Fifth Avenue requires all staff, Sunday School teachers, volunteers, and childcare workers to be fully vaccinated and masked. Nursery families will be asked to commit to supporting the health, wellness, and safety protocols, and must agree to keep children home when they are not feeling well, have COVID-like symptoms, or have been potentially exposed.

• Temperature checks upon arrival for staff and children. Anyone with a temperature of 100.0 or higher will not be allowed to enter the nursery.
• Any employee or child who has any of the following new or worsening signs or symptoms of possible COVID-19 will not be allowed to be in the nursery: Cough - Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing - Chills - Repeated shaking with chills - Muscle pain - Headache - Sore throat - Loss of taste or smell - Diarrhea - Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit - Known close contact with a person who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19
• Employees or children with the new or worsening signs or symptoms listed above will not be allowed to return to the nursery until all three of the following criteria are met:
  1. At least 3 days (72 hours) have passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications)
  2. The individual has improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath)
  3. A negative COVID-19 test or a medical professional’s note clearing the individual for return based on an alternative diagnosis.

• Any employee or child who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19 must not return to the nursery until the end of a 14-day self-quarantine period from the last date of exposure with a negative COVID-19 test.

• Any employee who has been in close contact to a person who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19 does not have to quarantine but must take a PCR test three days after exposure or two rapid tests – 3 and 6 days after exposure.

• Any child who has been in close contact to a person who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19 must not return to the nursery until the end of a 14-day self-quarantine period from the last date of exposure with a negative COVID-19 test.

• Communicate to parents the importance of keeping children home when they are sick with cold or flu symptoms.
• Communicate to staff the importance of being vigilant for symptoms and staying in touch with the Childcare Coordinator if or when they start to feel sick.
• Children and staff who come to the nursery sick or become sick while in the nursery will be sent home as soon as possible.
• Sick children will be kept separate from well children until they can be picked up
• A parent or caregiver are expected to pick up the sick child within 15 minutes of being notified
• The well children will move to another indoor location, so the room can be disinfected with Lysol, Clorox or another disinfectant. Exterior windows will be opened for increased ventilation.
• Sick staff members or children will not be allowed to return to the nursery until they have met the criteria to discontinue home isolation listed in the section above.

• Frequent handwashing (upon entering the classroom, before and after handling food or drinks, diaper changes and assisting children with the potty, etc.).
• Our already high standards for cleaning will be intensified with more frequent cleanings throughout the morning of high-touch surface areas. Including a thorough deep-clean after children have gone home. Increased frequency of carpet cleaning.
• Soft-surface and other hard to clean items will be removed from the room.
• A limited number of toys will be placed in containers for the children to select and play with. After the child is done playing with the manipulative, the toy will be placed in a separate container to be cleaned.
• Children will not be allowed to bring toys back and forth from home.
• The Nursery will not provide any food. Parents are encouraged to limit snacks if possible and provide any drinks or snacks that their child will need during their time in the nursery.
• The Nursery will only be used on Sunday mornings and will be cleaned after each use.

To help with Social Distancing the Nursery will adhere to these policies until further notice:

• Capacity in the two Little Lambs rooms (Infants and Toddlers) will be limited to 3 children per room on a first-come, first-serve basis.
• Children ages birth-2 years old are welcome in the nursery. Children ages 3 and up are invited to join Preschool Sunday school or Children’s Church.
• Maintain a 3-foot distance between children.

• Staff will at all times wear a mask and may choose to wear a protective face shield as additional protection.
• Anyone age 3 and over in the Christian Education Center must wear a face mask at all times.

• The Nursery will open at 9 am for drop-off.
• Drop-off and pick-up will occur at the door of the Nursery. A staff member will take the child’s temperature when greeting the child upon arrival and before their parent or caregiver leaves.
• Parents are encouraged to stay outside of the door to the Nursery. If a parent needs to come into the classroom for any reason they will need to have their temperature checked.
• All individuals will wash hands when entering the classroom.
• Hand sanitizer will be available at drop off.

• Nursery staff or children attending the Nursery who test positive or have a close contact situation are asked to notify Jaime Staehle, Director of Christian Education, as soon as possible afterward so appropriate protocols can be determined.
• Nursery parents will be notified that there is a confirmed case, but names will not be disclosed.
• Areas used by the person who is sick will be closed off.
• Wait up to at least 24 hours to allow respiratory droplets to settle before cleaning and disinfecting.
• Clean and disinfect all areas used by the person who is sick, such as classroom, bathroom, and common areas.

Thank you for your flexibility and partnership as we work to make our Nursery programs as safe as possible!