Health & Safety

It is critical that, as a community, we continue to practice health and safety protocols while not at school. Doing so will increase our chances of remaining in-person throughout the school year.

With that, it is important to remember that any possible exposure to COVID-19 will jeopardize the health and safety of our entire community. 

Please remember:

• Stay home if you are sick with even minor symptoms until 48 hours fever-free. Contact Susan Ballas about each illness to determine if clearance from a doctor is required;
• Report any plans to host visitors or travel out of state;
• Even if we are learning virtually, you will need to keep Susan Ballas apprised of all health concerns you and your family experience. Continue to use the "Report an Absence" form to notify Susan of any illnesses your children are experiencing. 

Should you need to, please utilize Montgomery County’s free COVID-19 testing and the COVID-19 Alert PA app for contact tracing and daily symptom checking.

Hygiene: Families and employees will practice and reinforce good hygiene habits at school and at home, particularly related to handwashing. 

Cleaning: Classroom surfaces, tables, chairs, and student materials are cleaned and disinfected daily. Restrooms, toilets, faucets, and sinks are cleaned throughout the day and each evening. Hallways and cubbies are cleaned nightly. 

Ventilation: Each classroom is equipped with an air filtration system. Additionally, windows are kept open as much as possible, while also running the fan or air conditioners to aid in filtering air. Equipment is frequently serviced. 

Face Masks: Students two-years and older and Gladwyne Montessori employees will wear face masks while inside, except when eating or during teacher-directed “mask breaks”. Face masks must be a minimum of 2-ply and worn and used properly (secured with elastic bands or ear straps (no scarves, gaiters, or toy masks). Washable face masks must be cleaned at home each day and disposable masks disposed of properly. This requirement may change at various points during the school year, based on guidance from the CDC, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and the Montgomery County Department of Health.

Here are a few suggestions for all families to ensure successful mask-wearing at school:

• Masks made in this particular style are often difficult for young children to keep dry and in place during the day. Masks with adjustable ear loops are recommended as the easiest for young children, as they reportedly stay securely in place and do not get into their mouths during the day. 

• Practice wearing masks with your child inside and outside to give them time to feel comfortable with successfully wearing their mask;

• Remind your child that their masks should cover both their mouth and nose. You can show them how it should look on their favorite toy or stuffy;

• Pick out a mask design with your child so it feels more like a fun treat (no graphic/scary images that portray violence);

• If you find the masks you purchased do not stay up over your child’s mouth and nose, purchase a mask with adjustable ear straps;

• Consider purchasing a mask lanyard which can be helpful in mitigating lost masks. 

COVID-19 Testing and Notification: All families and Gladwyne Montessori employees must notify the Head of School and School Nurse if they or a member of their household(s) tests positive for COVID-19. 

Dismissal of Sick Students: Families will be notified by text to pick up their child promptly if the child shows signs of illness. Parents/guardians must develop an emergency plan in advance of the start of school that ensures that a parent or an emergency contact person is available to pick up their child within 30 minutes of being contacted on any given day.

Gatherings: The School is taking a thoughtful approach to gatherings during the 2021-22 School Year. Some gatherings will be held virtually while others will return to in-person. The School reserves the right to shift a scheduled in-person gathering to become a virtual gathering, depending on the rate of positivity of COVID-19 cases locally as well as guidance from the CDC, PA Department of Health, and Montgomery County Department of Health. 

Travel: All families and Gladwyne Montessori employees will be judicious in making travel plans, first consulting the CDC website. In the event that travel restrictions are mandated, Gladwyne Montessori will adhere to mandated requirements.

Students' Personal Items: Students will not bring items that are not required by the School to Gladwyne Montessori’s campus. 

Sharing: Students will not share any food or drinks. Students and Gladwyne Montessori employees will bring food and carefully labeled reusable water bottles from home. 

Communication: Families and Gladwyne Montessori employees will update the School with all information relevant to the health and safety of the Gladwyne Montessori community and commit to reading and promptly responding to school communications. 

Field Trips: Field trips will be allowed on a case-by-case basis, based on recommendations from governing bodies such as CDC, PA Department of Health, and Montgomery County Department of Health.

Visitors: Visitors will be permitted on campus but must be pre-arranged with the Assistant Head of School and/or Head of School. Visitors must complete a health screening before entering the school building, and will be required to wear a mask. If a “yes” response is given to any questions on the health screening, attendance to the meeting will not be permitted. Proof of vaccination may be required before admittance.

Health Screenings: Students and Employees will be required to complete a daily health screening on PikMyKId. If signs of illness present throughout the day, students, staff, or essential visitors will be moved to the School Nurse’s office and isolated until they can be picked up. 

Self-Care & Well-being: Pedagogy and classroom practices such as yoga and mindfulness will assist students and faculty in building coping strategies for stress or anxiety they may experience in this pandemic context.

Information that pertains to our entire school community will be communicated by the Head of School, Carrie Kries. In the event that an urgent message needs to be communicated, we will notify families via text message.

Community members are encouraged to reach out to our Pandemic Response Team or School Nurse with any health and safety questions.

All members of the Gladwyne Montessori community have a shared responsibility for limiting the spread of disease. We must remain committed to the safety protocols in this plan and in further communications to preserve the health of individuals in our school community. To connect with others in our Gladwyne Montessori community, please join our private Facebook group, where you can discuss "podding" with other families, nanny shares, private/small group tutoring, etc.

All members of the Gladwyne Montessori community agree to the following: 

Federal, State, and Local Orders: All families and Gladwyne Montessori employees must adhere to the directives from the Centers for Disease Control​ and state​ and Montgomery County Department of Health for reducing the spread of COVID-19. 

Staying Home if Sick: All students and Gladwyne Montessori employees must stay home if they are sick. 

Staying Home if Exposed: All families and Gladwyne Montessori employees must notify the Head of School and School Nurse that they or a member of their household has been exposed to an individual with COVID-19. 

COVID-19 Testing and Notification: All families and Gladwyne Montessori employees must notify the Head of School and School Nurse if they or a member of their household(s) tests positive for COVID-19. 

Dismissal of Sick Students: Families will be notified by text to pick up their child promptly if the child shows signs of illness. Parents/Guardians must develop an emergency plan in advance of the start of school that ensures that a parent or an emergency contact person is available to pick up their child within 30 minutes of being contacted on any given day.

Travel: All families and Gladwyne Montessori employees will be judicious in making travel plans, first consulting the CDC website. 

Face Masks: Students two-years and older and Gladwyne Montessori employees will wear face masks while on campus, except when eating or during teacher-directed “mask breaks”. These breaks will take place only when social distancing is possible. Face masks must be a minimum of 2-ply and worn and used properly (secured with elastic bands or ear straps (no scarves, gaiters, or toy masks). Washable face masks must be cleaned at home each day and disposable masks disposed of properly.

Hygiene: Families and employees will practice and reinforce good hygiene habits at school and at home, particularly related to handwashing. 

Students' Personal Items: Students will not bring items that are not required by the School to Gladwyne Montessori’s campus. 

Sharing: Students will not share any food or drinks. Students and Gladwyne Montessori employees will bring food and carefully labeled reusable water bottles from home. 

Communication: Families and Gladwyne Montessori employees will update the School with all information relevant to the health and safety of the Gladwyne Montessori community and commit to reading and promptly responding to school communications.