We have been researching and learning from international schools, area childcare centers, and summer camp programs that have opened successfully to learn additional best practices as we continue to plan for the fall. As an independent school, we continue to make decisions that we believe are best for our school community and will not necessarily follow the plans laid out by CMS. Also, we have consulted with our medical advisors who are very close to CDS as we developed our plan.

• There will be some short-term disruptions this year including the frequency and duration of on-campus visits. We ask that parents and visitors come to campus only when necessary. Everyone who comes on campus, other than to drop their child at school, will be required to follow all safety protocols and guidelines including wearing a mask and having their temperature taken.
• Parents/visitors will not be allowed to wait inside buildings for their children as they finish drama/choir/band rehearsals.
• Parent group meetings will not be allowed on campus until further notice.

Yes

• Mike Johnson, M.D., Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease, Atrium Health
• Leslie Lindner, M.D., Obstetrics and Gynecology, Atrium Health
• Kerry Van Voorhis, M.D., Pediatrics, Novant Health
• Shannon McCrory, R.N., Covenant Day School
• Lisa Smith, R.N., Covenant Day School

Covenant Day has made the decision to modify, postpone, or cancel many of its August and September events. For updates, click on the Updates and Resources button located on the main page of the Lions Together Again Information Hub.

EVENT UPDATES AS OF 8/4/20:

• Windy Gap: For the safety and health of our students, faculty, staff, and parent volunteers, we have decided to reschedule Windy Gap for our middle and high school students. High school students will go to Windy Gap October 20-22 and middle school students will go to Windy Gap October 27-29.
• Back to School Nights: All three of our Back to School Nights will be virtual this year. 
• Back to School Festival: Postponed
• Convocation: In-person for Seniors, Virtual for Students, Faculty/Staff, and Parents
• Fall Guidance Night: Virtual
• Community Heroes: For the safety of our school community and community heroes, we have made the decision to cancel our annual Community Heroes Celebration.

• Masks that cover the nose and mouth will be required for everyone upon leaving their cars, moving around campus, in the hallways, and while in common areas. Masks with breathing vents are not allowed as they do not protect your neighbor. There will be some flexibility for our youngest students, and middle and high school students will be given breaks to remove masks throughout the day.
• Faculty will be able to wear clear face shields while teaching in the classroom and while distanced from students. During other times around campus, faculty will wear masks.
• Parents should provide three masks for their student(s) – one to keep at school as a back-up, one to wear, and one to wash. Each mask should be labeled with the student’s first and last name.
• (*8/4): Masks and/or face coverings worn by adults and students on campus must cover both one’s mouth and nose.  Masks cannot have any political messages on them.  Masks may be plain, have patterns, and may include sports teams. We ask that besides Professional/College sports teams and CDS gear, that no other words be on masks. Students will be allowed to wear gaiters. However, if a student opts to wear a gaiter, the gaiter should be two-ply. Students should be mindful that pranks related to masks will not be allowed. Students should not touch another person’s mask.

• Every day before coming to school, parents will be required to conduct a health screening for their student(s) at home which will include temperature checks, as well as checking for common COVID-19 symptoms. More details on how this will be reported to our nurses will be forthcoming.
• CDS employees will be required to conduct the same health screening before coming to school.
• We will have at least two health rooms on campus: one for sick students and one for well students with routine needs.
• If a student or adult has a temperature that is 100°F or greater, our nurses will partner with families and adults to determine when they will be allowed back at school. At a minimum, students and employees must be fever-free without fever reducing medication for 72 hours before being allowed to return to school, which is a change from our normal policy of 24 hours.
• If a student or employee has symptoms, is exposed to, or someone in their household tests positive for COVID-19, they will be asked to notify the school nurse and to quarantine until cleared by a healthcare provider. We are required to follow the direction of the Mecklenburg County Health Department concerning decisions regarding quarantine and the extent of exposure, which may vary from case to case. We will communicate information with the school community on a need-to-know basis depending on how the health department directs us.

• If someone in our school community tests positive, we will work with the Mecklenburg County Health Department to learn how we should proceed. The health department will give us guidance on who needs to be informed in the school community, based on who was in close contact with the infected person.
• The health department will guide us as to whether we need to close one classroom for cleaning, close multiple rooms, etc.
• It is possible that one diagnosis does not necessarily mean an automatic shutdown.

We plan to implement physical distancing where possible, although we can not guarantee six feet distance at all times.

In addition to our normal sanitizing and cleaning protocols, we will implement electrostatic fogging of classrooms. Click here to learn more about the electrostatic fogging of classrooms, which will take place three days a week. 

Our HVAC systems in the lower school buildings and middle school will be getting updated air filter systems. The high school HVAC  currently has an excellent air filtration system.

Click here to review our Attendance Matrix that includes details about when students/staff must stay home and when it is safe to return to school after an illness.

CDS is working with Christ Covenant Church to potentially use some of their space if the need arises for class sizes to be reduced.

• Students will eat lunch in their classrooms or in small groups across campus.
• FLIK Dining will be offering food services, but there will be no self-service of any food or beverage items. FLIK will continue to offer grab ‘n’ go breakfast in the high school. Enhanced cleaning and disinfection procedures of their kitchen area, equipment, and cooking utensils will occur.

Yes, students will have PE and access to the playground. Scheduling and proper cleaning protocols are still in the planning stages.

Chapels will be virtual, at least in the beginning of the academic year or in small group settings.

We are still working on logistics for band and choir. It is our goal to provide band and choir for those students who choose to participate while strictly adhering to physical distancing guidelines.

Yes. We plan to offer our Extended Day Program and after school enrichment opportunities for students in grades TK-8 while strictly following physical distancing protocol.

• Yes, and their names should be clearly visible on each water bottle.
• The Operations Team will be installing water bottle fill stations in buildings on campus. Students must use the water fill stations for their water bottles rather than drinking from the water fountain.

• At the present time, we are moving forward with planning on all productions while adhering to physical distancing where possible. The number cast in a show will be smaller as well as the number of students called at a time for rehearsals. More specific details for procedure updates will be provided to those students cast in the shows.
• The audience set-up will be adjusted with reduced capacity, and we will provide more details about that in the coming month. Our goal is to make sure every cast family member is able to attend at least one performance and then the next priority will go to our Covenant Arts members following a tiered release.

A decision has not yet been made regarding field trips other than the middle school and high school students going to Windy Gap in October.