Attention NEW REOPENING DATE AUGUST 10

July 17, 2020

Dear Parents and Families,

Given the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) crisis that is spreading through our country, I want to assure you that we are monitoring the situation closely. Based on the information we have at this time, we will reopen our program, August 3, 2020. If the situation should change, we will notify you immediately.

Effective Monday, August 3, 2020 August 10, 2020 and for the unforeseeable future, we will be taking extra precautions to ward off COVID-19. We are taking these extra steps to support the health and safety of your children, your family, and our staff.

Please take note of the following changes to our policies and procedures:

ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL

• Families will be greeted at the door outside my office, where a staff member will greet the child. Parents and other family members will NOT be allowed inside the school building. Prior to parents leaving the site, a staff member will take the temperature of the child and ask parents the following questions:

1. 1. Do you live with anyone or have you had close contact with anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 within the last 14 days?
   2. Do you or anyone in your household have a fever, cough, or shortness of breath?
   3. Do you or your child have any other signs of communicable illness such as a cold or flu?

• Any child that registers a temperature greater than 100.4 will not be allowed to enter the school building. Parents will need to take the child home immediately.
• There will be a staff member available from 8:00-8:15 for those children in before care and from 8:30-8:45 daily to conduct the screening. NO CHILD WILL BE ALLOWED TO ENTER THE SCHOOL BUILDING AFTER 8:45 WHEN THE SCREENING HAS CEASED. (If there are circumstances that prevent your child from being to school on time prior notice MUST be given to the Director. This does not include sending a text that you are running late.)
• Upon your arrival to pick up your child, a staff member will bring your child out to you. Parents and families are not allowed to enter the building or the play area to pick up their child. I will provide a list of the after care staff so that you are able to text them as a group when you arrive. If you are unable to text you can check in the office for the Director and request your child be brought to you for dismissal.

Healthy Environment

• No outside service providers, visitors, or any other person not part of The Bright School staff will be allowed to enter the school building without being screened first at Kingsley House’s main entrance. No outside providers will be allowed to enter using our door using the passcode. It is the families’ responsibility, as well as the Director of Bright School, to inform any outside service providers (RENEW, Early Steps, Loyola Music), visitors, or any other person this new policy as well as any updates that might occur.
• Staff will disinfect high-touch surfaces, such as door handles, light switches, faucets, toys, and games at least once daily.
• Bright School staff and Kingsley House’s janitorial staff will perform an enhanced cleaning every afternoon in all areas.
• Staff will have access to anti-bacterial hand sanitizers and disposable gloves.
• Staff and children will wash their hands periodically during the school day.
• No program tours will be given until further notice. 
• Any nap mats that cannot be disinfected at school MUST go home to be washed every Friday. Any blankets being used during nap MUST go home every Friday to be washed.
• All parent meetings have been cancelled until further notice. I will disseminate information through e-mail and or notices in your child’s backpacks. Please make sure I have a working email address.

Staff Health & Wellness

• Staff will not be allowed to work if they are feeling ill or experiencing respiratory symptoms.
• Staff will receive additional training on infection control and workplace disinfection.
• All staff members are screened daily.

Tuition

• As long as we are open and your child is in attendance, tuition will be due in full. This includes if we are open only for a portion of a week and need to close for the remainder of the week.
• If you are able to work from home and choose to keep your child at home, you will be required to pay part of your normal monthly tuition to retain your spot.
• If you choose to pull your child out and not pay, there is no guaranteed spot upon request to return.
• At this time, if the state or Orleans Parish forces a closure for an extended period of time, we will evaluate the situation as it occurs regarding tuition.

Communication

• If the current situation changes and it becomes necessary to update our procedures or close our program temporarily, we will notify key family contact by email or text.
• You may also follow our social media page for late breaking program updates.
• Please continue to check your email to receive any updated information.

Lunch and Snack

• All students at The Bright School are required to provide their own drinking cup clearly labeled with their name. All cups will be sent home daily for you to clean and disinfect.
• All students at The Bright School are required to provide their own food containers for lunch clearly labeled with their name. All containers will be sent home daily for you to clean and disinfect.
• NO eating utensils from home are allowed in the lunch box. The Bright School will use only disposable utensils daily. If you would like to send in your own disposable utensils you may.
• Please refer to your Parent Handbook for additional guidance regarding suggested and allowed food items.
• Please remember The Bright School has a NO NUT policy.

Keep safe, happy, and healthy!

Linda Frantz