Urban Adventure Squad follows local and federal guidelines for safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

You can find answers to common questions about symptoms, travel, and how the virus is spread by visiting https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html 
​Please check these guidelines after travelling and be sure to properly quarantine and/or test before sending your child to our programs. 

WHEN NOT TO SEND YOUR CHILD TO OUR PROGRAM
Do not send your child if they have tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 14 days or if they're experiencing any of the follow symptoms:
          Fever or chills
          Cough
          Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
          Fatigue
          Muscle or body aches
          Headache
          New loss of taste or smell
          Sore throat
          Congestion or runny nose
          Nausea or vomiting
          Diarrhea

Do not send your child if a household member has tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 14 days or is experiencing any of the symptoms listed above. Do not send your child if they have come into contact with anyone who has recently tested positive for COVID-19. 

MASKS
MASKS ARE REQUIRED. Adults dropping off and picking up children must be masked. Children and educators are required to wear masks throughout the program. There are no exceptions. Children should wear their own masks to the programs. If they do not have one, if the mask does not fully cover their mouth and nose, or if the mask gets lost, then UAS will provide a new, disposable mask. Masks must fully cover the mouth and nose, and fit well to the contours of the face. Children who are unwilling or unable to keep their mask on will be dismissed from the program (parents/guardians will be contacted for immediate pickup). 

Children are allowed to take a "mask break" for a minute by stepping away (at least 6 ft) from the group. This can be especially helpful during uphill hikes or for students who are new to our programs and aren't used to wearing masks for 2 or 3 hours at a time. 

RATIOS
For each program, we are registering a total of 6-7 children per UAS educator. Children will be in separate groups of 6-7 children each, led by one UAS educator called a Squad leader.

These separate groups will remain within calling distance of each other--so that Squad leaders can support each other in case of an emergency, illness, or injury--but they will not interact as one large group.

PAIRING REQUESTS
We will do our best to accommodate requests--at least one day ahead of the program--to be with a friend, but we will not make any changes to groups on the day of the program. This is different from our regular programs, and we do this for advance safety planning. 

*If you've requested that your child be placed in the same group as a friend or "pod-mate," please remind them that everyone will still be practicing distancing and mask-wearing during UAS outdoor programs even if your routines are different at home or during play dates.

DISTANCING
During our fully outdoor programs, children are encouraged to keep 4-6 feet of space between themselves and any other person. There is no physical contact during our programs unless an educator is administering First Aid. This means no horsing around or wrestling. 

SANITIZING AND SUPPLIES
UAS educators have hand sanitizer to distribute throughout the program. The CDC reports that COVID-19 "spreads less commonly through contact with contaminated surfaces." We do not share many supplies in our programs. Hard plastic supplies like tape measures, scissors, and calculators are sanitized between programs. Soft supplies like extra winter hats and gloves are washed in a washing machine before they're used again. We work hard to keep supplies minimal and disposable. For example, we create clipboards using pieces of cardboard, paper, and binder clips. Students have the option to take these home, otherwise we can recycle them. 

TEMPERATURE CHECKS
Squad members' temperatures are checked using a forehead thermometer upon arrival to our programs. Please note: thermometers do not accurately read in extremely hot or cold weather, so you may not see us using them on very hot or very cold days. If you suspect your child has a fever, do not send them to the program.


For more info on our approach to outdoor learning and COVID-19 safety, check out our YouTube video with member of the UAS Board of Directors Dr. Arati Karnik, MD: 
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