COVID-19 Policies

Last Updated: September 9, 2021

Our COVID-19 protocol may frequently change due to Marion County Health Department mandates and recommendations.

Please send a copy of your child's vaccination card to our school nurse at mvogt@gocathedral.com if they have been vaccinated.  Now that school has started, this is especially important. This information will remain confidential, but we must have it on file as it will aid in our contact tracing efforts if a member of our school community tests positive for COVID-19.  If we do not have proof of vaccination, students will need to quarantine if directly exposed to COVID-19.  

Masks  

To ensure our students and educators stay safe, and cases don't continue to rise at Cathedral, we are implementing an indoor mask requirement starting Wednesday, September 1st. By wearing masks, we are confident more students will be able to continue face-to-face learning and enjoy all of their extracurricular activities. 

We will reassess the need for a mask requirement every two weeks. In the meantime, our efforts to combat Covid remain a team approach. 

According to an executive order from Governor Holcomb, we no longer have to quarantine students who are wearing masks in traditional classroom settings.  However, if students are exposed to Covid 19, parents will be notified.  Effective, September 2, Cathedral will begin following this order.  

Monitoring Health

  • Whether vaccinated or not, please continue to monitor your children for ANY symptoms of illness. While the vaccine helps significantly to lessen the symptoms of Covid and prevent life-threatening illness, vaccinated people can still get and spread Covid. Having a history of COVID-19 will not make a difference unless it was within the previous 90 days.  
  • If your student is not feeling well, please call the attendance line 317-968-7496. Please list the specific symptoms, and, if warranted, the nurse will return your call to discuss your child’s options. Please do not send your student to school with any signs or symptoms of illness. 
  • If your child has a known health condition and has a doctor’s note on file or you have discussed this previously with the nurse, please mention that in the message left on the attendance line. 
  • If your child is unvaccinated and has symptoms, they must receive a COVID-19 test and stay home from school until negative results are given to the nurse.  If a student feels well enough, they will be permitted to attend class online while waiting on results.  A PCR test is preferred, and more accurate, but we will accept a rapid test from a licensed testing facility. The Department of Health will not allow us to accept home Covid tests.
  • If your child is vaccinated but having symptoms, a 24-hour window is in place before needing a Covid test.  If your child’s symptoms last longer than 24 hours, they must receive a COVID-19 test and stay home from school until negative results are given to the nurse.  Please do not send your child to school until discussing your options with our school nurse. A PCR test is preferred, and more accurate, but we will accept a rapid test from a licensed testing facility. The Department of Health will NOT allow us to accept home Covid tests.

Exposure/Close Contacts to COVID-19

  • All exposures to Covid must be reported to the nurse, even if they do not take place during school activities. 
  • If vaccinated and exposed to Covid, students do not have to quarantine unless symptoms occur.  If symptoms begin to occur, students must quarantine immediately and obtain a COVID-19 test. Please inform the nurse as soon as possible for more information. A PCR test is preferred, and more accurate, but we will accept a rapid test from a licensed testing facility. The Department of Health will NOT allow us to accept home Covid tests.
  • If unvaccinated students are exposed to Covid, they will need to quarantine for 14 days after exposure.  The student will be permitted to return to school after day 10 as long as they wear a mask at all times for the next four days, and have remained 100% symptom free.  

Quarantining

  • If a student tests positive, they must complete a minimum of a 10 day isolation period and be symptom-free for 24 hours before returning.  
  • All students returning from being ill, waiting on a test, or quarantining from a positive test must check in with the nurse before returning to class.
  • Students who are out due to Covid concerns are permitted to do online learning.  

Online Learning

  • Online learning is reserved only for students who are out due to Covid reasons.  This includes:
    • Have tested positive and are in isolation 
    • Have been exposed to Covid and have been required to quarantine 
    • Are waiting on a negative test after having symptoms 
  • Students will not be permitted to attend online learning unless approved by the nurse and Academic Affairs. 

 

Preventative Measures

  • Cleaning/disinfecting will continue to take place after each class period. 
  • Teachers will hand out hand sanitizer at the beginning of each class period. 
  • Students will be placed three feet apart from one another. 
  • All teachers will have seating charts readily available to assist with contact tracing. 
  • We encourage all students and educators to get vaccinated.
  • Masks are optional but highly recommended if you have not been vaccinated.
  • All guests are required to wear a mask, effective Thursday, August 19. 
  • Please send a copy of your child’s vaccination card to our school nurse at mvogt@gocathedral.com if they have been vaccinated.  If we do not have proof of vaccination, students will need to quarantine if directly exposed to Covid.

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