COVID-19 Updates & Resources

2020-2021 Reopening Schedule
August 31 - First Day of School for Pre-K
September 9 - First Day of School for K-8
September 11 - First Day of School for Grades 9-12
Ask a Question
We understand you may have questions regarding RUVNA, COVID testing and mitigation efforts, virtual and in-person learning, etc. Please ask your question here, and we will get an answer for you as soon as possible. Before you ask your question, take a look at these FAQs to see if your question has been asked at one of our info sessions.
Message from the Head of School
Message from Craig N. Sellers - 8.19.20: Community Behavior, Safety, and COVID-19 Testing Schedule
Important Messages from the Health Services Office
August 31, 2020 - Daily Health Screening and Support with RUVNA
August 26, 2020 - Masks, Illness Symptoms, Vaccinations, and more
RUVNA and COVID-19 Testing
Friends’ Central has contracted with RUVNA to provide a daily health screening and assessment for each student and employee. Each morning before coming to school, parents and employees will receive a text with a link to an online form asking them to identify any of the 10 symptoms commonly found in COVID-19 infections and to answer three questions. Students and employees may not come to campus without a complete daily online assessment. Questions about RUVNA? Email: ruvna@friendscentral.org
COVID-19 testing will take place approximately every two weeks for students in Pre-K through grade 8 who will be learning on campus and FCS employees who will be teaching/working on campus. Once Upper School on-campus learning begins, a testing date for Upper School students will be announced. COVID-19 testing results will be sent as soon as they are available. If families have questions about COVID-19 testing, they can email covidtestingresults@friendscentral.org. Negative test results will also come from that email address.
Should anyone test positive, that person (or the parent/guardian, in the event of a student who tests positive) will be contacted directly by the lab and by a member of the FCS Health Services Office. A positive test result will be reported to Montgomery County, and contact tracing will proceed. It is our hope that testing ahead of our return will give us a safer start. Should anyone test positive, we will make every effort to maintain the confidentiality of that person, AND we will notify the community of a positive test result and any actions necessary to mitigate infection.
Testing Schedule:
- Tuesday, August 25: Pre-K and all Employees
- Tuesday, September 1: Students in Kindergarten-grade 8
- Friday & Saturday, September 11 & 12: Repeat testing for all employees and students in Pre-K-grade 8
- Friday, September 25: Testing for Upper School students (grades 9-12)
- Friday & Saturday, September 24 & 25: Repeat testing for all employees and students in Pre-K - grade 8
Helpful Links
- Department of Health
- CDC
- Montgomery County Office of Public Health
- World Health Organization
- Informative Talk and Q&A with ICU Pulmonologist at Weill-Cornell
- Dos and Don'ts of Social Distancing
- Athletics & Wellness Tips for Middle & Upper School Students
- How to Talk to Your Kids About Coronavirus
- CNN: Kids and Social Distancing
- 5 Ways to Help Teens Manage Anxiety About the Coronavirus
- Talking to Teens and Tweens About Coronavirus
Division Planning Updates
- Upper School Transition to Hybrid Model - 9.18.20 email
- Upper School Update - 9.2.20 - Orientation for Families new to Upper School
- Upper School Update - 8.28.20
- Lower School Update - 8.25.20
- Middle School Update - 8.25.20
- Upper School Update - 8.19.20
- Lower School Update 8.13.20
- Middle School Update 8.13.20
- Upper School Update - Virtual Learning - 8.13.20
- Lower School Planning Update 7.13.20
- Middle School Planning Update 7.24.20
- Upper School Planning Update 7.24.20
Health & Safety Plan 2020
FCS Health Services Team
Penny Rosenblum, Upper School Nurse
(610-649-7440 x5084)
prosenblum@friendscentral.org
Barbara Cole, Lower School Nurse (610-642-7575 x7456)
bcole@friendscentral.org
Jennie Nemroff, Lower School Nurse (610-642-7575 x5065)
jnemroff@friendscentral.org