Health and safety
S
tudent health and safety is a top priority at Lakeside School.
This webpage serves as a family resource on health and safety at the school, with an emphasis on navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.
Community health status and COVID-19 monitoring
June 14: This dashboard will not be updated during the summer. Summer School Programs and LEEP will communicate health and safety information, as needed, to families enrolled in those programs. Health and safety protocols for those programs can be found here.
Information about health and safety protocols in the 2022-2023 school year will be shared in August.
Family checklist
Lakeside will work with parents and guardians to ensure that students are healthy and safe.
- Review the expectations for students and families on this page and talk about what the information means for your family.
- Read updates from the school when they are released.
- Get a COVID-19 vaccine booster when eligible.
- Update your student's vaccination status once fully vaccinated. Find instructions here.
- Watch for information on COVID-19 testing.
- Contact Lakeside’s family support program if your family needs assistance with a mask or a device for contact tracing.
Health and safety expectations for Lakeside students and families
All members of the Lakeside community have a shared responsibility to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Students and families must commit, in collaboration with the school, to the following health and safety procedures:
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Comply with federal, state, and local orders. All families and employees are expected to follow directives from national, state, and local authorities to maintain their own health and safety during this pandemic. These include Washington State Department of Public Health, Public Health - Seattle & King County, and the CDC Guide on Protecting Yourself and Others. |
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Get vaccinated when eligible. Getting vaccinated is the biggest thing we can do to keep all our students safe. We want to thank every person for following this requirement and uploading student vaccination records in a timely fashion. Updated Jan 7 to include boosters: The COVID-19 vaccine and booster is required for Lakeside employees and eligible students without a medical or religious exemption. Please review Lakeside School’s policy on the COVID-19 vaccines and this Jan. 7 update on boosters for eligible community members. Find more about booster eligibility on the CDC's website. |
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Starting April 4, Lakeside will no longer offer surveillance testing with PCR. Instead, diagnostic testing using rapid antigen tests will be available. Diagnostic testing is testing that is performed when there is a reason to suspect that an individual may be infected, such as having symptoms or suspected recent exposure, or to determine resolution of infection. Lakeside School will provide free antigen tests for the following individuals and situations:
Anyone who tests positive for COVID must notify Lakeside as soon as possible. Learn what to expect in the article, "What to do if your student tests positive for COVID-19." |
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Contact Lakeside if your student tests positive for COVID-19. If a student tests positive for COVID-19, a parent/guardian must notify the school as soon as possible. Please send a picture of the antigen test result or the PCR test result to the school at healthandsafety@lakesideschool.org. Their information will remain confidential. Students who test positive and are well enough to engage in classes receive remote learning plans. |
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Stay home if sick. Students and employees showing signs or symptoms of COVID-19 must not come to school and must get tested. Parents/guardians must keep them at home and away from others and contact the student's medical provider. If a student tests positive but feels well enough to do schoolwork, the school will work with the student and family so they can participate in class. Students who are sick with COVID or other illnesses should focus on resting and regaining their health. If a student is on campus and develops COVID-like symptoms during the day, they will be sent to a private space on campus and evaluated by a trained Lakeside employee. The student will have their temperature taken, given a KN-95 mask, and isolated in a separate room and given an antigen test if they show two or more signs of possible infection. Lakeside will contact the family to pick up their student. |
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Keep medical information up to date. All medical forms must be updated with family and emergency contacts and current medical forms. Log into Magnus Health to see your student’s required forms. |
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Wear a mask. In alignment with current Washington state and King County public health guidance, Lakeside School is mask-optional as of March 14, both indoors and outdoors. Masks are now recommended but not required on King County Metro custom bus routes. There may be times when a teacher asks students to wear a mask during class and we ask students to comply with these requests. Surgical masks will be available for students on these occasions; it is suggested that all students bring a mask to school. Contact Lakeside’s family support program if your student needs assistance with masks. Protocols around masking during athletics are updated as needed and communicated by Lakeside Athletics. |
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Practice physical distancing. Students and teachers should maintain a physical distance of three feet or more to the degree possible. We will maximize opportunities to increase physical space between students during all scheduled activities and limit interactions in large group settings. |
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Practice excellent hygiene. Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds — especially after being in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. |
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Be safe when you eat. Students will have the option to eat outside whenever possible or at designated locations on campus that allows for 6-foot physical distancing and proper ventilation. Students should closely read emails and follow guidance from the school. |
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Avoid unnecessary travel. Families should be careful of air travel — especially over school breaks. Please follow guidelines from the CDC and the Washington State Department of Health. Unvaccinated students that travel by plane must self-quarantine for five days upon return, and get a negative PCR test three to five days after returning from travel before they may return to classes. Vaccinated students do not need to quarantine but should monitor for symptoms and get tested if they develop. |
Cleaning protocol
Lakeside’s facilities team has implemented enhanced cleaning procedures and protocols for cleaning and disinfecting campus buildings that meet guidelines from the CDC and Public Health – Seattle & King County. This includes regular cleaning and sanitizing of high-touch surfaces in common areas within the buildings, as well as classrooms, desks, chairs, doors and doorknobs, railings, elevators, restrooms, and stairwells. In addition to routine cleaning during the day, there will be deep cleaning and sanitizing during evening hours.
The facilities team will provide cleaning and sanitizing supplies to faculty and staff to help them keep their areas safe, including hand sanitizer, soap, disinfecting wipes, additional hand washing stations, and gloves.
Student and family support
Supporting students’ social-emotional development and health is a priority at Lakeside. Lakeside’s student and family support program is equipped and prepared to respond to the needs of our students and families.
- Lakeside hired Julie Lutton in the 2020-2021 school year to serve in the role of personal wellness and development department head for grades 5-12. She oversees the curriculum for Middle and Upper school classes in personal development and wellness and serve as a member of student support teams in both divisions.
- The creation of the personal wellness and development department head adds another team member to our robust student and family support program. Find contact information for members of the student and family support team on our website.
- The student and family support webpage has resources to support social and emotional well-being, maximize online learning, and ideas to stay connected during remote learning.
- Recordings of Lakeside’s 2020 spring webinar series, “Parenting in the age of COVID-19: Navigating challenges with hope and resilience,” can be found here.
All of our faculty and staff are committed to tracking student progress and wellbeing to ensure that all students receive the attention, support, and care they need.
If you have any questions about student or family support, please reach out to Director of Student and Family Support Jamie Asaka, Head of Upper School Student Support Tasha Campbell Chang, or Head of Middle School Student Support Meg Wolfe through studentsupport@lakesideschool.org.