In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
The goal of the Islamic Academy for peace is to re-open safely for the 2020-2021 academic year. Recognizing the essential importance of in-person schooling, our intention is to return to in-person learning on campus for the fall unless otherwise specified by the Center for Disease control (CDC) and/or by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

 

The safety of our teachers and staff, students, our parents, and anyone who enters TIA’s building is a number one priority. We take the covid-19 pandemic very seriously and we are closely following the guidelines set by the CDC and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
 

The purpose for these policies and procedures is to mitigate the risk of contracting COVID-19 for everyone at the Islamic Academy Community.
 

Parents’ Role and Responsibility
The Islamic Academy for Peace relies on parents’ full disclosure about any Covid-19 related matter in an effort to keep all stakeholders safe, therefore, it is the responsibility of the parents to:

1. Keep their child(ren) home when they exhibit any symptom of any sickness

2. To immediately inform the academy if the student(s) or any other family member who lives in the same residence has tested positive for Covid-19

3. To immediately inform the academy if the student(s) or any other family member who lives in the same residence came in close contact with someone who ended up testing positive for Covid-19

4. To inform TIA about any out of state travel plans by the student and giving the departure and return dates, in which case, the student(s) must either take the PCR test or self-isolate upon return

5. To inform TIA that they have visitors from oversees stay at the residence, and disclose the protective measures taken by the guests and by the family

6. Call the school if the parents have any doubt whether they should send their child(ren)

7. Keep the siblings home if one child is exhibiting Covid-19 like symptoms

​

Before Coming to School

In our effort to mitigate the risks of spreading the virus each day before coming to school, we ask all parents to be vigilant and remain proactive by taking the following steps:

1. Take your child’s temperature using a thermometer

2. Assess your child for the following symptoms and respond accordingly. If your child has any of the following symptoms, your child must stay home and must have written documentation of a negative COVID-19 test and resolution of symptoms before returning to school.

• Fever (a temperature of 100.0 F or greater), chills, or shaking chills • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

• Cough

• Congestion or runny nose

• New loss of taste or smell

• Sore throat

• Muscle aches or body aches

• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

If your child’s ONLY symptom is a cough. And is due to a known cause, such as chronic cough or asthma, and is his/her only symptom (with the exception of runny nose/nasal congestion caused by allergies), your child may come to school.

 

If your child has cough that is NOT due to a known condition, he/she may not come to school and must test result for COVID-19.

​

If your child has only one of the following symptoms, he/she may come to school:

• Fatigue

• Headache

• Nasal congestion or runny nose

• Nasal congestion or runny nose due to a known cause

If your child has any of the symptoms listed above, please do not give medications such as Tylenol or Motrin before sending your child to school. These medications can hide other symptoms such as a fever and body aches. If your child is not able to wear a mask and have any of the symptoms listed above, your child may not come to school until the symptom/s is/are vanished. Please do not send your child to school if he/she is not feeling well.

​

Traveling out of state

If students or staff members have traveled outside of Massachusetts to a restricted state (please check the state of Massachusetts website for updates) in the past 14 days, they must schedule a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test 4-6 days after returning to Massachusetts and email the test result to the school office before they return to school..

​

Drop-Off and Pick-Up

Each student will go through screening point at the entry point of the building. Drop-Off:

1. Drop off period 7:35 AM - 7:55 AM

2. Parents should pull into the school parking lot as they normally would.

3. Students should not get out of the car until they have had their temperature check.

4. Parents should not get out of the car at all.

5. Masks should be on for the temperature check.

6. Students will not be permitted to stay in school if temperature check fails.

7. Once a student is screened, he/she can enter the building if not they go back with their parents/ guardians.

8. Students will sanitize/wash their hands.

​

Late Arrivals

The Late Arrival drop off follows the same Drop-off procedure.

1. Parent(s) or student should buzz the door.

2. Students and parents should wait in the front lobby until a staff member attends to them.

3. Both parents and students should wear a mask.

Afternoon Pick-up

1. Pick-up period 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM.

2. Parents should stay in their vehicle until their child is called in.

3. In case of an early pick-up, please notify the office ahead of time and once at school, buzz in. Enter the front lobby with a mask, sign your child out and wait for your child in the front lobby.

4. Parents should not go into the building.

Late Pick-up

1. Please pick up your child on time.

2. Parents should call the school if they arrive after the pick-up period (only due to any unavoidable circumstances) and your child will be brought out to your car.

3. We strictly do not encourage late pick-ups.

 

Cleaning and Disinfecting

Each day after school our custodian will disinfect all desks, tables, chairs, and shared common areas, bathrooms and objects including light switches, doorknobs, railings.

​

When cleaning is happening during the morning students will remain at a safe distance while areas are being disinfected, with extra care being taken. Cleaning products will be stored in a safe manner, away from students. Items that are difficult to clean and disinfect will be removed from the classrooms (for example, soft toys for early education). Students will have their own materials through the day (pens, pencils, markers, etc.).

​

Hand washing

Students and staff will wash their hands on a regular basis including but not limited at the following times:

• Before snack and lunch

• After using the bathroom.

• As needed.

Hand sanitizers are also available to students and staff. Students are also welcomed to bring their own hand sanitizer.

​

Physical Distancing

The Islamic Academy will follow guidance from the CDC regarding physical distancing.

 

Outdoor spaces will be utilized for recess. The play ground will be closed. When indoors, students will continue to follow physical distancing guidelines. Windows will be opened as often as possible (weather permitting) to encourage ventilation. Dividers will be used to assist students in physical distancing in some classrooms as needed.

 

Masks/Face Coverings*

Masks covering the mouth and nose will be worn at all times during the day by both staff and students. If your child cannot wear a mask due to health related matters please let us know. During these times, children and staff will be spread at least 6 feet apart.

 

Exceptions to wearing a mask are below:

• When eating or drinking

• Designated mask breaks

• Nap/rest times for early childhood students

 

Students and staff are required to provide their own masks from home and should bring at least two back-up masks each day. Extra masks will be available in the office for emergency use. Students and staff should wear/bring clean masks each day. Masks with valves, neck gaiters and bandanas are not allowed for mask/face coverings.

 

In The Classroom

• Desks will have protective shields and will be placed 3 feet apart.

• Every classroom will have a sanitizing station with hand sanitizers, disinfecting wipes and tissues.

• All surfaces in the classrooms will be sanitized daily.

• Students will be asked to have their own pencils, crayons, color pencils, pens in their own pencil box. There will be no sharing or borrowing school supplies between students. In the lower grades, the pencil box must be labeled with the student’s name. No sharing and no borrowing. The Islamic Academy for Peace COVID-19 Procedures and Policies September 2021

• All homeroom teachers will have their own thermometer to use as needed.

• Group work is permissible provided that the students work with the same group for all subjects and students work behind the desk shield.

​

In The Hallways

• The hallways will have a sanitizer dispenser at both ends.

• A hand washing station for students to wash their hands intermittently throughout the day.

• Sanitizer stations are also in front of the administration office, in the conference room and in the teachers’ lounge.

• The drinking fountain has been removed and replaced by a water fountain where students can fill their own wide mouthed reusable water bottle (please label the water bottle with your child’s name). Single use water bottles will not be allowed to be refilled.

• Students must follow the one-way signs posted in the hallways.

• Students must respect the signs for social distancing.

​

Lunchtime and Snake Time

• Students must bring their own lunch and snack.

• Students are not allowed to share food or drinks.

• Students must bring their own wide mouthed reusable water bottle.

• Students must eat their lunch while seated at their own desk.

​​

Prayer Time

• To avoid crowding, prayer will take not take place in the prayer room but will take place in the classrooms.

• Students will be required to bring their own prayer rug labeled at the back with the student’s name and stored in a labeled extra-large Ziplock bag.

 

Recess

• ​TIA students will have recess on a rotational basis and use the different outdoor areas available: playground, field and the main area in front of the school building.

• Lower grades will have an additional recess time to allow students to have a mask break. Please provide a Ziplock bag labeled with your child’s name to store their mask in you can also provide a lanyard for your child’s mask.

• Students and teachers will hand sanitize upon returning to the building.

​

Visitors/Parents

• ​All visitors/parents who are let in the front lobby will wait until attended to by a staff member. They must wear a mask.

• If your child is late, you will be let into the front lobby, sign your child in, and wait until a staff member attends to you.

• If you are picking up your child during school hours, please wait in the front lobby, and your child will be sent to you.

​

​

Group Sizes at School

• We will follow both the CDC and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) guidance regarding group sizes for both early childhood classes size and elementary/middle classrooms.

• These groups will remain together through the school day (no mixingof groups) and will be the same every day. Staff members will remain with their same group every day.

• If staff members rotate through classes, they will wash their hands upon entering and exiting each classroom, will follow physical distancing guidelines, and will disinfect all items and areas theytouched after use.

​

Extra-curricular activities

Usually, extra-curricular activities require the mixing of students from different grades which is against the CDC guidelines, therefore all extra-curricular and after school activities are put on hold until further notice. Some of the extracurricular activities will be online.

​

Student/Staff Exhibiting Symptoms of COVID-19 at School

In the event a student and/or staff exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 in our school, we will follow direct guidance from the Department of Public Health and DESE. Our goal is to remain transparent and to continue to provide updates to our community in order to keep everyone healthy and safe. If a student/staff falls ill while at school, the following will take place:

​

1. The student/staff will continue to wear a face covering or mask, be separated from other students/staff, and will immediately be sent to the COVID-19 isolation room Portable A.

2. Spaces used by the ill person will be cleaned and disinfected.

3. The student/staff will be sent home to check with their primary care provider and to be tested for COVID-19, and will remain at home while awaiting results.

4. The school will close for the following day to perform a deep cleaning. Parents will be notified and students will have remote learning for that day.

5. If test is positive:

• Remain at home for 10 days out from the start of the symptoms, AND

• Fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication, AND

• Symptoms have improved

• Notify the school office and teacher.

• In the event of multiple cases of positive COVID-19 the school will close and we will move to all school distance learning for at least 10 consecutive days.

• When we receive news of a positive test, we contact the Department of Public Health immediately and begin our tracing and communication protocols with community members.

 

If a Student or Staff Member is Symptomatic

• If at home, stay home and get tested.

• If at school, immediately student/staff will be sent home and get tested.

• If test is negative: student/staff can return to school when feeling better.

• If test is positive: follow # 4 (If test is positive) above.

• If student/staff is not getting tested: quarantine for 10 days.

• Inform school office of symptoms and testing status.

 

What to do if you have been in close contact to a COVID-19 positive individual

• Students, teachers, and staff who have been close to someone with COVID-19 should not return to in-person school until they have completed their 10 day quarantine. In each situation where an individual has been identified as a close contact, we will work directly with that family and the local board of health to determine the appropriate plan.

​​

• The classroom students where a COVID 19 case was confirmed will remain home doing online classes and self-isolation until the quarantine period of 10 days has passed. The office personnel will try to find the people who had close contact with the person/people who were positive and have them also do online classes until the quarantine period of 10 days has passed. Other classes will resume their in person. Testing is recommended for people who have been in close contact with an infected student. Teachers, staff are not required to quarantine if they have been fully vaccinated against the disease and show no symptoms.

 

• After this period , individuals can resume their normal daily routines, including attending school/work, but must continue to monitor for symptoms. If any symptoms develop during this time, the individual will revert back to a strict quarantine until the end of another 10 days.

​

At home positive case

• We ask parents to keep us updated and to do the health questionnaire every morning before school. If there is a positive case at home, the family must inform the school. We will then follow the above at school procedures.

 

• Please be aware that these are general guidelines that we will be following as a school. All of our plans remain contingent upon health, safety, and guiding feedback from medical and scientific professionals; their expert guidance will serve as the deciding factor for TIA's steps forward. This is a complex problem-solving moment, and we are up for the challenge. There is light at the end of this tunnel, and every day we move closer to being together again.

​