Covid 19 Vaccination Policy

ALLIANCE FRANCAISE DE SAN FRANCISCO COVID 19 MANDATORY VACCINATION POLICY FOR STUDENTS, INSTRUCTORS, STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, ATTENDEES AND EXAM CANDIDATES ENTERING THE PREMISES

Purpose

The Alliance Francaise de San Francisco, or AFSF, is concerned about the health and safety of its students, members, instructors, volunteers, and staff.  The main purpose of this policy is to try to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and the Delta Variant at the AFSF. The Board of Directors of the Alliance, or Board, has approved the adoption by the AFSF of a policy to require the mandatory vaccination against Covid 19 of its staff and students, candidates or attendees who will be leading or attending in-person classes, events or exams as well as staff working in-person at the AFSF, for which the vaccine is available. 

The mandatory vaccination policy will also apply to anyone using the library. In addition to the mandatory vaccination requirement, the AFSF will continue to follow and adhere to relevant Centers for Disease Control, or CDC, and local regulatory requirements and recommendations with respect to wearing masks and maintaining social-distance. Please note that this policy is subject to change at any time based on the rates of COVID-19 and Delta Variant transmission in the City of San Francisco. 

At this time, those participating in classes, work, or events at the AFSF must wear face coverings. 

Any person having COVID-19 symptoms must refrain from entering the premises. Accommodation will be discussed on a case-to-case basis and offered any time it is possible.

Scope

As noted above, this policy covers all people who will be participating in in-person classes, working in-person, or otherwise attending in-person events, exams, or entering the library at the AFSF.

FACULTY & STAFF IN-HOUSE:

• All vaccinated except for major medical/religious exemptions
  
• Proof of full vaccination of an approved COVID vaccine will need to be shown to an AFSF Staff member ( California Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record; an original, digital photograph, or photocopy of CDC vaccination cards (both sides); or an official vaccine record issued by another state, foreign nation, or the World Health Organization).  
  
• Weekly Covid testing will be required for anyone unvaccinated 

STUDENTS 12+ , VOLUNTEERS, MEMBERS COMING ONSITE:

• Expectation is for vaccination - required starting Monday, October 18th, 2021
  
• Proof of full vaccination of an approved COVID vaccine will need to be shown to an AFSF Staff member before entering the building :  California Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record; an original, digital photograph, or photocopy of CDC vaccination cards (both sides); or an official vaccine record issued by another state, foreign nation, or the World Health Organization.
  
• Anyone requesting a religious, medical or other exemption must make a written request via email to the executive director so that an exemption can be considered and, if granted, documented
  
• We highly recommend anyone unvaccinated or not yet fully vaccinated to continue learning with online classes. Please be aware that the Alliance cannot guarantee sufficient enrollment online to provide exempted instructors with an equivalent number, subject or level of classes as they would have had if they were teaching in-person. Similarly, the Alliance cannot guarantee the availability of space in a particular online class or desired subject or proficiency level for exempted students.
  
• Anyone unvaccinated or not yet fully vaccinated must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours to access the premises. Home tests will not be considered. 
• Mandatory Liability waiver will be requested :  https://na2.docusign.net/Member/PowerFormSigning.aspx?PowerFormId=ec406646-6bb9-4792-8de1-10d0e86dc4e5&env=na2&acct=cb88b6f3-dff2-4ffc-8aba-fe4b0782a2d6&v=2

EVENT ATTENDEES, EXAM CANDIDATES, LIBRARY USERS: 

• Expectation is for vaccination - required starting Monday, October 18th, 2021
  
• Proof of full vaccination of an approved COVID vaccine will need to be shown to an AFSF Staff member before entering the building :  California Digital COVID-19 Vaccine Record; an original, digital photograph, or photocopy of CDC vaccination cards (both sides); or an official vaccine record issued by another state, foreign nation, or the World Health Organization.
  
• Anyone unvaccinated must present a negative COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours for each separate access to the premises. Home tests will not be considered. I.E a student will need a different negative COVID test for each class of an 8-week session. 
• For exams, Mandatory Liability waiver will be requested :  https://na2.docusign.net/Member/PowerFormSigning.aspx?PowerFormId=ec406646-6bb9-4792-8de1-10d0e86dc4e5&env=na2&acct=cb88b6f3-dff2-4ffc-8aba-fe4b0782a2d6&v=2

YOUTH STUDENTS

• Youth ages 12+ COVID-19 vaccination required 
  
• Anyone requesting a religious, medical or other exemption must make a written request via email to the executive director so that an exemption can be considered and, if granted, documented
  
• The AFSF highly encourages parents to enroll their youth students in surveillance testing as suggested by the San Francisco Unified School District.
  
• Admin team will inquire with families about what kind of testing students are getting at school (in/outside of school)
  
• Private Classes for all youth, but especially ages 3-11, may be shifted to online during the semester at any time - refunds will be considered on a case-by-case basis for students unable to attend online
  
• COVID-19 vaccination will be required for students under 12 to attend onsite classes or events when the vaccine will be available for their age group after a period of 3 months to give sufficient time for our younger students to get fully vaccinated. 
  
• Group classes for younger students will be held online until a vaccine is available to them 
• Mandatory Liability waiver will be requested :  https://na2.docusign.net/Member/PowerFormSigning.aspx?PowerFormId=ec406646-6bb9-4792-8de1-10d0e86dc4e5&env=na2&acct=cb88b6f3-dff2-4ffc-8aba-fe4b0782a2d6&v=2

Dissemination of Policy

In order to give the AFSF community notice of this policy, the AFSF will prominently post this policy on its website, distribute it via its weekly email newsletter, distribute it to all instructors and staff, and display it near the registration desk at the Alliance. Implementing the Policy If registering in-person, the AFSF will require all registrants for in-person classes or events only to show a Covid-19 Proof of Vaccination Card (whether in hard copy or electronic form)  or negative COVID PCR test to AFSF staff before entering the premises. All instructors and staff will also need to show such proof to AFSF staff. No one will be permitted to attend in-person events or teach, study, or work in-person at the AFSF unless that individual complies with this policy. These requirements and this policy will remain in effect until the AFSF believes it is prudent to rescind the policy, at which time the AFSF will communicate the changes broadly through the same channels used to disseminate the policy.

Exemptions

The Alliance is sensitive to the needs of its community and recognizes that there are certain exemptions to this policy that the Alliance will attempt to honor specifically religious and medical exemptions. If any individual wants to claim an exemption because of a medical reason, please provide the Alliance with a letter from a doctor, physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner verifying the reason for the exemption. The AFSF is not a large organization with unlimited resources. The AFSF will, however, make reasonable efforts to allow instructors or staff to teach or work from home online if they meet one of the two stated exemptions. Likewise, the Alliance will make reasonable efforts to accommodate students who claim a religious or health exemption by providing access to online classes. Please be aware that the Alliance cannot guarantee sufficient enrollment online to provide exempted instructors with an equivalent number, subject or level of classes as they would have had if they were teaching in-person. Similarly, the Alliance cannot guarantee the availability of space in a particular online class or desired subject or proficiency level for exempted students.

Liability

As mentioned above, the AFSF is putting this policy in place to try to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and the Delta Variant at the AFSF. The AFSF Board and staff will not be held responsible for any case that may have arisen from someone entering the AFSF’s premises. 

People enrolling for in-person classes or exams as well as staff and volunteers working in-person at the AFSF will be required to sign a liability waiver clearing the AFSF from any responsibility regarding a potential COVID-19 or Delta Variant contraction.