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COVID-19 Updates

Back to Bellefontaine

Updates on a safe & smart school reopening

Thank you to our Mayfield community for your support and kindness during this challenging time. We will continue to update this page with new information as it comes to hand.

The Basics

We all have an important role to play! In our effort to help maintain the health and safety of the entire school community during the COVID-19 pandemic, we must partner together.

Over the past year, Nurse Cathy Cota, RN, a fully credentialed contact tracer, has been working to create protocols for our school that conform to City, County and State public health regulations and guidelines. Our protocols will change as these regulations and guidelines change. 

Here’s a top-level overview of what in-person learning will look like as we head into the 2021-22 school year.

List of 6 items.

  • Vaccination

    COVID-19 vaccination is strongly recommended for all eligible students.

  • Stay Home

    If you're unwell, or have had contact with a COVID-19 patient.

  • Symptom Screening

    Daily at-home self check, including temperature.

  • Face Coverings

    Masks must be worn inside the buildings on campus.

  • Hand Washing

    Wash hands regularly with soap and water.

  • Cover Coughs & Sneezes

    Cough or sneeze into your sleeve or a tissue.

Expectations for Students & Families

Students coming to campus must:

  • never arrive on campus sick, even if mildly sick
  • complete a daily self-screening before arriving at school 
  • wear face coverings when indoors
  • maintain physical distance when outside and unmasked 
  • wash or sanitize hands frequently  

Students must stay home if:

  • they are sick, even mildly sick, and call their primary care physician for guidance
  • they have answered “yes” to any symptoms during the daily at-home screening
  • if they are unvaccinated and they have had close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19 (see definition »)
  • they test positive with COVID-19 (isolate for at least 10 days)  
  • they live with someone who has COVID-19 (quarantine for at least 14 days)  

Parents must:  

  • ensure their daughter’s daily screening has been completed
  • notify the Health Office if their daughter or a household member develops any COVID-19 symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19
  • notify the Attendance Office of their daughter’s absence if their daughter is unwell, and include her symptoms
  • ensure that their daughter is physically fit to fully participate in all aspects of a school day
  • retrieve their daughter promptly from the Health Office if she becomes ill while at school
  • stay in the car when dropping off or picking up students 

Equitable Learning

Students and families who are high risk, sick or diagnosed with COVID-19 will be accommodated without discrimination, and students will not be penalized for missing class or work. We encourage families and students to reach out to our Learning Specialist, Ann Bussard, to explore their options.

Policies and Protocols

List of 13 items.

  • COVID-19 Testing

    Unvaccinated students and employees will be PCR tested every Wednesday between 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. starting Tuesday, Aug. 31 on campus through PMH Laboratories.
    • Testing will be offered to vaccinated students, employees as resources allow.
    • Unvaccinated students and employees who decline this testing can PCR test the previous weekend providing the Health Office their results by Tuesday.
    • Employees will be offered testing at no cost during paid time:
      • if they have symptoms of COVID-19
      • after an exposure
      • in an outbreak on campus
    • Individuals who are symptomatic or have a known or suspected exposure to another individual with COVID-19 may arrange testing through L.A. County or LHI Care.
     

  • Vaccinations

    • COVID-19 vaccination is strongly recommended for all eligible students, employees.

    • The School Nurse will maintain copies of all COVID-19 vaccination cards and vaccine status to inform implementation of prevention strategies that vary by vaccination status (testing, contact tracing efforts, and quarantine and isolation practices).

  • Mandatory Daily At-Home Screening

    • Individuals are not to come to campus if sick or if they are unvaccinated and have been exposed to a person who has COVID-19.
    • Symptom screening worksheet reviewed at home asks if individuals have symptoms of COVID 19: fever or chills, new loss of taste or smell, cough, headache, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, sore throat, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea or vomiting, muscle or body aches, runny or stuffy nose and if unvaccinated, if they have had exposure in the last 10 days to a person who has COVID-19. 
    • By coming to campus, students and employees attest they have reviewed the symptom screening worksheet and have no symptoms of illness.

  • Face Coverings

    • Masks completely covering the mouth and nose are required indoors for everyone on campus, with exemptions only per CDPH face mask guidance.
    • Masks do not need to be worn outside.
    • School maintains a supply of masks for those who fail to bring a mask to school.
    • Bandanas, scarves, gators and one-way valves are not allowed. 

    The following individuals are exempt from wearing masks at all times:

    • Persons with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents wearing a mask. This includes persons with a medical condition for whom wearing a mask could obstruct breathing or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove a mask without assistance.
    • Persons who are hearing impaired, or communicating with a person who is hearing impaired, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication.
    • Persons for whom wearing a mask would create a risk to the person related to their work, as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines.
    • Persons younger than two years old. Very young children must not wear a mask because of the risk of suffocation.
    • Persons exempted from wearing a mask due to a medical condition, must wear a non-restrictive alternative, such as a face shield with a drape on the bottom edge tucked into their clothing.
    • To be exempt from wearing a mask, students must submit an "exemption from Face Mask" form completed and signed by their physician.
    • Alternative educational opportunities for students who cannot wear a mask will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. 
     
    In limited situations where a face mask cannot be used for pedagogical reasons or those with special needs, a face shield with a drape tucked into their clothes (per CDPH guidelines) can be used instead of a mask while in the classroom as long as the wearer maintains physical distance from others. Faculty must return to wearing a mask outside of the classroom. 

  • Physical Distancing

    • Classes are held in the largest classroom possible.
    • Club meetings will be held in appropriately sized rooms.
    • Community gatherings will be held in the gym.

  • Indoor Ventilation

    • Doors and windows remain open as conditions permit.
    • Direct fans above the heads of individuals.

  • Frequent Cleaning & Disinfecting

    • Facility crew members perform daily cleaning of all areas and frequently touched surfaces.
    • Facility crew members will clean AND disinfect spaces that have been occupied by a COVID-19 positive individual within the last 24 hours using a disinfectant in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency COVID-19 list.
      • If less than 24 hours have passed since the person who is sick or diagnosed with COVID-19 has been in the space, clean and disinfect the space.
      • If more than 24 hours have passed since the person who is sick or diagnosed with COVID-19 has been in the space, cleaning is enough. You may choose to also disinfect depending on certain conditions or everyday practices required by your facility.
      • If more than 3 days have passed since the person who is sick or diagnosed with COVID-19 has been in the space, no additional cleaning (beyond regular cleaning practices) is needed.

  • Hygiene & Hand Washing

    • Individuals are taught and reinforced to wash hands or use hand sanitizer, avoid contact with one's eyes, nose, and mouth, and to cover coughs and sneezes.
    • Hand hygiene is promoted throughout the day.
    • Restrooms are stocked with adequate supplies of soap, tissues and no-touch trash cans.
    • Hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent ethyl alcohol is in all classrooms, offices and high traffic areas.

  • Health Office Protocols

    • The School Nurse acts as the COVID-19 Liaison and reports positive cases and performs contact tracing per the local public health department guidelines and per AB 86 (2021) and California Code Title 17, section 2500.
    • Quarantine and isolation practices are determined by the local public health departments Exposure Management Plan.
    • The School Nurse will consult with and follow the guidance of the Pasadena Public Health Department regarding who is considered a close contact and who needs to quarantine.
    • Students in quarantine will be able to participate in class via a hybrid model.

  • Food & Meals

    • All individuals will eat outdoors physically distanced.
    • Surfaces will be cleaned frequently.
    • There is no need to limit food service approaches to single use items and packaged meals.

  • Drop Off & Pick Up Procedures

    Please pay special attention to the following traffic guidelines as well as those listed under “Vehicles and Parking” in the Parent & Student Handbook:
    • Please make every effort to arrive early (7:30-7:45 a.m.) for morning drop-off, and do not arrive too early at pick-up time (no earlier than 5-10 minutes after the end of the school day). Vehicles are not permitted to wait in the middle of Bellefontaine Street with their engines off.
    • During peak times, a Mayfield Senior School traffic attendant will be posted at the fork in the driveway. Wait for directions from the attendant before beginning a left turn or entering the gate on a right turn. (This includes the early morning and late afternoon Athletics and Conservatory drop-off and pick-up times.)
    • Dropping off or picking up students on Bellefontaine Street or Grand Avenue is NOT permitted. ALL DRIVERS MUST ENTER CAMPUS TO PICK UP OR DROP OFF.
    • All cars entering campus during peak drop-off and pick-up times must approach from Grand Avenue and make a right turn into campus. Left turns into campus will not be permitted during peak pick-up time. (This includes the early morning and late afternoon Athletics and Conservatory drop-off and pick-up times.)
    • Please do not make a u-turn in the middle of Bellefontaine or at the Grand Avenue intersection or in the street to join the queue line.
    • Cars enter the campus via the Bellefontaine Street gate only and exit by the Grand Avenue gate. All cars must make a full stop at the gym for pedestrians as well as inside the lower gate on Grand Avenue before proceeding across the sidewalk.
      Students should not be picked up or dropped off in front of the gym. Cars must pull into the Senior Parking lot.
    • Please note that parking on the street in front of the school is restricted when school is in session. The City of Pasadena has placed no parking signs to facilitate the drop off and pick up queue.
    • Please do not block or pull into neighbor driveways.  

  • Campus Visits

    • Nonessential visitors and volunteers, and activities involving external groups or organizations with people who are not fully vaccinated, particularly when there is moderate-to-high COVID-19 community transmission, are limited. 

  • School Closure/Quarantine

    • Notification of a full or partial school closure due to a possible cluster of cases will be communicated to families and employees through the school’s emergency notification system using both text and email.
    • Classes will be continued remotely.

Health Updates from Nurse Cota

1 Announcements displayed.

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Helpful Links

— Kate Morin, Head of School

It is times like these that I am particularly grateful to be part of a loving and faith-filled community. I know that you will continue to join me in holding in the Light all those affected by COVID-19.

Daily Symptom Checklist

  • fever of 100°F or more
  • muscle or body aches
  • cough
  • headaches
  • sore throat
  • new loss of taste or smell
  • shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • congestion or runny nose
  • chills
  • nausea or vomiting
  • fatigue
  • diarrhea

Definition of a “Close Contact”

A person is considered to have been exposed to a case during the infectious period if at least one of the following criteria are met: 
  • An individual who was within 6 feet of the infected person for a cumulative 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, even if a face mask was worn;
  • An individual who had unprotected contact with the infected person’s body fluids and/or secretions of a person with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 (e.g., being coughed or sneezed on, sharing utensils or saliva, or providing care without using appropriate protective equipment) 
Exposures will be reviewed by the Pasadena Public Health Department to assess which persons need to quarantine including the possibility of quarantining all individuals in the same cohort or classroom as an infected person if exposures cannot be ruled out for the entire group.

Mental Health Resources

In a time of so much uncertainty and change, the health, including the mental health, of our community is our very first priority. Additional mental health access may be needed due to the COVID-19 school environment. We encourage families and students to reach out to our School Counselor, Erika Mastrobuono, LCSW, to explore their options. In addition to the resources provided by the CDC, Ms. Mastrobuono also recommends www.mentalhealth.gov.

Vaccination Rates

List of 6 items.

  • 96%

    Overall Faculty & Staff Vaccination Rate
    as of Sept. 16, 2021

  • 92%

    Overall Student Body Vaccination Rate
    as of Sept. 16, 2021

  • 88%

    of the Freshman Class is vaccinated
    as of Sept. 16, 2021

  • 90%

    of the Sophomore Class is vaccinated
    as of Sept. 16, 2021

  • 95%

    of the Junior Class is vaccinated
    as of Sept. 16, 2021

  • 95%

    of the Senior Class is vaccinated
    as of Sept. 16, 2021
Mayfield Senior School
500 Bellefontaine St
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 799-9121
Established in 1931, Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena, CA is a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for young women grades 9-12. Noted for its rigorous academic program, which includes 28 Advanced Placement and Honors courses, Mayfield’s curriculum is underscored by a philosophy of educating the “whole child,” which also encourages commitment to and excellence in the arts, athletics, community service and spiritual growth. The nurturing environment at Mayfield Senior School allows each student to flourish in an atmosphere of personal attention.