COVID-19

At Park West our COVID-19 strategy is focused on keeping students in school to optimize their learning while ensuring sick students and staff isolate at home to reduce the spread of illness. We intend to continue to maintain our protocols aligned with the most recent CDC, IDPH and CDPH guidelines for Early Childhood Education facilities.

Vaccination

We are strongly encouraging everyone to be up-to-date on all routine vaccinations, including COVID-19. Staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations is the leading public health strategy to prevent severe disease. Not only does it provide individual-level protection, but high vaccination coverage reduces the burden of COVID-19 on people, schools, healthcare systems, and communities. All Park West staff members have received the primary vaccination series and are strongly encouraged to receive an annual booster, as recommended by the CDC.

Staying Home When Sick

One of our most important strategies for keeping students in school is for families to keep sick students at home and for our staff to stay home when sick. Each day we ask that all individuals coming to Park West evaluate themselves and their children for symptoms of respiratory or gastrointestinal infections, such as cough, fever, sore throat, vomiting, or diarrhea. If they have any of these or any other COVID-19 symptoms, we ask that they stay home.

When students or staff members have been symptomatic, we have protocols in place that require improved or resolved symptoms before returning to school. We encourage all individuals with COVID-19 symptoms to take a test. If an individual tests positive for COVID-19, they will be required to isolate at home for at least 5 days and until symptoms have improved. Individuals testing positive will be required to wear a mask upon return to school, through day 10.

Masking

Our school masking policies follow the CDC masking recommendations for schools and Early Childhood Education centers. We support each individual and family making their own personal choice on if they will wear a mask at Park West, except when masks will be required as specified below.

  1. Universal Indoor Masking: 

    1. When the local COVID-19 hospital admission level is LOW, masking will be optional for all staff, students and visitors indoors.

    2. When the local COVID-19 hospital admission level is MEDIUM, the Co-op will recommend staff, students and visitors wear masks indoors. 

    3. When the local COVID-19 hospital admission level is HIGH, the Co-op will strongly recommend staff, students and visitors wear masks indoors. 

  2. Masking will be required at all COVID-19 hospital admission levels for individuals returning from isolation (days 6-10).

  3. We will encourage individuals that have known exposures to positive individuals to wear a mask at school through day 10 post exposure.

Exposure Protocols

The CDC has removed all quarantine requirements when an individual has been exposed to a positive case of COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status. All staff and students will be allowed to remain in school after an exposure (including school, community and household exposures). After a staff member or student is exposed to a positive case, they should do the following:

  1. Wear a well-fitting mask around others, including at school, through day 10 post exposure; and

  2. Test for COVID-19 on day 5 post-exposure.

Additional Mitigation Strategies

Park West also continues to employ the following COVID-19 mitigation strategies to reduce the spread of illness at school:

  1. Maintaining our HVAC air handler ventilation system and operating air purification units in each classroom and shared space.

  2. Teaching and enforcing handwashing and respiratory hygiene etiquette with all students.

  3. Dedicated cleaning staff to clean and disinfect classrooms and shared spaces throughout the day.