COVID-19 Plan: Thomas Edison Charter School
This plan is for the yellow phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Utah
This plan is for the yellow phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Utah
This health and safety plan was developed to help give direction and an outline to all TECS faculty, staff, and our families regarding best practices for student safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. The intent is to give as much detail as possible for all involved to focus on student safety and help create a positive, safe learning environment for our students as well as faculty and staff.
Communication and Training
-All teachers and aides will have initial training on our protocols in our beginning of year teacher/aide training in August. Teachers and aides will be apprised of “yellow status” expectations via this document, through email communication, weekly faculty/aide meetings and individual communication as needed.
-Parent communication will occur via our Edison Express that is emailed to all TECS families. We will also have texts to send out reminders to either read the Edison Express or for short messages. Social media will have specific updates as needed. Teachers will also communicate with parents on individual class needs through newsletters, blogs, websites and email.
-Melani Kirk (principal) will be the point of contact for all parents with questions or concerns regarding COVID-19 and TECS.
Overview
Thomas Edison’s plan is to run a full school day, five days a week. This plan was designed to help us successfully navigate the school year during COVID-19. The following principles will be addressed: temperature checking students as they enter the building, social distancing, sanitization, using protective equipment, reducing the number of students in classrooms, and accommodating students that are immunocompromised or have family members that are.
Temperature Checking
-As students enter the school each day, they will be temperature checked by an adult as they come through the doors. Temperature checking will begin at 7:45am and end at all doors except the front door at 8:09. At this time doors will be locked by our custodian, and entry will only be allowed through the front doors.
-It is advised that parents temperature check students each day before sending them to school. This will help prevent the spread of illness, but can also avoid the need to come back to school to pick up a student with a temperature.
-Visitors to the school are allowed, but will be required to have their temperature checked and wear a face mask/shield.
Social Distancing
-No morning greeting: Elementary students will go straight to their classroom, put their items away and be seated. They may read or talk quietly (at their desks) with other students until 8:09 when teachers will hold morning greeting in their rooms. Middle school students will go straight to their homework class. Morning Greeting will be held in their homework class where they will check out their Chromebook for the day. Students will have 5 minutes for Morning Greeting/Chromebook check out and will then rotate to first period at 8:14am. First period will begin at 8:17am.
-Classroom Set up: Where possible, student desks will be placed as close to 6 feet apart as possible. Students will place backpacks, jackets and lunches in a separate cubby or locker. Community use of any classroom items will be avoided as much as possible. When items are shared, students will sanitize or wash hands as well as the equipment. Per our charter and our curriculum, we are a direct instruction school. The majority of our class time students are seated, facing forward and working at their own desk. Group work will either be eliminated or done in small groups with students wearing masks.
-Lunch: Students will be divided by grade levels with no more than one grade level (less than 90 students) in the cafeteria at the same time. While one grade level of students will be seated every other seat in the cafeteria, the other grade level that is typically assigned to eat in the cafeteria at the same time, will eat in their classrooms. Grade levels will rotate eating in the cafeteria and eating in the classroom throughout the week.
-Back to School Night: To properly social distance at Back to School Night, we will have a sign up sent out for families to come at a specific time. Elementary classes will run six rotations for students and middle school will run three rotations.
-Hallways: Elementary students, as is typical of our normal practices, will walk in straight lines, facing forward, with little or no talking. Students will wear masks in the hallway and when using the restroom. During middle school transitions, students will be walking in one way patterns. The hallway will be divided by a barrier and students will leave classrooms walking one way only. It is also our practice that students only have three-minute hallway transitions (this short time will help eliminate student exposure due to excessive talking or contact).
-Recess: The playground will be divided into 3 sections. Students will be limited as to which section they are allowed to play. This will limit the number of students in each area to keep social distancing. Students will wear masks at recess. Students will have the opportunity to rotate through all recess areas to have equal access to playground equipment etc.
-Assemblies: We will not hold Morning Greeting in the gym during the “yellow” status. We will also not hold assemblies as a whole school. Unnecessary assemblies will be cancelled. Any necessary assemblies will be divided out so that social distancing can occur.
-Physical Education: Students in PE will wear masks for a portion of the class and will have the option to take masks off for other portions of PE. When social distancing is possible and individual equipment can be used, students will not be required to wear masks. PE teachers will be conscientious of activities that raise the heart rate and increase breathing and would make it uncomfortable or dangerous for students to wear their mask.
Sanitization
-There will be a hand sanitizer station at the front of the building as well as hand sanitizer in each classroom. Students will be required to sanitize their hands each time they enter and exit the room. The importance of washing hands before and after using the restroom will be emphasized. Students will also be taught to avoid touching their face as much as possible. We are asking that parents donate as much hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes as they are able. This will help keep consistent cleaning practices ongoing.
-Employees and students will need to wash or sanitize hands before entering the school at the start of each day and as they exit the classrooms at the end of the day.
-Shared materials: Elementary students will share materials as little as possible. When it is required to share items, they will be sanitized before another student uses the same item. This same protocol will be in place for middle school students. One major change for them is that instead of using a different Chromebook in each class, they will go to their homework room first thing in the morning, check out a Chromebook and carry the Chromebook with them throughout the day. Students end the day in homework room where they will sanitize and check their Chromebook back in.
-Facility Sanitization: All faculty, staff and students will play a part in keeping our building clean and sanitized. Beyond the extra focus on hand washing and hand sanitizer, students will sanitize their desk (at the least) at the end of every day.
-Only refilling stations will be available, no drinking fountain areas will be open. Students will need to bring a water bottle to school.
-Custodians will clean restrooms with a pressure washer containing disinfectant every day. Restrooms will also be cleaned and sanitized throughout the day.
Face Masks (Personal Protective Equipment PPE)
-Per Governor Herbert’s mandate, everyone that enters the building will be required to wear a face mask.
-Teachers and aides will monitor students and assist them in properly wearing and maintaining face coverage with their mask.
-Face masks do not need to be dress code. However, if a student’s face mask design becomes a distraction, parents may be notified and asked to have their student wear a solid-colored face mask. Please steer clear of any wording or questionable pictures or prints.
-Parents are responsible to send their student to school with a clean, sanitary and properly fitted face mask each day. Please send your student to school with the mask they are wearing and at least one extra mask. The school will have a small supply of disposable masks for students that have emergencies with their masks and do not have an extra one.
Reducing the Number of Students in the Classroom
-TECS South currently has class sizes ranging from 22-28. With our live stream learning option for immunocompromised students or those choosing this avenue, our class sizes will be even smaller. We will separate desks and chairs as far apart as possible. Individual class sizes will vary and teachers will do their best to socially distance students in their classrooms.
Immunocompromised Students/Families/Employees
-TECS families with individual students or family members that are immunocompromised will be given the option to live stream our academic program. This will enable students to experience our full program to the greatest extent possible. Student academic expectations, assignments, tests and homework will be similar to their peers attending in person. Teachers will work, as much as possible, to make learning as equally interactive for online students as those attending in person. *If the CDC moves our school to red or orange status, TECS South will continue teaching students via live stream. This will be the smoothest transition between in school learning and online learning.
-TECS students and families that contract COVID-19 will still have the opportunity to participate in live stream as much as they are able. Teachers will work with individuals to help them work through their specific academics in order to give them the best learning opportunity for their circumstances. This is not designed for students to “bounce back and forth” between online and at school learning. Parents will need to make a decision and be consistent for each grading period. (Obvious exceptions will apply).
-Teachers that are high risk will be given opportunities to set up classrooms that make it conducive to teach from a distance. Tape can be drawn for social distancing and where needed, and available, an aide can be working with students on a more individual basis.
-Employees contracting the virus will be required to stay home. Accommodations may be made on an individual basis.