Health Mitigation Strategies

Health mitigation is a multi-layered approach to safety. In LCPS, we are working on keeping the members of our community as safe as possible with all the means that we have including face covering protocols, social distancing, enhanced cleaning by the custodians, daily temperature checks, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and additional help monitoring our efforts. Just like it always is, the safety and security of our students and staff is everyone's responsibility.

LCPS requires all staff members, visitors, and students older than 2 years of age to wear cloth or disposable face coverings at all times, except while eating or drinking. This includes while in the LCPS workplace, at school, at school activities, and while entering, exiting, and riding the school bus. Students and staff must wear face coverings at all times even if six feet of distancing is maintained. Individuals are not required to wear a mask while eating or drinking, wh

Disposable or cloth face coverings are to be worn properly to comply with this requirement. The face covering must cover the nose and mouth and be secured under the chin. It should fit snugly against the sides of the face with little to no gaps.

We understand that wearing a mask consistently, every day, all day, and without a break can be challenging. Students who require a brief mask break during class should request it from the teacher.

LCPS expects students to comply with health mitigation policies if they are making the choice to return to hybrid instruction. Students that do not do so will be given a chance to correct their behavior. Students that repeatedly choose to not follow these policies will meet with school administration and their parents and may be moved to 100% distance learning. Teachers have been instructed to notify school administration if they are having issues with students not complying with the face covering protocols so that the students may be addressed promptly and directly.

Cleaning of high touch surfaces in the public areas throughout the school will take place frequently throughout the day. Classrooms will be cleaned thoroughly at the end of each day.

LCPS has provided air filtration units for every classroom. Combined with the PPE, these units will help improve air quality in the rooms. Additionally, LCPS has installed MERV-13 air filters for our HVAC system.

Please note: Home cleaning products are not authorized for school and are therefore not allowed to be used. Students should not bring their own disinfectant wipes to use at school.

Each school has identified a “Care Room,” an area/room that is separate from the health office for students and staff who may demonstrate symptoms of COVID-19. The Care Room will be used to monitor or observe students that have symptoms that may be related to COVID-19. Independence is using the Career Center as our Care Room.

The Care Room will be staffed by a trained full-time LCPS substitute or contracted vendor. Care Room responsibilities include: taking the student’s temperature with a no-touch thermometer; asking the student to identify their symptoms using the symptom check questionnaire, recording the information, and consulting with the school nurse or health clinic specialist to contact the parent/guardian for student pick up.

If a student is showing symptoms while in class, we have instructed teachers to discreetly contact the main office, and we will send an escort to take the student to the Care Room. Every effort will be made to protect a student's privacy.

Health Mitigation Monitors are contracted by LCPS to help us gauge our success at implementing the plans to keep everyone as safe as possible. Their role is to be present and report to Independence administration and LCPS on our areas where we are being successful and those areas where we are experiencing challenges. These individuals will conduct inspections throughout the school each day and will report any mitigation issues to the administrative team. Their job, however, is not one of enforcement. It is still the role of Independence administration to address students or staff that are having difficulty complying with health expectations through our disciplinary processes.

If we find that a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, we will notify anyone who is considered a "close contact" of that person. A "close contact" is defined as being within 6 ft. of a person who tests positive for 15 minutes or more in a 24-hour period.

All diagnosis and medical information is private and confidential which limits the amount of information that can be shared, even as we are contact tracing.

In order to prevent COVID-19 transmission in schools, students and staff who are determined to be a close contact of a person diagnosed with the Coronavirus are expected to comply with quarantine guidelines. Students and staff who are directed to quarantine or isolate, due to illness, will not be permitted to attend school or school activities while under the order. The Student Health Services Office or school health office staff is available to answer questions related to this important mitigation protocol.