Steele
COVID FAQWill my child have to wear a face mask?
Masks are required, for all adults and all children ages 2 and up by Colorado licensing regulations as well as the State of Colorado. “The CDC recommends universal indoor masking in ECE (Early Childhood Education) programs for everyone ages two and older and other strategies to prevent spread of COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status”. https://www.cdc.gov/
What will social distancing look like in the classroom?
Social distancing will be one of the tools we use to mitigate the risk of exposure to germs this year. Some of the ways it will be utilized are using small, movable “lily pads” for each kid to sit upon during circle time to help create social distance. We will be pulling some of the chairs from the classroom space so that only a few kids can work on art/projects at a time at the tables rather than accommodating large groups. At snack time, we will be spacing out and using some of our smaller tables in addition to the large round tables so that we will have fewer kids at each of the tables. We will also adjust our picture cues for lining up to account for social distance. In addition, using face masks indoors (per requirements and recommendations) to add an additional barrier between germ spreading and limiting close contact to less than 15 minutes will decrease the risk of exposure. Although we cannot guarantee 0% risk, we are hoping that by using these measures collectively it will create as safe a classroom as possible.
What will drop off and pick up look like?
Due to Covid 19, pick up and drop off takes place outside, rather than inside the school. Parents will come up to the porch and sign in, leave your child’s belongings, walk your child to the playground, and then parents will exit through the front gate. There is a gate that opens to the sidewalk. This way you are not in close proximity to the next family dropping off or picking up. Signing your child into school is an acknowledgement that you did the health screening before arriving at school for the day. See What other measures are being taken to keep my child safe? below for more information on the health screening requirement.
What other measures are being taken to keep my child safe?
Before sending your child to school please complete the Health Screening, CDPHE’s At-Home-Screening for both your student and yourself (and staff), if you are the class aide for the day. This is our first line of defense in keeping our classes safe. By signing your child into school is an acknowledgement that you did the health screening before arriving at school for the day.
Hand washing is taught from day 1 in preschool. Students wash hands on arrival, when coming in from outside, before eating snack, after using the bathroom and any other time they are dirty. This year, hand sanitizer has also been approved for use with children. We will be using this when we are outside and washing hands under running water is not immediately available.
Cleaning procedures required at preschools have not greatly changed with the new rules because we were already required to do so much sanitizing and disinfecting during the day and between classes. We will be spending more time outside and adding more materials to our outside space to encourage more areas of play beside gross motor. Teachers will be incorporating more reading, art and games outside.
Windows are kept ajar for better ventilation.
Vaccination is required for staff and parent aides per Denver Public Health Mandate Denver Public Health Order – August 2, 2021 . Age eligible children are encouraged to get the Covid 19 vaccine. If you have a personal belief that keeps you from being vaccinated you must make arrangements with our Director.
For more information, please see our Parent Handbook Covid Addendum.
What happens if there is a confirmed or Suspected Covid case in the class?
If you (parent or staff) or your child tests positive for Covid (with a PCR OR at home test) we ask that you notify your teacher right away. Your child’s teacher and school Directors will determine close contacts and duration of exposure (see below) and notify the class. Directors will decide if the class needs to be canceled/ quarantined (see below). When we notify a class of a confirmed case, the sick family’s identity is always kept confidential. We are also required to report positive cases of students to the CDPHE. We will cancel all classes for a positive test result when there was exposure (see below) to a class. If there is a suspected case, symptoms develop during class and we feel it could be an exposure we may dismiss a class if needed. If you (parent or staff) or child is sick we would need a doctor’s note to return to school. This note would need to state that the individual had a negative Covid-19 test or another diagnosis that explains the symptoms. We follow the CDPHE and CDC’s instruction for Covid-19 cases in the school. Guidance may change depending on level of community transmission of COVID-19.
Close Contact through proximity and duration of exposure: Someone who was less than 6 feet away from an infected person (laboratory-confirmed or a clinical diagnosis) for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period (for example, three individual 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes). An infected person can spread SARS-CoV-2 starting 2 days before they have any symptoms (or, for asymptomatic people, 2 days before the positive specimen collection date). https://www.cdc.gov/
Quarantine: If you have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19, you may need to quarantine. Quarantine means staying away from other people for a certain amount of time to make sure you don’t spread the virus. Even if you don’t feel any symptoms, you might be contagious after exposure to COVID-19.
Exposure happens when you have close contact with someone who has COVID-19. Close contact means you have been within six feet of an infectious person for a total of 15 minutes over a 24-hour period. That doesn’t have to be 15 minutes in a row. If you were close to an infectious person for 5 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the afternoon on the same day, you’ve had close contact with someone with COVID-19.
Isolation: If you have tested positive for COVID-19, you should isolate. If you have symptoms of COVID-19 and are waiting for your test results, or you have symptoms and have not been tested yet, you should also isolate. Isolation means staying at home and away from other people until you are likely no longer contagious.
Symptoms of COVID-19 may be mild and feel like a common cold, especially early on. Symptoms can include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, tiredness, soreness, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and/or diarrhea.
If you have any of these symptoms or you have tested positive, you should isolate, even if you are vaccinated.
Full information on Quarantine and Isolation can be found here: https://covid19.
Will there be community events this year?
We are working on ways that we can continue to foster the close sense of community that makes Steele Cooperative Preschool so special, while also setting the bar high for keeping everyone healthy and limiting exposure. If events are planned, it will be done in the safest way possible. We switched some events and meetings to virtual formats or moved them to an outdoor setting when weather allows.
Total Students Enrolled at steele
Classes Available
1:6(or less) adult to child ratio
Years EstablishEd
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Location: 3746 Grove St, Denver, CO 80211
Telephone: (303) 433-0832