TIPS continues to monitor health conditions in Tokyo and hopes each of your families is well. As the COVID vaccine becomes more prevalent in Japan, of course we hope to return to pre-pandemic levels of activity at school. Setagaya Ward, which we consult for advice about health policies, asks that those who travel overseas do remain in a home quarantine for two weeks after return to Japan. If a TIPS student has taken a trip abroad, we ask that the student stays home for two weeks before coming to school to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. This does not apply to a family member who may have traveled. We continue to have temperature checks at the door upon arrival to school. If a student has a temperature of over 37.5 degrees, the student is sent home to monitor any other symptoms until the fever returns to normal levels. In this case, students may find assignments on Google classroom. Because the vaccine is more widely available now, students who are not in school will be counted absent.
The following precautions are still in effect:
1. Face Masks
As a rule, all people in the building wear face masks that cover the nose and mouth at all times. An exception to this is if wearing a mask makes a student unwell, and when eating or drinking. For those who forget to bring a mask to school, a face mask will be purchased (child and adult sizes available) at the front window before they enter. The cost is 60 yen per mask. Masks will be placed in a pocket during lunchtime.
2. Hand washing
Everyone washes their hands as they enter the building, before eating and after using the restroom. Students need to bring a handkerchief for drying hands. If a student needs to buy one, they are available in the office for 110 yen. Hand sanitizer is in each classroom and students are required to use it as they enter and leave the classrooms.
3. Seating
We are making every effort to spread out in our building. Seats will face the same direction to prevent close range conversations. Students will not sit close to each other.
4. Fever Protocol
The most common symptom of COVID-19 is fever. If a person in the school (employee or student) has a fever higher than 37.5 degrees, we require that person to go home (or remain at home) until the fever remains in the normal range for 24 hours.If the fever of above 37.5 degrees recurs for two days or longer, we ask the person to consult a doctor. The medical professional will make a decision about the necessity of a PCR test.
If a family member of a person in the school has a fever over 37.5 degrees, that person in the school must stay home until the family member’s fever is normal.
We ask parents to cooperate in the following ways in order to keep us as safe as possible:
- Take your son or daughter’s temperature each morning before sending him/her to school. If the temperature is higher than normal, please keep your child home until the temperature returns to normal.
- Families are required to provide a laptop for use at school.
- If anyone in our school building is diagnosed with COVID-19, we will follow the instructions of the health authorities.
- If someone in your immediate family at home is infected with the COVID-19 disease, contact us with that information and keep your son or daughter home until advised by health authorities that it is safe to come back to school. TIPS will notify the school community, without using names, of the infection in the home of someone in our school.
- We at TIPS will not allow any disparaging remarks about victims of the illness.
- The school counselor service continues to service our families, including parents, to promote good mental health in this stressful time related to COVID-19.