COVID-19 Update

In line with guidance from the State of California and the Los Angeles Department of Public Health, Mirman School will begin its 2020-2021 school year virtually on September 2. In accordance with guidance from the LADPH, we were able to begin bringing back our Kindergarten and First Grade classes in a hybrid cohort model beginning in late October and early November. Per recent guidance from the LADPH, we are planning to continue remotely for the rest of our grade levels at this time, although we are paying close attention to current and future changes in transmission rates.

While we are currently in remote learning, work has been underway throughout the spring and summer to ready our campus for our eventual safe return. This work touches on all aspects of life on campus — from consulting with medical professionals on health and hygiene protocols to rearranging physical classroom spaces to accommodate a safe, socially distant (yet physically present) experience for students.

Please note that as conditions change and new information emerges, so, too, may our plans shift. We are committed to providing our community with prompt and transparent communication during this time. At present, we've assembled the following information for you to peruse and will continue to keep this page updated.

Thank you for your patience and partnership as we navigate these uncharted waters. In the meantime, please know you are welcome to contact our Health Coordinator, Jowana Nasrallah, with any questions or concerns.

Remote Learning

Whether at home or on campus, Mirman is committed to serving the unique needs of highly gifted students. Learning from our experience in the spring after going remote, our administration and faculty have dedicated considerable time to research and professional development around the specific skills necessary to facilitate successful remote learning. While lessons will vary from grade to grade and class to class, all are connected by a philosophy emphasizing access and engagement through a mix of synchronous and asynchronous content, small group discussions, individuated groups for mathematics, and more. From a revised schedule in the Upper School offering more time to dive deeper into subjects to providing new age-appropriate devices for our youngest learners in Lower School, we are working hard to bring the campus home to you.

While much of our campus life is based around gathering as a community, we will continue to look for opportunities to connect our students, faculty, staff, and families. These include but are not limited to ample parent education panels on timely topics, Town Halls with the administration and Trustees, enrichment and social offerings for our students, and, of course, all-school assemblies.

Safety on Campus

Mirman is committed to keeping our entire community safe no matter the circumstances. Throughout the summer of 2020, the members of a Scenario Planning Task Force, comprised of administrators, faculty, staff, parents, and medical professionals, worked to develop practices and protocols to create a safe school while keeping on top of shifting conditions and new information from state, local, and federal agencies. We have also made changes to our physical plant to better allow for safe distancing and heightened hygiene practices. That having been said, as we are a community that stretches far beyond our campus space, we ask that all of our community members make a commitment to keeping each other safe by practicing vigilance and safety at home and elsewhere.

Procedure changes include, but are not limited to:

  • Daily health and travel reporting requirements for employees and families using the SchoolPass app
  • Screening all individuals for symptoms as they enter campus, including temperature checks performed by staff in full PPE
  • Utilizing a limited-size cohort model to limit exposure and assist with contact tracing
  • Additional staffing to account for smaller class sizes
  • No sharing of classroom materials among students
  • Staggered start and end times
  • The elimination of congregation in common areas (faculty/staff breaks and workstations will be moved elsewhere)
  • Closing campus to outside visitors with strict screening requirements for essential vendors
  • Switching from a buffet-style lunch and washable serving-ware to single-use products and pre-packaged meals in strict accordance with Los Angeles County Department of Public Health standards
  • Use of outdoor spaces and tenting for outdoor classes when possible
  • Eliminating shared bus service and restricting carpools to immediate family members only
  • Suspension of all large on-campus gatherings and large in-person meetings where physical distancing is not possible
  • Universal masking requirements for all individuals on campus
  • Maintaining physical distancing of 6 feet at all times
  • Required COVID-19 training for all faculty/staff through SafeSchools
  • Hiring additional professional cleaning staff and frequently sanitizing and disinfecting high-touch surfaces
  • Enhanced nightly cleaning measures including electrostatic fog
  • Upgrading and testing HVAC systems to ensure proper air circulation and filtering
  • Additional sanitizer stations and handwash sinks installed throughout campus
  • Creating additional classroom spaces to reduce class size
  • Additional spacing between desks and installing plexiglass barriers where necessary
  • Clear signage promoting healthy practices and managing traffic flow and occupancy
  • A separate infirmary space for individuals who are a concern for COVID-19 symptoms or exposure
  • Hiring a dedicated Health Coordinator
  • In process — securing a testing provider and contact tracing app

COVID-19 Response on Campus

While our ideal focus is prevention of COVID-19, plans must be made for containment and communication in the case that someone in the Mirman community is symptomatic, has been exposed to COVID-19, or receives a positive test result. Our Scenario Task Force has also examined these issues and created policies in accordance with city and state guidance.

Absence reporting requirements for COVID-19 symptoms, exposure, or confirmed case

  • All individuals will agree to exercise “full COVID-19 precautions” if they are a potential concern for COVID-19 (CC-19) or have been directly exposed to a CC-19. This includes self-quarantining for 14 days.
  • Parents/guardians and employees will agree to immediately notify the School if anyone in their household or close network (childcare providers, tutor, visitors to the home, etc.) has potentially been exposed to or tested positive for COVID-19.
  • If an individual is experiencing any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19, they must stay home. If there has been known exposure to COVID-19, individuals will quarantine for 14 days and be tested as advised by their healthcare provider. Individuals cannot return to campus while test results are pending. If there is no known exposure to COVID-19 and there is a negative test result, the individual may recuperate at home and return to campus three days after their symptoms resolve.

Individuals who exhibit potential COVID-19 symptoms while on campus
Teachers will send symptomatic individuals to a dedicated provider in full PPE who will receive them and take them to an isolated infirmary specifically for potential COVID-19 cases where they will await pickup. The individual should be evaluated by a healthcare provider and be tested for COVID-19. If there is a negative test result and symptoms have resolved for more than three days, the child can return to school. If testing is indicated, individuals cannot return to campus while test results are pending. If the test is positive, additional steps are detailed below.

School communication and closure in the event of an exposure or confirmed case
School communication will be informed by local and state requirements, and when a confirmed case is present, will involve notifying the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Mirman School will take all reasonable steps to maintain the privacy of an individual's medical information; having said this, this public health crisis does require swift reporting and communication to those who may be affected by a potential COVID-19 exposure. As of this writing, the State mandates are as follows when there has been a confirmed case of COVID-19:

    • Schools should consult with a public health officer first
    • A classroom cohort goes home when there is a confirmed case
    • An entire school goes home when multiple cohorts have cases or more than 5% of students and/or staff test positive

Baseline communication steps our community can expect:

  • If a student or faculty/staff reports that they have been in close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case, the faculty/staff and students in the corresponding cohorts will be notified and that individual should quarantine for 14 days. The larger school community will be notified that there is a cohort under quarantine and can expect to hear more if any cases are confirmed.
  • If a student or faculty/staff reports that they have tested positive for COVID-19, the affected cohorts and any siblings of that cohort will be notified to quarantine immediately for a period of no less than 14 days. The students in the cohort of affected siblings do not have to quarantine unless that student is found to be COVID-19 positive. The larger school community will be notified of the cohorts under quarantine and will be kept updated as the situation unfolds.

Return to school after a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case
In the case that an individual tests positive for COVID-19 or is likely COVID-19 positive, in order to return to school they must be fever-free for 3 days AND 14 days after the start of symptoms AND with improvement in symptoms. For individuals that test positive for COVID-19 but never develop symptoms, they may return 14 days after a positive test.

State and City Guidance

Per Governor Newsom's latest directives, public and independent schools in Los Angeles County cannot open for on-campus instruction until the county has been off of the state's COVID-19 watchlist for a period of 14 consecutive days.* This list is based on several factors; chief among those factors are positivity rates. More information about the watchlist and reopening requirements can be found at the following links:

* Since the initial announcement, information has been released regarding waiver applications for individual schools for on-campus instruction for students in Grades K-6. While Los Angeles County is not considering waiver applications at this time, Mirman is preparing to explore the application process when it becomes available.

Mirman's LA County Reopening Protocol Checklist

On October 8, 2020, Mirman School submitted a waiver application to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health petitioning to allow hybrid, staggered in-person instruction for grades K-2. Per county requirements, we are linking our completed application checklist here.

On October 7, 2020, Mirman School notified the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health that it intends to bring back its Kindergarten class in a hybrid schedule. This is permitted by the county's current regulations, which currently have an exemption for schools to bring back learners whose needs are not being met remotely, as long as they can do so safely and that number is 10% of the school's total population. Per county requirements, we are linking our reopening checklist for that purpose here.

Admission for the 2021-22 School Year

All Admission processes and deadlines are unchanged and listed in detail on our Admission page. All tours and informational events for fall 2020 will happen virtually; please join us!

COVID-19 Health and Safety Resources

Talking to Kids About COVID-19

Parenting a Distance Learner

Social-Emotional Learning and Mindfulness

At-Home Activities and Extracurricular Resources