Coronavirus

ISL is ensuring safety for all members of the community by following the government’s rules and recommendations. Additionally, we ensure regular hand washing, and have various hand sanitiser stations throughout the buildings. We focus on appropriate distancing between students and teachers and require all secondary students to wear a mask, as well as all adults. Additionally, people who have had a close contact with someone with a confirmed COVID-19 infection are required to self-exclude from school for a minimum period of 10 days. Self-exclusion is also required for people having travelled to certain places at risk.

Learning and teaching will progress normally in full classes according to the usual timetable.

Arrival:
Reception 3 and Reception 4

Each morning, the gate by the basketball court will be open so that families can walk up to the early childhood playground. Parents may enter via the gate of the playground, and a teacher will admit children individually into the classroom. Parents are asked to wait out on the EC playground, and to respect the 1.5 meters of social distancing between adults.

Primary School:
The main door of school will be open from 08:00 each morning. Year 2 to Year 6 Students will go directly to their homeroom class. Year 1 will wait in their normal area outside the nurses’ office.

Middle and High School:
The front door of school will be open from 08:00 each morning. Students should go directly to their lockers and homeroom. Corridors and lockers are monitored by staff to ensure that students do not congregate and use only their own homeroom.

Departure:

Parents are asked to wait outside the building and to respect the 1.5 meters of social distancing between adults.

Reception 3, Reception 4, Year 1:

In Reception 3, the 12:00 pickup will take place at the external gate near the basketball court. Parents should not walk onto the playground while recess is in session. At 15:30, parents are asked to wait on the EC playground and the teachers will dismiss the students individually.

Year 2 to Year 6:
Year 2 students will be dismissed from the three classes facing the courtyard by the gym. Year 3 to Year 6 students will meet their parents outside the main school entrance. Students will not be able to remain on campus at the end of the school day. Students are required to leave the school buildings and playground as soon as possible after 15:40 unless in After-School Care or involved in After-School Activities.

Middle and High School:
Students are not able to remain on campus at the end of the school day. Students will be required to leave the school buildings and playgrounds as soon as possible after 15:40 unless in After School Activities

Primary School:
– Students will have a staggered dismissal to recess in order to minimize the number of students exiting at one time.
– Students should play only with students in their year group and in the designated areas.
– Students will return to class in a staggered manner.
– Teachers will be present at the classroom doors and hallways to monitor behaviour and encourage social distancing.
– All students will wash their hands upon their return from recess.

Secondary:
– All secondary school students must wash or disinfect their hands before morning recess each day. Sanitiser will be available at the entrance to the cafeteria and in the south building snack bar.
– Students must wear a mask.
– Students should play or socialise only with students in their year group and in the designated area for their year group.
– Students may sit two to a table, with the seat next to each student remaining unoccupied. Seated students may consume snacks outside during this period with the exception of on the astroturf and basketball court.

Primary School:
– Year 1 to 3 will wash their hands in the classroom before coming down to lunch at 11:35.
– Year 4 to 6 students will enter the building from recess and go to designated restrooms to wash their hands before entering the cafeteria at 12:05.

Secondary School:
– Students will wear masks while they queue for the cafeteria, while they make their choice and while they make their way to their seats.
– Students can remove their masks while they are seated and eating lunch.
– All secondary school students must wash or disinfect their hands before lunch each day.
– Sanitisers will be available at the entrance to the cafeteria and the south building snack bar.
– Two separate lunch sittings will take place. Year 7 to Year 10 students will eat from 12:35 and must leave the cafeteria by 13:00. Year 11 to Year 13 students will eat from 13:00.
– Students will wait for entry to the cafeteria outside the entrance to the basketball courts (weather permitting).
– Entry to the cafeteria will be controlled by a teacher to ensure students follow the prescribed guidance from Vaud on space allocation per student.
– Packed lunches and cafeteria provided food may be consumed outside at the picnic tables as an alternative to eating in a ‘high traffic’ area.
– Food may not be consumed on the basketball or tennis courts, or on the football pitch.

The school nurses will continue to operate in their office and ensure a healthy environment. Students who are ill will be isolated and sent home. Please note that a self-exclusion needs to be communicated to the school nurses.

It is important for as many cases of infection with the new coronavirus to be identified as possible. For this reason we recommend that a student or member of staff showing symptoms should call their doctor to get a test recommendation even if symptoms are mild. While waiting for the recommendation and the test result students or members of staff should stay at home and avoid all contact with other people.

If the test is positive, the person will need to follow the FOPH instructions on compulsory isolation and continue to avoid all contact with other people. In the event of a negative test result people should stay at home until 24 hours after the symptoms have subsided.

The guidelines from the Office du médecin cantonal (Vaud) and the Département de la formation, de la jeunesse et de la culture (DFJC) are that if a student or teacher is confirmed as having COVID-19, concerned people will be contacted directly by the Médecin cantonal. If two or more people in a class are confirmed as having COVID-19, the school will communicate any measures decided by health authorities to students, teachers, and parents.

A deep cleaning of all areas will occur each day after school. Cleaning will also take place regularly during the day for all high contact points such as handrails, doorknobs, switches, toilets, etc. The cleaning staff will use a specific cleaning product to ensure that surfaces are disinfected properly and safe cleaning products will be available in each classroom. In line with FOPH guidelines, rooms will be aired regularly.

All classrooms have disinfectant that teachers and members of staff can use to clean tables. In the Primary School, toys and manipulative will only be used if they can be easily cleaned.

After-School Activities:

In Reception 3 to Year 9 activities will continue as normal with the exception that sports requiring extended close contact (combat sports for example) are not allowed. In Year 10 to 13 activities can continue as normal with the exception that sports requiring any form of contact with a ball or person (football, basketball, volleyball and netball) are not allowed. Activities affected in Years 10 to 13 may be replaced by skills, fitness or conditioning training.

After-School Care:
The after-school care service is available each day.