AOP OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION Coronavirus Letter

ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION 222 North Seventeenth Street • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103-1299 Phone: 215- 587-3585 Fax: 215- 587-2414 E-mail: amclaughlin@archphila.org Dear School Families, As you may have seen in recent media reports, health and safety concerns have arisen throughout our country due to the current prevalence of coronavirus in China. Providing for the health, welfare, and safety of the young people in our schools is of the utmost importance to us. As such, we have been monitoring developments relative to coronavirus closely. Our elementary schools do not have an exchange program with students from China. Most importantly, there is no evidence to suggest the presence of coronavirus in any of our schools, we have implemented the following practices out of an abundance of caution. They are based on guidelines set forth by the Centers for Diseases Control (CDC). Students returning from China are required to remain home for 14 days following their re-entry to the United States. According to the CDC, the incubation period for coronavirus spans 2 to 14 days. If students returning from China are free of symptoms after 14 days, they may resume attending classes in school. During the 14-day in-home period, they will be provided with assignments and academic support. Any student exhibiting signs of ill health during the 14-day in home period is required to seek immediate medical attention. Students are advised not to travel to China for the remainder of the school year; subsequently, any exceptions must be with the written permission of their parents and the school. All parents living in China are requested not to visit their children in the United States for the remainder of the school year. International students should wait until the end of the school year to return to their native country, and arrive at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year. No faculty or staff member should travel to China, as the CDC has recommended avoiding non- essential travel. We will continue to monitor the CDC recommendations and adjust policies accordingly. Please use the link below for additional information. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html Be assured of our continued prayers for all those affected by this virus. Yours in Christ, Andrew McLaughlin, Ed. D., Secretary for Elementary School