To reduce the risk and spread of COVID-19, all NCCP families must read, sign, and abide by our COVID-19 Protocol and Community Standards. Any adult who works in the class, as well as all visitors to our campus, are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. We are not requiring children to be vaccinated at this time, however it is strongly encouraged that eligible children get the COVID-19 vaccine.

The NCCP Board of Directors will reassess these policies no less than quarterly and request input before we reassess from our families. If you have any questions or concerns, you are encouraged to reach out to your Teacher and/or the NCCP Board of Directors directly board@northcitycoop.org. You are also invited to attend board meetings, time and location of these meetings can be found on the NCCP School Calendar (once you log in, the calendar is located under the ‘Resources’ tab), which is the venue for these policy discussions and decisions.

Click here to download this flow chart

All policies are created with the guidelines set by and guidance from both the Organization of Parenting Education Programs of Washington State (OPEP) and Shoreline Community College (SCC), which base their guidelines on information from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), State of Washington Department of Health (WADOH), and King County Public Health (KCPH). Additionally, consideration given to policies enacted by Shoreline Schools, SCC Faculty discussions to align cooperative preschool policies in our greater Shoreline area and feedback from NCCP volunteer leadership and members. 

Members shall contact the Executive Director or Board Chair with any requests for interpretation of NCCP policies or ‘gray areas.’ Such requests will be addressed by the Board of Directors or the Executive Board, which acts as the ad hoc committee for policy review. 

Vaccinated Campus

SCC Attestation for Students (Caregivers) and Staff: Students and staff regularly attending classes on our campus, which would include the caregivers/parents working in the classrooms as well as the teachers, will need to complete the attestation process through Shoreline Community College. Instructions will be sent by the registrar as part of the orientation and registration process.

Sickness Policy

Families will be vigilant in monitoring the health of their members. We understand that each family is different and your ‘normal’ may look different than another’s. Follow the above flow charts to determine your next steps if you have been identified as a close contact or are experiencing symptoms.

For extended illnesses or if a family member suffers from regular conditions (seasonal allergies, etc.) please contact your Teacher(s) to plan how to best participate. 

If a person has symptoms of sickness while at school, they will be separated from the rest of class, their parent/guardian will be contacted, and they will be sent home. 

Disclosure of Confirmed Covid-19 Illness or Exposure

Families will inform their Teacher(s) within 24 hours of a household member receiving a positive Covid-19 test and/or if the family is informed of a potential exposure. This will allow the preschool to quickly track our own contact chain. Your family identity will be kept confidential, however disclosure of any positive Covid-19 tests will be made to our entire school community (without the member’s name). This disclosure will follow the same protocol as other infectious diseases (hand/foot/mouth, flu, etc.). Circumstances may include the class or part of the class isolating at home. NCCP will work with King County Public Health to determine appropriate steps.

If either SCC, NCCP, OPEP or King County Public Health determine that the entire school should be closed due to positive cases, make-up days will not be scheduled and tuition will not be refunded or prorated.

Travel Policy

Any unvaccinated persons (adult or child) shall not return to school for 10 days post plane, train, or bus travel (not including within King and Snohomish Counties) or after hosting someone in your home who is unvaccinated and has traveled using the above-mentioned modes of transportation outside of these two counties. This time of quarantine can be shortened to 7 days with a Covid-19 test being performed at 3-5 days after returning from travel and a negative test result. 

Cleaning

Weekly cleaning of the preschool will occur during the school year by a professional cleaning team.

Following use by a class, surface areas and high touch areas such as door handles will be sanitized. Additionally, sweeping and/or vacuuming will take place between each class using the areas within the preschool. Each room will contain a bin where toys that have been put into a child’s mouth or need fixing can have a place for cleaning and attention. Members of each class will complete the cleaning needs of the area their class used on a rotating schedule set-up by each class. 

Daily Screenings

By signing your child in for the day, you are agreeing that all persons from your family group walking onto our campus are healthy. This includes any caregivers working that day as well as babies attending and being worn by their parent. You agree that:

  • Your child(ren) and yourself have not had any of the following symptoms of COVID-19 within the last day that are not caused by another condition? (If it is the first day after a break, or for a new child, please assess the past 3 days):
    • Fever (100.4F) or chills
    • Cough
    • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
    • Unusual fatigue
    • Muscle or body aches
    • Headache
    • Recent loss of taste or smell
    • Congestion or runny nose
    • Sore throat
    • Nausea or vomiting
    • Diarrhea

Mask Use

Mask usage is optional indoors and outdoors at NCCP for most circumstances. Even though not required, we respect the decisions of families to remain masked at all times. If you would like your child to wear a mask at school, or your child is required to wear a mask at school temporarily, please let your teacher know so they can help your child. Just like with toilet learning, we see this as an opportunity to provide a positive learning experience. If a child is having a hard time wearing a mask, we take them aside for social distancing safety and help them work through what they are feeling. Social emotional learning is a big part of what we do at NCCP and mask wearing is a great opportunity to empathize and build resilience.

If you or your child fall under any of the following circumstances, please mask up at school:

  • Exhibiting any symptoms of a cold or allergies like runny nose or coughing, sneezing.
  • Have had a known exposure to COVID-19 (should wear a well-fitting mask for 10 days after exposure)
  • Have tested positive for COVID-19 and isolated at home for 5 days and are no longer showing symptoms (should wear a mask when around others days 6–10)
  •  Any classroom guests should wear masks and do the daily health attestation when visiting.
  •  Adults and children should wear a mask for 10 days after returning from travel.

If you and your child are masking, please pack yourself and your child(ren) extra masks every day. NCCP will keep a few extra disposable masks on campus for use if necessary.

A mask is anything that completely covers your mouth and nose and fits securely on the sides of your face and under your chin. Disposable masks such as kn-94/n-95/surgical masks, etc. that are four or more layers or clean, reusable cloth masks that are four or more layers or two layers plus an additional disposable filter insert are the only types of masks allowed. Masks should have ties or straps that go around your head or behind your ears. Guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends strategies to improve mask fitting to more effectively slow the spread of COVID-19. These strategies include wearing a cloth mask over a medical procedure mask, knotting the ear loops of a medical procedure mask, or using a mask fitter.

The use of masks with exhalation valves or vents, single layer masks, cloth masks that are fewer than four layers or do not include a disposable mask filter, bandanas, face shields and gaiters will not be allowed.

Eating While at Preschool

When eating is occurring indoors, six feet distancing will be maintained between families. Multiple areas throughout the school will be used for eating to provide for enough space. There is no regimented snack time and timing of children to have snack is contingent upon space. No family style food sharing will be allowed. 

Bring a backpack daily with a change of clothing, a snack, a water bottle, and extra masks. All snacks need to come from home. We are a nut free school. There will be an emergency non-dairy, gluten free, vegan snack available for children if necessary.

Children in both Super Heroes AM AND PM will have an opportunity to eat lunch brought from home during class.