Cleaning & Disinfecting AXL Academy

• All surfaces will be cleaned using EPA-approved disinfectants.

Social Distancing

All people on campus will be required to social distance from others while on school property. Signage, floor markings and other strategies will be utilized to help reinforce social distancing throughout the building including stairways. Hallways will use circulation patterns to encourage social distancing.

Daily Health Screening

Using this online form, scholars will be prompted daily to answer a set of health screening questions prior to arriving to school each day. It is the expectation for families to complete this form each day for each scholar. Upon arriving at school, each scholar and staff member will be required to submit to a temperature screening and AXL will be enforcing a mask policy for all scholars, staff and visitors.

Face Masks

Everyone will be required to wear a mask at AXL Academy with scholars present inside the building regardless of vaccination status, pursuant to the Board of Directors vote on August 9, 2021. Unvaccinated adults must wear a mask regardless if scholars are present or not. Verified vaccinated adults will be permitted to remove masks if no scholars are present. AXL Staff have received instructions from Human Resources on how to verify vaccination status. All visitors regardless of vaccination status must wear a mask. Masks must have ear loops, an elastic band or tie behind the head. Bandanas and neck ‘gaiters’ cannot be used as masks. Masks should not have an output valve. Scholars must provide their own masks. AXL Academy will provide masks to our staff, but they are also permitted to wear their own masks, provided they meet the required specifications. Those individuals not wearing a mask will not be permitted to enter the building. The school reserves the right to determine if a mask/face covering is appropriate and there will be an escalating series of consequences for scholars who repeatedly do not comply with the expectations for wearing a mask. Scholars are encouraged to bring multiple masks with them each day.

Lockers & Backpacks

To reduce the risk of spreading Coronavirus/COVID-19, all lockers will be locked and not used until further notice. Each scholar will carry a backpack and hang on their chair for class.

Breakfast and Lunch

Breakfast and lunch will be served in the classroom for scholars who who did not bring a lunch to school. Breakfast is free for all scholars for the 2020-21 school year. Please register online for the lunch program: payschoolscentral.com

Visitors and Volunteer

At this time, visitors and volunteers are permitted on campus, however all visitors must wear a mask at all times. Visitors who must come to campus must follow the established health screening and safety protocols.

Symptomatic for COVID-19

If a scholar or employee exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 during the school day, they should report to the Nurse’s Office where they will be directed to the isolation room. The school nurse will assess the person’s symptoms and will require them to go home as soon as possible.

Diagnosed With or Exposed to COVID-19

• Families and staff must notify AXL Academy if they have been exposed to COVID-19 and are quarantined, or if a family member has been diagnosed with or presumed to have COVID-19 and/or is being isolated.
• Employees and scholars with known exposure to someone with diagnosed or presumed COVID-19 must self-quarantine at home for 14 days.
• Even if they are asymptomatic, scholars and employees who are being tested for COVID-19 must stay home from any AXL Academy activities including classes, athletics, clubs, etc. and quarantine until test results are received.
• If you are traveling to a state/country where there is an increased rate in COVID cases, we ask you that you consider self-quarantining at home for 14 days after your return before coming back to our school.

Returning to School Following Quarantine

Employees and students with confirmed or presumed COVID-19 must meet these conditions prior to returning to school:

• Persons with confirmed COVID-19 may return to work/school a full 72 hours after fever is resolved without the use of fever-reducing medication AND respiratory symptoms (cough, shortness of breath) improve AND at least fourteen (14) days have passed since symptom onset.
• Persons with presumed COVID-19 may return to work/school when at least fourteen (14) days have passed since symptom onset AND 72 hours after fever resolves without use of fever-reducing medication AND respiratory symptoms (cough, shortness of breath) have improved.

Communications about Positive Cases of COVID-19

• If your student or another member of your family learns that they are positive for COVID-19, please contact the AXL nurse and para to let them know by sending an email to kenzie@axlacademy.org. She will advise you on next steps for quarantining and returning to school.

• Parents/Guardians will be notified via paper letters, dojo, email, text and phone. Please ensure your information is accurate within Infinite Campus. Only those who came into close contact with the infected person will be notified; we will not send a general email notification to the entire community.
  
• The identity of the infected person will not be shared to maintain confidentiality and ensure compliance with appropriate confidentiality standards.

Ensuring the Health & Safety of Scholars

While we cannot reduce the risk to zero, we have implemented a multilayered mitigation approach that we are confident will help ensure the safety of everyone who visits our campus. In an effort to reduce the risk of infection to our employees and scholars, we have put in place preventative measures to reduce the spread of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 at AXL Academy and have made many enhancements to our school environment for the start of the school year including, but not limited to:

• Continued cleaning protocol for classrooms and building;
• Continued use of MERV 13 air filters;
• Continued use of COVID-19 disinfectant which has been EPA approved;
• Continued use of electrostatic sprayer to remove germs from classrooms;
• Continued use of air purification system in high use rooms;
• Continued use of hand washing stations in all classrooms;
• Continued social distancing measures in shared spaces;
• Continued cohorting model for all crews to ensure contact tracing;
• Continued us of a daily health screening policy;
• Adherence to APS Required Vaccine Policy for all AXL staff;
• Updated mask requirement for all AXL staff, scholars and visitors.