Montessori Of Ladera Ranch Receives COVID Waiver

LADERA RANCH, CA — A handful of Orange County private schools were granted elementary school waivers to allow for in-person instruction, Thursday.

In Ladera Ranch, the Montessori Of Ladera Ranch school applied for their elementary school waiverearlier on Aug. 5. In that waiver, school spokesperson Melissa Scott says they have been in regular contact with parents, explaining the school's hopes for reopening. A COVID-19 policy letter was signed and returned by families by Aug. 3.

Face coverings will be enforced, and screenings will be conducted on a regular basis. The schools will have more handwashing stations and sanitizer available to all, they say.

In order to return to campus, the school will involve an on-campus health screen, cleaning and disinfection of shared surfaces. Classes will be kept in small, stable groups to avoid or minimize contact, and the movement of students, staff and parents will be managed to avoid mixing of the cohort groups.

According to the Orange County Health Care Agency, at least 10 schools, all elementary schools, are allowed to return to in-person instruction. More are expected to be added to that list.

"Our web team is working diligently to ensure the list of schools that applied and have been granted the waiver is posted on our website," a spokesperson for the OC Health Care Agency reported over Twitter. They expect the full report to be available on Friday.

• New Horizon, K-6, with 174 students in 18 classes.
• Ivy Crest Montessori, 1st - 6th, 49 students in 6 classes.
• St. Mary's School, K-6th, 407 students in 30 classes.
• St. John's Lutheran, K-6th, 511 students in 21 classes.
• Veritas Academy, TK-6th, 37 students in 5 classes.
• St. Margaret's Episcopal School, TK-6th, 527 students in 46 classes.
• Fairmont Schools, TK-6th, 816 students in 59 classes across 4 campuses.
• Calvary Christina School, K-6th, 142 students in 10 classes.
• Carden Hall, K-6th, 289 students, unknown class number.
• Montessori of Ladera Ranch & Fountain Valley, TK-2nd, 92 students, 7 classes, across 2 campuses.

"We support these schools by offering testing for staff and students, and have stood up a full medical team in partnership with CHOC Physicians group," the Health Care Agency said. "Pediatricians are standing by to guide and inform."

According to OCHA, the majority of those schools who applied for the waiver have "large staff and parent support." They added, "There are parents who only want online education for their children, and we encourage that, especially for children who are at higher risk."

This is a developing report.