Palisade’s number one priority is and has always been upholding our commitment to maintaining safe, healthy School environments for your children. We understand and share the continued concern about COVID-19 and its effects on your families and the larger community. We’ve created this page to share the measures we’re taking to keep the children, their families and the faculty members safe in our Schools.
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
We are screening all staff and children for a fever and other COVID-19 symptoms prior to entry into the school each day. Families stay in their vehicles with face coverings on and wait for a staff member to greet you. A designated staff member then takes your child’s temperature and goes through the daily visual and verbal health and wellness screening procedures. Afterwards, your child is escorted to their classroom to begin their day. Children and staff with a fever in excess of 100.4 degrees fahrenheit, or exhibiting other flu-like symptoms are not allowed to enter the facility.
During dismissal, families are asked to remain in your cars while your child is escorted to you. Please only exit your car (while in a face covering) when picking up your student only to buckle them into their car seat.
Practicing Social Distancing
Palisades has floor markings, physical partitions and other safeguards in the hallways indicating a six-foot safe distance, as well as, visual cues to assure proper distancing within our classrooms. To allow a change of environment for our students, there are designated areas (i.e. ball field, indoor gymnasium, etc…) assigned to each class for their use that day. For added safety, different classes do not interact with one another and all specials are conducted virtually.
Snack and Lunches Procedures
Children must bring their own, labeled, non-perishable, nut-free snacks and lunches daily. All meals and snacks are served in the classroom or in our outdoor food-court pavilion. All tables are sanitized before and after each meal and teachers will continue to wear gloves while handling food. Sharing of snacks or lunches will be strictly prohibited and there will be no outside food vendors this year.
Face Coverings
All staff members are required to wear cloth masks while working unless doing so would inhibit the individual’s health. When feasible, children shall wear face coverings if unable to be socially distanced or traveling outside their “pods.” Children under the age of two are not required to wear a mask due to the danger of suffocation and masks will not be placed on our students during nap time since they will be socially distanced. Close person-to-person contact is strictly limited and extra caution is continuously reinforced. No age-appropriate behaviors will be rebuked.
Keeping our Areas Clean
Disinfecting is completed on all equipment and supplies before and after being used by another class. Commonly touched surfaces (switches, handrails, sink knobs, tables, etc…) are disinfected by teachers and aides continuously throughout the day. Palisades has contracted United Unlimited Cleaning Company to perform nightly approved cleaning for childcare facilities in accordance with the CDC guidelines and EPA approved disinfectants for use against COVID-19.