While some of our routines have changed since the start of the pandemic, our priorities remain the same: all decisions are made with the health and social-emotional wellness of our community, a commitment to exemplary educational programming at all levels, and the long-term financial viability of our school.
- Physical Distancing – Friends School will follow the health department’s current social/physical distancing recommendations for schools. No large indoor gatherings be held on Friends School campus during COVID-19.
- Masks/PPE – Per BCPHE’s Public Health Order 2021-7, all staff, students over age 2, and anyone visiting our campus will be required to wear a mask while inside our buildings. Outdoor masking is optional.
- Vaccinations – All students are required to have a fully-updated immunization record or exemption form and physical from their pediatrician before the start of each school year. Friends School collects vaccine certificates for staff and students who have been fully-vaccinated against COVID-19.
- Hand hygiene – All Friends School students, employees, and approved visitors will follow a hand washing or sanitizing protocol throughout the day.
- Temperature and Symptom Screening – Daily temperature and symptom screening (and reporting) will be required of all students, faculty, and staff upon arrival at school. Individuals who are ill or have symptoms may not come to campus.
- Air filtration measures/ventilation – Fresh air is extremely important to us. Windows in all classrooms and throughout our buildings will remain open as much as possible. Continually-running bathroom exhaust fans will run throughout the day in the elementary building. Any room that has filtered intake air that is able to be equipped with a HEPA filter will be equipped with a HEPA filter. Air purifiers are in spaces where forced systems are not present. For safety reasons, individual exterior classroom doors may not be propped open while students are indoors.
- At Risk Population – Immunocompromised individuals and those with underlying health risks or who live with them are encouraged to take extra precautions to protect themselves from getting COVID-19. Please discuss your health concerns and risk with your healthcare provider.
- Travel Considerations (Students, Staff, Families) – See separate travel section on this page.
- Illness Protocol – Individuals who are ill or have symptoms may not come to campus. Friends School will follow the protocol for responding to suspected COVID-19 in our community as set forth in the CDPHE “Cases and Outbreaks in Schools”.
Please also see “Campus Operations” for specific building-related safety issues.
- Hand hygiene – All Friends School students, employees, and approved visitors will follow a hand washing or sanitizing protocol throughout the day.
- Physical Distancing – Physical distancing will be attended to on all of our campuses. Signage and dividers will be placed at appropriate locations. No large gatherings will be held during COVID-19.
- Building Entry/Exit – Students will use individual exterior classroom doors as primary entrance and exits.
- Drinking Fountains – Students may fill their bottles in our touchless drinking fountains. No touching or drinking from fountains or sinks. Students in K-8 should bring a full water bottle each day, with their name clearly visible.
- Families and Visitors – Friends School will allow for one adult to accompany their Preschool or Pre-Kindergarten child to drop-off and pick-up each day. These adults will be included in the morning health screening, and will be required to wear a mask and physically distance on campus. In all other grades, we ask that family members remain in the car and children will walk to their classroom independently. Any outside tutors or evaluators must be fully-vaccinated and wear a mask when meeting with students.
- Gatherings, Assemblies, Field Trips – no in-person gatherings until further notice. Field trips will be determined on a case-by-case basis and communicated by the Division Heads.
- Bus transportation – all individuals riding on our bus must wear a mask.
(updated 10/7/2021)
It is important to consider the safety and well-being of our entire community. “BCPHE recommends but does not require following CDC’s Travel Guidance and supports schools that choose to follow the guidance as policy.” At this time Friends School does not require quarantine after travel, knowing that “travel” can be carried out in a range of ways, and is not inherently more risky than activities one might engage in while not traveling. However we strenuously request that families prioritize our community and in-person school. If you have been in a possibly unsafe-for-COVID-exposure situation, we ask that you take steps to protect our community and in-person learning. Consider keeping your child home and testing before returning to school.
- How Sick is Too Sick? (Updated March 2022)
When children and staff should stay home from school – COVID and ALL contagious conditions/diseases. - Can I go to school today?
A home checklist for parents and school staff. (Updated 08/2021)
- Child/teacher/staff feels or appears sick after arriving at school
A Screening tool to determine who needs to be sent home from school (Updated 07/2021) - Return to learn-guidance following illness or a positive COVID-19 symptom screen
A tool to determine how long a person needs to stay home after staying/going home sick (Updated 1/2022) (All counties, one tool. No dial.) - What about the contacts?
BCPHE tool to determine if classmates or cohort members or close contacts of a sick person need to stay home. (Updated 8/2021)
Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
Boulder County Public Health and Environment (BCPHE)
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE)
Current Boulder County Status & Updates
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
Metro Denver Partnership for Health
Colorado Department of Education (CDE)
Colorado Air Quality
Rapid At-Home Testing Program for individuals
Call COHELP at 303-389-1687 or 1-877-462-2911
Vaccines for individuals 5+: All Coloradans ages 5 and older are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine (please note that, currently, 5 to 17-year-olds are eligible to receive only Pfizer). In addition to the clinics listed below, you are encouraged to check with your health care provider to see if your pediatrician is offering the vaccines (probably the fastest, easiest, and most comfortable way to get it):
Children’s Hospital Clinics
Boulder Community Hospital
BCPH Pediatric Hub clinics
View vaccine locations and providers on BCPHE’s website here
To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccines, contact your physician or the Colorado COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline at 877-268-2926.
UPDATE 11/18/2021: Please read BCPHE’s Public Health Notice.
UPDATE 11/16/2021: PHO 20-38 requires that Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Jefferson, Broomfield, and Denver Counties require all individuals 12 years or older to be fully vaccinated to be admitted to indoor, public, unseated events of 500 or more individuals.
UPDATE 12/31/2021: BCPHE Updated Guidance regarding quarantine. See also 1/4/2022 letter from Meg Hansen.
Masks: https://www.coloradomaskproject.com/. The current health department guidance for masks in school is that cloth masks with at least 3 layers should be worn. Surgical masks can be worn as well. The most important thing is proper fit and comfort so that students (and staff) are not having to adjust their masks all the time. Here are a couple of articles that can help people find masks for kids:
NEW FAMILIES
We’re open and in-person! We have limited spaces still available in some of our classes.
