Partnering with the SAA Community

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, San Antonio Academy’s goal is to keep our campus open and offer outstanding in-person instruction while keeping our students, faculty, and staff healthy and safe. Partnering with our community has never been more critical as we continue to navigate a global pandemic.

We request our families, faculty and staff, and campus visitors to follow the health and safety guidelines outlined on this page. Please continue to be flexible—our plans are fluid as the situation with the virus continues to change on a regular basis.

COVID-19 Guidelines

Updated 01/19/22 - latest changes are indicated in bold, italic text

Will my child need to wear a mask?

As of Monday, December 6, SAA is a “mask optional” institution.
Based on the CDC’s guidance, San Antonio Academy recommends that “people, including children older than 2, should wear a mask in indoor public places if they are:
- Not fully vaccinated
- Fully vaccinated and in an area with substantial or high transmission
- Fully vaccinated and with a weakened immune system.”
See additional mask requirements for those who have either tested positive for COVID-19 or who have come in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 listed in the sections below.

Will students practice social distancing?

What are SAA’s health screening procedures?

Families will self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms and will report any illness to the school’s health clinic, nurse@sa-academy.org.
Should any person in your household exhibit symptoms or be diagnosed with COVID-19, we ask that the student stay home due to the continual exposure for the duration of the recommended CDC guidelines for close contact.
Should your child feel ill or show any COVID-related symptoms, please keep him home, arrange for him to be further evaluated, and contact the front office to alert the school to the absence. In addition, please contact the school's health clinic, nurse@sa-academy.org, for further guidance.

What if a student tests positive?

Should a grade have an identified case, families in that grade level will be notified by email and through our FACTS text system.
The individual diagnosed will quarantine, regardless of vaccination status, following these guidelines:
- Quarantine for 5 days.
- If there are no symptoms or symptoms are resolving after 5 days, the individual may return to school.
- Wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.
Now that the isolation and quarantine periods have been shortened, we will no longer offer online learning. Instead, assignments will be posted in Google Classroom for Upper School and any necessary work will be sent home for Primary School. Teachers will contact parents of isolated or quarantined students to provide them with information regarding assignments as well. However, please know that should your son be sick and unable to do assignments, we will provide make-up work once he feels up to it and/or returns to school.

What if my student has come into close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19?

Per the CDC, people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past ninety (90 days) and/or "those who are fully vaccinated do not need to quarantine if they come into close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19." However, they should wear a mask around others for 10 days and test on day 5, if possible. If COVID symptoms develop, get a test and stay home.
Regardless of vaccination status, as a parent, you may at your discretion choose to quarantine your child if they have come into close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19. The following guidelines are recommended by the CDC:
- Stay home for 5 days. After that, wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.
- Test on day 5, if possible.
- If symptoms develop, get a test and continue to stay home.
  
  Please contact the school health clinic, nurse@sa-academy.org, for guidance.

What are symptoms of COVID-19?

Will families have an option to select distance learning if uncomfortable sending their child to school?

Now that the isolation and quarantine periods have been shortened, we will no longer offer online learning. Instead, assignments will be posted in Google Classroom for Upper School and any necessary work will be sent home for Primary School. Teachers will contact parents of isolated or quarantined students to provide them with information regarding assignments as well. However, please know that should your son be sick and unable to do assignments, we will provide make-up work once he feels up to it and/or returns to school.

Who may come on campus?

How will you handle lunch?

Our Bond of Brothers lunches – multiple grade levels eating together with older boys serving the “little guys” and modeling our Academy expectations has resumed.
Social distancing measures are in place as much as practicable.
Filtering and fresh air ventilation will be employed.
At this time, visitors are not allowed at lunch.

As was customary last year, we are providing hand sanitizing stations, encouraging proper hygiene, and are utilizing ventilation and filtration systems to mitigate against the spread of COVID-19.
Classrooms, offices and bathrooms are cleaned and wiped down daily with the healthcare grade disinfectant cleaner, HDQ Neutral. This includes (but not limited to) desks, chairs, doorknobs, and any other areas regularly used by staff and students. HDQ Neutral is known to effectively kill a broad spectrum of viruses and bacteria, including COVID-19, within 10 minutes of application.
If a confirmed case of COVID-19 is on campus, maintenance will thoroughly disinfect the classroom and any other affected areas using an electrostatic fogger with HDQ Neutral.
Air purifiers featuring Medical Grade HEPA technology have been placed in every classroom to reduce the amount of airborne virus to which a person may be exposed. The HEPA technology used effectively removes 95% of airborne viruses as small as 0.1 microns, as well as everyday pollutants such as dust, dander and allergens.
Air filters are changed once a month.