Health Office Procedures

2021-22 School Year (Students)

The Germantown Academy Health Office strives to promote a healthy environment for everyone on our campus. Working together we can help reduce the spread of illness and infection in our community and maintain a safe environment at GA.

Daily Health Monitoring

All students and employees are expected to take their temperature each morning before coming to school. As of this writing, we will not ask students and employees to input a daily symptom check online, but we ask that everyone carefully monitor their daily symptoms to ensure the ongoing safety of the community.

If a student is presenting two or more Covid-19 symptoms while at school, they will be sent to the nurse. The Health Office Staff will assess the symptoms and confer with parents to determine if a test is necessary. We are asking all students and employees with two of the more minor seeming symptoms (or one of the major symptoms) to get tested either here at GA or privately, just to be certain.

Students and employees must stay home if they have:

Acute onset or worsening of any one of the following symptoms or signs:

A fever of 100 degrees or higher and/or chills;
Cough;
Shortness of breath;
Difficulty breathing;
Olfactory disorder;
Taste disorder;
Confusion or change in mental status;
Persistent pain or pressure in the chest;
Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone;
Inability to wake or stay awake.

Severe respiratory illness with at least one of the following:

Clinical or radiographic evidence of pneumonia;
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Temperature checks may be conducted on campus at any time.

Health Care Guidelines for Students While on Campus
In the event a member of the student community becomes sick or demonstrates a history of exposure while on campus, steps will be taken to care for that person in a safe, designated area in the Nurse’s Office Quarantine Rooms.

Any student experiencing potential COVID-19 symptoms will be isolated to protect them and other members of the community. Students will be escorted to a designated area, where they will be monitored by a member of the GA Health Office until they can depart campus safely.

Emergency contacts (as indicated in your Magnus Health App) will be notified to arrange immediate pickup (within one hour) and directed to contact their primary care provider for evaluation and treatment directives. Individuals who are sick should go home or to a healthcare facility depending on how severe their symptoms and follow the exclusion guidelines.

Health Care Guidelines for Students While Not at GA

Parents/guardians must call the Division Office and the Health Office if their child develops COVID-19 symptoms, has tested positive for COVID-19, or has been in close contact (i.e. within 6 feet for at least 15 minutes as defined by the CDC) with another individual who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The ability of a student to safely return to an in-person school setting must be cleared through the Health Office and will be based upon MCOPH guidance.

When someone on campus has tested positive for COVID-19, Germantown Academy will work with the Montgomery County Department of Health, and will contact anyone at risk using the following protocols:

Follow the protocols listed above designated by the Department of Health
Disinfect and clean classroom and primary spaces where the infected individual spent significant time
Identify all “close contacts” and execute GA’s contact tracing protocols as listed below
Notify all “close contacts” without identifying by name individuals who have tested positive
- Anyone who classifies as Moderate or High Risk of exposure dependent on positive individual’s schedule and activities
- Inform those individuals to stay home and self-monitor for symptoms, and follow CDC guidelines if symptoms develop

Contact Tracing
If students test positive for COVID-19, local county health departments will be in contact with the individuals and their close contacts regarding recommendations for quarantining and monitoring of symptoms to mitigate the spread of the virus. For students diagnosed with COVID-19, the Health Office staff will communicate with individuals who are considered close contacts while maintaining the confidentiality of the COVID-19 positive student.

Other Care
The Health Office will have a separate entrance for students who have illness or injuries not related to COVID-19. Lower School employees have small first aid kits in their classrooms and the office to attend to any minor accidents/injuries, while everyone who needs regular medicine administered should still come to the Health Office.

Contact Information:

Lori Andress, School Nurse
Germantown Academy Health Office
nurse@germantownacademy.org
267-405-7340

2020-21 School Year (Employees)

Daily Health Monitoring

If an employee is presenting two or more Covid-19 symptoms while at school, they will be asked to see the nurse. The Health Office Staff will assess the symptoms and determine if a test is necessary. We are asking all students and employees with two of the more minor seeming symptoms (or one of the major symptoms) to get tested either here at GA or privately, just to be certain.

Students and employees must stay home if they have:

Acute onset or worsening of any one of the following symptoms or signs:

A fever of 100 degrees or higher and/or chills;
Cough;
Shortness of breath;
Difficulty breathing;
Olfactory disorder;
Taste disorder;
Confusion or change in mental status;
Persistent pain or pressure in the chest;
Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone;
Inability to wake or stay awake.

Severe respiratory illness with at least one of the following:

Clinical or radiographic evidence of pneumonia;
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Temperature checks may be conducted on campus at any time.

Health Care Guidelines for Employees While on Campus
In the event a member of the community becomes sick or demonstrates a history of exposure while on campus, steps will be taken to care for that person in a safe, designated area in the Nurse’s Office Quarantine Rooms.

Employees experiencing potential COVID-19 symptoms will be assisted to safely and quickly depart campus in order to receive further care from their primary care provider.

Health Care Guidelines for Employees While Not at GA

Employees who meet the Montgomery County Office of Public Health (MCOPH) Exclusion from School Criteria: potential COVID-19 symptoms, tested positive for COVID-19, close contact (i.e. within 6 feet for at least 15 minutes as defined by the CDC) with a person who tested positive, or travel to states with high COVID-19 rates must:

Notify their supervisor or Division Head and the Health Office at nurse@germantownacademy.org
Contact primary care providers to assess requirements regarding quarantine at home and self-monitoring symptoms
If the primary care provider recommends testing, the employee should not return to campus until test results are known
The ability of an employee to safely return to on-site work must be cleared through the Health Office and will be based upon MCOPH guidance
Employees who travel to Hot Spots will need to quarantine for 14 days after their return

When someone on campus has tested positive for COVID-19, Germantown Academy will work with the Montgomery County Department of Health, and will contact anyone at risk using the following protocols:

Follow the protocols listed above designated by the Department of Health
Disinfect and clean classroom and primary spaces where the infected individual spent significant time
Identify all “close contacts” and execute GA’s contact tracing protocols as listed below
Notify all “close contacts” without identifying by name individuals who have tested positive
- Anyone who classifies as Moderate or High Risk of exposure dependent on positive individual’s schedule and activities
- Inform those individuals to stay home and self-monitor for symptoms, and follow CDC guidelines if symptoms develop

Contact Tracing
If employees test positive for COVID-19, local county health departments will be in contact with the individuals and their close contacts regarding recommendations for quarantining and monitoring of symptoms to mitigate the spread of the virus. For students diagnosed with COVID-19, the Health Office staff will communicate with individuals who are considered close contacts while maintaining the confidentiality of the COVID-19 positive student.

Other Care
The Health Office will have a separate entrance for employees who have illness or injuries not related to COVID-19.

Contact Information:

Lori Andress, School Nurse
Germantown Academy Health Office
nurse@germantownacademy.org
267-405-7340