Document ID COVID2223	Title SY2022-23 Milestone COVID and Communicable Diseases Plan	Print Date September 4th, 2022
Revision 2.0	Prepared By Operations and Governance Circle	Date Prepared 10/18/2022
Effective Date 10/21/2022	Reviewed By  Operations and Governance Circle	Date Reviewed 10/19/2022
	Approved By Community Engagement (meeting of the Membership)	Date Approved 10/20/2022

COVID-19 Protocols

1. Masking

Indoor masking will be maintained and required in all areas of the school except for the kitchen and makerspace, and may only be removed when students are eating. If the kitchen and makerspace are being used for eating, the door must be propped open for the duration.

• If a student is not wearing a mask in another part of the building, an adult will politely request that they put on a mask. If the student refuses after two polite requests, the student will be asked to step into the Health Room or vestibule (weather permitting) until a parent can be reached to come pick the student up. If the parent cannot be reached, the student will remain in the Health Room and will be given a computer so that they can complete work remotely.
• A student may drink water in other parts of the building, and will quickly move their mask, take a sip of water, and put their mask right back on. 
• Eating will not be permitted anywhere else in the building besides the Makerspace and Kitchen. Weather permitting, students are also welcome to eat outside during lunch, snack, and other times when students are eating. Students who request another type of mask due to mental or emotional health can submit a request in writing to the Health, Wellness, and Safety Coordinator.
• All members of the community can wear a KN-94, KN-95, or surgical mask. Cloth masks or any other mask not in these categories will not be sufficient. Masks will be provided by Milestone if needed.
• If a student has a medical reason for not wearing a mask, the family may provide a doctor’s note with that allowance and any instructions for modified mask wearing.
• Even if a community member is in a space alone, they will not be allowed to take off their mask.
• All visitors will be required to wear a mask. 

2. Close Contacts

When a member of our community is exposed to someone outside of Milestone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or any other communicable disease, it makes them a “close contact”. When a member in our community themself tests positive for COVID-19 or any other communicable disease, it makes everyone who was in the building with that person a close contact.

• Close contacts or potential exposures should be reported to Milestone. Milestone will then notify the entire community that a close contact has occurred (while maintaining confidentiality for everyone in our community). The date of the possible exposure will also be shared. 
  • Because we are still requiring masking in all parts of the building except when eating, we will not require additional steps to be taken for close contacts.
  • If, after a family is notified of a close contact or potential exposure, that family chooses to keep their student home to learn virtually for a time that feels appropriate to them, the student will be supported to attend Milestone virtually in all ways (including borrowing a laptop from Milestone if needed, getting every opportunity to participate in Advisory, classes, and school meeting online, and having opportunities to check in with their Advisor regularly during their virtual days)
    • As long as a student is present and engaged virtually, they will be marked Present for the school day
  • If you discover that you are a close contact on Monday – Friday between the hours of 8 and 5, please call: (608) 305-4332 and let the person you speak with know that you are a close contact for COVID-19 (or whatever other communicable disease).
  • If you are not able to reach anyone during Milestone’s hours OR you discover that you are a close contact after hours, please e-mail [email protected] and [email protected]. Then, please call the above number at 8 a.m. on the next school day.

3. Procedure to Enter

When anyone wants to enter the building, we will:

• Take temperatures. 
  • Anyone with a temperature at 100.4 or above will need to leave the building. If it is a student that has the temperature, the person sitting at the front desk will assist with reaching out to a family member, guardian, or emergency contact to pick the student up. The student will have to wait in the Health Room or vestibule (weather permitting).
• Ask the following two questions:
  • Are you experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms?
    • If the answer to this is yes, the student will need to be picked up and wait in the health room.
  • Have you been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus in the last 10 days?
    • If the answer is yes, it should be reported as a close contact / potential exposure. 

4. If A Member of Our Community Tests Positive for COVID-19

• Any member of our community who has entered the school building in the 10 days prior to a positive test will be required to notify the Health and Wellness Coordinator and the Milestone Office Line as soon as they receive a positive test result. 
  • If this occurs Monday – Friday between the hours of 8 and 5, please call: (608) 305-4332 and let the person you speak with know that you tested positive for COVID-19 (or whatever other communicable disease).
  • If you are not able to reach anyone during Milestone’s hours OR you get a positive test result or diagnosis after hours, please e-mail [email protected] and [email protected]. Then, please call the above number at 8 a.m. on the next school day.
  • Under no circumstances should anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or any other communicable disease report to the school building. If a member of our community learns of a positive result while at school, they must immediately go to the Health Room and a family member, guardian, or emergency contact will be notified to pick them up. 
  • Anyone testing positive for COVID-19 or any other communicable disease may only return to Milestone once a negative test is obtained (photo evidence or official test results required) OR with a doctor’s note saying when it is safe to return. 

The Role of Community Engagement Membership

• In the future, in the event that it is deemed necessary that Milestone shifts to an entirely virtual school day for a period of time, the Community Engagement Membership will need to adopt a proposal to this effect. 
• Families and students are still welcome to attend school virtually if they have someone in their family who is vulnerable, may choose to attend school virtually in the event of a close contact or exposure, and will be required to attend virtually if they test positive (when they are feeling well enough). In any of these scenarios, a student will receive attendance credit for being signed in and engaged. In order for this to change, the Community Engagement Membership will need to adopt a proposal to this effect.