Family Life and Learning Health and Safety Protocols

As of October 16, 2020

This plan has been formulated based on guidelines from The CDC, The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and our peer programs, building upon BJ’s Re-Entry Task Force August Report and Campus Operations Plan. As these guidelines are still classified as “interim,” some of these policies and procedures may be subject to change.  

Guiding Principles:

We are committed to providing a safe, nurturing and warm learning environment for all families. Our participants’ mental health and social-emotional development continue to be our priority, as we manage new protocols and safety measures.  

Social interaction among school-aged children is especially important for the development of communication, social-emotional, and interpersonal skills. While the majority of our programming will take place virtually our hope is to bring children together to meet In-person sporadically throughout the fall. 

Meeting in person reinforces children’s feelings of connectedness or their belief that the staff and other adults at the synagogue care about them and their well-being. In-person programming provides children opportunities to facilitate social-emotional development which is difficult to replicate through distance learning.

This plan will allow us to:

1. Ensure that our families can receive a Jewish education while staying safe, healthy, and socially-emotionally supported.
2. Ensure that our children and families feel socially and spiritually connected, even while physically distant. We would like our families to feel that BJ is a space they can turn to in times of need.
3. Ensure that we are creating an environment where our families can be active Jewish participants in our current world.

Arrival for In-person Programs

In order to comply with new safety guidelines regarding social distancing, complete and submitted health screening forms and temperature checks are required when anyone takes part in an In-person FLAL program, both outside or potentially inside of the building. 

Participants must have completed a health screening form before arrival at a Family Life and Learning program. Health screening forms for all Family Life and Learning programs will be sent the day of an In-person program. No participant will be admitted to a program without that completed virtual form on the day of the program.

Temperature Check

Upon entry into any Family Life and Learning programming, all participants will be given a temperature check. If a participant shows a temperature above 99, the participant will be sent home. 

Face Masks

All BJ Family Life and Learning staff are required to wear face masks during In-person programming. 

All participants will be required to wear face masks, which are to be provided by parents or guardians. Participants will not be allowed to to take part in any FLAL programs without a mask. 

Social Distancing

We recognize that physical distancing is not always easy, but it is necessary. We expect and continue to ensure participants to remain 6 feet apart for any in person event. Families that cannot abide by these guidelines will be asked to leave.  

Moving Traditions In the Park

We hope group leaders will be able to organize groups to meet outside, physically distanced once a month. 15 participants maximum. 

Hitoreri in the Park

Our hope is to hold a brief service for our teens. All of our outlined protocols would remain in place. Information from Town Hall meetings indicate that both Parents (BJ members) and teens feel passionately about providing this spiritual experience for our teens.

Kulanu Outdoors

We are experimenting with an outdoor service in the park with pre registration required and the above mentioned guidelines outlined. If weather becomes an issue, we will communicate immediately with registrants and stream the service instead. 

Informal Outdoor Pop ups 

Social-emotional and safely distanced activities, such as scavenger hunts, relay races ect.. intended to help the relational connections in our community. These youth centered programs will all take place outside. If weather becomes an issue, these in person will be rescheduled. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

If a parent or guardian has a fever, do participants need to stay home?

Yes.  The recommendation would be for the ill person to be tested for COVID-19, as fever is a primary symptom.  If that test is positive OR if the participant starts to develop symptoms, the participant must remain out of Pop up programming.  Quarantine Guidelines

My participant had a playdate or hangout with another person who has now been diagnosed with COVID-19, does my participant need to stay home?

Yes.  If your participant has been exposed (defined as within 6 feet of the person for 10 minutes or more), your participant must remain at home for 14 days from last exposure.  

A member of my household was exposed or at classmate and is now quarantining, does my participant need to stay home?

Yes.  If the member of your household subsequently tests positive or exhibits symptoms, your participant will need to stay home.

How long does my participant need to be absent if they have a cough/fever?

It depends.  If your participant receives a negative COVID test then they can return to a FLAL program after they are fever free for 72 hours without the aid of medication and symptoms have improved.  If they do not receive a COVID test, your participant will need to remain home for 10 days AND be fever free for 72 hours without the aid of medication and have improved symptoms.

What happens if someone in my child’s FLAL program is diagnosed with COVID-19?

If a participant or staff member receives a positive diagnosis of COVID-19, all families in that pop up program will be notified immediately and pop up programs will not take place for 14 days and be moved to remote learning.  

Closing 

We believe that the social-emotional health of our community is essential during these unprecedented times. These in person  events are for both children and families to stay connected to each other and B’nai Jeshurun, as we strive to continue to create, maintain and grow sacred relationships. 

Health Screening Forms

All individuals (staff and participants) are required to complete a health screening form before taking part in a pop up program, both outside or inside of the building. This will take place when registering for a program. 

The screening will follow this format:

• Since last here, has your participant experienced any of the following symptoms:   YES/NO
  • Temperature of 100℉ or greater
  • Cough
  • Loss of taste or smell
  • Shortness of breath
  • Gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea)
• Since last here, is your participant waiting for a positive COVID-19 test, been diagnosed with COVID-19 or been instructed by any healthcare provider or the Department of Health to isolate or quarantine?  YES/NO
• To the best of your knowledge, has your participant been in close contact (within 6 feet for at least 10 minutes) of anyone who was positive for COVID-19 or suspected of having COVID-19?YES/NO
• In the past 14 days, has your particapant traveled to any location listed on the NYC travel advisory/quarantine list  https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisoryYES/NO

If you have answered “YES” to any of the above questions, your child/teen/adult will not be allowed to take part in FLAL in person  program.

Quarantine 

For the purpose of these quarantine guidelines, exposure is defined as any person who has been within 6 feet of a person diagnosed with COVID-19 for at least 10 minutes, without proper PPE.

Quarantine for travel:

All families and staff must follow NYS guidelines to quarantine for 14 days when returning from a state or country on the NYS travel advisory list, regardless of whether or not there are symptoms present.  

Quarantine as a precautionary measure without symptoms or a positive test:

“An exposure to an exposure is not an exposure.”  If a close contact of a child or staff member is being quarantined as a precautionary measure, without symptoms or positive test, that participant/staff member can continue to come to programming. 

Quarantine for family member positive COVID-19 test or symptoms of COVID-19:

In the event that a parent/caregiver of a child (or roommate/spouse of a staff member) must be isolated because they have tested positive for or have exhibited symptoms of COVID-19, that parent/caregiver/teacher will not be allowed to enter the site for any reason, including picking up their child.

Should the parent/caregiver test positive, they should arrange to have an authorized contact come to pick up their child.  As a “close contact”, the child/staff member must not return to programming for 14 days from the last time they were in close contact with the person with COVID-19.