Announcements

Many of us are anxious and concerned about the upcoming school year. We don’t know what the upcoming school year will look like, but we know that it will be different. 

Despite the differences, CCS is committed to having school on campus this fall. 

Here is the safety plan we have in place for the upcoming school year. Much of the plan is still a work in progress, and it is subject to change, but here is what we have planned.

Measures Already in Place

• Small school community, well below facility capacity

• Small class sizes (below the CDC guideline of 25)

• School Nurse

• New cleaning service that will clean and sanitize the facility daily

In addition to the measures already set in place, we have created additional safety procedures. These procedures were based on our accrediting organization, the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA). I have been in contact with SCISA on a regular basis during the pandemic and I am thankful for their guidance. SCISA has contacts within the World Heath Organization (WHO) and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC). The following safety procedures are based on recommendations from all of the above organizations.

Safety Procedures for 20-21

• Prevention:

  • Nurse take temperature of teachers/staff at the beginning of the day 

  • Faculty/staff take student temperatures at the door (all teachers will have a non-contact thermometer and will be able to check student temperature throughout the day.)

  • Nurse take temperature of all visitors

  • No one (student, faculty/staff, parent, or visitor) with a fever will be allowed to enter the building

  • Choir class will become music appreciation and music theory; students will not engage in singing in an enclosed area

• Hygiene:

  • Nurse will provide instruction to students and faculty/staff on proper handwashing procedures

  • CCS will post signs in bathrooms about proper handwashing procedures

  • Water fountain use will be restricted  to refill water bottles only

  • Student belongings will be kept separate from other students; communal supplies will be limited; equipment used between groups of students (balls, chromebooks, manipulatives, etc.) will be sanitized between use

  • Students will be asked to bring personal/individual items such as water bottles, hand sanitizer and tissues

• Social Distancing (During the School Day):

  • CCS will schedule students in small groupings (no more than 25); and ensure these groupings stay together throughout the course of the day (small grouping includes electives like P.E. and music)

  • CCS will maximize space between desks and turn desks to face the same direction (CDC recommends 6 feet between desks, but the WHO recommends 3 feet between desks; we will strive to put as much space between desks as possible.)

  • Students will eat lunch in classrooms

  • Students will go straight to their classrooms when they enter the building

  • CCS will continue virtual chapel; students will watch chapel in homeroom; students will not sing during chapel

• Social Distancing (Events):

  • Staggered time slots for Parent Orientation (formerly Parent Night), which would allow families to come in the morning, during the day, or in the evening 

  • No concerts or programs for the 20-21 year

  • No field trips

• Isolation and Quarantine:

  • In the event that a student has a fever, the student will stay home and return after three fever-free days.

  • If a student tests positive for the virus, families in the class will be notified and the class will transition to online learning and will quarantine for 14 days. The school community will also be notified, but the name of the student will remain confidential. 

  • We will adopt a flexible attendance policy. In other words, there will not be a limit on the number of absences. We will still take attendance, but students will be able to miss as many days as needed.

Plans in Process

• We would like to add hand sanitizer wall units to classrooms. 

• We would like to switch out the water fountain units to water bottle refilling stations.

• We would like to have a quarantine room, where students with a fever will wait for their parents.

These plans require additional resources and permission from Grace on the Ashley, but I am hopeful that we will be able to accomplish these plans.

Ideas Under Consideration

It is quite possible that we may need to delay the opening of school for a few weeks. Many families have questions about recess and whether or not masks should be mandatory. As a private school, we have much more freedom and we do not have to follow the same procedures as the public school. It’s very important for us to know the thoughts and concerns of the school community before making these decisions. 

Starting June 8th, the school will be observing official summer hours, Monday-Thursday from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm