HOW THE THREE PLANS COMPARE

AT A GLANCE ...

COVID-19 REOPENING PLANS - OVERVIEW

ADDITIONAL NOTES ON OPERATIONS:

FACILITIES - May differ from site to site

NCDHHS Requirement:

● Establish a schedule to perform ongoing and routine environmental cleaning and disinfection (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/reopen-guidance.html) and (https://www.cdc.gov/flu/school/cleaning.htm) 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 EPA approved disinfectant for SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) Use EPA approved disinfectant effective vs. SARS-CoV-2), 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.


Extra Safety/Cleaning Measures for Facilities:

· BCS has purchased both handheld and portable foggers for disinfecting schools at each day’s end. When a facility is empty, it can be disinfected with the fogger in approximately 30 minutes.

· Deep Cleaning of high touch surfaces will occur at each day’s end (desks, doorknobs, bathrooms, etc.); in addition, those surfaces will be cleaned at peak times such as after class changes (especially at the high school), anytime students are coming/going from one location to another, and after lunches.

· Custodians will primarily be responsible for the majority of cleaning and disinfecting; Maintenance staff will assist as needed.

· Portable hand sanitizer dispensers have been ordered for every classroom as well as common areas (in each school), such as lobbies, hallways, etc.

· Every teacher will have his/her own supply of hand sanitizer; custodians will refill them at each day’s end.

Plan B Facilities Specs.docx

TRANSPORTATION

CLICK HERE FOR PLAN DETAIL COMPARISONS


July 1, 2020: When NCDPI determines and announces which plan our region will operate on, it will be important to:

  1. Create a document to inform parents of new policies (if on Plan B), regarding student transportation to accommodate social distancing (multiple runs, wider arrival and departure times, assigned seating, etc.).

  2. Provide school bus and bus stop social distancing training to students.

  3. Communicate the plan for parent attestation forms (frequency of collection, and other screening procedures) for morning bus routes/runs.

Extra Safety/Cleaning Measures for Yellow Buses:

· Prior to drivers boarding the bus, they will have a temperature check and symptom screening by transportation designee.

· Buses will be sanitized prior to starting the route.

· One student per seat is allowed, with the exception being instances when siblings are riding the same bus.

· Upon the unloading of buses, each driver will sanitizes his/her bus, according to NC DHHS guidelines. (This is done in the morning and afternoon, before any student board a bus.)

· Note: We do not have personnel, resources or space to hire additional bus monitors to assist with new bus safety/social distancing guidelines.

***Under Plan B, it has been proposed that drivers collect parent attestation forms from bus riders at least every two weeks, or perhaps once a month. BCS is looking into the legalities around this issue. More information will be forthcoming. Below, please see a Sample Attestation Form for riders to use in lieu of having to undergo temperature checks at the bus stops.

SAMPLE ATTESTATION FORM.pdf

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

BAND, ATHLETICS

EMPLOYEE LEAVE/Human Resources

HANDLING TEACHER ABSENCES IN A REMOTE ENVIRONMENT

Instructional substitutes will be utilized in the event of teacher absences.


EMPLOYEE LEAVE

The North Carolina Public Schools Benefits and Employment Policy Manual governs the use of employee leave in PSUs and several provisions below apply to school reopening in the fall. In some specific cases, the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) may supersede the state policy manual.

Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) - PSUs are encouraged to communicate the regulations of this federal program to their employees. For employees who meet the requirements for accessing the FFCRA leave, this federal leave can preserve an employee’s accrued leave balance (state) should the employee be required to leave work due to COVID-19. PSUs are encouraged to work with the Financial and Business Services Office of NCDPI to understand how this federal leave is coded. FFCRA leave allows for up to two-thirds pay for employees who request leave for COVID-19 related child-care closures. This leave may be supplemented with an employee’s accrued sick leave as appropriate. PSUs are encouraged to review local leave policies to ensure that employees may use hours of sick leave (as opposed to half or full days) to ensure that employees are not required to use more sick leave than necessary to maintain full salary while using FFCRA leave. PSUs might also consider allowing employees to convert annual leave to sick leave (where necessary) to maintain full salary while using FFCRA leave.

Sick Leave (Section 4.1) - Employees, or their immediate family members, who are experiencing an illness (COVID-19 or other) may use sick leave during the time of illness. PSUs are encouraged to set policy guidelines on when (i.e., after how many days of illness) an employee is required to provide medical documentation. Anxiety related to working during a pandemic does not qualify as an acceptable use of sick leave except where accompanied by documentation by a medical professional. Employees who have potentially been exposed to COVID-19 and are asymptomatic may use sick leave if approved for self-isolation by the PSU.

Annual Vacation Leave (Section 3.1.3) - Employees who qualify for sick leave, but do not have sufficient sick leave to cover the term of the illness, may elect to use annual vacation leave during an approved illness.

Extended Sick Leave (Section 4.2) - Employees who are out for an approved illness who do not have sufficient sick leave/annual leave to cover the term of the illness, may request extended sick leave upon the approval of the PSU. Employees do not need to exhaust unused required annual leave days when determining eligibility for extended sick leave. PSUs are required to apply the required substitute deduction ($50) for employees using extended sick leave.

Voluntary Shared Leave (Section 4.3) - an employee may qualify for (and use) voluntary shared leave if the employee’s request is approved by the superintendent (or comparable head of the PSU) for COVID-19 related absences. All other requirements for use of this leave (as outlined in Section 4.3) must be followed by the PSU.

FMLA (Section 8.2) - While FMLA is not a form of leave, a PSU has the right to designate an employee’s absence due to a COVID-19-related absence as an FMLA-qualifying event.

Contagious Disease (Section 9.4.1) - Employees who are under orders of the director of a county health department to leave the work environment, the local superintendent shall: a) reassign the employ to a safe work environment (as agreed to by the director of the county health department, or b) place the employee on leave with pay for the period of time as indicated by the director of the health department. The leave provisions under Section 9.4.1 can only be initiated by the director of the health department, not the PSU. PSUs are encouraged to establish a formal point of contact with their local health departments in order to make a formal determination of the need for an employee to leave work due to possible COVID-19 exposure.

COVID-19 Emergency Leave (Section 9.4.2) - the provisions of this section expire on June 15, 2020 and cannot be used by PSUs or their employees unless SBE policy, legislative action or executive order indicates otherwise.

Considerations for Employee Leave:

● Develop a guide in order to communicate the FFCRA and state policy information regarding leave. Specifically, employees should be notified that the emergency leave from the original school closures (March 10, 2020) is no longer available.

● Develop forms or processes, if needed, to request leave, voluntary shared leave and/or FMLA.

● Assign a district-level employee as the point of contact for schools to determine what types of leave are available to employees under a specific set of circumstances. The district-level employee should be the point of contact with NCDPI on questions of employee leave and eligibility during the 2020-2021 school year.

Note: This Employee Leave Guidance was drafted according to the current NC State Board of Education (NC SBE) policies. Leave policies may be amended by the NC SBE in response to COVID-19 conditions before or during the 2020-21 school year.