Can my child go to school if . . .?

Can my child go to school if . . .?

Answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.

My child has a runny nose/fever/cough/diarrhea/vomited, when can they return to school?

First, please contact your pediatrician to be evaluated.  This season, many children with the above symptoms will be referred for COVID testing: 

  • If the test is NEGATIVE, your child may return to school when they are fever free for 72 hours without fever reducing medications with improvement in their symptoms.
  • If you happen to test positive for an alternate diagnosis such as influenza or strep pharyngitis or bacterial pneumonia, you may return on the timeline documented by your pediatrician. Please bring a note.
  • If the test is POSITIVE, your child may return to school 10 days from the onset of symptoms so long as they have been fever free for 72 hours without fever reducing medicines. 
  • If you are unable to seek medical evaluation during the illness, please keep your child home for 10 days from symptom onset and until fever free for 72 hours without fever reducing medications.
My child has seasonal allergies that involve sneezing and a runny nose. Can my child go to school? When can they return?

If your child has known seasonal allergies or newly identified seasonal allergies, it is not unexpected that they will experience symptoms such as sneezing or runny nose or itchy eyes. Let us know that your child has seasonal allergies.

The first time we see the allergy symptoms (runny nose, cough, etc) we will ask that your child get a Covid-19 test before returning to school before 10 days. We will take note of the new allergy season baseline once they have been confirmed Covid-19 negative.

Please make sure you talk to your pediatrician about the best way to treat your child’s symptoms so that they are able to participate at school. In general, eye rubbing, sneezing, and need for frequent nose wiping increases your child’s exposure to germs; in addition, this year, 

persistent and frequent symptoms may add to overall concern and confusion for others about safety at school.

My child’s babysitter tested positive for Covid-19. Does my child have to quarantine?

If your childcare provider (or anyone else) tests positive for Covid-19 and has been with your child within 48 hours of developing symptoms, your child and any family who had close contact with the person positive for Covid-19 should quarantine for 14 days before returning to school. 

Someone in our family was exposed to a person who tested positive for Covid-19. My child was not exposed to this person. Can my child go to school?

Yes. If one person in your household is placed on quarantine but is asymptomatic, the remaining household members should self-monitor for symptoms, but are not required to quarantine unless their quarantining household member becomes symptomatic. At that time, all household members should begin quarantining until the symptomatic individual has definitive Covid testing results. 

My older child was in class with a peer who was exposed to Covid-19. Now her whole class is quarantined for 2 weeks. Can my preschooler go to school?

Yes. If one person in your household is placed on quarantine but is asymptomatic, the remaining household members should self-monitor for symptoms, but are not required to quarantine unless their quarantining household member becomes symptomatic. At that time, all household members should begin quarantining until the symptomatic individual has definitive Covid testing results. 

My baby has a fever and diarrhea. Can my preschooler go to school if no one else in the family has symptoms and there was no known exposure to Covid-19?.

If a household member has fever or any Covid-like symptoms, the household contacts should quarantine until an alternative diagnosis for the symptomatic individual is made or until a negative Covid test is resulted. 

Someone in our family/household is awaiting Covid-19 test results. Can my child go to school?

No.  If a person in the home is awaiting Covid-19 test results, household contacts should quarantine until results are received.  If the test is NEGATIVE, your child can return to school (assuming your child is asymptomatic).  If the test is positive, household contacts should quarantine for 14 days before returning to school.

Q&A Phase 1: Planning for Re-opening

Q&A Phase 1: Planning for Re-opening

To better understand our health, safety and licensing requirements it is important to know that SLC is licensed as a Child Care Facility.  

 

Under what conditions will School for Little Children open for in-person learning in the Fall?
  • SLC is planning to re-open for in-person learning in September 2020. Under current guidelines, Child Care facilities are allowed to open during Phase 3 or Phase 4. Illinois is currently in Phase 3, and expected to move into Phase 4 on June, 26, 2020.
  • If we are unable to re-open on the planned first day of school, September 8th,
How will SLC ensure the safety of children and staff while at school?
  • Smaller class sizes.
  • Children/Staff will remain in stable groups at all times, and we will stagger movement throughout the building to accommodate social distancing.
  • Enhanced sanitizing & hand washing protocols.
  • Required face coverings for all adults, including parents and caregivers at drop off and pick up. It is also strongly encouraged that all children over the age of two wear face masks, when possible, though we realize this will be difficult for some children and from time to time. SLC will work with staff and families to assist children with this transition.
  • Signage throughout the facility on ways to prevent the spread of germs.
What will drop-off look like under the new guidelines?
  • Daily temperature checks for parents, children and staff upon entering the building.
  • Parents/Caregivers may enter the building but not the classrooms.
  • Staggered start times, to allow for social distancing.
  • Children must change into school shoes.
How do the guidelines from the CDC, IDPH and DCFS affect programming at SLC?
  • SLC is working to adjust the classes to accommodate all levels, but we may have to request changes for some families given the regulations we must follow.
  • For the first four weeks of operation, SLC must operate with reduced group sizes. All classes will begin with 10 children/2 teachers.
  • With DCFS approval, SLC will begin to increase class size (to a maximum of 15 children) in order to accommodate all of our interested families.
What are some additional changes in programming that families can expect?
  • Virtual Enrichment lessons, i.e. yoga or music, may be projected on a large screen in the classroom so the children can still experience enrichment activities with their peers, though the instructor may not be in the classroom.
  • We will suspend our programs for children under two (Little Explorers, Toddler Time or Baby & Me).
  • We will suspend our Early Care and Lunch Program as we get up and running. If allowed, we will try to introduce small lunch groups during the school year.

Missing all our SLC families!

Missing all our SLC families!

Dear SLC Families,

By now you have heard about the extended school closure through April 30th, and each day that we are apart feels like a tremendous loss.  And it is.  Humans are social beings and Early Childhood Education rests on the foundation of relationships and socialization.  It’s no wonder this feels hard.

We are currently going through a collective traumatic experience.  All of a sudden we are burdened with tremendous worry, new responsibilities, less productivity, and coping with uncertainty.  We were NOT prepared to become our children’s teachers (says this mom of two teens), work-from-home employees, or even more difficult unemployed.  All while being isolated from our human flock.  It’s no wonder this feels hard.

After reading this article, and in an effort to make this situation feel a little less hard, I started to wonder:  what if we lowered our expectations for ourselves, and for those around us?  What if we practiced more self-care and forgiveness? Allowed our parenting & work efforts to be good enough whatever they may be on a given day?  I don’t know about you, but life and work do not feel like business as usual to me.  Perhaps this is a mindset we should consider, when applicable.

One of the most frequently asked questions the SLC staff has received during school closure has been, “how can I structure my child’s day?”  It is true younger kids thrive with schedules and routine, and ideally it would be balanced with fun and free play.  The above article suggests to make a list of your families’ values, and to pick 2 activities each day.  The list might include:

  • Mind Activities (i.e. for a 3-year-old, doing a new puzzle)
  • Body Activities (building something with twigs outside, kicking around a ball)
  • Soul Activities (art, creativity, music)
  • Good Citizen of the House (chores like setting the dinner table)
  • Acts of Compassion (write a letter to a loved one, a community helper or someone who is isolated

What I love about this suggested framework is it actually feels feasible, and good for the soul.Before I sign off I want to remind our families that SLC is here for you!  Are you in need of a meal?  More face time with your teachers?  Looking to be connected to a resource?  Please reach out to us through the link below.  We miss you and want to remain as connected.

Until we are together again, sending all of you a BIG virtual hug.

Warmly,
Chrissy

P.S.  Wondering how to talk to kids about the Coronavirus? Discussing the coronavirus with children in age-appropriate ways, helps our kids learn to deal with adversity but very few of us feel equipped to do this. Here are a few tips from Child Psychologist, Dr. Colleen Cicchetti of Lurie’s Children’s Hospital.

Remote Learning Resources

Remote Learning Resources

Getting Creative

SLC is committed to keeping our children and families engaged in learning. We have been working on compiling a resource list that we hope you will find useful in the coming weeks. This list is a living document so if you have any resources you would like to share let us know and we can add to it.

Q&A with SLC

Q&A with SLC

Dear SLC Families,

As we continue to navigate these uncertain times, SLC remains committed to do everything we can to
help our families, our teachers, and the entire SLC community. Naturally, we have fielded a variety of
questions and wanted to collect our responses below for your convenience. As always, please feel free
to reach out if you have questions or concerns. The best way to reach us is to email:
questions@slcevanston.org Be safe, be smart, and be well

1. When will SLC reopen?

SLC will continue our practice of following the District 65 school calendar and therefore our
building will remain closed until District 65 reopens. The current school closure is scheduled
from March 16 through April 12. Our team is continuously monitoring developments from both
District 65 and public health administrators and will keep you posted as the situation evolves.

2. Is SLC still operating?

YES! Our administrative and teaching staff are still fully focused on the day to day operations of
SLC and have developed a variety of ways to remain engaged with our families. Our
administrative staff and teaching staff are now working remotely but remain available by email
during normal school hours, and our governing board has formed a COVID-19 Team that is
meeting regularly to evaluate the ongoing situation.

3. How is SLC taking care of its families?

Our families are of the utmost importance, and we plan to stay connected during school closure.
Your teachers will touch base regularly via an online community platform with videos, and
activity suggestions. Each classroom has a unique format, please reach out to your teacher if
you have any questions or difficulty accessing the information.
The school will continue with regular communication via Thursday Thoughts, daily Facebook
posts, and updates to our website; all of which will contain community resources, educational
weblinks and activity suggestions.

4. How is SLC taking care of its teachers?

We know that our wonderful teaching staff is what makes SLC great and why you entrust us
with your children’s early education. SLC teachers will be paid in full during the current school
closure and will remain as dedicated as ever to supporting your child’s development. We will
increase communication with staff, provide technology support, and offer mental health
consultation in collaboration with the First Presbyterian Church’s Parish Nurse.

5. How will SLC handle tuition for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year?

SLC will continue to operate, albeit in a different manner, during the current school closure and
we will maintain our current tuition schedule.
Please know that we will be working individually with families that are on financial assistance to
help them navigate these challenging times. We hope to resume our normal operations on April
13th after the current school closure. If that changes, we will evaluate the operating model and
tuition plan for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year at that time.

6. How will SLC handle registration and tuition payment for the 2020 Fun In The Sun summer camp?

SLC will continue registering and invoicing for the 2020 Fun In The Sun summer program but
acknowledges that the current situation may require a cancelation at a future date. In that case,
parents can expect a full refund of any tuition paid.

7. How will SLC handle registration and tuition payment for the 2020-2021 school year?

Registration will proceed as scheduled for the 2020-2021 school year. Tuition for the 2020-2021
school year, which would normally be invoiced April and due May, will be delayed one month.
We will communicate updates as soon as there is further clarity on the District 65 calendar for
the 2020-2021 school year.

8. How can I help the SLC community?

We have all been humbled and impressed by how communities band together in difficult times
and this era is no different. SLC Staff and parents have identified several ways to help those in
need…

  • Email questions@slcevanton.org to reach an administrator about a service you can offer other families, or with a request to fill a need you may have. We will do our best to connect available resources.
  • Join SLCs Facebook group, called School for Little Children Family Forum, to request support & resources from other SLC parents:
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/slcparent/
  • Join Evanston Aid Facebook group, a community hub designed to help connect people to resources during COVID-19. https://www.facebook.com/groups/EvanstonAid/