Covid - 19

February 28, 2022 

St. John’s Episcopal School Community,  

This morning, the Governor’s office announced the easing of masking mandates in schools—shifting masking from required to strongly recommended, effective at 11:59 p.m. March 11 (meaning, the first day of school with masks strongly recommended, and not required, will be Monday, March 14).  

Click here for this afternoon’s full video presentation from California Health and Human Services Director, Dr. Mark Ghaly, which outlines the rationale and data trends which informed this adjustment to the state mandate for schools.   

As we hoped and expected, the Omicron spike has fallen, community cases have significantly dropped, and county-wide data regarding COVID-related hospitalizations has dramatically improved in a very short period of time. Beginning Monday, March 14, St. John’s will adopt the updated masking guidance, making masks strongly recommended (as opposed to required) while indoors on campus. This updated protocol applies to all students, faculty, staff, and visitors to campus. While we are all hopeful that this adjustment is one of many continued steps in easing pandemic restrictions, we will also remain prepared should cases or variants, or requirements from the OC Department of Health, necessitate adjustments down the line, as well. The bottom line remains true today as it did two years ago at the onset of the pandemic: The health and wellbeing of our Cardinal Family is paramount in order to provide an outstanding learning experience for all.   

While we know that this shift may be exciting for many in our community, we also recognize that it may be met with apprehension among others. We both affirm and support any community members’ right to wear a mask, as well as those who do not, with no questions asked. Those are personal, family health decisions which we support. Additionally, we will continue to prioritize our community safety and wellness, as evidenced by our work over the last year-plus to upgrade our HVAC and air ventilation systems, cleaning protocols, and general reminders for community handwashing/sanitizing.   

Thank you for your continued understanding and support of our Cardinals. We look forward to seeing many smiles in our classrooms beginning Monday, March 14.

Sincerely,

Patrick McHonett

January 2, 2021 

St. John’s Cardinal Families, 

Happy New Year, and we hope that you’ve had a relaxing, safe, and restful winter break. As we prepare for our faculty/staff in-service on Monday, and our students’ return to campus for classes on Tuesday, we recognize that COVID-19 cases have risen sharply (locally and nationally) since we left our campus in mid-December for the break.  As such, we all need to work together to keep Covid-19 from spreading throughout our school community in the coming weeks and months.  

Please keep your child(ren) home if they:

• Have tested positive for COVID-19 
• Have been identified as a close contact of someone who tested positive for COVID-19 and is showing symptoms regardless of your child’s vaccination status following an exposure. 
• Have the following symptoms: fever/chills; cough; shortness of breath; fatigue; body aches; headache; new loss of taste and smell; sore throat; congestion or runny nose; nausea or vomiting; diarrhea

Contact the SJES Health Office if your child has tested positive for Covid-19, or if you have questions about their status as a close contact. That team will be available by email on Monday, January 3, to coordinate next steps. For further questions, please contact the OCHCA Covid-19 hotline at 714-834-2000 or the CHOC Nurse line at 1-844-GET-CHOC. 

You may have heard that the state is providing home test kits for all K-12 students. We are in touch with the Orange County Department of Education, which will distribute these state-provided tests locally. SJES is actively working to receive these tests from the state to provide to families, but has not received them yet. If you have access to an at-home test or laboratory test, we strongly encourage you to test your student before our return to classes on Tuesday.   

On a brighter note, we continue to coordinate with the California Department of Public Health and OC Department of Health to inform our safety and wellness practices at SJES. You may have heard that the California Department of Public Health has adopted the CDC recommendations to shorten quarantine for those who test positive, from 10-days to 5-days + negative test in order to return to work or school. St. John’s will amend its quarantine requirements for positive students, faculty, and staff accordingly to support our in-person learning experience while maintaining community safety as best as possible in a dynamic environment.  

Finally, please ensure that your child(ten) come to school each day with a well-fitting mask (covering both nose and mouth), as well as a spare in the case their original is lost or misplaced.  Along with vaccination, this practice is the single most important mitigating factor to prevent spread and serious illness, and continues to be required in all schools, as well as all public places in California through at least January 15.

Thank you for helping us keep our community and your family as healthy as possible.

Sincerely,

Patrick McHonett

August 10, 2021 
St. John’s Episcopal School Community, 

As promised, we write today to update our community on St. John’s ongoing planning for community health and wellness measures relative to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Throughout the summer, we have continued to work in partnership with the Orange County and California Department of Public Health offices, and monitor the local and national trends regarding the pandemic. While the situation continues to evolve, we continue to adhere to all county, state, and federal guidelines to protect the Cardinal community, including any guidance or adjustments to come.   

Just like last academic year, our top priority is ensuring a safe environment for our students and faculty on-campus, each day.  Following guidance from the CDC, American Academy of Pediatrics, and California Department of Public Health is not only best practice, but also an expected component of our CAIS accreditation as a leading Orange County independent school. Below, we’d like to share an overview of the SJES Health and Safety Protocols for the start of the year.  We will communicate and update these, as necessary, over the course of the school year.   

1. Masks:  Masks will continue to be required for all individuals (age 2+) while indoors on campus, regardless of vaccination status, as required for K-12 Schools and Early Childhood Centers within the California Department of Public Health guidelines.   While outdoors, masks will be optional for all. 
2. Physical Distancing:  Physical distancing between students in classrooms remains at 3-feet distance, as guidance has since shifted from 6-feet to 3-feet last spring.  Due to our small class sizes and flexible classrooms, we are able to accomplish this in a normal St. John’s classroom environment, ensuring that flex spaces or third classrooms per grade level are not necessary this year.  Those previously used spaces, including the MPR, enrichment classrooms, and Middle Division science lab, have returned to their normal state for our students to engage with the full SJES academic program this year. 
3. Ongoing Multi-Layered Prevention:  We will continue the use of frequent handwashing/sanitizing, disinfection of classroom and workspaces, continued use of hospital-grade air filtration and UV-light filters on HVAC systems, and frequent use of outdoor spaces for students and gatherings.  
4. COVID-19 Cases and Quarantines:  Since last academic year, the updated California Department of Public Health guidance has changed significantly regarding COVID-19 cases and necessary quarantines. Please read the following scenarios carefully:
   1. Any person who is diagnosed with COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, will be required to quarantine at home for at least 10-days from symptom onset or positive test. 
   2. Any fully vaccinated person who is identified as a close contact with a positive individual (close contacts are defined as being within 6-feet for greater than 15-minutes within a 24-hour period) will not be required to quarantine, provided they are asymptomatic.
   3. Any unvaccinated person who is identified as a close contact with a positive individual while both parties were wearing masks (close contacts are defined as being within 6-feet for greater than 15-minutes within a 24-hour period) will be monitored for a modified 10-day quarantine, to include COVID testing.  During this time, the individual may attend school for in-person instruction, but may not attend or participate in after school activities, including extended care, athletics, performing arts, etc.   
   4. Any unvaccinated person who is identified as a close contact with a positive individual while one of the parties was NOT wearing a mask will be required to quarantine at home.   
5. Live Streaming Experience (LSE):  We are prepared to offer any COVID-positive K-8 student an online learning experience, if necessary. Details will be coordinated with that student’s classroom teachers and Division Principal.  We are not currently offering our LSE program as an ongoing option for students outside of a positive-case incident.  However, we are closely monitoring ongoing community transmission, and reserve the option to pivot a class, grade-level, or division to LSE, if necessary.   
6. COVID-19 Vaccination:  St. John’s Episcopal School will not require COVID vaccination of its students or employees, unless directed by the California Department of Public Health for ongoing guidance for schools.  However, 97% of our employees are fully vaccinated, and many of our students age 12+ have self-reported that they are, as well.  We encourage families to speak with their health care provider to make informed decisions within their personal context.  Fully vaccinated individuals do not need to quarantine if determined to be a close contact and are asymptomatic, allowing our community to be here, learning together, as safely as possible.  Currently, California Department of Public Health guidance for schools is universal, regardless of vaccination status.  If future iterations of this guidance evolve to distinguish for those vaccinated and those not, St. John’s will follow such guidance accordingly.   
7. Parent/Visitors on Campus:  St. John’s is excited to welcome our families on-campus for the 21-22 school year for special events, drop-off, and pick-up, while also maintaining strict visitor access to campus during the course of the school day.  All visitors, including parents, will be required to check in at the main office in Hunsaker Hall (or ECC front entry). In accordance with current guidance, masks will be required indoors, regardless of vaccination status.  Many events or meetings may be modified, including leveraging our beautiful outdoor spaces for connection and fellowship. Division- and event-specific details will follow accordingly, to ensure a safe and positive experience for all within our community.   

As we learned throughout last year, we have the capacity and nimbleness to adjust in order to maintain a safe, on-campus learning experience for our students every day. While we continue to monitor the ongoing COVID pandemic, including variants and updated guidance, we are eager for these short-term measures to relax when appropriate. In the meantime, we encourage all to do their own part—including ongoing monitoring of symptoms or illness at home—to ensure the wellbeing of our entire Cardinal community. 

If there are any questions about the above protocols, please contact Missy Blye, R.N., in the St. John’s Episcopal School Health Center. 

Sincerely, 

Patrick McHonett & Missy Blye 

 

SENT ON BEHALF OF RUSS SMITH, Diocesan Director of Elementary Athletics

Parochial Athletic League COVID regulations: (as of 9/7/2021)

Now that we are resuming sports and with it the excitement of interscholastic athletics, we must keep in mind that the health and well-being of our students, their families, coaches, and officials is of utmost importance. 

The following guidelines for the Diocesan Schools participating in the Parochial Athletic League are designated here:

Outdoor Athletic Events:

1. Coaches – paid or volunteer – must be vaccinated or test weekly.
2. Masks are not required when outside.  We encourage spectators to wear a mask while on campus.

Indoor Athletic Events:

1. Coaches – paid or volunteer – must be vaccinated or test weekly.
2. Coaches and Athletes – are required to wear a mask during practice, conditioning or competition.  This includes team members on the sideline.
3. Transportation – all persons being transported to an athletic event must be masked while in the vehicle.
4. Spectators at the indoor events must be wearing a mask.  This includes scoring table personnel.
5. Officials at the indoor matches must be wearing a mask.

We understand that the parameters of the virus can change, and these rules may be modified by the Department of Catholic Schools at any time as updated guidance comes from CDPH.

 

September 17, 2021 

St. John’s Episcopal School Community,

As we put the finishing touches on the first month of school, we have so much to be thankful for—from the return of on-campus events like athletics, parent meetings, Back-to-School Night, and the warm and welcoming daily experience of drop-off and pick-up.

While we are thrilled to have these events back—I also want to make sure that they can remain a continuous part of our SJES experience. With that goal in mind, I write with a few updates and reminders on how we all will play a role in supporting health, wellness, and engagement on-campus.

Masks:

As we look ahead to the coming weeks and future on-campus events, including athletic competitions which will begin in our gym next week, this is a simple reminder: Masks are required of everyone aged 2+ when indoors on campus, regardless of vaccination status. This includes our athletes, coaches, and spectators at our indoor athletics events, families visiting the Student Store, or even the simple pop-in to our front office. Our Cardinals are doing great with these expectations, and we appreciate your understanding of these required safety practices.

Community Notifications:

Like last year, families are required to notify St. John’s Episcopal School of a COVID+ case in their home. Please email the St. John’s Health Office, cc’ing your child’s division principal and me on the email in the event of a positive case in your home. Any notifications received outside of work hours will be addressed as soon as possible, but no later than 8:00 a.m. the following school day. 

Additionally, like last year, St. John’s will continue to notify our community ONLY when there is a COVID+ case among our student, faculty or staff community, provided there has been exposure on campus during the period 48-hours prior to symptom onset or positive test (if asymptomatic).   

We will NOT notify families if a student, faculty, or staff member has to quarantine due to close contact with a COVID+ individual (which can happen at an out-of-school event, family contact, etc.), or in the event the COVID+ individual has not been on campus within the preceding 48-hours prior to symptom onset or testing positive, due to a lack of exposure to our community members.   

I would strongly discourage anyone from jumping to assumptions when a community member is absent from the classroom—it is not always due to a positive case. In the meantime, please trust that “no news is good news” as it relates to any potential exposure on campus.

Testing of Students:

In the event of a possible exposure on campus, confirmed close contacts (defined as having been within 6-feet for greater than 15-minutes of a COVID+ individual within a 24-hour span) will be required to complete COVID testing twice over a 10-day period, per California Department of Public Health Guidance.  Additionally, we are requiring that all students in the affected grade level complete a COVID test following 3-5 days of exposure to the COVID+ individual. This requisite testing for the entire grade/classroom gives our community additional piece of mind, particularly for our younger ages in which contact tracing is more challenging.  A few notes on these testing requirements: 

1. Because our students are masked indoors on campus and these are solely precautionary tests, students in the affected grade level are NOT required to quarantine during this time testing period, provided they are asymptomatic.  However, if results return positive or symptoms of illness arise, the affected student—and potentially the grade-level—will be required to quarantine.   

2. In the event of required testing, families will need to confirm their test results with visual proof via email to the SJES Health Center.  Any family that is unable to do so will be asked to quarantine out of necessary precautions. 

3. There are a variety of testing options available to complete this requirement, including some over-the-counter at-home test kits (BinaxNOW, Pixel by Labcorp, etc.) or these provided by Orange County Health.  It may be useful to have an at-home test ready and available should your child be required to test due to possible exposure on campus.  Otherwise, please have a plan through your family doctor or local urgent care to make such arrangements.   

Vaccinations:

As a reminder, our faculty and staff are 98% fully vaccinated, with the remaining 2% of staff members receiving weekly COVID testing, per California Department of Public Health requirements. We strongly encourage families to consult with their family doctor regarding vaccinations for themselves in order to best protect our entire community. If your child has been vaccinated against COVID-19, please notify our Health Center, as being fully vaccinated will eliminate the need to quarantine if there is any exposure on or away from campus (provided the child is asymptomatic).

We appreciate our community’s understanding as we navigate this ongoing pandemic together. Please continue to err on the side of caution and keep your child(ren) home in the event of ANY symptoms of illness over the coming months. Our shared goals remain the same—to ensure a safe, engaging, on-campus environment for our entire Cardinal Family—and we appreciate your support.

Sincerely, 

Patrick McHonett

Head of School