To help our community understand the way Berea Academy has approached COVID-19, we have provided this history of our COVID-19 related policies.

Update 5/25/2021

Berea Academy follows the local governing authority when outlining policies related to COVID-19. On May 14, 2021, face covering mandates were repealed in St. Louis County. In keeping with the current guidelines, face covering requirements are being reconsidered. Berea Administration will announce the specifics of a new policy on June 1, 2021. 

Guidelines for 2020/2021

COVID – 19 Regulations and Guidelines, revised 8/24/2020

Berea Academy is focused on providing a quality education in the midst of all challenges. In consideration of our vision, needs of our students, the responsibility to our host location, and appropriate obedience to government authority, we have created a plan for reopening in September, 2020. 

All Those Entering Campus:

1. Daily screening  for illness or exposure
   1. App: “Campus Screen” by Everdum 
      1. Free download
      2. Use to review symptoms and possible exposure to COVID-19
      3. Use before entering campus on class day
   2.  Provide access to the self-screening while on campus 
      1. For families who cannot access  Campus Screen, they will be asked the same questions verbally at the door
   3. Temperature reading on campus entry
   4. All people entering the building will be asked if they have screened; a verbal “yes,”  nonverbal movement indicating “yes,” or showing the “Campus Pass” on the Campus Screen App  is required to enter without going through the verbal screening process
   5. Signage: face coverings required for entry

Face Covering Requirements:

1. All people age 5 and over must wear a face covering to enter the building
2. All people age 5 and over must wear a face covering while inside the building, including while at classroom seating and during class teaching
3. When outside and 6 ft away from individuals outside your family unit, face coverings may be removed

Face Covering Requirement Exceptions:

1. People with medical exceptions may remove their face covering
2. No one is allowed to ask about the nature of the exception or medical need
3. To qualify for a medical exception, contact Berea at BereaAcademyStl@gmail.com and your individual teacher. Teachers will report the information to Berea. Your notification does not need to include any information beyond a statement than a medical exception exists. 
4. Any group outside and spaced 6 ft apart may remove face coverings

While On Campus:

1. Teachers may escort their students outdoors for the class experience. If your student cannot go outdoors, please contact your teacher directly. 
2. Access to the building will be extremely limited at this time. 
3. Students will be given additional time and resources for handwashing, sanitizing, and moving from different locations. 
4. Water fountains are not available. Students may bring bottled water or a refillable water container. For refills, visit the campus manager or door monitor. 
5. Cell phone camera use is not allowed on campus.
6. Cell phone use is not allowed during class time. 

Supplies and Materials:

1. Students will have a school supplies bag on campus. It will be sanitized and organized by the door monitor. It is available for pickup when the student arrives and drop off as the student exits the building. Any items that can fit into the bag may be left on campus if it is not needed at home. 
2. Students are encouraged to bring an outdoor blanket, towel, or other means of sitting outside for comfort. Students may share that resource with other members of their family unit; resources may not be shared with those outside their family unit. 
3. Students are encouraged to bring other items to increase personal comfort during their outside class time, including umbrella/parasol, sunglasses, small personal fans, etc. Items distracting from the learning experience will be stored or confiscated at the teacher’s discretion, to be returned at the end of the day. 

Contact between students outside of their family unit should take place 6 ft apart while wearing a face covering when indoors. When outdoors, students may interact 6 ft apart without a face covering. Students should not share personal items, food, or other materials with individuals outside their family unit. 

Any individual present on campus who displays symptoms of COVID-19 will be denied entry to the building. Individuals who become ill on campus will be isolated until they can safely exit the building to return home. 

This document is an amendment to Berea Academy’s previous guidelines for Returning to In Person classes. Adjustments supercede previous statements. Berea Academy will continue to revise guidelines as necessary. 

July, 2020

We’re working hard…

… to create a great reopening plan for Berea Academy. 

The question is on everyone’s mind: What is Berea going to do?

On July 7, 2020, St. Louis County released the Guidelines and Recommendations for reopening schools in Fall 2020. While Berea Academy is not legally bound to follow the proposal, we do feel a moral and ethical calling to move forward in obedience, wisdom, and responsibility.

First, our obedience as leaders is to God’s will. God gifted Judy Musick with the vision for Berea Academy in 2017. Again and again God has carried us forward since. We walk in Faith, not fear, and at each turn God provides. We believe God is calling us to be a light in the darkness by continuing to provide a rigorous education to homeschooling students. We believe that the only way to fulfill God’s vision for Berea Academy is to continue working in relationship, grace, love, and wisdom.

From that starting point, we are able to consider wise obedience to our earthly authorities. Those authorities include government leaders, the managers of our rented space, and Berea’s own Board of Directors.

We are amazingly blessed to have such guidance available. It does take some time to coordinate all those moving parts, though! With the official release of reopening guidelines, we can now consider how those recommendations work within Berea Academy and strategize for our own reopening.

Though we don’t have exact plans, there are a few things we know now:

• We continue to stand together in prayer for health, safety, provision, and wisdom.
• Class size is limited to 9 students. Though our classes were never large, this change is going to guarantee small group instruction.
• We are expanding our schedule to add new class sections.
• Study Hall will be located in the large cafeteria on the lower level. Tables will be spaced apart and family groups will be encouraged to stay together.
• Lunch will also be located in the large cafeteria area. Students will also be able to take lunch outside.
• Summer Teacher Training sessions will prepare teachers for proper cleaning protocol, the use of various technology, and in-depth substitute teacher plans.
• We remain committed to our cleaning protocols. We have added cleaning commonly touched services, such as door handles, to the plan.
• We will be revising our in class protocols to support teachers and students who choose to be absent.

If these things sound familiar, it is because we committed to them last month! God’s gifts of wisdom and discernment are the backbone of these plans.

In addition to these commitments, we are also preparing for the possibility of remote education in September. Though we pray for an on location start, we believe that wisdom is to be prepared for other possibilities. A decision to move to remote education will not be made before August 10, 2020.

If you feel called to assist Berea Academy, please contact Beth at BereaAcademyStL@gmail.com. We have materials needs, such as equipment to enable streaming. We have spiritual needs and welcome more members to our prayer team. We also have volunteer needs both in the physical building and in the ‘behind the scenes’ paperwork arena. It truly takes a community to fulfill God’s will.