Safe at SAAS - Seattle Academy

Safety Protocols

Updated Masking Guidelines & Recommendations

Washington State Governor Jay Inslee announced the lifting of mask requirements on March 12, 2022. This change, to both the King County and Washington State guidelines, allowed Seattle Academy to move to mask optional starting March 14, the first day of our spring trimester.

As of March 14, 2022, students, faculty, and staff have the opportunity to be maskless on campus (both indoors and outdoors) as well as the continued option to wear a mask for those who prefer to do so.

When worn, masks should be 3 layers or more and tightly fitting.

Travel Guidelines

SAAS TRAVEL GUIDELINES for International and Domestic Travel

DOMESTIC TRAVEL
This guidance applies to travel within the United States.

If vaccinated for COVID-19 & SAAS has vaccination record –

No quarantine required post travel.
Monitor symptoms 14 days post travel.
COVID testing encouraged; not required

If not vaccinated for COVID 19 regardless of exemption, we recommend the following:

Take COVID test 3 – 5 days post travel (not earlier)
If positive, contact SAFETY follow COVID positive protocol

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
This guidance applies to travel outside of the United States.

CDC recommends not traveling internationally until fully vaccinated.

If vaccinated for COVID-19 & SAAS has vaccination record –

No quarantine required post travel.
Monitor symptoms 14 days post travel.
COVID testing encouraged; not required

If not vaccinated for COVID 19 regardless of exemption and you have to travel internationally, we recommend the following:

Take COVID test 3 – 5 days post travel (not earlier)
If positive, contact SAFETY follow COVID positive protocol

Quarantine Guidelines

Quarantine
Quarantine is when someone who has been exposed to COVID-19 stays home and away from others for the recommended period of time in case they were infected and are contagious.

You are required to quarantine from in person SAAS activities in the following circumstances:

If you are identified as a close contact and are not fully vaccinated, you must quarantine based on the timeline and protocols below and not attend in person classes or in person activities at SAAS during the quarantine period.

The safest option is to stay at home (“quarantine”) and away from other people for 5 days from the exposure. Under this option, you may return to SAAS activities without testing AND if you are not experiencing COVID symptoms AND have been fever free for at least 24 hours on Day 6 from the date of exposure.
You should not attend school, work, or participate in other social or community activities during quarantine.
Other household members do not have to quarantine if you have been identified as a close contact unless you develop symptoms or test positive for COVID-19 or unless you have been advised otherwise by public health or your medical provider.

You are not required to quarantine from in person SAAS activities in the following circumstances:

IF you are a close contact and fully vaccinated and SAAS has documentation of your vaccination status and if you are not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms;

It is recommended that you be tested 3-5 days following a known exposure and wear a masks indoors in all public places for 14 days or until you receive negative test results.
If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, you should isolate from others, seek appropriate medical care, and be tested for SARS-COV-2.

IF you have had confirmed COVID-19 in the past 3 months and have recovered and do not have COVID-19 symptoms.

It is recommended that you closely monitor for symptoms for 14 days and seek appropriate medical attention should symptoms develop.
Other household members do not have to quarantine if you have been identified as a close contact unless you develop symptoms or test positive for COVID-19 or unless you have been advised otherwise by public health or your medical provider.

Updated Isolation Guidelines

UPDATED ISOLATION GUIDELINES (as of 1/7/2022)

Effective immediately, Seattle Academy will be moving to the reduced isolation requirement for individuals testing positive for COVID in Washington K-12 schools. Isolation is necessary after a person has been diagnosed as COVID positive regardless of vaccination status.

This new isolation requirement will rely upon an important partnership between SAAS and your family to monitor symptoms, objectively report them, and to stay home when symptomatic. This partnership will be important in maintaining safe, in-person learning for those who remain on campus.

If you have any questions regarding the new requirement information, please contact our Safety Team (safety@seattleacademy.org). Thank you!

SAFE AT SAAS: REDUCED ISOLATION REQUIREMENT

All people with COVID-19 (with or without symptoms) need to isolate for at least 5 days.

For students, teachers, and staff who test positive for COVID-19 and never develop symptoms:

Isolate for at least 5 days. Day 0 is the day of the positive COVID-19 test and day 1 is the first full day after the specimen was collected for the positive test. The first potential return to school activities would be on day 6.
Post the required isolation time frame, we ask that your student return to school only if they are no longer experiencing symptoms and have received a negative antigen test. Should your student continue to test positive on an antigen test we ask that they remain home until negative or, is on day 11 and no longer experiencing symptoms. This applies to anyone with COVID-19, regardless of their vaccination or booster status.

For students, teachers and staff who have COVID-19 and have or had symptoms:

Isolation can end isolation after 5 days if they are fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and other symptoms have improved. Day 0 is the day of the positive COVID-19 test and day 1 is the first full day after the specimen was collected for the positive test.
If the person meets these 2 criteria, they can return to school after 5 days of isolation, but must continue to wear a mask for an additional 5 days at all times while at SAAS, and in general, in all outdoor and indoor settings when around others. This applies to anyone with COVID-19, regardless of their vaccination or booster status.
If they continue to have a fever or other symptoms have not improved after 5 days of isolation, isolation ends only when they are fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and other symptoms have improved.

If you have questions with this new guidance, please feel free to contact Safety@seattleacademy.org or 206.676.6868. Again, we thank you for your partnerships as we safely return students from isolation.

If You Test Positive

IF you test positive for SARS-CoV-2, you must isolate from others regardless of vaccination status. Isolation requires you to stay home and away from others to avoid further transmission.

Please contact safety@seattleacademy.org as soon as possible so the school may begin contact tracing and quarantine protocol.

You may return to SAAS in person classes and activities when:

Isolate for at least 5 days. Day 0 is the day of the positive COVID-19 test and day 1 is the first full day after the specimen was collected for the positive test. The first potential return to school activities would be on day 6.
Post the required isolation time frame, we ask that your student return to school only if they are no longer experiencing symptoms and have received a negative antigen test. Should your student continue to test positive on an antigen test we ask that they remain home until negative or, is on day 11 and no longer experiencing symptoms. This applies to anyone with COVID-19, regardless of their vaccination or booster status.

If You Are Experiencing Symptoms

IF YOU EXPERIENCE COVID SYMPTOMS

STAY HOME, seek appropriate medical attention, and contact s afety@seattleacademy.org as soon as possible to discuss. This is irrespective of vaccination status.

If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and test negative for SARS-CoV-2 with a molecular test, you may return to school as long as you have not been identified as a close contact of someone with COVID-19 and subject to quarantine AND as long as other communicable diseases have been eliminated as the cause for symptoms.
If you have COVID-19 symptoms and test negative for SARS-CoV-2 with an antigen test, per CDC antigen testing guidance, a confirmatory lab-based molecular test is recommended. An alternative to confirmatory NAAT testing is serial antigen testing performed every 3–7 days for 14 days.
If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and do not get tested for SARS-CoV-2 or see a healthcare provider and given an alternative diagnosis, you should follow the same isolation guidance as persons who test positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Sanitation

CLASSROOMS

Disinfecting stations have been provided in each classroom with protocols to sanitize when needed.

DURING CLASS

Each building will have additional janitorial staff each day that sanitizes high contact areas such as main doors, stairwell railings, restrooms, etc.

NIGHTLY/WEEKEND

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

Hygiene

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.

Attendance

Personal Items

Photo ID Cards

Students, faculty, and staff will be required to wear a photo identification card while on campus. Pictures will be taken during orientation days and badges distributed on the first day of school. These cards will include: SAAS logo/identifier, photo, and name as well as a unique bar code identifier.

This card will serve the purposes of:

Visual recognition for security purposes
Lunch payment
Bus transportation attendance

HVAC and Building Systems

SAAS completed HVAC Audits in all buildings and the following measures are implemented 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

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ: Do you have to isolate if you are COVID positive and are fully vaccinated?
YES, isolation is still required if you test positive for COVID regardless of vaccination status. The duration of your isolation depends upon whether you are asymptomatic at the time of receiving your test results or based on the onset of symptoms should they exist.
FAQ: How long does a COVID positive isolation period last?
The time period for isolation after a positive test is 5 days post symptom onset or receipt of positive test result AND at least 24 hours after any symptoms remain.
FAQ: Do you still have to quarantine if you are fully vaccinated and are identified as a close contact?
NO, you are not required to quarantine if you are fully vaccinated and identified as a close contact IF you do not exhibit any COVID-related symptoms. You are required to more closely monitor symptoms for a period of 14 days post exposure, wear your mask indoors with others and outdoors in congested areas, stay home and report if you have an onset of symptoms, and are strongly encouraged to test 3-5 days post exposure.
FAQ: What happens once SAAS receives a COVID positive report?
A number of steps are taken when a report of symptoms and/or a confirmed positive test occurs including:

Report received of symptom onset and/or COVID positive test.
Individual instructed to isolate immediately and seek appropriate medical care.
Notification begins as soon as possible starting with those most directly impacted. This early notification is intended to reduce the chances of transmission. Unvaccinated or under-vaccination close contacts are notified to begin quarantine, testing, and/or symptom monitoring.
Notify Public Health (if positive case) and participate in a parallel contact tracing process. SAAS starts its own contact tracing immediately upon notification of a positive case and does not wait on Public Health due to their backlog and capacity to quickly respond.
Initiate specific sanitation protocol.
Monitor all for recovery, symptom onset or worsening, and/or any subsequent positive cases.
Offer and provide support to the COVID positive individual and those affected.
Be available for questions.
Provide information to SAAS community on an ongoing basis reflecting individual or summary information regarding exposures on campus.

Drop Off & Pick Up Information / Snow Day Protocol

Drop Off

We will have two staggered drop-off times for the Fall Trimester. Drop-off times are by grade, not by alphabet.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Middle School students will be dropped off along 13th Avenue.

UPPER SCHOOL

Upper School students can be dropped off along 13th Avenue, in front of the Madison Building, or in front of the Temple Building depending on the location of their Block 1 and 2 classrooms.
Upper School students should enter the main door of the building of their Block 1 or 2 classes.

BUS RIDERS (SAAS and PUBLIC), CARPOOLS, AND STUDENT DRIVERS

SAAS buses will arrive on E Spring Street. Students will exit the bus, check in, and then proceed to the building where their first block will be held.
Those students riding public transportation can arrive according to their bus schedule.
Carpools should drop off students on 13th.
Juniors and seniors with parking permits should proceed to their first block classroom.

Pick Up

Classes will end at 3 PM for all students.

Middle and Upper School students not participating in after school activities or taking SAAS bus transportation will be picked up from 13th Avenue (if student’s 7th or 8th block is on the 12th Avenue block) or from Temple-15th Avenue (if student’s 7th or 8th block is in the Temple) or Madison (if student’s 7th or 8th block is in Madison) between 3:00 and 3:15 PM.
Middle and Upper School students riding the bus will remain in their 7th or 8th grade block until 3:15 PM. At 3:15 PM they should go to 13th Avenue and check in before loading on the buses.
Middle School athletes will go directly to the Middle School gym with the exception of volleyball players who will be assigned a team room where they should report. Once in the gym, students will divide into teams, have attendance taken, and then proceed to 13th Avenue to load buses for practices/games.
Upper School athletes will receive further instructions from their coaches regarding meeting locations.
Those students participating in other after-school activities (such as rehearsals, clubs, or student halls) can proceed directly to that location.

Walking Routes

Below are the walking routes that students, faculty, and staff should follow when traveling between the Main Campus and the Temple Building or the Madison Building.

Main Campus / Temple Building

Travel on the south side of Union between 12th Avenue and 14th Avenue.
Travel on the north side of Union between 14th Avenue and 15th Avenue.
Cross Union at the light on 14th Avenue.

Main Campus / Madison Building

Travel on the south side of Madison between 12th Avenue and Boylston.
Cross Madison at the light on Boylston.

Shuttles Between Buildings

Snow Day Information & Protocol

COVID-19 Vaccine Policy & Protocols

COVID-19 Vaccination Policy Document & Forms

COVID-19 Reporting

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 limited contact tracing.
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 after signs of SUSPECTED COVID-19.

COVID-19 Symptoms

COVID-19 SYMPTOMS

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

IF YOU EXPERIENCE COVID-19 SYMPTOMS

STAY HOME, seek appropriate medical attention, and contact s afety@seattleacademy.org as soon as possible to discuss. This is irrespective of vaccination status.

If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and test negative for SARS-CoV-2 with a molecular test, you may return to school as long as you have not been identified as a close contact of someone with COVID-19 and subject to quarantine AND as long as other communicable diseases have been eliminated as the cause for symptoms.
If you have COVID-19 symptoms and test negative for SARS-CoV-2 with an antigen test, per CDC antigen testing guidance, a confirmatory lab-based molecular test is recommended. An alternative to confirmatory NAAT testing is serial antigen testing performed every 3–7 days for 14 days.
If you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and do not get tested for SARS-CoV-2 or see a healthcare provider and given an alternative diagnosis, you should follow the same isolation guidance as persons who test positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Contact Safety

Daily Schedule

Resources

Our Leadership Team evaluates these resources in order to make decisions related to campus requirements, COVID-19 exposure, prediction dashboards and guidance related to safe practices.

General Information

Decision Making Considerations
Contact Us