Dear JKHA/RKYHS Families,

We are proud of our faculty’s herculean efforts to maintain the high standards of JKHA/RKYHS’ educational standards during these unsettled times. We are also pleased that our health policies have proven to be effective in mitigating the spread of COVID. Though some students and classes have had to experience the inconvenience of quarantine, for the most part learning in JKHA/RKYHS has continued unabated. We thank our parent partners for their cooperation and communications, which have helped us attenuate the impact of the pandemic.

Applying the benefit of experience, we continue to revisit and refine our health protocols. Although many aspects of the Return to Learn Guide remain unchanged, we are pleased to present the following  updates and clarifications to our policies. 

Travel: 
The safest way to welcome back our students, faculty and staff after the break on Tuesday, February 2nd is to conduct screening tests before their return to the building. A drive-by screening will take place on Sunday, January 31st. The pool screening is intended only for families who are not otherwise mandated to quarantine after winter break. A separate correspondence will follow to explain the JKHA/RKYHS screening process. 

Staying Local:
We strongly urge members of our community to exercise precautions whether vacationing locally or in states permitted to visit by the NJDOH: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut. Please take the same travel precautions (below) upon returning from a local vacation if the areas visited may be at greater risk for exposure (water parks, entertainment centers, crowded areas, etc.). 

For families who are traveling, please see the following link regarding New Jersey travel restrictions: Are there travel restrictions to or from New Jersey? | FAQ)

An individual who traveled to states defined as restricted by NJ or traveled internationally can return to school either:
  • after seven days, if the student gets a negative PCR result taken at least five days after returning from travel or 
  • ten days (without test) after returning from travel and does not demonstrate any symptoms.
  • Parents must submit a negative PCR test to results@jkha.org for their children to rejoin in-person learning. 

Primary Exposure:
  • Primary exposure occurs when an individual (1) has had a known close contact with a positive case directly, or (2) shares a pod (Lower School class, Middle School grade or High School grade) with a positive case.
  • A non-household primary exposure to COVID requires a 14 day quarantine from time of exposure, which is the gold standard recommended by the CDC. 
  • A household primary exposure to COVID requires a 24 day quarantine. 
  • Students in a pod with a questionable or positive screen are considered primary until they test negative for COVID in accordance with the timing set forth in the school notification. Household members of an individual in a questionable or positive screen may return to school only after the individual in the questionable pod tests negative for COVID (not before five days from the screen). 

Secondary Exposure:
Secondary exposure in the event of an individual with a household member in preventative quarantine:

  • Household member in preventative quarantine due to travel:
There are no restrictions on individuals who have not travelled; the only restriction is on the household member who did travel. However, we urge families to consider both testing and keeping students out of school until the household person who traveled tests and receives a negative PCR result. 

  • Household member in preventative quarantine due to experiencing symptoms (prior to obtaining COVID test results):
Families should consider a symptomatic member of a household as positive until the person experiencing symptoms tests negative for COVID. Students should remain at home until the symptomatic member of the household tests negative (refer to primary exposure if household member is positive).

  • Household member in preventative quarantine due to being in close contact with a positive case:
There are no restrictions on individuals with a household member who had close contact with a positive case.

  • Household member in preventative quarantine due to being in pod/grade with a questionable or positive screen:
Individuals with a household member in a pod with a questionable or positive screen must convert to remote learning and may return to school only after the household member in the questionable pod tests negative for COVID. 

As always, these policies remain subject to change, and the school retains authority to exercise discretion with respect to individual cases. Additionally, we continue to urge our families to exercise discretion and good judgement, and to remain mindful of the impact their personal behavior has on the broader community. 

Please reach out to your divisional head or me if you have any questions or concerns. We wish you a pleasant vacation and look forward to greeting your children in good health when we re-open our campus for in-person classes on February 2nd.

Sincerely,


Eliezer E. Rubin