Click here to find the SY22-23 Covid-19 Policy in English / Spanish.
Mundo Verde’s layered approach to limiting the spread of Covid within our community is grounded in our values; guided by science and data; informed by professional in-depth and periodic opinion research; and respectful of the diversity of individual medical histories, living situations, and perceptions of risk. It takes account of the age of our students; the movement across grades, classrooms and campuses; results of student and staff testing; confidential vaccination status of students and staff; and local regulations and guidance from the D.C. Department of Health, the CDC, as well as data and practices of other local schools.
Proof of mandatory vaccination is required of all staff and families are strongly encouraged to have children vaccinated to the greatest extent possible, pending guidance from health care professionals. Because our school population is composed almost entirely of children under the age of 12, most of our students cannot be required to vaccinate. The risk of students thus bringing the virus into the school is higher than would be the case among a more fully vaccinated population.
Therefore, to reduce transmission of the Covid virus (specifically variant BA.5) as we return to school, students and adults are required to wear properly fitted masks when inside Mundo Verde buildings. Initially, and so that we can establish a baseline profile of our community, masking will be enforced during the first trimester of the school year (October 14, 2022) unless CDC lifts its guidance for mandatory isolation of 5 days for anyone testing positive. Individuals seeking to enter school buildings without a mask will be stopped and provided a high quality mask at no charge.
As we learned over the past two years, mandatory isolation periods significantly disrupt teaching and instruction. To limit as much as possible the need to immediately begin shifting responsibilities, and finding substitutes to ensure 100 percent on campus instruction, we are enforcing a masking policy for the first few months of school. In addition, test to stay protocols will allow students or staff identified as a close contact of someone with Covid to remain in school pending serial testing and being asymptomatic, while also supplementing baseline data.
These and other important safety layers form our plan for a strong reopening with a healthy staff and student population. To learn more about the above strategies as well as others such as ventilation, cleaning protocols, Covid testing, please see our SY22-23 Covid-19 Policy in English / Spanish.
Thank you in advance for understanding that in addition to protecting the health and safety of everyone in our community, our core focus is on providing the best possible education and support to our students for their academic progress and social/emotional development.
NOTE: Our Covid policies and procedures are subject to periodic review for which community input is welcomed. We regret that we are not able to accommodate individual requests or respond to all comments on our policy and approach – although all are read and evaluated.