Students showing any sign of illness, COVID symptoms or not, must stay home. Cornerstone will be very cautious about allowing even a runny nose in the school. To avoid an unplanned call to pick up your student early from school, closely review your student for any signs of illness before they arrive school each day. 

Students with allergies should stay home when they are actively showing signs of their allergies. It is difficult to know if it is allergies, or a cold AND allergies. 


SYMPTOMS TO LOOK FOR

  • No single symptom indicates someone has COVID-19; many symptoms can be present when a person does not have COVID. If a student has any illness they might pass on to others, we request they stay home or they will be sent home.

  • The presence of any of the below symptoms generally suggest an illness and the student should not attend school, regardless of whether the illness is COVID-19 or not:

    • Temperature 100.4 F or higher

    • Sore throat

    • Cough

    • Difficulty breathing (students with asthma, a change in their baseline)

    • Diarrhea or vomiting

    • Onset of a severe headache, especially with a fever

    • Loss of taste or smell 

  • Having symptoms of infectious illness alone should not be treated as a COVID diagnosis. 

  • Symptomatic individuals are encouraged to see their doctor, get a COVID test if recommended, and keep the school informed of their symptoms.

  • Students who develop symptoms during school will be separated and monitored temporarily in the Library until they are picked up.  Parents will be called to pick up their student. 

  • If you have other students in the school, you may take them home with you at that time.

HOW LONG WILL MY STUDENT BE OUT OF SCHOOL AFTER HAVING SYMPTOMS OF ILLNESS?

Students who have gone home after showing symptoms of any illness or have called in sick: 

    • Who HAVE NOT BEEN in close contact (6’ or less for 15 minutes or more) with someone who has tested positive for COVID, can return to the classroom 48 hours after the day they left. (No students can return the next day.) They can return ONLY if they are symptom-free for 48 hours without using fever-reducing medicine AND they have no signs of any illness for 24 hours.

Students who have gone home after showing symptoms of any illness or have called in sick: 

    • Who HAVE BEEN in close contact (6’ or less for 15 minutes or more) with someone who has tested positive for COVID, can return to the classroom 10 days after their symptoms first appeared. If, at that time, they have gone 24 hours without a fever (without using fever-reducing medicine) AND they have no signs of any illness.

WHAT IF MY STUDENT HAS BEEN IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH SOMEONE OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL WHO HAS TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID?

  • Regardless of symptoms, anyone who has been in close contact (6’ or less for 15 minutes) with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, must quarantine.

  • The in-person class continues and the student should participate virtually.

  • Students can return to the classroom 10 days after they have been exposed to the person who tested positive (from when the positive person started showing symptoms) AND the student has no signs of any illness.

  • Or 7 days after they have been exposed to the person who tested positive (from when the positive person started showing symptoms) AND a negative COVID test which was taken 6 days after exposure to a person who tested positive or later.

  • If the teacher is quarantining, the in-person class will continue with the teacher teaching virtually from home (as able) and an adult will assist in the classroom; a substitute teacher will teach the class if the teacher is unable to. 

  • If it is necessary for the entire class move to virtual learning from home, an email will be sent with details.

WHAT HAPPENS IF MY STUDENT SHOWS SYMPTOMS OF ILLNESS IN CLASS?

  • The teacher will call the Cornerstone COVID Coordinator to pick up the student and their personal items from class. The student will be monitored in the Library, which is being used temporarily for ill students, until they are picked up. 

  • The Coordinator will notify the student’s emergency contact and arrange for the student to be picked up as soon as possible from the Ridge Road entrance. 

  • Parents are encouraged to contact their doctor.

  • If a student receives a positive COVID test, classmates and staff in close contact (6’ or less for 15 minutes or more within 2 days of onset of illness) will be notified, required to quarantine and monitor their symptoms closely.

  • Parents of students identified as being in close contact are notified.

  • The name of the student who tested positive will not be released. Privacy is mandatory for all health issues. Discussions about individuals and their health status are not permitted. 

  • Parents will be asked to follow the above instructions for students who have been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID. 

HOW DOES CORNERSTONE RESPOND TO POSITIVE COVID CASES?

  • Confidentiality laws apply to COVID-19. Teachers and staff must NOT discuss or acknowledge a positive test under the Family Education Right and Privacy Act (FERPA).

  • If a student receives a positive COVID test, classmates in close contact (6’ or less for 15 minutes or more within 2 days of onset of illness) will be notified, required to quarantine, and monitor their symptoms closely.

  • Parents of students identified as being in close contact will be notified.

  • Parents will be asked to follow the above instructions for students who have been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID.

Download PDF version of the CDC chart here.

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