All Visitation faculty & staff are must have their primary series and, starting with the 2022-2023 school year, all students will need to have had their primary series as well.
 
Visitation strongly encourages vaccination for all eligible students. This is vital for the health and wellbeing of our school community; we want all of our students to fully engage in school life and that will only be possible if every eligible student is vaccinated. Vaccination not only protects the individual who is vaccinated, but also reduces the risk of transmission throughout our community. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your doctor. Parents should complete this form to apprise School Nurse Heidi Greenhalgh of their daughter’s vaccination status.
 
Per the DC Mayor’s mandate, all student-athletes must be vaccinated* by November 1, 2021 in order to participate in Visitation’s athletics program. This requirement includes participants in club teams and intramural sports, including Gold-White cheerleaders and players. There is not a test-out option. Students who have received a medical exemption from a physician should provide that documentation to Mrs. Greenhalgh by November 1.

The school reserves the right to require vaccination for specific events, groups or all students. 

*People age 18 and older who have received all recommended vaccine doses, including booster doses as applicable and children ages 5-17 who have completed their primary vaccine series are considered up to date on their vaccine.

Face masks are now optional on campus. This policy may change based on the local transmission rate.

Please stay home if you are sick.

Every student and adult should check themselves for Covid-19 symptoms before arriving on campus. 

Symptoms of Covid-19 include:

• Fever (subjective or 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit) or chills
• Cough
• Congestion or runny nose
• Sore throat
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Diarrhea
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Muscle or body aches
• New loss of taste or smell
• Otherwise feeling unwell

Students experiencing the following symptoms that are new or unexplained must stay home.

• Any ONE of the of these red-flag symptoms:
  • New or worsening cough
  • Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Fever (subjective or 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit)
• OR at least TWO of the following symptoms:
  • Chills
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • Unusual fatigue
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Diarrhea

An individual must stay home, not be admitted to school, and/or will be dismissed from school if they have tested positive for Covid-19. (See below for criteria for returning to campus as a positive test.)​​​​

If a student stays home or is sent home, the family must seek guidance from their healthcare provider. 

Students with pre-existing health conditions that present with specific Covid-19–like symptoms may not be excluded from entering the school building on the basis of those specific symptoms, with previous evaluation by a health care provider. In this instance, a family consultation with the School Nurse, coupled with thorough documentation from a student’s doctor, is required.   

Any visitor who will be inside on campus for more than 15 minutes during the school day or during a student event must be up to date on vaccines. 

 

The definition of a close contact has been updated. A close contact is someone who was within six feet of an infected person for a cumulative 15m over a 24h period while that person was infectious. There is an exception in the K - 12 indoor classroom setting: in this context, a close contact excludes individuals who were within 3 - 6 feet of an infected fellow student.

• Students (except for those who have had and recovered Covid-19 in the last 90 days) should get tested if anyone in their household develops symptoms of Covid-19.
   
• A student who has been identified as a close contact of a person with Covid-19 is NOT required to quarantine or be restricted from school work if:
  • She has had Covid-19 (symptomatic or asymptomatic) within the last 90 days AND does not have any symptoms suggestive of Covid-19 infection. OR
  • She has received her primary vaccine series AND does not have any symptoms suggestive of Covid-19 infection.
     
• A student who is exposed to Covid-19 who is up to date on her Covid-19 vaccination OR who has had Covid-19 and recovered in the last 90 days should:
  • Get a Covid-19 test (antigen or NAAT) five days after the date she was exposed.
    • If test is positive, see "What to do after a positive Covid test."
  • Wear a well-fitting mask around other people (including household members) for 10 days after exposure.
  • Monitor for symptoms of Covid-19 for a full 10 days after exposure. She must isolate and test if symptoms develop.
     
• A student who has not received the primary vaccine series or is not up to date on Covid vaccination and has been identified as a close contact will need to quarantine as follows:
  • If able to isolate from Covid-19 positive individual and are asymptomatic:
    • Quarantine for five days from last exposure. If a student receives a negative test result (antigen or NAAT), she may return on day 6.
    • They wear a well-fitting mask when around other people (including household members) for 10 days after their exposure. OR
    • If not tested, after a minimum of 10 days (i.e., on day 11) from last exposure to Covid-19 positive individual.
  • Some students may have the option to participate in the test to stay under protocol if identified as close contact and not up to date on vaccine series.
    • To test to stay, a student must not have any symptoms of COVID-19 and test for COVID at minimum twice during the 7-day period after their last exposure: 
      • immediately (defined as within 24 hours of their exposure notification) and
      • again 5 to 7 days after exposure. 
    • Please send the test results to Mrs. Greenhalgh. Students using the test to stay option must wear a properly well-fitted mask. If no testing is done, the student should quarantine for at least 10 days.
    • Full test to stay information can be found here.

*Higher risk activities are those with increased risk for Covid-19 transmission due to greater potential for forceful exhalation during participation. For example gym class, recess, choir, orchestra, band, theatre, dance. 

The nurse will report the case to DC Health per the guidance found here.

Visitation will offer virtual classroom access for students who are quarantining as a result of a Covid exposure. Contact School Nurse Heidi Greenhalgh for more information.

• All community members should practice good hand hygiene, particularly at moments of transition (e.g., using the restroom, before eating, after blowing one’s nose, etc.).  

• Students and adults will wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol) if soap and water are not available. 

• Students and adults should wash or sanitize their hands when both entering and exiting a classroom or between activities. Students are strongly encouraged to bring their own hand sanitizer. 

• Avoid touching your face, eyes, mouth, and nose with unwashed hands.

• Cover coughs and sneezes.

Visitation is always diligent in doing our part to mitigate the spread of disease. To further prepare for school this year, we have added the following precautions:

• Our campus buildings will be cleaned daily with CDC-compliant cleaning materials.
• All classrooms will be equipped with hand sanitizer and tissues.
• Hand sanitizer will be required when entering and exiting the room.
• Desks and workspaces will be spaced three feet apart.
• All desks will face the front of the classroom.
• Desks will be cleaned at the end of each class.
• Visitation has reviewed and updated all of our building systems to ensure that they meet all CDC and DC health and safety guidelines regarding air quality. We will continue to do so regularly as guidance changes. Specific measures that have been implemented include:
  • All air filters have been upgraded to the maximum levels possible. Filters are checked weekly and changed as needed.
  • Our systems have been set to allow in the maximum percentage of outside air possible. 
  • Portable air cleaners have been added to every classroom and student space.
  • The air quality in our buildings is monitored throughout each day.
  • The bathroom ventilation systems are all functioning at highest rate possible.

The Dining Room will offer “grab-and-go” lunches as well as morning snacks during Cub Period for purchase. We are migrating to a new payment system and will share more details soon on funding your daughter’s account to use in the Dining Room and Cub Shoppe.

The Dining Room will have limited capacity, with tables set for four students each. Students are warmly encouraged to eat outside as much as possible. Visitation will be tenting several outdoor patios around campus to provide more dining options.

All student drivers will be required to register their cars so we know who is on campus. 

Public Transportation: Students are encouraged to maintain at least six feet of distance from others when traveling to and from school. Students should avoid congregating in large groups at intersections and transit stops. Please review these additional CDC tips for safe travel on public transportation.

Carpools: If families choose to carpool, the following guidelines are strongly encouraged:

• Keep the number of individuals in the car as low as possible.
• Wear masks at all times.
• Keep the individuals in the carpool as consistent as possible - same students in the same carpool every day.
• Keep the car windows open.
• Wipe down the car before and after use.

School Transportation: All students taking school transportation to an event must be vaccinated or send the school a negative PCR result from a test administered in the previous 48 hours.
 

DC Health recommends that any individual at high-risk for experiencing severe illness due to Covid-19 to consult with her medical provider before attending in-person activities. 

Please see guidance from the CDC for an up-to-date list that will reflect the most recent data.   

Any student who has a medical condition not on this list, but is still concerned about her safety, is encouraged to speak with her medical provider.

The School Nurse will continue to be available to all students to promote a safe healthy environment that contributes to academic success. If a student is not feeling well during the school day, she will need to obtain a note from her teacher to see the nurse. If a student has any of the below symptoms of Covid-19, she will report to the “sick” room adjacent to the Health Office, where the School Nurse will evaluate her for any of the following symptoms:  

• Fever (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit) or chills 
• Cough 
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing 
• Fatigue 
• Muscle or body aches 
• Headache 
• New loss of taste or smell 
• Sore throat 
• Congestion and a runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting 
• Diarrhea 
• Feeling unwell 

If any of the above symptoms of Covid-19 is confirmed by the nurse, a parent will be notified and asked to pick up the student immediately. The parent will need to contact the medical provider for further instructions. The student may not report back to campus until a note is submitted to the nurse from a medical provider stating the student is free from all evidence of communicable diseases.

In the event a community member tests positive for Covid-19, the individual or the parents of of the student must notify School Nurse Heidi Greenhalgh (x2221) immediately. The nurse will then report the case to DC Health (per the guidance found here) to receive further guidance if the individual was infectious while on campus. The infectious period starts 14 days before symptom onset (or date of test if asymptomatic), and typically ends 10 days after symptom onset (or test date).

Cleaning, Sanitization, and Disinfection of Affected Spaces: In the event of a confirmed Covid-19 case in a student or staff member, Georgetown Visitation will follow all steps outlined by DC Health as well as the cleaning, disinfection and sanitization guidance from the CDC. 

• If your daughter tests positive for Covid-19, she may return to campus under the following conditions:
  • If fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-lowering medications (e.g., acetaminophen or ibuprofen) and other symptoms are improving AND negative antigen test on day 5 after the onset of symptoms date or the date of Covid test if asymptomatic:
    • Student may return on day 6 from when symptoms first started.
  • If still have a fever and/or other symptoms have not improved at day 5:
    • After being fever-free for 24 hours and other symptoms have improved AND then receiving a negative antigen test result. OR
    • After at least 10 days (i.e., on day 11) from when symptoms first started.
  • If receive a positive antigen test on day 5:
    • After at least 10 days (i.e., on day 11) from when symptoms first started.
  • If no antigen test is completed:
    • After at least 10 days (i.e., on day 11) from when symptoms first started.
       
• Your daughter will receive an email with a link for her to enter her close contacts.  We appreciate your partnership in making sure she completes this as soon as possible, so we can contact impacted families quickly.

Students, faculty and staff are expected to comply with quarantine and testing protocols per CDC Guidelines.

Families should consult this document prior to travel and plan for quarantine and/or testing as prescribed by the guidance.

*The guidance changes frequently; Visitation will follow the most up-to-date guidance.