New and Noteworthy

Spring Valley Montessori Academy places the health and safety of our children and staff as our first priority. We provide a quality and safe environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. As more information becomes available, we adapt and make changes to our safety measures and protocols. We follow the guidance from the CDC and Maryland State Department of Education. In line with safety measures, we implement the following protocols and policies to prevent the spread of COVID-19:

COVID-19 Safety Protocol Measures

Daily Health Check

All staff, families, children, and their household members must conduct a daily health check before coming to Spring Valley Montessori Academy. Should you or any household member have any of the following symptoms, we ask you to remain out that day and notify the director.

• Fever of 100.4 F or higher, now or in the preceding 72 hours (or would have, but have used fever reducing medicine)
• Cough
• Sore Throat
• Muscle Aches
• Difficulty Breathing
• New Loss of Taste or Smell

Drop Off/Pick Up

1. Parents/guardians are limited from entering the facility. Contact between parents/guardians, staff, and other children is minimized at pick up/drop off.
2. Cloth face coverings are worn by parents/guardians and involved staff at drop off/pick up.
3. Temperature checks are performed on children at arrival by parent/guardian, directly observed by teacher. The child’s parent/guardian should use a personal thermometer brought from home. In the event that a family does not have access to a personal thermometer for their child, the parent/guardian should use a thermometer provided by SVMA.
4. After taking the temperature, the child’s parent/guardian shows the temperature result to the teacher for recording.
5. Symptom checks are performed at arrival to include any possible COVID-19 symptoms in children and household members. For example, the child’s parent/guardian is asked if the child has any symptoms of COVID-19 and if there are persons in the household with symptoms of COVID-19.
6. Following temperature and symptom check, parent/guardian removes child from car seat and teacher escorts child into the school. For families who walk to school, please maintain social distance. Temperature/symptom checks are conducted outside of the school’s main entrance.

Social Distancing

1. SVMA practices social distancing the best way possible, within the school setting and on the playground.
2. Groups are restricted to no more than 15 people (children + staff).
3. SVMA limits mixing of groups in common areas.
4. Outdoor activities are extended, if applicable and weather permitting.
5. Children are educated about social distancing and given verbal reminders.

Other Infection Control Measures

1. Staff are self-monitoring their temperature and any COVID-19 symptoms in themselves and household members and report temperature to the facility director/administrator upon arrival.
2. Hand washing/hand hygiene occurs for all children and staff upon arrival and frequently throughout the day.
3. Staff wear cloth face coverings while in the facility- when this can be accomplished safely and consistently.
4. If children, two-years and older, can safely and appropriately wear, remove, and handle a face covering, it is recommended (but not required) that they wear a cloth face covering while inside the facility.
5. Routine cleaning and disinfecting occur multiple times per day - with emphasis on cleaning and disinfecting bathrooms, frequently touched objects, and surfaces inside/ outside.
6. Toys that cannot be cleaned and sanitized are not being used. SVMA is cleaning and sanitizing toys multiple times per day or after each use when appropriate.

If a child or staff member is confirmed to have COVID-19

If a staff member or child attending SVMA is a confirmed case of COVID-19, we follow CDC and MDH/MSDE guidance:

• Contact the licensing specialist and local health department immediately,
• Close for 2–5 days while determining long-term course, which may include closure for 14 days or more,
• Communicate with staff and parents regarding the confirmed case and exposure,
• Clean and disinfect the childcare facility as recommended by the CDC, and
• Determine duration of program closure based on guidance from the local health department. The licensing specialist should be involved in the closure decision and process.
• Everyone potentially exposed to the person who tested positive for COVID-19 should monitor carefully for symptoms. Individuals who had close, prolonged contact with the person who tested positive should quarantine at home for 14 days after the last day of exposure.

If a child has a household contact who is a positive case or probable case of COVID-19

Children, who have a household contact who is a positive case or probable case of COVID-19, may return to SVMA 14 days after the household contact is released from isolation according to CDC guidance. The child must undergo this additional 14-day quarantine because the child could have been infected on the final day of the household member’s isolation. The parent should provide evidence (e.g., a note from a health care provider) that the household contact has been released from isolation at the time the child returns to childcare.

* The COVID-19 pandemic is a challenging and fluid situation. Federal, state, and local orders and guidance may change frequently, therefore our policies and procedures are subject to change accordingly.

Spring Valley is offering fall enrollment in our Two-Day Toddler Class. This program accommodates 10 children and two teachers in a cheerful, bright classroom. The class meets on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to noon, September through May. This is the ideal preschool introduction for little ones as they learn through music, art, games, science, and more.

We are now accepting applications for the 2020-2021 school year. You can now learn more about our application procedure and prepare your documents online! But hurry; our classrooms fill up quickly.

While we are closed in compliance with state orders, we know our students are still capable of learning and growing during this time. Our teachers are hard at work preparing distance education options to help maintain student learning and a feeling of normalcy. Please take advantage of our secured programming, and let us know if we can be of assistance. Stay safe and well. We miss you all!

Does your child miss the September 1 cutoff date? No worries—we offer mid-year admissions! Enroll your toddler anytime after their second birthday, and we will notify you when space becomes available.

We are pleased to welcome you to our new and improved, responsive (mobile friendly) website. We strived to create a website that is user-friendly and reflects all aspects of Spring Valley Montessori Academy. Our partnership with School Webmasters has made our vision a reality. We hope you’ll check back in with us often!