Covid 19 Resources

List of 20 frequently asked questions.

• Are masks available for purchase?

  Seton branded masks may be purchased in the school bookstore, but a student is permitted to use their own mask.

• Are masks required for all students and staff?

  Masks are now optional for students and staff. Masks are required for all visitors. Parents are considered visitors.
  
  Please note, we may require masking at school wide gatherings or other areas of the School (Health Clinic). Each event participant will know in advance of the masking protocol. Students and staff should always have a mask available.

• What type of masks are permitted?

  Cloth masks with at least two layers of fabric and surgical face masks are acceptable.  Cloth masks should be laundered after each day and surgical masks should be disposed of after one day use. Masks should be simple in design and appropriate to the school setting.

• What hygiene and cleaning protocols have been implemented?

  Classrooms and offices will be equipped with disinfecting wipes and/or disinfecting spray and paper towels. The school building will be cleaned and disinfected by a professional cleaning company daily with emphasis on frequently touched surfaces. Restrooms and commonly used areas will be cleaned and disinfected frequently during the day and at night. Frequent hand washing should occur.  Students will be given daily reminders to wash hands for at least 20 seconds  with soap and water. 

• How does student arrival and dismissal occur?

  Students who arrive by bus shall enter the building at the main entrance. All other students and student drivers must enter the school building through the lower student lobby.  All students must wear a mask and immediately sanitize their hands when entering the school building.  At the end of the school day, students will be dismissed by class level. They should report to the locker room immediately to gather their belongings in order to make room for the next class level. Students are encouraged to vacate the locker room as quickly as they can.

• What does daily screening and monitoring entail?

  First period teachers will screen students at the beginning of class by asking the following questions:

  • • Do you feel sick?
    • Do you have any of these symptoms?: 
      • Cough
      • Fever of 100.4+
      • Shortness of breath
      • Difficulty breathing
      • Chills/shaking
      • Muscle/body aches
      • Severe headache
      • New loss of taste/smell
      • Sore throat
      • Congestion/runny nose
      • Nausea/vomiting
      • Diarrhea
      • Fatigue

  Students who experience at least one of these symptoms will be sent to the nurses’ clinic for further observation and/or action.  

• When should a student complete her daily pre-screening?

  Parents should ask their daughter how she is feeling every morning.  DO NOT send your daughter to school if she is ill.  First hour teachers will also screen students at the beginning of class for COVID-19 symptoms based on a series of questions.

• What are the COVID-19 symptoms for which I should be on the lookout?

  Fever of 100.4+

  Shortness of breath

  Difficulty breathing

  Chills/shaking

  Muscle/body aches

  Severe headache

  New loss of taste/smell

  Sore throat

  Congestion/runny nose

  Nausea/vomiting
  Diarrhea

  Fatigue

• What steps should a student take when she feels sick at home?

  Any student who has signs and symptoms of COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, should stay home from school and get tested immediately.

• What is the protocol if a student receives a positive COVID-19 test result?

  Students and staff are required to report a positive COVID-19 case or close contact case to one of the school nurses and follow CDC guidelines for quarantine and isolation.  School nurses will be the point of contact for receiving positive COVID-19 test results (schoolnurse@setonhs.org).  School nurses will need to talk to student or staff member who tested positive to gather close contact information.  If a student has tested positive, regardless of vaccination status, we must receive record of a negative test before she returns to campus.

• What if a family member or someone residing with a student, faculty or staff member receives a positive COVID-19 test result or presumptive COVID-19 diagnosis?
  
  

  Students and Staff who have a household member who exhibits COVID-19 symptoms:

  • Fully vaccinated: Get tested only if symptomatic.
  • Unvaccinated: Get tested even if there are no symptoms. Do not attend school until a negative test result is received and submitted.

• What will occur if a student starts to feel sick while at school?

  Teachers should call the School Nurse before sending an ill student to the Clinic. Before entering the Clinic, students will stop at the door and be assessed by one of the school nurses. Based on the student's symptoms, directions will be given to the student to either enter the Clinic or move to the isolation room. An isolation room will be used for students who exhibit one or more symptoms of COVID-19. School nurses have the discretion to manage the Clinic and if a student is deemed ill enough to go home, a parent or guardian must arrive at the school within one hour of contact being made.

• What is the policy regarding a student who will need to quarantine/isolate due to COVID-19?

  Elizabeth Seton High School has a continuity of learning plan. The Interim Principal will work with the designated counselor to create a plan for the student to continue her education during this time.

• Does Elizabeth Seton High School have a COVID-19 testing program?

  Yes.  Our unvaccinated students and, through September 30,2021, unvaccinated staff will be required to register with our testing vendor and be tested weekly  on campus. Vaccinated students and staff will need to be tested in the event the person experiences COVID-19 symptoms during the school day and/or has been notified that they were a close contact of a positive individual while on campus or participating in a Seton activity. Our students will be required to have a parent fill out a on-time testing consent form.

• Is a contact tracing procedure in place?

  School nurses will need to speak to a student or staff member who tested positive to gather close contact information.  If a staff or student tests positive for COVID-19, the Prince George’s County Health Department will be notified.

• Can students/families opt for full distance learning?

  No. There is no virtual option for students at this time and Seton is providing in-person instruction five days a week.  We will notify our Seton community immediately should this change.

• How are lunches affected this year? 

  Seating capacity has been reduced in lunch rooms to promote social distancing. Students will be able to eat lunch in the Mahler Center and are encouraged to eat outside. In case of inclement weather, classrooms will be available for students during their lunch period. Students can purchase hot lunches and pre-packaged sandwiches and salads that will be served by the cafeteria staff. Vending machines will be available for students to purchase other lunch items. The lunch line will be monitored by a staff member to enforce social distancing and determine the number of students permitted inside the kitchen receiving their hot lunch. Students will be responsible for cleaning up after themselves. Disinfecting wipes will be provided to sanitize chairs and table surfaces.

  
  

  Please note, NO food deliveries will be accepted for students during lunches.

• Do students have access to lockers?

  Yes.  Students should report to the locker room and retrieve their personal belongings immediately upon reporting to school and after school.  Students are not permitted to congregate in the locker room.  A staff member will monitor the locker room to enforce social distancing. 

• Do students still have access to water stations throughout campus?

  Water fountains have been disabled and replaced with reusable water bottle stations.  Students should bring a water bottle to campus every day. 

• Are visitors allowed on campus?

  Visitors will not be permitted on campus without an appointment with a teacher or an Administrator. Visitors who have an appointment must sign in at the main office for safety and contact-tracing purposes. All visitors must wear a mask on campus.