Grundy County R-V School District

2020-21 School Year

COVID Procedures

 

The purpose of this plan is to create the safest return to classroom instruction for students of the Grundy R-V School District.  The experience that was gained from COVID-19 in the spring of 2020 will help guide us and our decisions for the school year of 2020-21.  Working in partnership with the Grundy County Health Department, this plan focuses on how our district intends to educate students as normal as possible, with additional safety guidelines.  Therefore, this plan takes many aspects into account to make our district and students as safe as possible.  This plan is not inclusive of everything possible as COVID-19 has been unpredictable and guidance has been ever changing, therefore this plan may need altering as the school year unfolds.

 

Attendance

• Attendance remains important for students, however incentives for perfect attendance will not be used this year.  It is much more important to stay home when sick to prevent disease transmission.
• Attendance policies will be modified to account for COVID related absences.

Academic Instruction

• The 2020-21 school year will start with in-person classes on August 25^th.  
• Elementary and High School students will follow a typical class schedule during the day.
• Elementary students will receive instruction in “specials” (Music, Media/Library, Art, and PE/Health).  Instruction and location may be modified, for example, the teachers will go to the students for specials or in the case of PE, outside activities will be used whenever possible. 
• HS physical education classes may not have access to locker rooms. 
• HS courses in Art, Music, PE, etc. will be taught with needed modifications.
• Elementary students/teachers will remain with their class (stable group) as much as possible.
• If needed, distance learning will be primarily virtual or computer based. 
• Grading practices will be consistent with prior school years (normal grading) should the district be required to move into a virtual instruction mode. 

• Students will not be able to share materials, such as crayons, scissors, pencils, etc.  Should there be a time where materials have to be shared, those materials will be cleaned prior to being used by another student.
• In the event the school transitions into a virtual setting, attendance in virtual instruction will be required and students will be required to adhere to set schedules and completion of assignments created by the classroom teacher.

 

Transportation

• Students are encouraged to drive, walk, or get dropped off when arriving and leaving school.
• Since social distancing will not be possible on the bus, masks will be required for drivers and riders.
• All students will have assigned seats on the bus.  Families will be seated together.
• Students will only be allowed to ride on one bus route.
• Non route riders will not be allowed to ride the bus.
• Students will use hand sanitizer when loading and unloading the bus.
• Seats will be cleaned after each route.
• Families are encouraged to transport their own children to help reduce the number of students on the bus.

Parking

• The north student parking lot will be closed to everyone except vo-tech students. They will meet the bus in that lot. All other students will park in the lot east of the old gym and enter the school thru the front doors.

Food Service

• Breakfast will be served in the cafeteria. Elementary students will have seats assigned at tables by grade.
• The district will add one more lunch shift at the HS, add extra eating locations or more tables for lunch, or a combination of alternatives.
• All shifts will have staggered release times to prevent long lines of students waiting to be served. 
• Student groups will have assigned seating and spaced at cafeteria tables to the extent possible.
• No sharing of utensils, food, napkin holders, etc.
• No use of self-serve items such as ketchup, mustard, etc., packets will be used.
• No student access to microwaves.
• Food Service staff will wear mask when serving and follow food prep guidelines.
• Tables will be cleaned after each shift.

Recess/Physical Activity

• Recess and PE will be grouped by grade level.
• Playground equipment and recess materials will routinely be cleaned or each class will have their own balls, jump ropes, etc. to use.
• Activities will promote distancing as much as possible and non-touching games will be encouraged.

Classrooms

• Desks/chairs will be spaced 6 ft apart, or as close to 6 ft as possible.
• Any items that students will share such as supplies, computers, equipment, etc. will be cleaned after each use.
• Distancing will be practiced as much as possible. 
• Classrooms, desks, etc. will be cleaned hourly in the HS and as frequently as possible in the elementary.
• Frequent handwashing and sanitizing will be promoted and incorporated whenever possible.
• HS students are to wear mask when transitioning classes, at lockers, when not able to social distance, etc. This may include certain classroom situations.
• Elementary students will not be required to wear masks unless requested by parent or guardian.
• Two masks will be provided by the school for all students and staff members.
• Teachers and staff are encouraged to wears mask when working closely with a student, transitioning, monitoring halls, when not able to social distance, etc.

Restrooms

• Restroom breaks will be one class at a time (elementary).
• Proper handwashing will be emphasized.
• HS will have some flexibility on passing time to ensure proper handwashing and distancing can occur.

Visitors and Parents

• Guests may or may not be allowed into the building depending on the situation. 
• Visitors and parents will only be allowed in the office if necessary.
• A log of all visitors and parents who enter the building will be maintained.
• Primary communication will be at the door through telecom system or by phone.

Student and Staff Health

• Students and employees exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 without other obvious explanations should not come to school, and if they do come to school, they will be sent home immediately. Criteria for returning will be based on CDC guidelines.
•  
• Nurse Angela will be in the District three days a week and at Laredo two days a week. Being easily accessible we will rely on her knowledge and skills in guiding our health decisions.
• Symptoms include:
  • A fever - a temperature of 100 degrees or higher
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing
  • Chills
  • Muscle pain
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
• Temperature checks and screening will be completed for students/staff on a daily basis when they enter the building.
• A student must be fever-free, without medication, for 48 hours before returning to school, or can return with a doctor’s note.
• Siblings and other household members of a student or staff who exhibit the above symptoms may also be excluded from school.
• A separate space will be available to assess students or staff members who may be exhibiting symptoms of a communicable disease.  Only essential staff will be allowed to enter the room and must wear a mask.
• Contact the parent and determine if the child has been in an area where they may have been exposed to Covid.

• The school will encourage a family to get Covid testing, but will not require it.
• Requirements for students that have been exposed or potentially exposed will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.  The local health department and CDC guidelines will help guide each scenario presented and administration will make a determination for next steps.
• If there is a positive case, families will be notified that a person has tested positive for Covid in the building and encourage cooperation with the school and the local health department to conduct trace contacting with the individual.  The individual who tested positive will not be identified in communications to the school community at large but may need to be selectively identified for contact tracing by the health department.

 

General Information.

 

Masks

• Masks will be a mandatory requirement for students or staff members only in certain situations. These situations are riding the bus, HS when in the hallway, or when social distancing isn’t possible.
• Masks are not required in the elementary unless requested.
  • Should a child become sick at school and show signs of Covid-19 symptoms a child would be asked to wear a mask in a transition room until arrangements can be made to pick the child up.
  • Teachers/staff will not be responsible for the masks of students that choose to wear a mask.

 

 

 

Hand Sanitizer-

• The school will provide dispensers of hand sanitizer throughout the district.  Students will utilize the hand sanitizer several times a day to help limit the spread of Covid-19.
• Students will also be taught proper hand washing procedures and will be provided with opportunities to wash their hands frequently.
• Students will be required to put on sanitizer when they get on the bus.

 

Temperature Checks-

• The district will conduct daily temperature checks of students when they enter the building. There will also be random checks throughout the day.

• Parents are asked to keep their children home if they are showing signs of illness.
• Parents are also asked not to give their children doses of medication designed to drive down a temperature for the purpose of sending their child to the school.
• Students who have a temperature at school of 100 degrees or more will be required to wear a mask until they have left the school with a parent/guardian.

 

Social Distancing

• • • Social Distancing is hard for school aged children and it takes time to teach the concept.
    • Doctors encourage people to keep their distance as much as possible and wear a mask if they could not.
    • Classrooms will be set up with as much social distance between desks as possible.
    • Students will be asked to wipe down their desktop with disinfecting materials at the end of each hour.
    • The district will work to keep students 6 feet apart, but there will be times when that is not possible. 

 

General

• Refillable clear water bottles are required.  Bottle fill stations are in each building and drinking fountains will be closed.
• Social distancing practiced at all times while moving throughout the building and waiting in line.
• Maintenance will sanitize door handles and commonly touched items before student arrival each day.  Maintenance will thoroughly clean all areas after school.
• Staff will clean their areas of use multiple times a day (door handles, student desks, etc.).  Rooms will have disinfectant spray, towels, and or wipes. 
• Any shared materials will be cleaned after each use.
• In the event a person diagnosed with COVID-19 is determined to have been in the building and poses a risk to the community, the school will follow established procedures and coordinate efforts with local health department.
• We will notify local health officials, staff, and families immediately of any positive case of COVID-19 while maintaining confidentiality as required by law.  The Grundy County Health Department is responsible for contact tracing.
• While the school is closed, all school activities will be canceled or rescheduled.

 

Planning

 

All students, staff, and parents need to make plans for any type of school closing or prolonged absence.  Any of the following could occur:

• Closing either the elementary or high school.
• Closing the entire district.
• Specific classes or groups of students may be kept from school.
• Symptom free or otherwise healthy students/staff may be required to stay home if they are considered a close contact.
• Closing or specific class/grade cancelation due to a lack of substitute teachers or other staff.

 

 

 

Procedures to be followed based upon level of infection

 

 

LEVEL 1

 

• School open with regular in-person classes.

• Preventative measures will be implemented to the extent possible.
• Increased cleaning and disinfecting
• Emphasis on hand washing and use of hand sanitizer
• Visitor restrictions
• Social distancing where possible in classrooms and areas such as cafeteria and bus.
• Encourage Staff use of mask when transitioning and when not able to social distance.
• Encourage student use of mask when transitioning and when not able to social distance.
• Health screening and temperature checks as needed
• Increased awareness to stay home when sick and increased symptom free period before returning
• Assigned seating on bus (family groups)
• Modified lunch shifts (times/locations)
• Elementary “specials” in grade level classroom or outside if possible

• Other measures as needed

 

 

LEVEL 2

 

•           Close off affected area and deep clean/disinfect

• Minimum 1 day

•           Increased mitigating measures:

• Distance learning for specific grade levels only (close contacts of positive tests)
• Implement distance learning and AMI
• Implement attendance grouping

•           Modify, postpone, or cancel non-essential instructional activities based on circumstances

•           Possible make-up of hours lost depending on length of closing

 

 

 

LEVEL 3

 

•           Building and District closing likely

•           Length of closing determined by county/state guidance, ability to thoroughly clean and disinfect, prevalence of COVID in community, etc

•           Implement distance learning and AMI

•           Postpone/Cancel all extra-curricular and non-instructional activities

•           Possible make up lost hours lost depending on length of closing