Campus News and Updates

HEALTH SCREENING
We will conduct health screening of our students and staff using the Fever Free app every single day they are on campus. Visitors including parents must also perform a health screening prior to entering campus. Parents are encouraged to use the Fever Free app however there is a screening station with instructions at our lobby entrance for those who do not. 

COVID TESTING
COVID surveillance testing will be performed on a weekly basis for students and staff.

• Students will need to be tested (email forthcoming with details) and present a negative test result prior to their first day of in-person attendance on March 9th.
• Tests will be taken the first day they are on campus each week, and will be available based on each student’s individual schedule.
• Kirby School overnights tests to the lab the day they are taken.
• Results are returned within 48 hours of the lab receiving them.
• Laura Lucas will be sending a separate email with detailed instructions on COVID testing shortly.

PHYSICAL DISTANCING
We will ensure as much as it is physically possible to maintain at least six feet of physical distance from other people in all areas of the school. 

• Reducing the number of people on campus at any given time allows for more personal space while on campus.

• Classrooms have been enlarged to make a minimum of six foot desk spacing possible.

• Students will need to bring lunch from home and may enjoy their lunch outdoors or in open-air environments, at least six feet apart while eating. Lunch will be supervised by staff to help with distancing. Students will not have access to refrigerators and microwaves.

• We will be using staggered arrival and dismissal times and multiple entrances to reduce crowding at arrival and dismissal times.  You will receive an email one week before the first day of classes with directions for your student(s).

• Signage will be around school to indicate spacing and help with paths of travel.

FACE MASKS
Face masks must be worn on campus at all times in the building and comply with CDPH guidance and the Santa Cruz County ordinance.

• Clean, undamaged, worn properly covering the nose and mouth. 

• Kirby School has masks of all sizes available and can provide them to staff or students.

• The only time face masks are exempted are during Mask / Water Breaks which are permitted outside when socially distanced and during meals which are also outside (see above).

• Face shields will be made available but not required.

BATHROOMS
All campus bathrooms have been made into single occupancy bathrooms and all bathrooms are now gender inclusive. 

• Clear signage will be posted outside of the bathroom doors on our new procedures for using them as single occupancy, gender neutral bathrooms. 

VACCINES
Kirby School is facilitating COVID vaccinations for those staff who want them, as they become available, in cooperation with the County Office of Education and our local Department of Public Health.

PATHS OF TRAVEL
On-campus foot-traffic will be supervised and signage will be posted for paths of travel. We have increased supervision during passing and break periods.

FACILITIES
Among the many health and safety modifications made, our campus ventilation system was upgraded with MERV 13 medical grade filters.

HYGIENE
We continue to remind our community to practice good hygiene including frequent, thorough (20 second) hand washing throughout the day. Hand sanitizer is available anytime throughout the entire building. 

CONTACT TRACING
We will implement symptom and close contact exposure screening and tracing, when necessary. 

Yes, if you have been issued a device by Kirby School in order to access online classes, please bring that device with you to school. If you have been using your own laptop or tablet at home, please bring that to school. If you don’t have a portable device, or are unable to bring your laptop or tablet to school, Kirby will be happy to loan you one. Please reach out to helpdesk@kirby.org as soon as possible.

Kirby will be requiring weekly PCR testing for students, faculty and staff and has already been testing students and staff. The school is able to provide take home self administered COVID-19 test kits that use the Anterior Nares lower nasal swab (96% accuracy). We will ask everyone coming to campus to submit a weekly sample or provide test results (if testing separately from school). There will be no out-of-pocket expense for these tests. Your insurance will be billed. If you don’t have insurance, the CARES Act will cover the cost. Laura Lucas will be sending a more detailed communication regarding COVID testing shortly.

Because we are managing occupancy and foot-traffic on campus extremely carefully, it follows that families play an essential part in compliance. Parents will not need to get out of their cars for drop off or pick up. Unfortunately, we can’t accommodate late pick up or early drop off. There will be staggered drop off and pick up times. We are developing a plan to use multiple exits and entrances. Grade level emails will be sent shortly with details about each grade's plan and we appreciate your careful attention to those procedures. 

The California Department of Public Health has detailed the following protocols for schools to respond to suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19.

• Close off areas used by any sick person, clean and disinfect prior to using again.
• Coordinate with the student’s family or staff member to confirm they are under medical care and have a plan to isolate according to County Health guidelines.
• Confirm that other members of the household who are also part of the school community remain at home in self-quarantine per County Health guidelines.
• Take immediate measures to sanitize and disinfect the school property impacted by the individual.
• Communicate with the school community that a confirmed case has been identified, and outline the actions being taken to ensure a safe return to school.
• Maintain privacy of health and medical information for all individuals as per the ADA and FERPA laws.

Details are below:

Will adapted grading scale be in effect Spring term?
No, we do not have plans to modify the grading scale at this time. We encourage you to reach out to your student’s teacher, or to Lawrence Shin in the Academic Office, if your student needs support.  

How will music/performing arts classes be held?
Music and performing arts classes will be held outside with masks and with social distancing. Wind instruments will not be used in-person.

Will you notify me of an exposure?
Yes, we will notify our community if there is an on-campus case.

Will you hold Zero Period classes?
Most Zero Period classes have already been moved to other times of the day, with the exception of Jazz Choir. This Zero Period class will be held on campus. Eric Newell, Choral Music Director, has been in communication with those families already.

What's the plan for entering and exiting the building?
We are still working on this plan. A designated entrance and exit will be assigned and communicated in advance of your coming to campus. This will be communicated in grade level emails. 

Do I have to come to campus if I don’t want to?
No, absolutely not. We are well equipped to deliver a simultaneous learning experience at home and in the classroom and encourage you to stay home if you feel unwell.

How will I get materials from school to learn from home? 
It will be communicated through your teacher if there are any new supplies needed. If you make an impromptu decision to learn from home, we will do our best to get you the materials you need as soon as possible. We will make sure you have what is needed. 

How will tutorial work?
Tutorials will not be in person. Students may access tutorials online (from on campus or at home) but they will not be meeting with teachers in person. If they are on campus, they should go directly to their first classroom of the day (depending on the student’s schedule) to access tutorial online. 

Do you have a question that hasn't been addressed? Please email us and we'll get you an answer. 

Distance Learning April 12th-16th
To best protect our community, we have decided that the week following Spring Break (April 12-16) will be completely virtual, to allow families who have chosen to travel more than 120 miles away from home to quarantine for 10 days. Travel should conclude by no later than April 9th if your student intends to come back to campus when in-person classes resumes, on Tuesday, April 20th.  

CDPH Travel Advisory 
In keeping with CDPH guidelines, we are asking all Kirby community members to comply with their Travel Advisory, and not to return to campus for 10 days after traveling more than 120 miles from their place of residence. We revised our Vacation and Travel tool, which we shared previously, adding the CDPH guidelines. We invite you to take a moment to review the updated document.