Planet Homeschool is committed to providing a safe and vibrant learning space for our members. We strive to be cautious, science-minded, and informed by the needs of our most vulnerable members. We are making every effort to ensure that our onsite classes are safe and accessible for everyone. When we are indoors together, those efforts include vaccination, masking, and air filtration.

Our commitment to immunocompromised families

All individuals at Planet Homeschool classes must be committed to protecting our most vulnerable members by:

• staying home when ill
• vaccinating when accessible
• masking when viruses are in high circulation (this links to current stats at MN Dept of Health)
• hand washing
• covering coughs/sneezes

Mask Information

Masks (N95/KN95/KF94) are encouraged when indoors at PHS or PHS-sponsored events.

Masks may be required during times of very high community illness (if MDH viral data indicates that viruses are circulating at very high rates in the community).

• Cloth masks are proven to be ineffective. 

• KN94 and KF94 masks are acceptable substitutes for N95 masks.

• Students with sensory processing or other medical issues who cannot tolerate N95/KN95/KF94 or equivalent respirator masks may wear ASTM Level 1 procedure masks or ASTM Level 2 or Level 3 surgical masks.

• Be wary of fraudulent or counterfeit masks (links to CDC page on masks that have mislead consumers about effectiveness).

• Ensure that your mask fits well. It should completely cover your nose and mouth and fit against the sides of your face without gaps. A well-fitting mask will not slip down below your nose on its own — or fog your eyeglasses.

• To ensure a good fit, your mask should have both: adjustable ear loops/head straps AND an adjustable nose bridge.

• A poorly fitted mask will negate the mask’s filtering efficacy.

• Never wet a respirator mask with alcohol or soapy water, as they can break down the electrostatic charge that is key to filtering small particles. (Links to NIH article on effective mask reuse methods)

• Face shields are not a substitute for masks.

• No one should ever ask that another person remove or lower their mask for any reason, indoors or outdoors.

Ventilation

In an effort to reduce germs in the air, we have Corsi-Rosenthal boxes in all classrooms. The Fellowship Hall (our largest space) has both a CR box and a portable HEPA filter.

Faith UMC (the building classes are held in) has set its HVAC system to circulate air continuously through its filters.

Windows may be opened for fresh air as needed, even during colder weather.

Cleaning

Everyone is encouraged to wash their hands frequently with soap and water.

Hand sanitizer will be available throughout our space.

Paper towels and general-purpose cleaners will also be available. Students should assist with wiping down tabletops after class.

Minimizing Exposure

What to do if someone is ill or has had a recent exposure to illness:

Stay home if you feel ill or have any symptoms.

This includes, but is not limited to: fever, muscle aches, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell, gastrointestinal distress, or skin rashes that are not explained by eczema/psoriasis/contact dermatitis.

If you or a family member have been exposed to a highly contagious disease, like COVID-19 or influenza, OR if you are experiencing any related symptoms - please follow Minnesota Department of Health recommendations for quarantine, masking, and monitoring. Recommendations as of Fall 2025 are shown below.

If you or a member of your family tests positive for a highly contagious disease (like covid), and you think you may have exposed others at a Planet Homeschool event - let our co-op’s Leadership Team know immediately. They will make a general forum post that a member of our community is ill, and to watch for symptoms. If you are comfortable doing so and have the energy, you may also notify your close contacts at PHS directly.

Questions?

If you have any questions or concerns about these policies, you can reach our co-op’s lead volunteers at PlanetHomeschoolMN@gmail.com.

Minnesota Department of Health

• Viral Respiratory Illness in Minnesota (Data & Statistics)

• COVID-19: Protect Yourself & Others: Sick, recovering, or exposed to COVID-19

Options for comfortable well-fitting masks

Inclusion in the following list does not imply an endorsement by PHS volunteers.

• The WellBefore KN95 Adjustable Mask for Kids and Petite Faces has adjustable ear loops and an adjustable nose bridge and comes in various colors and three sizes to fit ages 2–4, 5–8, and 9–12.

• The SoftSeal N95 respirator mask without valve (with adjustable head strap and adjustable nose bridge) is available in child and adult sizes; it has a soft silicone seal that some find to be more comfortable but may not work well with eyeglasses.

• Some people report finding a KF94 respirator mask to be more comfortable than an N95 or KN95.

• For those who cannot tolerate an N95/KN95/KF94 or equivalent respirator mask, the WellBefore Kids surgical-style mask also has both adjustable ear loops and an adjustable nose bridge.

The difference between an ASTM Level 1 procedure mask and an ASTM Level 2 surgical mask is the resistance to fluid spray, not filtration. An ASTM Level 2 surgical mask will resist a spray at arterial pressure (120 mm Hg) and a Level 3 will resist 160 mm Hg, while a Level 1 procedure mask will only resist a spray at venous pressure (80 mm Hg).

More information about masks:

1. “What Doctors Wish Patients Knew About Wearing N95 Masks,” by Sara Berg, M.S. with Louito Edje, M.D. and Luis Seija, M.D., for the American Medical Association’s What Doctors Wish Patients Knew series, 2022 Jun 24. (Advice on fit and comfort.)

2. “COVID-19 Fact Sheet: Workers Need Respirators,” American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). (FYI: ACHIH sets workplace exposure standards.)

3. “N95 Respirators, Surgical Masks, Face Masks, and Barrier Face Coverings,” FDA.

4. What Is the Difference Between Level 1, 2, and 3 Masks?,” Santé Group

5. “Counterfeit Respirators / Misrepresentation of NIOSH-Approval,” CDC. (A running list of counterfeit masks.)

6. “N95 Respirator Cleaning and Reuse Methods Proposed by the Inventor of the N95 Mask Material,” by Pascal S.C. Juang, M.D. and Peter Tsai, Ph.D., The Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2020 May..

7. Microwave-Generated Steam Decontamination of N95 Respirators Utilizing Universally Accessible Materials, by Katelyn E. Zulauf, Alex B. Green, Alex N. Nguyen Ba, Tanush Jagdish, Dvir Reif, Robert Seeley, Alana Dale, and James E. Kirby, mBio (American Society for Microbiology), 2020 May-Jun.

More information about air filtration:

1. Air Cleaners, HVAC Filters, and Coronavirus (COVID-19), EPA.

2. Ventilation and Coronavirus (COVID-19), EPA.

3. “IAQ Research-Practice in Action: The Corsi/Rosenthal Box Air Cleaner,” by Jim Rosenthal, Tex-Air Filters.

4. “How to Improve the Efficiency of the Corsi-Rosenthal Box Air Cleaner,” by Jim Rosenthal, Tex-Air Filters.

5. “Characterizing the performance of a do-it-yourself (DIY) box fan air filter,” by Rachael Dal Porto, Monet N. Kunz, Theresa Pistochini, Richard L. Corsi, and Christopher D. Cappa, Aerosol Science and Technology, v.56:no.6, 2022:April.