COVID-19 Information
Policies and Procedures
The purpose of these policies and procedures is to outline Saint Xavier High School's return-to-school guidelines and re-opening of campus during the COVID-19 pandemic. These guidelines have been carefully considered to address and promote the safety, health, and welfare of our community. They apply to all students, faculty and staff on St. X's campus and are subject to change in accordance with circumstances and public health orders. For questions related to clinical policies and procedures as well as to report potential or confirmed exposure to COVID-19, please contact the school.
St. X COVID-19 Reporting (05/24/22 @ 3:00 PM):
- Arriving on Campus
- When to Stay Home
- When to Return to School
- Quarantine and Contact Tracing
- School Health Procedures
- Campus Visits
- Athletics
- Additional resources
- Test to Stay
- Mask Policy
Arriving on Campus
- Students arriving on time for the school day are to enter through the Student Plaza/Cafeteria circle. Students being dropped off may exit vehicles in the traffic circle just outside the cafeteria. Students coming in from student parking are to walk to this entrance from the lot.
- Students arriving after the school day has begun are to make arrangements with school Administration and/or Student Services in order to receive a specified procedure for entering the school building.
- All individuals on campus are required to wear a mask. A face shield may be worn in place of a mask with a doctor’s note.
- Social distancing measures will be taken.
- Unscheduled visitors are not permitted on campus at this time.
When to Stay Home
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Fever (100.4 F or above)
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Sore throat
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New uncontrolled cough that causes difficulty breathing (for students with chronic allergic/asthmatic cough, a change in their cough from baseline)
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Diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain
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New onset of severe headache, especially with a fever
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Loss of taste or smell
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Chills
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Unexplained fatigue
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Unexplained muscle/body aches
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Tested positive for COVID-19
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Had close contact* to a confirmed COVID-19 case
In the event of anyone that has been on campus having a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, St. X will comply with all of the Louisville Metro Health Department of Public Wellness’ guidelines on contact tracing. Families will be notified if their student is believed to have had contact with the affected individual(s) and of the possible need to quarantine. Due to privacy policies, specific names of any individual confirmed with COVID-19 will not be released.
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The first 24 hours of various antibiotic treatments (i.e. strep throat, pink eye, etc.)
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Undiagnosed, new, and/or untreated rash or skin condition
When to Return to School
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At least 10 days since symptoms first appeared and
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At least 24 hours with no fever without fever-reducing medication and
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Symptoms have improved
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At least 10 days since date of test (not necessarily date of results) or onset of symptoms and
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If symptoms arise, at least 24 hours with no fever without fever-reducing medication and
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If symptoms arise, symptoms have improved
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Day 10, without testing and if no symptoms have been reported during daily monitoring
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Day 7, if testing negative and having no symptoms. The testing specimen can be collected and tested within 48 hours before seven (day 5 from exposure), but quarantine cannot end until at least one week has passed
*NOTE: Close contact is defined as being within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more.
* Exception: In the INDOOR CLASSROOM SETTING, the close contact definition excludes students who were at least >3 feet away from an infected student if both students were engaged in consistent and correct use of masks.
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At least 24 hours of applicable antibiotic treatments (ex: strep throat, pink eye, etc.) and
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At least 24 hours fever free without the use of fever-reducing medications for non COVID related viral illnesses such as common cold or flu and
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Symptoms have improved
Quarantine and Contact Tracing
Saint Xavier will work with Louisville Health and Wellness to facilitate case investigation and contact tracing to identify individuals who have had close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19. A close contact is someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes while the person was considered contagious.
Exception: In the indoor classroom setting, the close contact definition excludes students who were at least >3 feet away from an infected student if both students were engaged in consistent and correct use of masks and other prevention strategies were in place.
Unvaccinated students, teachers, or staff who are identified as close contacts will be instructed to self-quarantine regardless of whether the exposure occurred within or outside of the school setting. Quarantine may be discontinued when Louisville Health and Wellness determines the individual is safe to be around others or:
- After day 7 if the individual is symptom-free and receives a negative COVID-19 test 5 days or later after the last date of exposure to the case.
- After day 10 without testing if the individual is symptom-free.
Fully-vaccinated persons do not need to quarantine following an exposure to a person diagnosed with COVID-19 if he/she is not experiencing symptoms, but are recommended to be tested 3-5 days after an exposure.
School Health Procedures
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Temperature and symptoms will be checked outside of the office with brief triage to ensure correct isolation or care area provided for student
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Will be isolated from triage area if presenting with high-risk COVID symptoms and will need immediate pickup from parent or guardian.
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Must wash hands or use hand gel entering and leaving the office
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Student must wear school-mandated mask or face covering
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6-foot social distancing of visitors to office
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If congested, line will be outside the Health Office and student will be on designated marking on ground to wait
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No visitors unless medically necessary
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If a student presents to the nurse with ONE COVID-19 symptom, appropriate steps will be taken for the student to be picked up.
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Student will be isolated while a parent/guardian is contacted.
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If a student is being picked up, it is preferred to have the parent or guardian remain in the car and school personnel will escort the student to the vehicle.
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At her clinical discretion, the school nurse may ask that the student be referred to their Primary Care Provider for evaluation and possible testing.
For questions related to clinical policies and procedures as well as to report potential or confirmed exposure to COVID-19, please contact the school.
- The HVAC system is designed to provide the recommended air flow and humidity in all areas of our building. It can be adjusted according to the weather to bring in more outside air.
- A more frequent filter replacement schedule has been implemented for the HVAC system.
- Attention is being paid to increase in ventilation, including opening windows when appropriate to increase outside air flow.
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The new HVAC system in the library has an Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation system that kills 99% of germs.
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Air purifiers that utilize a UV germicidal light and HEPA filter have been installed in each classroom.
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Hand sanitizing stations are in place in each classroom and the cafeteria. Additional stations have been added near entrances and other high-traffic areas.
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The housekeeping team is cleaning the facility in two shifts throughout the day. This will include exposed surfaces, water fountains, door handles, handrails, faucets, etc.
- Nitrile gloves are being used for health services, cleaning, and sanitation.
- Electrostatic Sprayer cleaning systems are being used to disinfect all areas of the building. These systems will increase the intensity and frequency of disinfection/sanitation practices.
- Signs have been posted in highly visible areas to promote health and safety.
Campus Visits
Unfortunately, the campus must remain closed to visitors/guests at this time. Parents/guardians are asked to communicate via mail, email, telephone, or other electronic communications. If it becomes absolutely necessary to enter the school building, a pre-scheduled appointment is required. Unannounced visits cannot be accommodated. Prospective students/families may contact the Admissions Office at 502.634.2145 regarding personal tours.
Athletics
All St. X student athletes and coaches have a personal responsibility to practice healthy habits to help slow the spread of #COVID19 and are expected to follow social distancing and hygiene guidelines from the CDC and Governor’s Office:
- Practice social distancing by putting space between yourself and others.
- Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds.
- Clean and then disinfect frequently used surfaces.
- Stay home if you are sick or having symptoms as indicated in the above-listed "When To Stay Home" tab.
- Avoid touching your face.
Fall Workouts - Daily Participation Regulations:
- For the safety of all student athletes and staff, please make plans to provide your own transportation.
- Individuals providing transportation for student athletes will be required to remain in their vehicles or leave campus to return for pick-up. Those waiting on campus should wait in the large parking lot near the front of the Wills Center. The circle will be blocked to all traffic and parking.
- All football players are to arrive wearing a mask, until they are involved in physical activity.
- All student athletes are required to bring their own individually marked water bottle/jug. A refill station operated by the Saint Xavier Sports Medicine Department will be provided.
- Restrooms are available and will be cleaned and sanitized for use each day.
- Student athletes and/or staff experiencing symptoms as listed in the above-listed "When to Stay Home" tab will not be permitted to remain on campus and will be asked to follow the protocol under the above-listed "When to Return to School" tab.
- In addition to the guidelines for returning to school following a positive COVID test, student athletes must provide a note from an attending physician AND the Department of Health indicating a return to campus and athletic participation.
- Documentation must be provided to the Athletic Trainers.
Additional KHSAA information and resources for parents, student athletes, and coaches can be found at the following link: https://khsaa.org/special-programs/covid-19-information/
Additional resources
- For questions related to St. X clinical policies and procedures as well as to report potential or confirmed exposure to COVID-19 for a St. X student, please contact the school nurse, AnnCoury Mulloy at 502.634.2176.
- https://louisvilleky.gov/government/louisville-covid-19-resource-center#resources
- https://govstatus.egov.com/kycovid19
- KY Department for Public Health's COVID-19 hotline: (800) 722-5725
- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
- Click to view PDF: Louisville Metro Public Health & Wellness: Release from COVID-19 Home Isolation Mild to Moderate Illness
- Additional KHSAA information and resources for parents, student athletes, and coaches can be found at the following link: https://khsaa.org/special-programs/covid-19-information/
Test to Stay
Kentucky Public Health and the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, along with the Louisville Metro Health Department, have provided guidance on optional modified quarantine strategy for managing COVID-19 exposures in the school setting known as “Test to Stay.” The purpose of this document is to outline Saint Xavier High School’s Test to Stay modified quarantine to allow unvaccinated staff and students who are exposed to COVID-19 at school to continue with in-person instruction and activities with repeated negative COVID-19 testing.
If/when Saint Xavier High School offers a Test to Stay program, enrolled student’s parents/guardians must agree and follow the requirements and protocols as outlined below to participate in the Test to Stay program should the unvaccinated child(ren) be identified as being exposed to, or in direct contact with, a COVID-19 positive individual at Saint Xavier High School.
If/when Saint Xavier High School offers a Test to Stay program, active Saint Xavier High School employees must agree and follow the requirements and protocols as outlined below to participate in the Test to Stay program should the unvaccinated employee be identified as being exposed to, or in direct contact with, a COVID-19 positive individual at Saint Xavier High School.
When utilizing Test to Stay, Saint Xavier High School agrees to:
- Collaborate with local health department by:
- sharing with LMHD weekly numbers of individuals participating in Test to Stay
- sharing with LMHD the individuals who test positive for COVID-19
- Discontinue the Test to Stay program if we experience a significant increase in positive cases at Saint Xavier High School, and/or in an individual school, and/or in an individual classroom.
- Offering access to testing for Saint Xavier High School staff and students who are participating in the Test to Stay program at no cost to students/families
Eligibility for participation requires that:
- Adults are employed by Saint Xavier High School.
- The student/staff must be entirely asymptomatic.
- The exposure to a COVID-19 positive individual must have happened at school only.
- Test to Stay is not applicable to exposures outside of school or in the community, including household, sports team (school, club, or community), social activities, etc.
The Test to Stay modified quarantine option requires that:
- Saint Xavier High School will identify individuals who have had close contact with the individual diagnosed with COVID-19
- Close contact is considered within 6 feet of the infectious individual for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period
- Staff and/or parents/guardians of students who are considered close contacts must be notified of exposure and provided with educational materials about COVID-19
- Fully vaccinated individuals do not need to quarantine if asymptomatic
- Unvaccinated students, teachers, or staff who are identified as a close contact who were exposed within the school setting should be instructed to do ONE of the following:
- Self-quarantine away from school for 10 days after the last exposure (day zero). The individual may return on day 11 without testing if symptom-free and not taking symptom-reducing medication within 24 hours of returning to school. -OR-
- Self-quarantine away from school for seven days after last exposure (day 0). If symptom-free without symptom reducing medication, the individual may return on day eight if s/he receives a negative PCR or rapid antigen test on day five, six, or seven. Home COVID-19 tests will NOT be accepted. -OR-
- Participate in Test to Stay modified quarantine for seven days.
- Staff/students may continue with in-person instruction/activities if the Test to Stay protocol listed below is followed.
- Staff/students may discontinue Test to Stay modified quarantine on day eight from last exposure if symptom-free, without symptom reducing medication, and receive a negative COVID-19 rapid antigen test each day in the Test to Stay modified quarantine, or every other day if a PCR test is performed. If testing does not occur over the weekend, the test should be administered on Friday and then the following Monday.
- A school official will administer the COVID-19 testing onsite each morning when the staff/student arrives at school.
- The result of each COVID-19 test will be sent to the participating staff member/ parent or guardian of the student as well as to the Saint Xavier High School COVID-19 Coordinator.
Additional Guidelines for utilizing the Test to Stay option:
- Any individual participating in the Test to Stay option is required to wear a face covering at all times (except while eating/drinking) while in any building on the Saint Xavier High School campus. This includes in-person instruction as well as in-person activities, sports, clubs, etc.
- Daily health screening, including temperature checks, for symptoms, should be done on the individual.
- If possible, testing should occur at the beginning of each day starting as soon as possible after the last day of exposure through day seven.
- Negative results should be received before an individual participates in school activities/instruction.
- If an individual receives a positive COVID-19 result, the individual must be sent home to quarantine immediately.
- When possible, exposed students should refrain from riding a school bus or carpooling while in modified quarantine.
- If an individual refuses a test, s/he should be sent home immediately and then follow standard quarantine procedures.
- Home COVID-19 tests will NOT be accepted.
- Staff/students utilizing the Test to Stay option will be permitted to participate in in-person instruction as well as other school activities/sports/clubs/etc. as long as they continue to receive negative COVID-19 tests and are asymptomatic without symptom-reducing medication.
- If you have any questions, please contact Saint Xavier High School COVID-19 Coordinator, Todd Mottley.
Mask Policy
Wearing masks is optional for all students and at parents’ discretion. Masks are required for all students, faculty, and staff on buses per federal mandate. We continue to monitor the absentee rate due to COVID and will update the policy as needed.
Choosing whether or not to wear a mask is a personal choice. Please be respectful of each person's decision.