COVID-19 UPDATES

Dear Parents, Teachers, and Staff, 

As we celebrate the arrival of Christmas and the end of our first semester, we are rejoicing in all we accomplished and the many ways God protected us through this season. The purpose of this communication is to prepare us for 2021, and the great year it will be. We asked you to partner with us in August to open school so we could continue the mission of Calvary to develop our students academically, spiritually, physically, and emotionally in person. We want to accomplish that same mission starting January 5th, 2021. We invite you to partner with us again to continue that mission during this Christmas and New Year season. 

The plan as of today’s community transmission is to open 2021 with the same mitigation strategies that we are currently in, which is Phase 2. If the community transmission index continues to increase, we will intensify the mitigation measures in Phase 2. These could include one or more of the following: modifying lunch service to eat in smaller cohorts and fewer transitions to limit the number of students in hallways and stairwells. If the community reaches a level that exceeds where we were in August, or the city leaders ask us to modify more, we will roll out the plan for Phase 3, a hybrid learning model. Phase 4 is the digital learning plan, and while it is our least desirable, we have a plan that will allow your child to continue his/her march toward excellence. 


The Leadership Team, with the guidance of the CDS Task Force, ask that you apply the following strategies:

• If possible, for those planning to travel, complete your travel at the beginning of the break to allow yourself time to come home for a few days, assess symptom onset, and rest. The CDS Task Force also recommends knowing the area you are traveling for COVID numbers. It is usually found on the local Department of Health website. Check which age categories are high risk and take extra precautions while you are there and when you return to stay healthy and safe. There is a link below with some travel tips from the CDC.

• Please be very aware of all symptoms and the onset of symptoms. As we move into flu season, the more details you can give your physician and Suzy, our school nurse, the better we can all help get you to school safely. There are specific protocols as it pertains to the flu. Please notify by email nurse@calvarydayschool.com at the time of onset or diagnosis for yourself, or if anyone you have had contact with is diagnosed with Flu A/B or COVID. 

• The best way to mitigate your risk is to take precautions when you are out and then take care of yourself with nutrition, physical activity, and rest. Please follow all city and local guidelines. The Bible has plenty to say about obeying our leaders and the authority put over us as an opportunity to do good work. 

As mentioned before, email nurse@calvarydayschool.com to relay information regarding diagnosis or test results. Please include your name and best contact phone number. Suzy will contact you if more information is needed. 

We have welcomed and continue to welcome so many new members to our CDS family; therefore, please refer to the Return to School brochure for reference. 

I wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a renewed spirit for 2021! 

Dr. Hunter Chadwick 

CDC Winter Holiday Planning


December 11th

The CDC has adjusted the quarantine time for anyone exposed to a positive COVID patient.  Please understand nothing has changed for a positive COVID patient. 

A 14-day quarantine period is still recommended; however, individuals may opt for a shorter quarantine period following the below criteria. 

Asymptomatic persons who have a known exposure to a person with COVID-19 can return to school or childcare: 

After seven full days have passed, if: 

• Tested for COVID-19 (PCR/molecular or antigen test) AND
• Receive a negative result   AND
• Do not experience any COVID-19 symptoms during the quarantine period. 

After ten full days have passed, if: 

• Not tested for COVID-19 AND
• Do not experience any COVID symptoms during the quarantine period. 

After stopping quarantine after day 7 or 10, individuals who do not have symptoms should: 

• Closely monitor themselves for COVID-19 symptoms for an entire 14 days 

• For at least the entire 14 days, they should strictly adhere to mitigation measures including appropriate mask usage, staying at least 6 feet from others except for brief transitional movements (e.g., changing classes), washing their hands, avoiding crowds, and taking other steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 

Suppose an individual, who is a close contact AND ends quarantine after day 7 or 10, develops symptoms. In that case, they should be sent home immediately and follow the guidelines for symptomatic individuals and seek COVID-19 testing. 

Student-athletes who end quarantine after day 7 or 10 can return to practice if they can adhere to mitigation measures, including appropriate mask usage and staying at least 6 feet from others while at practice. However, there is a bold exception in the information we received regarding student athletes, and we are seeking to understand why they would not be allowed to return to competitions for 14 days. We have clarification from GHSA and are hoping to hear from DPH today.

Please email nurse@calvarydayschool.com if you have any questions or concerns regarding symptoms, exposure to a positive case, or to report a positive result.

December 4th

We are happy to report that our school has a very low number of students and staff quarantined at this time, particularly with what is in the news. We are grateful that you continue to keep us in school safely. The CDC recently updated guidelines regarding the length of quarantine for close contact with a positive person. The quarantine period is now 10 days instead of 14 days from the date of exposure. Close contact is defined by meeting each of the following criteria: 

• Be less than 6 feet from the infected person
• for greater than 15 minutes total in a 24-hour period
• within 48 hours of symptom onset or 48 hours of a positive test for an asymptomatic person.

Please email nurse@calvarydayschool.com if you have any questions or concerns regarding symptoms, exposure to a positive case, or to report a positive result.

November 20th

Dear Parents,

Wow! We have made it to Thanksgiving break during this most "uncommon" school year. The Lord has been gracious and we have so much to be thankful for! We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to our students and you, our parents, for your willingness and efforts in protecting our entire Calvary Day School family and campus from COVID-19. Since August 13, Calvary Day School has been able to stay in school with guidance from our Health and Wellness Task Force.

As you prepare for the upcoming holidays, we urge you to modify your plans and consider ideas to help keep yourselves, your families, and your friends healthy and safe. The CDC states that staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. However, we also understand that it is important to spend time with family and friends during this special time of the year. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to continue wearing masks and physically distance when gathering in groups outside of your immediate family. Try not to share items with those outside of your household and keep all frequently-touched surfaces clean as guests come and go. 

If you plan to travel during the holiday break, be mindful of ways to protect yourself and others. Travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19 and it is strongly recommended to avoid nonessential travel to high-risk destinations. If traveling by car, be aware that making stops along the way for food, gas, or bathroom breaks increases the possibility of being in close contact with other people and with frequently-touched surfaces. Pack hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes to keep in the car to use during these stops. 

Prior to returning to campus on November 30, please monitor each member of your household for any symptoms of illness. It is very important that you keep your student(s) home if they have any symptoms listed below or if they have been exposed to anyone with COVID-19 symptoms during the holiday break.

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Nasal congestion or runny nose
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Diarrhea
• Nausea or vomiting
• Headache

Please email nurse@calvarydayschool.com if you have any questions or concerns regarding symptoms, exposure to a positive case, or to report a positive result. 

The following links are very informative and have tips for celebrating the holidays safely. 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html

https://www.gachd.org/a-safer-thanksgiving-in-2020/

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=fe2e2be804&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-f:1683636928393796466&th=175d7addb7a45b72&view=att&disp=inline

We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving break and look forward to seeing all of our students back to school healthy! Stay safe and join us in praying for God's protection over our entire Calvary family! 

November 15th

We are looking forward to the upcoming “Love Savannah” Service Week at CDS! With this amazing week that is planned for our students, and the Thanksgiving holidays soon approaching, it is very important that we do not become complacent with the Covid-19 precautionary measures. As you gather together with loved ones, enjoy making special memories while protecting yourself and those around you! We strongly encourage you to get a flu shot if you have not done so already. All of these efforts will help prevent illness among our staff, students, and families. 

As always, please emailnurse@calvarydayschool.com or call the nurse at 644-5080 ext 1310 if you have any questions or concerns regarding symptoms, exposure to a positive case, or to report a positive test result. 

November 6th

We would like to remind you of the Covid Protocol that is in place at Calvary Day School. According to the guidelines recommended by the Georgia Department of Public Health, a person who tests positive for Covid-19 is required to be in isolation for ten days. Those persons who are listed as a close contact are required to be in quarantine for 14 days. The return to school dates are determined based on specific criteria regarding the positive person being symptomatic or asymptomatic. Please know that these guidelines have been put in place by the Calvey Safety, Health, and Wellness Task Force to help stop the spread of this virus. 

It is very important that we keep wearing masks, social distancing, and practicing careful handwashing to protect ourselves and those around us. Also, we strongly encourage you to get a flu shot if you have not done so already. All of these efforts will help prevent illness among our staff, students, and families. 

As always, please email nurse@calvarydayschool.com or call the nurse at 644-5080 ext 1310 if you have any questions or concerns regarding symptoms, exposure to a positive case, or to report a positive test result. 


October 30th

Welcome November and cooler weather! This update has two important topics.  The first being our first COVID-19 positive case this week. We simply want to remind you to be very aware of where you are. It is impossible to know who has this virus, so to answer unequivocally YES to being masked and distanced in social settings makes following the guidelines easy. All of us get into the gray area, if our mask was on but under our chin or not covering our nose while we sat closer than 6 feet to someone for longer than 15 minutes. The time honored phrase “Better safe than sorry” rings so true, and sorry in this case means 14 days of quarantine. 

The second topic is around trick or treating. The CDC has provided some tips and different activities for this year. We have provided that link below and are excited to hear all the ways you are creative and smart this weekend. Most importantly know that we are praying for your safety, your health and that you all will shine brightly (along with the full moon) masked and distanced of course!

CDC Halloween Suggestions

As always, please email nurse@calvarydayschool.com or call the nurse at 644-5080 ext 1310 if you have any questions or concerns regarding symptoms, exposure to a positive case, or to report a positive test result. If circumstances fall under COVID protocol, please know that these are guidelines the CDC and DPH have put in place to help stop the spread of this virus. To keep the school open, we must comply with these guidelines. Thank you for understanding as we navigate through this time together. Continue to pray for the health and safety of our Calvary family! 


October 25th

We strongly encourage you to get a flu shot before the end of October!  The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone six months of age and older. It is considered the first and most crucial step to protect yourself and the people around you. More information can be found in the link below:  

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/vaccinations.htm

As you can see in the chart below, our school population appears larger. This number now includes those enrolled in the Calvary Early Learning Center and the staff. 

As always, please emailnurse@calvarydayschool.comor call the nurse at 644-5080 ext 1310 if you have any questions or concerns regarding symptoms, exposure to a positive case, or to report a positive test result. If circumstances fall under COVID protocol, please know that these are guidelines the CDC and DPH have put in place to help stop the spread of this virus. To keep the school open, we must comply with these guidelines. Thank you for understanding as we navigate through this time together. Continue to pray for thehealthand safety of our Calvary family! God is healing!

October 16th

So many wonderful people and businesses support Calvary Day School. We are excited to appreciate one of those people today. Kris and Keri Wilson have donated Theraworx stands and product for our students, faculty, and visiting teams to use during athletic events and workout sessions in the gyms. Theraworx® Protect is an incredible product with a long history of providing a protective barrier against pathogens, similar to what we face right now. This is a superior method vs the traditional high alcohol based sanitizer, which leaves the skin harmed, and actually leaves the skin more susceptible to disease.Theraworx® Protect covers the skin and protects for up to 6 hours per application. You may apply Theraworx on your hands, around your nose and lips to protect the areas that most bacteria and pathogens enter the body, and while the coverage lasts, you may re-apply as often as you like with zero risk to the skin or PH levels. A balanced PH is incredibly important to our student’s and staff’s health and safety in the gym environment and adds yet another layer of mitigation. For more information, visit this link https://theraworxprotect.com.  Notice the color-appropriate purple stands, and be sure to thank the Wilson’s.  
This October we strongly encourage you to get a flu shot!  The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone six months of age and older. It is considered the first and most crucial step to protect yourself and the people around you. More information can be found in the link below: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/vaccinations.html

As always, please email nurse@calvarydayschool.com or call the nurse at 644-5080 ext 1310 if you have any questions or concerns regarding symptoms, exposure to a positive case, or to report a positive test result. If circumstances fall under COVID protocol, please know that these are guidelines the CDC and DPH have put in place to help stop the spread of this virus. To keep the school open, we must comply with these guidelines. Thank you for understanding as we navigate through this time together. Continue to pray for the health and safety of our Calvary family! God is healing!

October 2nd

Our Calvary Day School campus remains free of any positive COVID cases at this time. We give God the glory for continuing to heal us and continued thanks to all of our Faculty, Students, and Families for the excellent execution of our mitigation efforts on and off campus. We are changing our weekly update from COVID to HEALTH update to focus on just that; HOWEVER, this is no time to let our mask down! We recommend all of our students and staff get adequate rest and proper nutrition during this time and continue with careful handwashing, social distancing, and wearing masks.

It is October, and we strongly encourage you to get a flu shot this month!  The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone six months of age and older. It is considered the first and most crucial step to protect yourself and the people around you. More information can be found in the link below:  

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/vaccinations.htm

As always, please email nurse@calvarydayschool.com or call the nurse at 644-5080 ext 1310 if you have any questions or concerns regarding symptoms, exposure to a positive case, or to report a positive test result. If circumstances fall under COVID protocol, please know that these are guidelines the CDC and DPH have put in place to help stop the spread of this virus. To keep the school open, we must comply with these guidelines. Thank you for understanding as we navigate through this time together. Continue to pray for the health and safety of our Calvary family! God is healing!

September 25th

Love one another….wear your mask! Our Calvary Day School campus remains free of any positive COVID cases at this time. As we continue our mitigation efforts on and off campus, it is evident that the measures we have in place are working! We encourage all of our students and staff to get adequate rest and proper nutrition during this time and continue with careful handwashing, social distancing, and wearing masks. 

As always, please email nurse@calvarydayschool.com or call the nurse at 644-5080 ext 1310 if you have any questions or concerns regarding symptoms, exposure to a positive case or to report a positive test result. If circumstances fall under COVID protocol, please know that these are guidelines the CDC and DPH have put in place to help stop the spread of this virus. To keep the school open, we must comply with these guidelines. Thank you for understanding as we navigate through this time together. Continue to pray for the health and safety of our Calvary family! God is healing!

September 18th

We have seen an increase in the number of students who have been directly exposed to a positive COVID case outside of our campus.  As you can see on the chart below, this is a sad reflection of the rise in the community numbers. The CDS students and staff affected are home for the required quarantine period. We have not had anyone on the Calvary Day School campus test positive at this time; however, we must continue our mitigation efforts on and off campus, which include careful handwashing, social distancing, and wearing masks. In addition, please ensure that you and your student are getting plenty of rest and good nutrition.  Our efforts are working!

Recently published research found that on average, the time from exposure to symptom onset (known as the incubation period) is about five to six days. However, studies have shown that symptoms could appear as soon as three days after exposure to as long as 13 days later. These findings continue to support the CDC recommendation of self-quarantine and monitoring of symptoms for 14 days post exposure. (Adapted from HarvardHealthPublishing Harvard Medical School, September 17, 2020) Therefore, it is crucial to be mindful of where you are traveling and the people you are around. If there is a chance you were exposed, please remain home if possible until you know for sure you are not sick.  

As always, please emailnurse@calvarydayschool.comor call the nurse at 644-5080 ext 1310 if you have any questions or concerns regarding symptoms, exposure to a positive case or to report a positive test result. If circumstances fall under COVID protocol, please know that these are guidelines the CDC and DPH have put in place to help stop the spread of this virus. To keep the school open, we must comply with these guidelines. Thank you for understanding as we navigate through this time together. Continue to pray for thehealth and safety of our Calvary family! 

September 11th
We are so thankful to report that the Calvary Day School campus continues to have no positive COVID cases. However, we must continue to be diligent in wearing masks, social distancing, and washing our hands. As sporting events begin to take place, remind your students of the importance of these precautions so that we may continue to enjoy watching our Cavaliers participate in various sports and activities! 

Please email nurse@calvarydayschool.com or call the nurse at 644-5080 ext 1310 if you have any questions or concerns regarding exposure to a positive case or to report a positive test result. If circumstances fall under COVID protocol, please know that these are guidelines the CDC and DPH have put in place to help stop this virus’s spread. To keep the school open, we must comply with these guidelines. Thank you for understanding as we navigate through this time together. Continue to pray for our students, faculty, staff, and you, our families! God is the Great Healer!

September 4th
We continue to express our gratitude to our students and staff in persevering through the mitigation efforts without too much complaint. It is helping our school and community!  You will see on the chart below the mitigation efforts are still working for Calvary Day School. We are encouraged to see the numbers of positive cases decreasing, especially when the Department of Public Health has reported outbreaks in schools and athletic teams. We are grateful God spared us from that outbreak. Continue to pray for our students, faculty, staff, and you….our families! God is the Great Healer!

Please continue to keep your child home if he or she is not feeling well. When they are symptom-free without fever reducing medication for 24 hours, they are welcome to come back to school. If circumstances fall under COVID protocol, please know that these are guidelines the CDC and DPH have put in place to help stop the spread of this virus. To keep the school open, we must comply with these guidelines. Thank you for understanding as we navigate through this time together! 

CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR JULY 22nd RETURN TO SCHOOL UPDATE

July 10th Update
I pray your summer has been restful and your family is healthy. Last spring during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Calvary led the Savannah community in its response to distance learning. The leadership team has partnered with many experts inside of the education community and more importantly outside the education community to build a task force in order to make an informed decision for next school year. As of today, we plan to begin the year with in-person learning on Thursday, August 13.







We have implemented a Calvary Task Force to increase wellness across all areas of the school and campus to keep the Cavalier Community safe for the future. Our Task Force has been working closely with educators and medical professionals both locally and statewide to develop a plan that meets guidelines in preparation and implementation for our first day and beyond. This planning will provide flexibility and allow us to start school August 13th with opportunities to meet your teachers and orient students before that date.  

Here are a few of the changes being made in preparing for our return to school:  

Those are the knowns; and, as we have discovered, there are numerous unknowns revealed every day. Our goal is to provide a meaningful learning experience for all students while taking into consideration the health and wellness of each of our Calvary families. We will continue to pursue expert advice from state and local officials, the CDC, other private schools locally and regionally, the CDS Task Force, the Georgia Department of Education, and the Department of Health to keep our students, staff, and their families safe.