Space Design and Capacities
General Office Area
• All offices will practice social distancing as feasible.
• Individuals entering the main office will wear a mask or face covering and will remain 6 feet apart.
• Where applicable, all offices and small spaces will be limited to one (1) individual at a time. An individual working alone in an office space will be able to remove his/her mask.
• In an office with multiple occupants, individuals will maintain at least 6ft of separation.
• Additional protective barriers such as polycarbonate screens or strip curtains may be utilized to create a physical separation without hindrance to egress or airflow.
• Workstations will be reconfigured so that employees do not face each other, or establish partitions if facing each other cannot be avoided.
• Face coverings will be worn in these multiple use office settings.
• Tasks requiring large amounts of people to be in one area will be reduced.
• Employees will be encouraged to use virtual meeting tools, including phone and virtual teleconference, in lieu of in-person meetings, whenever possible.
• If in-person meetings are essential, consider limiting meetings to 10 people or less depending on local, state, and federal guidelines.
Conference Rooms
• Will limit in-person meetings (refer to NYS guidance), if virtual meetings are not feasible.
• If meetings are to occur in person, they will be conducted in a quick manner.
• Social distancing among participants will be required.
• Lingering and socializing before and after meetings should be discouraged.
Break Rooms and Lunch Rooms
• Breakroom use is discontinued if a minimum of 6 ft. separation cannot be maintained when consuming food or drink. Social distancing markers and signage will be provided as necessary.
• Staggered break schedules may be utilized to assist with separation concerns.
• If staff wish to take breaks together they must do such in a large space or outside, where at minimum 6ft. of separation can occur.
• Amenities that are handled with high contact frequency, such as water coolers, coffee makers, and bulk snacks will be cleaned frequently throughout the day.
• Communal meals will not be provided to employees, and food will not be available in common areas where employees may congregate. Copier Rooms/Areas
• Congregating in copier rooms/areas is discouraged.
• Cleaning supplies will be provided at copier stations.
• Staff are encouraged to wipe down touch surfaces post and prior use.
Lifts
• One person in a lift at a time.
• Personnel must wear acceptable face coverings when in common use areas.
• Lifts will be frequently disinfected. Restrooms
• Every other urinal/stall/sink will be utilized with frequent cleaning throughout the day, and deeper cleaning at the end of the day.
• Individuals must knock before entering a bathroom to ensure there is no other occupant present.
• In special circumstances where a student must be assisted in the use of the lavatory, the adult present must be wearing all applicable personal protective equipment including a face covering and when medically applicable, the student will be wearing a proper face covering as well.
• Entry doors to bathrooms will be left open where applicable to reduce the need to handle.
Hallways/Stairwells
• Where feasible hallway traffic may be limited to single flow direction.
• Where single flow is not applicable, bi-direction traffic will be permitted.
• Directional flow will be identified by indications on the floor/stairs.
• Adequate distancing will be obtained between all individuals by taped off lanes on the corridor floors/ stair treads.
• All individuals must also allow for adequate space between when traveling in the same direction.
Classrooms
• Occupancy in each classroom will be determined by the ability to arrange student desks/chairs and teaching space not less than 6ft apart.
• Overall class sizes will be reduced to accommodate all safety parameters.
• Students, teachers and support staff will be required to wear a proper face covering.
• Where possible special teachers and PPS staff will travel to the classroom to provide instruction.
• Restrict items in the classroom to that of obvious use.
o Remove any unnecessary furniture as feasible.
o Remove any soft surfaces that are difficult to disinfect such as:
Area Rugs
Soft fabric chairs
Nurse Station
• All students and staff are required to wear appropriate face coverings.
o N95 Respirator use for nurse should be limited to situations of suspected COVID-19
o Nurse must receive proper training and fitment of N95 Respirators prior to use.
• Where applicable, nurse station has been reconfigured to:
o Maintain social distancing of no less than 6ft.
o Create “sick” and “well” zones.
Students that receive daily medication should be treated separately from students presenting with symptoms of illness.
Nebulizer treatments should be conducted in a separate isolated space with adequate fresh air circulation.
o Physical separation will be achieved by utilizing:
Individual exam rooms
Polycarbonate barriers
Retractable dividing curtain walls.
• Isolation Room/s
o Individuals presenting with symptoms representative of COVID-19 should be immediately isolated to reduce risk of transmission.
o A separate room will be utilized where applicable.
o Reference the Isolation Room/s section for additional information.
Isolation Room
• The cafeteria will not be used for lunch. Instead, it will be utilized for quarantining individuals who present with symptoms representative of COVID-19.
• The cafeteria has been designated as an isolation room due to its close proximity to the nurse’s office and its exterior access for pick-ups.
• Where excess space is not available. The nurse station will be equipped with dividing curtains allowing for both a physical divide and at minimum 6ft of separation.
Reception Areas
Reception area will remain at the entrance of the building.
• Where a multi- entrance design is used, additional security posts will be instituted as needed.
• They will serve as the primary location for accounting for all individuals entering and exiting the building.
• Barriers exist between monitors and those individuals who sign in.
• Floor demarcations will be installed to indicate where visitors shall stand to maintain social distanced.
• Reception areas will have seating removed or adequately spaced to provide at minimum of 6ft of separation.
• Frequently touched materials such as magazines will be removed.
Computer Labs
• This area will be closed off to staff and students during the time-period of social distancing.
Library Spaces
• This space will be converted to a classroom and will be closed off to all other students/staff during social distancing.
Hand Sanitizers
• Alcohol based hand sanitizer will be available in each entry, all corridors, and each classroom.
Water Fountains
As required by New York State, a potable water supply will be provided per 150 occupants but not less than one source per floor. Water fountains will be cleaned frequently throughout the school day. Water Fountain use in elementary school will be discouraged. Cups will be provided to classrooms with sinks in elementary schools. In secondary schools, cup dispensers will be available near water fountains for use.
Floor Demarcations
• All entrances or areas of static wait have floor signage installed allotting for a minimum of six (6) feet of separation between all individuals
• All Corridor floors and Stairway treading have been fitted with stripping to indicate directional traffic flow and social distancing.
• Corridor doors will all be affixed open using electromagnetic hold-open devices to minimize the need to touch doors.
Ventilation
The Garrison Union Free School District will ensure sufficient ventilation and fresh air to all spaces of occupancy by means of:
• Spaces where fresh air is limited due to original building systems, fresh air will be introduced through open windows and doors o Options for replacement and modification to existing systems will be explored.
• More frequent maintenance and inspection of the systems will occur to mitigate extra strain on systems.
• Filter replacement schedules will be more frequent.