COVID Protocol Update 2021-2022

Dear Holy Cross Families, As a result of the PCR COVID testing on Tuesday, January 11, we received confirmation of an additional 13 positive cases in our student and adult population. This is a significant improvement from last week. We are hopeful that we will continue to see a decline in numbers over the next few weeks. Please remember that testing is mandatory. If your child does not come to the in-school testing they may not return until they have the results of a negative PCR test on file with Mrs. Clark. It is a student’s responsibility to come for testing when the in-school announcements are made. Mandatory testing will continue each Tuesday from 1:30 to 3:00 pm throughout the month of January. Please do not schedule outside appointments for your child during that timeframe. 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 from the Performing Arts Department Chair and the Athletic Director indicating adjustments in these programs. Please continue to inform Kathleen Clark if your child tests positive or a household member tests positive. Please do not hesitate to contact me, Mr. Sullivan, or Mrs. Clark with any questions. Sincerely,

Kathleen R. Prebble President and CEO "God, give me a heart more worthy of you; rather, make mine gentle, humble, zealous and loving like your own." – 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 Holy Cross Families, In the face of the highly transmissible COVID omicron variant, we will cautiously start our second semester by reinstating some precautions and return to weekly PCR testing for all faculty/staff and students. Our plan for next week has been slightly adjusted from my previous letter. Please read the following information carefully.

Tuesday, January 4 1:30-3:00 pm: Mandatory PCR testing on campus Please park in any of the available lots/spaces on campus except on the circle in front of Moreau Hall. Everyone should enter through Door #1 to receive a testing label. Students will be directed to one of four testing locations in the building and leave the building via the same location. Students should dress warmly and be prepared to wait outside if necessary. Important – Students and adults who tested positive in the past 90 days are exempt from testing for 90 days from their positive test. This exemption only occurs if confirmation of a positive test has been received by our school nurse, Kathleen Clark. Please reach out to her at kclark@academyoftheholycross.org if you need clarification on this exemption. SCHEDULE UPDATE:  The e-Learning day on Tuesday, January 4 is now canceled and will be an additional school holiday.

Wednesday, January 5 e-Learning for all students (White 5-8 schedule). Students should review the guidelines for e-Learning.

Thursday, January 6  On campus classes (Purple 4-1 schedule) for all students with a negative PCR test.

There will be a virtual learning option for students who are not able to return to campus following a positive PCR test or who are in quarantine after a close contact as determined by the school/county. Virtual learning is not an option for students who receive a negative PCR test and are not in an official quarantine period, and a student’s absence will be considered unexcused if she is not on campus. Mr. Sullivan will provide information on this option after all test results are received by the school. It is important for the school to monitor the number of positive cases in our student and adult population. This information is used in determining isolation and quarantine dates, return to athletics and exemptions from testing. If you have not done so yet please update Kathleen Clark with confirmed positive cases involving your child over the holiday break. Documentation should be uploaded into the Magnus Health portal. An important reminder – students testing positive must provide a medical clearance to return to athletics and PE classes. The medical clearance form is available on the Magnus portal. While we are looking closely at the new CDC guidelines and awaiting information from Montgomery County, until further notice Holy Cross will maintain a 10-day isolation period for any student or adult who tests positive for COVID. Fully vaccinated now includes having received the booster shot. Fully vaccinated students and adults who are considered a close contact of a person who tests positive for COVID will not need to quarantine except in the following situation. Because we are witnessing the rapid spread of COVID within households, even those fully vaccinated individuals who are considered a close contact to a positive member of their household will need to quarantine for five days. Those not fully vaccinated and considered a close contact will also be required to quarantine for five days. In either situation, students will need to provide a negative PCR test in order to return to school. Even with breakthrough cases, the vaccine and the booster offer the best protection from the virus and the ability of the school to remain open. New guidance – cloth masks are no longer considered adequate protection from spreading the virus. Students and adults are required to wear disposable masks, preferably a three-layer surgical mask, KN95 or N95 mask. The school will continue to provide masks for students who arrive without the proper face covering. Because the school will return to eating lunch outdoors and windows will remain open, students may dress warmly observing the following guidelines: solid color sweatpants with any Holy Cross or Holy Cross athletic sweatshirt, jacket, or fleece. Students will not be permitted in the building with flannel pants, pajama pants, yoga pants, dance pants, leggings, or any other type of leisure wear. The uniform footwear guidelines remain in place. Students will not be allowed to bring blankets, etc., to class. Please help us enforce these guidelines from home. The school recently received three tents that will be installed as soon as possible. We will provide updates on athletic activities as they become available. Please watch for emails from our athletic office or coaches. We appreciate all your past support and firmly believe that our partnership between the home and school has allowed us to navigate these tumultuous times in a better way than most schools. For this we are grateful. Our focus remains our girls and what is best for their academic, social, and emotional growth. Please know that our hope is to remain in-person, but we are also fully aware that this is an ever-changing situation. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns. Sincerely,

Kathleen R. Prebble President and CEO "I have the firm hope that, in a quiet and strong way, God will finish what was begun by grace so many years ago." – Blessed Basil Moreau

Dear Holy Cross Families, Capitol Diagnostics will be on campus Tuesday, January 4 from 1:30-3:00 pm to provide PCR COVID testing for all our faculty, staff, and students. E-Learning will take place on Tuesday, January 4 and Wednesday, January 5 to allow sufficient time for test results to be communicated to the school and families. Students will receive an email with additional details about these e-Learning days from Principal John Sullivan. Thursday, January 6 will be a regularly scheduled school day on campus for everyone. All students and adults are required to have a negative PCR test to return to campus on January 6. If you choose to use your own provider for your child’s PCR testing, please contact our school nurse, Kathleen Clarke at kclark@academyoftheholycross.org with the necessary information. All after-school activities will be cancelled on January 3 and January 4. Our Athletic Director, Dena Saunders and our coaches will be in touch with athletes regarding activities scheduled for January 5. Please contact Ms. Saunders at dsaunders@academyoftheholycross.org with any questions. Our plan is to continue testing everyone weekly during the month of January as part of our overall pandemic strategy to keep each other safe and our school open. Please continue to notify our nurse of positive cases in your immediate household. We greatly appreciate and value the partnership between home and school that has allowed us to successfully navigate these unusual times. Please let us know if we can be of any help or answer any questions. Sincerely,

Kathleen R. Prebble President and CEO “The Lord Jesus works his way into our heart little by little without ever giving up on us.” - Blessed Basil Moreau

Dear Holy Cross Families, Thank you for effectively partnering with us throughout this first semester as we successfully kept our doors open and our students engaged despite the impact of the pandemic and its ongoing implications. We are proud of our faculty who are 100% vaccinated and receiving the booster at the appropriate medical intervals. We are pleased that at this point, 94% of our students are also vaccinated. We continued to test weekly all unvaccinated students, as well as winter athletes as the various leagues and schools required. In the first 16 weeks of testing, we recorded two positive cases. We appreciate our families who kept us informed of positive cases in their households which included an additional four students. In all cases, we followed CDC and Montgomery County protocols. Contact tracing was done in cooperation with the county and all requirements (if any) for quarantining students were followed. We have not had any cases of school transmission. This week, we had another student who tested positive reported by her family as well as an additional two cases from our weekly assurance testing that took place yesterday. Once again, we are following all protocols. Since the CDC guidelines do not require quarantining if someone is fully vaccinated, we have had very few students miss school, even if they are considered a close contact. We are monitoring the landscape very closely as the delta and omicron variants seem to be spiking and breakthrough cases are occurring. With this in mind, we are working with our testing provider to find a date during the first week of January to test our entire school population. Please watch for additional information regarding this testing. We are all grateful to see our families over the Christmas holidays. Please remember when traveling to continue all the recommended layered approaches to protection – vaccinations (including our boosters!), testing, wearing our masks, and washing our hands. Please keep your child home from school in January if she is sick. It is more important than ever that we continue to be vigilant as we mange this recent spike in COVID cases. We wish you and all of your families a Merry Christmas/Feliz Navidad and a Happy New Year/Feliz Año Nuevo! Sincerely,

Kathleen R. Prebble President and CEO "There is a mystery in the person of Jesus being born, the Son of God and the Word begotten of God’s substance before time, and yet born in time." – Blessed Basil Moreau

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