CORNERSTONE DURING COVID-19

With the beginning of the 2021 fall semester, Cornerstone Day School ended its hybrid attendance schedule and virtual learning to fully re-open for all students to attend school on a daily basis.

Safety as a Priority

Returning all students to full-time attendance had not been taken lightly by school leadership and we continue to take all the steps necessary to help ensure the safety of everyone in our building at all times.  These include: 

• Except for very few, all Cornerstone staff have been fully vaccinated. For the very small number who are not, we require testing test at least once per week as an extra safety measure.
• We use Medify air purification systems in every room in the building throughout the full school day. Each unit uses true Hepa 13 filters which removes bacteria and virus carriers from the air. 
• MERV13 air filters have been installed in our heating and air conditioning units throughout the building. They are regularly updated and greatly improve the safety of the building’s indoor air.
• While we are not yet requiring all students to be vaccinated, we strongly encourage parents to have their children vaccinated for the protection of their child, their family and all students and staff at Cornerstone. 
• All students, staff and visitors continue to be required to always wear masks in the building. 
• In addition to our normal evening cleaning procedures, our daytime custodian implements continual daytime cleaning and disinfecting protocols of all touchable surfaces (in particular, bathrooms, doorknobs, and handrails) throughout the school day. This cleaning and disinfecting routine is repeated each evening as well.
• Everyone entering the school at any time undergoes a temperature check and completes a Covid safety checklist.
• Staff and students are repeatedly trained and supervised in applicable social distancing practices for a school setting, and to follow strict health and wellness guidelines, such as handwashing. Hand sanitizer dispensers are available at the entrance of every room.
• Weather permitting, we use Cornerstone’s outdoor spaces each day so that students have time to remove their masks and relax while, of course, maintaining social distance. We also provide both education and therapy outdoors as much as possible.

Initiatives Supporting Full-Time Attendance

For some students, after a challenging virtual/hybrid school year, attending school on a full-time basis during a pandemic that so greatly impacts their lives can be a struggle academically and/or emotionally and we are taking many steps to help them overcome these challenges.

Emotional/Social Initiatives:

• Our daily psycho-educational groups contain a focus on social emotional stressors associated with Covid and attending school full-time. 
• Frequently scheduled after-school socials to help foster positive and comfortable friendships and emotional connections among our students, especially during what continues to be an emotionally challenging and isolating time.
• Monthly “Rest Stops” are social opportunities facilitated by our therapists that allow students the time to socialize with one another: playing games, doing arts and crafts, etc. Students select the period they wish to attend the Rest Stop.  
• Our Parent Support Groups include an emphasis on processing family dynamics during this pandemic and now helping their children attend school full-time while using all relevant safety steps.

Academic Initiatives:

We, of course, have many on-going academic initiatives to assist our students but the ones that have become even more relevant for students struggling during this time include:

• Providing students with academic support specific to their transition, while assisting them in managing short- and long-term assignments, preparing for tests, completing homework etc.
• Daily specialized subject support and tutoring as needed. Content area teachers are available each afternoon for students with a focus on the areas of curriculum in which they may be struggling.
• Homework plans and academic planning are regularly adjusted and strategically modified as specific student challenges emerge or are overcome.

We are also excited to get back to our wonderful field trips, dance and acting classes and it is our hope to have our sports teams of volleyball, basketball, softball, and MS soccer return at some point this year.

While we very much hope that full-time attendance can continue in all schools without interruption, we remain prepared as long as this pandemic continues to return to virtual and/or a hybrid schedule if it is determined that such a change would be best for the safety of our students.