2022 COVID-19 Health Guidelines

Last updated June 2, 2022

Hosting residential summer programs that draw from a national audience requires an immense amount of planning and careful risk mitigation. While this has always been the case, it is important to note that the COVID-19 pandemic has only heightened these obligations. The safety of our students, instructors, and staff remains our top priority. As such, our health safety policies are continually evolving in response to factors affecting the environment of our programs. These policies and practices are informed by many sources, including but not limited to:

Current Health Safety Measures*

The following list is not all-inclusive but contains a mixture of pre-pandemic and more recently implemented practices. Sections in BOLD highlight the most recently added protocols:

- Participants and summer staff must be “fully vaccinated” for COVID-19, as defined by the CDC
- Participants and summer staff are also STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to have received the booster when indicated/applicable, qualifying them as “up to date” per current CDC guidelines
- Parent/guardian(s) of participants must agree to pick up their child under the following conditions:
  - Participant who does not meet the criteria of “up to date” per current CDC guidelines AND is exposed to a positive case must be picked up from the program within 8 hours (STARS) or 24 hours (THINK).
  - Participant who has tested positive for COVID must be picked up from the program within 8 hours (STARS) or 24 hours (THINK).

Health screening of participants and staff, including rapid-antigen testing conducted on-site at check-in
Heath records, physical, and immunization records collected and reviewed by licensed medical provider
Increased, scheduled sanitation of frequently touched objects/areas
Handwashing required prior to all meals, with sanitation stations more readily available throughout campus
Student orientation to include training on daily preventative practices, with visual reminders provided in commonly accessed areas
Staff training to include recognizing and reporting signs and indications of illness, as well as guidance on how to encourage healthy practices within small groups and during program activities
Referring to and regularly updating our communicable disease plan
Program-specific check-in protocols will be emailed directly to registered families

FAQs

If my child is fully vaccinated but not considered “up-to-date” per the CDC guidelines, are they still able to attend?

Yes. However, per the latest CDC guidelines, anyone who is not considered “up-to-date” is required to quarantine for a minimum of five days if an exposure occurs during the program. Due to the nature of our programming, we are unable to accommodate extended care for those in quarantine. Therefore, students who are exposed and required to quarantine, must be picked up by a parent within the timeframes outlined above. For those who are considered “up-to-date”, quarantine is not mandatory if exposure occurs unless symptoms develop. Therefore, we strongly encourage all students to be up-to-date in their vaccination series.

What is considered “up-to-date” vs. fully vaccinated?

Stay Up to Date with Your COVID-19 Vaccines | CDC

In the event of program cancellation due to COVID, what will the refund policy be?

If the Davidson Institute decides to cancel 2022 summer programming prior to the start of the programming, full refunds of program tuition and fees will be given to all enrolled students.

If a student needs to cancel in the days prior to the program beginning due to a positive COVID-19 test which would exclude them from participating, full refunds of program tuition and fees will be issued. (Official documentation will be required.)

Will waivers be accepted for the COVID-19 vaccine?

In order to confidently move forward with in-person programming during an uncertain year, our policy does not allow waivers. We realize that this is not a perfect solution and will not fit the needs of all families who want to attend. It weighs heavily on us that we cannot accommodate every student. We are glad to offer in-person programming again rather than canceling for a third year but are also navigating “less-than-normal” circumstances. We will continue to monitor our policies in this ever-changing environment.

Will other safety measures be implemented?

Other safety measures, such as mask wearing, will be implemented when situationally implicated following CDC guidelines and the most recent health recommendations.

This page will continue to be updated as new information becomes available. Additionally, any changes to this page will also be sent via email to families enrolled in our summer programs.