Part I – COVID-19 Response Plan



2020-2021Elgin/New Leipzig Public SchoolSmart Restart HandbookMission StatementThe Elgin/New Leipzig Public School will provide a positive and safe environment that promotes lifelong learning to all individualsParents/Guardians of Elgin/New Leipzig Schools, We are entering the 2020-2021 school year under unusual situations and therefore have created a document that will address the concerns we may experience with COVID-19 being a constant in our lives. It is in the benefit of the staff and children attending Elgin/New Leipzig Schools that the guidelines and recommendations found in the document be followed and practiced at home and at school. It is our intent to not have staff or students' contract COVID-19, but even the best intentions may not prevent someone from being exposed or contracting the virus.The COVID-19 committee has tried to address all questions concerning school and activities in the school, but not every question or hypothetical instance can be answered. Stay current with updates to the school’s website and read newsletters sent home with your child.We look forward to a productive and safe school year for all entities involved in the education of your children – our students. If you have questions, comments, or concerns, please address them with the COVID-19 coordinator, Mr. Daniel Ludvigson, Superintendent of our school system. Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Part I – COVID-19 Response Plan PAGEREF _Toc46743588 \h 4COVID-19 Committee Members PAGEREF _Toc46743589 \h 4Smart Restart Beginning of Year Assessment PAGEREF _Toc46743590 \h 4Part II – Positive or Close Contact PAGEREF _Toc46743591 \h 5Positive Cases PAGEREF _Toc46743592 \h 6Close Contact Definition PAGEREF _Toc46743593 \h 7Part III – Communication and Training PAGEREF _Toc46743594 \h 7Face Mask Wearing Guidance PAGEREF _Toc46743595 \h 8Part IV – Hygiene and Cleaning PAGEREF _Toc46743596 \h 8Protect Yourself and Others PAGEREF _Toc46743597 \h 8Wash your hands often PAGEREF _Toc46743598 \h 8Social Distancing PAGEREF _Toc46743599 \h 9Additional Safety Measures PAGEREF _Toc46743600 \h 9Other Concerns PAGEREF _Toc46743601 \h 10Part V - Health & Safety Protocols PAGEREF _Toc46743602 \h 10Determining Color Status PAGEREF _Toc46743603 \h 10Monitoring Strategies PAGEREF _Toc46743604 \h 10Process for Identifying those Vulnerable to COVID-19 PAGEREF _Toc46743605 \h 10Communications PAGEREF _Toc46743606 \h 10Part VI – Color Specific Protocols PAGEREF _Toc46743607 \h 11Green/Blue Phase Smart Restart PAGEREF _Toc46743608 \h 11Yellow Phase Smart Restart PAGEREF _Toc46743609 \h 11Orange/Red Smart Restart PAGEREF _Toc46743610 \h 12Part I – COVID-19 Response PlanCOVID-19 Committee MembersDaniel Ludvigson - Superintendent, Elementary Principal and COVID-19 CoordinatorTerry Bentz – High School Principal and Athletic DirectorRoxann Tietz – Title I CoordinatorMike Mayer – Technology Coordinator and Business instructorSharon Klein – English and Foreign Language instructor and COVID-19 RecorderNicole Bentz – 5th Grade Math instructor and 5th Grade Classroom instructorErica Larson – 5th Grade Classroom instructor and Middle School Science instructorBridget Winkler – Public Health Representative and ParentSadie Brackel – School Board member, Registered Nurse and ParentBryon Rosene – Paraprofessional and Assistant CustodianCarrie Gerving – Nurse Practitioner and Chief Operating Officer for Jacobson Memorial Hospital and Care Center (JMHCC)Smart Restart Beginning of Year AssessmentWithin the first four weeks of school starting, all students be accessed using NWEA and STARS to determine where they are at academically; as per mandate by DPI. Our school’s MTSS system will be utilized to put supports into place to address learning needs that are revealed during this testing. Our MTSS handbook can be found on our school’s website.Part II – Positive or Close ContactDefinitionsIsolation – For people who are already sick from the virus. A prevention strategy used to separate people who are sick with the virus from healthy people.Quarantine – For people who are not sick but have been exposed to the virus. A prevention strategy used to monitor people who were exposed for a period of time.Elgin/New Leipzig Public School will follow isolation and quarantine guidelines and directives as set by the NDDoH and Custer Health.Positive CasesCases in the State but Not County: The North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH) does not recommend school closures if cases are not occurring in your community. The School will follow CDC guidance regarding preparing for COVID-19.Cases in Your Community but Not Your School: The NDDoH does not recommend school closures if the ongoing spread is not identified in your school. There is One Case in the School: If there is a COVID-19 case in your school, the NDDoH will notify the facility. If a school is made aware of a COVID-19 case before being contacted by the NDDoH, please report the case to the NDDoH at 1-800-472-2180 or 701-328-2378. The confirmed case of COVID-19 must be excluded (isolation period) from school for ten days after onset of symptoms (if no symptoms, then exclusion is ten days after collection date of test) and be fever free for 24 hours (without the use of fever reducing medications) and have improvement of symptoms, whichever is longer. The NDDoH will provide guidance to the school and the case or case’s parents/guardians. Close contacts to a confirmed case of COVID-19 will be quarantined (must stay home) for 14 days from their last exposure to a case. A close contact is defined as someone who is within six feet of a confirmed case for 15 minutes or greater. It may also be someone who is directly coughed on or exposed to a case’s secretions. Close contacts will be identified by the NDDoH during the investigation. In a school setting, close contacts to a case are often friends, teammates, classmates sitting next to, in front of, or behind the case, and potentially children in the same room as a case. This may mean that certain classrooms in a school have to be closed for 14 calendar days. If a case occurs in staff or children who are in multiple classrooms, then this may mean a higher number of close contacts have to be excluded from school for 14 calendar days.There are Two or More Cases in the School: Specific classrooms or grades may have to close if additional cases occur in a school. Public health (NDDoH or local public health) will provide guidance as to when a school should close. Schools may also make this determination based on the availability of staffing or level of absenteeism. There is/are Close Contacts in Your School: Children or staff who are identified as close contacts to a confirmed case of COVID-19 must be excluded from the school (quarantine) until 14 calendar days after their last known exposure to the case. Close contacts will be identified by the NDDoH and informed to stay home. Even if a close contact tests negative during their 14-day quarantine period, the contact must complete the 14-day quarantine period. It can take up to 14 days to develop COVID-19. If a parent or other household member tests positive, the child must stay out of school for the case’s isolation period (10 calendar days from onset) plus the child’s quarantine period (14 calendar days). Public health authorities will advise the parent as to how long the child will need to be removed from school. If a parent is a contact to someone confirmed to be positive for COVID-19 (case), then the child may still attend school if the child did not have direct contact to a case. more. Ill Employees or Children in Your School: In addition to general infectious disease exclusion criteria, schools should exclude ill employees or children who meet the following criteria: Fever of 100.4° F OR two or more symptoms of fatigue, headache, muscle/body aches, chills, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, congestion/runny nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain OR loss of taste and/or smell. Employees and children need to be excluded until either (1) tested negative for COVID19 OR (2) diagnosed by a health care provider with another illness that does not require exclusion OR (3) for 10 days from onset AND fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medications) AND symptoms are improving, whichever is longer.Close Contact DefinitionA close contact is defined as someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to positive specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated. Close contacts must be quarantined for 14 days from their last exposure to a confirmed case of COVID-19. Symptomatic close contacts should be referred to a health care provider for testing. Asymptomatic close contacts should be tested, ideally 7 – 10 days after last exposure to a confirmed case of COVID-19. The following list of potential close contacts to a confirmed case of COVID-19 is not all inclusive. Additional individuals may be considered close contacts depending on the setting, type of contact, or situation.Children sitting in desks in front of, behind, or next to the confirmed case. Children sitting at the same table as the confirmed case. If children are cohorted or in pods, then the entire cohort or pod. Children eating lunch at the same table as the confirmed case. Children participating in extracurricular activities with the confirmed case. Children participating in close contact sports or physical education with the confirmed case. Children participating in choir or band with the confirmed case. Staff who are in close contact, as defined by CDC, with a confirmed case. If children routinely mix/interact with each other in the classroom setting, then the entire classroom will be considered close contacts. Children sitting next to, in front of, or behind a case on a bus.Children carpooling to school with a case. Family members living in the same household as a case. If unable to identify close contacts of a case in a classroom or other (gym, dining hall, sporting venues, etc.) setting, the school will send out alerts to others in the same classroom to watch for symptoms and contact a health care provider if symptoms develop.Part III – Communication and TrainingThe COVID-19 Response Plan will be discussed with staff at the August 11, 2020, required in-service. Staff and students will be trained in the proper wearing and caring of cloth masks. Informational resources will be provided to parentsFace Mask Wearing GuidanceBlue/New NormalSTAFFPPEAll staffEncouraged to wear cloth face coverings when social distancing is not possible or practical.All studentsEncouraged to wear cloth face coverings when social distancing is not possible or practical.Bus driversEncouraged to wear when loading and unloading when social distancing is not possible or practical.Students on BusesMaybe Required and are Encouraged to wear a cloth face mask depending on the circumstance.Public facing staff (i.e. receptionist/clerical). a plexiglass partition will be in place.Encouraged face shield or cloth face mask when social distancing is not possible or practical.Staff caring for/instructing a student in a small space – small group – for more than 15 minutes, (i.e. Nurse, SPED, EL, educator.Building administration in consultation with Public Health and the educator will determine if face coverings or face shields are required. This may be influenced by instructional and learning needs of the student and health consideration of all occupants in the room.Yellow/Moderate RiskAll staffRequired to wear a cloth face covering when social distancing is not possible.All studentsRequired to wear a face mask on buses and in school buildings when social distancing is not possible. Part IV – Hygiene and CleaningThe school district will continue to provide a healthy and safe environment for all who enter the school. The following are health and safety guidelines for the district during the COVID-19 pandemic. One should keep in mind that despite every foreseeable precaution, there is no guarantee that the school will be without risk as related to COVID-19. The virus may be present, but every effort will be made to prevent it from spreading. The precautions will not prevent any student or staff member from being in contact with the virus at some point in time. It is important that all entities follow the guidelines for continued health and safety.Protect Yourself and Others Wash your hands oftenWash with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.Wash hands before eating, after using the restroom, after recess/gym/music or areas where student will have shared materials.If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.Students are encouraged to wash their hands often throughout the day.Facial coverings will be worn when necessary.Every classroom will have hand disinfectant, Clorox wipes, and other necessary cleaning supplies.The drinking portion of the water fountain will be disabled; however, students will be able to fill their water bottle from the provided space.Janitorial staff will be responsible for deep cleaning the school based on current CDC guidelines.Busses will be equipped with a plexiglass partition on the back of the driver’s seat.Bus drivers will be supplied with cleaning supplies and will be responsible for cleaning their buses after running each route. Face masks will be made available on the bus.Activity bus drivers will follow the above protocol. If social distancing is not possible on the bus, masks will be recommended. Face masks will be on the puters, laptops, iPads, and other electronic devices will be cleaned after each use. Social Distancing Avoid close contactKeep social distance from others is especially important for people who are at higher risk of becoming sick.Alternate or modified schedules, adjustments to use of common areas, use of outdoor spaces and other actions that increase physical separation may be considered.The sharing of instruction materials should be limited as much as possible.Physical separation on busing, one student per seat or family members sitting together will be recommended but cannot be guaranteed. In those instances, a mask is encouraged.Entry to school buildings, by visitors will be restricted to essential visitors only. Entrance to the school will be through the high school entrance only. No one will be allowed by the front office without the permission of the building principal.Visitors will answer questions about COVID-19 to determine potential risk.Parents/Guardians may accompany their child to school but are encouraged not to enter the school building or wait in the school for their child to be dismissed from the classroom. Items that are brought to the school for the child will be placed on a table in the front office and the child will be notified to retrieve the items. Additional Safety MeasuresWeather permitting, classes may meet outside on the school property.Weather permitting, secondary students may eat lunch outside.The lunchroom will have adequate tables to provide social distancing when the students must stay indoors.Food will be provided in a manner that minimizes the risk of cross contamination (i.e. individually wrapped sandwiches). Other ConcernsAbsences by students with a confirmed case of COVID-19 will be excused.No perfect attendance recognition will be given this year.Staff diagnosed with a case of COVID-19 will be allowed to use the days as provided to stay in quarantine.Part V - Health & Safety ProtocolsDetermining Color StatusThe Governor in consultation with the North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH) will make the determination if and when the state or a specific county may change colors. (see Color-Coded Health Guidance System on pg 14)Determining the Color of Grant County: Currently, North Dakota’s K12 Smart Restart will follow what is identified at the state level. If the state adjusts from a statewide color to a county color, communication will occur among the NDDoH, NDDPI, and the Governor’s Office and Local Public Health will be informed. The NDDoH in coordination with Local Public Health will provide updated information to school districts if this occurs. Monitoring StrategiesThe “Before School!” (see sample in Sources) checklist for will be sent home regularly for parents to screen their own children, along with additional informationStudents having a fever of 100.4 or higher will be immediately isolated and sent homeTeachers will use the “Before School!” (see sample in Sources) checklist daily to screen their classes as a whole group for potential COVID-19 exposureAny students showing potential symptoms of COVID-19 or otherwise ill will be sent homeStaff members with symptoms related to COVID-19 will take a COVID-19 screeningAbsenteeism will be monitored by central staff and Public Health informed if there is a high percentageProcess for Identifying those Vulnerable to COVID-19Encourage Staff and Students through multiple communications with a medically diagnosis vulnerability to COVID-19 to inform the district officeStaff will monitor their own health and make a report to the office if potentially illCommunicationsBlackboard connect will be used for emergency announcementsA mailing(s) will be provided to parents of students providing information about COVID-19 and how to practice safe habitsIf a case of potential COVID-19 is identified, inform Public Health immediately. Any announcements preceding this will be made within legal guidelines and in conjunction with Public Health.The central office will document temperature checks (without names) and contacts related to COVID-19The COVID-19 coordinator will release any official communications regarding COVID-19 to news outlets.Part VI – Color Specific ProtocolsGreen/Blue Phase Smart RestartPriorities: Ensure students and staff who are symptomatic stay at home. Implement reasonable accommodations to reduce school-wide and community spread.ClassroomsSchool will begin under COVID-19 protocols as discussed in this document.Teachers will incorporate online tools into their regular instructionRooms will be structured to allow for social distancing as is practicalThe sharing of materials will be limitedCommon AreasLimit interacting of different groups during passing timeWear facial coverings if social distancing cannot be utilized.Stagger schedules where appropriate to limit close contactHallways will use rules similar to the rules of the highway, stay to the right and don’t walk in groupsYellow Phase Smart RestartIn addition to those strategies implemented in the green phase:Priorities: Maximize social distancing cohorts where possibleImplement individual COVID-19 Learning Plans for those students with a vulnerability to COVID-19 who wish to receive instruction using an alternative delivery method.School-WideClosures up to 78 hours may be utilized to investigate potential COVID-19 cases within school in conjunction with Public HealthTargeted closures may be utilized based in specific situations (such as certain grade levels)Social distancing will be used where possible and reasonableIncreased cleaning of high touch/traffic areasHand sanitizer available through the buildingProvide parent training on use of distance learning toolsClassroomsSocial distancing will be maximized where possibleClassroom cohorts will remain separated as much as Handwashing integrated throughout the dayThe sharing of materials will be limitedCommon AreasLimit interacting of different groups during passing timeWear facial coverings if social distancing cannot be utilized.Stagger schedules where appropriate to limit close contactOrange/Red Smart RestartPriorities: Reduce the risk of community spread by closing schoolsAcademics & ActivitiesImplement ENL Distance Learning PlanAll in person group gatherings and athletics will be canceledBuilding AccessAccess restricted to critical staff only, all other staff work from homeBoard Meetings will take place over Microsoft TeamsServicesMeals will be provided for pick-upAn academic hotline will be provided using intervention staffThe District will work with local internet providers to ensure Wii-Fi access for all studentsEach student will be provided a device for distance learningColor-Coded Health Guidance System Each level of guidance after red becomes progressively less restrictive. Every level protects public health and outlines the necessary mitigation strategies. Each level is guided by a rigorous measurement system, based on criteria such as the number of cases reported, positivity rates, testing capacity, hospital capacity, occurrence of point-source outbreaks, level of community spread, vulnerable populations affected and ability to protect, the availability of personal protection equipment (PPE), etc. North Dakotans should think of the guidance system as a dial that can be turned up or down by area based on the health risk. Red / Critical Risk is the level with the highest disease burden and level of significant and uncontrolled community transmission, multiple outbreaks resulting in increased deaths, surge capacity of hospitals are threatened and there is lack of adequate PPE supplies available for healthcare workers. The most significant mitigation strategies are implemented at the Red / Critical Risk level. Orange / High Risk is the level of significant transmission and high risk for exposure due to widespread community spread of infections. There are significant mitigation strategies emphasizing “Stay Home. Stay Healthy. Stay Connected.” Only essential travel and essential workforce, adherence to strict social distancing guidance, increased cleaning and disinfecting of bathrooms and high touch surfaces. Yellow / Moderate Risk is the level of heightened exposure risk and transmission is controlled in these areas. Cases are reported but contained by rapid testing and robust contact tracing. Moderate social distancing and precautions are needed. Increased cleaning on high-touch surfaces and cleanings on shared spaces should be routine. Shared surfaces will be more frequently cleaned and disinfected. Case-based interventions will actively identify and isolate people with the disease and their contacts. All vulnerable individuals should continue to self-isolate and avoid large groups in public places. Those who are sick will be asked to stay home and seek testing for COVID-19. Green / Low Risk for exposure or transmission, low case counts are reported, public health and private healthcare are ND Smart Restart able to safely diagnose, treat, and isolate COVID-19 cases and their contacts. Some physical distancing measures and limitations on gatherings will still be recommended to prevent transmission from accelerating again. For older adults (those over age 65), those with underlying health conditions, and other populations at heightened risk from COVID-19, continuing to limit time in the community will be important. State and community leaders should prepare health alerts, communicate risk and symptoms, review plans, prepare for public health capacity if needed for spikes in cases. Blue / New Normal is when most normal activity can resume, with standard precautions and awareness of health guidelines such as routine hand washing, stay home when sick, cover your cough, education, stockpiling, planning, routine health alerts, etc. Monitoring for illness and outbreaks will continue. Even under new normal conditions, those found to be ill will be asked to self-isolate and contacts will be asked to remain at home. ................
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