COVID Protocol Update 2021-2022

Dear Holy Cross Families,

On Friday, February 25, both the CDC and the State of Maryland changed their previous recommendations for masks and schools. The CDC issued a new set of guidelines recommending masking in schools only in counties at high risk. Montgomery County is considered a low-risk county. A Maryland legislative committee approved the State Board of Education to allow local school districts to decide whether to require face coverings in school. 

In light of both of these decisions, Holy Cross will become mask optional on Wednesday, March 2. We will take the opportunity to discuss with the girls on Monday how this should feel at Holy Cross. 

Please remember that we will continue to adhere to CDC guidance for mask wearing for unvaccinated persons identified as a close contact of a positive case as well as those who test positive for COVID-19. Students will still need to wear masks on public transportation, as well as public and private school buses and vans until otherwise directed.

 It is critical that we create an environment that respects the individual decisions made by faculty, staff and students to wear a mask or not wear a mask. Please take the opportunity to discuss this in your homes. As a school that promotes courage, compassion, and scholarship we need to respect the choices that each individual makes surrounding this topic. Thank you for your support and partnership for more than 100 weeks as we became a stronger community united in our efforts to do the best for our girls. We will always remain a community of hope.

Sincerely,

Kathleen R. Prebble
President and CEO

"With eyes of faith consider the greatness of your mission and the wonderful amount of good which you can accomplish."  – Blessed Basil Moreau

Dear Holy Cross Families,

Last week’s COVID-19 tests resulted in no new positive cases. We continue to be pleased with the overall decline in the number of positive cases in both the state of Maryland and Montgomery County. As of today, Montgomery County’s seven-day test positivity was 2.99%.

Last week the team of medical experts guiding Holy Cross and many independent schools in the Washington, DC area recommended that if the trend continues, schools consider a mask optional policy in three weeks. This morning I shared with the students that we were optimistically looking at a timeline in the near future to allow a mask optional policy. This afternoon our faculty gathered to discuss the three-week recommended window. The Maryland Department of Health Board meets on February 22 to review the mask mandate for schools. We will monitor their decision carefully as well as any movement within Montgomery County Public Schools. Today, we are looking at Monday, March 7 to begin our mask optional policy knowing that we must remain flexible if the trends reverse.

Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to wear masks according to their level of comfort. We ask that everyone be respectful of the individual choice to wear a mask for those whose comfort level warrants it. There may be certain school settings where a mask is still required. The school still has ample N95 masks and home testing kits that were distributed by Montgomery County to all schools. If you would like to receive a home testing kit and N95 masks, please ask your child to stop by Mrs. Wills' office to pick them up. As the weather improves, students will be encouraged to eat outside on one of our many patios.

With 100% of our faculty and staff vaccinated and 95% of our students vaccinated, we are confident that we can continue to provide an environment that keeps our school open and students learning in-person. Keeping your child home when symptomatic is critical for the wellbeing of our community. We will continue to adhere to guidance from the CDC regarding students and faculty/staff who test positive for COVID-19, and those who are unvaccinated and identified as a close contact. Those individuals will be required to wear a mask after their respective period of isolation or quarantine for five additional days. Those who are vaccinated and identified as a close contact are not required to quarantine; however, they must wear a mask while in school for 10 days following the date of exposure. Students will still need to wear their masks on public transportation, as well as public and private school buses and vans.

We will continue to communicate over the next few weeks as we optimistically look forward to introducing our mask optional policy on March 7.

This week, Holy Cross is celebrating Kindness in Action Week. We can practice kindness by respecting those whose opinions differ from our own.

Sincerely,
 

Kathleen R. Prebble
President and CEO

"To seek the road on which we should walk is to enter into the plan of God for us."

– Blessed Basil Moreau

Dear Holy Cross Families,

This week’s COVID testing resulted in only one positive case. Unless the COVID landscape changes again, beginning next week we will only be testing winter athletes and those who have not been vaccinated. We have resumed our regular schedule and all-school gatherings including liturgies and Monday assemblies.

We received a limited supply of home testing kits and N-95 masks from Montgomery County. Beginning Tuesday, we will distribute 1 testing kit (containing 2 tests) per family, and 1 mask per student. At home testing kits may be used if your child has symptoms to verify a positive case of COVID. If your child has symptoms and receives a negative test at home, you will still need to have your child receive a negative PCR test to attend school. If you are interested in obtaining a kit and mask, please ask your child to stop by Mrs. Wills’ office after school on Tuesday. Mrs. Wills’ office is located next to Mr. Sullivan’s office. If you have any questions about the distribution or use of home testing kits, please contact Mrs. Clark.

We will continue to keep the safety and health of the school at the forefront of our policy setting. We once again are respectfully requesting all students and their families and our staff to be responsible about our collective well-being. Please keep your child home if they feel ill and follow any quarantine guidelines as instructed. Please continue to inform Mrs. Clark of any positive cases in your home.

The COVID Task Force continues to meet regularly, and we are optimistically looking forward to a less restrictive Spring semester.

Sincerely,

Kathleen R. Prebble
President and CEO

“Respectfully make your views known; ask for God’s help to see whether your perspective is reasonable.”  – Blessed Basil Moreau

Dear Holy Cross Families,

Yesterday the Maryland Department of Health and State Department of Education released new isolation and quarantine guidelines for schools.  These guidelines are also in sync with the recently released CDC guidelines for schools.  After today’s meeting with our COVID Taskforce, we have decided to adopt the following guidelines effective immediately.

Persons Who Have Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19 (Isolation)

All persons who test positive for COVID-19 or have suspected COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, should complete isolation as follows:

• Stay home for at least 5 full days from the date of symptom onset if symptomatic or the date of the positive test if no symptoms

  • Day 1 is considered the first full day after symptoms started in symptomatic persons or the first full day after the person tested positive if asymptomatic.

• After Day 5, if the person has no symptoms or if symptoms are improved and they have had no fever for at least 24 hours without medication, they may return to school IF they wear a well-fitting mask when around others* for an additional 5 days.

Persons Who Are Exposed to Someone with COVID-19 (Quarantine)

1. The following recommendations apply to:

• Adults 18 years and older who have been boosted OR completed the primary series of Pfizer within the last 5 months or Moderna vaccine within the last 6 months OR completed the primary series of J&J vaccine within the last 2 months AND they have no symptoms;

• Children 5-17 years old who have completed the Pfizer vaccine series as recommended AND they have no symptoms; and

• Persons who had confirmed COVID-19 within the last 90 days (i.e. tested positive using a viral test).

These persons do not need to quarantine after exposure but should:

• Wear a well-fitting mask around others* for 10 days after the last close contact with the person with COVID-19 (Day 1 is considered the first full day after the date of last close contact)

• Get tested at least 5 days after the last close contact (persons who had confirmed COVID-19 within the last 90 days do not need to test).

  • If the person tests positive or develops symptoms they should stay home and follow recommendations for isolation above.

  • If the person tests negative or is unable to get a test, they should continue to wear a well-fitting mask around others* for 10 days after the last close contact.

 2. The following recommendations apply to:

• Persons of all ages who are unvaccinated; and

• Adults 18 years and older who have completed the primary series of Pfizer vaccine over 5 months ago or Moderna vaccine over 6 months ago and are not boosted OR completed the primary series of J&J over 2 months ago and are not boosted.

• These persons should quarantine after exposure as follows:

• Stay home for at least 5 days after the last close contact with the person with COVID-19 (Day 1 is considered the first full day after the date of last close contact)

• If no symptoms, get tested at least 5 days after the last close contact.

  • If the person tests negative, they may return to school IF they wear a well-fitting mask when around others* until 10 days after their last close contact;

  • If the person tests positive, they should follow the recommendations for isolation above;

  • If the person is unable to get a test, they may return to school after Day 5 IF they wear a well-fitting mask when around others* until 10 days after their last close contact. Requires school permission to return under these circumstances

• If the person develops symptoms they should get tested immediately and remain at home; if the test is positive, they should follow the recommendations for isolation above.

*NOTE: For people who are returning either from isolation (after a positive COVID-19 test) or quarantine (after exposure), the recommendation is that masks may be removed only when eating. Unmasked time should be minimized and physical distancing and ventilation maximized during these times.  People should not be participating in any other activities unmasked.

Students who received a positive test on Tuesday, January 4 and who are asymptomatic may return to school on Monday, January 10.  If the student was symptomatic and after day 5 has no symptoms or if symptoms are improved and they have had no fever for at least 24 hours without medication, they may return to school on Tuesday, January 11, IF they wear a well-fitting mask when around others* for an additional 5 days. Please contact Kathleen Clark with questions concerning symptoms.

Please review the quarantine protocols mentioned above for close contacts.

Mandatory testing on campus will take place on Tuesday, January 11 for all students and faculty/staff/coaches from 1:30-3:00 pm except those who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 90 days.

I apologize for any ongoing confusion.  We are working hard to adapt our policies as quickly as possible as guidelines change. Again, our primary concern is the safety and well-being of our community and maintaining the most effective school environment. Thank you again for your continued support, flexibility, and understanding. We continue to be inspired by the resilience of our students and our families.

Sincerely,
Katy Prebble

Dear Holy Cross Families,

As a result of yesterday’s PCR COVID testing we received confirmation of an additional 54 cases in our student and adult population.

Your child received an email this evening from Mr. Sullivan explaining a slight adjustment to our daily schedule as well as information on how to access the classroom for students who are in isolation or quarantine.  Please remember that a student remaining virtual is not an option if they are not sick or in isolation or quarantine. Mandatory testing will continue each Tuesday throughout the month of January. We are committed to keeping the campus open and holding in-person classes at this time.

We will not hold any all-school or large group assemblies during the month of January.  There will be some changes to the performing arts program and athletic program.  Further communications will follow in the next few days from the Performing Arts Department Chair and the Athletic Director indicating some adjustments in these programs.

Although we have a few additional adults in quarantine or isolation, we are comfortable that at this time we can hold classes and perform all necessary school functions. We are asking parents/guardians to please make an appointment with the appropriate person if you need to access the building.  

Please continue to inform Kathleen Clark if your child tests positive or a household member tests positive.

We hope for better days ahead. Do not hesitate to contact me, Mr. Sullivan, or Mrs. Clark with any questions.

“Our zeal is always guided by charity. Everything is done with strength and gentleness.” - Blessed Basil Moreau

Kathleen Ryan Prebble
President/CEO

Dear Parents/Guardians of our Godspell Cast and Crew,

We hope this email finds you and your families well. Thank you for all you are doing to give your children the opportunity to be part of Godspell this fall. We are hard at work on the show and can’t wait for our audiences to see what we have in store.  

The purpose of this email is to communicate information about the COVID-19 audience protocols we will follow for this production. These protocols are in line with ones already in-place at many theatres and other performing arts venues in the DC/Metro area, and are to ensure the health and safety of our student cast and crew, as well as the audience members in attendance. 

COVID-19 Audience Protocols for Godspell (November 19, 20, 21)

• All audience members 2 years and older must be masked at all times.
• All audience members 12 and older must show proof of vaccination for admission (includes Holy Cross students).
• All audience members under 12 years of age must be accompanied by a vaccinated adult.

• All tickets must be purchased online ahead of time. 
• Ticket sales will close at 12 PM (noon) on Thursday, November 18th. 
• We will not sell, refund, or exchange tickets on the days of the show. 
• To discourage mask removal, we will not sell concessions at our performances.
• To avoid pre-/post-show crowding in the theatre lobby, we will utilize courtyards and the Student Commons 

• Our two matinee performances (2 PM on Saturday Nov. 20 and 2 PM on Sunday Nov. 21 will be sold at 50% capacity for families observing strict social distancing. 

• Tickets will go on-sale next week (no later than Friday October 22nd) — our ticketing site will be accessible through our Onstage Page at http://www.academoftheholycross.org/onstage

With these protocols in-place, we are excited to be able to once-again give your children the experience of performing live, and to open our theatre doors to an in-person audience for the first time in almost two years. 

In close communication with our administration and the Holy Cross COVID-19 Taskforce, we will continue to monitor cases, positivity rates, and percentages of vaccinated individuals in Montgomery County and the DC/Metro area, and keep you informed of any necessary changes to the above protocols.

Thank you again, and stay well.

Sincerely,

Dale Placek
Director, Godspell
Performing Arts Department
The Academy of the Holy Cross
dplacek@academyoftheholycross.org

Dear Holy Cross Families,

In continuing to monitor the way that the pandemic affects our student-athletes, we wanted to provide an update regarding a recent change made in the District of Columbia.

Mayor Bowser signed an order requiring that by November 1, 2021 all adults who are regularly in schools and child care centers facilities in the District must be vaccinated against COVID-19. The Order further requires that, beginning November 1, 2021, students aged 12 and older must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to participate in school-based extracurricular athletics. We have been informed that the order prohibits unvaccinated athletes from any jurisdiction from playing in DC school facilities - public or private. If your child is not vaccinated she will not be able to travel and play with her team when the competition takes place in the District.

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

Sincerely, 
Dena Saunders
Director of Athletics
301-929-6473 • dsaunders@academyoftheholycross.org

Alyssa Kocik
Assistant Athletic Director
301-942-2100 x 204  • akocik@academyoftheholycross.org

Dear Holy Cross Families,

We continue to monitor the spread of COVID-19 within our community and the resources available to guide us in keeping our students, faculty, and staff healthy and safe.

As part of our multi-layered approach to prevent the spread of the virus, students who are not vaccinated will not be able to attend overnight activities, including retreats and athletic trips. For seniors we are offering three KAIROS retreats. The November and March retreats will be for vaccinated students only. The February retreat will not include an overnight and will be for unvaccinated students or for those students whose parents prefer they not attend an overnight activity during the pandemic. If athletic teams plan overnight trips for tournaments or other competitions, again only vaccinated students will be allowed to attend. We are still exploring the possibilities of a spring break service trip.

If your child is unvaccinated, please consider the current information about the vaccine now available to those 12 and up. Getting the vaccine is safe, effective and free. It is the most important step that you can take to protect your family, our school family, and our community against COVID-19. With the rapid spread of the delta variant, it has never been more important to get vaccinated. The delta variant is more contagious, infecting more young people than previous strains and may be more likely to cause severe illness, and to reinfect someone who already had COVID-19. As of last week, the CDC reported that teens ages 16 and 17 had the highest rate of infection among all age groups.

We are pleased to be able to offer a COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Wednesday, September 15 from 4:00-6:00 pm, with the second shot on Wednesday, October 6 from 4:00-6:00 pm. To host the clinic, we need a minimum of 40 people. It is open to everyone in our community as well as all family members, faculty and staff, alumnae and any friends who have not yet received their COVID-19 vaccine. The clinic will be sponsored by Safeway and will offer the Pfizer vaccine. We are also holding a flu shot clinic on Monday, September 20, from 2:00-5:00 pm in partnership with Potomac Pediatrics. Details will follow for both clinics.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding any medical or health issues, please feel free to reach out to the local health department or our School Nurse Kathleen Clark. Please feel free to reach out to me or Principal John Sullivan with any other questions or concerns.

We completed a wonderful retreat and orientation program with our freshmen and transfer students and look forward to welcoming back all returning students on Monday.

Sincerely,

Kathleen R. Prebble
President and CEO

"We should strive to ignite and maintain within ourselves the sacred fire of love.
– Blessed Basil Moreau

From School Nurse Kathleen Clark

Welcome back students and families!

Last year we focused on many mitigation strategies to keep our students and families safe and healthy and this year will be no different. We will remain vigilant, follow the advice of federal, state and local health authorities, as well as a panel of medical experts that our COVID-19 task force meets with each week.

We look forward to working with you amidst a rapidly changing environment related to COVID-19 and the highly transmissible delta variant. We appreciate your continued support and flexibility. 

We are pleased to announce that the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), in partnership with the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), is offering K-12 testing options for public and non-public schools to provide comprehensive COVID-19 screening testing support for the 2021-2022 school year. 

Capital Diagnostics Laboratory, who performed our tests last year, was awarded a grant and will provide PCR COVID-19 testing at Holy Cross with no cost to families or our school. 

MDH and MSDE recommend that schools consider the use of screening testing as part of a layered prevention approach, in accordance with CDC guidance. Screening testing can help promptly identify and isolate cases, quarantine those who may have been exposed to COVID-19 and are not fully vaccinated, and identify clusters to reduce the risk to in-person education.

For our school, we will have mandatory PCR COVID-19 testing for the entire community, both vaccinated and unvaccinated on:

• Thursday, August 26, 2021 – all 9th grade students, faculty/staff and coaches
• Monday, August 30, 2021 – all 10th, 11th and 12th grade students 

Registration for these PCR COVID-19 tests is required for all by Tuesday, August 24 (even if tested by Capital Diagnostics last school year). 

This is how the state will get billed through the grant instead of an individual's insurance.

Use this link: https://capitaldx-patient.limsabc.com/#/

The site-specific code you will use is: MDHHOLYCROSS

*PLEASE NOTE* Users will only have to register one time. 

When completing the registration, the parent/guardian must fill out the form for the student. Please do not enter your own name and birthdate but rather those of the person being tested (the student's). This is a common mistake and very important. 

Unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated students who plan to be on campus next week beginning Monday, August 23 will still need to upload a negative PCR COVID test to their Magnus Portal by this Friday, August 20. Subsequent testing will occur weekly on campus through the partnership described above.

Weekly mandatory on-campus testing for all unvaccinated students will take place every Thursday beginning September 9. Since the test will be in the Capital Diagnostics portal, the results do not need to be uploaded into Magnus. 

Dear Holy Cross Families,

After much deliberation, our COVID Task Force has recommended the following practices for the upcoming school year. Our primary goal remains focused on providing a safe environment for all who work and attend school at Holy Cross. These practices will go into effect on Monday, August 16 when fall athletic tryouts and our new Pre-Academy Summer Seminar for incoming ninth graders begin. Any other on-campus programs that take place beginning August 16 will also be subject to these policies.

Most importantly, all families need to log in and complete the Magnus Health information. Students who have not completed this important step will not be allowed on campus. Please remember to update any information including COVID-19 vaccination records. We urge all parents and guardians to provide access to one of the COVID-19 vaccines for you child. Please discuss with your child’s doctor the advantages for your child and the significance to our global community of receiving the vaccine to prevent COVID-19 and the current delta variant.

We are following Montgomery County’s mandate and will remain a masked campus at all indoor locations. This applies to all, vaccinated as well as unvaccinated students. All UNVACCINATED students will be required to submit a negative PCR test each Friday to return to campus on Monday. Tests must be no more than 72-hours old. Details on how to submit the test results will be sent next week. Those planning to be on campus Monday, August 16 will need to submit their first negative test on Friday, August 13.

Please be aware that quarantine requirements per the CDC are different for vaccinated and unvaccinated persons. Unvaccinated persons considered a close contact to a positive COVID-19 individual will be required to quarantine for 14 days with symptoms and 10 days without symptoms. We will do our best to assist any student who is absent for illness, emergencies, quarantines, etc. but it will not consist of a virtual school option.

Please stay current with all CDC guidelines for international travel (see details here). 

Kathleen Clark, our school nurse will continue to be your main contact regarding any health-related questions or concerns (kclark@academyoftheholycross.org). We are extremely grateful to have Kathleen's expertise and guidance during these challenging times.

Please do not hesitate to contact me. We believe that our best efforts to remain a healthy community will be the result of a strong partnership between your home and school. We are thankful every day for the wonderful families that make Holy Cross such a special place.

Sincerely,
Kathleen R. Prebble
President and CEO

"Nothing is more necessary than the spirit of faith in order to preserve, perfect, and develop the work of Holy Cross, especially in these days." –Blessed Basil Moreau