COVID-19 INFORMATION

Reopening Plan and current COVID-19 Management Plan.

Drawing on guidance from The New York State Education Department, The Centers for Disease Control, and The New York Board of Health, along with emerging best practices and our own teaching and learning experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, The Manitou School has carefully designed a reopening plan which places the physical, emotional, and social well-being of students, staff, families, and community members at the heart of our intention to keep our school open for in-person instruction. During this challenging time we are dedicated to providing the same compassionate, challenging education to our students and families, whether in-person, remotely, in outdoor classrooms, or a hybrid model. You can find our original reopening plan here: Manitou School Reopening Plan.  We have updated this plan to be a COVID-19 Management Plan which has been updated as regulations and policies have changed. 

Please note that this is a dynamic document that will continue to be updated to comply with the latest regulations.

Our goals in managing COVID-19 are to:

• Open the school in-person to all students, every day
• Ensure compliance with all NYS guidelines
• Spend a significant amount of time learning outdoors for all age groups
• Establish multiple outdoor tented learning spaces that allow us to take full advantage of our outdoor learning environment through our aligned curriculum
• Continue our focus on Social-Emotional learning and development
• Forge strong student-teacher bonds
• Resume the routine of coming to school every day, and normalize the new requirements that will be necessary for health and safety
• Support students and families during periods where they are not able to attend in-person

We have also developed a robust Remote Learning plan, should we be required to shift to Remote Learning at any point.  Our team remains confident and flexible, and will be able to pivot, in innovative and creative ways, while staying true to our foundational principles of Social Emotional Development, Student Engagement, and Community Connection.Manitou School COVID Management Plan- Updated Feb 9

Resources for Health & Safety

• American Academy of Pediatrics: 2019 Novel Coronavirus (online article; en español)
• CDC: Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: Information about Coronavirus Disease 2019 (online article)
• Generations United: COVID-19 Fact Sheet for Grandfamilies and Multigenerational Families
• National Child Traumatic Stress Network : Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (PDF; en español)

Talking to your Children about Covid-19

• Boston Children’s Hospital: How to Talk to Your Children About Coronavirus (video)
• CDC: Talking with Children about the Coronavirus Disease 2019: Messages for parents, school staff, and others working with children (online article)
• Zero to Three: Tips for Families: Talking About the Coronavirus (online article)
• Child Mind Institute: Talking to Your Children about the Coronavirus (4-minute video; en español)
• Zero to Three: Why are People Wearing Masks? Why are People Covering Their Faces? (article)
• Cricket Media Special Issue: Pandemics: How They Start, How we Fight Them, How to Prevent Them (Full Magazine- articles and stories for all ages)

Resources for Children on COVID-19 and Staying Healthy

• BrainPOP: Coronavirus (4-minute video, activities, and games)
• National Public Radio: Just for Kids: A Comic Exploring the New Coronavirus
• PBS Kids: How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus (includes a list of videos, games, and activities about handwashing and staying healthy at the bottom of the article)

Keeping Kids Busy and Socially Connected

• The Atlantic: How Parents Can Keep Kids Busy (and Learning) in Quarantine (online article)
• Louisiana State University: Supporting Young Children Isolated Due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) (PDF)
• Zero to Three: Five Tips to Make the Most of Video Chats (online article)

Self-care for Adults

• CDC: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Manage anxiety and stress
• Zero to Three: Young Children at Home during the COVID-19 Outbreak: The Importance of Self-Care (online article)