St. Andrew's Schools continues to monitor the status of COVID-19. Our commitment to you is that we will stay informed and remain calm, so that clear thinking drives our decision-making. Continue to check this page for all school-related updates.
Color-Coded Health Alert Levels
This system provides general guidelines for the status of our campuses and learning environment.
What We Are Doing
As we navigate the current health crisis and its related financial impact, St. Andrew’s Schools is committed to three important goals: to provide safe, in-person instruction for all students; to keep all of our students (both new and returning) enrolled; and to retain our employees to the best of our ability.
Please refer to our Return to Campus Plan or details on all the health and safety measures we are taking.
- Enhanced Health and Safety Measures
- Safety Policies and Procedures
- Student Travel Policy
- Distance Learning
- Record of Head of School Messages
- Athletics
Enhanced Health and Safety Measures
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Face masks will be worn by all employees.
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Employees who are screening people entering the campus will wear additional Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) including face shields and gloves. Our preschool teachers will also be wearing smocks.
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Touchless thermal scanners will be used for daily student temperature checks.
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Hand sanitizers will be available in all classrooms and offices.
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Indoor and outdoor hand washing stations will be available throughout campus.
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Increased signage to remind everyone to practice physical distancing, wear their face masks, and practice good hygiene with frequent handwashing.
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There will be amplified daily cleaning and sanitization throughout campus.
Students will be clustered in small discreet cohorts in order to minimize the risk of transmission of the virus. In the event of small numbers of infections on campus, this will enable us to have the affected cohort learn from home for two weeks without requiring that the entire campus close and revert to distance learning.
For more details, refer to the Return to Campus Plan.
Safety Policies and Procedures
Our school community remains committed to adhering to the following safety policies and procedures.
- Follow Federal, State, and Local Orders. All families are expected to adhere to the directives of applicable federal, state, and local government health departments, including the CDC, regarding social distancing in public and other measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
- Stay Home if Sick. If your child is sick, you are expected to keep him/her home from school. Each day parents/guardians should check their children for fever, cough, or shortness of breath prior to coming to school. If any of these signs are evident, the child must remain at home until the symptoms clear. If a child is absent for three or more consecutive school days she/he will need written clearance from a medical doctor in order to return to school. Students who have experienced a non-COVID-19 illness can return to school after their symptoms have resolved and they have been fever free without medication for at least 24 hours. Families of sick students should call the Health Office the day before their intention to return to school to confirm their readiness.
- Stay Home if Exposed. If anyone in your household has been notified by the State Health Department that they were in contact with an individual infected with COVID-19, you are asked to notify the School Nurse at (808) 532-2403 or schoolnurse@standrewsschools.org. Based on the circumstance, you may be asked to keep your child home from school for 10 days. During this time, your child will be able to continue classes via distance learning.
- COVID-19 Testing and Notification. If your child or someone in your household tests positive for COVID-19, you must notify the School Nurse at (808) 532-2403 or schoolnurse@standrewsschools.org as soon as possible.
- Hygiene. Practice and reinforce good hygiene practices at home, in particular, the importance of frequent
- Face Masks. Students K–12 must wear a face mask to school every day while they are on campus. Preschool students will not be required to wear face masks. Face masks are not required during physical education and outdoor recess, while napping, or when students physically distance themselves outdoors. Students are asked to bring a spare mask to school each day. Please teach your child how to properly use and remove a face mask. If using fabric masks, ensure that your child’s mask is cleaned regularly.
- Temperature Checking. The School will regularly check the temperatures of students upon arrival at school. If your child presents with a temperature that is higher than 100.4˚F, your child will be sent home. Students’ Personal Items. Limit the items your child brings onto campus each day and reinforce policies of no sharing of food, supplies, and other items with other students. We recommend that students K–12 bring their own water bottles and individually packaged snacks each day.
- Medical Forms and Emergency Contacts. Parents must complete and submit all required student medical forms prior to the first day of school. These include the Family Travel Declaration Form and SAS Waiver Form. Parents must provide at least three (3) emergency contacts who are able to pick up your child from the School within one (1) hour of receiving a call from the School if your child presents with a temperature or becomes ill during the school day.
For more details, refer to the Return to Campus Plan.
Student Travel Policy
As of February 23, 2021, the state of Hawai‘i will ONLY accept the Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT) results from a certified Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA) lab from TRUSTED TESTING AND TRAVEL PARTNERS from travelers crossing the Pacific. Please see the Safe Travels Hawaiʻi page and Getting to Hawaiʻi page for additional information. You will need to register online and upload your test result before boarding the plane to return to Hawaiʻi. Presently, proof of vaccination is not a recognized exemption to the Hawaiʻi travel quarantine. The state continues to evaluate the latest science and will inform travelers of any new exemptions as those decisions are made.
County Policies
Please click here for updated information on individual county policies on inter island travel.
Procedures for Student Travel
- Prior to travel, when travel plans have been confirmed, please email attendance@standrewsschools.org with the student’s name, grade, travel location, travel departure and arrival dates, and expected first day back at school.
- The student must provide documentation of a state-approved negative COVID-19 test to the School Nurse before being permitted to enter campus. Documentation can be presented to the School Nurse on the student’s first day back to school during morning drop-off in front of the gym.
- If the student was unable to be tested within 72 hours of return travel, please email School Nurse, Ms. Colleen Treacy, at schoolnurse@standrewsschools.org to confirm the dates of the student’s 10-day quarantine period.
- Students must continue to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms and remain home if sick or not feeling well.
- If anyone in the student’s household tests positive for the COVID-19 virus or learns that they were exposed to someone who tested positive for the virus, the student must stay home and contact the School Nurse as soon as possible.
This travel policy is subject to change at any time with updated government regulations.
Distance Learning
- Distribution of distance learning supplies to Lower School students to be held, Monday, March 23 at 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 3 – 4 p.m. Not all students will need to pick up supplies as some classes distributed work prior to spring break.
Principals have worked very closely with our faculty to develop a distance learning plan in the event that schools are closed due to the virus. Our Technology department has provided guidance and training to our faculty so that we can continue to support our students remotely, using much of the technology already in use by our faculty and students.
Click the K-12 Online Learning booklet below to review the details of our plan.
Record of Head of School Messages
- May 28, 2020 (To Queen Emma Preschool Parents)
- April 28, 2020 (To The Priory and The Prep Parents)
- April 28, 2020 (To QEP)
- March 30, 2020 (To Prep & Priory)
- March 30, 2020 (To QEP)
- March 22, 2020 (All School)
- March 17, 2020 (To The Priory and The Prep Parents)
- March 17, 2020 (To Queen Emma Preschool Parents)
- March 9, 2020 (All School)
- March 4, 2020 (All School)
- February 27, 2020 (All School)
- February 7, 2020 (All School)
May 28, 2020 (To Queen Emma Preschool Parents)
April 28, 2020 (To The Priory and The Prep Parents)
We also want to convey our sincere thanks for your partnership and participation in your children’s education. We recognize that many of you are working from home, have multiple children at different grade levels and/or schools, and overall have had to adjust to your own life challenges. Navigating remote learning is challenging, yet we are pleased at how well our students (and teachers) have adjusted to this new reality. We are so proud of our students and their continued learning during this time and appreciate your feedback as it has been a learning process for all of us. We will continue to communicate with you and hope to welcome families back to school, pending governmental mandates and guidelines, with a re-entry plan in June for our summer school program.
Through our collaboration with Arizona State University we will also be offering college-level courses to interested and qualified high school students. Students are encouraged to work with their school advisors to determine which ASUPD high school and ASU college courses can be applied toward their graduation credit requirements. Pricing for all courses will be similar to our regular summer school pricing and will be posted on our website on or before May 1, 2020. The schedule for our high school and college course offerings is outlined below.
April 28, 2020 (To QEP)
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March 30, 2020 (To Prep & Priory)
March 30, 2020 (To QEP)
March 22, 2020 (All School)
March 17, 2020 (To The Priory and The Prep Parents)
Aloha, Parents ~
The COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic continues to evolve quickly. New guidance today from the federal government and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cautions against gathering in groups of 10 people or more.
Because the safety of our school community must be paramount in this unprecedented global health crisis, we have made the decision to make the following changes to school operations:
- Spring break is extended through Wednesday, April 1, 2020.
- On Thursday, April 2, our Online Learning Program will be enacted for students K-12 at The Priory and The Prep. No classes or co-curricular activities will be held on campus. Once it begins, online learning will continue until further notice. Additional details are below.
- The Queen Emma Ball, scheduled for April 2, will change to a virtual event – 100% digital with an online auction. More information will be shared soon.
Online Learning Program
The principals and faculty have been busily planning for this possibility since the scope of the COVID-19 became apparent. We are confident that we will be able to deliver a cohesive remote learning experience for our students. We also recognize that this may be challenging to manage for many families – juggling work and other responsibilities while also supporting children who are learning online. We pledge to be understanding and flexible during this time and appreciate your support.
We are providing pedagogical and technical assistance to our faculty members in order to ensure that the quality of instruction remains high. Our Technology Department is available to assist you with technical or other issues you may face.
Thank you for the supportive and loving environment you will be providing for your child during this time. Some students may have increased concerns or anxiety about COVID-19 once they learn that they will not be returning to school as expected. To assist you in having this conversation with your child, we recommend these articles from the New York Times, the National Association of School Psychologists, and the Child Mind Institute. These are excellent resources with valuable insights on helping young people to gain not only perspective, but also an understanding of the steps adults are taking to care for them and a sense of control in these unsettling circumstances.
Please know that we have not made these decisions lightly. At St. Andrew’s Schools, we value deeply our personal interaction with your child and your family. While it will be more challenging to create the same conditions in an online setting, we are dedicated to ensuring that our students have the best possible academic experience under these difficult circumstances.
We are always grateful for the strength of the St. Andrew’s ʻohana, and have faith that our school community will continue to support each other during this time and beyond.
With aloha,
March 17, 2020 (To Queen Emma Preschool Parents)
Aloha, Parents ~
The COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic continues to evolve quickly. New guidance today from the federal government and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cautions against gathering in groups of 10 people or more.
Because the safety of our school community must be paramount in this unprecedented global health crisis, we have made the decision to extend Spring Break for Queen Emma Preschool until Friday, April 3rd.
We will update you about the status of school operations at Queen Emma Preschool no later than Monday, March 30.
The Queen Emma Ball, scheduled for April 2, and celebrating the 35th Anniversary of Queen Emma Preschool will change to a virtual event – 100% digital with an online auction. More information will be shared soon.
Thank you for the supportive and loving environment you will be providing for your child during this time. Some students may have increased concerns or anxiety once they learn that they will not be returning to school as expected, even if they are not fully aware of the COVID-19 situation. To help you have this conversation with your child, we recommend these excellent articles from the New York Times, the National Association of School Psychologists, and the Child Mind Institute.
Please know that we have not made this decision lightly and we recognize the challenges that these changes to our program can create for our families. We appreciate your understanding as we take the necessary and responsible actions to help reduce the spread of the Coronavirus within our island community.
We are always grateful for the strength of the St. Andrew’s ʻohana, and have faith that our school community will continue support each other during this time and beyond.
With aloha,
March 9, 2020 (All School)
Aloha, Parents,
As you may already know, Hawaiʻi has confirmed its first case of COVID-19. We will continue to monitor our situation locally, as well as globally, following guidelines and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Hawaiʻi State Department of Health, and the U.S. Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs.
The safety and well-being of our students is, and will remain, our highest priority as we continue to learn more about this new virus and the possible effects on our school community. We also know that many of you may be traveling over Spring Break. As such, we have implemented the following guidelines to promote a healthy environment in our school.
School-Related Travel
As of last week, St. Andrew’s Schools has suspended all school-related travel to and from CDC Level 2 and Level 3 countries. School employees will not travel to these countries for school-related purposes. Please know that the school, at its own discretion, may expand this suspension to other countries and parts of the mainland U.S., depending on the spread of COVID-19.
Campus Visits
St. Andrew’s Schools has also applied this suspension to campus visits by visitors who have been in CDC Level 2 and Level 3 countries in the prior 14 days. We are monitoring this developing situation. St. Andrew’s Schools, at its own discretion, may expand this suspension to visitors from other countries or parts of the mainland U.S.
Personal Travel
All employees, students, and families should heed the travel restrictions and advisories from our government and avoid all non-essential travel to the CDC Level 2 and Level 3 countries of China, Japan, South Korea, Italy and Iran.
Child as Traveler
- If your child travels to or transits through a Level 2 or 3 country, you must notify our school nurse Deborah Devine-Sherman (dsherman@standrewsschools.org) and withhold your child from school and school-related events for 14 days. If flu-like symptoms occur during this time, your child must also secure medical clearance prior to returning to school.
Household Member as Traveler
- If any member of your household travels to or transits through a Level 3 country and returns home, you must notify our school nurse Deborah Devine-Sherman (dsherman@standrewsschools.org) and withhold your child from school for 14 days, regardless of whether your child traveled there or not.
- If any member of your household travels to or transits through a Level 2 country and returns home, your child may attend school unless the traveling family member is experiencing flu-like symptoms. In this situation, you must notify our school nurse Deborah Devine-Sherman (dsherman@standrewsschools.org) and withhold your child from school for 14 days.
Families may want to reconsider all non-essential travel, particularly to areas of heightened concern, such as the Seattle area of Washington state.
If any member of your household tests positive for COVID-19, you must immediately notify the school. Your child will be required to observe a 14-day self-quarantine from school and school-related events and secure medical clearance prior to returning to school.
Please note that these same guidelines are being shared with our faculty and staff as we seek to maintain a consistent approach to prevention at both our downtown and Nuʻuanu campuses.
Recently, our principals worked very closely with our faculty to develop a distance learning plan in the unlikely event that schools are closed due to the virus. Our Technology department has provided guidance and training to our faculty so that we can continue to support our students remotely, using much of the technology already in use by our faculty and students.
Our dedicated Facilities team, teachers and staff continue to thoroughly clean classrooms, bathrooms and shared spaces with a focus on doorknobs, light switches, faucets, bathroom spaces, work surfaces, student and teacher desks, classroom tables, keyboards, phones and fitness equipment. We have also expanded our signage around campus with information about proper hygiene and increased our lessons on how to properly wash your hands and avoid germ transmission.
Thank you for continuing to review with your children the preventive measures we shared with you previously: staying home from school when sick, washing hands frequently for 20 seconds or longer, covering a cough or sneeze, and avoiding touching the face with hands.
We encourage you to bookmark the COVID-19 page on our website that can be found here. We will continue to post updates and any communications about COVID-19 and ask that you read them thoroughly.
Thank you again for your patience and support as we do our best to ensure the well-being of your children and our school community.
With aloha,
March 4, 2020 (All School)
Aloha Parents
I feel fortunate to have recently attended the annual conference for the National Association of Independent Schools where I was able to exchange expertise and ideas on a number of topics with school leaders from around the country. As you might expect, COVID-19 was top of mind for all of the educators, with ongoing discussions about what schools should and must be doing to ensure student safety and continued delivery of education in a number of scenarios.
Faculty and staff are actively making plans to continue your child's education at The Prep and The Priory remotely, through email and/or Canvas in the event of a school closure.
In the meantime, please be assured that the well-being of your children is of utmost importance to us. As always, but especially during this uncertain time, thank you for partnering with us to ensure that school and home are healthy, nurturing environments.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact your child's director, principal, or my office.
February 27, 2020 (All School)
Aloha Parents,
We continue to monitor the status of COVID-19, the new name for Coronavirus 2019. As this situation unfolds on a global scale, our commitment to you is that we will stay informed and remain calm, so that clear thinking drives our decision-making. Your children’s safety and the continued quality of their educational experience here at St. Andrew’s Schools is paramount, especially in light of this evolving situation.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified 50 countries with reported cases of COVID-19 and have stated that the “potential public health threat posed by COVID-19 is high, both globally and to the United States.”
As of February 25, the CDC has classified countries with reported cases of COVID-19 as follows:
- Level 3 (China and South Korea): Avoid all non-essential travel.
- Level 2 (Japan, Italy): Practice enhanced precautions. These countries are experiencing a “sustained community spread” of the illness. (Iran is also classified at Level 2, but State Department travel warnings advise against any travel to this country.)
- Level 1 (Hong Kong): Practice usual precautions.
There are currently no travel restrictions to the U.S. mainland.
With the health and well-being of our school community foremost in mind, and with the understanding that the CDC and many other organizations are still learning about this new illness, we are implementing the following measures immediately:
- All school-related travel programs to Level 2 and 3 countries is suspended until the CDC lowers its travel advisory to Level 1 (this includes our Spring Break trip to Japan).
- Students and/or families that have traveled to, or lived in, a Level 2 or Level 3 country in the last fourteen (14) days should notify our school nurse for clearance to attend school.
Thank you for continuing to practice good health habits in this flu season. Health recommendations and COVID-19 updates can be found here on our website.
Thank you for working together with us to keep our school community healthy and safe. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who are being directly affected by this world-wide virus.
February 7, 2020 (All School)
Aloha Parents,
As is the rest of the world, we are carefully monitoring the Coronavirus (AKA 2019-nCoV), a new strain of respiratory illness that was first identified in Wuhan, China. To date, there are no known infected persons in Hawaiʻi; nonetheless we are remaining vigilant about your children in our care. As such, we are following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Hawaiʻi State Department of Health, and the U.S. Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs.
We are fortunate to have a registered nurse at our school. She will send home students who exhibit the following:
- Fever, or slight fever with accompanying symptoms. As a reminder, our policy about fever is: A student with a fever must be fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medications before returning to school. All absences 3 days or more must provide a medical note upon return.
- Difficulty breathing without a URI (upper respiratory infection) or asthma diagnosis.
- Signs of generally not feeling well, especially if accompanied by lethargy, headache, body aches, or chills
Students who have had a fever are being monitored after returning to school; they will be sent home if they have not fully recovered. A doctor’s note is required for return to school after a diagnosis of the flu.
Following are a few reminders to lessen the likelihood of contracting respiratory illnesses:
- Get vaccinated against the flu. The Department of Health strongly recommends residents ages 6 months and older protect themselves against the flu by receiving the seasonal influenza vaccination.
- Stay home when sick.
- Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, before eating, and after going to the bathroom.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. At St. Andrew’s, our cleaning staff is paying particular attention to cleaning surfaces and doorknobs.
Thank you for working together with us to keep our school community healthy and safe.
Aloha,
Athletics
Resources
Parent Resources
- Government Plans to Re-Open Hawai'i
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Hawaiʻi State Department of Health
- U.S. Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs
- HAIS COVID-19 Resources
- What you need to know about hand washing.
- How to protect yourself against COVID-19.
- Best Face Masks for Kids
- American Academy of Pediatrics Report on Opening Schools
- Symptoms of COVID
- Symptom Comparison Chart
- Changes for Fully Vaccinated People
- CDC COVID-19 Screening Guidelines
- Vaccine Finder: This link helps parents find vaccination areas in their zip and also let's them know clinics or areas that may not have vaccines or are running low. https://vaccinefinder.org/
- Safe Travels Hawaii Quick Facts
Self-Checker
Answer questions to help you decide whether to seek medical care
Campus Resources
kbailey-walsh@standrewsschools.org
nfield@standrewsschools.org
mgarcia@standrewsschools.org
mkilbey@standrewsschools.org
Teacher Resources
- Ohana Bubble Handout - Preschool
- Ohana Bubble Handout - Elementary
- Ohana Bubble Handout - Middle and High School
- National Coalition of Girls and the National Association of Episcopal Schools
- How To Practice Social Distancing, The New Yorker
- AP Updates for Schools Impacted by Coronavirus
- Symptom Comparison Chart