March 2, 2020


Dear Pardes Parents,

The health and safety of our Pardes community is our highest priority. As information about COVID-19 (formerly called Novel Coronavirus) continues to expand and more questions arise, we want to share with you precautions Pardes is taking to prevent the spread of illness on campus and plans being put in place should COVID-19 impact our community.

Our School Nurse and Administrative Team have been monitoring new developments and recommendations provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , the Arizona Department of Health Services , and the Maricopa County Department of Public Health . The CDC’s current recommendations to prevent infection of COVID-19 are everyday guidelines that also increase protection from influenza, colds and other respiratory infections.

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. 

Pardes has created a plan in the event of a local communicable disease outbreak, which includes actions to be taken by the school. This plan incorporates clinical concerns, facilities and cleaning, as well as communication with our parents and students along with our faculty. We continue to monitor daily all developments, nationally as well as locally, and will adjust and implement the plan as circumstances unfold.

In the event that local public health officials recommend temporarily closing the school campus, we are currently developing an educational plan with our teachers to continue our instruction remotely should it be deemed necessary. 

Nurse Lisa will be meeting with students and staff to review hand-washing techniques, environmental precautions as well as other personal hygiene reminders to help reduce the spread of illness. If your child reports any symptoms of headaches, body aches, sore throat, respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, or sneezing, we ask you to err on the side of caution and keep your child home from school. We are doing all we can to limit the spread of illness at Pardes and it is helpful if you take a day to monitor at home. Please do not give your child fever reducers and send them to school as this may mask symptoms and lead to inadvertently spreading influenza and other viruses.
 
We will continue to monitor developments and rely on the expertise of the health agencies with regard to COVID-19. Please be assured that should there be adjustments to our plans or new developments, we will keep you apprised as they occur. 


Kind Regards,
Peter Gordon
Head of School