Covid 19 Protocols

Based on the LACDPH recommendations, the JEC will implement a multi-layered strategy, taking into account:

1. the level of community transmission and COVID-19 vaccination rates among students, faculty, and staff.  
2. the logistics of our programs and the benefits and challenges of our specific building space.
3. the knowledge that our students attend more than 40 different schools.  
4. what other religious schools and synagogue communities are doing, both within Los Angeles and beyond.  

We are closely following and will continue to stay abreast of the best protocols for student safety, both from the CDC and LACDPH, and will continue to modify these protocols as the year progresses.  Please see below for our preventative protocols and our plan of action in the event of exposure.

VACCINATION POLICY

All faculty, teachers, tutors, custodians and teens working in the JEC are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. 

Additionally, all children ages 16+ are required to submit proof of COVID vaccination and all children 12-15 are strongly requested to submit proof of their COVID vaccination.*  We will of course be honoring doctor’s notes for medical exemptions and will be requiring those students to wear an N95 mask (which we can provide, if needed) and we may choose to require day of testing in advance of attending a session.  

* The reason that we do not require it for students between the ages of 12-15 is because they still fall into the Emergency Use Approval (EUA) category, whereas it has been given full FDA approval for those 16+.  When it is given full FDA approval for children ages 12-15 we will require it for them as well.  When it is given EUA approval for children under the age of 12 we will assess at that time.

QUARANTINE PROTOCOLS

We continue to follow these protocols around quarantining:

• If someone in your family has been potentially exposed and/or is a close contact* and is under quarantine (from their school or other organization), please let your school director know.  All other family members may continue to attend programming.
• If someone in your family tests positive for COVID please let your school director know immediately.  All fully vaccinated individuals may continue to attend programming while monitoring closely for symptoms.  All unvaccinated individuals must test on or after day 5 and may return on day 9 if they received a negative test result and continue to be symptom-free.
• Students under quarantine may not attend JEC programming, even if you are really, really wanting to get out of the house.

*A person is considered potentially exposed and/or considered a close contact if they have been within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24 hour period with someone who has tested positive for COVID.  Even if you wore a mask you are still considered potentially exposed and/or a close contact.  A person is also considered potentially exposed and/or a close contact if they were unmasked around someone who tested positive for COVID within 48 hours. 

PREVENTION

Face Coverings

Regardless of vaccination status, all students, faculty, and staff are required to wear face coverings indoors.  All JEC students, including those enrolled in the Outdoor Jewish Experience, must wear masks when outdoors as well.  All students should be sure to have extra masks on hand in case they get wet or dirty.  

Hand Washing and Hygiene

Students will be reminded to wash and/or sanitize their hands throughout the school day. Classrooms and high touch surfaces will continue to be cleaned throughout the school day. 

Physical Distancing  

Physical distancing minimums are no longer required when other mitigation strategies, such as face coverings, are implemented. However, when feasible, the distance between students in the classroom and between students and teachers will be no less than 3 feet. We will have students distanced when eating snacks and meals.  

Travel

The CDC continues to discourage unnecessary travel.  However if you do travel, please follow the recommendations below: 

• Vaccinated Individuals: You do not need to get tested or self-quarantine if you are fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 in the past 3 months.
• Unvaccinated Individuals: We strongly recommend getting a COVID-19 test done before returning to school.  

Ventilation

In addition to mask wearing indoors, classrooms will have doors open as much as possible during instruction to maximize ventilation. Additionally the school’s HVAC system already has the recommended air filtration system for protection against both smoke and viral particles.  

 IN THE EVENT OF AN EXPOSURE

Students, faculty, and staff must stay home from school when they are experiencing symptoms or have been in close contact (within 6 feet of someone for a total of 15 minutes or more) with someone that has COVID-19. 

In the event of an exposure, an email will be sent to the entire program (for example, Sunday morning or the Outdoor Jewish Experience) and a separate email will be sent to the students who are considered a close contact.  In that email we will give enough information to make a decision either by yourself or in partnership with your pediatrician, but we will not be giving any information that identifies who the exposure came from.  

All students, faculty and staff who have been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 will need to follow the following protocol:

• Children may not attend programming for 8 days after their initial exposure.  
• Children must test on or after day 5 and may return on day 9 if they received a negative test result and continue to be symptom-free.