Each student, faculty, and staff member will complete a daily health screening questionnaire available on our website. Parents/guardians will receive a daily email reminder with a link to the form, which will include the following questions:

• Have you been in close contact with a person with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19?
• Have you had an unusual cough or shortness of breath?
• Have you had a sore throat or other flu-like symptoms?
• Have you had a fever of 100.4°F or greater in the past 72 hours?
• Have you had recent loss of taste or smell?
• Have you had vomiting or diarrhea in the last 24 hours?

If a student answers yes to any of the questions above, she should stay home and participate in online classes to the extent she feels well enough to do so.

Members of a Household
If a member of your household tests positive for COVID-19 or is experiencing COVID-like symptoms and chooses not to get tested, please call your doctor, inform the School Nurse at nurse@harpethhall.org, and consult our Health and Wellness COVID-19 Decision Tree for more information about next steps for quarantine and isolation.

Contact Tracing
Should a student or faculty/staff member test positive for COVID-19, the school will notify individuals who may have come in contact with them.

Student or Faculty/Staff Exposure to COVID-19
If a student or faculty/staff member has been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, they should remain at home from school, inform the school nurse and get a COVID-19 test.

If the test is positive, they must wait to return to campus until they have gone 24 hours with no fever AND symptoms have improved AND they have spent at least 10 days in isolation. If the test is negative or if the student or faculty/staff member chooses not to get a test, they must quarantine at least 14 days.

*Exposure, according to the CDC, is defined as having close contact (less than 6 feet) with an individual for 10 minutes or more.

Health Clinic Location
The Health Clinic will move from the Middle School to the first floor of the Athletic and Wellness Center to allow for greater protection of the broader school community. The clinic will be staffed by at least one school nurse at all times. 

Feeling Sick During the School Day
A student who feels ill should alert her teacher and go to the Health Clinic in the AWC for a consultation with the nurse. The nurse will contact the student’s parent(s) if she needs to be picked up from school.

Isolation Area
An isolation area will be located near the clinic should the nurse determine that a student should quarantine.

Pick-Up Protocol
Parents will be able to pick up any ill students directly from the student entrance door to the Athletic and Wellness Center located at the top of the drive.

Consistent with recommendations from public health officials to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, Harpeth Hall requires that all individuals wear masks that cover the mouth and nose while on campus. Exceptions include when eating lunch and when alone in a private office or classroom. This policy is subject to re-evaluation based on the most current recommendations.

Students should bring two clean face masks to school each day. Since masks need to be washed after each use, it will be helpful for students to have a generous supply on hand. 

Based on the most current research, masks should be made of cloth and be at least two layers. Disposable masks are also acceptable. Single layer gaiters or buffs do not provide the proper level of protection and should not be worn. Also, masks with valves or vents should not be worn as they are not effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19.

In certain classes, face shields may also be required depending on the nature of the assignment. In those situations, the school will provide the face shield. 

Students, faculty, and staff are asked to physically distance themselves from one another by 6 feet to that extent that is feasible. The following modifications will be in place when school opens to facilitate physical distancing:

• The entry points of all campus buildings have been designated as either “exit only” or “entrance only” to facilitate safe transitions.
• All campus buildings have been equipped with directional traffic pattern signage so that traffic flows in one direction only.
• Classrooms are low-density where it is possible. Desks and tables are physically distanced as much as we are able.
• Protective dividers have been placed on faculty and student desks and in lunch areas.
• Tents and outdoor space are being used whenever possible.
• Additional portable sinks and hand-sanitizer dispensers are available.
• All classrooms are equipped with cameras to support remote learning when needed.
• Gathering sizes will continue to be limited.

Hand Washing and Hand-Sanitizer Dispensers
Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to engage in frequent hand washing and to use hand sanitizer periodically during the day. Hand-sanitizer dispensers will be located throughout the school’s academic facilities.

Portable Hand Washing Sinks
Additional portable hand washing sinks are placed in strategic areas on campus to provide more places for students to wash their hands.

Cleaning Desks
Classroom desks will be cleaned daily by our professional cleaning service. In addition, students and faculty will be asked to clean their desks after every class with disinfecting wipes provided by the school.

Daily Temperature Checks at Home
The school asks that temperature checks occur daily at home. Should a student feel ill during the day, she should immediately see the School Nurse.
 

The beginning of school this year is unlike any other we have experienced. In response, we have prioritized efforts to support students’ social and emotional health and well-being. Thanks to Harpeth Hall’s long-standing dedication to social and emotional development, we have an opportunity to attend to the overall well-being of our community. We will continue to build on the strength of existing programs and adapt them to meet the unique needs of the current circumstances using a multi-tiered approach that impacts students at an age-appropriate level. We are also adding new programming to promote community education, collaboration, developing friendships, and maintaining connections.

Adult-Student Connections

• Advisors and Advisory Groups
• Life Balance Classes and Seminars (5-10)

Student-Student Connections

• Advisory Groups (5-12)
• Life Balance Classes and Seminars (5-10)
• Wellness Day (9-12)
• Bear Families (5-8)
• Enrichment Classes (5-8)

Education/Collaboration

• Advisor education on common adolescent social and emotional needs during a pandemic, as well as examples of a trauma-informed response.
• Parent Partnership Series designed to reinforce family-school collaborative efforts to support students during reopening and throughout the school year. 
• Speakers and small group discussions on topics relevant to social/emotional and mental health and building community.

Individual counseling will continue during all phases. Educators can refer students for counseling and students can self-refer. As always, parents are encouraged to call or email a counselor if you have any questions or concerns regarding your daughter. In the case of a mental health emergency, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. 

Day and Evening Cleaning Crews
The school has hired additional day  and evening cleaning crews to provide the necessary work force to clean and sanitize classrooms, restrooms, and common areas throughout the day and each evening.

Cleaning Desks
Students and faculty will be asked to clean their desks after each class.

Computer Workstations
Computer workstations in the Library and Graphic Design Lab will be cleaned regularly.

Dining Hall and Outdoor Lunch Seating
The Dining Hall and outdoor lunch seating areas will be cleaned between lunch shifts.

High-Touch Surfaces
High-touch surfaces such as door knobs, railings, elevators, light switches will be cleaned regularly throughout the day.

Water Bottle Filling Stations
Drinking fountains will be turned off except for water bottle filling stations. Students should bring their own water bottles with them each day.

Playground Equipment
Playground equipment will be power washed daily. An outdoor hand-washing station and a hand-sanitizing dispenser will be installed at the playground.

• SFM, our facility management partner,  has recommended that the fan feature be set to “on” constantly.
• High-level filters will be used in our HVAC units.
• HVAC coils are cleaned on a regular basis.
• Windows will be open in classrooms when feasible.

Limited Visitor Access 
In order to minimize risk and maintain a healthy environment for our students, faculty, and staff, we will begin the school year by limiting access to campus buildings strictly to students, teachers, and essential personnel.

Parent Meetings and Gatherings
Parent meetings and large gatherings will be held in a virtual format. 

Harpeth Hall Parents Association Meetings and Gatherings
Large HHPA meetings, such as the traditional kick-off coffee, will be held virtually. You will receive communications from the HHPA regarding plans for individual committee meetings.