Genoa Area Local Schools Plan for Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Service

This plan is subject to revision throughout the school year as we receive further guidance and recommendations from the Ohio Department of Health and the Ottawa Co. Health Department

Maintaining Health and Safety

Genoa Area Local Schools successfully operated in-person throughout the pandemic during the 2020-2021 school year, and the district will continue to monitor health conditions and provide guidance regarding In-person Instruction and Continuity of Service.

Physical Distancing: Physical distancing will be recommended in some settings, but not required.

Handwashing Etiquette: The District will return to pre-pandemic protocols. Students will be encouraged to wash or sanitize their hands when they enter/exit classrooms, the cafeteria, and to/from recesses, on/off school busses.

Facilities: Additional sanitizing may take place during times of increased illness among staff/students. Ventilation systems will be maintained so as to provide fresh air circulation. Water filling stations will continue in operation.

Contact tracing: Contact tracing will be conducted as necessary on a case-by-case basis.

Isolation/Quarantines: These actions will still be required as the district is advised of positive tests and potential exposures.

• Students and staff who test positive for Covid-19 will follow standard isolation procedures and isolate at home for 10 days from when symptoms started or when the test was positive if no symptoms.

• Students do not have to quarantine, regardless of vaccination status, if they were wearing a mask and were at least three feet from a Covid positive person.

• Students and staff who are unmasked with be subject to contact tracing out to six feet.

• Students and staff who are considered a close contact with a Covid-positive person and would normally be required to quarantine at home now have the option to return to school in a mask for the duration of the quarantine period provided they are healthy and remain symptom-free (this excludes students who live with a Covid-positive person and have been unable to remain isolated from that person). The mask must be worn (and worn properly) on campus and at all school events. Failure to wear the mask outside of lunchtime will result in an immediate exclusion from school for the duration of the quarantine period. Athletes who choose the mask option are required to wear one during indoor practices and games, but may test out of the mask following the directions below. Students may not switch back and forth between the mask and home-quarantine option.(These changes are being made with the support of the Ottawa Co. Health Department).

• Students and staff who have to quarantine but are symptom-free for 5 days and wish to return earlier may get a Covid test on the fifth day. A negative test will allow the student or staff member to return on the 8th day of the quarantine. Student/athletes may now return to practice and/or competition on day 8 as well. That negative test result must be forwarded to the district's school nurse, Kim Earle at kmearle@genoaschools.com

• Quarantine is not necessary for students and staff who have been vaccinated for Covid-19. Students and staff shall self-monitor for 10 days if a contact occurred with a known Covid-19 positive person but may continue with school, classes, sports and extracurricular activities.

• A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving a second dose of a two dose vaccine (Moderna & Pfizer) and after the single dose vaccine (J&J).

Testing: The district nurse will have rapid antigen testing (depending on supplies), at no cost, available in all the schools for any student or staff who wishes to take it. Please contact the school nurse to check availability of tests. Parental consent is needed for any student under 18.

Masks: Mask-wearing inside school buildings is recommended but not required. Masks are required on school vans/buses per CDC orders.

School staff will not monitor mask-wearing for parents/guardians who want their child to wear a mask at school. No individual staff member may require a student to wear a mask except when it comes to wearing masks on busses. Everyone is required to respect the choices people make regarding mask wearing.

Academics: The district will return to pre-pandemic protocols. In-Person instruction will continue with an online option available for those students with severe health issues and for credit recovery.

Wellness/Social and Emotional Needs: The district will continue to closely monitor and assess the social/emotional/mental health needs of staff and students during in-person instruction. School Counselors, Teaching Staff, Administrative, and Classified staff will remain attentive to the needs of all staff and students. PBIS, Building Level and Intervention Assistance teams will continue to play a vital role in assessing and communicating the needs of students to the appropriate service providers.

Nutrition Genoa Area Local Schools will continue offering daily food service that meets all federal requirements. All students are eligible to eat free breakfast and lunch at school.

ESSERS Funding

At this time, the following items are budgeted in the ESSERS 3 budget application:

1. Continued use for elementary reading salaries

2. Required allocation for after school/summer school programs

3. 1 van

4. Middle School HVAC software upgrade

5. band instrument covers

6. STAR testing assessments in elementary and middle school

7. STAR testing training and usage in the high school

LEGAL AUTHORIZATION FOR QUARANTINE AND ISOLATION