USD 235: COVID-19 Policy Remains For Second Semester

USD235 Superintendent Brett Howard. From the district website.
The  COVID-19 pandemic mitigation policies of the Uniontown school district were approved by the board of education on November 24, 2020.
“We will not be changing any of our policies/regulations regarding COVID-19 for the second semester,” USD 235 Superintendent Bret Howard said.  “Masks are required.  We are still doing temp checks at the doors and will be social distancing as much as we can. “
USD 235 returned to in-person classes today, January 5.
The following is the policy the board approved:

USD 235 Board of Education Reopening Plan
(Approved November 24, 2020)

This is a working document and a fluid situation that can change with little warning or notice. For that reason, adjustments to the model of instruction, the requirements for personal protective equipment, and the suggestions listed within this document may change.

Learning Models- In-Person, Hybrid, Remote Partnership

Masks- Masks are Required

Winter Activities Students who choose the Remote Learning option will not be eligible to participate in KSHSAA or School-sponsored
extra-curricular activities.

USD #235 is planning on having all students who feel comfortable using the in-person model.

For those who feel concerned about that context, we are offering the Remote Partnership.

Students in this partnership would be able to transition to the In-Person model with ease.

The Hybrid model will only be used as deemed necessary by the Bourbon County Health Department.

Furthermore, using the Remote Partnership for all students will only be used in extreme cases where students are not allowed to come to the buildings. We hope to be able to provide some advanced warning of the need to transition, but we have not received a clarification on how much notice we can expect.

IN-PERSON

HEALTH

● Visitors-
○ In general, visitors will not be permitted to enter the building. The speaker connected to our door system will be utilized or someone will come to the door to address any situation needing attention from an outside party.
○ Students being picked up from school will be taken to their party at the main entry instead of the visitor entering the facility.
○ IEP meeting attendees will be required to complete the adult screening process and wearing a mask is required while in the building. Failure to pass the screening process by key stakeholders will result in a rescheduling of that meeting.
○ School Parties – At this time we will not allow outside visitors.
○ Lunch Visitors – No lunch visitors allowed.
○ TeamMates Mentoring- No mentors will be allowed.

● Masks-

○ All students and staff are required to wear a mask except when meeting the criteria listed in the executive order (20-68).
■ a. Persons age five years or under—children age two years and under in particular should not wear a face-covering because of the risk of suffocation;
■ b. Persons with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents wearing a face-covering—this includes persons with a medical condition for whom wearing a face-covering could obstruct breathing or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove a face- covering without assistance;
■ c. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, or communicating with a person who is deaf or hard of hearing, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication;
■ d. Persons for whom wearing a face covering would create a risk to the person related to their work, as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines;
■ e. Persons who are obtaining a service involving the nose or face for which temporary removal of the face-covering is necessary to perform the service;
■ f. Persons who are seated at a restaurant or other establishment thatoffers food or beverage service, while they are eating or drinking,provided they maintain a 6-foor distance between individuals (not including individuals who reside together) with only infrequent or incidental moments of closer proximity;
■ g. Athletes who are engaged in an organized sports activity that allows athletes to maintain a 6-foot distance from others ;
■ h. Persons engaged in any lawful activity during which wearing a mask or other face-covering is prohibited by law.

○ Mask Definition-

■ a. “Face covering” means a covering of the nose and mouth that is
secured to the head with ties, straps, or loops over the ears or is simply wrapped around the lower face. A face covering can be made of a variety of synthetic and nature fabrics, including cotton, silk, or linen. Ideally, a face covering has two or more layers.
○ A face shield may be worn in conjunction with a mask, but does not meet the requirements in and of itself.
● Hand-washing or Hand-sanitizing
○ Students must complete one or the other at an interval no less than 1 hour. (20-59)
● Screening- To be completed once per day before entering the building.

○ Adults
■ Affirmation that they have not been in close contact with anyone who has COVID-19.
■ Questionnaire of symptoms – Must exhibit fewer than 2.
■ Has a temperature of less than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit
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○ Students
■ We would ask parents to check for symptoms and/or temperature while still at home.
● Please error on the side of caution when possible.
■ Has a temperature of less than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit
● Students with a temperature between 99 and 100.4 degrees will be sent to the School Nurse for additional screening

● Social Distancing
○ All individuals are required to maintain 6 ft. of social distancing except for while during in-person instruction in a classroom or while a mask is being worn.
● Isolation of Symptomatic Students
○ Any student who is exhibiting symptoms will be sent to a specific isolation room to be held there until someone arrives to take them home.

○ Staff supervising the student/s will:
■ Maintain 6 ft of social distancing unless emergency medical attention is needed.
■ Wear gloves while touching the student or his/her belongings
■ A mask is highly recommended.

○ COVID 19 Symptoms Screening List
■ Fever (100.4 or higher)
■ Chills
■ Rigors
■ Body or Muscle Ache
■ Fatigue
■ Head-Ache
■ Sore Throat
■ Lower Respiratory Illness (cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing)
■ New loss of taste or smell
■ Diarrhea

● Exclusion from school
○ Students exhibiting 2 or more symptoms without other obvious explanations, will be sent home.
○ Symptomatic and untested
● 10 calendar days have passed since the first date of symptoms AND
● Fever-free for 72 hours without fever-reducing medication
○ Symptomatic and tested
■ Confirmed COVID Negative
● May return to school
■ Confirmed COVID Positive
● 10 calendar days have passed since the first date of symptoms AND
● Fever-free for 72 hours without fever-reducing medication AND
● Released to return to school by the Multi-County Health Department.

○ Asymptomatic close-contact and untested (within 6 ft for 10 or more minutes)● 14-day required quarantine starting at last contact regardless of symptoms.

○ Asymptomatic close-contact and tested
■ Confirmed COVID Positive
● Released to return to school by the Multi-County Health Department. AND
● No less than 10 days from the date of testing.

■ Confirmed COVID Negative
● Must complete 14-day quarantine since last date of contact regardless of symptoms

○ Travel Related Quarantine- Students or staff that have traveled to a location listed on the KDHE Travel Related Quarantine List are required to quarantine for 14 days.
■ List can be found at the following link
● https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/175/Travel-Exposure-Related-Isolation-Quaran

● School Response to Isolation or Quarantine
○ Block off the area until cleaning is complete.
○ Immediately clean all desks, lockers, and workspaces of the person with disinfectant.
○ Immediately identify close contacts (within 6 ft for 10 or more minutes) and collect the following information where applicable.
■ Names
■ Email Addresses
■ Phone Numbers
○ Immediately notify guardians (the individual with COVID must not be explicitly or implicitly identified)
○ 14-day quarantine starts the day after the last contact (next calendar day)
○ Share a list of close contacts with the local health dept. (Rebecca Johnson/ Alice Maffett)

 

CLASSROOMS
● Use Hand-sanitizer at the beginning of class.
○ Teachers will distribute sanitizer.
● Furniture – Remove excess furniture or items of a nature that makes cleaning/disinfecting difficult.
● Arrangement-
○ Space students with as much social distancing as possible.
○ All students should face the same direction.
○ All students should have assigned seating

● Hygiene
○ Teach and model the following
■ Hand-washing
■ Mask usage and disposal
■ Coughing or sneezing into the elbow
■ No-touch celebrations (instead of high fives or handshakes)
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○ Disinfect after shared usage of spaces or items

● Breaks – We hope to be able to offer opportunities for students to go outside and remove their mask while social distancing. We hope to be mindful and empathetic to the need for students to have a break from wearing their mask.

 

COMMON SPACES

● Commons Area
○ All staff and students will be required to enter the building at the designated entrances for screening
○ If no screening adult is available, staff will report to the screening station at 7:30
● Hallways
○ Hand-sanitizing should be done prior to leaving.
○ Students will move through the hallways directionally in accordance with posted signs to access other spaces and limit bidirectional traffic.
○ Students will travel down the center of the hallway to limit touching of the wall/ lockers or interaction with other students.
○ Social Distancing should be maintained
● Lockers
○ Locker access will be limited as determined by the administration.
● Restrooms
○ Hand-sanitizing should be done prior to leaving the room.
○ Social distancing should be maintained
○ Students waiting to enter should not lean against the wall.
○ Custodial Staff will frequently clean handles, faucets, partition latches

● Cafeteria
○ Breakfast
■ Grab-and-go format available as students enter for those interested in participation.
■ Students will take their grab-and-go breakfast items to their homeroom/1st-hour class as they enter the building
■ Regular pricing per the Free and Reduced Lunch Application form will be applied.

○ Lunch
■ Hand-sanitizing should be done prior to entering the cafeteria.
■ Social distancing should be maintained. Students are only allowed to sit in designated seats.
■ Space in the cafeteria and commons area will be utilized.
■ Students will be served by kitchen staff instead of serving themselves.
■ Masks are not required while eating.
■ Tables should be thoroughly disinfected after each group of seated students
■ Regular pricing per the Free and Reduced Lunch Application form will be applied

● Playground-WBE
○ Hand-sanitizing should be done prior to leaving the room.
○ The playground will be divided into 4 quadrants. Students will play in their designated space during their recess.
○ Quadrants will rotate on a weekly basis.
○ Limited playground equipment will be available and be cleaned after recess sessions.
○ Hand-sanitizing should be done prior to entering the building for lunch

● Library-WBE
○ Hand-sanitizing should be done prior to entering the library and also before leaving.
○ Books must remain at school.

● Specials-WBE
○ Art, Music, Guidance
■ Staff will travel to the students or use an outside space.
■ Supplies cleaned between uses.

○ PE
■ Outside when possible, inside the gym as needed.
■ Supplies must be cleaned between uses.

TRANSITIONS
● Arrival
○ Buses and parent drop-offs will not be allowed prior to 7:40
○ Temperature screening of all students and staff
○ Must be less than 100.4 degree Fahrenheit
■ Isolation to the conference room if needed.
○ Students will go directly to class
■ Grab-and-Go Breakfast available to be consumed in the classroom

● During the day
○ Teachers will open and close the classroom doors to:
■ Aide in the supervision during transitions
■ Monitor directional hallway traffic and social distancing
■ Minimize contact spread opportunity on door knobs/handles

○ Social distancing should be employed
○ Travel directionally in hallways per posted signage
○ Hand-sanitizer upon entry of each new space

● Dismissal
○ Staggered release by cohort

FACILITIES
● Hand Sanitizing Stations
○ Main Entrances
○ Office Spaces
○ Cafeterias
● Signage
○ Directional Signs in Hallway
○ Social Distancing Markers
■ Cafeteria
■ Main Entrance

● Trash
○ Bags replaced daily by custodians wearing both gloves and a mask is highly recommended.

● Ventilation
○ Full-time use of ERV to constantly introduce outside air.
○ Ion scrubbers in HVAC systems

● Water Fountains
○ Water-bottle filling station utilized
○ Drinking fountain will be turned off and not be available

● Custodial Disinfecting
○ Fogging Disinfectant Daily
○ Touchpoint Cleaning- Daily
■ Doors/ Handles
■ Restroom Fixtures
■ Water Fountains
● Grounds and Exterior Surfaces
○ Playground Equipment (limited)- cleaning daily
○ Touchpoint cleaning on high-touch surfaces of playground structures

● Building Access/Use by Outside Group or Individuals – By Administrative Approval Only

FOOD SERVICE
● Breakfast
○ Grab-and-Go
○ Students eat in the classroom
○ Waste retrieved at 8:30 am by custodial staff
● Lunch
○ Hand-sanitizing before entering the cafeteria
○ Served lunches by the kitchen staff
○ Assigned seating that is social distanced
○ Disinfect tables/ seats between uses

● Vendors
○ All vendors must complete the screening requirements before entry.

TRANSPORTATION- BUS
● Sanitization- after each route
○ High touchpoint areas (rails, seat tops, etc.)
○ Vacuum seats
● Students
○ Assigned Seating
○ Hand-sanitizer for students entering buses
○ Social distance to the greatest extent possible
○ Masks are required.
● Drivers
○ Complete employee health screener prior to the 1st route of the day.
○ Masks are required.
● Screening
○ Daily temperature screening will be conducted when the bus arrives at school.
○ Students exhibiting symptoms of a fever of greater than 100.4 degrees will be sent home.
● Parent Drop-off/ Pick-up

○ WBE
■ Entry
● Students/ staff will enter through the East gym entrance
● Parents or other visitors will not be allowed entry unless for a pre-approved meeting.
● Staff will complete temperature screening upon entry.
● Guardians are asked to not pull away until this screening has taken place.
● Grab-and-go breakfast available
■ Exit/ Release
● All parent pickups will happen through the East gym doors.

○ UHS
■ Entry
● Students arriving who have not been transported by the bus will need to enter the East entrance (JH/ Board Office Entry).
● Temperature screening will be taken at the entry doors.
● If the student is being dropped off, please do not pull away until screening is complete.
■ Release
● Students will be released in a staggered format to limit hallway congestion.
● Students will need to abide by directional hallway rules during release.

One thought on “USD 235: COVID-19 Policy Remains For Second Semester”

  1. It is good to know that school is still not taking Covid lightly and implementing strict policies for protecting against the Covid virus.

    Wearing a mask is mandatory for adults and following social distancing. A good step of sanitizing the school bus after every trip. Thank you for the information.

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