STAFF MEMO
TO: ALL TEACHERS, FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME
FROM: PHIL ACORD, CEO
DATE: MAY 13, 2020
The Board of Directors and administration of Chambliss Center for Children have been working hard to determine the best timeline for the reopening of our childcare center. After many discussions and meetings, we have come up with a schedule that we hope will be both helpful to our families and safe for our staff to return to work.
First, I want to assure you that we have spent a lot of time reviewing the CDC guidelines for the opening of childcare centers and making plans for our specific site. We have developed many new protocols that you will receive from your Director. You should read those new safety protocols thoroughly and sign and date the last page. We will be holding a mandatory training on these new procedures on Wednesday of next week (May 20th) to make sure you are comfortable with implementing all of them. You will also get to choose a cloth mask that you must wear each day. Your Director will give you specific information about that training, about working in your classroom, and about helping to get the center ready for children to return on Friday, May 22nd. Full-time staff will still receive 24 hours of gifted sick leave next week, and part-time staff will receive 12 hours. This should cover you until we start back to regular work on Friday, May 22nd. You should clock in and out when you attend training and when you work in your classrooms prior to opening.
Finally, in order to ensure that we are doing everything we can to keep you safe, we are going to require everyone to have a negative COVID-19 test before returning to work. We realize that this does not mean that someone can’t contract the virus after testing, but it is one more way to keep the virus out of our building and to help you feel comfortable about returning. We will be providing this to you, free of charge, on our main campus (315 Gillespie Road, 37411) on Thursday, May 14th, and Friday, May 15th. You should have your test results back by Monday or Tuesday. You will receive a call with your results. I’m sure you have a lot of questions about testing, so I have attempted to answer some of them at the end of this memo.
Here is a summary of what you need to plan for:
Thursday, May 14th, 1:00-6:00 pm and Friday, May 15th, 9:00 am- 5:00 pm: Galen Medical Group will be on the main campus to administer testing for all staff members
Tuesday, May 19th: All test results will be given to Chambliss Center by Galen or you must produce a written letter stating your negative result.
Wednesday, May 20th: Mandatory staff training at your site (ask Director for time and other details)
Friday, May 22nd: Report to work for reopening at your normal time, taking into account the new procedures
I hope that you all have had some quality time with your family and friends and are ready to get back to work and into a more normal routine. I would ask that you continue to take precautions to limit your exposure to other people by staying home as much as possible when not at work. We are all part of a family as we come back to work together in the same buildings. Your decisions about who to socialize with affect all of us. Wear a mask in public. Limit shopping trips. Wash your hands often. And keep your distance from people outside your home if you must be around others. Please help us protect our own families by making wise decisions.
Thank you for your perseverance through this difficult time. It was not something we could have ever expected to happen. I appreciate all of you who volunteered to work while we were caring only for a small number of children. I hope that you have felt valued and supported as we have continued to do all we could to maintain your employment and your normal pay. We look forward to seeing your (masked) faces again soon!
Do I have to get tested on campus or can I go somewhere else?
Galen Medical Group will be providing our onsite testing. You do not have to take advantage of this free testing if you feel more comfortable getting your test through the health department or another medical provider. However, you will need to produce official results in writing to your Director by the end of the day on Tuesday. We cannot let anyone attend training or come into the building until we have a confirmation of your negative test results.
What kind of test will be done?
The test will be done through your nasal passage. It will be slightly uncomfortable, but you should not be scared. I’ve talked to several people who have had it done, and they have assured me that it is not a horrible experience.
Can I bring someone with me?
You are welcome to bring someone with you, but he/she cannot be tested unless they are also an employee. Galen has a list of employees, so they will be checking you in from that list. You should remain in your car the whole time.
When can I go get the test done?
Galen will have their stations set up on Thursday (5/14) from 1:00-6:00 pm and on Friday (5/15) from 9:00 am-5:00 pm. Simply drive into our parking lot and you will be directed towards the line. Please be patient and know that they are trying to test hundreds of staff members including our main campus, thrift stores, administrative staff, and off-sites who are all required to get testing done as well. I would guess that Thursday would have fewer people given the short notice, so you might want to try for Thursday if you want to avoid a line.
Do I have to pay anything?
No. If you carry medical insurance, Galen will file this on your insurance. They have told me that insurance is covering this completely, but if you get some sort of bill, please bring that to us so that we can reimburse you for it. If you do not have medical insurance, Chambliss Center for Children will cover the cost. We will be in touch with you about how to do that after testing is done. No money will be required at the point of testing.
What if I don’t want to get tested?
Testing is required for you to return to work. You should take advantage of this opportunity for testing right here on our campus. It will be much easier to know that you are not carrying the virus and that your coworkers aren’t either. Again, this won’t ensure that you can’t contract the virus after testing, but it’s a way for us to prevent bringing any people back to work who already have the virus.