to exposure to COVID-19, the other siblings must prove a negative test result to return to their class.
m. If a parent tests positive, they must share their test results with the Okaloosa Health Department and let Montessori Learning Center know. The child of the positive parent must be quarantined in guidance with the Okaloosa Health Department. Before the child can return to school a letter must be provided by the Okaloosa Health Department showing their release date.
Updated 6/17/2021