Dear Parents/Guardians,

I wanted to reach out to our families to address any questions and concerns about the recent outbreak of Coronavirus virus. The CDC (Center of Disease Control and Prevention) has stated that the United State’s impact is low but can disrupt daily life.  The latest news in New Jersey  is that one individual  is currently quarantined and being treated for the virus. Additional information on how this person came in contact has yet to be released.  Your children, families, along with our staff’s safety and security is and will always be the utmost importance to us. We are following not only the recommendation by our state and country but as well WHO (World Health Organization).

What is Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)?

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness
that can spread from person to person. The virus was first identified in Wuhan, China that has now spread to 6 out of 7 world continents. Some countries that have been affected  are  Iran, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, and the United States with more to be identified as the weeks progress due to the increase of testing.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

COVID-19 onset can be 2-14 days from when a person is exposed. The infected people have had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of:

• fever
• cough
• shortness of breath

How are we at Mighty Sprouts handling this situation?

We consider our staff and all of our students a part of our family! The health and well being of you all is our main priority. Here at Mighty Sprouts we have taken steps to protect each other and everyone around us. Some of these steps include but are not limited to:

• Cleaning and sanitizing of our facility and our materials daily. A deep and more thorough sanitizing is preformed during the weekends to ensure the safety of our children.
• Onsite training for staff on recognizing signs and symptoms related to the respiratory system.
• Continuous screening of staff, students, families, and visitors for symptoms that can be related to any respiratory issues. Detailed interviews about recent travels and any close associates (family or friends) that have traveled outside of the United States.
• Teaching and ensuring our students can and will communicate their feelings and emotions when they are not feeling well to others. Ensuring our staff is performing and teaching self care techniques when one is sick to prevent the spread of germs. Such as, how to cough properly, how to wash hands properly and how to treat soil items. Using these techniques as a teachable moment on the importance of hand washing, demonstrating how to, and having our students demonstrate the process has been our goal even prior to the onset of this virus.

How can I protect myself and my family?

The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19.
There are simple everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses.
These include:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Frequent hand washing  with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.

If you or your child are sick, to keep from spreading respiratory illness to others, you should:

• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

We follow the health and guidelines of the East Hanover township. For any possible disruption in our daily school schedule as to delays, closings or other recommendations you will be notified immediately via email.

Thank you for being a part of the Mighty Sprouts family. With warming weather around the corner and our community involvement I believe we can continue to have a healthy and happy 2020. I have attached below links to both the CDC (Center of Disease Control and Prevention) and the WHO (World Health Organization). These sites are updated with real time information.  Please feel free to call 973-503-9010 or email me at info@mightysproutsnj.com.

Sincerely,
Jeralen Mascarinas BSN, RN