COVID-19 Response

It goes without saying that during these times of uncertainty and fear, we experience heightened concern about protecting ourselves and that which we love most— especially our children. Several articles have been released which illustrate the way in which outdoor programs naturally allow for the best possible educational experience in a group setting without compromising safety. Abundant space, fresh air and sunshine, small class sizes, and limited materials— all hallmarks of a forest school environment— minimize the risks of transmission and exist without any modification to a typical day.

(Read here and here for some input on the idea.)

Here are some other ways we will be responding to the pandemic:

  • Staff Responsibilities

    • Staff have attended a “Planning for Reopening” forum led by the Natural Start Alliance that addressed criteria for reopening, policies required by state, and teaching strategies and routines to best help children and minimize risk.

    • Staff have attended a “Best Practices for Outdoor Learning & Sharing Public Space” webinar though the California Associations for Forest Schools to help plan how to be safe, sustainable, and respectful in sharing outdoor spaces, during a time with increased numbers of people turning to nature for respite.

    • Staff will take their temperature and complete a self-attested CDC-approved COVID screening at home daily before beginning care and will stay home if the screening is not passed.

    • All staff will be fully vaccinated.

    • Staff will be mindful in planning outdoor activities with a focus on those that naturally lend themselves to social distancing.

    • Children will be sent home without exception if they exhibit any of the following: persistent cough, fatigue, or fever.

  • Parent Responsibilities

    • Parents will daily take their child’s temperature and complete a CDC-approved COVID screening at home.

    • At least one parent or caregiver will be available at all times to retrieve their child, if the child develops any symptoms of illness during the school day.

    • Families will be asked to report if anyone in their household has had a fever in the last 24 hours and to keep their child home, if so. Fever policy is always in place for children actively in our care, but will extend to family members for the foreseeable future.

  • School Responsibilities

    • Class size will be limited to 10 or less children at all times.

    • Hand washing will be increased and happen before all activities involving shared materials.

    • As always, our travel potty will be sanitized between uses.

    • Lunch boxes will remain in backpacks and children will carry their own packs as often as possible to minimize cross-contamination.

  • Additional Info

    • The majority of learning children are doing in their early years centers around socio-emotional development with most of that learning occurring through nonverbal communication. While we understand the extra level of safety that comes from wearing masks, we believe the important learning that comes from visualizing the faces and expressions of teachers and peers outweighs the safety benefits of masks. Therefore, we will not ever require children or staff to wear masks. If it is city/ state mandated to do so, we will close.

    • While we will create many invitations for socially-distanced play, we will not admonish children for holding hands, touching, comforting one another, or playing in close contact. Children are coming through a time of isolation and stress and physical touch is essential for their comfort and well-being. If families are uncomfortable with their child coming into close contact with other children, they should not yet participate in our program.

    • Similarly, children will be physically comforted by staff when appropriate.

    • In the event that Californians are asked to shelter-in-place during a scheduled session, families may request a full refund for any unused days (at the rate of $14.50/hr x the number of unused days). They will forfeit their place in the program by doing so, but we understand that many financial burdens come along with these unexpected changes and want to do what’s best for the families in our community.

We will continue to monitor information released by the government and the state of California and adapt our protocols as necessary. We want to keep everyone as safe as possible, in all the ways.