Goal: To ensure the safety of all students and staff members, and minimize the likelihood that the COVID-19 virus could be shared from person to person.

Considerations:

• Required of staff

  • SPS will provide each staff member with 2 cotton face coverings to begin the school year. The face coverings will be washable and rewearable.

  • Professional development will be provided to all staff members on:

    • Considerations for wearing a face covering and,

    • How to wear a face covering

• Required for students

  • SPS will provide each student with 1 cotton face covering to begin the school year. The face covering will be washable and rewearable.

  • Teachers should incorporate into their instructional practice how to wear a covering?

  • How to wear a face covering

• SPS will provide each school site and all buses with disposable face coverings that will be distributed to students who show up to school without one. There will be a limit to how many face coverings will be provided to each individual student.

• If there is a family hardship or special circumstance that would make it difficult for a family to provide a face covering, please notify the school site and they will help to connect families to community resources for support.

• What kind of face coverings are acceptable?

  • cotton face coverings that are washable and re-wearable.

  • Face shields are not a suitable replacement for a face covering/mask

    • It is not known if face shields provide any benefit as source control to protect others from the spray of respiratory particles. CDC does not recommend use of face shields for normal everyday activities or as a substitute for cloth face coverings. Some people may choose to use a face shield when sustained close contact with other people is expected. If face shields are used without a mask, they should wrap around the sides of the wearer’s face and extend to below the chin. Disposable face shields should only be worn for a single use. Reusable face shields should be cleaned and disinfected after each use. Plastic face shields for newborns and infants are NOT recommended.

• Masks are required in classrooms at all times.

• Exceptions?

  • There are some exceptions during the school day where a face covering would limit or hamper the student experience. Examples include: PE, music/choir/band/orchestra, lunch, foreign language, ELL, speech therapy, recess/outdoor play, etc. Instructional staff will be provided alternatives to a cotton face covering to adapt to the specific needs of the learning experience. Or, appropriate social distancing measures will be followed, allowing for the removal of a mask.

  • Student Mask Exemptions: Medical, physical, emotional, or learning exemptions will be considered for all students. Where applicable a modification will be determined based upon individual student need. The determination would be through the collaboration of teachers working with the student and parents or, the IEP team or, via the 504 plan, or other documented need.

  • Current dress code guidelines apply to face coverings.

Proper Mask Care

Masks should be handled properly and cleaned after each use according to the guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The District will recommend and illustrate the following proper mask handling procedure to all students and employees:

A. Handling Procedure:

i. Always wash hands before and after handling a mask.

ii. Do not put the mask around the neck or on the forehead.

iii. Limit touching the mask.

iv. Handle only by the ear loops or ties.

If the District does not provide new masks daily, it will recommend and illustrate the

following mask cleaning procedure:

A. Washing Machine Cleaning Procedure:

i. Launder as normal with laundry detergent.

ii. Use the warmest water setting appropriate for the cloth.

iii. The mask may be cleaned at the same time as other items.

B. Hand Wash Cleaning Procedure:

i. Use a non-expired bleach that is intended for disinfection.

ii. Mix 5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) household bleach per gallon of room

temperature. water or 4 teaspoons of household bleach per quart of room

temperature water.

iii. Rinse thoroughly with cool or room temperature water.

C. Drying Procedure:

i. Drying machine:

a. Use the highest heat setting and leave the mask in the dryer until

completely dry.

ii. Air dry:

a. Lay the mask flat and allow it to completely dry. If possible, place a mask in direct sunlight.

Resources:

CDC Considerations for wearing a face covering

CDC How to Wash Cloth Face Coverings

Goal: To safely admit and release students to/from school and identify students/staff/visitors exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 with minimal impact to normal operations.

Considerations:

● Bus drop off/pick up

○ Single bus drop off/pick up point

○ Look at site options to limit exposure and cross-exposure between groups.

■ Announce bus arrivals at the end day before dismissing students from classrooms.

● Car/walkers drop off/pick up

○ Single Car/Walk up point of entry

○ Parents should remain in their vehicle and not accompany students into the building.

● Walkers

○ release 5 minutes ahead of dismissal to clear the building before car/bus riders.

● Visitors

○ Schedule an appointment/call ahead.

○ Must wear facial covering.

○ Must remain in the designated waiting area.

○ May be temperature screened or asked screening questions upon entry.

● Single point of entry

○ Single entry advisable except for main AM/PM arrival/departure.

○ Need separate entry for bus and car riders to not impede traffic.

○ Additional entry points aides in social distancing if they can be properly staffed.

Goal: To protect both students and staff while minimizing the impact on learning.

Procedures:

● Assigned seating

○ Teachers should create seating charts for their classes to allow for easier contract tracing should the need arise. Student seat assignments should not be regularly changed.

● Arrangement of desks within the classroom

○ Students should face the same direction.

○ Within room and furniture constraints, distance should be maximized between student seating to achieve three feet spacing (American Academy of Pediatrics, AAP).

○ Staff should have excess furniture removed to prioritize student safety.

● Extra furniture and classroom displays that inhibit distancing and prevent the arrangement of student seating should be removed from the classrooms.

● Small group instruction

○ Reduce the mixing of students groups when performing small group instruction. Ideally, students are in a consistent grouping for weeks at a time, not a daily change.

● Use of technology/cleaning of technology

○ When possible, assign devices to students to minimize sharing of devices.

○ EPA approved cleaning supplies are available for students to clean devices before use.

■ Early childhood devices will be cleaned by district staff before student use.

● High-touch surfaces like door handles and light switches should be cleaned frequently throughout the day. Student desktops should also be wiped with a sanitizer wipe between different student groups.

Considerations:

● Face shields

○ When will a face shield be needed as a less-ideal alternative to a face covering? A face shield should only be used in combination with social distancing.

■ Speech

■ ELL

■ Foreign language classes

■ SPED

■ Appropriateness as an option with early childhood due to early childhood hygiene issues?

● Plexiglass partitions

○ Clerical and other positions routinely dealing with outside patrons should be provided a plexiglass barrier (may not be applicable under instructional delivery).

● Distribution of devices in a distance learning environment

○ Increased need at the start-of-school for training purposes.

○ Trade-off between student take-home use causing reduced instructional use.

GOAL: To feed students while maintaining social distancing and sanitation.

Considerations:

Students will wash their hands prior to eating. When feasible, they will eat in the cafeteria while being seated with spaces between students. When this is not feasible, students will eat in another area, such as their classrooms, in order to social distance themselves from each other. No guests will be allowed to have lunch on-site during this time of operational adjustments being made due to COVID-19. If it is necessary to have fewer students in the cafeteria during lunch to ensure adequate spacing for social distancing, staggered schedules will be implemented where half the grade eat in their classrooms on one day (i.e. M/W) and the other half eat in the cafeteria then switch for (T/Th), etc.

No classwide snacks will be allowed or distributed at school. Students choosing to bring a snack to school may bring an individually wrapped snack for themselves, or school sites may provide individually wrapped snacks.

When teachers and staff are free to enjoy a duty-free lunch, they should consider having their meal in an area other than the teacher’s lounge or teachers’ cafeteria area where tables and chairs are typically set up at close range with little physical distance between chairs. Congregating in shared spaces, such as staff lounge areas, should be discouraged, or spatial distancing markers should be used to encourage appropriate separation between one person and another.

Open Campus at the High School during lunch time will continue. Students will be encouraged to socially distance themselves and wear masks as appropriate while off campus.

Considerations for each school site:

● Stagger lunches

● Outdoor dining

● Other common spaces

● Floor markers for social distancing reminders while students move through the lunch line.

*Note: lunch is available on site for any student enrolled in virtual learning.

Goal: Keep a safe distance to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Guideline: CDC Social Distancing

Procedures:

● Key Areas

○ Cafeteria

■ Since access to restrooms may be inadequate for every student to wash their hands before eating, hand sanitizer stations should be made available for student use before meals.

■ Social distancing needs to be followed since face coverings are not viable during mealtime.

■ Other locations should be made available for students to eat.

● Adequate supervision should be maintained.

● Additional clearing/cleaning would be required.

○ Hallways

■ Face coverings are required during passing time.

■ Students will be asked to move along to their next class as quickly as possible.

○ Restrooms

■ Increased cleaning schedule throughout day

■ Limit restroom use

● Minimize movement of students, educators, and staff as much as possible

● Parent access to schools for events like birthday parties is not allowed.

● Reduce access to office: Parent/guardians drop off of items at front door

Goal: To provide access to SPS facilities in the safest possible manner for all stakeholders

Non-essential visitors in the school setting will be discouraged during the period of time that COVID-19 remains active in the community. On the occasions that guests are deemed appropriate, after scheduling an appointment, they will be expected to check-in through the school’s screening protocol, which may include a brief questionnaire as well as a temperature check. Face coverings will be required.

Considerations:

● Parents

● Vendors

● Volunteers

● OSU students

Procedures:

1) Screening questions :

a) Have you or anyone in your household been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19?

b) How are you feeling?

c) Any aches, pain?

d) Shortness of breath

e) Loss of taste and smell

f) Tiredness

g) Take a temperature, if yes to 1a, or 1b.

2) Require face coverings

3) Use secure entry areas as holding facilities for visitors.

4) Any parent meetings with SPS staff will need to be by appointment only. Remote meetings are preferred.

5) Special celebrations (birthday parties, etc) will need to be suspended until further notice.

6) 1st day of school procedures will not allow for parent access to the classroom. Parents will need to follow drop off procedures as established.

7) Assemblies will be suspended until further notice.

8) Staff remain behind plexiglass barriers whenever possible, and wear a face covering at all times

Goal: To ensure the potential spread of the virus is minimized or prevented.

Frequent and thorough handwashing practices have proven to be critical in the mitigation of any virus, especially COVID-19. Schools will plan and prepare for additional handwashing opportunities throughout the day. SPS will provide each elementary site visual hand washing posters published by the CDC. These posters will be posted in highly visible locations (i.e. entrances, restrooms). In addition to increased opportunities for handwashing, there will also be increased opportunities for students to use hand sanitizer in the classroom and at multiple hand sanitizing stations throughout the school building.

Considerations:

● Need to wash hands when leaving home, returning home, after playing outside, after having close contact with others, after using shared surfaces or tools, returning from another classroom (i.e. specials), before and after using the restroom, after blowing nose, coughing, and sneezing, and before and after eating and preparing foods)

● All adults and students are encouraged to wash their hands as often as possible without disrupting the instructional process

● SPS Employees should ensure access to handwashing and hand sanitizer dispensers

● Train staff and students on proper hand washing procedures

● Students must wash hands prior to and after eating. Students will eat in the cafeteria if there is room provided for social distancing. Grade levels can be staggered in order to accommodate for social distancing (two classes playing outside while two classes eat).

● Teachers are encouraged to wash their hands at every opportunity or to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol (also referred to as ethanol or ethyl alcohol) when hand washing is not feasible. Practicing this prevention tactic as an often-repeated habit not only protects the teacher but also serves as a great reminder for students to do the same.

GOAL: To adhere to common cleaning and disinfection practices to maintain a healthy environment for all students and staff.

Considerations:

● Supplies for classrooms

○ A canister of wipes SaniCloth wipes for each classroom (on an as needed basis).

○ A gallon of hand sanitizer in each classroom (on an as needed basis)

○ While we would appreciate the gesture, we are unable to accept donated sanitizer or wipes. SPS is required to keep safety data sheets for the district provided products.

● Increased availability of supplies building wide

○ Hand sanitizing stations (available to all)

○ Soap and water (available to all)

○ Disinfecting atomizer sprayers (specific to custodial staff for disinfecting)

○ Disinfecting spray to be used as needed throughout the day by custodial staff

● “Clean as you go”

○ High touch surface areas (doorknobs, light switches, sink knobs, desk tops, counter tops, etc).

○ For quality control considerations, only staff will be allowed to clean.

○ The Director of Facilities will create a flyer to share with all staff that explains which cleaning supplies are acceptable to clean or disinfect, how to use properly, and how to get more when needed.

● Uniformity across the district -

○ Custodial staff manage daily building wide cleaning needs and conform to a checklist for all interior spaces. In addition to daily cleaning, custodial staff will disinfect each building at the end of every school day.

Goal: Follow guidelines for student safety in the use of student supplies.

Procedures:

● Student supplies

○ Students should be assigned individual vs. shared supplies

■ Elementary - Sharing of supplies such as crayons, markers, scissors and pencils will not be allowed. Students will keep their individual supplies separated from those of others in individually labeled containers or cubbies.

■ Secondary - When students share supplies, such as pens, art materials, and calculators, they are also sharing their germs. We are asking students to come to school fully prepared with the materials they will need and to avoid sharing the materials. If a student is unable to provide an item due to its expense, the school will make every effort to seek funds or materials to support the child. Expectations for individual student materials should always be assigned with the cost in mind.

● Lockers

○ No locker sharing. Students will be allowed to use their assigned locker only. Students will be wearing face coverings and should minimize time at lockers. Sites should consider on even hour passing times allowing students with an even locker number gathering their belongings and on odd hour passing times allowing students with an odd locker number to gather their belongings. This would reduce the number of students at their lockers during passing time.

● Cubbies/storage containers

○ Minimize time and the number of students in the cubby area.

● Any manipulatives needed for instructional purposes will not be shared without first being sanitized prior to being used by another student. The best case scenario will be that each student has their own manipulatives, or that students alternate days in which manipulatives are used by students to allow for time for cleaning. Hand washing should be promoted before and after touching shared supplies or equipment.

○ Appropriate supplies should be provided to teachers to facilitate using disinfectant.

Considerations:

● Backpacks. Due to lockers being allowed, limited classroom space, and safety concerns, no change to current backpack procedures.

GOAL: To improve ventilation to the extent possible by increasing the delivery of clean air and dilute potential contaminants.

Considerations:

SPS has accepted and put into practice the following measures:

• Higher rated MERV filters

• An increase in the frequency in changing filters

• Continuously running the fans

• Increasing air ventilation by keeping the classroom doors open (and windows when appropriate)

• Addition of In-room Air Cleaners (filtration & air purification) in band and vocal music rooms and some special education classrooms.

• Daily air flushes

• Disabled demand control ventilation

Goal: To identify people (staff, students, other) with possible symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

2 Options:

1. Self Monitoring by staff and students/parents before coming to school.

2. Temperature checking and screening questions when arriving at school.

Considerations:

● Provide guidance for self-monitoring

● Or, create a process for temperature checking and screening questions.

● Create a documentation tool or use Infinite Campus.

Process:

1) Temperature checks prior to entry for all students and staff.

2) Tests will have to be contactless.

3) Students with a temperature of 100 degrees or higher will be separated into an isolation room. Parents will be called and the student will be removed from the site as soon as possible.

4) Staff members with a temperature will leave immediately.

5) Screening questions should occur if a student or staff member records a temperature of 100 degrees or higher, and/or is showing signs of any symptoms of COVID-19.

6) Screening questions should include:

a) Have you been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19?

b) How are you feeling?

c) Any aches, pain?

d) Shortness of breath

e) Loss of taste and smell

f) Tiredness

g) Cough

h) Vomiting and diarrhea

2) Refer to Staff/Student procedures for when someone gets sick for next steps.

Goal: To identify and isolate individuals who test positive for COVID-19

Process:

1. Follow CDC guidelines (see below)

2. Priority is to remove and isolate the infected individual from the current location.

3. Document potentially infected individuals.

4. Trace potential contacts with infected individuals. This information will be shared with the Payne County Health Department (PCHD).

5. PCHD will notify individuals who may have been exposed to COVID-19.

6. Have a separate treatment room/facility for common ailments, and one for suspected COVID-19 infected individuals.

7. Students will be allowed to return 10 days past onset of symptoms and 72 hours past last fever. A negative test will not allow for re-entry if other criteria have not been met.

8. Those refusing to take a COVID-19 test will not be allowed re-entry for 72 hours after symptoms are no longer present.

9. Use 100.4 degrees as the baseline temperature for requesting a COVID-19 test be taken.

10. Staff/students returning to school, will have to have a screening, with contactless temperature checks.

11. Staff should contact the Human Resources Department with questions regarding leave.

12. Notify Amy Spiva, School Nurse, and District COVID-19 point of contact.

CDC Language:

• Advise Staff and Families of Sick Students of Home Isolation Criteria

  • Sick staff members or students should not return until they have met CDC’s criteria to discontinue home isolation.

• Isolate and Transport Those Who are Sick

  • Make sure that staff and families know that they (staff) or their children (families) should not come to school, and that they should notify school officials (e.g., the designated COVID-19 point of contact) if they (staff) or their child (families) become sick with COVID-19 symptoms, test positive for COVID-19, or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 symptoms or a confirmed or suspected case.

  • Immediately separate staff and children with COVID-19 symptoms (such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath) at school. Individuals who are sick should go home or to a healthcare facility depending on how severe their symptoms are, and follow CDC guidance for caring for oneself and others who are sick.

  • Work with school administrators, nurses, and other healthcare providers to identify an isolation room or area to separate anyone who has COVID-19 symptoms or tests positive but does not have symptoms. School nurses and other healthcare providers should use Standard and Transmission-Based Precautions when caring for sick people. See: What Healthcare Personnel Should Know About Caring for Patients with Confirmed or Possible COVID-19 Infection.

  • Establish procedures for safely transporting anyone who is sick to their home or to a healthcare facility. If you are calling an ambulance or bringing someone to the hospital, try to call first to alert them that the person may have COVID-19.

• Clean and Disinfect

  • Close off areas used by a sick person and do not use these areas until after cleaning and disinfecting

  • Wait at least 24 hours before cleaning and disinfecting. If 24 hours is not feasible, wait as long as possible. Ensure safe and correct use and storage of cleaning and disinfection products

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  • including storing products securely away from children.

• Notify Health Officials and Close Contacts

  • In accordance with state and local laws and regulations, school administrators should notify local health officials, staff, and families immediately of any case of COVID-19 while maintaining confidentiality in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

  • Inform those who have had close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19 to stay home and self-monitor for symptoms, and follow CDC guidance if symptoms develop.