Doniphan R-I Announces School Opening Guidelines For New Year

DONIPHAN R-I SCHOOL DISTRICT

SCHOOL OPENING GUIDELINES

2020-2021

This coming school year brings new challenges. As we look forward to the 2020-2021 school year, we anticipate COVID-19 will continue to circulate. The Doniphan R-1 School District will take steps to reduce the transmission of this virus while balancing the need to maintain a strong education system that effectively supports staff, students and the community.

The district has developed guidelines that will optimize education and promote health and safety. This guidance document provides strategies and recommendations the district will implement at the start of the 20-21 school year. Updates or revisions to these guidelines will be announced as the COVID-19 response evolves.

Brad Hagood

Doniphan R-I Superintendent

Student Screening

We cannot stress enough the importance of at-home screenings. This will help to protect other students, staff, and the community as a whole. Performing a daily screening before a student leaves for school also reduces the likelihood a student will have to be isolated at school and sent home after experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

Students should stay home if they have been tested, tested positive, or showing COVID-19 symptoms

Parents and caregivers should screen children for symptoms at home, each day, before coming to school. Please check for the following:

•Fever of 100.4 or higher and/or chills

•Cough

•Headache

•Muscle aches

•Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

•New loss of taste or smell

•New runny nose or congestion

•Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

•Sore throat

•Close contact with a person with COVID-19 in the last 14 days

(This list is subject to change as new symptoms of COVID-19 are identified)

Protocols have been developed to screen students who self-refer or are referred for symptoms. The district will not, at this time, engage in mass screenings as they create unsafe bottlenecks of traffic at entry points.

Staff Screening

Staff members should self-screen at home, following the same protocol for families screening students at home.

Face Coverings

Face coverings are an important strategy to reduce the transmission of Covid-19, primarily by reducing the spread of infection from the wearer to those around. Face coverings are recommended in all settings but are not required at this time.

Classroom

•Physical distancing strategies will be implemented based on the feasibility of the unique space and needs of each building

•Personal work spaces will be cleaned and sanitized frequently

•Students will keep their own supplies for use in the classroom

•Personal water bottles will be encouraged as drinking fountains will have limited availability

•Time will be built into each day for frequent handwashing

•Students will be observed for illness prior to starting class and referred to the nurse if necessary

Breakfast and Lunch

Breakfast: Pre-K – 5th grade will eat breakfast in the classroom.

•ALL Pre-K – 2nd grade will report to class as soon as they arrive to school. Breakfast will be served in the classroom.

•ALL 3rd – 5th grade will report to the intermediate building as soon as they arrive to school. Students can pick-up breakfast in the lobby of the intermediate building and immediately report to their classroom.

Breakfast: Students in grades 6 – 12 will eat breakfast in their first hour classroom. Before reporting to their classroom, students should pick-up breakfast in the cafeteria

Lunch: Students will eat lunch in the cafeteria using alternating schedules. Students will be spaced based on feasibility

Playgrounds

•Recess will be scheduled by classes. Different grade levels will not be on the playground at the same time.

•Students will wash/sanitize upon re-entry to the building

•Frequently used playground hard surfaces will be cleaned routinely

Transportation

•Parents are encouraged to transport students to and from school or arrange carpools when possible. This will help reduce the number of students riding the bus.

•Students will be assigned seats.

•Siblings will be seated together

•Students are encouraged (not required) to wear face coverings on the ride to and from school due to the confined area where physical distancing is not feasible.

•Students will be encouraged to practice social distancing while waiting for the bus.

•Bus drivers will wear face coverings and face shields.

•Buses will be sanitized at least once each day.

Visitors

•Parent meetings will be conducted remotely by telephone conference calls or videoconference when applicable.

•If business cannot be conducted without entering the building, appointments must be scheduled prior to arrival.

•The district will screen each visitor by asking questions related to symptoms and perform temperature checks.

•Visitor movement will be limited throughout the school building

•A record of visitors inside the school will be documented. Documentation will include the time the visitor entered/exited the building, screening completion, and areas visited.

Arrival/Dismissal

Arrival/Departure locations will be provided with physical distancing protocols when attainable

Procedures will vary between buildings based upon the respective need/age of the students.

When students arrive at school:

•Pre-K – 2nd grades will report to their classrooms (Breakfast served in the classroom)

•3rd -5th grades will report to their classrooms (Breakfast can be pick-up in the lobby of the intermediate building before reporting)

•6th grade – 12th grades will report to their first hour classrooms (Pick-up breakfast in cafeteria before reporting)

Action Plan

•Contact Health Department and communicate with the public based on Health Department’s recommendation

•Identify student exposure in relation to direct contact with others and facility exposure

•Address possible student/adult exclusions

•Perform targeted cleaning and disinfection

•If a student or staff member has a fever of 100.4 or higher, it is recommended they visit their healthcare provider to rule out COVID-19.

•If a student or staff member does not have other COVID-19 symptoms and/or the fever is related to other medical issues, they can return when they have gone 24 hours fever free without fever reducing medication.

•If a student or staff member exhibits COVID-19 symptoms but is untested, in order to return to school, they must:

Be fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications and

Respiratory symptoms have improved (e.g. cough, shortness of breath, etc.) and

10 days since symptoms first appeared and/or

Been released by healthcare provider and/or Health Department

•If a student or staff member exhibits COVID-19 symptoms and is tested, in order to return to school, they must:

Be fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications and

Respiratory symptoms have improved (e.g. cough, shortness of breath, etc.) and/or

Received a negative test and

Been released by healthcare provider and/or Heath Department

•If a student or staff member has been tested with NO symptoms, in order to return to school, they must:

Be 10 days since confirmed positive test and

Be fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications and

Respiratory symptoms have improved and

Been released by healthcare provider and/or Health Department OR

Received a negative test and

Been released by healthcare provider and/or Health Department

•If a student or staff member is “Awaiting Test Results”, in order to return to school, they:

Cannot return pending the results of the test

Can return if test is negative and

Been released by healthcare provider and/or Health Department

•If a student is excluded from school due to Covid-19 symptoms or has a positive Covid-19 test, his or her siblings or students living in the same household will be excluded from school as well. They may return to school if released by their healthcare provider and/or Health Department.

Additional Safety Measures

•Adequate sanitation supplies will be distributed throughout each building

•Frequently used surfaces will be cleaned routinely

•The district will promote handwashing strategies which will include washing with soap & water for at least 20 seconds

•Students will be reminded to not touch their eyes, nose, or mouth

•Students will be reminded to not share personal items such as pencils, crayons, cups, eating utensils, food, drinks, etc.

•Students will be encouraged to bring personal water bottles from home as the use of water fountains will be limited

•Large assemblies will be avoided when possible

•Open-house will be cancelled with the exception of Kindergarten and Pre-K. Kindergarten and Pre-K will schedule Open House on different nights to avoid mass gatherings.

Online Learning Option

The Doniphan R-1 School District will be offering online classes for those who are not comfortable sending students to school. Guidelines and virtual enrollment forms will be posted in a separate document. If you have any questions, please contact your building principal.

Intentional Flexibility

Our re-entry plan has been drafted to allow the district very intentional flexibility in responding to the needs of the community as they relate to our current situation, as well as to circumstances as yet unforeseen.

Our plan will allow the district adaptability to operate within a combination of precautionary measures to meet the needs of our students.

VIRTUAL LEARNING GUIDELINES

The Doniphan R-1 School District is offering students the option of participating in virtual learning beginning August 24, 2020. Virtual learning is designed for those families who are not comfortable sending their child(ren) to school due to Covid-19.

Listed are the virtual learning guidelines:

•Families who choose virtual learning over on-site learning must commit to do so for one semester due to scheduling issues.

•Students enrolled in virtual learning will not be able to participate in extracurricular activities, club meetings, field trips, etc

•Households must have reliable internet that will support virtual learning

•Virtual learning will be facilitated by Doniphan R-1 teacher via Google Meet/Classroom

•Each student in the household must have a laptop or device that will support the use of Google Meet/Classroom. (The district may provide devices for students if needed)

•Parents and/or students must be familiar with Google Meet/Classroom and have the ability to use it effectively.

•Expectations and accountability for students will be the same as that of the traditional classroom.

•Students will be required to participate in instruction each day school is in session. Schedules will be determined by building administration and virtual teachers.

•Virtual assignments will be graded using the same grading scale and expectations as the traditional classroom.

•Parents/Caregivers must commit to providing support for students in order to ensure virtual learning is successful.

•Attendance will be verified daily.

•Students must keep up with the pace of the virtual course and turn in assignments as assigned. Failure to complete assignments and participate in virtual classes will result in failing grades that could lead to course failure and/or grade level retention.

•Students must participate in all required state assessments. All mandated assessments will be administered on-site. =Arrangements will be made in advance and will adhere to guidelines.

•Elementary/Intermediate – Students will receive Music, Art, and PE weekly.

• MS/HS – Students may enroll in traditional elective courses. Course availability will be based on student interest.

•Meals (breakfast and lunch) for students enrolled in virtual learning will be available for pick-up at the elementary cafeteria each day school is in session between 10:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.