Dear Mount Carmel School Families,

On March 27, 2022, Governor Ralph DLG Torres issued a press release stating that the CNMI is in COVID-19 Community Level Medium and will no longer recommend for all people to wear a mask indoors in public. However, people who are considered immunocompromised, at high risk for severe illness, or reside with someone who is immunocompromised, should talk to a healthcare provider about whether they need to wear a mask and take other precautions. That said, Mount Carmel School is ready to share the following summarized below:
 

• Effective, April 11, 2022, Mount Carmel School will give individuals the option to wear a mask indoors and outdoors while on campus.
• Mount Carmel School will continue to promote recommended COVID-19 mitigation practices
• Mount Carmel School encourages parents/guardians to discuss the school’s recent COVID-19 update with their students
• CNMI’s COVID-19 Resources

Effective, April 11, 2022, Mount Carmel School will give families, students, and employees the option to wear a mask indoors and outdoors while on campus.

As stated, Mount Carmel School will give families, students, and employees the option to wear a mask indoors and outdoors while on campus starting April 11, 2022. In addition to the Governor’s recent press release, this decision was determined by the school’s leadership team based on official data provided by the Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force and the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation.
 

• The CNMI has officially reached level “Green” and “medium” based on the reduction of confirmed positive cases in the CNMI
• According to the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation, from February 02, 2022, to March 31, 2022, confirmed positive cases have reduced from 261 new cases to 16 in the CNMI
• As of April 04, 2022, 60.6% of the eligible population have received an additional dose of a COVID-19 vaccine
• And as of April 03, 2022, 11,093 confirmed individuals have successfully recovered from their exposure

Mount Carmel School will continue to promote recommended COVID-19 mitigation practices

Although the school will give individuals the option to wear a mask while on campus, Mount Carmel School will continue to promote recommendations by the Center for Diseases Control and Prevention, the Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force, and the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation. This includes the following:

• Wear a mask if you or a person you are living with is considered immunocompromised
• Wear a mask in large crowded spaces
• Watch your distance from others as an added precaution while in public
• Wash your hands regularly to protect yourself from any form of viral infection
• Regularly sanitize communal spaces, classrooms, and offices
• Maintain UV light sanitation devices throughout indoor spaces
• Participate in regular COVID-19 testing opportunities
• And stay up-to-date on available COVID-19 vaccines and boosters

Additionally, Mount Carmel School will adjust as needed throughout the duration of this pandemic. In the event that another spike was to occur in the community, Mount Carmel School will remain prepared to adjust its COVID-19 protocols as needed.

Mount Carmel School encourages parents/guardians to discuss the school’s recent COVID-19 update with their students

Before the new COVID-19 protocol goes into effect on Monday, April 11, 2022, Mount Carmel School encourages parents and guardians to take this week to discuss with their students the option to wear a mask at school. Talking points might include:
 

• Whether or not they should continue wearing a mask during school hours and events
• Members of the family who are considered immunocompromised
• How to identify COVID-19 symptoms and whom to contact
• The importance of regular COVID-19 testing
• An action plan in the event the student or a member of the family has contracted the COVID-19 virus
• And/or respecting individuals who may or may not choose to wear a mask for the remainder of the school year

CNMI’s COVID-19 Resources

To obtain general information about the CNMI COVID-19 response, call the Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force Infoline at (670)488-0211, available every day, 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM, or visit www.staysafecnmi.com.

Official CNMI COVID-19 updates are also available on the following platforms:

• https://www.vaccinatecnmi.com
• https://chcc.datadriven.health/
• https://governor.gov.mp/

Our team at Mount Carmel School understands that for some families, providing the option to wear a mask might seem daunting. However, it is important to remember that our communal efforts to follow official recommendations and procedures shared by Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force, the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are what continue to make us one of the safest places in the world.

It is important that we continue to learn how to live with this virus and adjust as needed to keep members of our community safe.

For more information about the school’s COVID-19 protocols, please visit our website, www.mountcarmelsaipan.com, call (670) 234-6184, or email mcsmedia@mcsknights.com or mcs.secretary@mcsknights.com.


Frances T. Taimanao
Acting President / Principal

Mount Carmel School
Policies and Procedures for
COVID-19 Prevention and Control
as of December 31, 2021

These policies and procedures are intended to guide all members of the Mount Carmel School family in mitigating against the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as set forth by the CNMI Office of the Governor. These policies and procedures are subject to change and are superseded by any directives and guidelines set forth by the CNMI Office of the Governor, the CNMI Governor’s COVID-19 Task Force, and the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation. To reinforce the safety of all members of the Mount Carmel School family, the following policies and procedures will supersede any other policies or procedures set forth in this handbook, unless otherwise stipulated by the school leadership.

 

Personal Hygiene Behaviors

• Employees, students, and authorized guests must routinely wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• As an additional precaution, employees, students, and authorized guests must routinely disinfect their hands with hand sanitizers that contain at least 60% alcohol.
• Employees, students, and authorized guests must cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue. Afterwards, employees, students, and authorized guests must discard the tissue in the trash and immediately wash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or disinfect their hands with hand sanitizers that contain at least 60% alcohol.

• Employees, students, and authorized guests must exercise social distancing of at least six feet apart from each other. 

• Employees, students, and authorized guests must wear face masks or face shields at all times while on campus.
• Employees, students, and authorized guests may partially remove their face masks or face shields only to eat or drink, so long as they are six feet apart from each other. Face masks or face shields must be worn immediately afterwards.

• Employees, students, and authorized guests are encouraged to not share personal items, such as books, school supplies, and electronic devices.
• Employees, students, and authorized guests are to secure personal items within bags or containers that should only be accessed by them.

 

Grounds and Facilities

• The cleaning and disinfecting of classrooms, common areas, like restrooms, the cafeteria, and offices will be cleaned more frequently throughout the day to help mitigate the spread of viruses like COVID-19.

• Classrooms are to be designed to ensure six feet physical distance between student and teacher desks.
• Student and teacher desks will be outfitted as needed with plexiglass cubicles as an added safety precaution.
• Front desk office spaces, such as the Main Office and the Business Office, will be redesigned to include larger plexiglass barriers as an added safety precaution.
• Classrooms and offices on campus will be modified to include ultraviolet lighting devices to further disinfect air that is circulated in rooms.

• The school will provide areas on or in which employees, students, and authorized guests may safely store and secure their personal items, bags, or containers, such as desks, shelves, and counters. These areas will be cleaned and disinfected on a routine basis.
• The school will provide wash stations with running water and hand soap throughout campus, as well as hand sanitizers that contain at least 60% alcohol in each classroom and office as well as strategic locations throughout campus.
• The school will post visible signs, fliers, and posters to remind all individuals on campus about key behaviors that mitigate the spread of COVID-19, such as wearing face masks or face shields, practicing proper hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, and exercising social distancing.
• The school will post visible markers on walls and on floors to guide all individuals to exercise social distancing of at least six feet apart from each other.

 

Adjusted Learning Environments

• To support adequate social distancing of at least six feet apart, the maximum number of students allowed in a classroom will be adjusted per grade level and depending on square footage of a classroom..

• Kindergarten through 12th grade will have face-to-face classes from Monday through Thursday. Friday will be designated as an asynchronous class day.
• Kindergarten through 12th grade classes will run from 7:30 to 3:00 pm Monday through Thursday.
• Face to face (F2F) extra curricular, F2F after school and F2F sports activities will be limited to students that participate in F2F learning and who are fully vaccinated by approved COVID-19 vaccines. Students will be screened to ensure that they are attending face to face learning and have a valid COVID-19 vaccination card.
• Should parents or guardians choose not to send their child to F2F learning and decide to avail of asynchronous learning, a parent or guardian must provide the school with a letter of intent. The letter must include the following information.
  • Name of child/children
  • Grade level
  • Duration of the asynchronous learning, and
  • reason(s) for choosing asynchronous learning
• For F1-Visa students, this is subject for approval based on the USCIS Policies.

 

Entrance and Exit Procedures

• All individuals that enter campus must be screened by campus security or other school officials for COVID-19 symptoms, which includes a temperature check.
• Teachers, staff, and administrators that arrive on campus and do not have access to campus security or other school officials will conduct a self-screening and log information at designated checkpoint for submission to the school administration.
• Any individual attempting to enter campus that exhibit signs of COVID-19 like a high body temperature reading will be directed to exit campus immediately.

• For morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up, parents and families will have three drop-off/pick-up stations, one at the gymnasium, one at the elementary-C Building entrance, and one at the Maturana driveway.
• For each station, students arriving on campus are to remain in their vehicles until allowed to exit by school officials.
• Once a student or family of students exits their vehicle they will be guided towards screening points to take temperature. Once cleared, the student will proceed directly to their classroom.
• Please note that only one parent or authorized family member may walk their child to a classroom. This option is limited to Kindergarten (K-4 & K-5) students.

• During pick-up, parents and families will not be permitted to exit their vehicles. Instead, school personnel will utilize a digital order system to take student names, summon those students, and line them up safely for pick-up.
• During afternoon pick-up, the Main Office will be closed to relieve congestion and allow staff to assist with supervision. 
• Employees, students, and authorized guests must exercise social distancing of at least six feet apart from each other. Students from the same household may congregate while in line for morning arrival screening or for afternoon pick-up. 

 

Response Procedures to Positive COVID-19 Cases

• If any individual on campus is designated as a confirmed positive case for COVID-19, he/she will be escorted to a waiting room from where they will wait to leave campus.
• Physical distancing will be ensured within that waiting room, hand sanitizers will be available, and the waiting room will be deep cleaned and disinfected after each use. 
• The waiting room will be situated to allow for adequate supervision.
• The school will provide such individuals with guidance and information on what steps to take next after returning home, such as home or government provided quarantine, and COVID-19 testing.

• If a student, faculty or staff is confirmed positive for COVID-19 off campus, he/she is instructed to stay home or in a designated government quarantine facility until he/she is cleared by a negative government provided COVID-19 reading.
  • A parent/guardian must notify the school of test date and result (positive result).
  • A document from the COVID-Task Force must be provided to the school indicating a NEGATIVE result.

• In the event of a confirmed COVID-19 case amongst employees or students that were present or suspected to have been present on campus during the time frame that they tested positive, the school will notify the affected classroom/office stakeholders and follow current action plans recommended by official health organizations, executives, and experts. The school will also inform any relevant government/public health agencies to determine if a case investigation or contact tracing is necessary. The school will ensure that privacy is respected of the affected individuals and will comply with all applicable government regulations, laws, and statutes.

 

Employees 

If medically eligible, Mount Carmel School employees are required to have completed their COVID-19 vaccination and provide proof of their vaccination card or record to the Main Office.

• All MCS employees are required to be tested on a monthly basis at the school's scheduled testing days.
• An updated vaccination shot card must be provided to the office. 
• At the beginning of each school year (first day of work), all employees must provide a copy of their most recent vaccination card and a copy of their PCR test results.

 

Media Outreach

The school will raise awareness about behaviors that mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

• The school will post visible signs, fliers, and posters to remind all individuals on campus about key behaviors that mitigate the spread of COVID-19, such as wearing face masks or face shields, practicing proper hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette, and exercising physical distancing.
• The school will post visible markers on walls and on floors to guide all individuals to exercise physical distancing of at least six feet apart from each other.
• The school will utilize its communications platforms, including email, website, and social media outlets, to share important information and updates from public health officials.

 

The school will communicate policies and procedures to all of its stakeholders.

• The school will utilize its communications platforms, including email, website, and social media outlets, to share these policies and procedures.
• The school will utilize its communications platforms, including email, website, and social media outlets, to share guidelines, policies, and procedures from all appropriate government and public health officials.

 

Mount Carmel School (MCS) is committed to ensuring that all persons have equal access to its programs, opportunities, and information resources, including those on its institutional website in accordance to the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

We apologize for any inconvenience as we work on bringing Mount Carmel School’s website into full compliance. For immediate assistance, please contact school counselor Ms. Tobed Smith by email at tobed.smith@mcsknights.com or by calling (670) 234-6184.

If you wish to report an issue related to the accessibility of any content on MCS’s website, including a complaint about the accessibility of a document, form, or statement, you may do so by contacting director of institutional development Ms. Victoria Deleon Guerrero by email at victoria.deleonguerrero@mcsknights.com. In your email please include the following information:

1. The URL you are having accessibility issues with;

2. The accessibility issue you are experiencing;

3. Your name, phone number, and email address.

If you would like to file a formal grievance against the Mount Carmel School pursuant to the requirements of Section 504 and Title II, you may submit such grievance to Mount Carmel acting president Frances Taimanao, P.O. Box 500006, Saipan MP 96950 or email frances.taimanao@mcsknights.com.

You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) Office for Civil Rights. More information about filing a complaint with USDOE can be found at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/howto.html.