Coronavirus and COVID-19 Resources

Each student and staff member must complete their daily health screening using the Magnus Health app prior to arriving on campus. The screening survey examines the following criteria from the CDC, NCDHHS, and evolving research indicating the following symptoms are potentially COVID-19 symptoms: 

High-risk symptoms for COVID-19 (those that are common and relatively specific for COVID-19) include: 

• Fever or chills (temperature of 100º or greater)
• Cough
• Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing 
• Loss of sense of taste or smell 

Low-risk symptoms for COVID-19 (those that more common and alone do not necessarily indicate COVID-19) include: 

• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches or pains
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea or abdominal pain
• Rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes

Anyone with a COVID-like illness (one high-risk or two or more low-risk symptoms) should be assessed by a physician and tested for COVID. 

• If the PCR test is negative, or another illness is identified and the person has not been in contact with a known COVID-19 case, then they can return to school when symptoms have resolved and they are fever-free for ≥ 24 hours. 
• If the PCR test is positive or no test is done (and no other illness identified), this person must stay home for a minimum of 10 days and be fever-free with resolved symptoms for ≥ 24 hours.
• The school nurse will monitor the individual and work with the families.  The school nurse will give a return to school date provided all criteria has been met.

Anyone with an illness that is unlikely to be COVID-19 (single low-risk symptom resolving in 24-48 hours or non-infectious diagnosis e.g. migraine, allergies) may return to school when symptoms have resolved and they are fever-free for ≥ 24 hours. 

• This person does not need to see a physician if symptoms resolve. If the symptoms continue and are associated with a chronic illness, the person should provide written documentation of an alternative diagnosis that explains the presence of the exhibited symptoms. If symptoms do not resolve quickly, the individual should be assessed by a physician and considered for testing. 
• If this person is in contact with a known COVID-19 case, then this person should be seen by a physician, must be tested for COVID-19, and must complete a 14-day quarantine before returning to school. 

The overarching model for the coming year is a continuous learning model which will allow us to be agile and responsive depending on health and safety requirements and guidelines. We have aimed for the maximum amount of in-person contact that is developmentally-appropriate and that health and safety recommendations allow.

In creating the schedules for each of the phases of continuous learning the emphasis was on elevating several key concepts: routine and structure, simplicity, predictability, clarity of expectations and in communication, connection with attention to inclusion and equity, and student choice. 

When the need arises to make transitions between formats for teaching and learning, we will use staff development days and potentially other provisional days (1-2 days) to plan for shifts between the formats.

We continue to work collaboratively with the families of students who will be learning virtually throughout the course of the year to ensure the quality of their educational experience.

• All students present must meet daily health screening requirements
• Increased handwashing protocols
• Classroom cleaning throughout the day
• Teachers and students wearing masks (including Early and Lower School students)
• Minimizing visitors and other adults on campus
• Maximization of outdoor classroom experiences and creation of new outdoor learning spaces
• Carefully designed walking traffic patterns

This model features all the protocols of on-campus teaching and learning with the following adaptations:

• Students present on campus on a staggered schedule
• Class size and seating arrangements that ensure appropriate social distancing for the age group
• Home-based learning packets to accompany classroom work

• Classroom experiences via Zoom based on family feedback, reflections, and professional development revisions developed over the summer
• Increased differentiation and support for students with learning needs
• Valuable and purposeful asynchronous assignments
• One-on-one meetings in designated office hour times
• Opportunities for virtual social engagement and advisory time

In addition to feedback from families and staff on individual health risk factors as well as continued commitment to our Community Health Agreement, we are monitoring factors in the broader community as well as within our school community.

Broader Community 

We are examining the following data trends from Durham and Orange Counties:

• Seven-day average of new cases
• Positive percent rate in testing (taking into account fluctuations in numbers of testing and potential isolated hot spots)

Our School Community

We will continue to monitor the following data trends among our students and staff:

• Confirmed COVID-19 cases and community spread
• Average rates of student and staff attendance (including disruptions for quarantine or general illness)
   

The following criteria provides a solid baseline for operational decision-making that must also take into account risk assessment and operational factors in addition to evolving conditions, health guidelines, and additional risk factors.

Risk Level 1 (Lower Risk)

• No community spread at CFS and/or no more than one classroom cohort in a unit in county-ordered quarantine 
• Confirmed cases of COVID-19 among CFS students or staff (1-2)
• Confirmed average daily new cases of COVID-19 within our core counties: 
  • Durham County: 3 - 32; Orange County: 2 - 15
• Positive tests for COVID-19 within our core counties* (2-5%)
• Average in-person student attendance between 90-100%
• Average in-person staff attendance between 90-100%
• No national or international advisories issued against non-essential travel to or from our state
• CDC, WHO, and/or regional health authorities declare a pandemic

Risk Level 2 (Medium Risk)

• No community spread at CFS or no more than two classroom cohorts at one time in a unit in county-ordered quarantine 
• Confirmed cases of COVID-19 among CFS students or staff (3-5 cases)
• Confirmed 7-day average daily new cases of COVID-19 within our core counties:
  • Durham: 32 - 80; Orange: 15 - 38
• Positive tests for COVID-19 within our core counties* (6-9%)
• Average in-person student attendance between 80-90%
• Average in-person staff attendance between 80-90%
• Local, state or federal regulations require Hybrid Learning
• CDC, WHO, and/or regional health authorities declare a pandemic

Risk Level 3 (Higher Risk)

• Community spread at CFS; and/or four or more classroom cohorts across units in county-ordered quarantine; and/or two or more classroom cohorts in LS, MS, or US in county-ordered quarantine; or one classroom cohort in ES in county-ordered quarantine.
• Confirmed cases of COVID-19 among CFS students or staff (＞6)
• Confirmed average daily new cases of COVID-19 within our core counties: 
  • Durham: ＞80; Orange: ＞38
• Positive tests for COVID-19 within our core counties* (≥ 10%)
• Local, state or federal regulations require Virtual Home Based Learning
• CDC, WHO, and/or regional health authorities declare a pandemic
   

Our readiness for On Campus or Hybrid learning includes not only the health risk assessment factors listed above, but also the readiness of our physical spaces, our ability to mitigate virus spread through safe distancing, and increased sanitation and hygiene training, equipment, and services.

Cohort Integrity

Limitations on the amount of connection among cohorts is relative to the learning mode and risk level, but preparedness for the highest standard of risk preparedness requires:

• Reconfiguration of current classroom spaces 
• Repurposing of other spaces on campus as classrooms
• Creation of additional, covered outdoor learning spaces
• Addition of modular classroom facilities

Safe Distancing

• Some existing classrooms need to be reorganized and refurbished to ensure safe distancing or an ability to have students face in the same direction
• Furniture surfaces need to be easily disinfected and sanitized

Sanitation and Hygiene

• Cleaning and sanitization in the classrooms will be conducted regularly by staff
• Professional cleaning of high-touch surfaces and common areas will occur during the school day
• Robust overnight cleaning will utilize methods such as electrostatic spray and UV-C light disinfection
   

The COVID-19 Subcommittee used information from our medical and public health experts, CDC, WHO, NCDHHS, Harvard Global Health Initiative, Brown School of Public Health, Pandemics Explained, and COVID Act Now to determine which external risk indicators were of greatest determinative value for our needs. In particular, the Committee relied on the COVID Act Now threat level assessments to help determine the appropriate ranges for average new cases per day and percentage of positive tests at each of the CFS Risk Levels.  Daily new cases data for Durham and Orange Counties are reported by those respective health departments as a total number of new cases, not new cases per population of 100,000 as reported by COVID Act Now.  To more easily track this data, we calculated the corresponding ranges based on the Census Bureau’s total current estimated populations of Durham (320,000) and Orange (150,000) counties (ie. 1 new case per 100,000 = 3.2 new cases in Durham County and 1.5 new cases in Orange County).

Dashboard Data

Primary

• Durham County Average Daily New Cases (view cases by day)
• Orange County COVID-19 Dashboard (Cumulative Cases)
• NCDHHS New Cases (select Durham or Orange County)
• NCDHHS Positive Tests (select Durham or Orange County)

Secondary

• COVID Act Now Durham County Threat Level
• COVID Act Now Orange County Threat Level

Other

• UNC-Chapel Hill CV-19 Dashboard
• Duke COVID-19 Testing Update

Articles and Other Resources

• British Medicine  Journal - Two metres or one: what is the evidence for physical distancing in covid-19?
• Harvard Global Health Initiative - The Path to Zero and Schools: Achieving Pandemic Resilient Teaching and Learning Spaces
• Harvard Global Health Initiative and Brown School of Public Health - Pandemics Explained Daily Testing and Positive Test Rate Target
• North Carolina Department of Public Instruction - Lighting Our Way Forward
• NC Department of Health and Human Services - Strong Schools NC Public Health Toolkit
• NCDHHS COVID-19 Outbreaks and Clusters
• T Chan School of Public Health - Risk Reduction Strategies for Reopening Schools
• University of Minnesota, Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy - Yet More Data Support COVID-1 Aerosol Transmission
• University of Washington, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation - COVID-19 Projections North Carolina
• World Health Organization - Public Health Criteria to Adjust Public Health and Social Measures in the Context of COVID-19

We have selected the online app Magnus Health SMR (Student Medical Record) to manage our COVID-19 daily health screening for students and staff. This web-based system will enable us to obtain and track health information to keep our community healthier and safer.

In addition, we are asking families and staff to sign our Community Health Agreement through the Magnus Health Mobile App. (After signing, it is available for view in the "Documents" section of the app home screen.)

Our Community Agreement for Health and Safety is accessible through the app and at least one parent/guardian must digitally sign the agreement for each household by August 24.

Each day of on-campus instruction, a parent or guardian will be required to complete a health screening survey on behalf of their child(ren). Staff will also be required to complete this screening for themselves. 

This daily screening asks a series of questions about symptoms associated with COVID-19 and uses the responses to determine whether or not students and staff are eligible to attend classes or other activities on campus.  

While The Magnus Health SMR system also includes the capacity to manage forms and other student medical information, for this year, we will continue to use the Veracross Family Portal to disseminate all other forms, medical or otherwise for the 2020-2021 school year. 

Instructions for Parents/Guardians and Staff:

• Download the mobile app. Android: Magnus Health; Apple: Magnus Mobile v2.
• Check your email for the notice with a link to activate your account. That will take you directly to your account dashboard. We highly advise that you navigate to that link on the browser of the device you will primarily use for the daily health screenings.
• Change credentials in your dashboard by looking at the upper left, where it will say “Welcome, [Your Name.]” By your name is a triangle that shows additional options — select “Change Credentials.”
• You must change your credentials in order to login using the Magnus Mobile app. Health screenings through the Daily Student Survey can only be conducted through the app, so we advise only using the desktop interface to ready your account for mobile access.
• Save your password (optional). If you update your credentials in the browser of your device, it will likely ask you if you’d like to save the password to your device or cloud passwords. Sessions are timed, and you will need to login for each day’s Daily Student Survey(s). This will be a very helpful way to log in.
• Open the Magnus Mobile v2 app on your device. You will see a login screen where you can either access your shared passwords or type in your new credentials. 
• Save your credentials or setup biometric login (new as of October 6). You can save your login information using your device's autofill or keychain, or with the latest version, utilize biometric login (Face ID or Touch ID).

Signing the Community Agreement for Health and Safety

• Once on your mobile account dashboard, you will see the names of your child(ren) as well as any alerts for actions needed. Signing the Community Agreement for Health and Safety will appear as an alert.  
• You will be able to scroll through the agreement in its entirety, and at the bottom, you can add a digital signature by typing your name and then hitting “Save.” Once your digital signature is saved, the alert will disappear. You can access a pdf of your signed agreement at any time by going to “Menu” and choosing “Documents.”

Completing Daily Student Health Surveys

• Once on-campus instruction starts for your child(ren), you will see an alert each day to complete the Daily Student Survey. You can also access this by going to “Menu,” and selecting “COVID-19.”
• If your child(ren) exhibit symptoms that prevent them from being on campus, you will be alerted upon completion of the survey. Once the survey has been completed and submitted, it will be accessible by your child’s or children’s teachers and unit heads. Your child(ren) will not be allowed to complete the in-person screening to enter campus. 

Having Problems?

• Magnus Health is committed to maintaining the confidentiality, integrity and security of personal information received from all of its clients and users and has successfully worked with many schools. They adhere to HIPAA, FERPA and PCI related standards of privacy and security. Please feel free to consult the Magnus Health page for Parents/Guardians and their Privacy and Security page.
• In addition to the guidelines available on our website, iIf you are having difficulty navigating the Magnus system, please contact customer support at Magnus Health SMR by phone at 877.461.6831 or by email at service@magnushealthportal.com. 
• If you find that you are having technical difficulties, check the encryption update tester: http://testtls.mymagnus.com/ and please use the following url: https://secure.magnushealthportal.com/public/version.jsf and send the resulting information to Magnus customer support.