Updated March 14, 2023.

The San Francisco School prioritizes the health and safety of its students, staff, and families and establishes protocols to protect the wellbeing of our community members. SFS guidelines reflect the guidance of state and local public health agencies, the California and San Francisco Departments of Health (CDPH and SFDPH), as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This year, SFDPH no longer has specific guidelines for schools; they refer schools to the CDPH’s Guidance for K-12 Schools and Guidance for Childcare Providers and Programs.

Our protocols may change over the course of the year based on surges, or other circumstances, or public health recommendations. Please refer to this webpage for up-to-date guidelines.

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COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY. SFS asks our community members to make decisions that consider the wellbeing of the school community as well as their individual families.

STAY HOME IF SICK. Please keep your child home if they are sick. If your child has any of these symptoms, contact the School Nurse (nurse@sfschool.org) and have your child tested for COVID-19. 

VACCINATIONS. We urge all eligible students and SFS family/household members to get vaccinated and stay up to date with boosters at their earliest opportunity. To make an appointment, go to: Get Vaccinated. Please keep your child’s vaccination record up to date in Magnus.  

SFS requires all school-based adults to be fully vaccinated and have at least one booster, with the exception of individuals who obtain a medical or religious exemption. 

RETURN-FROM-BREAK TESTING. All staff and students are encouraged to test prior to returning to school after breaks of a week or longer. Recommendation is to test the day before returning and three days later. 

If you have a POSITIVE or INCONCLUSIVE result, please contact the nurse at nurse@sfschool.org immediately and do not come to school.

MASKING

• Masking is optional indoors and outdoors. 
• SFS recommends masking on mass transit (e.g., BART, bus, plane) and in crowded indoor spaces, particularly during times of high transmission.

When masking, a well-fitting, high-quality mask (e.g., KN95 or KF94) is most effective. See  Masking Tips for Children .  

 

CAMPUS VISITORS. SFS encourages visitors to take care of themselves and the school community by getting vaccinated and staying up-to-date with boosters, staying home when sick, and masking indoors at SFS if they have had a recent exposure to someone with COVID. We no longer require proof of vaccination for visitors.

 

CLOSE CONTACT. In the event of a COVID case at school, SFS will notify close contacts and recommend taking the following actions:

• Test 3-5 days after first exposed (consider testing earlier so you can get access to early treatment if at risk of severe illness and to let others know they may have been exposed)
• Wear a high-quality, well-fitting mask around others for 10 days after close contact (especially important when indoors and around those at high risk)   
• If symptomatic but testing negative with an antigen test during the first two days of symptoms, stay home and test again in 1-2 days 

CONTINUOUS CLOSE CONTACT. When true isolation from an infected individual is not possible:

• Test daily to come to school throughout the positive case and for two days after the last exposure (two days after the positive person tests negative).  
• Mask indoors at school for the duration of the testing period.

TESTED POSITIVE. Students and staff who test positive for COVID-19 must immediately inform the school (nurse@sfschool.org) and isolate for at least 5 days. 

• Individuals may return to school after 5 days if they are feeling well, symptoms are improving, and they are fever-free for 24 hours without medication. Nurse’s approval required.
• Individuals must continue to mask through day 10 unless they have two sequential negative tests at least 48 hours apart. 
• The nurse will provide detailed instructions for isolation and return to school.

ADDITIONAL MITIGATION MEASURES

Lunch – Eating will take place outdoors when possible. Students eating indoors will maintain as much space as possible.  

Ventilation – All classrooms have MERV-13 or MERV-18 filtration systems as well as portable HEPA air filters which will be kept on while indoors. During wildfire season, carbon filters will be used to decrease volatile organic substances. We will keep windows and/or doors open whenever feasible and comfortable to maximize natural ventilation. The use of outdoor space will be maximized whenever possible.

Good hand hygiene – SFS will practice and reinforce good hand hygiene for all staff and students.

 

 

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DEFINITIONS

Close Contact/Exposed

Someone sharing the same indoor airspace (e.g., classroom) for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more within a 24-hour time period with someone with COVID-19 during their infectious period.

Infectious period

2 days before symptom onset (or positive test, whichever first) through Day 10 after symptoms first appeared (or earlier if test negative on Day 5 or later), and 24 hrs have passed with no fever and symptoms have improved.

Fully vaccinated

Two weeks out from completing the primary series of COVID vaccines. 

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AIR QUALITY POLICY.

Our school nurse monitors the Air Quality Index (AQI) throughout the day and works in conjunction with school administration to ensure a safe environment for staff and students. 

• When AQI exceeds 100 (orange, unhealthy for sensitive groups), preschool/kindergarten students will be brought indoors. 
• When AQI exceeds 150 (red, unhealthy) all students will be brought indoors, and if necessary, we may consider school closure. 
• When AQI exceeds 200  (purple, very unhealthy) school will close.