Health Safety and Security

HEALTH SAFEGUARDS

Saint Jeanne de Lestonnac School encourages our parents to be mindful during the "Cold and Flu" season regarding case surges that can occur in viral contagions ranging from the common cold, to Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), influenza, and of course Covid. We will need to continue to work together to help mitigate the spread and help to ensure all of our SJDL families, students, Sisters, teachers and staff remain healthy.

Medical professionals have indicated that we may be more susceptible to these viral contagions now more than ever due to our responses to the pandemic and protocols that were in place over the last few years. Many children and adults can have weaker immune systems which can pose higher risk factors of contracting various illnesses.

Please be sure to follow these guidelines:

• DO NOT send your child to school if they are showing ANY symptoms associated with the common cold, such as, persistent cough, congestion, etc., and/or a fever.
• Remind your child(ren) to wash their hands on a regular basis.
• Please be sure that your child has adequate clothing that is appropriate for the various weather patterns we encounter, especially very cold mornings and rainy days.

We understand how hard it is to keep children home from school when they have mild symptoms, however, a mild symptom for one child may be detrimental to another. Therefore, we need to all remain diligent and work together in order to provide a healthy sustainable environment for the school over the coming months.

SECURITY SAFEGUARDS

The security of the children, their parents, and all school personnel is of imperative importance and procedures are in place for their protection. The school practices fire, drop and hold, shelter in place and lock-down drills throughout the school year to familiarize students with emergency procedures. In the event of an actual emergency during school hours, the students are supervised until called for by their parent or other parent-designated adults. We remind our currently enrolled parents to include any and all people on your Information and Emergency Release forms who are authorized to pick up your child. Please update this information through the school's Student Information System on a regular basis.

1. The school campus is fenced and locked every day from 8 AM to 3 PM.  The only direct access to the school between these hours is through the school office off of Main Street.
2. People who wish to access the campus must first go through the school office. 
3. All visitors must sign in and wear a bright yellow visitor’s tag for easy recognition. 
4. Parents who wish to pick up a child for an appointment, or who come later than 8 AM must go to the school office for late notice or be officially signed out.
5. When parents are invited on campus for special events, they may come on campus through the Main Street or “Field of Dreams” parking lot. The gates remain open until the event ends. 
6. The school has multiple video cameras on campus which provide 24-hour surveillance of much of the 14-acre school facility. 
7. The school maintains an Emergency Notification System to all registered phone numbers and email addresses that parents have included when they registered / re-registered. This will be used exclusively for episodic Schoolwide notices when immediate notification to everyone in our school community is necessary.
8. An “all call” emergency button on the intercom system can alert the teachers throughout the entire school facility in the event of a Schoolwide "Shelter In Place" or “Lock Down” event. 

Standards for All School Workers Regarding Interaction With Youth

1. School workers must be aware of their own and others’ vulnerability to appearance or perception of impropriety when working alone with youth.  At all times, School workers should, therefore, use a team approach to managing youth activities. At least two adults (preferably a team of several adults) will organize and supervise youth activities.
2. Except in an emergency or urgent circumstances involving the youth’s safety, School workers shall never be alone with a youth during any school activity or setting.  For example, adults should avoid situations that put them in a position of being alone with a minor in a rectory, parish building, school, or other closed room (except as required for the Sacrament of Reconciliation).
3. School workers will observe careful boundaries concerning any type of physical contact with youth.  Beyond a simple handshake or a friendly, brief hug, any physical contact should only take place in public circumstances, and prudent discretion and respect should be applied by School workers in order to avoid any appearance of impropriety.
4. Clergy and religious shall never permit a youth to stay overnight in their private accommodations or residence nor shall clergy or religious ever be permitted to share a room overnight with a youth.  An exception can be made in the case of immediate family members of the clergy or religious, provided that a parent or adult guardian of the youth also stays overnight and that separate accommodations are provided for the youth and his or her parent or adult guardian.
5. School workers will not provide shared, private, overnight accommodations for individual youths, including, but not limited to, accommodations in any Church-owned facility, private residence, hotel room, or any other place where there is no other adult supervision present.
   1. School workers will use a team approach to managing emergency situations.  A team of adults will consult with each other about the best approach to take in emergency situations.
6. School workers are prohibited from taking a youth home or to another location unless another adult is present in the vehicle or the parent/guardian of the youth has given express prior permission.  School workers likewise shall not permit other adults to take a youth home or to another location, unless at least two adults will be present in the vehicle or the parent/guardian of the youth has given express prior permission.
7. School workers shall not give gifts to a specific youth under their care or supervision unless a gift is given to all other youth under their care, and even in such situations, any such gifts shall be modest, inexpensive tokens of friendship or appreciation.  This provision shall not be construed from precluding clergy and religious from giving gifts to youth who are members of their immediate families, such as nieces and nephews.
8. School workers will familiarize themselves with, and understand the contents of, the child abuse regulations and reporting requirements for the State of California, and will comply with those mandates. School workers shall also complete, in a timely manner, and safe environment and/or youth protection training required of them.
9. School workers shall take all necessary action to ensure that no one working with youth is either in possession of illegal drugs or under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs.  School workers shall take all necessary action to ensure that youth under their care or supervision do not have access to illegal drugs or alcohol. School workers may never serve or supply alcohol to youth or adults under the age of 21.  Persons under 21 may, of course, partake of both species of the Eucharist, including the Precious Blood, according to the norms of canon law.