Crown King School District
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) recommend that reopening decisions be driven by the current prevalence of COVID-19 in the community. (Please review ADE’s Roadmap for Reopening Schools, page 30, for more information.) The protocols that follow do not address whether a district should reopen, but instead include recommendations for mitigating risk once the decision to reopen has been made. The protocols are based on CDC “step” guidelines—specifically, Steps 2 and 3. Step 2 protocols, which include enhanced social distancing measures, should be followed until guidance from Arizona officials indicates that a transition to Step 3 protocols is appropriate.
The following protocols are to be implemented across all district sites. Normal procedures for students who qualify for homebound or chronic ill services will be followed, as will normal procedures for employee requests for reasonable accommodation due to disability.
STAFFING ASSIGNMENTS
At the district level, the public information officer (PIO) Head Teacher will coordinate all messages to students, parents, staff, and the community regarding reopening, possible closure, and other COVID-19-related information. The PIO will ensure that each site has posters with messaging on hand-washing and covering of coughs and sneezes located throughout, along with posters at site entrances reminding individuals not to enter if sick.
At each school or site, a site administrator or designee will coordinate social distancing protocols, including ensuring that student and staff schedules, as well as facility set-up, allow for implementation of the protocols.
At each school or site, the lead janitor Head Teacher will coordinate implementation of cleaning protocols, including ensuring that sufficient cleaning supplies are available to janitorial staff and, as appropriate, students and staff.
At each school, a site administrator, the school nurse, or other designee will coordinate and implement the protocols set forth in the Step Two Protocols: Employees section of this document for screening of staff. That individual will be responsible for communicating any reported case of COVID-19 among the school population to the governing board.
The special education director and 504 coordinator will coordinate with site-based case managers to ensure that the needs of special education students and students with special needs are being met in the context of implementation of these safety protocols.
TRAINING AND COMMUNICATION
Training
Prior to students returning to campus, all staff will be trained on implementation of these protocols. Training will include proper use of PPE and supplies; cleaning and disinfecting; and other measures.
Communication
Prior to students returning to campus, parents will be sent a copy (or directed to review a copy on the district or school website) of the portions of these protocols that relate to students and visitors. As part of this process, the district will send communication to all parents that outlines the symptoms for which parents must screen each morning, as well as the expectation that students will not be sent to school if they are exhibiting any symptoms. The district will require a signed acknowledgement from parents regarding these protocols.
The Head Teacher is the designated COVID-19 point of contact. This person will be responsible for answering parent questions regarding implementation of COVID-19 protocols.
STEP 2 PROTOCOLS: STUDENTS ON CAMPUS
Step 2 protocols are established based on community monitoring that reveals low levels of community spread of COVID-19. These practices are put in place as part of a general scale-up of operations.
Daily Health Screenings
At home
Inform students and parents that students must not come to school if they exhibit any of the following symptoms:
- fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, or chills;
- shortness of breath or difficulty breathing;
- muscle aches;
- sore throat;
- headache;
- fatigue;
- congestion or runny nose;
- cough;
- vomiting;
- diarrhea; or
- new loss of taste or smell.
Also, inform parents via registration documents, on the school website, and via email reminders that they should screen students for the above symptoms each morning, should self-report symptoms, and must keep students at home if any symptoms are present. Assure parents that students will have the opportunity to make up work missed due to symptoms of COVID-19.
At school
Upon arrival at school, each student will proceed directly to the classroom.
A staff member will visually check each student for symptoms. Any student with visible symptoms of runny nose, cough, shortness of breath, or vomiting, will be taken to the health office. Parents may be contacted for pick-up with the following exceptions:
- If the student has a runny nose and the teacher/aide observes that there are no other symptoms, the teacher/aide will contact the parent to inquire as to whether the student has had any other symptoms or there have been any COVID-19 exposures in the home. If not, the student may return to class.
- If the student has health information on file that confirms a diagnosis of asthma or other respiratory condition and the teacher/aide observes that there are no other symptoms, the nurse/health aide will contact the parent to inquire as to whether the student has had any other symptoms or there have been any COVID-19 exposures in the home. If not, the student may return to class.
Enhanced Social Distancing
Basic social distancing practices
Have staff members educate and remind students regularly to maintain at least 6 feet of distance between individuals at all times possible.
Where possible, have students remain with the same groupings and the same staff throughout the day. Consider reducing class sizes as much as possible within the constraints of the number of students enrolled and the physical layout of the school.
Convert non-instructional activity spaces to classrooms if the school site has sufficient teachers to staff those converted classrooms.
Additional social distancing practices (see also this link)
Staggered school attendance. If it becomes necessary due to increased enrollment, assign students to specific attendance schedules, with the remainder of instructional time to be completed through distance learning. Provide each student with the same amount of in-person and distance learning time unless distance learning is not necessary to ensure enhanced social distancing practices in that student’s classroom, or an IEP team has determined that the student’s least restrictive environment is home instruction placement.
If it becomes necessary due to increased enrollment, implement staggered drop-off times so that not all students arrive on campus at the same time. Stagger pick-up times similarly. School administrators should determine the staggered arrival and pick-up times in a way that best meets the individual school’s needs and reduces the number of students in common areas at the same time.
Classroom layout.
If necessary, mark classroom floors with adhesive tape to indicate where individual desks/workspaces will be located.
Position desks 6 feet apart unless that spacing is not possible due to the size of the classroom and the number of students assigned to it. If desks cannot be positioned 6 feet apart, consider requiring cloth face coverings, unless a health condition prohibits this.
Position desks to face the same direction rather than facing each other. Do not use large tables for groups of students unless this is the only option. If this is the case, the district may consider requiring cloth face coverings.
Do not permit students to be physically grouped to work together. Instead, encourage teachers to use technology to facilitate group work and group learning where appropriate for the age, subject, and capabilities of the students.
Communal spaces. Guidelines for specific communal spaces are given below.
Playgrounds:
If enrollment increases, allow no more than one class at a time on playground equipment. Assign classes a specific time slot, with time slots to be scheduled such that there is sufficient time between classroom use that playground equipment can be disinfected before the next group uses it. Encourage teachers to be creative in employing techniques to maintain social distancing during unstructured time. Finally, require teachers and students to wash their hands following activities.
Lunch:
- All lunches are brought from home and eaten in the classroom.
- Prohibit students from sharing lunch items with one another.
- If a student has food allergies, convene a 504 team to discuss appropriate accommodations.
Bathrooms. Permit one student at a time to enter bathroom. Display poster reminding students of proper hand-washing techniques.
Hand Washing
Require all students to wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol at the following times:
- upon arrival at school (use hand sanitizer if there is no sink in the classroom),
- after being outside for physical activity,
- before and after lunch,
- prior to leaving school for home, and
- after sneezing, coughing, or blowing nose.
Cloth Face Coverings
Require students and staff to wear cloth face coverings, subject to the health condition exception stated below,* when physical space does not allow for maintenance of 6 feet of space between individuals. Students will not be required to wear cloth face coverings during physical activities and when social distancing is maintainable, though they may voluntarily wear face coverings at any time.
*Any student who has difficulty breathing or who is incapable of physically removing the face covering on his/her own will not wear cloth face coverings, and alternate methods of protection will be discussed by parents and staff.
Students may bring their own cloth face coverings to and from school. When feasible, schools should also have a supply of face coverings available to provide students who cannot afford or do not have their own. Districts should provide instructions at the beginning of the school year regarding how to wash face coverings and how often.
Note: Cloth face coverings are designed to protect other individuals rather than the individual wearing the covering. Accordingly, the greater number of students wearing cloth face coverings, the greater the overall transmission mitigation that will be achieved.
Student Belongings/Materials
Students will keep belongings at their desks.
Do not permit sharing of school supplies among students. If a school supply or piece of equipment must be shared by students (for instance, a pencil sharpener or blocks/toys), have a staff member wipe down the item with disinfectant after each use.
Trips and Activities
Field trips will be canceled. Have teachers use virtual learning opportunities (such as virtual tours of museums) to enhance students’ educational experiences.
Large-scale school events such as “Back to School Night” or fall carnivals will be cancelled or reconfigured in order to maintain social distancing. Small-scale activities like parent-teacher conferences may take place over the phone or other electronic means. Other extracurricular activities will be cancelled unless the activity can be conducted in compliance with the protocols in this document.
Specialized Classes
Some classes, such as science labs, choir, band, PE, and others, may require alternative lesson plans to limit contact and the sharing of supplies, and to reduce the spread of respiratory droplets.
STEP 2 PROTOCOLS: EMPLOYEES
Step 2 protocols are established based on community monitoring that reveals low levels of community spread of COVID-19. These practices are put in place as part of a general scale-up of operations.
Exposure Assessment and PPE
Prior to allowing employees to report to work, district administration, in conjunction with relevant site supervisors and department supervisors, must assess each work site to determine whether PPE is necessary for specific positions in order to limit the spread of COVID-19. If a position is determined to require PPE, provide the PPE to staff at no cost and train staff on its correct use.
Visitors to School
Limit nonessential visitors and volunteers at school. Do not use parent volunteers in the classroom during the COVID-19 health crisis.
Daily Screening
Do not allow employees to work onsite if they exhibit any of the following symptoms:
- fever of 100.4 and higher or chills,
- shortness of breath or difficulty breathing,
- muscle aches,
- sore throat,
- headache,
- fatigue,
- congestion or runny nose,
- cough,
- vomiting,
- diarrhea, or
- new loss of taste or smell.
Additionally:
Have each employee take his/her temperature at home prior to arriving at work. When the employee arrives at work, have the employee check in with the designated on-site staff person, maintaining at least 6 feet of distance and verbally confirming that their temperature was less than 100.4 degrees when they left home and that they do not have any of the symptoms listed above.
Handwashing
Require employees to wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol at the following times, at minimum:
- upon arrival at school;
- after being outside for student physical activity;
- before and after lunch;
- after sneezing, coughing, or blowing nose; and
- after physical contact with other staff or students.
Enhanced Social Distancing
Require employees to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet between individuals at all times, unless this is not physically possible or, for a student’s safety, less space is required. If a situation arises that requires a staff member to touch a student or another staff member (for instance, if a student requires toileting help, is having a physical emergency, or requires a two-person restraint), have the staff member resume social distancing as soon as safely possible, wash their hands, and disinfect any surfaces they touched.
Cloth Face Coverings
Require staff members to wear cloth face coverings when physical layout does not allow for maintenance of 6 feet of space between individuals, unless they cannot do so for health reasons. In these cases, have employees notify their supervisor and discuss strategies for reducing employee interactions with students or staff and other options for maintaining safety protocols. Have employees contact the district’s ADA coordinator or their direct supervisor to request a reasonable accommodation and begin the interactive process if they cannot safely wear a face covering. Permit staff members to remove face coverings if the staff member is alone in his/her work area.
Note: Wearing cloth face coverings does not replace the need to maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet whenever possible.
Cleaning and Disinfecting
Arrange for daily cleaning and disinfecting of all frequently touched surfaces in work areas, such as door handles, sink handles, drinking fountains, desks, and learning tools. The playground, sports equipment, and any other shared items (if they are being used) must be cleaned between uses by groups of students.
Inform staff that they are expected to clean and disinfect workspaces when they arrive at work and just before leaving work.
STEP 3 PROTOCOLS: STUDENTS ON CAMPUS
Introduction
Step 3 protocols are established based on community monitoring that reveals even lower levels of community spread of COVID-19 than in Step 2. Consult with local health officials for guidance. When a district, or a specific school site, progresses to Step 3, the Step 2 protocols should remain in place with the following exceptions:
Social Distancing
Introduction
Social distancing protocols may be relaxed somewhat during Step 3. Staff members should continue to educate and regularly remind students to maintain 6 feet of distance between individuals at all times possible. However, increased social interaction among classes is permissible.
Note: Nonessential visitors and volunteers at school may continue to be prohibited. If volunteers and visitors to school are permitted, they should be limited in number and must agree to adhere to the district’s social distancing and other protocols.
Drop-off/Pick-up procedures
If schools adopted staggered drop-off and pick-up times with specific time slots assigned to families, they may revert to a single drop-off/pick-up window for all families. If schools adopted a drop-off/pick-up process with a prohibition on parents getting out of the car, this may be lifted.
Communal spaces
Playgrounds. Permit classes to have staggered use time on playground equipment. Assign no more than two classes to a specific time slot, and schedule time slots such that there is sufficient time between classroom use for disinfection of the playground equipment.
Lunch: Lunch will remain the same.
Trips and Activities
Field trips that can comply with the protocols in this document will be permitted only if the area to be visited is at a Step 3 of community mitigation. Teachers should continue to use virtual learning opportunities (such as virtual tours of museums) to enhance students’ educational experiences.
PROCEDURES FOR COVID-19 SYMPTOMS OR A POSITIVE TEST
If a person becomes sick with COVID-19 symptoms or reports a positive COVID-19 test, the procedures listed below should be followed:
- Immediately report the situation to Head Teacher ONLY. Confidentiality must be maintained to the greatest extent possible.
- If an employee develops COVID-19 symptoms at work, separate the employee from all other students, staff, or visitors, then make arrangements to send the employee home in a safe manner. If the employee is able to self-transport, have the employee leave the site. If the employee is not able to safely self-transport, contact a family member, friend, or other method of transport to get the employee home or to a health care provider. If the employee appears to be in medical distress, call 911.
- If a student develops COVID-19 symptoms at school, separate the student from all other students and staff, with the exception of one staff member to supervise the student. Have this staff member wear PPE or a cloth face covering and maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from the student at all times, unless there is an emergency. Immediately notify a parent or emergency contact to pick up the student, and call 911 if the student appears to be in medical distress.
- Close off any areas that were exposed to the symptomatic employee or student for a prolonged period. Wait 24 hours before cleaning and disinfecting those areas. During that time, if feasible, open windows or outside doors to increase air circulation. After 24 hours, thoroughly clean and disinfect all surfaces in the area, per CDC guidelines.
- Determine whether other employees or students may have been exposed to the symptomatic individual within 6 feet and for a prolonged period of time (typically longer than 15 minutes). If so, notify those individuals (or, in the case of students, their parents) of the potential exposure. DO NOT disclose the name of the individual who has become sick. Notification should recommend that exposed individuals monitor their health closely, contact their health care provider if possible, and self-quarantine if any symptoms develop.
- Employees or students who have developed COVID-19 symptoms or had a positive COVID-19 test may not return to the site until either of the following two scenarios has occurred:
Scenario one
- At least 3 days (72 hours) have passed since recovery, which is defined as: (a) resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications; and (b) improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and
- At least 10 days have passed since the first symptoms emerged.
OR
Scenario two
- There has been a resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications; and
- There has been improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and
- The individual has received negative results of an FDA emergency-use-authorized COVID-19 molecular assay for detection of the virus that causes COVID-19 from at least two consecutive respiratory specimens collected ≥ 24 hours apart (total of two negative specimens).