Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS HAVE YOU PUT IN PLACE?

1. Prior to the start of each school day, all families and employees will be asked to complete a COVID-19 questionnaire, which will ask about confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis for each individual, along with confirmed or likely exposure. This information will be submitted via our secure Magnus Health portal and will only be reviewed by our School Health Coordinator and administrators as needed to assist with decision-making for a safe return to campus. Each morning, prior to the start of the school day, parents will be required to login to Magnus Health where they will complete a quick health screening and record their child's temperature. Once students arrive on campus, they will proceed through a walk-through temperature scanner. If a student is shown to have a fever, they will be rescreened with a touchless forehead thermometer. Any student that displays a fever of 100.4 or higher will be moved to an isolation area and must be picked up by a parent or guardian.  
2. Students and staff will have ample opportunities to wash their hands at regular intervals throughout the day, utilizing sanitizer when handwashing is not possible. Mobile hand sanitizing stations will be positioned throughout the campus particularly near each classroom.
3. Students will access campus following a one directional traffic flow with the guidance of arrows and signage.  Signage will also be displayed around campus to promote safe social distancing and proper hygiene reminders. 

WHAT HAPPENS IF A PERSON ON CAMPUS DEVELOPS A FEVER OR COVID RELATED SYMPTOMS?

1. If any person on campus develops a fever or shows other signs or symptoms of COVID, they will be immediately placed in a designated isolation area and will be required to leave campus as soon as possible.
2. The class the student or teacher was in will immediately wash their hands and have their temperatures checked.
3. If another student has signs and symptoms they will also go through ill persons protocol. 
4. Once temperatures are cleared, the class will be assigned to another appropriate learning space for the remainder of the school day.
5. The School will then follow CDC guidelines for cleaning and disinfection of community facilities.
   NOTE:  Contact tracing and contacting of parents is conducted solely by the department of public health. 

WHAT BEST PRACTICES IN REGARD TO HYGIENE ARE IN PLACE? 

1. Students and staff will have ample opportunities to wash their hands at regular intervals throughout the day, utilizing sanitizer when handwashing is not possible.
2. Age appropriate demonstrations will take place that will cover best practices of washing hands, covering your cough, and properly wearing a face covering.

WILL FACE COVERINGS BE REQUIRED?

1. All students, faculty, and staff will be required to wear a face covering on campus at all times with exception while eating during lunch or nutrition.
2. Students will be required to bring and have at least two clean face coverings available each day while at school; extra masks should be kept in clean baggies.
3. If a student forgets to bring a mask from home, a temporary single use surgical mask will be provided.
4. Masks should be taken home at the end of each day to be properly washed. 

HOW WILL THE CAMPUS BE CLEANED?

1. Each classroom will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected each evening with an electrostatic fogger.
2. High-touch surfaces and bathrooms will be cleaned and disinfected throughout the day.
3. Teachers will disinfect classrooms between groups of students by wiping down surfaces including desks, door handles, countertops, and any technology devices.
4. Hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes will be available in each classroom and around campus.

WHAT MODIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE CAMPUS?

1. Automatic faucets and soap dispensers will be installed in all restrooms. 
2. Restroom stalls will be open in an every-other fashion, always keeping the handicap stall as an accessible option. 
3. All HVAC units on campus have been outfitted with an iWave air purifying system. iWave is an air purifying device that installs in any duct air conditioning system.  When air passes over the iWave, ions produced by the device reduce pathogens, allergens, particles, smoke and odors in the air, creating a healthy environment without producing any harmful byproducts.
4. All AC filters have been upgraded in Merv count to a 13 to trap 95% of particles in the air.
5. Mobile hand sanitizing stations will be positioned throughout the campus particularly near each classroom.
6. To maintain directional flow, guidance arrows have been placed throughout campus.  
7. Drinking fountains will only be used from the refill station with personal refillable water bottle.  All spigots will be covered and not be accessible for use. 

WILL ACCESS TO CAMPUS BE RESTRICTED?

1. For the safety of our community, visitors -- including parents, alumni, and outside vendors -- are not permitted on campus during school hours.
2. For prospective parents interested in touring campus, special arrangements will be made to visit campus on weekend days by appointment only.  Campus will be sanitized after each prospective parent tour.
3. All items needing to be dropped off by parents, deliveries, and the U.S. postal service will be dropped off at the Guard Station. Should the delivery be deemed too large, the security guard will alert the administration and arrangements will be made for delivery.

HOW BIG WILL CLASS SIZE BE?

1. Class size is dependent upon the square footage of each room.
2. Classroom desks and furniture have been reviewed and removed where needed to accommodate proper distancing of six feet or more in all classrooms.

HOW WILL STUDENTS WHO CHOOSE TO CONTINUE DISTANCE LEARNING FROM HOME BE ACCOMMODATED?

1. Remote learning options will be incorporated in all classrooms for students at all grade levels who need to stay home.
2. Each classroom will be set up with equipment to provide instruction simultaneously both to students in-person on-campus and remotely to students at home. 
3. Each classroom will have: TV Monitor/Camera/Microphone/Speakers
4. Equipment setup will allow for: Connection to Smartboard for in-person learning/Monitor for teacher to see at home students/Camera and Mic for students at home to see and hear teachers/Connection to laptop to share screen with virtual learners
5. All students will continue to use an iPad to view classes.

WILL THERE BE CHANGES TO HOW I DROP OFF AND PICK UP MY STUDENT?

1. Parents should follow the normal flow through the carpool line for drop-off and pick-up.
2. Students should not exit or enter a vehicle until the vehicle has been directed into the designated drop-off/pick-up area.
3. Students should exit and enter their vehicle as normal while wearing a face covering.
4. Parents are not allowed to exit their vehicle at any time during drop-off/pick-up.
5. Supervision staff will NOT open car doors or help students getting out of the car.
6. Students will be directed to proceed from carpool exit directly to the temperature monitoring station.

HOW ARE TEACHERS PREPARING FOR NEXT YEAR? 

1. In addition to regular scheduled professional development, all faculty and staff will go through thorough health and safety training specifically pertaining to COVID. 

WHAT CAN PARENTS DO TO HELP?

1. If a student is sick, they should not come to campus.
2. Parents are encouraged to help students reestablish routines at home that will help prepare them for the transition back to school.
3. Lower School parents should have students practice using face masks over the summer to get used to wearing masks for longer periods of time.
4. Communicate clearly with your children about the return to school and how things are going to look different this school year. 

WILL PARENTS BE NOTIFIED IF THERE IS A CONFIRMED CASE WITHIN THE SCHOOL? 

If a student or faculty member tests positive for illness, all information is immediately passed onto LA County public health officials. Westmark will immediately communicate general information to our community under the direction of LA County Public Health.  Public health officials will contact parents directly with necessary information.  

WILL BUS TRANSPORTATION BE AVAILABLE  AND WHAT SAFETY PROTOCOLS WILL BE IN PLACE?

1. Bus routes will operate as scheduled with proper social distancing put in place. 
2. Buses will have an extensive cleaning every 24 hrs in between their morning and afternoon routes utilizing electrostatic sprayers with 99.9% verified success in cleaning COVID-19 on bus seats and surfaces within the bus.
3. All windows will be opened to create maximum air flow in the bus.
4. If a bus is equipped with air conditioning, it will be put into use as it is recommended that sir flow is the highest priority for students safety. 
5. All drivers will be required to wear masks at all times. These masks will be professionally laundered so that each day the drivers will have verifiably clean mouth and nose protection.
6. Drivers will be temperature checked upon arrival and will verify that they are not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms nor have been around any person that has exhibited any illness.
7. All bus staff will undergo a COVID-19 training session prior to the start of school.
8. All students will be required to wear a face covering. No mask, no ride. 
9. Students will sit one to a seat alternating left and right positions. 

HOW WILL LUNCH WORK?

1. Lunch times will be staggered in two groups for grades 2-8 and grades 9-12 to allow for proper social distancing: Lower and Middle School will not eat in the same areas
2. All lunch tables and surfaces will be sanitized between groups. 
3. Lunches can be brought from home or pre-selected and purchased through our lunch program provider Fresh Lunches.
4. All meals will be prepackaged and solely prepared, handled, and wrapped by our lunch program kitchen staff who have a COVID-19 food safety response in place.
5. Students will eat lunch in their designated lunch areas where they will follow safe social distancing by limiting the number of students to 2-3 per table.
6. All students are required to bring a LABELLED reusable water bottle from home that can be refilled at refill stations located around campus. BOTTLES THAT ARE NOT LABELLED WILL BE DISPOSED OF AT THE END OF EACH DAY. 
7. Water from water fountains will not be accessible from the spout. 
8. Vending machines will not be available per the CDC guidelines.
9. Lunch deliveries of any kind are not allowed.

WHAT ATHLETICS WILL TAKE PLACE THIS YEAR?

1. Upper School Athletics: 
   • Per the CIF (the governing body for high school sports in CA) announcement on July 20:
     • High school sports in California will not begin until December
     • There  will be two seasons (Fall and Spring) of sports instead of the usual three (Fall, Winter, Spring).
     • Fall season will begin in December and end in February
     • Spring season will begin in February and end in May. 
       • Westmark 2020-2021 Fall sports will include Boys' Volleyball,Girls' Volleyball, Coed Cross-Country and Flag Football. 
       • Westmark Spring sports will include Boys' Basketball, Coed Golf, and Coed Soccer. 
2. Middle and Lower School Athletics:
   • Westmark is committed to providing 2020-2021 sports opportunities for both Middle and Lower school students. 
   • At this time our leagues have not made any decisions on when those seasons will take place.
     • Westmark offers Middle School Flag Football, Girls' Basketball, Boys' Basketball, Coed Soccer, and Girls' Volleyball. 
     • Westmark Offers Lower School Girls' Basketball, Boys' Basketball and Coed Soccer.

WHAT AFTER SCHOOL OFFERINGS WILL THERE BE?

1. Final decisions on performing arts, clubs, and after school enrichment opportunities will be guided by local health official requirements and governing bodies in the coming weeks.

WILL AFTER SCHOOL SUPERVISION BE AVAILABLE?

1. When campus is open for instruction, After School Supervision will be available for our working families, following the same safety protocols from the school day. Supervisiosn for all students ends at 5:00 pm.  Regular charges apply.  Failure to pick up by 6:00 pm will result in the loss of access to our After School Supervision program.