Ingleside ISD Safe Back-to-School and Continuity of Services Plan

Updated July 19, 2022

Ingleside ISD Safe Back-to-School and Continuity of Services Plan

The conditions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic are continually evolving, and Ingleside ISD’s Safe Back-to-School Plan will be constantly evaluated to adapt as local conditions warrant.

IISD will implement strategies throughout the district that aim to significantly reduce exposure to COVID-19. Circumstances related to COVID-19 may change throughout the year, and this document will be updated as needed, with advance notice given when practical.

Health and Safety Measures

Infection Control Measures

• Schools will abide by the Governor's Executive Order 36 regarding face coverings. As of June 1, 2021, face coverings are optional. Those not fully vaccinated are encouraged to wear a mask when indoors or when six (6) feet of social distancing is not possible. Everyone is allowed to wear a mask if they choose.

• Please note that social distancing will not be regularly implemented in every situation during the day, which is why face coverings are encouraged for those not fully vaccinated.

• Students and staff are encouraged to provide their own personal protective equipment (PPE) such as face coverings. PPE will be provided as needed to staff and students while supplies last.

• Hand sanitizer will be available in each classroom, at entrances, and throughout common spaces.

• Staff and students will be expected to regularly wash and/or sanitize hands.

• Hand-washing will be prioritized with use of hand sanitizer to supplement hand-washing throughout the day. Elementary students will wash hands or use hand sanitizer before eating, following restroom breaks and after recess. All secondary students will be encouraged to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer regularly.

• Students, staff, and visitors will be encouraged to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, and if tissues are not available, sneezes should be covered in their elbows. Used tissues should be thrown in the trash, hands should be washed immediately with soap and water for at least 20 seconds when immediately possible, or hand sanitizer should be used.

Health Screenings

• IISD will publicize opportunities for vaccinations.

• Staff will self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms before coming onto campus each day.

• Parents/guardians are expected to screen their students for COVID-19 symptoms each day, including taking their temperature, prior to sending their students to school. Parents/guardians who allow their student to leave home to attend school are attesting that their child does not have symptoms of COVID-19 nor received a positive test result.

• Teachers and staff will monitor students throughout the day and refer the student showing symptoms to the school nurse if symptoms are present. The school nurse (or designee if the nurse is not available) will complete a screening and contact parents.

• Upon signing-in, visitors are attesting they do not have any COVID-19 symptoms or have come into close contact with an individual who is test-confirmed with COVID-19 upon entry into the building.

Campus Operations

• Hand sanitizer will be available in each classroom, at entrances, and throughout common spaces.

• Restrooms will continue to be disinfected at least once during the school day.

Learning Environments

• Desks, tables, and seating arrangements will be arranged to maximize space between students.

• Staff will have access to sanitizing supplies to sanitize high-touch surfaces.

Breakfast / Lunch

• Cafeteria staff will follow health & safety protocols.

• Students are prohibited from sharing food or drink and staff will monitor to the extent possible.

• Lunch tables will be spread out across cafeterias to maximize space between groups and seating will be spaced out as much as possible.

• All tables will be sanitized between lunches.

Transportation

• Parents are encouraged to transport their children to school daily as it is not practical to practice social distancing consistently on the bus.

• Parents/guardians are expected to screen their students for COVID-19 symptoms each day, including taking their temperature, prior to letting their students get on the bus. Parents/guardians who allow their student to leave home to attend school are attesting that their child does not have symptoms of COVID-19 nor received a positive test result.

• Prior registration will be required to ride route buses to or from school.

• The usual bus routes are scheduled to continue.

• Passengers will need to store personal items in overhead racks as directed.

• All buses will have hand sanitizer and all riders will be expected to use hand sanitizer upon boarding.

• All buses will be sanitized between uses.

• When weather allows, bus windows will be partially open during routes to provide for additional ventilation.

• Students who do not abide by transportation guidelines and staff directives will be subject to suspension from bus riding privileges

• Masks are optional for everyone on the bus. Masks are recommended for anyone who is not vaccinated.

Visitors

• Visitors are permitted to attend scheduled meetings and allowed during the regular school day. This may be revised if community spread of COVID-19 subsidies.

• All visitors not fully vaccinated are encouraged to wear a face covering upon entering the building.

• Any visitor who needs to go beyond the front office will sign-in.

• Upon signing-in, visitors are attesting they do not have any COVID-19 symptoms or have come into close contact with an individual who is test-confirmed with COVID-19 upon entry into the building.

• Any visitor who has COVID-19 or COVID-19 symptoms or has come into close contact with an individual who is test-confirmed with COVID-19 must remain off campus until the 7- day incubation/isolation period has passed.

Required Actions if Individuals with Test-Confirmed Cases Have Been in a School

• If a student has a test-confirmed case of COVID-19, a parent/guardian must contact the school nurse and not send their student to school. If a staff member has a test confirmed case of COVID-19, they must contact their immediate supervisor and the human resource department and not come to work.

• Those who test positive for COVID-19 must isolate for 5 days from the onset of symptoms, be fever free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication and have a significant improvement in symptoms. Those who suspect they could possibly have COVID-19 should take a COVID-19 test as soon as possible and isolate until test results are received.

• If an individual tests positive for COVID-19 and believes the test was a false positive and wants to return to school/work before completing the above stay at home period, the individual must either (a) obtain a physician’s note clearing the individual for return based on an alternative diagnosis, though for health privacy reasons the note does not need to indicate what the alternative diagnosis is, or (b) take a subsequent COVID-19 PCR acute infection test (at a physician’s office or approved testing location) at least 24 hours after the initial positive test and provide a negative test result on that subsequent test.

• If an individual who has been in a school is test-confirmed to have COVID-19, the school must notify its local health department, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations, including confidentiality requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

• Upon receipt of information that any teacher, staff member, student, or visitor at a school is test-confirmed to have COVID-19, the school must submit a report to the Texas Department of State Health Services via an online form. The report must be submitted each Monday for the prior seven days (Monday-Sunday).

• Consistent with school notification requirements for other communicable diseases, and consistent with legal confidentiality requirements, schools must notify all teachers, staff, and families of all students in a school if a test-confirmed COVID-19 case is identified among students, teachers or staff who participate in any on campus activities. Those individuals who were determined to have had close contact will be notified by the local health department.

IISD Multi-Stage Approach for Managing COVID-19

The strategies described in this document describe the guidelines that will be used in IISD to lessen the exposure to COVID-19. Additional strategies may be implemented as required or recommended by an executive order issued by the Governor, directives from the Texas Education Agency or local health officials, or with input from school health advisory council, staff, parents, and students as appropriate. Such strategies may include, but are not limited to, increasing health screenings, temperature checks, written attestations of all health screenings, increasing cleaning and sanitizing during the school day, limiting movement between classrooms, further reducing large group gatherings, eliminating all visitors, eliminating student travel, reducing or eliminating spectators at events, eliminating events, etc.

Instructional Delivery Models

Providing a high-quality education through On-Campus In-Person Learning (Traditional Classroom Environment)

On-Campus In-Person Learning

• On-Campus In-Person Learning is available for students in Prekindergarten through Grade 12.

• Students will attend school on a regular instructional schedule and will engage in face-to-face learning on campus all day, every day.

• Grading guidelines for On-Campus In-Person Learning will be the same as required by the Texas Education Agency.

• The District will follow state and local guidance to ensure safe, sanitary, and secure learning environments. Other recommended guidelines and local operational adjustments will be considered with input from teachers, staff members, school health advisory council, parents, and students as appropriate.

• Extracurricular activities will be offered to the maximum extent possible. This includes participation in ACE Program activities.

Technology

• The district will continue its one to one initiative with Chromebooks. Elementary students having Chromebooks for learning enhancement; Grades 6-8 having class sets, and Grades 9-12 having district provided devices.

• Tech support is available by sending an email to sharon.sablatura@inglesideisd.org or calling 361-776-7631 Ext. 2.

Social-Emotional and Mental Health Support Systems

Addressing the mental health and social-emotional development of all students, staff, and community by following best practices in the areas of school-based mental health services, behavioral support systems, family engagement, and support practices, staff supports, and other key systems and supports.

Social-Emotional Learning

• Social-Emotional Learning lessons and activities to support students related to COVID-19 experiences, trauma, and school closure will be developed for all campuses, primarily using Suite360 for middle school and high school students and Second Step for elementary students.

• Counseling support will be accessible to learners. Contact the school guidance counselor for more information.

Parent Communication

• Parents are encouraged to actively use the avenues such as email, call-outs, and social media to stay informed. Most communications designed specifically for IISD parents are sent via email. Please be sure your email address on file with the school is accurate and active.

• Teachers will primarily use Google Classroom, and Remind to communicate with students and parents.

Circumstances related to COVID-19 may change throughout the coming school year and we will keep all parents informed in a timely manner if/when conditions change.

Original Survey Follows....June 2021