Atlanta Jewish Times, VOL. XCV NO. 18, August 31, 2020

Page 6

NEWS Jewish HomeLife Offers Schools COVID Testing By Dave Schechter Head of school at the Atlanta Jewish Academy, Rabbi Ari Leubitz knows the challenges of creating a “COVID-compliant school,” a phrase he uses often in conversation. As a recovering COVID patient himself, Leubitz understands the risks that the virus poses to the students, faculty and staff of AJA. So he was pleased when Jewish HomeLife, in an effort facilitated by the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, offered COVID-19 testing with relatively quick results to Atlanta’s Jewish day schools, prePhoto by Barrie Cohn, AJA marketing director // Photo by Barrie Cohn, AJA marketing director // Nareen Bennett, Jewish HomeLife’s director of schools and after-school programs. LaToya Clarke, Jewish HomeLife’s director quality assurance (in blue PPE), administering COVID-19 testing at Atlanta Jewish Academy. Testing of AJA’s 110 faculty, administraof staff development and training (in white tors and staff began Aug. 10. First up was the PPE), administering COVID-19 testing at AJA. staff of the school’s early childhood development center, because its doors opened Aug. phone call from Jodi Lox Mansbach, Fed- doing a solid service to Jewish Atlanta by not The Epstein School, Torah Day School of At13. Following the staggered return schedule eration’s chief impact officer, to Harley only supporting Jewish HomeLife with all lanta, The Weber School, Hillels of Georgia, Tabak, the CEO of Jew- our testing needs, but also and Jewish Kids Groups. for AJA’s 435 students, next ish HomeLife. One theme now assisting us in providJHL also has done testing for to be tested would be staff Mansbach heard in the ing accurate and sensitive some staff of Jewish Family from the lower grades, then conference calls that Fed- testing for many Jewish day & Career Services, a partner the middle school, and fieration holds with vari- schools,” said Jeff Gopen, in the AgeWell Atlanta aging nally the high school (whose ous sectors of the Jewish JHL’s chief operating officer. services program through students return after the community was that the Federation. The testing is being High Holy Days), as well as schools wanted COVID-19 done by Nareen Bennett, Each school will deteachers whose lessons will testing, to help reassure JHL’s director of quality cide the degree of testing be virtual, to students atboth staff and parents, but assurance, RN (registered it wants. Some may make tending from home. were unable to make the nurse), and LaToya Clarke, testing mandatory for fac“It’s very clear that necessary arrangements. ulty and staff, and perhaps its director of staff develthere are certain elements JHL has gained ex- opment and training, RN, students, while others may of individuals who are “We cannot remove all risk. Our Ana Robbins, executive perience in dealing with with oversight by nurse decide to test in the event of more at risk,” Leubitz said. responsibility is to mitigate it director of Jewish Kids Groups, praised the ease exposure to COVID-19 or if “We cannot remove all risk. as much as possible,” said Rabbi COVID-19, some of it from practitioner Kara Gold. If Ari Leubitz, head of school of having Jewish HomeLife combatting outbreaks of the school has a nurse, all anyone develops symptoms. Our responsibility is to at Atlanta Jewish Academy. the virus among staff and test results go to that office. come to its teacher training to Ana Robbins, exmitigate it as much as posadminister COVID-19 tests. residents at the Berman Commons assisted- In the absence of a school ecutive director of JKG, sible.” Through its COVID-19 emergency living facility. (As of Aug. 14, JHL reported nurse, the school is informed about nega- an independent Hebrew school program, fund, Federation thus far has allocated no COVID-19 positive cases at its facilities.) tive results, but JHL’s nurse practitioner will welcomed the access to COVID-19 testing. From early in the pandem- contact anyone receiving a “Jewish HomeLife came $400,000 to the day ic, JHL steadily increased positive result. out to Jewish Kids Groups’ schools and $100,000 to the amount of PPE worn by teacher training and tested JHL receives the test pre-schools to assist in their staff at its facilities, as well kits from Capstone and reeveryone. They made it so opening for the new school as cleaning protocols. Over turns the samples to the lab. easy with release forms year. Jewish HomeLife retime, it has secured access JHL also enters into Capand labeled test tubes. All ceived $348,000 from the to dependable sources of stone’s computer system we did was show up and fund to help purchase perPPE. they quickly swabbed evthe insurance information sonal protective equipment In addition, through for every individual tested eryone. It didn’t even hurt (PPE) and pay for increased Capstone Healthcare in and the lab handles billtoo much,” Robbins said. staffing in the nine senior Sandy Springs, JHL has ac- ing the insurance carriers. Mansbach said she residences that it operates cess to so-called viral tests A provision in the federal was “incredibly, incredibly at three Atlanta sites, as that identify the presence Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and grateful” for the assistance well as home care services. Photo by Jewish HomeLife // “I hope we can expand this to provided to the schools by Now Federation has made more of the Jewish workforce as of COVID at the genetic level Economic Security (CARES) Harley Tabak, CEO of Jewish HomeLife, on a video call Tabak and the JHL staff. $100,000 available to assist coming back to work becomes and have a higher degree of Act, requires private health with staffing and other ex- more of a reality,” but for now reliability and a lower rate insurance plans to cover discussing the COVID-19 testing “I hope we can expand with representatives of various the schools are the focus, said of false positives than anti- costs of testing to detect or this to more of the Jewish penses as Jewish HomeLife schools and other programs. Jodi Lox Mansbach, Federation’s gen tests. The commercial workforce as coming back diagnose COVID-19. coordinates the school testchief impact officer. lab usually provides results In addition to AJA, others that have to work becomes more of a reality,” but for ing program. The testing program began with a in one to two days. “Capstone Healthcare is signed on to the COVID-19 testing effort are: now the schools are the focus. ì 6 | AUGUST 31, 2020 ATLANTA JEWISH TIMES


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