COVID-19 Information and Resources

Updated October 23, 2023

School protocols

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released updated guidance for all K-12 schools in the state. Our intention is to promote a safe, healthy, and rich in-person learning environment for all of our students and staff. In accordance with the updated state guidance, and in coordination with Monterey County health officials, Santa Catalina School has implemented the following protocols.

Masks

Per CDPH guidance, Santa Catalina recommends using masks to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

It is important to keep in mind that parents as well as faculty and staff have varying levels of comfort. The decision whether to continue masking will be a personal one with students following the instruction of their parents. Please remind your children to respect the choices that their classmates and teachers are making. We will partner with you to reinforce our school’s core values as they apply to this adjustment.

Masks are required when returning from school from a confirmed case of COVID, or if a person was exposed to a person with COVID.

Hand hygiene

COVID-19 Vaccinations

Santa Catalina strongly recommends all eligible students and adults receive the COVID-19 vaccine and all recommended boosters. Vaccines are now available for children as young as 6 months of age, are effective at reducing serious illness for those infected with COVID-19, and are free and readily available.

We continue to require all boarding students ages 16 and over to be fully vaccinated.

Vaccination is currently the leading public health prevention strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic. People who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are at low risk of symptomatic or severe infection.

Unfortunately, the pandemic remains unpredictable, and variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 may continue to occur. We will monitor the situation as it impacts the school and recommend changes as necessary.

Santa Catalina will provide the community with information about vaccination opportunities from pharmacies or medical providers. Boarding students will receive transportation to off-campus vaccination locations.

Ventilation improvements

Santa Catalina made improvements to ventilation systems in each building on campus. Where possible and at a minimum, we have installed MERV-13 filters in the ventilation systems. Additional filtration, in the form of free-standing filters, are also in all classrooms and dormitory rooms.

We will continue to keep doors and windows open when rooms are occupied to increase the flow of fresh air.

Health screenings and COVID-19 testing

We require each person to assess their health daily and not come to campus if they are experiencing any illness or have any symptoms of infectious illnesses, such as a cold or the flu.

Santa Catalina urges all eligible students and employees to receive the annual flu shot.

Regular screening is an effective means to identify an infection early. If you have symptoms, we recommend you use any of the available at-home testing options to help determine if you have COVID-19.

COVID-19 suspected or confirmed cases

We continue to follow CDPH guidance for exposure, isolation, and quarantine for any person who has COVID-19, receives a positive COVID test result, or is exposed to someone with COVID.

If there is a suspected or confirmed case in your household, or if anyone in your household has been notified that they were in contact with a suspected or confirmed individual infected with COVID-19, please notify your division head (Christy Pollacci for the Lower and Middle School and Julie Lenherr Edson '88 for the Upper School). The division head will inform the Head of School, Assistant Head of School, and nurse and follow our COVID-19 protocols.

We will continue to provide you with updates and will inform you of changes in our protocols as we receive information from the state, from the Monterey County Health Department, and from the CDC.

Visitors to campus

Santa Catalina is limiting visitors to campus until further notice. Parents are permitted on campus for routine visits to divisional offices, in-person appointments, attendance at performances or sports contests, or the Health Center. Parents who are pre-registered for on-campus COVID-19 testing are permitted to enter campus. Any non-routine requests to visit campus should be directed to your child’s division office. No other visitors will be permitted access to campus unless they have an appointment.

Community expectations

We urge everyone in our community to take steps to protect good health. In order to mitigate the risk of infection and the spread of COVID-19, we ask you to incorporate these practices:

Get the COVID-19 vaccine, if eligible
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or approved hand sanitizers
Continue to follow public health orders and minimize exposure