Current COVID-19 Protocols

ESD has returned to mostly very normal day-to-day operations. However, we continue to monitor the caseload in North Texas and in our more immediate community. We reserve the right to adjust our procedures if needed, as this remains a fluid situation. Our number one goal is to fully deliver on ESD’s mission while, where possible, mitigating risks to our community’s health and well-being.

The guidance below is based on the following:

Any protocols we implement:
- are developed in consultation with local health professionals, including over two dozen doctors with a variety of appropriate specialties
- are based on local health data from all the major hospitals in Dallas
- take into consideration the infection rates within ESD.
Our health measures balance the physical and emotional health of our students and employees and the effectiveness of teaching and learning.
ESD had good success last year implementing protocols that were specific to the health conditions in our school community.

Page last updated September 9, 2021

Vaccines

Vaccines are the best defense we have in ensuring that our students and teachers have a completely uninterrupted school year. ESD encourages in the strongest possible terms that all eligible community members receive a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible.

If your child is fully vaccinated, please send their vaccine information to your division’s nurse, Lower School Nurse Carla Thomas, and Middle and Upper School Nurse Marcia Biggs, so that we can keep track of community vaccination rates. This data will help inform our decision process moving forward. A more fully vaccinated school population may allow us to lift restrictions sooner.

Masks

Masks must be worn by all students, employees, parents, and visitors when indoors, regardless of vaccination status.

Dallas County has seen a significant increase in the number of pediatric COVID cases and a growing shortage of available pediatric ICU beds. Because of this change, beginning today, ESD will enact an indoor mask mandate for all students and employees. We will reevaluate this policy weekly and hope to loosen restrictions soon. Until very recently, we had planned and hoped to be in a different health circumstance as we opened the school year, allowing us to implement different masking protocols. However, it is important that we do our part to limit the spread of COVID-19, both at ESD and in the greater community, particularly among children.

Universal indoor masking also reduces the chances that children will be quarantined. New CDC guidelines state that in the case of close contact between students in the classroom, if both students are masked, the close contact no longer needs to be quarantined.

All students and employees should wear the school-issued blue Jaanuu mask required last year, a personal N-95 mask, or a surgical mask. Two masks will be issued to each new student and employee. For those who no longer have the blue Jannuu masks, a limited number of Jaanuu masks are available in the Eagles Nest. Should the Eagles Nest be out of stock, surgical masks may be worn until the supply of Jaanuu masks in the Eagles Nest has been replenished. Masks do not need to be worn outdoors.

Daily Health Check

We will suspend the use of the daily Ascend health screening application until further notice. Please keep the link; depending on how conditions develop, we may reinstate it later in the year.

It is still imperative for all students and employees to do a health check each morning before coming to school. Those experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 should stay home, inform the appropriate school nurse, and contact their physician.

Should your student be sent home during the school day with new or unexpected symptoms, they might be required to provide a negative PCR test and/or a doctor's note before returning to school.

Positive Cases and Quarantines

Any community member who tests positive for COVID-19 must report their positive result to the appropriate school nurse, quarantine for at least ten days, and be fever-free for 24 hours before returning to school. The school will conduct a contact-tracing interview with the person to determine who has been in close social contact with the individual.

Possible exemptions from quarantine include the following:

proof of complete vaccination on file prior to being asked to quarantine
current positive antibody test on file prior to being asked to quarantine (valid for 90 days from the date of collection)
proof of COVID-19 illness within the previous 3 months prior to being asked to quarantine

At this time, we are not planning to quarantine entire classrooms, teams, or ensembles. The year will begin with traditional class sections in each grade - no cohorts. Should local conditions change, these protocols will be reconsidered. However, the school will inform all people who share an activity (class, practice, rehearsal) with the positive case that someone they share an activity with has tested positive for COVID-19. Those who share the activity will be asked to monitor their symptoms closely and be extra cautious about staying home if they are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms. Those who are determined to be close contacts, but are exempt will be asked to get a PCR test 3-5 days after exposure. Those who are determined to be close contacts and are not exempt will be required to quarantine for 7 days (returning to school on day 8) and present negative PCR test results on or after day 5. A negative PCR test result must be on file prior to returning to in person activities.

We will also continue to update the community on cases through the COVID dashboard on our website.

Remote Learning

Parents on Campus

We are excited to welcome parents back to campus. Like students and employees, all parents must wear a mask while indoors at ESD, regardless of vaccination status.

For the time being, parents should limit their campus visits to:
1) back to school events and activities
2) scheduled group performances and games
3) meetings with school employees
4) limited volunteer duties

Other than in the Eagles Nest and during the Lower School’s Eagle Camps and new student orientations, which we feel are limited and controlled environments, we ask that parents not interact with students indoors - in the classrooms, dining commons, or study commons - while on campus. For now, we are requesting that parents who come to campus for a meeting or other approved activity depart campus as soon as their appointment or business has concluded.

Other Campus Protocols

Health and safety education and training for all faculty, staff, students, and parents will continue as needed.

Lunch service and seating has been adjusted to ensure safety.
Outdoor tents will be available for music and band classes to consider reduction of transmission via droplet spread and for outdoor socialization.
Enhanced cleaning and sanitizing will continue per CDC recommendations.
Frequent handwashing is strongly recommended and encouraged.

Extracurricular Activities and Overnight Trips

At the current time, we are not anticipating an interruption in athletics, arts, and club activities.

Before and after school programs, including Kids On Campus, are scheduled to operate as normal.
The protocols released July 13, 2021, for ESD-sponsored athletics remain.
- Student-athletes who test positive for COVID-19 will be required to complete a return to play protocol per athletics.

Overnight trips

All participants (chaperones and students alike) will be tested in the ESD health clinic the day of any overnight trip with a rapid antigen test, regardless of CDC vaccination status or prior antibody test submission.