COVID-19 Updates

List of 4 items.

• The School Day

  We will not require a formal health screening in carpool through Ruvna this year, though we ask that you remain vigilant in assessing your son’s health each morning. It is critical that your son stay home from school if he shows any signs of illness, COVID-related or otherwise. Temperature checks will no longer take place in carpool. 

  
  The Sibling Shuttle, which runs between St. Catherine’s and St. Christopher’s at 7:40 a.m. for joint families, will return this year. More information to follow in August.

• Mask Requirements

  The state Health Commissioner issued a Public Health Emergency Order requiring indoor masking for all individuals—children and adults, vaccinated and unvaccinated—in any public or private school in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This order went into effect on August 12 and remains in effect “until the CDC guidelines for K-12 schools change, unless this Order is sooner amended or rescinded.” 
  
  

  As such, all individuals on the St. Christopher’s campus must mask when indoors, unless engaged in the activities noted as exceptions in the Public Health Order. 

  
  Masking is not required for any Saints community member when on campus outdoors. Any Saints community member may choose to mask when on campus outdoors, and we will respect and honor that choice.

• Updated COVID Exposure and Quarantine Policies

  Students, parents, and faculty/staff will still be required to report a confirmed COVID diagnosis or confirmed COVID exposure confidentially to the divisional school nurse or the Director of Health Services immediately upon diagnosis. The health staff will provide guidance throughout recovery and assist with school reentry.

   

  With the priority of maintaining a healthy learning environment for all, please keep your son at home if he is ill with fever (>100 degrees F), respiratory symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, or body aches. Please call his medical provider to discuss next steps prior to coming to campus. 

  
  

  If your son is waiting on the results of a COVID test, he should remain at home until the test results are final. If an individual in the household has been diagnosed with COVID, your son should remain home even if he is vaccinated until your individual case has been discussed with the school nurse or the Director of Health Services.

  
  

  When There is a Confirmed COVID Case on Campus:

  • Parents of students in an affected homeroom (Lower School) or students in close contact (Middle and Upper Schools) and affected faculty/staff will receive a notification via email followed by contact by the divisional health staff.
  • Confidentiality of the diagnosed student or employee will be maintained in accordance with applicable law.
  • Unvaccinated children and employees who are in close contact with an individual confirmed to be infected by COVID will be required to quarantine for 7 (with negative PCR test) to 10 days (with negative antigen test). Close contact is defined as an unvaccinated individual being within 6 feet unmasked or within 3 feet with a well-fitted mask for more than 15 minutes at one time or cumulative over a 24 hour period. The quarantine will begin at the end of the academic school day. (You will not need to pick up your child mid-day.) This quarantine policy will be in effect in all divisions, including the Lower School, though only close contacts in a Lower School homeroom will need to quarantine this year. 
  • Vaccinated students who are exposed on campus and who are asymptomatic will not be required to quarantine, per current VDH and CDC guidelines. 
  • We will continue to maintain a COVID-19 dashboard, accessible to parents after the beginning of the school year through SaintsNet. 

• Visitors on Campus

  Effective Monday, September 13, we plan to return to our pre-COVID policy of welcoming parents, alumni, and community visitors on campus. All visitors to the Lower School or to Grade 6 must mask when indoors; we will determine our masking policy for visitors to other parts of the campus immediately prior to the start of school.