Lakeside School

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.

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. 

Get tested.

With increased concerns about COVID variants and breakthrough infections in vaccinated individuals, Lakeside will continue to offer testing to Lakeside students and employees. We have increased testing during the omicron wave, but will eventually return to testing on a rolling basis. That testing protocol is:

• All individuals who are unvaccinated will be required to be tested every week with PCR testing.
• All individuals who are vaccinated will be required to be tested regularly with PCR testing. This will occur on a rolling basis, with one-third of students and adults being tested each week. Upper School students will receive an email to sign up for testing; Middle School parents and guardians will receive an email to sign up their students.
• Any individual who experiences COVID-19 symptoms will be tested immediately with an antigen test; depending on the outcome, they may be directed to get a PCR test off-campus.

Testing will take place on Thursdays between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Lakeside’s campus. There will be no cost to families.

Participate in contact tracing.

Updated Jan. 16: Lakeside School is no longer doing contact tracing, as 99% of our students and employees are vaccinated. Learn more about this change in Bernie Noe's Jan. 16 email to the community. 

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 contact the school at healthandsafety@lakesideschool.org with questions or to report a positive COVID-19 test result. This information will remain confidential. Students who test positive and are well enough to engage in classes receive remote learning plans. 

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.

Quarantine if requested.

The state has updated quarantine protocols for COVID-19 exposure to reduce students missing school. Fully vaccinated students and employees who do not have symptoms do not have to quarantine when exposed to COVID-19; they should be tested 3-5 days after exposure and wear a mask indoors for up to 14 days. Those who test positive must isolate for five days before returning to campus. Unvaccinated students will receive additional communication from the school. 

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."

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.  

Participate in health screenings.

Updated Jan. 18: Families are no longer required to complete a Magnus Health wellness check each day. Students should stay home if sick, consult their medical provider, and get tested for COVID-19 if exhibiting symptoms. 

Wear a mask.

As required by the State Department of Health, all students and adults must wear masks when indoors, on buses, or in any school-sponsored vehicle. A mask completely covers the mouth and nose and fits securely on the sides of the face and under the chin. N95 or KN95 masks are strongly encouraged. Learn more about types of masks on the CDC website. Masks must fit and be worn correctly. Contact Lakeside’s family support program if your student needs assistance with masks.

Masks are not required outdoors, however, all students and adults, regardless of vaccination status, must wear a mask in crowded outdoor settings where it’s hard to maintain physical distance. Protocols around masking during athletics are updated as needed and communicated by Lakeside Athletics.

Practice physical distancing.

In all classrooms, students will be at individual desks at least three feet apart. 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.

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.

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. 

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 must get tested three to five days after the flight and monitor for symptoms.