COVID-19 Policies & Procedures
COVID-19 Vaccinations are here for the little ones!
The wait is over! Vaccinations against COVID-19 are finally here for children, ages 6 months+. Early Horizons Preschool supports the FDA's unanimous decision to approve the COVID-19 vaccine for little ones. While our staff members are already fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19, Early Horizons will move to become a fully vaccinated facility center-wide by 2023.
We understand that there may be some hesitation to vaccinate your child immediately, but we have compiled a list of articles here to help answer any questions you may have:
Why Parents Should Get Kids Under 5 Vaccinated Against COVID-19
COVID-19 Vaccines for Kids Under 5: What Parents Need to Know
We've also implemented "vaccine kits" in our preschool through school age program for the children to use in their dramatic play areas! This gives the children a chance to get familiar with the medical items and equipment that will be used during their vaccine appointment. Since we've given the classrooms these kits, their kids have enjoyed being the doctors and nurses of Early Horizons! The teachers have also implemented circle times to create an inviting space and time throughout day to talk about how vaccines help the community and what goes on during their vaccination process.
At Early Horizons, we are committed to ensuring that your child is safe. This means any child with symptoms of COVID-19 will be sent to our quarantine room in the front office to wait for a parent or authorized representative to pick him/her up. Symptomatic staff members, children, or household members must produce a negative COVID-19 PCR or Antigen test results in order for the staff member or child to return on campus.
If any staff member or child has a positive COVID-19 test result or have been a close contact with someone who was positive for COVID-19 regardless of vaccination status, they will not be permitted onto Early Horizons' campus until their quarantine period has passed or until they have a negative rapid antigen test (for community members ages 2+). A quarantine period will be determined by the administrators at Early Horizons Preschool. More information about our quarantine periods & policies about when there is a positive case on campus can be obtained by emailing StefanieAlamo@EarlyHorizons.com.
Please be aware, as a small business, we are unable to give tuition credits or refunds in the event of a schoolwide or classroom
closure in the event of an exposure.
Additional COVID Policies
Does Early Horizons Require Proof of Vaccination for Admittance?
Proof of vaccination against COVID-19 + booster for eligible household members in our community is required for admittance into Early Horizons.
Travel Policy in Effect (updated 3/2/22)*
We currently do not have a policy in regards to travel. Early Horizons recommends and prefers that your entire party who traveled be PCR tested upon return, but it is not mandatory.
Gathering Policy in Effect (updated 3/2/22)*
Early Horizons currently does not have a policy in regards to gatherings. However, we do ask that if you happen to attend gatherings, you consider getting tested for COVID-19 regularly.
Indoor & Outdoor Dining (updated 3/2/22)*
Early Horizons no longer has an indoor/outdoor dining policy.
*These policies may changes based on community transmission and vaccination rates at any time Early Horizons sees fit.
Sick Household Members
If your child is not symptomatic, but you are, or a household member is, we will still ask that your child be kept home from care at EH until you or the household member is greatly improving and can show negative COVID-19 test results. The child will not need to be tested in this instance, unless they develop symptoms.
Illness Policy Regarding Siblings at Early Horizons (updated 3/2/22)*
If one of your children is symptomatic, but your other child is not, we will still ask that both of your children be kept home from care at EH until the symptomatic child is fever free (without the use of fever reducing medication) and can show negative COVID test results. The asymptomatic sibling does not need to be tested, unless they develop symptoms. **Please know this policy was put in place to ensure that your child is not contagious and does not spread any virus or bacteria to others, COVID or otherwise. It is not our mission to subject every child to COVID testing on a regular basis unless they are symptomatic. Keeping your symptomatic child (and any asymptomatic sibling) home should decrease the number of children needing to get tested unnecessarily. We thank you for understanding.**
COVID-19 Testing (Updated 3/2/22)*
Rapid antigen tests are now an acceptable form of testing for those 2 years+. For those under two years of age, when needed, please test for COVID using PCR testing.
*These policies may changes based on community transmission and vaccination rates at any time Early Horizons sees fit.
Assumption of the Risk and Waiver of Liability Relating to Coronavirus/COVID-19
The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has been declared a worldwide pandemic by the World Health Organization. COVID-19 is extremely contagious and is believed to spread mainly from person-to-person contact. As a result, federal, state, and local governments and federal and state health agencies recommend social distancing and have, in many locations, prohibited the congregation of groups of people.
Early Horizons has put in place preventative measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19; however, the program cannot guarantee that you or your child(ren) will not become infected with COVID-19, as social distancing with young children is not possible. Furthermore, attending any of our programs at Early Horizons could increase your risk and your child(ren)’s risk of contracting COVID-19. You understand that no refunds or credits will be given if my child needs to be out of school due to an exposure regardless of how and why my child was exposed. Furthermore, no refunds or credits will be given in the event that you or your child may need to quarantine due to exposure policies set forth by federal, state, or county guidance or due to policies that Early Horizons may put into place to protect it's community, which may change at any time.
By enrolling your child into Early Horizons Preschool, you acknowledge the contagious nature of COVID-19 and voluntarily assume the risk that your child(ren) and you may be exposed to or infected by COVID-19 by attending Early Horizons and that such exposure or infection may result in personal injury, illness, permanent disability, and death. You understand that the risk of becoming exposed to or infected by COVID-19 at Early Horizons may result from the actions, omissions, or negligence of yourself and others, including, but not limited to, Early Horizons employees, volunteers, and program participants and their families. I understand that any of Early Horizons’ programs is at risk of shutting down without notice due to a confirmed exposure to COVID-19 by another child, staff member or parent at Early Horizons, and this is not at the fault of Early Horizons. You understand that if anyone in my household becomes infected with COVID-19 or shows symptoms of COVID-19, you will refrain from bringing your child to Early Horizons. You also understand that Early Horizons reserves the right to change it's policies at any time, without notice.
You voluntarily agree to assume all of the foregoing risks and accept sole responsibility for any injury to my child(ren) or myself (including, but not limited to, personal injury, disability, and death), illness, damage, loss, claim, liability, or expense, of any kind, that you or your child(ren) may experience or incur in connection with your child(ren)’s attendance at Early Horizons or participation in Early Horizons programming (“Claims”). On your behalf, and on behalf of your children, you hereby release, covenant not to sue, discharge, and hold harmless Early Horizons, its employees, agents, and representatives, of and from the Claims, including all liabilities, claims, actions, damages, costs or expenses of any kind arising out of or relating thereto. You understand and agree that this release includes any Claims based on the actions, omissions, or negligence of Early Horizons, its employees, agents, and representatives, whether a COVID-19 infection occurs before, during, or after participation in any Early Horizons program.