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BY TALIA WIENER
[email protected]
Montclair Kimberley Academy will require all students aged 16 and over to be fully immunized against the coronavirus.
Vaccines will also be needed for students aged 12 and over who participate in winter sports.
The policy change, which took effect on September 17, aims to counter the potentially increased transmission of the coronavirus during indoor and unmasked sports activities, according to the MKA website.
Proof of vaccination must be submitted by November 15th, according to school policy. Students who turn 16 in the 2021-2022 school year should plan to be vaccinated within 60 days of their birthday.
A student is considered vaccinated two or more weeks after receiving a series of two-dose vaccines or a single-dose vaccine, the policy says.
Requests for exemption from the policy for medical reasons or because of sincere religious beliefs must be submitted in writing, according to the MKA website. Students who are granted exemptions will be subject to additional restrictions and requirements, including, but not limited to, weekly testing.
The policy states that students who fail to comply will be “banned from attending or participating in academic, extracurricular and extracurricular programs and / or activities on campus.”
According to the MKA website, daily screenings, masking and group testing continue to be used at MKA. There has been only one positive test since the start of the school year, during the group test of 555 students and employees on September 8.
MKA pooled test results are posted on their website.
As of Tuesday, 92% of high school students and 87% of eligible middle school students are vaccinated, according to the school’s website. One elementary school student and two middle school students were in quarantine.
In March, MKA announced that all employees would be required to receive vaccines before the start of the 2021-2022 school year, school principal Nigel D. Furlonge said. In April, the vaccination policy was sent out, requiring proof of vaccination by July 1 for staff and by August 1 for faculty.
All employees have complied with the school’s vaccination mandate, Furlonge said in August.
“MKA continues to closely monitor and respond to information and data surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic,” Furlonge said. “The safety of our students, faculty, staff and families is, as always, our top priority. “
MKA Director of Communications and Marketing Kim Saunders has yet to respond to an email sent to her school address on Tuesday morning. Sales manager Eileen Richardson has yet to respond to a voicemail message left on her office phone Tuesday afternoon.
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