COVID-19 Information

The health, safety and wellbeing of our students, families and faculty is a top priority and is necessary for effective education. St. Joseph Academy is closely following the guidelines of the State of New Jersey and the CDC. We are taking comprehensive and thoughtful measures to maintain a safe school environment.

Please review our policies and producers detailed below. In the event of any changes, you will be notified immediately via email.

Thank you working with us to ensure a successful year amidst the challenges we are all facing. As always, please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.

Screenings & Attendance

Home Screening

All parents are expected to screen students at home for symptoms of COVID-19 by taking a temperature to ensure that they do not have a fever over 100.4F. If a student has a fever or exhibits symptoms that are not explained by other conditions, you are required to keep the him or her at home and notify the office.

Parents are also expected to keep the student home from school and notify us if they have had close contact with a person who is confirmed to have COVID-19. Close contact is considered to be anyone who has been within 6 feet of someone for 10 minutes or more who has COVID-19; anyone who has provided care at home or visited someone who is sick with COVID-19; direct physical contact with a COVID-19 positive individual; or anyone who has shared eating or drinking utensils with a COVID-19 positive individual.

Students must provide written medical clearance from a doctor and be fever free for more than 72 hours, without use of fever reducing medication, before they will be permitted to return to school. Please see the Student Handbook for further attendance information.

COVID-19 Symptoms Include:

  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath
  • Chills
  • Repeated shaking
  • Muscle pain
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • Loss of taste or smell
  • Diarrhea
  • Feeling feverish or a measured temperature of 100.4F or higher

School Screening

All students and faculty of St. Joseph Academy will be screened by temperature check upon 7:15 AM arrival. Grades 9 and 10 are required to enter through the gym doors at the courtyard side of the school. Grades 11 and 12 are required to enter through Peach Street side entrance of the school. Students form a line and maintain appropriate distance from the person in front of them. After being screened, students who have been deemed safe will remain properly distanced in the gymnasium until first bell, upon which time students will proceed to Period One. Any student arriving late must be screened at the Vine Street entrance.

If a student has a temperature of 100.4F or higher, they will be taken to a quarantine area and the parents/guardians will be called to pick up the student. The Atlantic County Health Department will be notified that an individual has been sent home with symptoms. This will be handled confidentially and respectfully. The Atlantic County Health Department will advise the school of the next steps to be taken. School families will be contacted with information if we are directed to do so by the public health officials. Any and all notifications provided will maintain the privacy of all individuals involved.

Bus Policy

Students who are transported to and from school via bus are expected to follow all directives from their bus driver. Students are required to wear a face mask the entire time on the bus.

Visitor policy

Anyone other than students that would like to visit St. Joseph Academy must schedule an appointment. This allows us to better control the number of people in specific areas of our facility. We ask that school business be conducted virtually, by phone or email. Students must be responsible for their daily belongings and parents are discouraged from dropping off forgotten items. All visitors are required to wear a mask, have a temperature check and practice social distancing while on the premises. All visitors MUST be screened at the Vine Street entrance.

Masks

All administration, faculty, staff, students, parents or other visitors are required to wear face masks while inside our facility. No bandanas or scarves may be worn. Masks must be worn correctly by having both the nose and mouth covered. Students are allowed to remove their masks while eating in the designated lunch space. They are also permitted to remove their masks while they are outdoors if practicing social distancing and remaining 6 feet apart from any other person.

Facility Cleaning

We have partnered with a professional cleaning company for increased cleaning and disinfection of our facilities. We pay special attention to frequently touched areas like doorknobs & handles, stair rails, countertops, etc. The products used are environmentally safe.

Lockers

Students will not have access to lockers and must keep their belongings with them in the classroom. All personal items must be kept in these bags. Students should have an extra mask, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes.

Devices

Only devices used for technology will be permitted on desks in the classrooms. Students are encouraged to use their own laptop, chrome book, or tablet.