January 6, 2022.

Happy New Year!

First and foremost, let me say thank you. THANK YOU for being one of the most caring, hardworking and flexible groups of families in MIlwaukee.  Some of you have been with us since before the pandemic, while others have joined recently.  Each of you are highly valued members of the JO’S community.  And we have been on a mission together to keep this community safe and healthy.  With that in mind I wanted to communicate with you about the most recent CDC recommendations and JO’S updated Covid policies.  

For the CDC regulations please use this link:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/about-covid-19.html.  

In the past we have followed Milwaukee Health Department’s (MHD) guidance as it relates to Covid and childcare settings because MHD guidance is based on CDC regulations, and we will continue to do so. In this spirit, we have mandated that our staff be vaccinated with the original recommended course of Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines and we are encouraging them to become fully vaccinated (under the new CDC definition) with a booster.  I am happy to say that all of our staff has met the original recommendation for vaccination. 

Moreover we will continue to align with the MHD guidance on exposure and contracting Covid, which varies depending on one’s vaccination status. At JO’S if a staff person contracts Covid, he or she will be removed from service for the first five days of the virus, then is able to return to on day 6, if she or he has no symptoms.  Masks are always mandatory for adults in the building regardless of vaccination status. If a staff person is exposed to Covid and fully vaccinated, he or she will continue service and be tested on day 5. If your child is exposed he or she is required to be quarantined for 10 days and will not be admitted to child care before that, regardless of doctor’s notes or lack of symptoms.  The same is true for a child who has contracted Covid, she or he will not be admitted to care for 10 days, regardless of doctor’s note or lack of symptoms. While it is not recommended for children under two to mask, it is recommended for children two and over to mask, but children that age find it difficult to keep on a mask well enough for safe return before 10 days of isolation or quarantine. Also please note, as usual, any child exhibiting cold-like symptoms may be excluded from care. This may seem extreme, but these are necessary steps to keep us all safe.

I want to end this letter again by saying thank you.  This can be a frightening time for families in childcare and we are so honored that you trust your child with us.

Sincerely,

Tischa Brown

Executive Director of Early Care and Education

JO’S Early Learning Academy

3027 W. Greenfield Avenue 4801 W. North Avenue 

Milwaukee, WI 53215 Milwaukee, WI 53208