Moving Forward: SMCHS REOPENING PLAN

Why isn’t SMCHS open for 100 percent on-campus instruction?
SMCHS, being a school with almost 1900 people on-site at any given time, is not yet open for 100 percent on-campus instruction because we have chosen to take a cautious approach. The school’s phased reopening plan matches the four-tiered system for reopening the State of California. The health and safety of our students, faculty and staff remains our utmost priority, and all decisions regarding the greater campus community are made with this in mind. We hope and pray that our progressive schedules, as well as our comprehensive safety precautions, will continue to mitigate the virus's spread on campus. With half of our students on campus at any given time, the hybrid models allow for increased physical distancing in our classrooms and across campus. 

We are currently reviewing the survey results of the faculty, parents and students and watching the California Department of Public Health statistics released every Tuesday in the hopes that we can move to the next level of reopening as soon as possible. We have not made any final decisions regarding a schedule change but will continue to communicate in a timely matter with ample advanced notice. 

Why can’t the school do a split week schedule with students on campus two days a week?
After reviewing over 30 versions of the schedule including those from all other area schools, 582 parent survey replies and student surveys from the spring, three major ideas came to the forefront:

1. Having over 800 students in the school eating lunch, taking masks off to do so and socializing would not be in the best interest of mitigating the virus’s spread. By providing Eagle Cohorts A/B for those with transportation issues, the number of students on campus during lunch will be significantly reduced allowing students to eat lunch AND be socially distanced when their masks are off.
2. Parents and students overwhelmingly answered that they wanted to come to school as many days as possible and/or have students receive the most amount of instruction time as possible.

The revised schedule is designed to be for a SHORT TIME and a safer and quicker step to our Transitional Block Schedule, as outlined in the reopening plan. Longer passing periods, wellness check-ins, longer lunch break and one asynchronous day will help ease the length of the day.

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How do I sign my child up for the 100 percent virtual option?
Please email your counselor by Sept. 16 if you are uncomfortable with on-campus instruction. Each semester, parents should contact their counselor to evaluate continuation of 100% virtual instruction. Each request will be reviewed by the counselor and administrative team to ensure we are doing everything possible to make you feel comfortable returning to on-campus instruction and providing a quality virtual learning experience. Your counselor will communicate virtual instruction status with the school administration, attendance office and your teachers. Students who opt-for the full virtual program must remain entirely virtual for the semester or until SMCHS moves into the transitional block schedule. Full virtual students must continue to attend classes at their assigned class times

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Are there any accommodations available for students who play a sport and cannot be transported in the middle of the day and then back at 4:00p.m.?
SMCHS has designed Eagle A/B cohorts for families not able to pick their students up in the middle of the day or drop them off for the second session. An email was sent on Saturday, Sept. 12, with specific details and instructions to apply. The deadline to apply is 8:00a.m. on Sept. 18. Space is limited.

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How do I sign-up for Eagle A/B cohorts? What are they?
Eagle A/B Cohorts were designed to accommodate families with transportation issues by providing an on-campus, socially distanced, supervised environment for your student to attend their classes virtually. Space is still available. We will try to accommodate all those who apply. There is no additional cost for the program. Families are welcome to sign up based on their family's needs. Whether it be one or two days a week or all four, we want to make the transition to the Blended Plus schedule as easy as possible. Click here for the program application. 

Please note the following conditions when your student is in the cohort program: 

• There will be no food service available – students must bring their own food/drink.
• Students must remain on campus in designated areas during the lunch break while observing social distancing and mask use when interacting with others.
• School dress code will be in effect. 
• Students will be assigned to a specific “classroom” location. That location will be consistent. 
• All normal attendance requirements as well as classroom policies will be observed.
• Cell phones cannot be visible during class time. 
• Students will be required to use a listening device with a speaker component while on their tablets during class. 

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How long will we be in the Blended Plus schedule?
Our hope and prayer continues to be that this will be a short time helping to mitigate the spread of the virus so we can stay healthy, open and move into our 80% Transitional Block schedule as soon as permitted. Our four schedules match the four-tiered system of reopening for the State of California. We anticipate that when Orange County moves into the Orange Tier, we will move to our Transitional Block 80% schedule.

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Will bus transportation be available during the Blended Plus schedule?

• The SM school bus will pick-up students in the morning and return them after the second session.
• Students remaining on campus all day will need to sign up for the Eagle A/B cohort program by 8:00a.m. Friday, Sept. 18.
• The bus fee will be billed monthly. During the Blended Plus schedule, the one way bus passes will not be available for purchase.
• Students who have any symptoms of illness or have been exposed to anyone who is ill should stay home. Students will be required to wear facial coverings at all times, be seated in every other row or in a jigsaw pattern, bus windows will remain open for increased airflow, and high touch areas will be sanitized and disinfected after every trip. To reserve the bus please do so in School Admin.
• Visit www.smhs.org/bus for the Blended Plus bus schedule.

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All periods days can be heavy homework days. With four all-periods days a week and school ending about an hour later than usual, is anything being done to handle assigned homework and mitigate student stress?
Professional Learning Communities and academic departments will discuss the homework load for students. Counselors, followed by the assistant principal of curriculum and instruction, may be contacted for questions and concerns about an individual student. The asynchronous day, which provides teacher office hours and extra time to get work done, will also help alleviate the workload.

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What “group” is my child assigned to?

• Group A: Families with last names: A – Lin
• Group B: Families with last names: Linares – Z

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How long are classes and why a two bell system?

• 45-minute classes, all periods everyday
• 7-minute staggered passing periods with two bells to decrease hall traffic.
• Bell #1 = even classrooms; Bell #2 = odd classrooms

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What are asynchronous days?

• This day provides the opportunity for the campus to be further sanitized and disinfected.
• SM Testing Center will be open for students to make up tests.
• Office hours are available for additional assistance
• Opportunities for extra and co-curricular activities to take place when authoritative guidance allows.

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How will students learn virtually and in-person simultaneously? Will students with the full virtual
option be able to participate in real-time?

• Students and teachers will have the full classroom experience together regardless of whether they are
  face-to-face or joining virtually from home.
• Software called Intel Unite allows SM teachers to wirelessly connect their tablet and control the entire classroom experience from there.
• The teacher starts the Virtual Meeting (through Microsoft Teams) from their tablet and then shares the screen, where the students joining virtually can see the same information in real-time. In this way, we ensure that all students receive the same instruction simultaneously during each of their class periods.

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What time should students arrive to campus for the health screening?
We expect the process to go quickly. Students can arrive up to 45 minutes prior to their on campus session.

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Will students have their temperature checked before entering the SM campus?
Yes, all SMCHS staff, students and visitors will be have a temperature and health
screening before entering the SM campus. Here’s the procedure: 

• Students will enter campus through the main gate in the front of campus or if entering from the back of campus, students will enter through the fire lane between the R building and pool.
• Pop-up canopies will be set up and students will maintain physical distancing while approaching the
  pop-up
• SM staff will greet the students and students will be asked whether they answer yes/no to COVID-19 questions
• Students will walk forward and stand before a contactless device that will take their temperature on the forehead within 3 seconds. The device will advise whether their temperature is normal or abnormal
• Students with a normal temperature will be admitted into campus; students with an abnormal temperature will be re-tested by staff and referred to the SM Nurse.
• Students should check their temperature prior to coming to campus. 99.9 is the threshold.

Santa Margarita teachers have engaged in professional development on how to best teach their subjects in a virtual environment. We are committed to providing quality instruction whether virtual, hybrid or in the classroom. For specific questions, please reach out to the teacher who can provide information on how they will teach their class in a virtual environment.

What will SM do to educate, monitor and support teachers for the upcoming educational landscape?

Prior to the start of the school year, teachers received comprehensive professional development with outside professional trainers and in-house teams. This included a Blended Learning Conference focused on utilizing technology to maximize instruction and learning. In addition, faculty received significant training in the following areas: COVID 10 health and safety protocols; Diversity, Inclusion, Vision and Inclusion training; Mental Health and Wellness training and a spiritual retreat with Mass. All teachers will continue to have classroom visits for their annual evaluations and observations.

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What platforms will SM use during remote learning?
SMCHS utilizes Microsoft platforms to provide a student-centered immersive learning experience. Students will continue to utilize Microsoft Teams, OneNote and Office 365 during remote learning and throughout Santa Margarita’s four progressive models outlined in the school’s reopening plan.

• Microsoft Teams: Teams is the ultimate collaborative tool where students and teachers can interact through live meetings, group discussion boards, teacher-created assignments and more. Teams not only allows teachers the ability to communicate with students, but it also allows for sharing files, important due dates and creating small group discussions/interaction. All students enrolled in a particular class are part of a specific Team. Each class Team has a class notebook in OneNote to help maximize organization and workflow success. Microsoft Teams Insights allows teachers to track student activity, including on-time assignments, classroom activity and participation in discussion board questions.
• OneNote:  With OneNote, students can organize their class materials including lecture notes, homework, classwork, essays and more. Teachers can grade student work in real-time, providing instant feedback.
• More information can be found on the Ed Tech website.

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Can parents access the online platforms students use?
Parents can login to any of the Ed Tech platforms using their student's email address and password. For Teams, OneNote and Office 365, please go to www.office.com. For the Learning Portal please go to lp15.smhs.org.

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What are the plans to ensure students stay connected and engaged during remote learning?
Faculty have received comprehensive professional development on fostering engagement during remote instruction and utilizing educational technology to best connect with students and build classroom rapport. As a Microsoft Showcase school of six consecutive years, SMCHS is set up to mimic the classroom environment in a virtual setting. Live teacher-led instruction will occur each class period. Students are expected to have their cameras on during online instruction. Studies show that keeping the camera on to interact with classmates and teachers is vital to student learning outcomes. Designated virtual office hours will also provide an opportunity for students to connect with their teachers. During our asynchronous learning day on Wednesdays with our Blended Plus hybrid schedule, there will be opportunities to connect with students virtually and outdoors in small groups for faith formation opportunities and activities in accordance with public health guidelines. Counselors will also be checking in on students to help ensure their success. SMCHS recently expanded wellness support with the addition of a wellness director and coordinator to implement a comprehensive wellness program and facilitate individual and group counseling for students both virtually an in-person when on-campus instruction resumes. SMCHS will continue to educate the whole child – socially emotionally, physically, academically and spiritually – regardless of the modality.

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How will science labs be conducted virtually?
SMCHS is committed to providing quality instruction for all subjects whether virtual, hybrid or in the classroom. Laboratory classes will be using virtual lab simulation options such as Carolina Biological’s Flex Lite, Explore Learning’s Gizmos, Vernier’s Pivot and University of Colorado Boulder’s Pet simulations among others. These virtual options will allow students to design experiments, test hypotheses, collect data and draw conclusions that are supported with evidence.  We are also working to find at-home options for lab experiments whenever possible so that students are able to perform safe lab investigations at home while we are in the full virtual (and possibly blended plus) model of instruction. Some classes will require students/parents to pick up lab kits from school (more information to follow) so that they have the supplies needed (those not commonly available) to complete these experiments. Modifications to labs will be made to ensure that all experiments are safe to perform in the home setting. Once we return to on-campus instruction, we will make changes as necessary to minimize sharing of equipment, ensure cleaning of equipment between periods if it is to be used again, and will have students physically distance as much as possible. All students are required to wear goggles during labs, which will provide additional protection from the coronavirus as the eyes are covered.

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Will MUN be attending conferences this year?
Absolutely! We will be host the annual South Orange County MUN SOCOMUN conference virtually on Sept. 26-29.  It looks like for the first semester most of the conferences will be virtual. While travel is on hold for right now, we will travel virtually to conferences hosted by McGill University, Columbia University, and UC Berkeley when deemed safe by public health officials to do so. Online conferences are a great way for students to engage with meaningful activity.

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Will teachers hold office hours during blended learning?
Yes! Teachers have designed office hours on asynchronous Wednesdays. 

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How will the students be split for Blended Plus hybrid schedule? 
For the Blended Plus schedule, students will be divided into groups alphabetically. We hope that will keep siblings in the same group.  If that does not happen, please reach out to your student's counselor.

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Will virtual learning remain an option even after students go back to campus?
Full virtual instruction will be available upon request as SMCHS progresses through our four models of instruction this school year. Students should contact their school counselor with this request.

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What will be the grading system, pass/no pass or letter grades?
SMCHS is committed to rigorous curriculum and reliable assessments and we believe it’s important to reward students with the grades they have earned. However, teachers have been asked to err on the side of the student. Students are encouraged to reach out to their teachers and utilize their office hours to seek assistance and guidance. Our counseling staff is also available for support.  

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What are the expectations for teachers during virtual instruction?
Teachers are asked to teach from their classroom, conduct live classroom instruction for every class period and be present for guided work. Faculty will also use consistent platforms to communicate with students to streamline efficiency and workflow.

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What are the virtual learning expectations for students including dress code?
Download the student expectations for virtual instruction including the dress code.

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What do I do if my student is absent?
Attendance will be taken each period and monitored by Attendance Office. If your student will be absent, a parent/legal guardian must call the Attendance Office at 949-766-6020 to excuse their absence.  

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If my student is struggling who should they reach out?
Students should first reach out to their teachers and counselors. We also have a wellness coordinator available to students to discuss any struggles they may be encountering socially and emotionally and our Auxiliary Studies Program can provide further support and assessment if needed.

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How can I contact my counselor?
Communication between students and teachers/counselors should take place in Microsoft Teams. You may Teams chat or Teams call counselors anytime during school hours. Our counselors will do their best to be available and responsive. SM is also asking students to be available via Teams during school hours (Monday-Friday), unless, of course, you are in the middle of class. Your counselor will send you a Teams chat if there is something that needs to be discussed. A virtual meeting may be scheduled at the convenience of both the student and counselor. Parents, you may always contact your student’s counselor via email or by calling the Counseling Department at (949) 766-6010.

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If I am having issues with my tablet during virtual instruction what should I do?
Our IT technicians remain ready to serve our students and families. 
Hours: Monday-Friday from 7:30-3:30p.m.

• HOURS: Monday-Friday from 7:30-3:30 p.m.

• The best way to get assistance is to put in a work ticket request at home.smhsstudents.org just as if you were at school.
• If additional assistance is needed, you can email techcenter@smhs.org. Please include a phone number so that a technician can contact you if necessary.
• If your computer is completely down you may bring the device to the Tech Service Center for repair. The Tech Service Center is located in the Library Media Center and operates on school days between 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m

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Has SM developed protocols that clearly define how homework, tests and grades will be handled in the event a student is out ill for a prolonged period of time?

Each course has agreed upon consistent assignments, assessments and a grading policy. If a student is out ill, they will have a reasonable amount of time for make-ups (refer to the parent-student handbook). Communication with the teachers is paramount, but assignments, and in many cases lectures, are available through Microsoft Teams and OneNote. 

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What will the workload be like for students while virtual?
SMCHS will maintain its rigorous academics with a continued focus on meaningful assignments and reliable assessments. Workload will vary from course to course. In the case of AP/IB courses, the teachers have a very rigid timeframe, proven methods, and typically provide only very meaningful assignments. Other courses have modified the workloads due to the circumstances. As we did in the spring of 2020, we will extend grace and flexibility to students who have limitations based on the virtual environment or effects of the pandemic. 

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Will Auxiliary Studies Program services for students with diagnosed learning differences be offered virtually?
Will Auxiliary Studies Program services for students with diagnosed learning differences be offered virtually? Yes! In partnership with our families, Santa Margarita’s Auxiliary Studies Program is committed to achieving positive student success outcomes. In fact, ASP services have been enhanced this year through technology and training. ASP teachers have received specialized professional development to best serve our students in distance learning, hybrid and 100% on-campus instruction modalities. ASP teachers will continue to provide:

• Learning challenge resources including information on special accommodations
• Help with academic questions
• Student performance clarification
• Tailored coaching, test-prep and study skill development based on students’ specific needs
• Collaboration with the student’s academic counselor, college counselor, and the school’s wellness coordinator and school psychologist as needed
• Confidential, private and responsive emotional wellness check-ins
• Assistance with facilitating student communication with teachers
• Weekly grade checks/reports
• A dedicated testing center 

 

What social activities are planned this school year? 
Santa Margarita Catholic High School is committed to dynamic programming to foster connection and engagement. Virtual and small in-person outdoor experiences to meet students’ spiritual and social development are planned. When we move to the Blended Plus schedule, there will be opportunities for extra and co-curricular activities on asynchronous Wednesdays as authoritative guidance allows. We are planning to have as many in-person social activities and events as permitted by current state, county and Diocese of Orange guidelines. These events may include physically-distanced movie nights, professional sports nights and online engagement through friendly competitions like trivia nights. ASB is also working on various events. Announcements will be made with additional information soon.

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Will SM have club, academic teams and student leadership meetings this year?
Yes! During distance learning, these groups will meet virtually.

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What will athletics look like this year?
SMCHS will follow recommended guidelines from CIF and public health agencies. The CIF Southern Section has modified their athletic calendar for the 2020-2021 school year to include a fall and spring season. The announcement includes new start dates as well as teams shifting seasons. Read the announcement.  

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Will there be Mass, retreats and spiritual enrichment outside of religion class?
As a Catholic school rooted in Christ and His Church, SMCHS will continue to offer Mass and other liturgies, faith development opportunities and a transformational service-learning program in accordance with public health guidelines.

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Are SMCHS athletic teams permitted to hold conditioning practices?
Select varsity teams will begin to hold skill-based, athletic conditioning practices the week of Aug. 24 with revised safety protocols in place. Additional teams will follow shortly. Individual coaches will communicate respective details. 

Will the tuition rate be adjusted during virtual learning?
We are committed to and prepared for in-person instruction as quickly and safely as possible based upon diocesan, local and state requirements. Tuition will not be discounted to maintain ongoing operations as our expenses have not changed. Additionally, we have incurred costs related to protecting and training our Eagle community in preparation for on-campus instruction. Our faculty and staff will continue to deliver quality instruction and support, including virtual instruction from classrooms. During this time of economic uncertainty, tuition rates were frozen for the 2020-2021 school year to provide some financial relief. While the format may have changed temporarily, SMCHS remains committed to providing a world-class educational experience for our students during this unprecedented time.

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What guidelines is SMCHS following to prepare for reopening?
At the forefront of our efforts is our community’s safety and well-being while maintaining a high standard of excellence in Catholic education. We are relying on the guidance of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, California Department of Public Health and the OC Health Care Agency and Diocese of Orange. Our plans to meet these guidelines are based on four foundations set forth by the Diocese of Orange: monitor and respond to student, faculty and staff health; limiting and eliminating unnecessary or risky activities; revised cleaning and disinfection protocols; and having blended learning and virtual learning options available for planned and unplanned shutdowns. More information can be found in our reopening plan.

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What will determine moving through the various schedules SMCHS has in place?
SMCHS has four progressive schedules designed for flexibility. These schedules are a systematic approach to gradually increase the number of students on our campus while keeping health, safety and learning at the forefront. We are committed to bringing our students back to campus as quickly and safely as possible. Once permitted by local and state authorities, SMCHS is prepared to move to our Blended Plus schedule. Transitioning from no contact to 50 percent student contact to 80 percent contact before ramping up to 100 percent contact will help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 to keep our campus open and community safe. Once on-campus instruction resumes, a full virtual option will continue to be available upon request.

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Will there be food services when we return to campus?
To avoid communal waiting areas and limit close contact with others, third party food services from Sapphire will not be offered for the foreseeable future. Snack and beverage options are available for purchase in the student store and new vending machines will be added throughout the SMCHS campus to provide healthy options. Students who may be on campus before or after their assigned schedule should consider packing food for consumption in a disposable container.

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During the Blended Plus schedule can students remain on campus if parents aren’t able to pick them up due to work schedules?
Students unable to leave between sessions will be assigned to pods and attend classes virtually in pre-arranged learning areas.

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Are campus visitors allowed?
Santa Margarita’s campus is currently closed to parents and nonessential visitors unless you have an appointment. All those entering the SMCHS campus must undergo a wellness screening and temperature check.

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What cleaning and sanitization procedures has SM put in place?

• Continued use of electrostatic sprayers to disinfect high contact areas.
• In March, the school was disinfected and sanitized by an independent third party.
• Additionally, a misting system is used nightly in all communal area using a medical-grade disinfectant.
• Each classroom, office, and shared work area has been provided with paper towels and Envirox 117 Orange Concentrate, a safe, yet effective sanitizing solution currently used throughout campus including exterior door handles, railings, and other high contact surfaces. In addition to the disinfection and sanitization series performed daily by the Facilities Management Department, all faculty and staff have been instructed to use the supplied Envirox.
• Hand sanitizer dispensers have been added throughout the campus and signage installed with reminders of frequent and proper handwashing and physical distancing.

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How is SM addressing air circulation/ventilation to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19?

Proper circulation and ventilation is a primary way to help prevent the transmission of germs. As such, SMCHS has purchased “The Filter Queen Defender,” the only room air cleaner FDA certified as a Class II medical device. “The Defender” is designed to capture over 99.99% of all particles at 0.1 micron in size.  Most notably, “The Defender” was explicitly designed to capture even the most minute particles on the first pass. These devices will be placed throughout the indoor areas of campus, including the classrooms.

SMCHS will also be upgrading the types of air filters used in our HVAC systems. Air filters are rated in effectiveness from 1-20. In the past we have used a MERV 8 filter, a standard commercial grade filter, and have performed filter replacements twice per year. Moving forward, we will be installing MERV 13 filters, considered appropriate for general surgery rooms, and we will increase the frequency of filter changes to three times per year.

Are masks mandatory on campus?
Face coverings are required for everyone in public settings while on campus per the California Department of Public Health guidelines. The proper wearing of face coverings is one way we can reduce the risk of COVID-19 on campus and help us keep our campus healthy.

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If I am confirmed positive for COVID-19, when can I return to school?
You can be with others and return to the SMCHS campus only after:

1. 24-48 hours without fever (without the use of fever-reducing medications)
2. It has been 10 days since your symptoms first appeared
3. Respiratory symptoms have improved and you are not experiencing any other COVID-19 symptoms. Those symptoms include chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting/diarrhea)
4. The SMCHS Nurses Office has authorized clearance prior to your return to campus.

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Will students have their temperature checked before entering the SM campus?
Yes, all SMCHS staff, students and visitors will have a temperature and wellness screening before entering the SM campus. Here’s the procedure: 

• Students will enter campus through the main gate in the front of campus or if entering from the back of campus, students will enter through the fire lane between the R building and pool.
• Pop-up canopies will be set up and students will maintain physical distancing while approaching the pop-up SM staff will greet the students and students will be asked for a response to a number of COVID-19 symptoms.
• Students will walk forward and stand before a contactless device that will take their temperature on the forehead within 3 seconds. The device will advise whether their temperature is normal or abnormal
• Students with a normal temperature will be admitted into campus; students with an abnormal temperature will be re-tested by staff and referred to the SM Nurse.

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What happens if I have a temperature at check-in?
The SMCHS Nurses’ office will be notified and the student will be brought to the nurse triage area for immediate assessment. Parents/guardians will be notified and the student will be sent home and instructed to contact their healthcare provider to discuss testing and medical care.

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How is the school handling contact tracing?
The SMCHS Health Services/Nurse Office will follow the guidance of the Orange County Department of Health.  If there is a known, confirmed positive COVID-19 exposure that occurs on campus, the Nursing and Health Services Office will conduct “contact tracking.” The contact tracing will be conducted by the Orange County Health Care Agency COVID School Response Team and they will determine next steps.

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What emotional support is available to students?
After significant research and planning, we are excited to announce expanded support services for our students. SMCHS recently hired both a wellness director and wellness coordinator. The program will provide a range of resources and referrals to support students and their families in meeting the challenges of adolescence through prevention, early intervention and education. The program will collaborate with the counseling department, school nurses, campus ministry and outside providers as needed. Students may access the wellness coordinator for support directly via Teams or by appointment/drop-in when on-campus instruction resumes. Please visit the wellness webpage for more information.

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What happens if a student becomes ill during the school day?
If a student becomes ill during the school day, the student should report to/notify the SMCHS Nursing and Health Services Office immediately. Individuals with symptoms of COVID-19 will be sent home and should see their doctor to determine if testing is needed. If tested, they will remain home until results are received. 

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What happens if a student, faculty or staff member tests positive for COVID-19?
The individual confirmed positive for COVID -19 should:

• Remain home
• Contact their health care provider
• Contact the school nurses at deptofnursing@smhs.org 
• Employees should contact the school nurses at deptofnursing@smhs.org and SMCHS human resources at mollicap@smhs.org
• The Orange County Health Care Agency will provide guidance for school community notification.
• Work area/classroom to be sanitized and disinfected

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If someone tests negative after having symptoms for COVID-19, when can they be with others and return to school?

• 24-48 hours with no fever (without the use of fever-reducing medications) or other symptoms
• Respiratory symptoms have improved (e.g. cough, shortness of breath)
• The SMCHS Nurses Office has authorized clearance prior to your return to campus. 

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What if a student had close contact with an individual confirmed of having COVID-19?
If you have had direct contact (less than 6 feet apart for 15 minutes or more) with any person who has tested positive for COVID-19 you should:

• Not leave your house or have guests over for 14 days.
• Try to self-isolate within your home so that you don’t infect other members of your household.
• Monitor yourself for symptoms such as a fever, cough and shortness of breath.
• If you develop any symptoms, call your healthcare provider for further instruction.
• Contact the school nurses at deptofnursing@smhs.org

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What may cause a campus closure?

• SMCHS may shift to virtual instruction if there is a confirmed 5% COVID-19 positivity rate amongst the school population.
• Directive from the Diocese of Orange or public health officials.

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If there is a campus closure due to a confirmed 5% or higher COVID-19 positivity rate, when would the school reopen?
Schools may typically reopen after 14 days once the following have occurred:

• Cleaning and disinfection
• Public health investigation
• Consultation with the local public health department
• Authorization from the Diocese of Orange

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Does SMCHS have extra PPE supplies in the event someone’s face covering becomes lost/damaged?
The Nurse's Office will have face-covering replacements for students in case theirs is soiled or lost while at school. When students return to school, they are encouraged to keep an extra mask on hand.

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Are wellness screenings required before entering campus?
All faculty, staff, students and visitors undergo wellness screenings upon arrival to the SMCHS campus. Our school nurses and staff conduct temperature and symptom checks, and guidelines have been developed for symptomatic individuals. Once our SMCHS students begin blended learning, wellness screenings for our students will be conducted with guidance from our local health department.

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Does SMCHS plan to do contract tracing when campus reopens?
The SMCHS Health Services/Nurses Office will do "contact tracking" if there is a known, confirmed positive case of COVID-19. Contact tracing will be conducted by the Orange County Health Care Agency per state and local health department guidelines. 

Parents and students with COVID-19 questions or concerns are encouraged to contact the SMCHS Health Services/Nurse Office direct line (949) 766-6029 or email deptofnursing@smhs.org. Once school starts, the Nurses are available during the hours that school is in session.

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What cleaning procedures/sanitation has SM put in place?
For several years and for the foreseeable future, Santa Margarita will continue the utilization of electrostatic sprayers to disinfect high contact areas. In March the school underwent a professional, comprehensive, disinfecting and sanitization by an independent third party.

Since the return of employees to campus, we have also adopted procedures for sanitizing and disinfecting using a portable misting system.  This is in addition to the electrostatic spraying of the areas already mentioned. The misting spray system is being used nightly in all communal areas, such as office spaces, restrooms, gym, and eating areas, using a medical grade disinfectant.  When students return for our Blended Plus schedule, each classroom will be added to the spraying schedule.

Each classroom, office, and shared work area has  been provided with paper towels and Envirox 117 Orange Concentrate, a safe, yet effective sanitizing solution currently used throughout campus including, exterior door handles, railings, and other “high contact” surfaces. Inside the classrooms and offices, all faculty and staff have been instructed to use the supplied Envirox 117 Orange Concentrate in their individual work areas as an extra precautionary measure. This is in addition to the disinfection and sanitization services performed daily by the Facilities Management Department. 

Hand sanitizer dispensers have been added throughout the campus and signage installed with reminders of frequent and proper handwashing and physical distancing.

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How is SM addressing air circulation/ventilation to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19?
First, good air circulation and proper ventilation is a primary way to help prevent the transmission of germs. As such, SMCHS has purchased “The Filter Queen Defender,” the only room air cleaner FDA Certified as a Class II Medical Device. “The Defender” is designed to capture over 99.99% of all particles at 0.1 micron in size.  Most notably, “The Defender” was designed specifically to capture even the most minute particles on the first pass through. These devices will be placed throughout the indoor parts of campus, including the classrooms.

In addition, SMCHS will be upgrading the types of air filters used in our HVAC systems. Air filters are rated in effectiveness from 1-20. In the past we have used a MERV 8 filter, which is a standard commercial grade filter and have performed filter replacements twice per year.  Moving forward, we will be installing MERV 13 filters, considered appropriate for general surgery rooms and we will increase the frequency of filter changes to three times per year.