COVID-19 Updates

List of 5 frequently asked questions.

• Level 1: Normal

  A typical return to school. A reduction in cases and spread allows a normal opening, or we reach a point during the school year when a treatment or vaccine, etc., makes it possible to run school without modification.
  
  

  Safety Measures

  • No need for temperature checks
  • Social distancing will be recommended but not required.
  • Regular washing of hands will be recommended.
  • Normal cleaning and sanitation schedule
  • Optional use of PPE

  School Day

  • Normal school schedule and academic curriculum
  • BGA class sizes will be similar to previous years.
  • Classes will transition on the same bell in accordance with past years.
  • Lunch will operate as in past years.
  • Assemblies and group functions will occur as in past years.
  • Normal attendance policy
  • Normal transportation operation, student drop-off and parking routine

  Athletics & After-school Activities
  Athletics and activities will function in a normal capacity.

• Level 2: Modifications and Protocols

  COVID-19 is present in and around the Middle Tennessee and Franklin area. There is clear guidance from local, state, and national health organizations to adhere to protocols. There is not an acute outbreak in our immediate community.

   

  Safety Measures
  

  • Parents will verify student health information – temperature, symptoms, and potential exposure – on a daily basis. This will be done via the Magnus Health App.
  • Social distancing, PPE, personal hygiene, school-wide sanitation, and air quality protocols will be in place in all divisions, though they may vary slightly within the divisions.
  • Specifically, masks will be worn by faculty and students in Middle and Upper School (particularly when social distancing is not possible). Face shields, masks and other PPE will be used as appropriate in the Lower School.
  • Regular cold/flu season protocols will be in place. High touchpoint areas will be cleaned by faculty after each class, and all communal items will be sanitized after each use. 

  School Day

  Normal school schedule with minor adjustments:

  • BGA class sizes will be similar to previous years.
  • Daily divisional schedules will be shifted slightly to allow for the best learning environment and the most complete program possible, while decreasing crowding in group areas like the cafeteria.
  • Lunch will be served in a “grab-and-go” setup without community utensils and serving lines.
  • Students will enter and exit classrooms from the exterior doors of each building to avoid congregating in the halls.
  • Assemblies, large-scale community gatherings, and various events will not occur if we cannot provide the appropriate spacing and safety guidelines.
  • Visitors to campus will be restricted, and health and safety protocols will be in place for those who come to campus.

  Normal academic curriculum and attendance policy with minor adjustments:

  • Asynchronous eLearning opportunities will be available for students who are unable to attend.
  • Travel and field trips may be reduced or postponed depending on the nature of the event and our ability to provide those opportunities safely. 

  Transportation available with minor adjustments: 

  • Transportation will follow recommended guidelines, and parents, when possible, will be asked to help transport students to events. In some cases, student drivers may be allowed to transport themselves.
  • Buses, before-school supervision, and after-school care will be available, though adjustments will be made to the number of students per bus and locations of those programs as necessary.
  • Temperature will be checked before boarding the bus. 
  • Buses will be sanitized before and after each trip. 
  • Buses will operate with one person per seat, skipping every other seat.  

  Athletics & After-school Activities

  Athletics and activities will be functioning with modifications and social distancing measures in place.

• Level 3: Significant Modifications

  Cases and spread have caused restrictions on group numbers exceeding our typical class size. Organizations and schools are encouraged to take significant steps to ensure safety. There may be other schools in the area choosing to close. We continue to believe we can provide a safe, healthy environment on campus with additional adjustments.

   

  Safety Measures

  • Students will be required to report directly to temperature check stations before proceeding to class. Early drop-off will not be available.
  • Students will be required to wash or sanitize hands at regular intervals.
  • Deep cleaning will be implemented at regular intervals, in addition to our regular cold/flu season cleaning protocols. High touchpoint areas will be cleaned by faculty after each class, and all communal items will need to be sanitized after each use.
  • Faculty, staff and students will be required to wear PPE indoors.

   School Day

  • Schedule will be changed to accommodate social distancing at all times.
  • BGA class sizes will be reduced and instructional adjustments made to the curriculum to accommodate schedule changes. This may include modifications to student attendance policies and periods of eLearning.
  • Lower and Middle School will operate on a split-day schedule with a combination of in-person and online learning. 
  • Upper School will operate on an adjusted full-day, in-person schedule with fewer class periods, allowing for less movement across campus and appropriate social distancing.
  • On-campus learning will be supported with off-campus eLearning elements.
  • Students will enter and exit classrooms from the exterior doors when possible, and we will institute one-way movement through interior hallways.
  • There will be no large group gatherings or assemblies during the school day.
  • Lunch will be pre-packaged through FLIK Dining (with disposable utensils) and eaten in designated areas. Food may also be brought from home.
  • eLearning options will be available for affected families and staff. 
  • Field trips will be restricted.

   Transportation available with minor adjustments

  • Temperature will be checked before boarding the bus. 
  • Buses will be sanitized before and after each trip.
  • Buses will operate one person per seat with staggered seating.
  • Students will be required to wear masks while riding on buses. 
  • Weather permitting, windows will be down to promote ventilation. 

  Athletics & After-school Activities

  • Athletics will be conducted according to TSSAA and local guidelines.
  • Before-school and after-school programs will be offered and adjusted accordingly. 
  • Student care & oversight will be available for the full school day to coincide with modified school schedules. 

• Level 4: Remote Learning 

  There is an acute outbreak in our area or school community, or there has been a “shelter-in-place” or “stay-at-home” order issued by state or local officials.

  • Students will not be on campus and full-time eLearning will be in place.  Learn more about our eLearning philosophy and foundational pillars.
  • All athletics facilities will be closed and activities canceled.
  • Faculty and staff working on campus will be required to wear PPE.
  • Facilities will continue to be sanitized at Level III standards to protect faculty and staff working on campus.
  • Transportation services will not be available.

• COVID-19 Exposure & Communication Guidelines

  Below is an outline of the school's response to COVID-19 exposure.  It is important to note that the CDC has given a clear definition of close contact exposure to inform our policy. The current definition of an exposure to COVID-19 from the CDC is: an individual who has had close contact (<6 feet) for ≥ 15 minutes over a 24-hour period with:
  

  • A person COVID-19 who has symptoms (in the period from two days before symptom onset until they meet criteria for discontinuing home isolation; can be laboratory confirmed or a clinically compatible illness).
  • A person who has tested positive for COVID-19 (laboratory confirmed) but has not had any symptoms (in the two days before the date of specimen collection until they meet criteria for discontinuing home isolation).

  Please note there may be instances where BGA students or employees may be asked by the school to be tested due to possible exposure during the year. There may also be instances where school does not require a test. Parents and employees are welcome to secure COVID-19 testing outside of the requirements of the school in this scenario.
  
  If a BGA student or employee has been exposed to someone who is COVID-19 positive, develops symptoms consistent with COVID-19, or tests positive for COVID-19, all household members who are actively involved with the BGA community will be asked to abide by the appropriate protocol outlined below.
  
  A student or employee is presenting with symptoms.
  

  • Anyone with an illness that is unlikely to be COVID (single low-risk symptom resolving in 24-48 hours or non-infectious, e.g. migraine, allergies) may return to school when symptoms have improved and be afebrile for ≥ 24 hours (usual policy for any illness).
    • This person does not need to see a physician or be tested to be cleared to return to school. If symptoms do not resolve quickly, the individual should be assessed by a physical and considered for testing.
    • If this person is a contact with a known COVID case, then this person should be seen by a physical and tested to determine if he or she can return to school or requires isolation.
  • Anyone with a COVID-like illness (one high-risk or two or more low-risk symptoms) should be assessed by a physician and tested for COVID (as well as influenza, RSV, and a group A Streptococcus depending on the signs and symptoms).
    • If the test is negative, or another pathogen is identified and the person is not a contact of a COVID case, then he or she can return to school when symptoms have improved and he/she is afebrile for ≥ 24 hours.
    • If the test is positive or no test is done (and no other pathogen identified), this person must follow the quarantine protocol below.

  A BGA student or employee has been exposed to someone who is COVID-19 positive.

  • COVID-19 testing is recommended for all BGA students and employees who have had close contact with (exposure to) a person who is COVID-19 positive. A close contact is defined as any of the following:
    • You were within 6 feed of someone who has COVID-19 for ≥ 15 minutes over a 24-hour period.
    • You provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19.
    • You had direct physical contact with a person who has COVID-19 (touched, hugged, or kissed them).
    • You shared eating or drinking utensils with someone who is sick with COVID-19.
    • Someone with COVID-19 sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on you.
    • A student or BGA employee who has had close contact with (exposure to) someone who is COVID-19 positive should stay home and quarantine (as specified below).

  
  A BGA student or employee develops symptoms that are associated with COVID-19 while on campus.
  Student
  

  • A student who develops symptoms should report to the school nurse or designated medical professional.
  • The student will be assessed by the school nurse or designated medical professional and isolated from the rest of campus in a designated isolation area.
  • If the student needs emergency medical attention, the school nurse or designated medical professional will call 911.
  • If the student does not require emergency attention, the student's emergency contact will be notified and asked to collect the student from school as soon as possible.
  • Once a COVID-19 test is administered, the student should stay home from school until the result is known, and if it is positive, follow the protocol below.

  
  Employee
  

  • An employee who develops symptoms on campus should report this to the school nurse and/or their divisional/administrative assistant, and their supervisor immediately.
  • If an employee needs emergency medical attention, the school nurse or designated medical professional will call 911.
  • If an employee does not require emergency attention, the faculty member should leave campus immediately.
  • Once a COVID-19 test is administered, the employee should stay home from school until the result is known, and if it is positive, follow the protocol below.

  Protocol for isolation and return to school for cases and close contact (exposure)
  Isolation for COVID-19
  

  • Any student or staff who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 must isolate at home for a period of 10 days from the onset of their symptoms (or from the date tested if asymptomatic) AND must be fever-free (without the use of fever-reducing medications) AND show improvement in symptoms for at least 24 hours before returning to school.
  • In addition, any student or staff exhibiting symptoms consistent with COVID-19 (i.e. those included in the daily screening) is encouraged to monitor health closely and get tested as necessary.
  • Any student or staff getting tested should remain home while awaiting those results. Students or staff who have a member of their household awaiting test results should also remain home until those results are returned and there is not evidence of exposure.

  Quarantine for Exposure to COVID-19:
  Once the exposure is no longer occurring, quarantine can end:
  

  • After Day 14 (this continues to be an appropriate and acceptable response to known exposure).
  • After Day 10 (returning to regular activities on Day 11) without testing if the contact does not have symptoms.
  • After Day 7 (returning to regular activities on Day 8) if the contact does not have symptoms and if they test negative on a molecular test (i.e., PCR, viral RNA, and nucleic acid test is taken) after Day 5, and if no symptoms have developed during daily monitoring.  We cannot accept a rapid test (i.e., antigen test) for this early return and documentation must be provided in all cases.
  • Contacts should continue to self-monitor for symptoms and wear a face mask through Day 14.  Mask wearing is especially important through Day 14 and should continue beyond the quarantine period.

  All of these recommendations are in accordance with the Tennessee Department of Health and CDC.
  
  Communication of exposure to families
  

  • BGA will notify via email families whose student has been in the vicinity of an infected person (i.e., in class, advisory, activity, etc.) at the school's discretion.
    • Please note:  this is not necessarily considered exposure per CDC health guidelines.
    • Specific action may or may not be required depending on the nature of the contact.
  • Anyone who has been in contact with/exposed to (within 6 feet for ≥ 15 minutes over a 24-hour period) an infected person will receive an email with specific actions required.
    • Students will be required to quarantine.
    • Refer to the above guidance on student exposure.
  • Families will be asked to notify the school of BGA community exposures of which the school may not be aware.
  • Families with a household member who tests positive are asked to notify the school, abide by exposure protocol, and contact directly others who may have been affected.
  • In accordance with privacy practices surrounding health information, BGA will not share specific names of infected students or employees without expressed permission.