2020-21 Health and Safety Plan

Each school entity in Pennsylvania was required to create its own health and safety plan, which was to be tailored to the unique needs of each entity and created in consultation with local health agencies.

Given the dynamic nature of the pandemic, the plan incorporates enough flexibility to adapt to changing conditions. Each school entity’s health and safety plan was required to be approved by its governing body (School Board) and posted on the school entity’s website prior to the reopening of school.

We will continue to monitor our Health and Safety Plan throughout the year and update as needed. Should they be necessary, all revisions would be reviewed and approved by the governing body prior to posting.

• Targeted deep cleaning of schools on a daily basis following established Custodial Services protocols for enhanced cleaning during cold and flu season

• Clean and disinfect high touch surfaces (e.x.: railings, door handles, sink handles, student desks, etc.) within the school and on the school buses at least daily

• Clean and disinfect bathrooms and handles, railings and high touch areas of playground equipment frequently throughout the day

• Equipment (tools, utensils, headphones, balls, shields, etc.) that must be shared and may be used by multiple individuals for curricular and extracurricular activities such as music, art, technology education, family and consumer science, or physical education classes should be cleaned intermittently during meetings, practices, competitions or class

• Disable all water fountains except for bottle filling stations

• Installation of additional bottle filling stations throughout schools

• Installation of hand sanitizers throughout all buildings

• Clean and disinfect buses and other district vehicles used to transport students after AM runs, and again after PM runs

• Roof vents and windows will be open on buses, weather permitting, to increase fresh air circulation

• Consider keeping classroom doors open to limit the use of door handles when possible

• Ongoing daily inspections of building areas scheduled for use by lead custodian and/or Supervisor of Custodial Services

• Disinfecting wipes or paper towels and spray bottles with disinfecting solution will be provided in all classrooms for routine disinfecting of personal high touch items

• Regular changing of HVAC filters in each building

• Exploration of innerduct UV lights or bipolar ionization for building HVAC systems

• American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommendations for additional outside air will be implemented as feasible

• Manufacturer and/or service firms will be consulted to consider any additional preventative measures that should be considered for sanitizing and disinfecting air handling systems

• Continue to reassess procedures for all areas to ensure the safety of students and employees are at the forefront

• Hold group meetings such as back-to-school nights, parent-teacher conferences, faculty and staff meetings, professional development trainings, student orientations, teacher induction, department/curriculum/grade level meetings, etc. via Zoom or another live streaming platform whenever possible

• Plexiglass installation in high traffic areas such as receptionist/secretarial areas, library circulation desks, cafeterias, etc.

• Plexiglass installation in classrooms at teacher desks/workstations and/or mobile plastic partitions

• Ensure communications to families about safety and hygiene protocols are available in common languages spoken at home and are easy to understand for students and parents/guardians

• Per PDE guidance, assigned seats will be required in all classrooms and attendance will be taken to assist the Board of Health with potential contact tracing

• School Board resolution declaring an “emergency” under section 520.1 of the School Code giving administration flexibility to meet student education needs through various methods including virtual education

• For music classes:

  • Divide large classes into manageable groups and consider sectional or small group style lessons

  • Conduct classes outside or in large areas such as the auditorium, gym, LGI, etc. to the greatest extent possible

  • Chorus – students and teachers must wear face masks and face shields at all times

  • Band and orchestra – students must wear face masks at all times, mutes will be used for instruments, teachers must wear face masks and face shields

  • Students must wash their hands or use hand sanitizer before and after practice

• Students will be afforded 6 feet of separation between desks in classrooms to the maximum extent feasible

• Remove all non-essential items and furniture from classrooms

• Desks will be staged to face in the same direction, or students will be directed to sit on only one side of tables to limit face-to-face seating. In instances where it is necessary for instructional or other purposes to have students face each other, students will be afforded a minimum of 4’ distancing and will remain masked.

• Hold classes in gyms, auditoriums, LGIs, other large spaces, or outdoors when possible

• Restrict interactions between different groups of learners to the greatest extent possible

• RTSD will consider an AM-PM schedule for grades K-5, and an A-B schedule for grades 6-12, to afford students and employees greater spacing in classrooms, cafeterias, hallways, etc.; under this model, students classified as Special Education, English Language Learners, and Economically Disadvantaged will have the option to attend everyday at the middle school and high school

• Employees, students, parents and guardians will be provided notice of the district’s intent to live stream and/or record classes so there is no expectation of privacy

• All employees will be required to wear masks when interacting with students, visitors or other employees at a distance of 6 feet or less

• All employees will be provided with face shields

• Primary grade teachers, and teachers who have students with a hearing impairment or disability are encouraged to use transparent face masks to allow students to see their mouth during communication

• A face mask is required for any employee who is operating a district owned vehicle unless doing so creates an unsafe condition to operate equipment

• Employees are not required to wear a face covering in situations where wearing a face covering creates an unsafe condition to execute a particular task

• Students in grades K-12 must wear face masks at all times per Chester County Health Department (CCHD) guidelines including, but not limited to: the bus stop, on the bus, when arriving at school, in the hallways, bathrooms, offices, and classrooms, and during transitions; students may remove their face mask at meal time (ie: during lunches); all students in grades K-12 will be provided with face shields and may elect to wear both their face mask and their face shield; RTSD will abide by any updated guidance from the CCHD related to masking; changes to masking requirements per the CCHD will be communicated with all stakeholders

• Parents/guardians may choose to have their child(ren) wear a family purchased face mask, or both a family purchased face mask and face shield

• Disposable face masks will be available in each classroom and on each school bus in the event a student’s face mask breaks, becomes soiled, or is lost

• Building principals have discretion for determining whether a face mask is sufficient in quality, and requiring students or staff to wear a different face mask if the one they are using is deemed ineffective (e.x.: crocheted face masks)

• Students in grades K-12 who refuse or are unable to wear a face mask will not be permitted to attend school for in-person learning and will be required to participate in the online only program; likewise, students in grades K-12 who refuse or are unable to wear a face mask on a bus will not be permitted to ride the bus

• Parents whose child has a documented medical or mental health condition or disability, documented in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act or IDEA, that precludes the student from wearing a face mask in school need to request a meeting with the student’s IEP/504 team to discuss possible accommodations

• Parents will be asked to take their child(ren)’s temperature each morning before sending them to school

• In classrooms with high-risk students, a nurse will conduct temperature checks of faculty, staff and students each day

• Employees and students will be asked to take their own temperature each morning before arriving to work/school (axillary/temporal <99.5°; oral <100°)

• Random temperature checks will be conducted by the school nurse as students enter the building each day

• RTSD will closely monitor daily absence rates of students and employees

• Employees and students will be required to stay at home from school if they:

  • Have a fever or have had a fever within the past 24 hours (must be without the use of fever reducing medication)

  • Have experienced the CDC identified symptoms of COVID-19 (e.x.: cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.) within the past 72 hours

  • Have someone in their family who has cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea within the past 72 hours

  • Had close contact in the past 14 days with anyone who tested positive for COVID-19, is in the process of being tested, or is self isolating because of a suspected COVID-19 infection

• RTSD reserves the right to require students to submit to COVID-19 testing to participate in athletics, events, and activities. This testing may be done on a case-by-case basis for individual sports, events, or activities, or may be required for all sports, events and activities. Students who refuse to submit to testing (or whose parents/guardians refuse to permit such testing) will be ineligible to participate in practices, events, activities, and competitions.

• Parents and guardians are required to immediately notify the building principal and school nurse if their child becomes sick with COVID-19 symptoms, and should contact their health care provider for additional guidance

• The building principal and school nurse will be contacted

• Every effort will be made to isolate the ill individual from others, until the student or staff member can leave the school

• An isolation room in each building will be identified to temporarily house sick students; this room will not be the Nurses' Office

• The school nurse and/or any staff assisting individuals in the isolation room must wear a face mask and face shield, gloves, and gown, and ensure proper use and disposal/cleaning of PPE afterwards

• If the individual is a student, the parent/guardian will be contacted immediately, and arrangements will be made for the student to be picked up

• The ill individual will be asked to contact their physician or appropriate healthcare professional for direction

• Follow Chester County Health Department guidance for cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting when someone in the school develops COVID-19 symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19

• Notification of Custodial Services Supervisor who will enact disinfecting protocols consistent with CDC cleaning and disinfecting guidelines

• Notification of Human Resources Director

• The school nurse will contact the Chester County Board of Health for guidance

Students and employees with Covid-19 will not be permitted to return to school unless they meet the most current Chester County Health Department (CCHD) criteria to return. RTSD will post the most current CCHD criteria on the RTSD website.

• Identified entrances and exits will be used by specific groups to reduce traffic

• Use of lockers at RMS and RHS will be prohibited to improve traffic flow in hallways (does not include lockers in the band or gym areas)

• Hallway floors will be clearly marked for traffic flow; students and employees will only be permitted to cross the flow of traffic to enter a classroom, bathroom, etc.

• Schools with more than one floor will identify and mark stairwells as “up only” or “down only”; these restrictions will be in place for normal everyday use, but will not be enforced in the event of an emergency

• Building principals will assess bell schedules and make adjustments to passing time as necessary to account for transition needs

• Employees will be discouraged from congregating in common planning areas or staff lounges where 6’ distancing cannot be achieved

• Employees will be encouraged to eat in their assigned area, in an identified socially distanced common area with reduced seating, or outside when weather permits

• Help centers (ex: RHS Math and Writing Centers) will be available in person and via Zoom or another live streaming platform to the greatest extent possible

• Individually wrapped/packaged snacks will be provided for each student should snacks be provided

• Students will be encouraged to bring their own water bottles and will be prohibited from sharing with peers or employees

• Cups will be available at the bottle filling stations for students and employees who forget to bring their water bottle

• Students will report directly to their assigned classroom upon entering the building to limit congregation in common areas unless they are purchasing breakfast at the secondary level

• Identify and use alternate areas in each building for students to eat such as gyms, large group instruction rooms, classrooms, etc.

• Explore purchasing social distance screens, plexiglass, or preformed plastics for cafeteria tables

• Students and employees will be required to wear face coverings when walking to and from the cafeteria as well as when getting their food; face coverings may be removed when eating provided that social distancing is followed

• Staggered seating arrangements and 6’ social distancing will be enforced for lunches unless plexiglass, preformed plastic or other separation devices are available

• Pre-packaged single serve silverware and condiments will be used in RTSD cafeterias

• Family style or buffet meals will not be served; all food on serving lines will be pre-packaged and served “grab-and-go”; the salad bar and self-serve items will be discontinued until permitted by the CDC

• Parents and guardians will be encouraged to deposit funds using the online payment portal to avoid the handling of cash and checks in the cafeteria

• Exploration of an ordering app, scannable ID card, or other means of payment to reduce the need for money handling or students touching keypads to purchase meals

• Outdoor seating spaces will be used as available and feasible for meals

• Plexiglass dividers will be added to the serving lines and cashier stations

• All food service staff will be required to wear a face mask and gloves

• Signage will be posted around school and district buildings regarding wearing of masks, washing hands and other hygiene best practices

• Each building will be assessed to ensure that proper signage is posted

• Limit building usage to school district events and activities; no indoor or outdoor rentals to outside groups.

• Visitors will be limited to parents, guardians or legal caregivers.

• All visitors must wear masks.

• Visitors will only be permitted in the main office of the school for emergencies and/or child pick up (ex: picking up a sick child); visitors will be prohibited from dropping off non-essential supplies or materials for students. Exceptions to this would be permitted on a limited, case-by-case basis for outdoor events at the discretion of the building principal, and subject to the approval of the co-pandemic coordinators. For such exceptions screening, masking, distancing, and hygiene practices outlined in the Health and Safety Plan must be followed. RTSD will adhere to the most current guidance from the Chester County Health Department and the Governor’s Office.

• All meetings between school personnel and parents/guardians will be conducted via phone or virtually via Zoom or another live streaming platform to the greatest extent possible.

• Guest speakers or presenters who typically would speak to students in classrooms, or to grade levels via large group assemblies will be permitted to conduct presentations via Zoom or another live streaming platform.

• Outside vendors, repair and delivery personnel will be required to wear face coverings at all times while on campus.

• Classes will be cohorted for recess to limit the number of students using the equipment at a given time, and also to maintain consistency with which students are interacting with each other

• Students will be required to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer before and after recess, and physical education classes

• Use dividers or curtains in gymnasiums to keep learners in groups of 25 or less

• To the greatest extent possible, recess and physical education classes should be scheduled outside

• Limit unnecessary physical contact (no shaking hands, fist bumps, high fives, etc.)

• Use of practice pinnies are prohibited for physical education classes

• Locker rooms access will be available on an as needed basis; limits on the number of students access a locker room will be determined by school district staff based on the size of the locker room

• No field trips, assemblies or large group gatherings will be permitted with the exception of Watershed at RMS. Exceptions to this would be permitted on a limited, case-by-case basis for outdoor events at the discretion of the building principal, and subject to the approval of the co-pandemic coordinators. For such exceptions screening, masking, distancing, and hygiene practices outlined in the Health and Safety Plan must be followed. RTSD will adhere to the most current guidance from the Chester County Health Department and the Governor’s Office.

• There will be no communal or shared school supplies for regular classroom use. (i.e.: pencils, pens, crayons, etc.) All students will bring or be provided with their own supplies for all activities

• Keep each learner’s belongings separated from others’ and in individual containers, cubbies, desks or other areas

• The use of shared equipment for certain classes/activities is unavoidable (i.e.: PLTW Vex Kits, handheld cameras for TV Studio courses, Android devices for App coding courses, tools for Art classes, Family and Consumer Science utensils, playground equipment, etc.); this equipment will be disinfected frequently and hand washing/use of hand sanitizer will be promoted both before and after use

• Students will have the same special for a two week period to maximize the use of materials, and limit sharing among students

• Employees should avoid using other employees’ phones, desks, offices, equipment and work tools to the greatest extent possible; anything needed to be shared should be cleaned and disinfected before and after use

• All students K-12 will be provided access to a 1:1 device to use from home to access their education (ex: iPad, Chromebook, SurfaceGo, etc.)

• In libraries all returned materials will be required to have up to a 7-day quarantine

• Survey families about their plans to utilize school district transportation services to identify capacity needs

• Staggered drop-off and pick-up procedures to minimize person-to-person interactions at the start and end of the school day

• Parents and students will be instructed about the importance of social distance at bus stops

• Identify and implement best practices for loading and unloading buses (ex: loaded from back to front with assigned seating, and unloaded from front to back; members of the same household will be seated together whenever possible, etc.)

• No students will be permitted to sit in the front row of the bus directly behind the bus driver

• Students exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 will not be permitted to board the bus if their parent/guardian is present; should parents not be present, bus drivers will contact the transportation department to have an administrator and nurse meet the bus at drop-off to take the student to the isolation room

• A maximum of two students per seat (46 per bus) will be permitted Parents and guardians will be encouraged to drive their child to school when possible to reduce passenger volume on buses

• Individuals who are self-quarantining or who have been diagnosed with a confirmed or probably case of COVID-19 may not drop-off or pick-up children from school

• Students who drive to school should be discouraged from carpooling/ridesharing, except with immediate family members; if carpooling with non-family members is necessary, all students must wear face masks

• Right at School (RAS) will comply with all RTSD health and safety plan guidelines

• Communication with RAS regarding potential changes in the school day

• Exploration of childcare for the children of employees to ensure they are able to return to work should the district they live in only offer remote learning

• Identification of overflow locations available for childcare in the event RTSD sees a spike in parent requests due to the pandemic

• School psychologists conducting testing will do so using face shields or behind plexiglass or other plastic barriers

• Allow for flexibility in student attendance and provisions for absences

• Available leave options will be communicated by the Human Resources Department to employees at higher risk for severe illness

• Families at risk for severe illness will be provided the option to have their child(ren) learn remotely:

  • K-5: Students will be placed in a fully online, standalone cyber school program; this program was designed and created by RTSD teachers, and will be taught by RTSD students

  • 6-12: Students will participate in class via live-stream (ex: Zoom), or will view recordings of classes posted to the class Schoology page

  • Students receiving Special Education services whose families plan to opt out of in-person instruction will be provided an “Interim COVID-19 Plan” on a case-by-case basis

• Staff working with students who require hand-over-hand instruction will wear gloves

• IEPs and 504 plans will be reviewed and collaborated on as issues arise. Unique safety procedures will be worked through with the school nurse, and the IEP/504 team on a case-by-case basis

• Identify needs and train staff as necessary for alternative job functions to best meet the needs of all learners and staff

• RTSD will work to secure day-today substitutes from those applicants who were not the successful candidates for job postings

• Provide training to substitute employees regarding safety protocols for in-person work