Coronavirus 2021-2022

• Quarantine and Isolation Guidelines (live document that is frequently updated) - change the name to match document name
• Marin County Public Health
  • Exposure Notices from Marin County Public Health:
    • Universal School Exposure Notice 
    • Student Exposure Notice for K-12 Schools
    • Staff Exposure Notice for K-12 Schools
  • May 12 COVID-19 Update - English  Spanish
  • Marin County SMARTER Schools Plan (English and Spanish)
• Visit MCOE Rethinking Schools Website with updated information 

CDPH K-12 Guidance for 2021-22 School Year

 

Parent Page: Safe Schools for All - move this under the CDPH above

​​​​​​MCPH encourages everyone to have a stockpile of home test kits on hand.  FEMA funds will be expiring soon and home test kits may become very difficult to find again, so please stock up now while supplies are available.

• Please order your allotment of 8 tests per member with your commercial (employe) provided insurance.  Many allow this program free of charge and without having to submit forms or pay out of pocket. 
• Order your test kits via USPS. Each order now includes 8 rapid antigen COVID-19 tests. 
• Please do not dispose of expired home test kits, many are still good far beyond their expiration date.

 

The benefits of COVID-19 vaccination outweigh the known and potential risks. Rare cases of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the outer lining of the heart) in adolescents and young adults have been reported more often after getting the second dose than after the first dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. These reactions are rare; in one study, the risk of myocarditis after the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech in the week following vaccination was around 54 cases per million doses administered to males ages 12 through 17 years. In general, adolescents ages 12 through 17 years have a higher risk for myocarditis than children ages 5 through 11 years. Therefore, we are not sure if the cases of myocarditis that occurred after COVID-19 vaccination in adolescents will predict the cases that could occur in children after COVID-19 vaccination.

Interim Clinical Considerations

FAQs About COVID Vaccination in Children

Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines

COVID Guidelines

Marin County is now experiencing a second Omicron wave. MCPH advises that attending in-person gatherings or events carries a risk of exposure to COVID-19. To keep our community safe, we now require masks indoors in all MA buildings and at all MA functions. This temporary measure is in place to ensure that we can host the end-of-year gatherings and traditions that we hold so dear. Masks will also be required for all attendees at indoor events, meetings, and gatherings. In addition to masking:

• We strongly recommend taking an at-home test on the day of the event and testing again 5 days after the event. 
• Students should stay home if they have ANY symptoms or test positive, and upload all tests to Primary.Health (both positive and negative).
• Parents/guardians can confidentially self-report home test results here. 
• If event guidelines are different from the above, they will be indicated in that event's description.

Test Kits

• As a reminder: If you have commercial health insurance (e.g., through an employer), each enrolled member is eligible to get 8 tests every 30 days, free of charge and without paperwork or upfront costs. Show your insurance card at your regular pharmacy. Kaiser members can also go to Rite Aid and Safeway. MCPH advised to stockpile tests as much as possible for future needs.
• USPS is now offering a third round of COVID-19 test kits - 8 per residence.

Good Afternoon MA, Our return to indoor masking has been smooth as we find ourselves again adapting to the rising tide of COVID-19 transmission in our community. Our goal is to hold as many of our end of year celebratory community events, including graduation, as possible while considering health and safety. We are grateful for your continued flexibility and willingness to take the extra steps to protect our community’s health. We have a few other new safety measures and important reminders to share this afternoon.  We’ve opened up passive zooming options for all students. We continue to request that students communicate their plans to Zoom into class with their teachers, and Zoom links will be posted on Canvas. Please note that passive zooming will generally be a less robust experience than attending class in person.  On Monday, May 23 all students must take a home test in the morning and upload their results to Primary.Health before 8:30 a.m. We distributed test kits today through advisory groups. All Primary.Health results will be checked, and students will not be allowed in class if they did not test on Monday and upload their results to Primary.Health.  We are adjusting our end-of-the-year schedule to respond to our current health and safety needs. More detailed information will be shared next week, but please take note of the following schedule changes.  Friday, May 27 will include regular classes and celebrations for our seniors and the rest of the school community.  Tuesday, May 31 will be an opportunity for tutorial, and students will be able to meet with teachers on Zoom or in person. All students who come on to campus will be required to test in the morning and upload their results to Primary.Health by 8:30 a.m. prior to coming to campus. Transportation will be available as scheduled and the cafe will be open. On Wednesday, June 1, 11th-graders will be expected on campus for our college counseling program. For all other students, it will be similar to Tuesday with tutorial opportunities. Transportation will be available as scheduled and the cafe will be open. Thursday, June 2 we will not hold anything on campus.  Friday, June 3 will include graduation rehearsals and the senior luncheon as regularly scheduled.  Below are the critical pieces of information to remember: Please continue to notify our COVID-19 Coordinator of any household or social exposures, symptoms, or positive tests AND upload all student tests to Primary.Health (both positive and negative). This is necessary for planning purposes and keeps us in compliance with county reporting requirements.  We strongly recommend taking an at-home test on the day of an event and testing again 5 days after the event. Masks are required indoors for everyone on campus.  Please do not come to campus if you, or your student, have ANY symptoms, even if it's a single mild symptom, or if you, or your student, test positive. The current strains of the virus are showing up on tests several days after infections, and we need to increase the frequency of testing and take additional precautions if you have any symptoms.  Thank you for your continued support and patience. We will be sending out additional information as soon as possible.  With gratitude,

Para ver este mensaje en español, haga clic aquí.

Dear Marin Academy Community, As you likely read in yesterday's TW@MA, a new, more contagious subvariant (BA.2), has caused a second Omicron wave in Marin County. We are seeing increased case counts at Marin Academy as well, and we would like to direct you again to the universal exposure letter from MCPH. You can also find more information on our Coronavirus Updates page.  To ensure our community’s safety during this surge, we will require masks indoors in all MA buildings and at all MA functions beginning tomorrow, Thursday. This temporary measure is in place to ensure that we can host the end-of-year gatherings and traditions that we hold so dear.  The café will remain open, and students will still be able to take down their masks to eat or drink in the café and in the classroom. We will continue to have masks available in the front office for those who need them.  Masks will also be required for all attendees at indoor events, meetings, and gatherings. As we mentioned in TW@MA, MCPH advises that attending in-person gatherings or events carries a risk of exposure to COVID-19. To keep our community safe, we strongly recommend taking an at-home test on the day of the event and testing again 5 days after the event.  Below are the critical pieces of information to remember: We will be requiring masks indoors in our classrooms and buildings and at all indoor events. Please do not come to campus if you, or your student, have ANY symptoms, even if it's a single mild symptom, or if you, or your student, test positive.  Please continue to notify our COVID-19 Coordinator of any household or social exposures, symptoms, or positive tests. We ask that you upload all student tests to Primary.Health (both positive and negative). Parents/guardians can confidentially self-report home test results here.  We are offering free vaccination clinics here on campus. The next one is Wednesday, May 25, from 2:00-6:00 p.m. on the Foster Hall Porch. They are open to the whole community. Pre-register here and walk-ups are accepted. We truly appreciate your support and adherence to these guidelines. We anticipate these measures will be temporary as we navigate this current spike of coronavirus in Marin County. If you have any questions please reach out to our COVID-19 Coordinator, and review the most current content on our website.  Thank you again,

Dear Marin Academy Students, Parents, Faculty, and Staff,

As you may have seen yesterday in the news, Marin County has eased the COVID-19 restrictions in schools. With that, we are eager to share our updated policies that will allow us to return to having parents and visitors back on campus for after-school activities, along with returning to in-person, full school events. 

• We’ve been able to pivot back this week to in-person, all-school assemblies that feature senior speeches and student announcements. 
   
• For events with under 500 people, we will no longer be verifying vaccination status. Please make your own risk assessment when attending in-person events.
   
• Everyone must wear a mask at all times indoors. Properly fitted upgraded masks (N95, KN95, or KN94) provide the highest level of protection. Well-fitting surgical masks and double masking a cloth face covering worn over a surgical mask also offer enhanced protection. Single cloth masks provide the least protection and are not recommended.
   
• Masking is no longer required outdoors but is encouraged especially when around others in crowded situations. 

Below are some of the on-campus events we are excited to welcome you to:

• The end of the winter sports season is coming up, and we’d love everyone to cheer on the Wildcats as they contend for the playoffs. Our girls and boys basketball teams have home games and senior night festivities on Friday, January 28 at 5:45 and 7:45 p.m. respectively. Boys soccer plays University at home Friday, January 28 starting at 3:15 p.m.
   
• We hope you will join us for the Advanced Bands Concert on Wednesday, February 16 - Friday, February 18. Information on how to purchase tickets will be available on the website in the upcoming week.
   
• The Winter One Act Play Festival is on March 10, 11, 17, and 18. Ticket information will be on the website in February.

We are delighted to bring our community back to campus and hope you will join us for an upcoming event. Go Cats!

Sincerely, 

Lynne Hansen
 

Marin Public Health, CDC & Marin County Office of Education Resources:

• Marin Public Health: (https://coronavirus.marinhhs.org/schools)
• Visit MCOE Rethinking Schools Website with updated information (https://bit.ly/MCOERethinkingSchools)
• Quarantine and Isolation Guidelines (live document that is frequently updated)
• Exposure Notices from Marin County Public Health:
  • Student Exposure Notice for K-12 Schools
  • Staff Exposure Notice for K-12 Schools
• Universal Marin Schools COVID-19 Exposure Notice | Omicron Surge 1/14/22
  • English
  • Spanish
• MCPH Omicron Update January 24, 2022
  • Dr. Matt Willis of Marin County Public Health shares an update about the status of Omicron in Marin County. Additionally, here is the Marin County School Guidelines Update.

To view this message in Spanish,  click here .

Dear MA Parents/Guardians, Staff, and Students, Thank you for your continued patience as guidelines and policies from Marin County Public Health (MCPH) are changing rapidly. We have been experiencing a high volume of calls and emails which is causing delays in our replies. On Wednesday, MCPH announced a major shift in policies. Dr. Matt Willis shared that MCPH policies have been designed for prior COVID-19 variants. With our current understanding of the importance of keeping students in school and the widespread nature of Omicron, MCPH is now removing barriers to student attendance and easing the strain on school resources. Indeed, MCPH believes that we are all exposed. We, therefore, must continue to wear masks indoors, stay home, and test at the onset of symptoms. The following changes will be implemented: Exposures that occur in the classroom are now no longer considered to be high risk exposures nor are they considered close contacts. Marin Academy will discontinue sending in-school exposure notices.   Any individual who tests positive must still notify the school and isolate for 5-10 days. However, the positive individual will now be responsible for notifying their own close contacts. We define close contacts as people with whom you live, eat lunch, carpool, and anyone else you’ve spent time with (within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes, masked or unmasked).  Athletics guidance has also changed, but athletic exposure notices will continue for athletic close contacts. Please see the most recent communications from MA athletics regarding updated guidance and exposures and spectators.   The Isolation and Quarantine Guidance from MCPH evolves constantly. If you have been exposed or tested positive please refer to this document. MCPH has removed the 14 day post-booster criteria and the majority of restrictions from attending school. Students who have symptoms of COVID-19, are sick, or have tested positive must stay home until they have received clearance from the COVID-19 Coordinator to return to school.  All students and staff are required to have their boosters by March 1. Upon receiving the booster dose all students and staff will be considered fully-vaccinated and up to date. Students and Staff received a home test kit this week. These home test kits are to be used for symptomatic testing, clearance testing after testing positive, or for exposure testing only. Results of ALL HOME TESTS (whether a school test or one purchased at a store) need to be uploaded to Primary Health with a photo. If you lost the personalized link, find it here at Primary.Health.  Using Zoom for Classes The Zoom option for classes is available only for those who have tested positive and are feeling well enough or have had an exposure event that requires them to quarantine at home. In order to Zoom into classes, a students must have received notice from MA that they may not attend school due to COVID-19. Approved students are directly responsible for accessing zoom links from their teachers. We encourage rest for anyone who is not feeling well enough to participate.  It’s time to upgrade your masks. N95, KN95, KN94 are the best, but you can also wear a surgical mask under your cloth mask or at a minimum a medical-grade surgical mask. Wear masks in carpools and when around others outside.  Our MA community has now spent nearly two years navigating this pandemic; we’ve continued to work together for the greater good and remain steadfast in our commitment to protect one another. Even with the ongoing complexities of new variants and changing policies, we will continue to move forward into a future where we can gather again safely. Warmly, Travis

Para ver este mensaje en español, haga clic aquí. Dear MA Community, School is back in session, and we are delighted to see our students back. The current COVID-19 surge has pushed us to work quickly to keep our community safe, and we appreciate your patience as we share another COVID-19 update. Our website and communications provider, Finalsite, is experiencing a major outage impacting thousands of schools worldwide this week. This has not affected MyMA or Canvas; you may still log in using these links. We expect our website, online calendar, and communications platform to be restored shortly, and in the meantime, we are all still available by phone and email.  Yesterday, Marin County Public Health put together a valuable presentation on the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic and the new updates to school safety policies. I strongly encourage you to view it here.  We are pleased to announce that we have added new options to support our students who cannot attend class due to COVID-19. Beginning on Monday, students who have been required to stay home because of either COVID-19 exposure or a positive test will have the option to passively Zoom into class. Students who feel ill or don't find it helpful are not required to attend class this way; this is offered as an option for those who are feeling well and wish to join classes virtually as observers. This option is only for those who are out due to COVID-19 and have been instructed by the school to stay home. To make this arrangement, students or parents should email teachers directly noting that the school is requiring them to stay home, and they are well enough to Zoom into class. They must request the Zoom link no later than the night before class. Again, Zooming into classes is an option, not a requirement, and is designed for those who feel otherwise healthy but cannot attend in-person due to COVID-19.  As I mentioned in my last correspondence, on-campus visitors are limited to masked, asymptomatic, fully vaccinated, and boosted (at least 14 days prior) essential visitors. There is a slight change for athletics spectators. For indoor athletic events (basketball), only the legal parent/guardians of a student playing on a team will be permitted to attend the game as long as they are masked, asymptomatic, fully vaccinated, and boosted. For outdoor athletic events (soccer), a limited number of parent/guardian spectators will be permitted. We will send more information about the sign-up process that will be in place to pre-register. Additionally, beginning Monday all student-athletes will be tested once weekly. Finally, due to the new COVID-19 guidelines, we can no longer hold X-Day on January 14. Next Friday will now be a day off for students. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and hope students will use this day for further rest and restoration.  Thank you again for your ongoing support. If you need to review our last COVID Update please do so here. We truly appreciate your flexibility as we navigate this ongoing situation guided first and foremost by the safety of our students and community.  Warm regards,  Travis

Para ver este mensaje en español, haga clic aquí.

Dear All, Once again, as we navigate quickly changing guidelines and prioritizing the health of our students and community, I seek and appreciate your patience. We have learned that circumstances and plans may have to adjust with short notice, a practice that we have almost perfected at MA! We are aware that rapidly changing guidance and therefore policies and practices can cause frustration, but we will get through this as a community. We have, and we will!  The Omicron variant has caused a surge of COVID-19 cases and exposures in our community and beyond, and we are pivoting quickly again. Please take your time to read the entirety of this communication as there are several new changes to share.  Testing: Today is the day to submit your second test result through Primary.Heath. Please follow the instructions here, and note photos should include a slip of paper with the i-health cartridge with the following: Name, DOB, Date of Test, Start Time of Test, End Time of Test End (15 minutes), Student Signature, and Parent Signature. With the current surge of COVID-19, many people are finding that both home and PCR tests are in short supply. If your student has been exposed or has a scratchy throat or runny nose, they should stay home and take a test as soon as possible. Contact Brett Laronde if you are unable to get a test. PCR tests are no longer required to verify antigen test results, although if medically advised, Marin Academy can also provide PCR testing. We are keeping a close eye on the updated guidance on test effectiveness.    Masking: California Public Health has updated its masking recommendations due to the increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant. Cloth masks are now considered the least effective option for protection against COVID-19. Marin Academy is requiring N95, KN95, KN94, a surgical mask with a well-fitted cloth mask over it, or a single surgical mask when other options are not available. We understand that supplies are limited; if you do not have a surgical mask, please stop by the Front Office to pick one up. Please note masking in carpools is also required.   Boosters: Marin County Public Health Guidelines require that eligible unboosted individuals must follow similar isolation and quarantine requirements as unvaccinated individuals. You are considered boosted 14 days after your booster shot. If you have not already done so, please schedule your booster shots as soon as possible. Boosters will be required for students and staff by March 1, 2022.   Events, Athletics, and Assemblies: At this time we are unable to host in-person events on campus, including all concerts and performances. On-campus events will be postponed until further notice, and visitors will be limited to essential visitors who have been boosted only. No spectators will be allowed for indoor sports, and limited spectators will be allowed for outdoor sports. This week's assembly will also be postponed as we pivot back to virtual assemblies.   Travel: After retuning from travel, either out of state or out of the country, we require a COVID-19 test on day 5.   Exposure and Isolation Policies have also been updated; please see below:  Updated isolation guidelines for COVID positive persons: Isolation begins the day of the test, which is Day 0 (zero) Day 5: A negative antigen test allows for return to school IF you are: Fever free for 24 hours, without fever reducing medications Symptom-free A positive antigen test or ongoing symptoms requires continued isolation and test on Day 7 Day 7: A negative antigen test allows for return to school if your symptoms have resolved and you are fever-free for 24 hours A positive antigen test requires continued isolation until Day 11 with no test needed to return   If you have been exposed to COVID-19 : For fully vaccinated and boosted people: Monitor symptoms for 14 days Test on Day 5  For partially vaccinated (including those who have not had a booster) or unvaccinated people You must immediately quarantine at home for 5 days and test on day 5 Thank you again for your continued support. We look forward to returning to classes tomorrow.  Warm regards, Travis

 

Dear MA Families, Winter break is upon us, and we have much to celebrate. Over the past few weeks, we have been fortunate to gather together as a community for our fall dance performance, the rhythm/harmony music concert, and our senior arts assemblies in our Performing Arts Center. We have also been entertained and enlightened by senior speeches in the gym. We do not take these opportunities to see our students in action for granted, having missed out on these incredible live events over the course of the last year and a half.  We would not be able to host these in-person events without your continued partnership in following our safety protocols. We realize it can be challenging to keep up with the constantly revised guidance from the Marin County Public Health and California Department of Public Health, and we thank you for your efforts to do so. We are excited to share some additional procedures we are implementing to ensure the safety of our school community. At-Home Testing Kits All students and school employees will get free iHealth At-Home COVID-19 tests to use before re-entry to campus after the break.   Step 1: Get the Materials. We will hand out the test kits to students on Wednesday, December 15 at assembly and lunch. Each box contains 2 tests. Register for Primary.Health. If you are already registered, you do not need to register again! Step 2: Test Your Student prior to returning to campus. Take test #1 three days before returning to school: January 3, 2022. Take test #2 one day before returning to school: January 5, 2022. You can watch this video on how to test.  These tests are ONLY for use on January 3 and 5 for re-entry to campus following winter break. If you DO have any COVID-19 symptoms and/or you have HAD had a known exposure to someone with COVID-19, please contact the COVID-19 coordinator, Brett Laronde at 415-482-3317 for next steps before you return. Step 3: Share Your Results on Primary.Health.  Primary.Health is a secure website that reports your results to the school and the Health Department. After you have registered on Primary.Health they will send you an email with a personalized link to upload your results. Please be on the lookout for that email. No internet? Call Primary Health Call Center with your results at (650)275-5419.  More questions? Email support@primary.health. Travel Protocol Reminders:  If you have traveled out of state, you should test for COVID-19 on day 5 after your return.  If you have traveled out of the country, we require a COVID-19 test on day 5, AND you are required to complete the above testing on January 3 and 5. If you are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated there are different requirements. Please check with the COVID-19 coordinator, Brett Laronde. If your student is presenting any signs or symptoms of any illness they should not come to school. If you become symptomatic at any time you should immediately test.  New Visitor Sign-In System:  Upon our return from break we will be implementing a new visitor sign-in system to increase the safety of our students, faculty, and staff and assist us with emergency management. All visitors to MA will be required to sign-in at the front desk iPad and present their vaccination card.  Thank you again for your commitment to keeping our school community safe! We hope you have a wonderful, much-deserved winter break. Warmly,

Hello MA Basketball Families, There have been updates to the Marin County Public Health (MCPH) and California Public Health (CDPH) guidance for indoor sports that will affect our basketball program beginning on Monday, December 6. As basketball is considered a high-risk sport, we will begin on-campus molecular testing for all MA basketball players weekly. Every Monday, right after school and before practice, we will hold a quick testing clinic. We appreciate your continued support; our partnership with MCPH, CDPH, and our MA families has been invaluable as we navigate the ever-changing landscape of this pandemic.  Both MCPH and CDPH have made it clear that indoor mask use remains a critical layer in protecting against COVID-19 infection and transmission. Marin County Public Health shared , when actively practicing, conditioning, or competing in indoor sports, masks are required by participants even during heavy exertion, as practicable. The introduction of the phrase “as practicable” allows individual districts, schools, and groups to determine what is “practicable” during heavy exertion. For MA, this means that everyone will remain masked indoors, including spectators, coaches, and players on the sidelines. Masks may be removed during active game play, although players can remain masked if they choose. We will be rolling this process out slowly and cautiously, so please note that there will be some limitations based on the situation and location, for instance practices in the old gym will require masking due to air flow and ventilation.  To reiterate, for basketball at MA: Masks are required for all spectators, observers, coaches, etc. Participants who are not actively practicing, conditioning, or competing must wear masks. Masks are also required indoors while on the sidelines, in team meetings, and within locker rooms and weight rooms.  Participants who are actively competing at heavy exertion levels may remove masks during game play. All MA basketball players will participate in mandatory weekly testing. Please contact our COVID-19 Coordinator, Brett Laronde, with any questions, and thank you for your continued partnership in keeping our community safe.   Thank you again,

Rob Rafeh Athletic Director Brett R. Laronde, LAT, ATC, NREMT COVID-19 Coordinator

Dear MA Community,

As we head into the holiday season, I want to take a moment to share some thoughts and offer another update on our COVID-19 policies. Every year around this time, before I even begin to plan my family’s Thanksgiving meal, I find a moment of stillness to reflect on the past year. Last year, in the grips of the second wave of COVID-19, our community had only been together a handful of times and the majority of our precious human connections were marked by distance. Filled with gratitude, this year I’m savoring the normalcy of school life we’ve been able to create. We recently filled the MA Theatre with applause during the incredible fall production of The Arsonists. Our gym has been bursting with cheers as several teams have been able to compete in playoffs again. None of this would  have been possible without our entire community’s commitment to care. We have come together, followed safety protocols, and we are thankful for our ability to share the following updates with you.

Upon our return from Thanksgiving break, students will no longer need to fill out the daily health assessment on the Ruvna app.Instead, students must self assess every morning before they leave for campus. If you, or your student, is presenting any signs or symptoms of any illness they should not come to school. COVID-19 symptoms are not the only symptoms to consider as you self assess. We are asking for your partnership here—please do not come to school sick. We need anyone with a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher to stay home until they have been fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medication for a minimum of twenty-four hours. If you become symptomatic at any time you should immediately test. 

Additionally, parents and visitors to campus will no longer be required to fill out a health assessment. Parents and visitors will still need to check-in, show proof of vaccination each visit, and wear a mask indoors on-campus. Again, if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or other illnesses do not come to campus.  

As I mentioned in my previous communication, we are delighted to be able to offer expanded COVID-19 testing on campus. Many of our staff, myself included, are now certified as testers in the California Department of Public Health K-12 School Rapid Testing Program. We’d like to again encourage our community to sign up for Primary Health in order to support this effort. We will be holding open testing on Thursday and Friday, December 2 and 3, for students who have traveled over break, as well as those who would like to test. You may also book on-campus testing at other times, including PCR testing, by contacting the COVID-19 coordinator, Brett Laronde.

As a reminder: 

• If you have traveled out of state, MCPH strongly recommends you to get tested for COVID-19 on day 5. 
• If you have traveled out of the country, we require a COVID-19 test on day 5.
• If you are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated there are different requirements. Please check with the COVID-19 coordinator, Brett Laronde.

MCPH and CDPH have recently revised policies around Molecular/PCR/NAAT testing (formerly referred to as PCR). Molecular/PCR/NAAT tests continue to be required for high risk activities including some sports, dance, theater, singing, band, music, etc. as listed in the testing policy and procedures.

Lastly, vaccine boosters have now been approved for anyone over age 18. We strongly recommend getting your booster shot. You can find information about getting a booster here. Please stay safe over the break and we look forward to seeing you upon your return.

With gratitude,

Travis Brownley
Head of School

Para ver este mensaje en español, haga clic aquí.

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Students,

With the holiday season fast approaching, I would like to update you on our COVID-19 policies and procedures. With our community’s high vaccination rates and attentive care of our health and safety, we’re predicting a slow and deliberate reduction of restrictions as the school year progresses. That said, please continue to stay vigilant in hand washing, indoor mask use, filling out your Ruvna accurately, and staying home if you have any COVID symptoms.  

Here are some outlines of new or relevant policies to keep in mind:

• Masks are no longer required outdoors. It is a personal choice, and we welcome continued use for high-risk individuals or those who feel more comfortable wearing masks. Masks are still needed indoors.
   
• We are delighted to share that our on-campus testing capacity is expanding. We anticipate holding a free drop-in testing clinic on day five after Thanksgiving break. To do this, we will soon share additional testing information, including new permission to test forms for our new COVID-19 testing partner. We appreciate your continued support, and we expect this will be a great benefit to our community.
   
• The availability of FDA/EUA approved home test kits has grown considerably, and we accept both PCR and antigen tests. We highly recommend picking up an antigen kit or two to have on hand. Having one on hand will allow you to test quickly and easily if symptoms appear. The tests below are home antigen test kits available at CVS/Walgreens/Target etc.:
  • BinaxNow Antigen Self Test (CVS or Walgreens)
  • Quidel QuickVue Test Kit (CVS or Walgreens)

• We recognize that some families will want to travel, especially for the holidays. When returning from out-of-state travel, all students should report their recent trip on Ruvna. Based on recommendations from the CDC and MCPH, Marin Academy strongly recommends everyone test (antigen or PCR) on day five upon return from out-of-state travel. These test results should be sent to Brett Laronde. All out-of-state travelers should continually monitor for symptoms for 14 full days after returning home and immediately isolate and test for COVID-19 if symptoms develop.
   
  • Unvaccinated or partially-vaccinated individuals may attend school and ride the bus but will be under modified quarantine for 8-11 days. Marin Academy requires these individuals to test (antigen or PCR) on day five upon return from out-of-state travel. These test results should be sent to Brett Laronde. During modified quarantine, you may not participate in high-risk activities/classes such as dance, music, theater, athletics, band, singing, and any extracurricular or co-curricular activities. Students who test negative on day 5 may exit modified quarantine on day 8. Visit the Travel P&P on MyMA for additional details. 

• For international travel, all students should report their recent trip on Ruvna. Marin Academy requires a test (antigen or PCR) on day 5 after international travel for everyone. These test results should be sent to Brett Laronde. Upon return from international travel everyone must monitor for symptoms for 14 full days after your return home and immediately isolate and test for COVID-19 if symptoms develop.
   
  • Unvaccinated or partially-vaccinated individuals may attend school and ride the bus but will be under modified quarantine for 11 days. Marin Academy requires these individuals to test (antigen or PCR) on day five upon return from out-of-state travel. These test results should be sent to Brett Laronde. During modified quarantine you may not participate in high-risk activities/classes such as dance, music, theater, athletics, band, singing, and any extracurricular or co-curricular activities. Visit the Travel P&P on MyMA for additional details.
     

I’m genuinely grateful for this community. This ongoing pandemic has tested all of us in different ways, yet we have found that the Marin Academy community has continued to be responsive and responsible when considering the health and well-being of our community as a whole. We are grateful for your patience, care, and commitment. 

With gratitude,

Travis

 

Staying Safe from COVID-19 While Traveling

Great Way to Have a Safe Holiday Season:

• Reduce the risk of anyone in your group getting seriously ill
• Avoid infections that would lead to quarantine or other disruptions
• Avoid spreading an infection to others, especially vulnerable persons

 

4 Easy Steps:

1. Vaccinate all eligible people in your household (and get your flu shot, too!)
2. Stay home if you are sick
3. Test before celebration (antigen test day of the gathering)
   • A positive is a positive - stay home
4. Test after gathering (antigen Test 5 days after gathering or sooner if you develop symptoms)

Dear Families,

We are so grateful we have been able to welcome our students back to campus safely, and we hope your school year is off to a fantastic start. COVID-19 continues to be a serious public health issue, and this pandemic is not over. Our goal is to keep school open and our community safe. We continue to consult with Marin County Public Health (MCPH) and Marin County Office of Education (MCOE), as we pivot and adjust to new data and information. At assembly today, I shared the new guidance with students. Below are the current changes that we are implementing: 

• Students will eat and drink outdoors only, although they may continue to sip water with straws under their masks in class. We expect students to maintain a distance of six feet when they are actively eating and drinking.
• We will continue to have an open campus; however, students must distance themselves at lunch. Marin Academy has an incredibly high vaccination rate; therefore, we avoid having assigned seats at lunch. Should we be required to have assigned seating at lunch, we will likely need to change our schedule. Let’s avoid that!
• We are reducing the number of people who can gather together indoors. Through public health and scientific guidance we’ve determined caps on the number of people in indoor communal spaces, including the library, during lunch, and tutorial. We are moving large class meetings outdoors.

If you are looking for information about testing or updated quarantine guidelines, our MyMA Resource Board contains detailed COVID practices and protocols.

I thank you for your cooperation in reminding your student to do their Ruvna each morning before leaving home, taking health precautions in daily life, and keeping students home from school if they have even the mildest symptom. Your partnership is invaluable. 

Warmest regards,

Dear Marin Academy Community,

I hope you have enjoyed your summer and are as excited for the new school year as we are. As you are undoubtedly aware, the new wave of coronavirus cases due to the Delta variant has led to renewed vigilance and updated health and safety mandates. While many of us wish we could finally remove our masks, we are confident knowing that we are entering this year with the knowledge and experience garnered from last year. We are ready to safely welcome our students back to campus. 

Let’s start with the four main things we all must do to keep our community safe: 

• Masks are required for everyone on campus, both indoors and outside.
• We will require vaccinations for all students, faculty, staff, and all visitors on campus unless medically exempt.
• Vigilant hygiene and handwashing will continue.
• If you are sick, even experiencing very mild symptoms, we need you to stay home. 

We are delighted to report that after our summer call for vaccination information, Marin Academy had 100% of faculty and staff and 97% of students fully vaccinated. Unless medically exempt, the entire population will now be at least partially vaccinated by the beginning of school. We also will now require parents, volunteers, and visitors to be vaccinated to come on to campus or attend any MA events. 

Mandates and guidelines will change, and we will continue to adjust as needed. You can always find more detailed information about all of our COVID-19 protocols and procedures updated on the resource board in MyMA. As we begin the year, here are additional updates to our protocols:

• We will return to an open campus, and students will now be able to leave campus during lunch and free periods. That said, we must continue to follow safety protocols even off-campus. Unfortunately, a lack of compliance with masking and distancing off campus may require us to return to a closed campus. 
• Our classrooms will look much more like we are used to as physical distancing in hallways and classrooms is no longer required as long as masks and hand hygiene remain. 
• We will continue to require daily assessments with Ruvna. 
• Our beloved café will reopen! Although students will now be able to eat lunch where and with whom they wish, masks are to be removed only when actively eating or drinking.
• Clubs and tutorials will be in-person again, with safety protocols in place.
• We will continue to follow the CDC regarding travel guidelines for both domestic and international travel.
• As of today, there are no updated guidelines regarding athletics, drama, music, or dance. We will continue to follow last year’s guidelines until new ones are issued.

Lastly, students will not have the option to attend class virtually this year, regardless of circumstances. Students should plan to attend all of their classes in person. If students are sick, even with mild symptoms, they should stay home and rest in order to protect our community.

There will be a Public Health Update for the School Community to review the guidelines for all Marin County schools on August 17, 2021, at 1:00 PM. We encourage you to join this meeting or view the most updated guidance from the county here. 

Thank you for your continued support, we are looking forward to seeing you soon

Warmest regards,

Travis