COVID-19 Policy and Procedure

Safety Measures and Procedures

Pilgrim Community Preschool follows Oak Park Health Department guidance and recommendations for Covid-19 and all community health concerns to assist in keeping our school healthy and safe for all children, staff and families. 

As per such, the PCNS Covid-19 policy for masking and isolation, as August 30, 2024  is as follows:

Vaccines

Vaccination is currently the leading public health prevention strategy to prevent adverse outcomes related to Covid-19. People who are up to date with Covid-19 vaccinations are at a lower risk of severe infection, hospitalization and death due to the disease. 

As the CDC, IDPH and Oak Park Health Department currently does not differentiate between fully up to date on Covid-19 vaccinations or not for any mitigations recommendations, we do not need a copy of your child’s Covid-19 vaccination at this time. 

Masks

When exhibiting any illness, well fitting masks are optional, but highly recommended, to be worn by staff, visitors and children, unless required as outlined below. Families should notify their child’s teachers of masking preferences for your child so we can best support your decision while they are in our care. PCPS will support the masking decision families make for their children and respectfully encourage every member of our PCNS community to respect each other’s decision. 

Reporting Illness and Testing

As containment is key to reducing the spread of all viruses including COVID- 19 and to prevent potential classroom closures, we ask, if your child is sick please stay home. 

To report an illness, families and staff will fill out an Illness Reporting Form  The Director will contact you within 24 hours with return to school guidelines, which will follow Illinois Department of Public Health Decision Tree 

Children and staff who are sick are required to stay home at a minimum until:

1. They are fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicines AND

2. All other symptoms have improved AND

3. Those experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 including fever, headache, new cough, sore throat, runny nose, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell, vomiting or diarrhea must also have a negative COVID-19 test in order to attend school OR a doctor's note confirming a different diagnosis for illness. 

PCR tests are highly recommended as they detect Covid-19 earlier, however a negative home rapid antigen test is acceptable. If using a home rapid antigen test, please retest 48 hours after the first negative test to confirm continued negativity. We strongly encourage symptomatic children and staff who have tested negative to wear a mask upon returning to school after any illness for 5 calendar days.

Positive Test Guidance

Anyone testing positive for COVID-19 is required to stay home from PCPS for 5 days, the date of positive test is considered Day 0. 

From day 6-10 children and staff can return to school only if they are fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications, all other symptoms have improved AND are required to constantly wear a high quality, well fitting mask indoors and outdoors at PCPS. If someone can not consistently wear a mask at school, they must remain home through day 10 of their positivity period. 

A negative test is no longer required to return to school. 

Close Contacts

Close contacts do not need to be isolated from school, however, we strongly encourage all close contacts in extended contact environments such as classroom or home contact to consistently wear a high quality well fitting mask at school for 10 days after notification and test on day 5 from exposure. At any time symptoms appear, follow reporting illness and testing guidelines above. If there is a positive case of Covid 19 in a classroom, the Director will notify the families and staff of the classroom with confidentiality upheld.

Notification of Positive Cases 

Anytime there is a positive case within our school community, we will work closely with Oak Park Health Department to identify additional mitigations we may use to help ensure the wellness of our children, families and staff. The Director will notify families and staff within a classroom of  a positive case with confidentiality upheld.