COVID-19

Learning and Staying Safe during the 2023-2024 School Year

Armstrong continues to make health and safety a priority for our entire community as we have learned to live with COVID. Armstrong follows guidance and recommendations from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the San Mateo County Office of Education (SMCOE) through its Safe Schools Framework.
 
We continue to focus on symptom monitoring and good ventilation as key strategies and all students, families, and Armstrong employees should feel comfortable wearing masks. We encourage everyone to become fully vaccinated (2 doses) and stay up to date with recommended boosters as eligible.
 
Any student or employee who tests positive for COVID is required to inform the school by contacting Student Services and stay home in isolation for at least five days. To return, symptoms must be improving, including being fever-free for at least 24 hours. No test result is required to return to school.
 
We appreciate continued individual and family-based responsibility and support for the entire community. We reserve the right to require a test result from all community members if there is ever a surge of cases and/or we are coming off school holiday breaks. In those cases, Armstrong will supply the tests. Armstrong reserves the right to make changes to any COVID policy any time we think doing so is appropriate.
 
As a reminder, key policies include:
  • Stay home if you are sick or have any COVID-related symptoms.
  • Use an Over the Counter (OTC) test if symptomatic or 3-5 days after exposure.
  • Report positive cases to Armstrong and follow isolation guidance.
  • Follow masking guidance when COVID positive, exposed, or during a surge. 
  • Stay up to date with vaccines and recommended boosters as eligible. 
  • Practice good hand hygiene.
Report any absences or positive cases to:
Student Services - 650-592-7570
Barbara Thayer – bthayer@charlesarmstrong.org

Recent Communications:

List of 3 items.

  • GUIDELINES TO RETURN TO ARMSTRONG AFTER ANY SICKNESS

    Sick members in our community will not be able to return to campus until they have met all the following criteria:
    • Fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications; and
    • Other symptoms have improved; and
    • A negative COVID-19 test OR a doctor’s note has been provided documenting that the symptoms are typical of any underlying chronic condition (allergies or asthma) OR that an alternate diagnosis has been confirmed. Please provide a test/note directly to Student Services.

  • GUIDELINES FOR POSITIVE CASES

    Everyone who is infected with COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, previous infection, or lack of symptoms, should follow the recommendations listed the CDPH Guidance Isolation and Quarantine for the general public.

    Requirements for Staff/ Recommendations for Students
    • Stay home for at least 5 days after start of symptoms (or after date of first positive test if no symptoms).
    • Isolation can end after day 5 if symptoms are not present or are mild and improving and individual is fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication)
    • If fever is present, isolation should be continued until 24 hours after fever resolves.
    • If symptoms, other than fever, are not improving, continue to isolate until symptoms are improving or until after Day 10.
    • If symptoms are severe, or if the infected person is at high risk of serious disease, or if they have questions concerning care, infected persons should contact their healthcare provider for available treatments.
    • Per CDPH masking guidance, infected persons should wear a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, especially in indoor settings.*
    • *After ending isolation (no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and symptoms are improving), confirmed cases may remove their mask sooner than Day 10 if they have two sequential negative tests at least one day apart. If antigen test results are positive, the person may still be infectious and should continue wearing a mask and wait at least one day before taking another test.
    • ​​After ending isolation, if symptoms recur or worsen, get tested again and if positive, restart isolation at Day 0.

  • GUIDELINES FOR EXPOSURES TO POSITIVE CASES

    Exposed students and employees may continue to attend school, including sports and extracurricular activities unless they develop symptoms or test positive for COVID-19. The following chart, provided by CDPH guides specific actions for exposure (close contact) to anyone diagnosed with Covid-19:

     
    Asymptomatic Persons Who are Exposed to Someone with COVID-19 (No Quarantine)
     
    Recommended Actions
    Everyone, regardless of vaccination status.
    • Test within 3-5 days after last exposure.
    • Close contacts should wear a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, especially in indoor settings and when near those at higher risk for severe COVID-19 disease.
    • Strongly encouraged to get vaccinated or boosted.
    • If symptoms develop, test and stay home, AND
    If test result is positive, follow recommendations above.


Important Links:

Please note that Armstrong’s mitigation protocols are subject to change as circumstances and community spread changes and are based on guidance from the San Mateo County Department of Health and the CDC. Armstrong will continue to implement protocols to keep students and school employees safe while delivering its academic program in-person.

Charles Armstrong School

1405 Solana Drive
Belmont, CA  94002-3653
P: (650) 592-7570
F: (650) 591-3114