Mask Policy

August 30, 2021

Dear Parents & Guardians:

We would like to share important health information for reopening at Y.A.L.E School Philadelphia.  Please review the following policies prior to the first day for students:

1. Masks are mandated indoors for students, staff, and visitors on school district premises; masks are not required outdoors. Masks are required on school buses, but the district has determined they will be optional when the National Heat Index is 80 degrees or higher.  Should your child have an uncontrolled or acute medical condition that inhibits breathing, please contact your building supervisor.
2. Please screen your child each day using the attached Daily COVID-19 Prescreening Checklist for STUDENTS prior to attending school. It is important that you keep your child home if he/she is sick or symptomatic.  Your vigilance is important in the protection of your child and others.
3. If your child may have missed some immunizations last year due to the disruptions caused by COVID-19, please speak with your child’s physician to arrange required immunizations, as we do not wish to exclude students because of this.
4. Students with COVID-19 symptoms, as per the Daily COVID-19 Prescreening Checklist for Students, are required to isolate for 10 days from the onset of symptoms, ensuring the student is 24 hours without fever reducing medication and showing improvement of symptoms. However, an alternate diagnosis with a negative test result collected at 3 to 5 days after symptoms appear will be accepted for the student to be readmitted to school.  A.L.E. School will accept PCR or Rapid Test results only.  Home test kit results will not be accepted.  If a child without symptoms (asymptomatic) is exposed to an individual with COVID-19 and subsequently tests positive for COVID-19, the student is required to isolate for 10 days from the test date.  In all cases, you should contact the school nurse for guidance specific to your case, as it relates to school attendance.
5. The criteria to determine close contacts remains at 6 feet for 15 minutes or more. Close contacts will quarantine for a period of 10 days and can return on day 11.  This quarantine period can be shortened with negative test results collected on days 5 to 7 and return on day 8.  A.L.E. School will accept PCR or Rapid Test results only.  Home test kit results will not be accepted.  However, there is now an exception to this criterion for classroom settings.  Students who are within 3 to 6 feet of an infected student where both the infected student and the exposed student(s) correctly and consistently wore well-fitting masks the entire time are not required to quarantine.  This exception does not apply to unvaccinated teachers, staff, or other adults in the indoor classroom setting.  Fully vaccinated students (2 weeks following final dose, according to type of vaccine) with no symptoms are not required to quarantine.  It is recommended the student get tested 3 to 5 days following exposure.

Please contact your building supervisor or your child’s school nurse at your earliest convenience if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Y.A.L.E. School Administrative Team