Back To School

Reopening Presentation

July 13, 2020

Information in this presentation is subject to change as circumstances change and guidance from various agencies change. While we will take steps to minimize the spread of the virus, we cannot expect complete social distancing at

school, on buses, or during school activities. We cannot protect against all the hazards of the virus. We intend to implement the safety precautions as reasonably as possible, but they cannot be guaranteed at all times.

Developing the Plan

• Conference Calls with Governor’s Office, DPH, DOE, RESA

• Written Guidance from DPH, DOE, CDC, AAP

• Meetings & Calls with multiple other systems

• Review Plans of Other Systems

• Survey Parents, Teachers, Staff

• Meeting with Dr. Sam Cobarrubias & Local Health Dept Personnel

• Follow-up calls & questions to parents & staff

Options for Parents

• Traditional: Return to School for Face to Face Instruction

• Virtual: Students work Online from Home

What safety precautions are we going to put in place for those who

choose traditional?

Safety Precautions Wellness & Hygiene

• Hand Sanitizer available in all classrooms & buses

• Restricted Use of water fountains / encouraged use of water bottles

• Staff Training on Covid-19

• Hand washing encouraged throughout the day

• Age appropriate lessons to students on prevention practices

Safety Precautions Masks / Shields

• Masks/Shields strongly encouraged for students & staff

• Additional PPE available in clinics when serving medically fragile or ill students

• Masks provided from DOE

• System will purchase shields for all staff

• Hats with shields allowed – no shield, no hat

Shields with Hats

Safety Precautions Signs & Messages

• Health Signage will be

prominently displayed throughout the buildings

• Information posted on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19

• Reminder messages via social media, alert system, & web page

• Signs, Mirror Clings, Floor Stickers, etc.

Safety Precautions Enhanced Cleaning

• Additional hours added to cleaning contract

• Enhanced Cleaning & disinfecting of facilities

• High Touch Areas disinfected daily

• Bathrooms disinfected at least twice daily

• Safe & effective cleaner available to teachers & office staff to use throughout the day & between classes

• Electrostatic Mist to classrooms & facilities weekly

• Electrostatic Mist applied to playground weekly

Safety Precautions Transportation

• Parents may transport when possible • Hand sanitizer on all buses • Assigned Seating • Buses disinfected after morning & afternoon

routes • Masks/Shields encouraged for drivers & students • Air buses out when not in use • Increased ventilation when bus is in use

(windows down) • Limited out-of-town trips

Safety Precautions Student Meals

• More frequent use of disposable plates & utensils • PPE for lunchroom staff required (masks/shields,

gloves, etc.) & temperature checks • Maximize seating in lunchrooms to allow more

distance between students • Students sit in cohort groups in K-7 • Pre-K students eat in classrooms to allow

additional space in lunchroom • Tables frequently wiped down throughout the

day • Additional lunch times at CCHS

Safety Precautions School Logistics

• Building Visitors & Parents restricted to Lobby Area

• Classrooms spaced to allow 3’ distance between students, when possible

• Students will face same direction, when possible

• Interior doorways open for better air-flow (and less touch on door handles)

• Parent meetings scheduled virtually when practical

• Discourage sharing items

• Limit number of students in restroom

Safety Precautions School Logistics

CCEMS

• Students use same Chromebook throughout the day

• Staggered Recess Times

• Use additional spacing during afternoon dismissal for car pick-ups

CCHS

• Students report to first block instead of commons after breakfast

• Hallways marked one way to avoid crowding

• Exit through classroom doors for afternoon dismissal

Safety Precautions Health Services

• All persons who are sick are expected to stay home

• Those who become sick at school will be sent home

• Students reporting to clinic will have their temps taken with no touch thermometer

• Parents should ensure that contact (and additional contact) information is up-to-date

• COVID-19 Temperature Guidance: 100.4 • Our practice has been & will stay at 100.0

Safety Precautions Health Services

• Confirmed Case of Covid-19 for Close Contacts who are Asymptomatic (what happens to others when

a student or teacher tests positive)

– Enhanced & Additional disinfecting of exposed classrooms & areas (misters/foggers)

– Enhanced Screening of Students/Staff in Close Contact

• Temperature taken of classmates & close contact staff daily for 10 days from last exposure

– Work Closely w/ DPH on Contact Tracing Identification

Safety Precautions Health Services – Return to School

Confirmed Case – Symptomatic

• At least 3 days have passed since recovery (no fever without use of medications, improvement in respiratory, etc. )

• At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared

Confirmed Case – Asymptomatic

• At least 10 days have passed since positive lab test & the person remains asymptomatic

• Asymptomatic people who test positive and later develop symptoms should follow guidance for symptomatic ppl

DPH & local medical consultant DO NOT recommend using a test-based strategy for returning to school for children or adults after COVID-19 infection. Rather,

they recommend medical clearance from provider.

Options for Parents

Traditional Learning

• Students return on August 10 (Aug 7 option for PreK/Kindergarten)

• Increased safety precautions

• In the event of school closures, instruction will occur from home using Google Platform, providing options for those without internet. We will follow CC Distance Learning Plan.

Virtual Learning • Instruction begins from home

August 10 • Application should be received by

July 24 to allow time to make scheduling adjustments

• Parents are responsible for internet (requirement)

• One semester commitment • Courses assigned through

Odysseyware for 6-12 & TBD for K-5, based on numbers

• Requires students to be self-motivated

• Requires supportive at-home adult to serve as learning coach

• Mandatory orientation meeting with parent & school

Questions & Answers

• If the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise, could the district shift everyone to 100% distance learning? – Yes, if conditions worsen & the Governor calls for school

closures or if, in consultation with DPH & local medical professionals, the district determines it necessary, we could move all students to distance learning.

– If everyone shifts to distance learning, those who opted for traditional school will continue to receive instruction from their classroom teachers. Those who opted for Virtual Learning will continue with their virtual program.

– Expectations for distance learning will be different than the spring.

• Will there be social distancing on school buses?

– We strongly encourage all riders to wear masks or shields.

– We encourage parents to transport students when possible.

– Buses will be disinfected after each route, morning & afternoon.

• Will there be social distancing at school?

– While we will take steps to minimize the spread of the virus, parents should not expect complete social distancing to always occur at school.

• Will the school system be able to offer extra-curricular activities & sports? If so, will students who choose virtual learning be able to participate? – We will follow guidance from GHSA for our sports

programs. In most situations, that guidance will also be applicable to other extra-curricular activities.

– To help parents who choose Virtual Learning keep their students socially distanced as much as possible, those students will not be able to participate in extra-curricular activities or athletics.

• Will parents be allowed in the buildings?

– To limit the number of people in the areas where our students and staff are, parents and visitors will be restricted to the lobby area. Parent conferences may be held by phone or virtually when possible.

• Will we have open house at CCEMS?

– Our maintenance staff & cleaning crew have worked countless hours this summer getting our schools sanitized and disinfected. To limit the number of people in our classrooms, we will not have a traditional open house this year. Many teachers will post online welcomes. Both of our schools have FB pages and our system website, www.clinchcounty.com , is updated frequently with information. We will share additional information to parents during pre-planning.

What will the first day of school look like? - CCEMS

• For the same reasons in previous slide, parents will not be able to walk their students to class on the first day of school.

• The exception to this will be Pre-K and Kindergarten students, who will have their first day on Friday, August 7.

• Pre-K & Kindergarten parents will be able to walk their students to class on Friday, August 7.

• The first day of school for full operations will be Monday, August 10.

What will Friday, August 7 look like for Pre-K & Kindergarten

• We will have an optional “first day” to welcome our youngest students – those enrolled in Pre-K and kindergarten – on Friday, August 7.

• Parents may walk their students to the classrooms on this day only. • The school day will be 8:00 am – 2:00 pm. • Parents may park in the teacher lot where the bus loading area is

located. They may walk their students to class to meet the teachers and visit the classrooms.

• Parents may pick students up at 2:00 pm at the regular car pick-up location in front of the school.

• Buses will NOT run on this day. • Students will have the opportunity to explore the school (gym,

lunchroom, playground, front office, media center, etc.) with their teachers and meet new friends, without all of the older students present.

Will CCHS have 8th grade open house?

• Similarly to the young students at CCEMS, 8th grade students will be new to the high school.

• The high school will host a parent/student meeting at 6:00 pm on Thursday, August 6.

• Each student will be allowed to bring two adults. • The meeting will be held in the gym to allow for

social distancing. • Following the parent information session and

introduction of teachers & staff, parents will remain in the gym while students locate their classrooms and meet their teachers.

Will CCHS have a first day of school assembly?

• The high school may schedule an assembly program on the first day of school.

• If an assembly is scheduled, students will sit on both sides of the bleachers in the gym.

• Since parents & visitors are restricted to the lobby area, no parents or visitors will be allowed in the assembly program.

Will Pre-K students be allowed to enroll in virtual school?

• Our Pre-K program operates under different guidance from K-12. Spaces are also limited in Pre-K. If you are not ready to send your child to school, we understand.

• We believe that early childhood education is essential. In most situations, we see a noticeable difference in children who attend our Pre-K program and those who do not, both academically and socially.

• We will provide an outside contact for virtual learning should Pre-K parents choose that option. It will not be through the CC School System.

• Pre-K Students with an Individual Education Plan (IEP) will be able to receive special education services, regardless of choice.

When is the first day of school?

• First day of school: Monday, August 10

• First day option for PreK & Kindergarten ONLY: – Friday, August 7

– no attendance taken, parents may walk students to class, no buses running

Why is the recommendation to change the start date from Thursday, August 6 to Monday, August 10?

• In addition to the traditional pre-planning activities, the two additional days will allow time to: – Provide training to all staff on COVID-19 prevention

protocols

– Provide additional PL to support more effective digital instruction & Google Classroom training

– Schedule meetings with parents who choose virtual learning

– Allow an opportunity to welcome our youngest students to school for a day all to themselves

How will students keep up with make-up work if they have to be absent for several

days?

• Teachers will post information daily in Google Classroom for students in the traditional setting so they may keep up with missed assignments.

Next Steps for Parents

• Traditional Option – No Action Necessary – School begins Monday, August 10 – PreK/Kindergarten may begin Friday, August 7 – Information will be posted on social media & webpage

• Virtual Option – Parents must submit application no later than July 24

at 11:59 pm to allow time to adjust schedules and hold required meetings with these parents

– Application will be online at www.clinchcounty.com beginning Wednesday, July 15 at 9 am under the Parent Information tab.

Information in this presentation is subject to change as circumstances change and guidance from various agencies change. While we will take steps to minimize the spread of the virus, we cannot expect complete social distancing at

school, on buses, or during school activities. We cannot protect against all the hazards of the virus. We intend to implement the safety precautions as reasonably as possible, but they cannot be guaranteed at all times.