Safety Precautions and Screening
Safety Precautions
The following is a summary of safety precautions that will be implemented for the 2020-21 school year.
We will discontinue large gatherings/activities and limit non-essential visitors/volunteers/external groups.
Classroom seating charts will be created according to state guidelines. Small groups will be limited and only held with protective measures in place. Student pedestrian patterns and classrooms will be adjusted to provide social distancing to the greatest degree possible. Classroom supplies will not be shared.
Seat assignments will be created for students. Bus drop-off and pick-up times may be staggered by a few minutes in order to minimize groups of students at arrival and dismissal. Watch our Bus Procedures video. Seating will be organized into pods to separate cohorts.
Per the governor’s executive order, face coverings are required for all students, staff and other persons present in any PLSAS building or vehicle. Exemptions will be allowed according to the governor’s order. Preschoolers under the age of 5 are not required to wear face coverings. Staff, students and parents/guardians are welcomed and encouraged to supply and wear their own face coverings. Masks will be provided to those who do not have their own. Staff/adults will wear a mask and face shield when interacting with or around students. For staff, two mitigation strategies must always be used. If staff, coaches or advisors during the school day, during co-curricular activities and members of outside user groups cannot tolerate wearing both mask and face shield barriers for an extended period of time, they have the option to remove the face shield if and only when an additional mitigation strategy is added. Additional mitigation strategies include:
- Maintaining a consistent 6 feet of social distance from students
- Adding a clear plexiglass barrier between adults and students
- Wearing a second mask
Students are expected to wash hands or use hand sanitizer throughout the day, especially before meals. Hand sanitizer will be provided at each school.
A clear plexiglass barrier will be available in each classroom. Staff may choose to use this barrier when they need to be within 6 feet with students for an extended period of time (small group and individual instruction).
Drinking fountains will be turned off with only the water bottle filling option available. Water bottles or cups may be used.
Meals, snacks, and beverages served at school will be individually packaged or will be served directly to students. As always, we will ensure the safety of children with food allergies. PLSAS will discontinue self-service food and beverage distribution in the cafeteria. There will be limited use of high-touch areas such as keypads. Six-foot social distancing is required when utilizing the cafeteria and cohorts must be separated. If social distancing is not possible, lunch will occur in the classroom.
Enhanced cleaning and sanitizing schedules have been implemented in all schools, including frequent sanitizing of high-touch surfaces such as desks, tables, light switches and more. You’ll see clear barriers in offices at the first point of contact, new signage and areas that have been redesigned to promote social distancing. Hand sanitizer will be provided in common and public spaces, and in classrooms that do not have hand-washing sinks.
Heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) building systems have been assessed and maintained for proper ventilation and filtration. Systems are continuously evaluated and maintained to ensure healthy indoor air quality that meets industry standards.
Staff and visitors will participate in a daily COVID-19 self-screening (series of questions) prior to being allowed entry to a building. Parents will be required to perform a daily COVID-19 check on student/s.
COVID-19 SELF-SCREENING
Staff and visitors must participate in a daily COVID-19 self-screening (series of questions). When Hybrid or In-Person learning models are in place, parents/guardians are to perform a daily COVID-19 check on their student(s) to determine if their child can attend school. At the start of the school year, parents/guardians were asked to complete a form to acknowledge they will perform the COVID-19 Student Daily Return to School Checklist for their child each day. Please note that the checklist is subject to change, per updates from public health officials.
- What if my child feels sick at school?
- Safety Information and Training
- COVID-19 Decision Tree for Schools
- COVID-19 Attendance Guide for Parents and Families