Resurrection School Reopening Plans 20-21

Resurrection plans are designed to allow us to re-open on September 9, 2020 for in-person, five-day-per-week, Instruction for students in grades Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 8.  The plans include safe operation precautions to help protect our students, staff, parents/guardians, and others against the spread of COVID-19. 

Reopening of School Facilities for In-Person Instruction

Re-Open Building Preparation:  School buildings are in the process of being thoroughly cleaned and disinfected completely prior to reopening.  Window air conditioners are all set for outside air venting. Water drinking fountains are being replaced with sanitary water bottle re-fillers. Hand sanitizers are being installed in every classroom. Touch-free covered trash receptacles are being added in bathrooms and around the school.  Signage is being installed to remind individuals to adhere to social distancing instructions, follow hand hygiene and cleaning guidelines, and follow respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette.  Signage and distance markers will also be used to direct foot traffic to maintain social distancing in hallways and stairwells.

Classroom Setup:  We have ample classroom space to accommodate all accepted students in pre- kindergarten to grade 8, while maintaining appropriate and recommended social distancing.  Each K-8 classroom has a been rearranged/reconfigured to support a minimum of 6 feet of space in all directions between students.  Desks will be organized to face in the same direction. Teachers’ desks will in the front of the classroom facing students.  For Pre-kindergarten, we are expanding the number of classrooms used and following the NY State Dept of Education Reopening Guidance regarding classroom protocols and teacher to student ratio.   

Classes:  For the most part, students will remain in their classroom for the school day and not switch rooms. A classroom of students will be referred to as a Cohort.  Faculty may instruct more than one Cohort, with the faculty member moving between individual Cohort classrooms.  There will be no mingling between Cohorts during the school day. Appropriate PPE and safe distancing will be used.  Students in a Cohort will not share workstations, desks, tables, other surfaces, supplies or books without cleaning and disinfection between use. Meals will be eaten in the classroom.

Instruction Models:  We will offer 2 Models:  full day in-person and full day remote. Parents will be required to select one option.  Students who begin the year Remote must continue with that option for the entire 1st quarter. We provided a questionnaire to parents to determine model preference for students.

Classroom Instruction Grade K-8:  Instruction will be delivered in-person and using Zoom for Grades 1-8.  Individual chromebooks will be provided for Grades 2-8 and Google Educate will also be used for in-person and remote students. Individual iPads will be provided for students in Grade K-8. Every classroom and teacher will be equipped with the technology and training to deliver Zoom video conferencing for students who opt for remote learning. Teachers are encouraged to wear a clear face mask to use during instruction to improve student understanding and learning. 
 
Classroom Instruction Pre-kindergarten:   Young children learn through social interactions with others and with the use of hands-on manipulatives.  We will follow guidance from the Office of Early Childhood, including suggestions for large group activities, essential routines (seating, social distancing for specific age groups, personal hygiene, and transitioning), center rotation systems; and self-regulation and communication skills (i.e., communication of feelings of illness, anxiety, and general emotional health). Teachers are encouraged to wear a clear face mask to use during instruction to improve student understanding and learning. Children will be separated by six feet or by table shields when possible and routine soap and water hand washing will be coordinated.

Personal Protective Equipment/Face Coverings:   Students, faculty, staff, and other will be required to wear acceptable face covering in any public areas of school facilities. Students, faculty, staff, and other individuals on school grounds will be required to wear acceptable face covering if appropriate social distance cannot be maintained. Students are required to arrive at school wearing an acceptable face covering that cover both mouth and nose.  We will provide clear face masks to faculty and a supply of disposable face masks for faculty, staff, and students who need a temporary replacement.  We will communicate to students, faculty, and staff how to properly store and, when necessary, discard PPE.

Bathroom Procedure: Cohorts, Faculty and Staff will be assigned specific restrooms to use.  Signage will be added to remind of proper hygiene and social distancing protocols. Bathrooms will have touch-free soap dispensers, running warm water, disposable paper towels and touch-free covered trash receptacles. Air Dryers will be disabled. Restrooms will be cleaned twice during school day and once overnight.

Break Period Procedure: If an individual is stationery in a well-ventilated area, where the individual has a minimum distance of 6 feet in every direction from another person, then their face mask may be temporarily removed.  Masks must be kept with the individual and not placed on any shared surface.

Food Services:  We will continue to use Bo DiBuono’s Happy Kid Lunch Program.  Bo’s teams will deliver pre-ordered lunch to each classroom.  Students may also bring lunch from home. Lunch will be eaten at the desk in the classroom, maintaining appropriate social distance.  Sharing of food and beverages will be prohibited unless individuals are members of the same household.

Use of Shared Space: Some shared spaces, such as the science lab, art room, cafeteria, playground, and gymnasium may be used, but only by one Cohort at a time, and will be cleaned and aired-out before a
another Cohort uses it.  If a Cohort participates in activities requiring projecting the voice (e.g., singing),
playing a wind instrument, or aerobic activity resulting in heavy breathing (e.g., participating in gym classes) a distance of 12 twelve feet in all directions will be maintained between individuals while participating.

Faculty and Staff Meetings:  Any meetings with Faculty and Staff will be via Zoom conference or in the school gymnasium with ample space for appropriate social distancing and face masks will be required.

Faculty Lounge:  Large library spaces will be used for Faculty Lounge, with ample space for appropriate social distancing.

Extracurriculars: We are not planning any after school sports or clubs for the Fall

Before and Aftercare: We are not planning any after before or after school care for the Fall

Transportation: We expect school bus companies will be providing transportation for our eligible students.  We are working with the school bus companies to make sure our students practice safe distancing, hygiene and wearing face covering when entering, exiting and seated.

Student Drop-off and Pick-up:  There will be designated areas for student drop-off and pick-up, for walkers, parent driven or bus riders, which limits contact and prohibits entry of parents/legal guardians into the building. Pre-Kindergarten, Grades K-3 and Grade 4-8 will each have separate entrances/exits.  Staff will be at all school entrances used for admitting students to enforce social distancing rules. Details of drop-off and pick-up times and locations will be distributed before the start of school.

Self-Assessment Students:  Parents will be required to complete an at-home self-assessment of each student before school.    If the answer to any of the questions are YES or the student has unexplained COVID symptoms listed on the form, they should not attend school and it is strongly recommended that the parent contact a medical provider for further guidance.

1. Has your child had a positive result from a COVID-19 viral test within the past 14 days?  If yes, please contact Resurrection School Main Office.
2. Has your child come into contact with a person who has had a positive result from a COVID-19 viral test within the past 14 days?
3. Is your child’s temperature currently 100.0*F (38.0*C) or higher?
4. Has your child been given a fever reducing medication today (Motrin, Tylenol, Advil, etc)?
5. Has your child traveled within the last 14 days to a restricted area that requires a quarantine by NY State Law ?  (See: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory)
6. Since the last time your child reported to school, has he/she had any of the following symptoms? Check all that apply.

• Fever of 100.0*F (38.0*C) or above, or possible fever symptoms like alternating chills and sweating
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Trouble breathing, shortness of breath or severe wheezing
• Chills or repeated shaking with chills
• Muscle aches
• Loss of smell or taste, or a change in taste
• Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea

Self-Assessment Faculty and Staff:  Faculty and Staff will be required to hand in a signed at home self-assessment form upon arrival (see form contents above).  If the answer to any of the questions is YES, the individual is required to stay home.  If the individual has unexplained COVID symptoms listed on the form,  they should not attend school and it is strongly recommended that they contact a medical provider for further guidance.

Thermal Screening:  All students, faculty, staff, and, where applicable, contractors, vendors, and visitors will receive a thermal scan before being allowed to enter classroom space in the buildings.  If a student presents a temperature of greater than 100 degrees, they will be sent directly to a dedicated isolation area prior to being picked up.  An adult with a temperature above 100 will be asked to leave the grounds immediately. 

Mental Health, Behavioral, and Emotional Support Services and Programs: Available resources to address mental health, behavioral, and emotional needs of students, faculty, and staff when school reopens for in-person will communicated to school community.   Training for faculty and staff via Zoom Conference will be conducted prior to at the start of school, and will include information on how to talk with, and support, students during and after the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency.

Ongoing Hygiene, Cleaning, and Disinfection:  We will use Crystal Blue Cleaning service for ongoing-daily and once-per-night cleaning.   School-wide cleaning and disinfection of classrooms, restrooms, and public areas will take place each school night.  The cleaning crew will be following all CDC guidelines. Outside doors and windows will be opened to increase air circulation during the cleaning process. Logs will be maintained by school cleaning staff, including the date, time, and scope of cleaning and disinfection, as well as identify cleaning and disinfection frequency.

Disinfectant sprays and wipes will be used on an ongoing basis during the school day by cleaning staff to clean frequently touched surfaces; door handles, light switches, sink faucet handle, bathroom surfaces, countertops, tables, desks, chairs, technology equipment and toys.  Faculty and staff will be supplied with disposable disinfectant wipes so that classroom surfaces (e.g., keyboards, desks, remote controls) can be wiped down before and/or after use.  

Monitoring of Health Conditions

Symptomatic Students and Isolation Procedure: Designated individuals will monitor student, faculty and staff upon arrival and throughout the day for signs of illness. Symptoms potentially include the list on the self-assessment form.
 
An isolation area, “Guardian Angel” room, with a separate entrance/exit will be used to immediately isolate students who screen positive upon arrival or become symptomatic while at school.  An Air Purifier and increased external ventilation within the area of isolation will be used.  The symptomatic individual must wear a face mask and the staff caring for the symptomatic individual will use full PPE.  An isolated student will be supervised until a parent/legal guardian or emergency contact can retrieve them from school.  Staff will be discreetly asked to leave the building immediately and to report their symptoms to a medical professional.

The Guardian Angel Room, or any room or area occupied by sick or symptomatic individuals, will not be reopened or utilized until cleaning and disinfection have taken place in an acceptable and prescribed manner following CDC guidelines. Staff members tasked with cleaning the affected areas will wear appropriate personal protective equipment and arrange for optimal ventilation conditions during the cleaning process.
 

Containment

Exposed Individuals:  Individuals who were exposed to the COVID-19 virus must complete a quarantine and have not developed symptoms before returning to in-person learning. Discharge from quarantine and return to school will be conducted in coordination with the local health department.

Infected Individuals: Students, faculty, and staff who are COVID-19 positive may only return to school after providing a note of medical clearance and two negative COVID-19 test results after they are without fever for three days.

Reporting: We will notify the Regional Superintendent with relevant details, in writing, so that he or she may notify the Office of the Superintendent of Schools who will create the appropriate public health notifications for the local government agency and provide guidance on next steps. The Archdiocese of NY Office of the Superintendent’s Health and Safety Task Force will be provide us directives for any additional testing or tracing required.