Health and Safety

Stay at Home if Sick

Students and faculty/staff exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19 are required to stay home and get tested for COVID-19 (at-home rapid antigen tests are accepted). 

In addition, students must stay home if they exhibit the following symptoms:

• Fever (even if the fever is controlled by fever-reducing medication, a student cannot come to school until they have been fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
• Significant runny noses or cough that is disruptive to learning
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Lethargy / do not feel well enough to attend class

Students may return to school following the guidelines below:

• Fever: Student must be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and the symptoms of the illness are improving.  
• Cough/Runny Nose: Student may return to school when symptoms have diminished to a controllable/containable level.
• Vomiting: Student must remain home for at least 12-24 hours from the last vomiting episode and until they have been hungry for and kept down 2 normal meals.
• Diarrhea: Student with loose/liquid stool should remain home until normal bowel patterns return.
• Lethargy / do not feel well enough to attend class: Student is able to participate in class activities.
• COVID-19: If a student tests positive for COVID, families should follow the School's COVID Isolation Protocol. If a student tests negative, but has had a fever within the last 24 hours or their symptoms are not improving, they must remain home until they are fever free for 24 hours without the use of medication and their symptoms are improving. 

Parents/guardians should report illness to Christina Dyson (cdyson@forestridge.org) and provide updates if the symptoms persist or change.

COVID Isolation Protocol 

In alignment with the Washington State Department of Health’s COVID-19 Guidance for K-12 Schools, any student or staff member who is positive for COVID-19 is required to isolate at home for at least 5 days, regardless of vaccination status. 

• A student or staff member may return after five full days of isolation (day 0 is the first day of symptoms or positive test) if they are asymptomatic or their symptoms have improved and they have been fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. If an individual returns before day 10 without a negative rapid antigen test, they must wear a well-fitting kn95 or n95 mask at all times, must eat outdoors socially distanced or in a designated isolation lunch space and must be diligent about COVID mitigation measures including hand washing and distancing during days 6-10 of infection.

• Additionally, individuals who choose to test and continue to test positive with a rapid antigen test after five full days of isolation are required to complete the 10 full days of isolation.

• Testing after day 10 is not recommended.

Communicate if COVID-Positive

Parents/guardians must contact Melissa Jones (mjones@forestridge.org), our COVID-19 Site Coordinator,  to report your student’s positive test results. Our ability to appropriately  reduce the risk of an outbreak relies on our families’ compliance with this procedure. Your student’s and family’s identity will remain confidential. In addition, parents/guardians should email Christina Dyson, School Office Coordinator, at cdyson@forestridge.org, to notify the School of your student’s absence due to COVID.

Household COVID Exposure

Household exposures often result in prolonged and repeated contact with positive individuals. A student or staff member who is continuously exposed at home, regardless of vaccination status, is required to test every 24-48 hours until 5 days after the last positive household member’s 10-day isolation has ended or 5 days after the positive household member tests negative, whichever comes first.

Testing Following Exposure

Regardless of vaccination status, the DOH no longer requires exposed students or faculty/staff to quarantine if they have had close contact with someone who has COVID-19. However, to protect the community, individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19 should monitor for symptoms and test as soon as possible after exposure and then repeat testing every 24-48 hours through at least the first 5 days after exposure. Families do not need to notify our COVID-19 coordinator of exposure or negative test results following exposure.

Vaccination Policy

Vaccination is the most effective mitigation strategy to stop the spread of COVID-19. Therefore, in accordance with the Washington State Department of Health vaccine guidance, Forest Ridge strongly encourages all our eligible students, and their eligible family members, to get fully vaccinated and stay up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines as we enter the 2023-2024 school year.

Mask Requirements

While masks are no longer required in schools, there may be situations when the administration requires masks indoors. Should our community COVID level move to the high category (as per the CDC’s COVID community levels), we will require masking for all individuals indoors if it continues to be recommended by the CDC. In addition, if we were to have an outbreak on campus, our COVID team will assess the campus spread and reserve the right to require certain classes or grade levels to mask indoors for short periods of time to prevent any further spread. Please note, masks are no longer required on the Forest Ridge buses. While masks are optional, Forest Ridge supports an individual’s choice to mask or not mask (when it is not required), and will not tolerate bullying or harassment of any kind related to an individual’s choice regarding masking. 

COVID-19 Testing

While we will no longer provide weekly diagnostic testing on campus, we will administer rapid-antigen tests to students and faculty/staff exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. If a student presents with symptoms of COVID-19, they are required to test for COVID-19 before coming to campus. At-home COVID-19 tests can be found at some retail stores and pharmacies.

Hand Hygiene

Increased attention to hand hygiene is an important mitigation strategy to stop the spread of COVID-19. Students should wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water frequently throughout the day.

Ventilation 

Good ventilation and indoor air quality are important in reducing the risk of transmission of COVID-19. The Forest Ridge  HVAC systems include hospital grade MERV 13 filters and ionizers. 

Visitors to Campus

Campus is now open to visitors and parents. All visitors and parents must check in at the Sacred Heart Center to receive a visitor badge. Please do not visit campus if you have symptoms of COVID-19. Forest Ridge reserves the right to deny entrance to campus to anyone who is exhibiting signs of COVID-19. If you test positive within 48 hours of visiting campus, please email our COVID-19 Site Coordinator, Melissa Jones, at mjones@forestridge.org.