What do I do if my child is sick?

If your child is sick, email awidener@silverdaleba.org AND attendance@silverdaleba.org. If your child presents with any COVID-related symptoms, your child must be cleared by a physician prior to return (doctor’s note must be sent to school nurse at 423.892.2147 or emailed to nurse@silverdaleba.org).

 

When should I keep my child home from school?  

You should keep your child home for any illness including cough, sore throat, runny nose or congestion, headache, nausea, muscle, body aches, chills, vomiting or diarrhea ,shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever of 100.0 or above, or a new loss of taste or smell. A student/staff should not be kept home for usual symptoms they experience due to a chronic condition unless they are worse than usual. 

You should keep your child home if someone who the child lives with (or has had close contact with) has tested positive for COVID-19 or has major symptoms of COVID-19.

 Each morning prior to dropping your child(ren) off on campus, we ask you to closely monitor your child(rens) health. If your child is sick, email Nurse Anne as well as:

For preschool and elementary school parents, email your child’s teacher.

For middle and high school parents, email us.

*If your child presents with two or more low-risk COVID symptoms not due to chronic conditions such as allergies, migraines, etc. OR one or more high-risk COVID symptoms, your child must be cleared by a physician prior to return (doctor’s note must be sent to Nurse Anne at 423.892.2147 or via email).

Low-risk symptoms include chills, congestion/runny nose, sore throat, headache, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, fatigue.

High-risk symptoms include new cough, difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell, fever 100.0 degrees or greater.

 

If my child shows cold symptoms, do I assume its COVID-19 and keep everyone in my household home?

Cold, influenza and COVID-19 symptoms can be similar. Regardless, keeping the child home that is showing symptoms is a good way to reduce the spread of colds and flu within schools. 

As for others in your household, if your child is showing symptoms, it is important to evaluate your child’s symptoms and possible exposures to COVID-19 when deciding whether other children in your household should stay home. 

 

What happens if my child is symptomatic for COVID and I do not want to have him/her tested?

Your child will need to stay home for 10 days from the onset of symptoms.

 

What kind of Covid test should my child get?  ​​

• PCR
• Rapid Tests
• At-home tests (email a picture of the test strip on the cardstock that comes in the home kit along with phone showing day and timing of test)     

All test results need to be emailed to nurse@silverdaleba.org.    

 

Are at-home tests acceptable? ​​

Yes, At-home tests are acceptable; email a picture of the test strip on the cardstock that comes in the home kit along with a phone showing the day and timing of test.   

What do I do if a family member presents with COVID symptoms?

If a family member presents with COVID symptoms, then entire family needs to remain off campus until symptoms are deemed non-COVID related.

 

What is considered a “close contact”?

"Close contact is defined by CDC as someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.​ "

 

What does the term “household contacts” mean?

A household contact is an individual who shares any living spaces with a case. This includes bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms, kitchens, etc. Household contacts must be quarantined after exposure to a case. Quarantine start: Household contacts must quarantine as long as they are exposed to the case, and for a 7- 14 day period beyond their last exposure.

If the contact can separate from the case within the home, then they are no longer considered exposed. To separate, the case 1) must never be in the same room as household members 2) cannot share plates, cups, dishes, or phones with household members 3) should have their own bathroom (or conduct daily bathroom cleaning).

If the contact cannot separate from the case within the home, the contact must quarantine for the case’s (minimum) 10-day isolation period plus an additional 7-14 days.

"A household contact is an individual who shares any living spaces with a case. This includes bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms, kitchens, etc."

To be considered a non household contact:

• The case must never be in the same room as household members.

• The case cannot share plates, cups, dishes or phones with others.

• The case should have their own bathroom. If that isn’t possible, the household must conduct daily cleaning.

"Household contact is an individual who shares any living spaces with a case. This includes bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms, kitchens, etc." When a household member that tests positive is unable to completely isolate from the rest of the family, the exposed family member's last day of exposure to the family member that tested positive is the last day of their isolation (day 10). At that point, the family members quarantine of 10 days would begin. (In the event, other family members ended up testing positive this timeline would change.)

 

What are the options to come back if quarantined?

Option 1: Return to Campus without testing on DAY 11 wearing a mask through DAY 14.

Option 2: Return to campus without testing AND optional mask on DAY 15 as long as symptom free. Please notify Nurse Anne (nurse@silverdaleba.org) if you choose this option.

Option 3: Return to Campus on DAY 8 with negative test results completed only between DAYS 5-7 and symptom free. Once returned, student must wear a mask through DAY 14.

Negative test results must be submitted here PRIOR to the end of DAY 7.

 

Why can’t my preschool student test out quarantine early?

No early test-out option: Due to the inability for preschoolers to wear masks properly, testing out is not an option for preschoolers. This policy was adopted at the end of January 2021 per the strong recommendation of the Hamilton County Health Department. Thus, preschoolers must adhere to a 14 day quarantine prior to returning to campus. In September 2021, the Health Department again stated we do not recommend testing out for preschool-age children.

 

Are there exceptions to Quarantine?

One does not have to quarantine if exposed to someone that tests positive for COVID as long as he/she remains symptom-free and either of the following criteria are met:

Fully vaccinated (>2 weeks since final dose of COVID vaccine)

Tested positive for COVID within the past 90 days

Both parties wore masks the entire time (Regardless of the physical distance between an individual that tests positive and an exposed individual, the exposed individual does not have to quarantine if the individual that tests positive AND the exposed individual were in masks the entire time.)

 

Is antibody testing acceptable to avoid quarantine?

At this time, no, proof of antibodies is not sufficient to avoid quarantine. Per the Tennessee Department of Health (7/29/21), “antibody testing is not appropriate for return to school for persons exposed in daycare and K-12 settings.”

Why does my child have to wait until day 8 to return to school after testing negative on day 5, day 6, or day 7?

The Health Dept has given us the following rationale for waiting until 8 days—thus far, research has shown that one is most likely to develop symptoms of COVID before day 8 of quarantine. The Health Dept says that if one tests negative on day 5, day 6, or day 7 after exposure, then the chance of developing covid after those days significantly decreases (but does not completely diminish until after day 14 of quarantine.) If your child tested negative on day 5, she could technically still develop symptoms through day 14 of quarantine, but her chances of developing COVID with a negative test on day 5, 6 or 7 and zero symptoms significantly decreases after day 7 (day 8). Hence the testing out early option but not being released prior to day 8.

 

What documentation is needed to be exempt from quarantine for 90 days after testing positive?

• In order to prove one has tested positive for COVID and have the 90-day exemption from the quarantine window, one must submit one of the following to nurse@silverdaleba.org:
• Letter of release from isolation from the Health Department or TN Dept of Health
• Doctor’s note or paperwork from the doctor’s clinic stating one tested positive
• Test results from laboratory

 

What happens if my child tests positive for COVID-19?

Please complete the COVID Questionnaire for the individual that tests positive. If my child tests positive, one needs to notify the Hamilton County Health Dept and isolate. The child that tests positive may return to campus after 10 days of isolation from onset of symptoms and at least 24 hours fever free and improving symptoms. Once he/she is cleared by a physician to return to school or has a letter of release from the Hamilton County Health Department, documentation must be emailed or faxed to the school nurse prior to returning to campus via email nurse@silverdaleba.org or by fax: 423.892.2147. If your child is an athlete, a physician note of clearance is required to state that your student is clear to return to sports.

Siblings need to stay home and quarantine. Once you have completed COVID questionnaire for the individual that tested positive, Nurse Anne will email you back with the siblings timelines to return to campus.  Your child may attend virtual campus during quarantine.

 

What happens if I as a parent tests positive for COVID-19?

Please complete the COVID Questionnaire for the individual that tests positive. If a parent tests positive, the children need to remain home. The parent should notify the Hamilton County Health Dept and isolate. Once you have completed COVID questionnaire for the individual that tested positive, Nurse Anne will email you back with the children’s timelines to return to campus.  Your child may attend virtual campus during quarantine.

 

What will the Academy do if a student starts displaying symptoms of COVID while at school?

If a student or staff member displays symptoms of COVID-19, the school nurse will conduct a clinical evaluation to determine if the symptoms are consistent with COVID-19. Symptoms consistent with COVID-19 is defined as:

• new onset of at least two of the following symptoms: fever or chills, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea OR
• new onset of at least one of the following symptoms: cough, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing

If a nurse determines that the student or staff member is displaying symptoms consistent with COVID-19, the individual will be separated from others and sent home to quarantine. Students should be picked up within 30 minutes and no later than 1 hour from the time the campus contacted the student’s parent/guardian.

Other students may be removed from the classroom and taken to an alternate location on campus (e.g. go on a walk outside, move to a different classroom, etc.) so that the classroom can be disinfected.

Students and staff with symptoms consistent with COVID-19 must quarantine until the individual’s symptoms have improved and one of the following:

 at least 10 days have passed since symptom onset;

 the individual receives a negative test (proof of negative PCR or rapid test required; at-home tests will not be accepted); or

 a physician identifies the individual’s symptoms as something other than COVID-19 (doctor’s note confirming that the doctor reached an alternative diagnosis required).

 

Where can I find COVID Protocols for Silverdale as well as weekly numbers of students exposed to COVID and tested positive to COVID?

Silverdale COVID Protocols (Weekly Numbers)

 

What are your resources for data and recommendations?

The Health and Safety Team utilizes the resources below, as well as, several relationships within the community with medical professionals.  They also work daily with the Hamilton County Health Department.

• TN Dept of Health Return to School Algorithm
• CDC Guidance for K-12 Schools

 

Who is on the Health and Safety Team?

The Health and Safety Team consists of Nurse Anne Widener, Tommy Kennedy, Christie Johnson and Daniel Ashworth. This team also utilizes the input of all principals, coaches and teachers to give a more detailed scope of the climate. You can contact as a group:  healthandsafety@silverdaleba.org

 

What happens when school is notified of someone testing positive?

1. The Health & Safety team receives notification of positive case. 
2. Immediately a meeting is called. 
3. Principal is called into the meeting. 
4. We look through seating charts and photo of classroom layout. To determine those 6 ft or less to the individual that tests positive. 
5. Principal communicates with teachers if any unusual seating occurred during the day—projects, lunch, recess, outdoors, any other event during the day.
6. Close contacts are those 6 feet or less to the individual that tested positive for a cumulative amount of time of 15 minutes in a 24 hour period. 
7. Attendance is checked.
8. COVID vaccination statuses are verified through Magnus.
9. Individuals are removed from quarantine if they have tested positive for COVID in the last 90 days.
10. Close contacts are notified via text to check email for notification they have been exposed to a positive case and need to quarantine. 
11. Positive cases and quarantine numbers are posted weekly on Fridays on the webpage.

 

How can one be deemed a probable positive?

If one has known exposure to a positive case and is symptomatic, please call the Health Department to follow up and see if they will deem one a probable positive. If the Health Dept deems a person a probable positive case, then submit documentation to nurse@silverdaleba.org. Individuals deemed probable positives by the Health Dept are treated as positive cases and do not have to quarantine up to 90 days after quarantine if exposed to a positive case unless they develop symptoms.

 

How will my child log in virtually during quarantine or isolation?

As your child transitions to virtual learning for the coming days, we want to make sure they are prepared for success!  Our teachers will be ready as your child transitions to the virtual campus.  The day after you received your quarantine notification from the Health & Safety Team will not be a virtual learning day - it will be for our teachers to prepare for your child and to gather their school items for you to pick up.  The second school day of your student’s quarantine is when virtual learning will begin.  For questions or concerns, contact Jordan Thompson, Director of Virtual Campus Operations, at jthompson@silverdaleba.org or 615-492-1943. All virtual campus resources such as our virtual student checkout list, our virtual handbook, and other helpful student resources can be found online.