SAAS 2020-21 Reopening Plan

Student Daily Schedule

ACADEMIC COMPETITIVE TEAMS

Upper School Robotics: The season officially started on January 9. Students interested in joining our Robotics Team should reach out to Meghan Jimenez. Club meetings are Mondays and Thursdays 3:45 - 5:15 PM. 

ARTS

Arts rehearsals and gatherings are under review.

ATHLETICS

The Cardinal Athletics team is working alongside the SAAS safety team, WIAA, and the Emerald Sound Conference (ESC) to be able to provide a safe return for all our athletics programs. Our biggest goal is to get our athletes back out playing and competing in a safe manner.

• Read this Upper School Athletics update.
• Take this quick survey about a potential new Spring ESports program open to Middle School and Upper School students.
• Cardinal Quest has begun! Missions are live in the app!  If you joined, you should have received your username and password in an email from Hilary O’Dougherty or Marc Moquin. If you have not received any information or are having trouble signing in, please reach out to Hilary O’Dougherty. 

Questions? Contact Cathy Schick, Athletics Director. 

CLUBS

Our plan is for Clubs, in both divisions, to meet virtually on Wednesday afternoons during community time. Learn more about club offerings in Middle School and Upper School HERE.

SAFE at SAAS:  A Safe Return to Campus needs YOUR participation in COVID-19 testing!

We have seen that community testing makes a qualitative difference in the safety and early detection of COVID-19, especially in instances of non-symptomatic carriers.  

It is important for us — students, faculty and staff alike — to test for the safety of our SAAS community as we return after Spring Break and continue to be in person until the end of the school year. Testing is important whether you have been vaccinated or not, due to emergent COVID-19 variants. Additionally, not everyone will be on the same vaccination timeline or choose to be vaccinated, and there remains a chance that you can still contract COVID-19 after being vaccinated.  

The safety of our community and the ability to keep doing the things that are important to us — in-person classroom experiences, on-campus activities, participation in arts and athletics, and being physically together — require us to be diligent and continue to test for our collective safety!  

Over the weeks we’ve offered testing at SAAS, we have seen a steady decline in the number of middle and upper school students getting tested. Middle School participation has declined from 92% to 68% participation, while Upper School has declined from 72% to 38%. There are likely several reasons: some students and families are choosing to stay remote; the physical discomfort of nasal swabs; schedules are picking up and it is harder to find the time; and as vaccination rates increase some may feel testing is less necessary than it once was. 

We can do better: it is a necessary step in mitigating the safety risks of COVID-19 and a key component in our ability to bring students back on campus safely.  

We ask you to do your part for SAAS’s community health by getting tested before returning to campus. Not only is this testing a conscious effort on behalf of our school, but also one for the greater community. Testing continues to be provided at no charge, and our staff works hard to ensure this process is smooth and efficient. We appreciate those of you who have made it a priority to be tested, or have your student tested, before coming onto campus in hybrid and we want you to continue with that effort.

Help us save the spread and help us be SAFE at SAAS — it only takes 15 minutes. 

ON CAMPUS COVID-19 TESTING SIGN UP

When:  Friday, April 30 from 4 PM - 7 PM & Saturday, May 1, from 8 AM - 3 PM

Where: Testing will occur at the Seattle Academy E Spring Street Garage. 

Who: Tests will be administered by medical professionals provided by Remote Medical International using a nasal swab collection process. Specimens will be analyzed and results provided by Altius Institute within 24 to 48 hours of collection.

There is a two-step process for signing up:

1. Click on the first button below to Register (only if you have not participated in SAAS's on campus testing before; if you have tested on campus, you don't need to register again).
2. Click on the second button to sign up for a time.

Please Note: Registration is required for each student, faculty, or staff member wanting to test at Seattle Academy on these dates. If you have already registered and tested before, the registration step is not required.

REGISTER HERE

SIGN UP FOR A TIME HERE

• April 2 SAAS Spring Schedule Update
• March 22 SAAS Hybrid & Spring Schedule Update
• March 1 SAAS Upper School students, faculty and staff: On Campus COVID Testing Information
• February 12 SAAS Middle School students, faculty and staff: Free COVID Testing Information
• January 30 SAAS Full Hybrid Schedule to Begin After Mid Winter Break
• December 29 SAAS Return to Campus in 2021
• December 14 SAAS Safety Update Remote on Campus (OPTIONAL program for families)

SChool announcements board

Please join us for our upcoming Town Halls!

• TBA

Here are recordings from our previous Town Halls:

• April 21, 2021 Upper School Town Hall, RECORDING HERE
• April 20, 2021 Middle School Town Hall, RECORDING HERE
• April 5, 2021 All-School Town Hall, RECORDING HERE
• March 22, 2021: Middle School Town Hall, RECORDING HERE
• February 8, 2021: Middle School Town Hall, RECORDING HERE
• February 1, 2021: Upper School Town Hall, RECORDING HERE
• January 14, 2021: Middle School Town Hall, RECORDING HERE
• January 11, 2021: All-School Town Hall, RECORDING HERE

Healthy food options are an important part of every student’s day. As we begin to reopen campus with the Hybrid Schedule, we want to continue providing a delicious and balanced food service for interested students, faculty, and staff in partnership with SAGE Dining Services. To ensure the most up-to-date safety measures on campus, we have rethought and reconfigured the dining experience and decided to deliver meals to each classroom for both Middle School and Upper School students. This way, students can maintain physical distancing while eating safely.

To make this type of service possible, families and students will need to preorder their meal choices at the beginning of each week. For the first two days of hybrid (February 25-26), Middle School students will receive complimentary box lunches delivered to their classrooms.

Middle School Families: PreOrder lunch options for Monday (March 1) and Tuesday (March 2)** before Wednesday (February 24) at 3:30 PM.
**For the first two days of hybrid (February 25-26), Middle School students will receive complimentary box lunches delivered to their classrooms.

PREORDER YOUR LUNCH HERE

The process is easy! The online system will allow you to:

• Review the menu and check for allergens.
• Choose a meal for your student; SAGE will then safely deliver your selection to the assigned eating location.
• Note that each box lunch will cost $6.00 and include milk. Lunches will only be available as preorders. Milk or water will be available for students who bring their lunch.
• You can add money to your lunch account in My Backpack. Select Food Service Account at the bottom of the Resource Center navigation box on the right-hand side of the home screen. Enter the amount you would like to add to your account in the payment box to the right of Food Service Account.

To make the process easier on your phone, download the free SAGE Mobile App from your preferred app store and set up your account. You can find SAAS by using the ZIP code search (98122). You'll receive emails from your SAGE Manager alerting you when it’s time to place an order.

Healthy food options are an important part of every student’s day. As we begin to reopen campus with the Hybrid Schedule, we want to continue providing a delicious and balanced food service for interested students, faculty, and staff in partnership with SAGE Dining Services. To ensure the most up-to-date safety measures on campus, we have rethought and reconfigured the dining experience and decided to deliver meals to each classroom for both Middle School and Upper School students. This way, students can maintain physical distancing while eating safely.

To make this type of service possible, families and students will need to preorder their meal choices at the beginning of each week. For the first two days of hybrid (February 25-26), Middle School students will receive complimentary box lunches delivered to their classrooms.

Upper School Families: PreOrder lunch options for the first week of US Hybrid Schedule (starting March 8) before Wednesday (March 3) at 3:30 PM. 
 

PREORDER YOUR LUNCH HERE

The process is easy! The online system will allow you to:

• Review the menu and check for allergens.
• Choose a meal for your student; SAGE will then safely deliver your selection to the assigned eating location.
• Note that each box lunch will cost $6.00 and include milk. Lunches will only be available as preorders. Milk or water will be available for students who bring their lunch.
• You can add money to your lunch account in My Backpack. Select Food Service Account at the bottom of the Resource Center navigation box on the right-hand side of the home screen. Enter the amount you would like to add to your account in the payment box to the right of Food Service Account.

To make the process easier on your phone, download the free SAGE Mobile App from your preferred app store and set up your account. You can find SAAS by using the ZIP code search (98122). You'll receive emails from your SAGE Manager alerting you when it’s time to place an order.

Students will have an opportunity to eat a snack during Advisory and Conferencing time each morning that they are on campus for the Hybrid Schedule. Students may eat the snack that they brought from home. Students may pull their masks down to eat and drink in classrooms during snack time. Masks should be worn if when not eating or drinking.

All members of the SAAS community should avoid nonessential travel, particularly via means that place people in close confinement, and particularly to areas with known high COVID counts. 

For adults and students who have not been fully vaccinated:
SAAS travel guidance (below) is the same and aligns with CDC travel guidance.  Test post 5 days of travel; return after negative.

For adults and students who have been fully vaccinated:
Travel guidance post vaccine has been updated.  You do NOT need to get tested or self-quarantine before or after travel if you are fully vaccinated unless required by the destination of travel.

People are considered fully vaccinated: 2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine. If you don’t meet these requirements, you are NOT fully vaccinated.  Keep taking all precautions until you are fully vaccinated.

For adults and students who have recovered from COVID in the last 3 months:
You do NOT need to get tested or self-quarantine before or after travel if you have recovered from COVID-19 in the past 3 months.

SAAS Travel Guidance:

• All students, faculty, and staff who plan to return to in-person events on campus AND plan to travel via means that result in close contact with other commercial passengers (domestic or international) will be required to contact SAAS Safety to provide information regarding nature and locations of their travel. Depending on the nature and location of travel, or their status of vaccination (as noted above), traveler(s) may be requested to either:
       1.  Self-quarantine upon return for a period of 14 days before returning to in-person, SAAS events, OR
       2.  Provide proof of a negative COVID-9 test that has been obtained no earlier than 5 days after the last date of travel.
• Students, faculty, and staff who have traveled internationally will be required to self-isolate for a period of 14 days or per the alternate time frame designated by Public Health. Students, faculty, and staff traveling any time after October 1 who plan to attend in-person extracurricular activities, athletics, Retreats on Campus, and/or class are required to contact safety@seattleacademy.org about the nature and locations of their travel.

• All students, faculty, and staff who plan to return to in-person events on campus AND plan to travel via means that result in close contact with other passengers (domestic or international) will be required to contact SAAS Safety to provide information regarding nature and locations of their travel. Depending on the nature and location of travel, or their status of vaccination (as noted above), traveler(s) may be requested to either:
       1.  Self-quarantine upon return for a period of 14 days before returning to in-person, SAAS events, OR
       2.  Provide proof of a negative COVID-9 test that has been obtained no earlier than 5 days after the last date of travel.
• Students, faculty, and staff who have traveled internationally will be required to self-isolate for a period of 14 days or per the alternate time frame designated by Public Health.
• Students, faculty, and staff traveling any time after October 1 who plan to attend in-person extracurricular activities, athletics, Retreats on Campus, and/or class are required to contact safety@seattleacademy.org about the nature and locations of their travel.
• CDC Consideration for Travelers in the US, the CDC Travelers Index, and the Washington State Department of Health Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic webpage should be consulted before taking any trips to understand your risks of travel and requirements for your return.

CLASSROOM

• Each classroom has been measured and reconfigured based on social distancing requirements.
• Students will be sitting in classrooms based on 6 feet social distancing parameters.
• Classrooms are designed so students will be facing in one direction as much as possible to reduce potential exposure. 
• Classes will be released on staggered schedules to help eliminate congestion during passing times. 
• Signage in the classrooms will identify what’s necessary for social distancing.

PATHS

• Stairwells and hallways have been designated as one-way when possible with clear directional signage.
• Students will walk through buildings to learn the footpaths and traffic patterns during their orientation.

BUILDINGS

• In order to meet social distancing requirements, each building was mapped in terms of how many students could fit in a classroom as well as passing areas and how students would navigate from class to class.
• Buildings will have one-way staircases and hallways when possible.
• It was determined that all buildings would have one-way staircases and hallways.
• In each building, directional signage will be clearly posted. Students will also have a chance to walk through the buildings and ask questions during their orientation.
• Exceptions to the one-way hallways will be made for accessibility needs and for bathrooms during class time.
• Classes will be released on a staggered basis so that students do not converge in hallways.

• Plexi-glass will be installed in high traffic areas such as the front offices. 

Masks/facial coverings are required at SAAS

Masks/facial coverings are required to be worn by students and adults at SAAS during all activities including class, during transitions, during bus rides, during extracurricular activities, during “Retreats on Campus” and are required in the State of Washington to be worn in public.

• SAAS will provide five (5) masks per student  
• Mask will be 3-layer, reusable/washable, and adjustable. 
• Students should wear a mask and have at least one extra in their backpack each day.
• Students may wear their own masks; 3-layer or thicker masks as recommended.
• Teachers will be provided shields, in addition to masks, to protect them and others in the classroom.

HAND WASHING

Individual hygiene practices will be reinforced through safety communication in orientations, in classrooms, in training campaigns, and through facility signage, in order for students, faculty, and staff to exercise individual responsibility through hand washing and healthy personal habits. 

HAND SANITIZER

Hand sanitizer is available in all commons areas, restrooms, food service areas, and in all classrooms.

LIMITED TOUCH APPROACH

• Students will be issued an electronic key card that allows them to “tap in” to buses, daily pre-certification screening, as well as, purchase lunch without touching any equipment.
• All Middle School students will be assigned a Chromebook so sharing of equipment is not required. All Upper School students have their own laptop.
• Packets will be created for students in arts and sciences so that they are not sharing supplies. These packets will be available for students during orientation.
• No lockers or locker rooms will be available this year. Students will need to take their personal items with them from classroom to classroom in their backpack.
• Main doorways to hallways, stairways, common areas, and restrooms will be left open to avoid using high touch door handles.

Our preparation for students on campus include sanitizing all spaces on our campus.Contracts for janitorial services have been significantly increased including the addition of daytime janitorial personnel in each building to support the sanitation required between and during class. Significant investments in additional equipment such as steam cleaners, monitors, electrostatic wands and pressure systems, sanitation stations in each classroom, office, and commons space have been procured to enable the sanitation process.

CLASSROOMS

• Disinfecting stations have been provided in each classroom with protocols to sanitize between each class and during the class if needed. 

DURING CLASS

• While students are in class, each building will have additional janitorial staff each day that sanitizes high contact areas such as main doors, stairwell railings, restrooms, etc. so that these areas are cleaned in preparation for the next passing time between classes.

BETWEEN CLASS

• The additional janitorial staff in each building will sanitize those classrooms and surfaces that house higher risk programs in preparation for the next class to enter.  Students will not enter the class until the sanitation has been complete.

NIGHTLY/WEEKEND

• We have increased our cleaning and sanitation rotation each evening.
• We will do a deep sanitation of all buildings in use ach night and each weekend as the student population changes.
• Our janitorial partner has undergone certified training in COVID-19 specific sanitation practices to prepare for the Fall.

STAY HOME IF...

Students showing signs or symptoms of COVID-19 should not come to school. Parents/guardians should keep them at home and report the illness to the school. Accommodations will be made to support students through remote learning. These symptoms include:

• fever of 100.4 degrees or chills
• cough
• shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• congestion or runny nose
• nausea or vomiting
• fatigue and/or body aches
• new loss of taste or smell

SHOWING SYMPTOMS WHILE AT SAAS...

• SAAS will have a designated isolation areas (- for students, faculty, or staff who exhibit symptoms after arriving on campus.
• Anyone who exhibits or reports symptoms will be isolated.
• Faculty or staff will be immediately sent home to self-isolate.
• Students will be escorted to a designated isolation area on campus. Parents will be immediately notified and asked to pick up their child. The student will remain in the designated isolation area until pickup.
• -The isolation area will be thoroughly disinfected after each use.  
• Seattle Academy will provide additional instructions on next steps for isolation and consideration of testing as appropriate.
• In all cases, internal contact tracing will be employed to identify any potential close contacts for quarantine. Appropriate notifications will be sent to relevant parties and/or the larger SAAS community.
• Notification and tracing requirements will be aligned with Public Health, take into account medical privacy concerns, an include notification of those with exposure risk based on contact tracing information.

SHOWING SYMPTOMS WHILE OFF CAMPUS...

• Remain at home to self-isolate and do not come to school. Students will be able to participate in remote learning during their time at home.
• Contact your physician or local care provider to notify them that you are feeling ill. Follow the recommendations of local physician or care provider regarding evaluation or testing decisions
• Notify safety@seattleacademy.org and provide the following information:
  • Best estimate of approximately how long ago the symptoms started
  • Whether they have been in close contact with any SAAS students, faculty, or staff in the 48 hours prior to symptom onset
  • If the sick individual HAS been on campus OR had close contacts from Seattle Academy within 48 hours since of the onset of symptoms:
    • Internal contact tracing will be performed by SAAS to identify any close contacts may need to be quarantined
  • If the sick individual HAS NOT been on campus within 48 hours since of the onset of symptoms:
    • Internal contact tracing is not necessary so long as the individual in question:
      • Has not been on campus within the 48-hour window since onset of symptoms
      • Has not come into close contact with other SAAS students, faculty, or staff during the 48 hours preceding the onset of symptoms.

Please refer to the Isolation and Quarantine guidelines for RETURNING TO SCHOOL after signs of SUSPECTED COVID-19.

Isolation Guidance (Symptomatic OR Asymptomatic with Positive COVID Test)

For additional information from the WA state department of health, refer to: What to do if you were potentially exposed to someone with COVID-19?

IF SYMPTOMATIC WITH A POSITIVE COVID TEST:

Symptomatic individuals with confirmed COVID-19 can end home isolation when:

• They have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of any fever-reducing medications (tylenol, ibuprofen, aspirin, etc.), AND
• All symptoms have improved, AND
• At least 10 days have passed since the symptoms first appeared

NOTE: Patients with severe COVID-19 infections or immunocompromise may require longer periods of isolation

IF ASYMPTOMATIC WITH POSITIVE COVID TEST:

Asymptomatic individuals who test positive for COVID-19 can end home isolation when:

• At least 10 days have passed since the date of their first positive COVID-19 test, AND
• They have not developed any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 during that time

IF SYMPTOMATIC WITH NEGATIVE COVID TEST:

Symptomatic individuals with a negative test COVID-19 can end home isolation when:

• They have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of any fever-reducing medications (tylenol, ibuprofen, aspirin, etc.), AND
• All symptoms have improved, AND
• They have been cleared to return to school as per the determination of their local healthcare provider.

Quarantine Guidance (After Close Contact with Known or Suspected COVID Case)

SELF-QUARANTINE GUIDANCE FOR CLOSE CONTACTS:

According to current guidance from the CDC as well as WA State and King County health authorities, anyone who is identified as a possible close contact of a known or suspected COVID-19 patient should do the following:

• Stay home for 14 days after last exposure
• Maintain social distance (at least 6 feet) from others and wear a mask at all times
• Self-monitor for symptoms
  • Check temperature twice a day
  • Watch for fever, cough, or shortness of breath, new loss of taste or smell, and other symptoms of COVID-19
• Avoid contact with people at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19

RETURNING TO SCHOOL AFTER ASYMPTOMATIC SELF-QUARANTINE:

Asymptomatic individuals can end self-quarantine and return to school when:

• At least 14 days have passed since the date of their last exposure to the known or suspected COVID-19 patients, AND
• They have not developed any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 during that time

OR

• The suspected case they were exposed to ultimately tests negative and is deemed not to have COVID-19 (as per the determination of their local healthcare provider).

At this time, testing has not been approved for the purpose of shortening the duration of quarantine for the asymptomatic close contact. However, the duration may be shortened on a situational basis if the close contact who potentially exposed them is able to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test.

IF SYMPTOMS DEVELOP (OR ASYMPTOMATIC WITH POSITIVE TEST) DURING 14-DAY SELF-QUARANTINE:

Anyone who experiences symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19 during the self-quarantine period should follow the isolation guidance outlined above for symptomatic or asymptomatic with positive COVID test.

FAMILY PRE-CERTIFICATION

• Families will be asked to complete an assessment of their child’s health each morning.  This pre-certification assessment will be on the SafeAccess APP.  It will include a parental affirmation that students are not exhibiting symptoms, have not been exposed, and that temperatures have been taken prior to arrival.  FAMILIES WILL RECEIVE A LINK TO THE APP BEFORE THE START OF “RETREATS ON CAMPUS.”
• Once students have cleared the assessment area, they will “tap in” with an electronic key card and go directly to their classroom.
• Students who do not have the proof of a parent assessment will need to complete a pre-certification process including temperature checks before they are allowed to “tap in.”
• Students who are at school and screen with a temperature of 100.4 or higher will be quarantined, and families will need to pick them up.

HEALTH PROTOCOLS CONSULTATION

SAAS has contracted with Remote Medical International to support our health protocols with students, faculty, and staff.  Their consultation and support includes:

• Nursing services
• Contact Tracing Protocols
• Exposure Protocols
• Safe Access Family Pre-certification app
• Health indicator dashboard assistance
• Health indicator interpretation/advisement

ON-CAMPUS COVID-19 TESTING

• Faculty and staff COVID-19 PCR tests will be provided through the 2020-21 school year.
• Faculty and staff flu shots were provided in October 2020.
• Middle School Student Drive Through COVID testing available February 21-22, 2021. Testing is optional, but encouraged. Please click here for details. 

• We are hopeful that our families remain healthy during this pandemic. However, if a student or person living in the same residence is exposed to or tests positive for COVID-19, safety@seattleacademy.org must be notified as soon as possible to discuss quarantine requirements.
• Information will be gathered to support contact tracing to reduce the exposure to others in our community.
• Assistance will be provided in identifying testing referrals if needed. 
• Information will be kept confidential to the extent possible as SAAS may be required to report it to public health authorities for guidance.

Please refer to the Isolation and Quarantine guidelines for RETURNING TO SCHOOL after signs of SUSPECTED COVID-19.

• We are coordinating contact tracing with our attendance system, as well as, evaluating additional apps to assist us in collecting needed information. An update will be provided after the evaluation. 
• Teachers will be taking attendance for all classes regardless of whether the class is on campus or being held remotely.
• We will be asking families to report absences as normal even if your student is not scheduled to be on campus that day.

Internal Contact Tracing

• Seattle Academy will perform internal contact tracing for students, faculty, or staff members who become symptomatic on or off campus
• Internal contact tracing is intended to rapidly identify close contacts within the Seattle Academy community who should be quarantined due to potential exposure to an infected individual
• Internal contact tracing will be facilitated by a combination of the following:
  • Electronic “tap in” records from the SafeAccess App
  • Numbered seating arrangement in each classroom to enable reliable contact tracing of students in each pod and prevent widespread transmission in the event of a possible exposure scenario. Refer to Figure 1 for additional information.
  • Faculty will document the following each class:
  • Faculty will document the following each class:
    • List of students in attendance
    • Seating location of each student in attendance
  • If an individual develops symptoms or tests positive, staff members will review all classes attended by the student in the previous 48 hours since onset of symptoms. The goal of this strategy is to identify any students who may be at higher risk due to seating proximity to the infected individual, which may allow for a more precise determination of close contacts who should be quarantined.

External Contact Tracing 

• Washington state law requires labs and doctors to notify the local health jurisdiction upon confirmation of positive test results for infectious disease. Upon receiving confirmation of a positive test result, Altius will report the positive result to the WA state health department.
• While positive results are initially reported to the state health department, contact tracing and case interviews will typically be managed at a local level by the Seattle & King County public health department.
• If you have a positive test result, you will receive a phone call from a contact tracer from the Seattle & King County public health department. Contact tracers are usually employees of the health department, but may also be state volunteers or national guard personnel. The contact tracer is tasked with compiling a list of people who came into close contact with an infected individual to identify those who are at risk of contracting the virus. The contact tracer will then call these individuals to notify them of their potential exposure. The contact tracer can also help connect you and your potential close contacts to any support that may be needed during the isolation period. The entire process is usually completed during a 20-minute phone call. Your identity will not be disclosed to any of your close contacts. Close contacts are informed that they may have been exposed to the virus, but they are not provided with any information about who is responsible for the exposure.
• According to county protocols, contact tracers will ask the following:
  • Deomographic questions about your date of birth, address, gender at bith, race and ethnicity
  • Information about your occupation
  • Information abour your COVID-19 illness
  • How you believe you were exposed to COVID-19
  • Places you have visited recently
  • People you have recently been in close contact with
• Contact traceres will NOT ask about your immigration status, social security number, finances, or marital status. Do not provide this information to someone who is calling you for a case interview or contact tracing. Information collected by contact tracers will only be shared with public health professionals who are working to contain the virus. 
• Some people who test positive for COVID-19 are asymptomatic, which means that they are infected with the virus but do not experience any symptoms themselves. Asymptomatic individuals are still able to spread the virus even though they do not have any symptoms of the infection. It is critical that anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 (or comes into close contact with an infected individual) complies with the current public health guidance for isolation or quarantine.

Figure 1: Example of a standardized, socially distanced classroom layout to facilitate internal contact tracing and reduce the risk of widespread transmission within each pod.

• Please click here for the most current information regarding COVID-19 vaccines in Washington State.

SAAS completed HVAC Audits in all buildings and the following measures are implemented before students return for Retreats on Campus

• MERV 8 & MERV 13 filters
• Coil cleaning, filtration gaps sealed
• Air changes per hour increased; expanded use of outside air/ventilation protocol
• GPS Air Scrubbing system installed on all owned buildings
• Air purification units added in designated classrooms
• Water system flush
• Water Fountains locked out
• Soft furniture removed

LOCKERS

• Students will NOT be issued lockers this year.

BACKPACKS

• Students should keep their backpacks with them at all times.
• All items they bring with them should fit in their backpack.

LOST AND FOUND

• The school will maintain lost and found items for one week only.
• Any high-touch items such as waterbottles, hairbrushes, etc. will not be kept in the lost and found. 

Glossary of Common Terms:

A close contact is defined by the King County health department as remaining within 6 feet of a known or suspected infected individual for longer than 15 minutes. Examples of close contact situations include:

• Living in the same household as a person with COVID-19
• Caring for a person with COVID-19
• Remaining within 6 feet of a person with COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes
• Being in direct contact with saliva or other body secretions from a person with COVID-19 (e.g., being coughed on, kissing, sharing utensils, etc.).

Isolation is used for people who are symptomatic and/or have received positive test results and may be able to spread the disease. Sick individuals are asked to isolate themselves according to CDC guidelines in order to avoid infecting others.

Quarantine is used for individuals who are not currently showing symptoms but are at increased risk of having the virus due to close contact with an infected individual. Close contacts are asked to quarantine themselves according to CDC guidelines as a precautionary measure.

Symptomatic refers to an individual who is feeling ill with signs and symptoms that may be associated with COVID-19 such as fever, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, new loss of taste or smell, nausea and vomiting, etc.

Asymptomatic refers to an individual who is not experiencing any signs or symptoms of illness. Asymptomatic patients with active COVID-19 infection are still capable of spreading the virus.

Please click here for the most up to date information:

TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION PAGE

Students, faculty, and staff are required to wear masks on the buses. Seattle Academy will provide students, faculty, and staff with masks. 

• Students will “tap in” with their electronic key card when entering a bus. This allows for a limited touch entry and will help with contact tracing should it be needed.
• All buses will be wiped down at the end of each trip with a more thorough sanitation regimen at the end of each day.
• Our current transportation plan is more conservative than the most recent guidance.  We will have students seated one occupant per seat next to the window with all windows open for ventilation during the trip. Students will enter and exit the bus using using social distance and sequencing requirements.  We ask that families encourage students to wait in your vehicle until the bus arrives or practice social distancing if waiting in a common space. 

Our current Return to Campus plan balances the guidance we’ve received from our board risk management task force, Governor's Dec 16 Reopening Guidance, WA Department of Health guidance, public health consultations, the lagging and predictive health indicators from King County,  IHME,  our insights into our student wellness, and our evaluation of the significant mitigating measures we’ve put into place for the safety of students, faculty, and staff to support their readiness and comfort in returning.  We are fortunate to have insights from multiple perspectives to help guide our decision making.

The decision to Return to Campus is one that lives with the school after taking these perspectives into account and understanding the uniqueness of our student population, our size, our campus, our faculty and staff, and our measures we’ve put in place supporting the safety and well-being of this SAAS community.  We appreciate that no decision will completely align with any one stakeholder perspective of what is safe, preferred, or necessary as we start the new year.

As previously committed, we will provide options for family and faculty choice as we navigate through the remaining months of this school year.

Personal Choice

We want to reinforce and support your family’s and our faculty’s personal choice in returning to campus through the end of this school year.   Every family has their own health-related considerations or comfort levels in making these decisions.

As a reminder and in support of your decision making, SAAS will provide a remote option for any student whose family makes the decision to have their student attend remotely instead of coming to campus when in-person options are offered for their grade level.  Students may attend full-time remote due to family health or other circumstances in any of these scenarios.

We invite any questions to be sent to safety@seattleacademy.org.

The cross functional 2020-21 Scenario Planning Committees have tirelessly evaluated multiple scenarios for reopening.  Committee and task force members represented administration, staff, faculty, board members, parents, and alums and represented health, educational, non-profit, and strategic planning expertise.  We thank all of them for their individual and collective contributions.

King County Public Health

Washington State Department of Health

Center for Disease Control

Institute for Health Metrics & Evaluation

OSPI Reopening Report

OSPI Reopening FAQs

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

World Health Organization COVID-19 Dashboard