Skip to main content
Main Menu Toggle
Register today for a Private In-Person Tour! Call 212-249-2840 or email [email protected]
Placeholder text, please change

Face Coverings 

According to the CDC, face coverings have been shown to be an effective tool in slowing the spread of COVID-19 in concert with social distancing, hand washing and disinfecting.  

  • Face covering requirements: 
    • Following New York State guidelines, everyone (faculty, staff, and students) will be required to wear appropriate face coverings or masks at all times, except while eating and drinking. 
    • The School will provide faculty, staff, and students with a limited number of reusable masks per person. All employees/students can elect to provide and wear their own face coverings.  
    • Faculty, staff, and students will be trained on how to adequately put on, take off, clean (as applicable), and discard PPE, including but not limited to, appropriate face coverings.
    • Students, staff, vendors and visitors will be required to wear face coverings when entering when social distancing is not possible. Students shall wear these face coverings during extracurricular activities, as well as on school buses. Students wearing face coverings from home must be school appropriate and shall not interfere with the school’s uniform policy.  
    • While we understand that students in Nursery and PK4 and Kindergarten may struggle initially with wearing masks, and we will be sensitive to their developmental needs, faculty will be working with students in these grades to introduce, educate and ultimately help early childhood students wear masks for their own protection (after school has begun and students are settled in their classes). 
  • Masks provided: If a staff member or student forgets or loses their mask, a disposable one will be provided for the day. Bear in mind that supplies will be limited, so be mindful to bring your own mask daily.  
  • Enforcement: The Head of School and/or staff will be stationed at entry points throughout the school to remind students to wear face coverings prior to entering the building. In instances where reusable masks are left at home, a disposable mask will be provided for the day. Students who repeatedly do not wear a mask on school grounds will be educated on their importance while faculty will work to use restorative practices to encourage students to utilize a mask. The Cathedral School will have a COVID Point Person to work on compliance issues at the school level.  
  • Common areas and classrooms: Students in grades K-5 must wear face coverings in each area where social distancing is not possible. This includes a classroom if desks are not spaced at least six feet apart, as well as the auditorium, hallways and other shared spaces. Teachers can work with students to provide designated “mask breaks” during which time students will be socially distanced.  
  • Exemptions: Students or staff must have a medical issue for which a face covering would cause impairment. There is also an applicable exemption for students or staff that need to communicate with someone who is hearing impaired and needs to see the person’s mouth to communicate.   A doctor’s note must be provided.