Yes. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the California Department of Public Health, and the California Department of Education recommend that students and staff wear cloth face coverings while at school or when riding on a school bus. Parker plans to follow this guidance to provide yet another layer of protection for our community.

The CDC explains that COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets shared when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. Wearing a cloth face covering is shown to greatly reduce the transmission of respiratory droplets. Each school division may have specific variances on when face coverings are required to be worn. The guidelines vary based on how students are grouped and move around campus during the school day, which differs because of the age of the students and the complexity of their schedules. Look for more information in the coming weeks.

Any type of cloth face covering is sufficient to wear to school. Face coverings should follow the same general guidelines of Parker’s Dress Code, meaning they can be a solid color or patterned but should not be distracting to other students or contain any logos or words on them. The face coverings do not need to be purchased from a specific retailer such as Lands’ End.

That decision has not yet been made. The School is working alongside our Advisory Board of the Roadmap to Return to Campus Task Force to evaluate the effectiveness of face shields and determine if they will be a viable option for face coverings. Look for more information in the coming weeks.

No. Any type of ear, forehead, or oral thermometer is sufficient to use for the daily health check-ins.

Yes. Home-to-school and inter-campus shuttle transportation services will be available.

The CulinArt Group, Parker’s food service provider, will prepare and package individual meals, which will be delivered directly to classrooms. Each class will have a designated eating area on campus, and will be supervised by a teacher or associate teacher. The cafeteria will not be open. Vegetarian, nut-free, and gluten-free foods will be made available, upon request.

Upper School student cohort models are based on common schedules.

You can read the School's Face Covering Policy by clicking here.

Parker’s top priority is the health, safety, and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff. The implementation of a combination of increased health and safety strategies allow us to safely return to campus. These strategies include five main layers of protection, and, when used by all members of our community, they greatly decrease the risk of spreading germs when we are together. These four layers of protection include daily household health screenings, staying home when sick, the use of face coverings, regular handwashing, and physical distancing.

The School has drafted a comprehensive Health & Safety Plan including definitions on hygiene and pest management protocols and training programs for Parker’s faculty and staff. The plan is designed to reduce the risk associated with spreading the virus and was reviewed and approved by an industrial hygienist.

Parker Health Case Workers, under the guidance of Nurse Maggie West, will follow up with the family of the student, or the faculty member directly to discuss the specifics of the case and next steps. Notification will be sent to the grade level as is done with all communicable diseases. If students need to quarantine, the School will notify the families directly.

A community outbreak is defined as three or more confirmed cases in separate households within the Parker Community. The School will follow our normal procedures and report any confirmed cases of COVID-19 to the San Diego County Health & Human Services (“Public Health”). An officer from Public Health will guide the School in determining any necessary actions including a campus closure in which case the School’s learning model for the affected Campus would switch to Parker Online.

Parker is currently working with professionals in the transportation field as well as members of our Roadmap to Return to Campus Advisory Board to determine the standard of care for students while using Parker’s transportation services. More information will be available on this topic in the coming weeks.

A community-based COVID-19 exposure is defined by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as having occurred when a person has been in close contact (less than 6 feet), without a face covering, for 15 minutes or more, with a person with COVID-19 who has symptoms (in the period from 2 days before symptom onset until they meet criteria for discontinuing home isolation) or with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 but has not had any symptoms.

No. During the first phase of Parker’s return to Campus, parents and other visitors and guests will not be allowed on site. For the health and safety of students, faculty, and staff, only those with emocha accounts who are logging their health check-ins daily via the app are allowed on campus. This policy is subject to change based on the guidance defined by federal, state, and local health agencies.

Yes, the School will send an email notification to the parents of students in the affected grade level, as we do for other communicable diseases. In compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), no personal information or other identifiers regarding individuals who test positive will be released.

Yes. Individuals may remove their face covering only when the following criteria are met: The individual is a “safe distance” from others. You are a safe distance from others when you hold your arm out straight, close one eye and your thumb blocks the face(s) of all others. The individual is actively eating. The individual is performing work at their personal workspace with no other people present in the room or immediate area. The individual is having trouble breathing. The individual has been given permission by a teacher and is in a designated space, preferably outdoors, at least six feet apart from others.

Students who miss a minimal number of days can follow a model of self-sustained check-ins and meetings with teachers, if necessary. For extended absences, our student support group will follow the protocols established to provide support to our students. This year, the protocols will be expanded and will now include the student, teacher, Grade Level Dean, Advisor, and the student support group.

Parker has an obligation to protect the health and safety of our entire community including students, faculty, staff, contracted workers, families, and visitors of our School. Our Health and Safety Plan provides a general framework for the reduction of exposure risk to COVID-19. This protocol adheres to federal, state, local, where the stricter guideline shall apply.

Click here to view Parker's Health and Safety F.I.R.S.T. Program.

Yes, along with recording your child’s symptoms in emocha Health, parents should always contact the division’s attendance secretary if your student will miss class due to illness. The emocha application will generate a yellow badge, and a member of the School’s health team will also follow-up with the family.

Parker is partnering with digital health company emocha to monitor students, faculty, and staff for symptoms of COVID-19 as part of our return-to-campus program. The secure service includes a daily check-in for community members by answering a few short questions and taking their temperature. If all health signs are clear of risk, the user will be presented with a green digital badge. Only community members with green-badge clearance are allowed to enter the campus. More information can be found online at https://emocha.com/francis-parker-school-resources/

Yes. The emocha secure service includes a daily check-in for community members by answering a few short questions and taking their temperature. If all health signs are clear of risk, the user will be presented with a green digital badge. Only community members with green-badge clearance are allowed to enter the campus.

We ask all Parker families to participate by using the emocha app. Students who choose to opt-out will not be able to attend school on our campuses and will attend classes under the Parker Online learning model.

Emocha’s technology was initially conceived by clinicians and public health scientists at Johns Hopkins University in 2008, making emocha one of the first mobile health platforms ever. All emocha applications comply with HIPAA regulations on how to handle protected health information (PHI), including—but not limited to—secure encryption of data, access controls, and industry-standard best practices. More information can be found online at https://emocha.com/francis-parker-school-resources/

All students, faculty, and staff must log 14 consecutive days of check-ins via the emocha app before they can return to campus.

Yes. During the school week, we ask that the emocha health check-ins take place as early as possible. You will be sent a reminder at 6:55 am to log your check-in for the day. We require you to complete the health check-in before arriving at Campus.

Yes. Students, faculty, and staff must log an emocha check-in 7 days a week.

The data that is shared with emocha includes the student, faculty, or staff member’s name, phone number, email address, and grade level (if applicable). For students, their parent’s phone number is shared. Any symptoms reported via the app are only seen by Parker’s School Nurse and members of emocha’s Patient Solutions Team. Other Parker employees who have access to the emocha system for attendance purposes can only see “badge status” information such as green, yellow, or gray. All private health or medical information received from emocha users is held in strict confidence as required by law. More information can be found online at https://emocha.com/francis-parker-school-resources/

Yes, each family will need a smartphone or tablet to use the emocha app. If a family does not have access to a smartphone or tablet, please contact Parker’s IT Department by email at support@francisparker.org. All Middle School families can use their student’s school-issued iPad to access the emocha app. You will also need a thermometer. Due to the demand for thermometers, it is suggested that you purchase or order one soon.

All faculty, staff, and students need to log 14 days of health check-ins via the emocha app before returning to Campus. Those involved in summer activities on campus will receive an email a few days before they need to begin their health monitoring. For the start of the school year, families will receive an email prior to August 24 with instructions on how to create their emocha account. Emocha check-ins for the return to school on September 8 must begin on August 25.

It will take all of us, working together, to keep the Parker community safe. A commitment from each of us, parents, students, faculty, and staff, to follow the guidance of Parker’s Health and Safety F.I.R.S.T. program and to complete the emocha check-ins daily with the most accurate information possible is critical. Every member of the Parker community is relying on each other to maintain our collective health and safety.

No. The emocha system does not connect to any other databases operated by the School. Because of the sensitive nature of the information collected by the app, emocha stores data securely. To learn more about emocha’s security, visit https://emocha.com/francis-parker-school-resources/.

Only Parker students, faculty, and staff need to log a health check-in via the emocha app. Parents and other household members will not have emocha accounts.

Emocha helps the School reduce the risk of exposure to the virus Sars-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, through its daily screening questions. The second question of the emocha health check-in asks, “In the past two weeks, did you care for or have close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 or someone with COVID-19 symptoms?” Responding “yes” produces a yellow badge, which results in that individual staying home and being assigned a “case manager” by the School. If there is an asymptomatic individual in a household where no one else in the household is displaying symptoms of COVID-19, emocha screening will not help. Each community mitigation strategy implemented by the School in the approved Health & Safety Plan will reduce the risk of exposure in their own way.

Yes, parents can share login credential information with the student, and/or with a parent or guardian who may also be completing check-ins on behalf of the student. Those credentials can be used from other phone numbers or devices, allowing the student or other parent/guardian to access their green badge directly from the app.

Yes, the emocha daily health checks are required for all students, even if they are at-home learners.

Based on new guidance from the CDC and California Department of Health, and in consultation with the Return to Campus advisory board, the School has developed Parker Blended, a fourth learning model that introduces additional mitigation strategies to further minimize risk. In this model, Middle School and Upper School students alternate days using the Linda Vista Campus which allows each division to have smaller, cohort classes through the use of all available classrooms during their on-campus day. Students in the division that is not on campus would receive instruction online. The Lower School is able to cohort their students using their current facilities which allow students to be on campus five days a week.

On Thursday, August 20, Parker will finalize and share the learning model for the start of the school year on Sept. 8. If San Diego County remains on the state’s watch list during the week of August 17, Parker will begin the 2020-21 school year in the Parker Online Learning Model. If the county is removed from the watch list during the week of August 17, Parker is prepared to start the school year in the Parker Blended Learning Model.

No, mixing of students outside of the school day breaks the cohorts the School is forming and puts the entire community at risk. Students will be supervised closely on campus and Parker Health and Safety FIRST protocols will be enforced.

A cohort is a small group of students who remain together throughout the school day. Minimizing crossover among students limits the potential for virus communal spread.

There are many factors that are used to design cohorts at each division. Primarily, a student’s schedule of academic classes, electives, and sports are what naturally group students into cohorts. Since the school is not asking families to choose between on-campus and at-home learning, this will not be a factor in designing the cohorts.

At the Lower School JK classrooms will be self-contained to maintain the 1:10 ratio set by Childcare Licensing. All SK through Grade 5 classrooms will be divided into A and B cohorts with 10-12 students in each. A student in Group A will start in the homeroom for their core academics in the morning while Group B is in a partner classroom with Special Subject Teachers rotating through. After lunch, Group B will go to the homeroom for core academics and Group A will go to the partner room for their Special Subject classes. Middle and Upper School schedules will alternate between in-person and online classes based on each division’s designated days on campus. The School is currently evaluating which courses will be offered in each format and will take into consideration many factors, including those courses that require hands-on learning. In addition to content areas, the schedule will include advisory and office hours.

Yes, if public health conditions change, Parker is ready to shift between our learning models; Parker, Parker Hybrid, Parker Blended, and Parker Online. The School prioritizes the health, safety, and well-being of its community members above all else and will follow the guidelines and directives as defined by our State and local health departments.

Yes, all students will have access to Parker Hybrid in order to continue learning when they need to stay home either due to illness or to a family circumstance that benefits from learning remotely.

Yes, under the Parker Blended learning model, families have the flexibility to choose to have their students learn on campus or at home on a day-to-day basis. Families do not need to make a choice between one or the other prior to the start of school.

Yes. Students who are of driving age will be allowed to drive themselves to school. The Return to Campus Task Force team is currently developing protocols to verify students’ health check-in information upon their arrival at campus. More information will be available soon.

Yes. Teachers will have office hours for both online and in-person students.

Yes. Outdoor spaces will be available to teachers via rotation and used whenever possible.

Students are expected to self-monitor, however, the adult supervisors will also be monitoring students. If they cannot follow Parker's F.I.R.S.T. program, then they will lose the privilege of attending in-person classes. This is a matter of health and safety and we take this policy seriously.

Yes, Parker has applied for a waiver through San Diego County Health for Kindergarten-Grade 6, which potentially allows for elementary-age students to return to campus in the fall if San Diego County remains on the State’s watch list. A copy of the waiver submission has been posted to the Roadmap to Return to Campus website and Francis Parker School is now listed on the Waiver Applicant List for County of San Diego. Update 8/20/20: We received the exciting news that Parker’s waiver for Grades SK to 6 to return to on-campus learning has been approved. Click here for more details.

Yes, Junior Kindergarten falls under Child Care Licensing rules and will operate daily on campus for the 2020-21 school year.

Yes, under the Parker Blended learning model, all in-person instruction will be live-streamed for at-home learners.

Yes, Parker’s IT Department is making significant improvements to the network that will add both security and additional bandwidth to support live streaming.

Yes, iPads will be the only devices Lower and Middle School students need to complete their assignments. Upper School students will be asked to provide their own device (laptop) as per usual for students in grades 9-12.

Yes, students will have the opportunity to receive homework support during class. Each live session will also be recorded and made available for all students to reference.

Yes. In compliance with prescribed social distancing guidelines, the Upper School Community Engagement requirements have been revised for the 2020-2021 school year, click here to view. Updates are indicated in red throughout these guidelines.

Lower School students will be on campus each day. Middle and Upper school students will only be on campus on alternating days. Student schedules will reflect A Days (on campus) and B Days (online), and each division will shift weekly between three days on campus/ two days online and two days on campus/ three days online.

Yes, students are required to wear uniforms. Parker has amended the general dress code guidelines for the 2020-2021 school year. Visit the Dress Code Resource Board here to review the dress code that is applicable under both the Parker Blended and Parker Online learning models. Due to current health and safety restrictions, Parker will be unable to host any uniform try-on events or used uniform sales.

Parker will transition to Zoom for online learning.

Yes, students are required to have their cameras on during class time. Additionally, students are encouraged to have a designated workspace, such as a desk of table, where they feel comfortable and can be productive.

Yes, grading will return to our published grading scale, practices and procedures.

Yes, Parker PE Uniforms from ParkerSpirit.com are required for students in Grades 6-8 when students are on campus in the Parker Blended learning model.

Yes, all Parker Online classes will be live. Teachers may use recorded materials to support their live classes, but will not be posting pre-recorded lessons in lieu of holding class.

Yes, Parker has expanded allowable activities for IPE to include any supervised physical activity for a minimum of four hours per week. Upper School students interested in participating in IPE must register for the IPE course for the trimester they wish to receive credit, using the schedule change form here. Students may only receive credit for the trimester in which they are enrolled. In addition, the School has waived the one trimester only rule for IPE credits this year. Grade 12 students will be allowed to take IPE all three trimesters for the 2020-2021 school year. Upper School students will still be able to receive credit for participating in a sports team as part of Parker’s Athletics program.

No, for a variety of reasons, most especially the amount of storage needed to record every class, every day in every grade, Parker will not be recording classes. However, rest assured, if a student has internet issues and misses class, the teachers will gladly work with the individual student to ensure they are not negatively impacted.

Yes, ARC will be available within each division following updated guidelines for the 2020-2021 school year. Please visit the ARC resource board for complete guidance, including session times, location, and cost by division.

Students in Lower and Middle School receive a school-issued iPad that should be used in support of their learning. Upper School students are required to provide their own laptop. To learn more about these programs please see the FAQs linked below: Lower School iPad FAQ Middle School iPad FAQ US Student Device BYOD FAQ

The Social and Emotional Support workgroup of the Roadmap to Return to Campus Task Force is working to implement programs to support students, faculty, and staff. Their vision statement reads: “Establish a psychologically safe and supportive environment that facilitates social reconnection, personal growth, and resiliency for all members of the Parker community.” Look for more updates from this workgroup in the coming weeks.

The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) on July 20 announced it has modified its competition calendar from three seasons (Fall, Winter and Spring) to two (Fall and Spring) for the 2020-21 school year. Click here to view the complete 2020-21 CIF Sports Calendar.

No. In order to adhere to current state guidelines, teams are unable to have in-person training at this time. Coaches will be in contact with student-athletes regarding at-home activities and training. Parker Athletics is currently working to lay out the framework for how athletic teams will move forward and prepare for the modified seasons.

Yes, Parker will adjust accordingly to ensure students are able to meet their graduation requirements.

No. At this time, the School must follow the current CDPH mandates which do not allow student-athletes to use these facilities.

Parker will reach out to impacted student-athletes and develop a plan of action on a case-by-case basis.

Community members can visit the Roadmap to Return to Campus website online at www.parkerroadmap.com for the most up-to-date information. Additionally, Parker’s communications department sends parents, faculty, and staff an email each Friday with updated information. These emails are available on the Return to Campus website from the “Communications Archive” page.

Yes, we still have room on most routes. Families can register for bus service from the Transportation Resource Board in onCampus.

Yes, we have extended the date to cancel service without incurring a fee to August 25.

The schedules for morning pick-up and afternoon drop-off will be the same under Parker Blended as they would have been in a traditional learning model. There is no change except there are fewer students riding the bus. The bus stop times can be found on the Transportation Resource Board in onCampus.

Yes, the shuttle will run between the campuses in the morning and afternoon.

Yes, they are limited due to distancing restrictions to accommodate health and safety measures. Any families who wish to use the shuttle must register for the service so that we can accommodate all riders.

No, there will not be a reduction in price for transportation services. Transportation services are a fixed fee for the year. The cost is not calculated by the number of rides or the distance traveled.

No, we do not need notifications if you will not be utilizing the service and you are not at risk of losing your seat.

Yes, the buses will run just for the JK students if they are the only grade on campus.

Yes, students who ride the bus may participate in office hours beginning at 3 pm. Buses will depart promptly at 3:15 pm.

Mission Hills Campus Hours: Campus Opens: 8 am Drop off: 8 am to 9 am Students participate in Extended Day Program: 8 to 9 am Classes Begin: 9 am Classes End: 3 pm Extended Day Program: 3:30 to 4:30 pm Campus Closes: 4:30 pm Linda Vista Campus Hours: Campus Opens: 8 am Drop Off: 8 am to 8:30 am Classes Begin: 8:30 am Classes End: 2:50 Office Hours: 3 to 3:30 pm Campus Closes: 3:30 pm