SCREENING & HYGIENE PROCEDURES:
Staff
1. Immediately upon arrival staff should go to the office to have temperature checked. If above 100 degrees you will be sent home. (If you have a fever you will not be able to return until you have been fever free for 72 hours without fever reducing medication.
You will also be encouraged to get a COVID-19 test.) Staff shall be rechecked for fever if they begin to feel ill.
2. After temperature is cleared, staff must wash hands before clocking in or out. Staff are to continue to follow handwashing procedures for themselves and the children in their classroom.
3. Staff are to wear face shields or masks and follow the Face Shield Policy and Procedures throughout the day.
4. Staff are to only enter the classroom they are assigned to for the day. A floater can work in two classrooms but must change overgarments between classes.
5. “Ways to Protect Yourself from Coronavirus” will be posted in the breakroom.
6. Staff having any of the following symptoms should NOT report to work or leave work immediately if they have any of these symptoms:
*Fever (100 degrees or more)
* Dry Cough
*Shortness of Breath
* Loss of Smell or Taste
*Body Aches
* Headache
7. Staff must additionally wash hands before meals, upon entering after going outside and help in assisting children in the restroom and at other DCFS recommended times.
8. Staff cannot combine rooms inside or outside at any time.
9. Staff will not be allowed to have other outside employment in a high-risk environment such as a medical facility or nursing home.
10. The center’s staffing plan will make every effort to have substitutes available in the event a staff member becomes ill. If more than one staff member becomes ill, the Assistant Director will be used as a teacher in the classroom. (Reopening requirement)
11. Alcohol based disinfectant will be placed in every classroom on the teacher’s workstations and kept out of the reach of children at all times. Hand sanitizer will also be available outside the classroom to be used upon arrival and during times staff return from lunch break.
Classroom
1. After nap all cot sheets, crib sheets, and blankets are to be immediately taken to the laundry room to be washed. Cots are to be washed once per week. All cribs are to be sanitized 2 times per week and disinfected with a germicidal solution.
2. All toys that are put into a child’s mouth are to be put in a tub to be disinfected daily.
3. Meals are to be plated by the teacher – not served family style. Children are NOT TO help set up for meals/snack. Even with low numbers of children, staff should use multiple tables for meals and snacks to implement social distancing whenever possible. There are to be no large group times on the carpet.
4. Frequently touched surfaces are to be disinfected 3 times throughout the day. Staff will do this mid-morning and mid-day and afternoon. Staff working during naptime should disinfect after all children are napping.
5. Children are to be monitored throughout the day for fever and other signs of COVID-19.
6. If a child has COVID19 symptoms they are to be immediately taken out of the classroom and isolated in the activity room. Parents are to be called and asked to arrive immediately the Director will request that the child be kept home until they have been 72 hours fever free without reducing medication. Staff are to disinfect all frequently touched items/areas in the classroom and areas touched in the activity room while in isolation. Disinfectant bottles are kept full.Staff should make a visual inspection of the child for signs of illness which could include flushed cheeks, rapid breathing or difficulty breathing (without recent physical activity), fatigue, or extreme fussiness. Staff should wear a mask while with an isolated child and wash their hands after the child is picked up. (Reopening Requirement)
7. All cribs will be placed 6 ft apart in width and 3 feet apart on the plexiglass end when in use. Cribs are not to be shared. Cots are to be placed 6 feet apart while in use unless there is a clear barrier between them. When a child is no longer enrolled their cot/crib shall be sanitized and disinfected prior to another child using it. There should be a minimum of 25 square feet for play space for infants and toddlers. And a total of 55 sq ft. per child.
8. Playground toys should be separated by classroom and not shared.
9. All staff will receive training on proper disinfecting and ways to protect themselves against Coronavirus and COVID19 signs to watch out for in themselves and the children in their classroom.
10. All plush toys and soft books and material seating is to be removed from the classroom.
11. Children’s masks will be stored in a ziplock bag in their cubbies when not worn.
Center
1. There are to be NO outside non-essential visitors or field trips until further notice.
2. All family events, parent/teacher conferences, and field trips have been canceled until further notice.
3. No more than ten (10) children can be in a classroom at the same time. The same teachers are to remain in the classroom throughout the day. No classrooms will combine during any part of the day.
5. There will be no parent tours conducted during school hours. Parents will be referred to our website.
6. Signage is placed throughout the center on ways to prevent the spread of germs.
7. The playground will only be used by one group at a time in each fenced in area. If more than one classroom uses a fenced in area, then allow 30 minutes between groups.
8. Before transitioning a child out of a classroom, the Director shall meet with the parent and also notify DCFS.
Parent Precautionary Protocols
A child’s household must remain out of the center if any member of the household has (or has been in close contact with anyone who has:
(a) A confirmed case of COVID-19; or
(b) Traveled: internationally; domestically, from an area which is experiencing Widespread community transmission of COVID-19 (currently New York, New Jersey and Connecticut); or from any area which is the subject of similar travel restrictions under applicable state and local guidance. 14 days after the last potential exposure, your household may return provided these three things have happened:
(a) At least 7 days have passed since any household member first experienced symptoms; and
(b) Symptoms have improved for any household member that experienced symptoms (for example, cough or shortness of breath has improved); and
(c) The household has been fever-free for at least 72 hours without the use of fever reducing medicines.Depending on the circumstance’s administration may require the parent to obtain medical clearance before return to the center will be allowed.
HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS: include individuals who may not live in the household but may be staying there or are otherwise present in the household on a regular basis (e.g. nannies, caregivers, home health workers, contractors, etc.) and includes anyone with pick up or drop off privileges at the center.
Exclusion from the center is sometimes necessary to reduce the transmission of illness. For the child's comfort, and to reduce the risk of contagion, parents will be asked to pick up their child within 1 hour of notification. Until then, the child will be kept comfortable in an isolated area in the activity room with staff and will continue to be observed for symptoms.
Consistent with our COVID-19 Policy, the household will be required to remain out of the center for 14 days unless medical clearance is provided by a physician indicating that the presenting symptoms are associated with a known non-COVID-19 illness. The physician’s note must not be from a family member.
Administrative staff will keep a log of possible infections.
Screening of Children and Parents Upon Arrival
Persons who have a fever of 100 or above or other signs of illness are not admitted to the facility. Parents are encouraged to be on the alert for signs of illness in their children and to keep them home when they are sick. All children and parents are screened for temperatures upon arrival. All children with a temperature of 100 or higher will not be allowed to stay. If the parent has a temperature of 100 or higher their child will not be allowed to stay. Staff will document all temperatures.
Children are then taken to their classroom by staff.
Parents must bring an extra set of shoes for their child to wear exclusively while at the center. These shoes will be sent home each Friday for cleaning.
Parents are required to wear a mask, as well as all children over the age of two. Masks will be kept in the zip lock bag during mealtimes, naps and outdoor play. All masks will be washed daily in cold water to prevent shrinkage. The center will provide masks for children who don’t have their own.
In order to protect staff while conducting temperature screenings, all screeners will wear a face shield, gloves and use a handheld thermometer to reduce close contact.
Screeners will disinfect door handles, pens, and thermometer between screeners.
Parents should be prepared to allow an extra 10 minutes for arrival and departure.
Parents Arrival & Departure
• A hand hygiene station is to be set up at the entrance of the facility for parents to use. so that parents can clean their hands before touching the doorbell. Parents may only come into the small foyer area.
o Staff will greet children/parents in the foyer as they arrive.
o A handheld forehead thermometer will be used to take both parent and child’s temperature.
o Staff will sign all children in and out.
o After washing the child’s hands in the restroom, staff will walk all children to their classroom, and at the end of the day, walk all children back to the foyer for parent pickup.
• Ideally, the same parent or designated person should drop off and pick up the child every day. If possible, older people such as grandparents or those with serious underlying medical conditions should not pick up children, because they are more at risk for severe Illinoisfrom COVID19. Only one parent or guardian should be with their child(ren).
• Staff will wash blankets daily. All items brought MUST fit in a child’s cubby. • Parents should wear a mask upon arrival and departure as well as children over the age of two years.
• Parents are encouraged to spray shoes with disinfectant each night.
• Parents should contact the center and report any absences and all symptoms of their child.
