Face-to-face provisions will be made for certain groups of students such as those with an IEP, students enrolled in certain CTE courses with Martin Community College that require labs, and select seniors who need to ensure they have all their credits for graduation.

All Fall sports and extracurricular (after-school) activities such as band are suspended indefinitely.

As the close of the first nine weeks approaches, the situation in Bertie County will be reevaluated with regard to the spread and reach of the COVID-19 and another decision will be made for moving forward from that point.

More information is forthcoming about the plans for remote learning (instruction), meals, etc.

• Provide social distancing floor/seating markings in waiting and reception areas .

• Mark 6 feet of spacing to remind students to stay 6 feet apart in lines and at other times when they may congregate .

• Mark 6 feet of spacing to remind teachers and staff to stay 6 feet apart at times when they may congregate, such as during staff meetings, planning periods, lunch, recess, in teacher lounges, and break rooms .

• Provide marks on the floors of restrooms and locker rooms to indicate proper social distancing .

• Limit nonessential visitors and activities involving external groups or organizations .

• Have teachers and staff monitor arrival and dismissal to discourage congregating and ensure students go straight from a vehicle to their classrooms and vice-versa .

• Discontinue the use of any self-service food or beverage distribution in the cafeteria (e .g . meals and/or snacks served at school should be individually packaged and served directly to students; milk or juice may be available separately and should also be served directly to students) . As always, ensure the safety of children with food allergies .

• Mark 6 feet of spacing to remind school nutrition staff to stay 6 feet apart throughout food distribution .

• Choose physical education activities that limit the use of shared equipment, and any close contact between students during those activities is limited and brief .

• Discontinue in-person activities that involve bringing together large groups of people or activities that do not allow for social distancing (assemblies, performances, field trips, etc .)

• Ensure that all students from kindergarten through 12th grade, and all teachers, staff and adult visitors, wear face coverings when they are or may be within 6 feet of another person, unless the person (or family member, for a student) states that an exception applies, is eating, or is engaged in strenuous physical activity and able to maintain 6 feet distance from other people . Cloth face coverings must be worn by all students from kindergarten through 12th grade, and all teachers, staff and adult visitors on buses or other school transportation vehicles, inside school buildings, and anywhere on school grounds, including outside .

• Visit NCDHHS COVID-19 response site for more information about the face covering guidance, including information about exceptions, and to access sign templates that are available in English and Spanish .

• Share guidance and information with teachers, staff, students, and families on the proper use, wearing, removal, and cleaning of cloth face coverings, such as CDC’s guidance on wearing and removing cloth face masks and CDC’s use of cloth face coverings .

***Cloth face coverings should not be placed on:

1. Anyone who has trouble breathing or is unconscious.

2. Anyone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the face covering without assistance.

3. Anyone who cannot tolerate a cloth face covering due to developmental, medical or behavioral health needs.

Individuals who are considered high-risk for severe illness due to COVID-19 include people who:

Are 65 years of age or older and/or

Have a high-risk condition that includes:

• chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma

• heart disease with complications

• compromised immune system

• severe obesity – body mass index of 40 or higher

• other underlying medical conditions, particularly if not well controlled, such as diabetes, renal failure or liver disease
  

More information on who is at higher risk for severe illness due to COVID-19 is available from the CDC and NCDHHS .

HIGH RISK FACTORS/Vulnerable Populations:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/index.html

Are you at high risk?

https://youtu.be/qb7shu_sdQ0

If you need help, dial: 211

Hope4NC Helpline 1-855-587-3463

Bertie County Health Department 252-794-5322

Integrated Family Services

https://m2.icarol.com/ConsumerRegistration.aspx?org=73463&pid=277&cc=en-US

Comprehensive Services

https://npino.com/behavioral-health/1326120643-uplift-comprehensive-services/

Trillium

https://www.trilliumhealthresources.org/

**The BCS SEL Plan is currently being developed.
Its anticipated completion date is August 1, 2020.

• Provide adequate supplies to support healthy hygiene behaviors (e .g ., soap, hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol for safe use by staff and older children, paper towels, and tissues) . Refer to the StrongSchoolsNC Infection Control and PPE Guidance (K-12) for recommended quantities of infection control supplies and ordering information .

• Teach and reinforce handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and/or the safe use of hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol by staff and older children .

• Increase monitoring to ensure adherence among students and staff .

• Supervise use of hand sanitizer by students .

• Ensure that children with skin reactions and contraindications to hand sanitizer use soap and water .

• Reinforce handwashing during key times such as: Before, during, and after preparing food; Before eating food; After using the toilet; After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; After touching objects with bare hands which have been handled by other individuals .

• Provide hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol) at every building entrance and exit, in the cafeteria, and in every classroom, for safe use by staff and older students .

• Systematically and frequently check and refill hand sanitizers .

• Encourage staff and students to cough and sneeze into their elbows, or to cover with a tissue . Used tissues should be thrown in the trash and hands washed immediately with soap and water for at least 20 seconds .

• Incorporate frequent handwashing and sanitation breaks into classroom activity .

• Allow time between activities for proper cleaning and disinfection of high-touch surfaces.

• Establish a schedule for and perform ongoing and routine environmental cleaning and disinfection of high-touch areas (e .g ., door handles, stair rails, faucet handles, toilet handles, playground equipment, drinking fountains, light switches, desks, tables, chairs, kitchen countertops, cafeteria and service tables, carts, and trays) with an EPA approved disinfectant for SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), and increase frequency of disinfection during high-density times and disinfect all shared objects (e .g ., gym or physical education equipment, art supplies, toys, games) between use .

• Paper-based materials, such as books and loose-leaf paper, are not considered high-risk for COVID-19 transmission, and do not need additional cleaning or disinfection procedures .

• Ensure safe and correct use and storage of cleaning and disinfection products, including securely storing and using products away from children, and allowing for adequate ventilation when staff use such products .

• Limit sharing of personal items and supplies such as writing utensils .

• Keep students’ personal items separate and in individually labeled cubbies, containers or lockers .

• Limit use of classroom materials to small groups and disinfect between uses or provide adequate supplies to assign for individual student use .

• Ensure that all non-disposable food service items are minimally handled and washed with hot water and soap or in a dishwasher, or use disposable food service items such as plates and utensils .

● Enforce that staff/students stay home if:

○ They have tested positive for or are showing COVID-19 symptoms, until they meet criteria for return.

○ They have recently had close contact with a person with COVID-19, until they meet criteria for return.

● Conduct symptom screening of any person entering the building (including parents, central office employees, delivery and postal workers, etc.).

● Conduct daily temperature screenings for all people who enter the school facility (including bus drivers). If a staff member’s temperature measures 100.4 °F, or greater, the staff member must remain isolated, and return home at the direction of the employer or local health department official.

SAMPLE SYMPTOM SCREENING CHECKLIST (Link)

FEVER:

● Fever is determined by a measured temperature of 100.4 °F or greater.

● Individuals waiting to be screened must stand six feet apart from each other. Use tape or other markers on the floor for spacing.

● The staff person taking temperatures must wear a cloth face covering, and must stay six feet apart unless taking temperature.

● Use a touchless thermometer if available.

● If not available, use a tympanic (ear), digital axillary (under the arm), or temporal (forehead) thermometer. Use disposable thermometer covers that are changed between uses.

● Do not take temperatures orally (under the tongue) because of the risk of spreading COVID-19 from respiratory droplets from the mouth.

● Staff person must wash hands or use hand sanitizer before touching the thermometer.

● Staff person must wear gloves if available and change between direct contact with individuals, and must wash hands or use hand sanitizer after removing gloves.

***A staff person must clean and sanitize the thermometer using manufacturer’s
instructions between each use.

SELF IDENTIFYING:

● Under Plan B, BCS still needs to create a process for STAFF to self-identify as high risk for severe illness due to COVID-19 and have a plan in place to address requests for alternative learning arrangements or work re-assignments.

(BCS WILL POSSIBLE USE A STAFF VERSION OF AN ATTESTATION FORM.)

Post signage at the main entrance requesting that ANY person who has been symptomatic with fever and/or cough must not enter.

● Educate staff, students, and their families about the signs and symptoms of COVID-19 when they should stay home and when they can return to school

● Establish a dedicated space for symptomatic individuals that will not be used for other purposes (quarantine room)

● Immediately isolate symptomatic individuals to the designated area at the school and make arrangements to send them home to isolate

● Ensure symptomatic person remains under visual supervision of a staff member in a designated “quarantine room,” who is at least six feet away. The supervising adult should wear cloth face covering or a surgical mask.

● Require the symptomatic person to wear a cloth face covering or a surgical mask while waiting to leave the facility

Cloth face coverings should NOT be placed on:

■ Anyone who has trouble breathing or is unconscious

■ Anyone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the face covering without assistance

■ Anyone who cannot tolerate a cloth face covering due to developmental, medical, or behavioral health needs

● Require school nurses or delegated school staff who provide direct patient care to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and perform hand hygiene after removing PPE.

● Implement cleaning and disinfecting procedures.

● Have a plan for transporting an ill student/employee home or to medical care**Attorney Question: Need policy for involving DSS in the event a parent will not pick up a sick child (Legal question)

Adhere to the following process for allowing a student to return to school/work

○ If a person has had a negative COVID-19 test, they can return to school/work once there is no fever without the use of fever-reducing medicines and they have felt well for 24 hours

○ If a person is diagnosed with COVID-19 by a medical professional based on a test or their symptoms or does not get a COVID-19 test but has had symptoms, they should not be at school and should stay at home until they can answer YES to the following three questions:

■ Has it been at least 10 days since the individual first had symptoms?

■ Has it been at least 3 days since the individual had a fever (without using fever reducing medicine)?

■ Has it been at least 3 days since the individual’s symptoms have improved, including cough and shortness of breath?

● Notify Central Office and local health authority (Bertie County Health Department) of confirmed COVID-19 cases among children and staff

● Ensure that if a person with COVID-19 was in the school setting while infectious, school administrators coordinate with local health officials to notify staff and families immediately while maintaining confidentiality in accordance with FERPA, NCGS 130A-143, and all other state and federal laws.

• The local health department will determine exactly who/how to proceed with quarantining in the event of a positive case/report at a school.

● If a student or employee has been diagnosed with COVID-19 but does not have symptoms, they must remain out of school until ten days have passed since the date of their first positive COVID-19 diagnostic test, assuming they have not subsequently developed symptoms since their positive test

● If a student or employee that has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or has been presumed positive by a medical professional due to symptoms, they are not required to have documentation of a negative test in order to return to school

● If a student or employee has been determined to have been in close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, they must remain out of school for 14 days since the last date of exposure. If they test positive, they must complete 14 days of quarantine, even if they test negative

● Provide remote learning options for students unable to be at school due to illness or exposure

**COVID-19 Symptoms

(This link is to the CDC website.)

● Clean and disinfect transportation vehicles regularly.

● Children must not be present when a vehicle is being cleaned.

● Ensure safe and correct use and storage of cleaning and disinfection products, including storing products securely away from children and with adequate ventilation during staff usage.

● Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces in the vehicle (e g , surfaces in the driver’s cockpit, hard seats, arm rests, door handles, seat belt buckles, light and air controls, doors and windows, and grab handles) prior to and after morning routes, and prior to and after afternoon routes.

● Keep doors and windows open when cleaning the vehicle and between trips to let the vehicles thoroughly air out.

● Clean, sanitize, and disinfect equipment including items such as car seats and seat belts, wheelchairs, walkers, and adaptive equipment being transported to schools.

● Enforce that if an individual becomes sick during the day, they must not use group transportation to return home and must follow protocols outlined below. (See Sections that follow below on “Handling presumptive positive cases …” and “Monitoring Symptoms” – separate protocols for STUDENTS and for STAFF)

● If a Bus Driver becomes sick during the day, he/she must follow specified protocols and must not return to drive students.

● Provide hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol) to support healthy hygiene behaviors on all school transportation vehicles for safe use by staff and older children.

○ Hand sanitizer should only remain on school transportation while the vehicles are in use.

○ Systematically and frequently check and refill hand sanitizers.

● Comply with required cleaning and hygiene guidance established by the NCDHHS.

○ Avoid scented products.

○ Use of aerosols is discouraged due to increased risk to staff and students. A school bus may not operate with any aerosol or unlabeled liquid container on board.

BCS Telework Agreement (Contract)

Policy 7503 - Teleworking / Working Remotely (Adopted June 9, 2020)