September Newsletter with COVID Updates
I would like to provide you with a few updates regarding the start of the school year, especially in relation to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and what we are offering in terms of our education program this fall.
First of all, I hope that all of you and your families are safe and healthy. It continues to be a stressful time for everyone. We are all having to adjust our lives to the “new normal,” as they say.
This week New Hope’s staff has been meeting to go over our plans as we approach the revised start date of Tuesday, Sept. 8. Our goal has been to continue to offer the best education program possible while safeguarding the health of all of our staff and families.
COVID-19 POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
In July we sent to you our tentative policies and procedures in dealing with COVID-19. This was compiled after close examination of CDC guidelines regarding the re-opening of schools as well as the New Jersey Department of Education’s The Road Back: Restart and Recovery Plan for Education. These policies and procedures were revised this past week and have been attached to this message with any changes in bold lettering.
Keep in mind the main factors in preventing the spread of the coronavirus: screening, hand hygiene, social distancing, face coverings, and that symptomatic individuals remain home. In keeping with this last point, students with any signs of respiratory illness or flu-like symptoms should stay home. In general, we ask that all families observe preventative practices to the best of their ability so that everyone in our school community will remain safe and healthy.
Mrs. Karen Beebe will be our COVID Response Coordinator, the point person to deal with any questions or issues involving our COVID policies and procedures. She may be reached by email at kbeebe54@yahoo.com or cell phone at 862-400-0087. The school's pandemic response will be evaluated on a monthly basis and we will be in consultation with local public health and education officials regularly to determine the need to adjust our education program. If there is a determination to close the school, you will be notified by text and email after which our status will be reassessed on a weekly basis.
Although it is not mandated, parents may want to have themselves and/or their children tested for the coronavirus in order to assure themselves and others that they are virus-free. Parents will be expected to notify the school if any immediate family member travels out of state, especially to those areas with continued high transmission rates of COVID-19.
Finally, parents or other family members will be asked, out of concern for the safety of the entire school community, to not enter the building unless absolutely necessary. If you need to do so, please call the office ahead of time so that our office manager Ms. Josephine knows to expect you. At the end of the school day, we ask that parents wait outside to receive their children. You may notify either the office or your child’s teacher that you are waiting outside. This year, if your child is not in aftercare, you may pick him/her up anytime between 2:45-3:15 pm.
EDUCATION PROGRAM
According to the results of our survey, about two-third of students plan to be in the classroom starting September while about one-third will be at home. To accommodate the latter group, we have been in consultation with Marco Technologies to install enhanced audio-visual equipment in our classrooms so that students at home will be able to attend classes and engage in classwork as easily as those physically in the classroom. Due to the high demand across the country for such technology, this system will not be fully operational until the middle of September. We ask that parents patiently bear with us as we get this new system up and running. In the meantime, teachers will attempt to include at-home students using our current technology.
Students tuning in virtually will be expected to complete the same work as those physically in the classroom. This means that they will be expected to be present at the same classes as their classmates at the school. It will be the parents’ responsibility to be sure that their children are “in” the classroom on time and participating with the other students to be counted as “present.” The class schedule will be sent to these parents before school starts on Sept. 8. Teachers will be in touch with such parents as to where and how to connect virtually. Please address any further questions to your children’s teachers.
One-on-one virtual instruction at a cost of $20 per hour will be set up starting Monday, Sept. 21 for those parents who requested it.
COMMUNICATION
In addition to our TeacherEase platform for communication with parents by email, we will be using Remind this year in order to communicate more accessible text messages to the whole community, such as school closings due to snow conditions or COVID-related issues, or to specific parents regarding their children’s situations. In the next few days, you will be asked to opt into this system. Look for this on your cell phone.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read through this. We deeply appreciate your support of the school as we work through all the challenges facing us during this time as we seek to re-open and continue offering your children quality education as the foundation of a successful and happy life.
In addition, this year at the end of our newsletter we will add a link to the monthly Parent Institute newsletter “Helping Children Learn”, which offers tips for families to use to help their children do better in school. Please go here: http://www.parent-institute.com/nl/newsletter.php?X02540489-13204-HCL1.
God bless you all! Let’s have a great year together.
Dr. Beebe
Cleaning, Sanitizing, Disinfecting, and Ventilation
Requirements: * Cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting, and ventilating learning spaces, surfaces, and any other areas used by students
ServPro will perform a deep cleaning of the building before the beginning of school.
Frequently touched surfaces will be cleaned and disinfected before students enter the building and then several times a day. This includes, but is not limited to: doorknobs, light switches, desks, sinks, toilets, cubbies, playground equipment, etc. The water cooler will be removed. Children should bring their own water bottles. Water bottles will be available for purchase in the office for 50 cents.
Computers will be cleaned and disinfected after each use.
The building will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected by a professional cleaning service twice a week.
Other cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting, and ventilation practices
Ventilation: Classroom windows and doors will remain open as much as possible. Fans or air conditioners may also be utilized in the classrooms.
Social Distancing and Other Safety Protocols
Requirements: * Classroom/ learning space occupancy that allows for 6 feet of separation among students and staff throughout the day, to the maximum extent feasible
Classroom desks will be 6 feet distant from each other and from the teacher’s desk.
* Restricting the use of lunchrooms and other congregate settings, and serving meals in alternate settings such as classrooms
All students will eat their lunches in their own classrooms.
School wide assemblies will be suspended for the foreseeable future.
* Hygiene practices for students and staff including the manner and frequency of hand-washing and other best practices
All students and staff will wash their hands immediately after entering the building. Subsequently they will wash their hands every 2 hours, especially just before eating lunch.
All classrooms will have hand sanitizers, soap, and disinfectant wipes.
* Posting signs, in highly visible locations, that promote everyday protective measures, and how to stop the spread of germs
Signs will be posted throughout the building and in the bathrooms above the sinks.
* Identifying and restricting non-essential visitors and volunteers
No one will be allowed in the building unless previously identified.
All visitors will be screened and required to wear a face covering.
Visitors will not be allowed any physical contact and must maintain social distancing requirements.
Visitors’ time in the building will be minimized as much as possible.
* Handling recess activities and physical education classes consistent with the CDC Considerations for Youth Sports
Social distancing will be maintained during physical education classes and recess.
All sports equipment used will be disinfected before and after classes and recess.
Limiting the sharing of materials among students
Students will not be allowed to share school supplies, books, food, utensils, or water with each other.
It is recommended that students’ daily materials be taken home and cleaned each day.
Staggering the use of communal spaces and hallways
There will be floor markers 6 feet apart in the hallways and well as line-up spaces outside.
Limiting the number of individuals in classrooms and other learning spaces, and interactions between groups of students
There will be a maximum of 10 students per classroom.
Interactions between students of different classrooms will be minimized.
Aftercare and after school activities will continue with social distancing being maintained.
Only one person will be allowed in a bathroom at a time.
Other social distancing and safety practices
The playground will be divided into sections.
Outdoor time will be staggered by classroom groups.
Pick up at the end of the school day will be 2:45-3:15. Students will remain in the classroom until 3:15 after which those still at the school will go outside for aftercare.
Monitoring Student and Staff Health
Requirements: * Monitoring students and staff for symptoms
There will be screening of all students and staff for temperature and symptoms before entering building in the mornings.
* Isolating or quarantining students, staff, or visitors if they become sick or start showing symptoms
In case of sickness, the student, staff person, or visitor will be brought to a dedicated isolation room for monitoring. In the case of a student, parents will be called.
Local health officials, school staff, and families will be notified immediately of any confirmed COVID cases while maintaining confidentiality.
Contact tracing procedures will be implemented in coordination with local health officials.
* Returning isolated or quarantined staff, students, or visitors to school
Symptomatic persons must complete a 14-day period of quarantine and be tested and cleared for COVID before being allowed to return to the school.
During such time, the student will continue to learn remotely.
Notifying staff, families, and the public of school closures and within-school-year changes in safety protocols
In case of infection, the school will be closed for 2 days for deep cleaning and disinfection.
Learning will continue remotely during that time.
Parents will be informed via email or text.
Public notice will be placed on the school’s website.
COVID protocols will be posted and kept updated on the school’s website
Other Considerations for Students and Staff
Requirements: * Use of face coverings (masks or face shields) by all staff
All school staff will be required to wear face coverings.
* Use of face coverings (masks or face shields) by older students (as appropriate)
Students are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings and required to do so when social distancing cannot be maintained. It is recognized that enforcing the use of face coverings among younger students may not always be practical.
Unique safety protocols for students with complex needs or other vulnerable individuals
The following alternative methods of learning will be offered:
Distance learning with direct link into the classroom.
Recorded presentations (depending on the teacher).
Take-home packets.
Strategic deployment of staff
Staff will constantly monitor student movement, hallway traffic, and maintain safety inside and outside the building.