School Updates and Resources

The following guidelines are based on information from the Montessori Public Policy Initiative, Center for Disease Control, Wyoming State Department of Health, and the Teton County Health Department. If you have further questions regarding COVID-19 policies and procedures, please email Dee at tetonmontessori@gmail.com.

As part of these guidelines we also are complying with Title IX, and you can view our compliance information here.

All staff are fully vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus.

Health and Safety:

• Screening and Prevention: Temperatures must be taken and a health assessment must be completed each morning at sign in time.  Parents are expected to take their child’s temperature in the morning and report it when signing in for the day.  If you are not able to take your child’s temperature at home, please let us know and we can take it when you arrive.
• Hygiene: Children will wash hands upon arrival and at frequent intervals throughout the day. 
• Any mask mandates will be followed as required by law.  Our policy, regardless of County or Town mandates is that face masks are required and will be used at school while Teton County remains in the orange and red risk zones as published by the Teton County Health Department and CDC.
• Children must bring a clean mask at the beginning of each day.  If it becomes soiled, we will replace it with a school-supplied disposable mask.

Group Size and Ratios:

• We will adhere to State of Wyoming Department of Family Services ratio regulations at all times and will adjust if needed due to any future Public Health orders given by the Governor of the State of Wyoming or the Teton County Public Health Department.

Cleaning and Disinfecting:

• Backpacks and other items like nap loveys are not allowed in the building. Children should come to school wearing appropriate clothing for the weather.
• Work rugs will be laundered as needed and once a week at minimum.
• All materials and bathrooms will be cleaned and sanitized frequently each day. Materials will be sanitized at least twice each day.
• We have an adequate supply of gloves, disinfecting, and cleaning products at the moment. If supplies cannot be secured, we will reach out to families and our local Jackson Hole community to procure more as needed to avoid any closure due to scarcity of these items.

Drop Off and Pick Up Procedures:

• All drop off and pick up will take place at the front door. Stay 6 feet away, if possible, and please wear a mask. Of course, if your child won’t come to us without your help, you may need to hold hands until we have taken your child’s other hand. Please do not hold your child in your arms to hand off to us. 
• We use Transparent Classroom for all attendance and various electronic record keeping.  We now have distance drop off, with the QR code posted at each door, posts at the front of the school, and on the fence to the back yard.  You will receive a code that is unique to you from Transparent Classroom once your child is enrolled to sign your child in and out each day.
• Parents and visitors are not allowed in the building while we remain in the orange or red zones. If you come outside your pick -up or drop off time, please text or call the appropriate cellphone so we can meet you.

Distancing During Work Time, Napping, Meals, and Playground:

• Children are not expected to stay away from each other and teachers during the school day.
• Materials like colored pencils or crayons will be provided for each child and will not be shared.
• Nap cots will be placed farther apart than required by the Wyoming DFS Rules and Regulations during naptime and will be sanitized after each use as usual.

COVID-19 Testing:

• The Teton County Health Department has free tests available at their office and there are various Curative kiosks around the County that provide free testing and you may also make an appointment at St. John’s testing center located in the old Kmart/ new Target shopping center. For more information go to www.tetonwyo.org and click on Health Dept under Government. Or call Jodi Pond at 307-732-8461.

Protocol for Illness and Confirmed Case of COVID-19:

• A space will be provided that is separate from the group if someone falls ill during the day. Parents are required to answer any call from us in a timely manner and to immediately pick up a sick child. Please review the information you have supplied to us and update any contact information that is incorrect. Also, remember that you MUST supply us with information for someone who is local and can be counted on to come pick up your child within 30 minutes if we cannot reach you. You can see the information you have provided to us in Transparent Classroom.  If you need to update any information, please ask Dee for a new form to fill out.
• If Patti or Dee become ill and we cannot find a qualified substitute, we may have to reduce the number of children allowed until we can meet state ratio requirements. Parents will be notified as soon as possible via text, email, or phone.
• If there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 within our Montessori School of the Tetons community, we will follow Teton County Public Health requirements for closure and exclusion from care. If closure or exclusion form care occurs, we will notify parents as soon as possible via email, text, or phone call as to what is required.

Staff Training:

• All staff have taken classes to stay up to date on sanitizing, cleaning, and health procedures.  The owner provides paid training opportunities and frequently checks all pertinent websites to keep policies and procedures up to date.

Tuition and Fees:

• In this time of extreme uncertainty, it is expected that parents will pay the tuition and fees agreed upon for the entire session their child is enrolled. As usual, the days you sign your child Is signed up for are counted and we apply the appropriate daily fee. Unfortunately, it cannot be predicted with any certainty if there will be further closures or if we will have to refuse service due to illness or other reasons related to this pandemic. No refunds or credits will be given.  Currently there are grant monies available for Covid Closures through Wyoming Kids First, supported by money from the Federal government through the CARES act.  We will apply for those funds and distribute them to families to cover any required closure if funds remain available.