Health & Safety
For the 2023-2024 school year, The Downtown School is offering full-time, in-person education for all students.
Health and Safety Expectations for Students and Families:
All members of the Downtown School community have a shared responsibility to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses. In an effort to facilitate a safe school environment, students and families must commit, in collaboration with the school, to the following health and safety procedures:
Comply with federal, state, and local orders:
All families and employees are expected to follow directives from national, state, and local authorities to maintain their own health and safety. These include Washington State Department of Public Health, Public Health - Seattle & King County, and the CDC Guide on Protecting Yourself and Others.
Get vaccinated when eligible:
The Downtown School encourages all employees and students to stay up to date on non-required vaccines, including, but not limited to, those against COVID-19 and influenza (flu shot). Getting vaccinated is the best step we can take to keep our community safe.
Get tested:
The Downtown School will provide free antigen tests for any student or employee who would like to be tested. Testing will be required for any student or employee who exhibits symptoms of COVID-19. Rapid antigen tests will be available at the front desk for all students and employees. Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 must notify The Downtown School as soon as possible.
Contact The Downtown School if your student tests positive for COVID-19:
If a student tests positive for COVID-19, a parent or guardian must notify the school as soon as possible at covid@downtownschoolseattle.org.
Stay home if sick:
Students and employees showing signs or symptoms of COVID-19 will be asked to take a COVID-19 rapid antigen test. Parents and guardians must keep students who test positive at home and away from others and report the illness to the school. If a student is at school and develops COVID-19-like symptoms during the day, the student will be provided with a rapid antigen test. If the student tests positive or is too unwell to return to class, The Downtown School will contact the student’s parents or guardians to take the student home.
Take personal precautions.
The Downtown School is mask optional indoors and outdoors. There may be times when students are asked wear a mask, and we ask students to comply with these requests. Surgical masks will be available for students on these occasions. Please contact covid@downtownschoolseattle.org if your student needs assistance with masks.
Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds—especially after being in a public place or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
The Downtown School COVID-19 FAQs:
+ What are the signs and symptoms of COVID-19?
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported--ranging from mild to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
- For more symptom information, please visit the CDC’s website.
+ How do I get a test for COVID-19?
The Downtown School is able to provide rapid antigen testing for students. Other testing may be completed through healthcare providers.
If you need to be tested outside of school hours and do not have an at-home test available, check out the list of free testing locations in King County at King County COVID-19 Testing Page.
+ What should I do if my student tests positive for COVID-19?
The Downtown School is following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for isolation protocols. Students who test positive for COVID need to follow the health and safety procedures recommended by the CDC. Please note that The Downtown School protocols may change if public health guidelines change.
If a Downtown School student tests positive for COVID-19:
- The student must isolate for five days, regardless of vaccination status.
- Email covid@downtownschoolseattle.org to receive a remote learning plan. Only students who have tested positive for COVID and are well enough to engage in classes receive remote learning plans. Students who are sick should focus on resting and regaining their health.
- The student should take an antigen test on the evening of their fifth day in isolation. Please note: Results from this test do not need to be emailed to The Downtown School.
- If a student tests negative after five days of isolation, they may return to school without a mask.
- If a student continues to test positive and they are asymptomatic OR they are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and their symptoms are improving, they may return to campus, taking the precautions below.
- Once they return to school, a student must take the following precautions through day 10 or until they receive a negative antigen test, whichever comes first:
- Wear a high-quality and well-fitting mask at all times. N95 and KN95 masks are strongly encouraged.
- Be extremely careful to practice personal safety measures (washing hands, distancing, etc.).
Contact your medical provider if you have questions about your student’s health.
+ Resources
The following resources were used in the creation of this FAQ website: