Face-to-Face Instruction:  Fulton Science Academy will continue face-to-face instruction for the upcoming school year. As we continue to transition back to normalcy, we will no longer offer virtual instruction (“Zoom”) for students who are absent due to COVID-19 or other illness. Please see our attendance tab below for more details.

Case Reporting: Positive COVID-19 cases will be reported to the clinic via 2022-2023 FSA COVID-19 Positive Reporting Form for the 2022-2023 school year. Our school nurse and administration will continue tracking this data. We will no longer utilize the COVID-19 tracker and update cases on our website daily.

Contact Tracing: Based on CDC guidance, FSA will no longer be contact tracing based on seating charts or notifying families of students who have shared a classroom with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. All students should remain home when sick and be tested for COVID-19.

Masking: Masking will remain optional for all students and staff* for the 2022-2023 school year. FSA will continue to monitor data to determine any adjustments in mask use. FSA encourages anyone with a known exposure to COVID-19 to wear a mask.

*Masks will be required for students returning from COVID-19 isolation on days 6-10 of illness. In addition, FSA highly encourages all students and staff with a known exposure to COVID-19 to mask on campus for 5-10 days. 

Distance: We will continue to encourage students to maintain adequate safe space distancing on campus.

Hygiene: We will continue to encourage and educate on proper respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene to limit the spread of germs. Hand sanitizer stations will continue to be available throughout the campus for students and faculty. Elementary students will be encouraged to use soap and water whenever possible to prevent irritation from alcohol based sanitizers. 

Lunch: Students in Elementary and Middle grades will be served lunch in the cafeteria. We will encourage safe spacing and continue routine disinfecting between rotations. High School students will have lunch in the HS Hangout area while also utilizing safe spacing and area disinfection. 

For recess, ES and MS students will have opportunities to play outside in open air areas.

Cleaning/Disinfection: Frequent and regular cleaning and disinfecting will remain a vital part of our operations. FSA has a contract with a third-party cleaning company to clean and disinfect our campus every night in detail using EPA-approved products that are effective against Covid-19 and other common viruses/bacteria. Our custodians and faculty will continue cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces by students such as doorknobs, student desks, and chairs throughout the school day. All water fountains are touchless only. Therefore, students are encouraged to bring their own water bottle to refill throughout the day.

COVID-19 Testing: FSA will not offer COVID-19 testing on site for the 2022-2023 school year. If your child is sick, they should stay home. We encourage all sick students/faculty to get tested for COVID-19. We also encourage all students/faculty with a known exposure to COVID-19 to get tested.

Please use the link below to report a positive case of COVID-19 in FSA students or faculty. 

2022-2023 FSA COVID-19 Positive Case Reporting Form

Please allow up to 24 hours for the school nurse to contact you with your return date. 

Reminder: Day 0 is the day your symptoms began OR the day you tested positive (whichever is first). The earliest you may leave isolation after testing positive is on Day 6 (if fever free for 24 hrs without medications and your symptoms are improving. Moderate to severe cases may require a longer quarantine. 

CDC COVID-19 Isolation Calculator 

Procedures for Students/Faculty Testing Positive for COVID-19 

Any student/faculty who tests positive for COVID-19 should isolate at home, promptly report the COVID-19 case to the school clinic using the link below, and email the attendance office regarding their absence. 

2022-2023 FSA Covid Positive Reporting Form

COVID-19 Positive Isolation: The COVID-19 positive individual may return to campus and end isolation once the following are met: 

• • Positive individuals must isolate for a minimum of 5 days from the positive test date or the start of their symptoms, whichever was first (this is counted as day 0)
  • Positive individuals may end isolation and return to campus on day 6 IF they have been fever free for 24 hours AND their symptoms are improving (masks are required on campus for days 6-10 of illness).
    • If fever persists or symptoms have not improved on day 6, a full 10 day isolation may be required. Please reach out to your doctor for further guidance. 

• CDC Additional Isolation Guidelines include: 

• • Monitor your symptoms. If you have an emergency warning sign (including trouble breathing), seek emergency medical care immediately.

• • Stay in a separate room from other household members, if possible.

• • Use a separate bathroom, if possible.

• • Take steps to improve ventilation at home, if possible.

• • Avoid contact with other members of the household and pets.

• • Don’t share personal household items, like cups, towels, and utensils.

• • Wear a well-fitting mask when you need to be around other people.

Guidance for Students/Faculty with a Direct Exposure to COVID-19

Anyone in direct contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 should monitor themselves for symptoms for 10 days. FSA highly recommends that all close contacts wear a mask and get tested for COVID-19.  

Students and faculty who are directly exposed to COVID-19 may remain on campus as long as they are symptom free and do not test positive for COVID-19. 

STAY HOME WHEN SICK: Guidance for Students/Faculty Experiencing Symptoms of Illness

• Students/Faculty who are feeling unwell should remain home from school to monitor their symptoms and/or be evaluated by their physician. 
• We encourage all families and faculty to utilize off-site COVID-19 testing or home COVID-19 testing kits to identify possible cases of COVID-19 and prevent the spread of infection. 
• Remember to email the attendance office at attendance@fultonscienceacademy.org to report your child’s absence. 

Common reasons students should stay home:

• COVID-19 : Anyone testing positive should report their case to the school and remain home until their isolation has ended. 
• Persistent Cough : If a student has a worsening or persistent cough, we recommend you have them checked by a doctor and/or rule out COVID-19. 
• Too sick to be comfortable at school : If a student complains of significant sore throat, significant ear pain, persistent stomach ache, persistent headache, pain with cough, significant fatigue, please keep them home to monitor for worsening symptoms. 
• Diagnosed with a contagious illness : i.e: strep throat, flu, pink eye, etc. and have not received clearance by their doctor
• A fever of 100.4 degrees or higher : Students must be fever free for 24 hours without the use of medications before returning to school. We recommend dr evaluation and/or a test to rule out COVID-19 prior to return.
• Any vomit in the last 24 hours : If a student vomits at home, do not send them to school until they have been vomit free for 24 hours. Students who vomit at school will be sent home. 
• Multiple episodes of diarrhea in the last 24 hours : Students with persistent diarrhea should stay home until it has resolved for 24 hours.
• A widespread rash: stay home and consult your doctor
• Eye redness with drainage/discharge: stay home and consult your doctor 

Procedures for Anyone Experiencing COVID-19 Symptoms at School 

If a student is sick or experiencing COVID-like symptoms at school, the student will report to the clinic for evaluation. If deemed necessary, the nurse will call a parent to pick up the student.

Please note: FSA expects all families to have a plan in place to pick up their child within 1 hour if their child becomes ill on campus.

FSA encourages physician evaluation and/or COVID-19 testing prior to return if the child exhibits fever, persistent cough, fatigue or other symptoms suspicious for COVID-19.

COVID-19 or Illness Related Absences

In order to ensure they are marked excused, all absences due to illness or COVID-19 must be reported to the attendance office by emailing attendance@fultonscienceacademy.org or by sending a hand-written note signed by a parent within 3 days of the absence.

Please remember: you must include additional documentation (such as a physician note) for any extended absences (greater than 2 consecutive days) in order for the absence to be marked excused.

Absences due to a positive case of COVID-19 will be excused and non-punitive if reported using the 2022-2023 FSA Covid Positive Reporting Form and the attendance office is notified.

Excessive absences without timely and proper documentation may lead to a referral to the Attendance Review Committee.

Please review the student handbook for more details.

There will be no virtual or Zoom access to classes for the 2022-2023 school year: All students who are absent from campus due to COVID-19 or any other reason will be given make-up work upon their return. Students in Middle/High School should also utilize FSA connect when possible to stay up to date on their assignments.