Moss Families,
We are very excited about the 2020-2021 school year. We know there will be a lot of unique challenges, but we are ready and prepared to meet those challenges. The district created an information web page to assist parents in making their decision about face to face/distance learning. This page includes Frequently asked questions and videos. This page is being updated daily, so you will want to check back often to view information. We want our parents to feel supported and have the information they need to make the best decision for their child’s learning this year.
After much work, our school reopening plan has been approved and I want to share it with you to help you make an informed decision as to what type of learning you want to request for your child/children.
Below is the plan in English. The top part of the plan is specific to the Granite School District. The bottom part of the plan is specific to James E. Moss Elementary. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about our new school year.
Mrs. Kissell
Moss Elementary Condensed Reopening Plan
Communication and Training
On June 24, 2020 we met with every principal and shared with them a framework to use as a guide to develop their own school reopening plans. The following documents were used to provide guidance; USBE Reopening Requirements and Recommendations, Governor’s Office Phased Guidelines v4.7, Leavitt Partners Mitigating Risks Framework, and Granite School Districts’ COVID Response Phases.
Training has been and will continue to be provided to principals in coaching sessions and small group meetings from their directors.
The GSD communications department and each school will send out information to parents indicating how they can access both the district’s plan and each school’s individualized plans in their preferred/primary language.
School Reopening plans will be due August 3, 2020 for review and approval by their director. A link to their plans will be located on each school’s website for parents, students and teachers.
Each school LEA will provide training to their teachers and staff during the first week back, August 17-21.
Administrators, teachers, and staff will provide clear guidance/training for expectations/procedures to students the first few days of school. They will continue to reinforce teach and re-teach throughout the school year.
Each School LEA (Principal) will be the point of contact for questions or specific concerns
Accommodating Individual Circumstances (e.g., High-Risk, Personal Decisions)
We will share our plans for mitigating risk factors. For those students/families that would prefer to participate in distance learning they may fill out a form letting us know their desire to do so and we will accommodate their request.
Staff that identify as high risk may reach out to our Human Resource Department and we will provide reasonable accommodations.
We will provide personal protective equipment such as masks, shields, and possibly plexiglass barriers, for employees that identify as high-risk. We will also take increased cleaning and sanitizing measures.
School Schedules
James E. Moss elementary will follow three schedules that the Granite School District prepared to implement depending on what may be happening due to the virus. The three schedules are Regular, Modified, and Dismissal. With the regular schedule students K-12 will be allowed to attend every day using the board approved school calendar with increased safety and mitigation measures in place. We plan to use this schedule most of the time. The only time we would utilize another schedule for an individual class, grade, school, or the district, is if we were recommended to do so by the Health Department, the Governor’s office, or the USBE.
If it is deemed necessary that we reduce the number of students that are attending school, we will utilize a modified schedule. On a Modified Schedule, schools would operate on a split A/B schedule M-Th (Half the students in a class will come on Monday/Wednesday and half on Tuesday/Thursday.) Students not receiving face to face instruction will utilize distance learning or paper-based modules. On Fridays, all students will receive distance learning. Teachers will also use Fridays for planning, small group meetings, and interventions. Students would be divided alphabetically K-12 so students in the same families can be on the same schedule. Accommodations will be made on a case-by-case basis.
The third schedule would be a dismissal. We would only utilize a dismissal for a class, grade, school, or the district in the event of an outbreak and in consultation with the Health Department.
These schedules allow for optimal flexibility and are aligned K-12 to best accommodate the students and families we serve. Any of these schedules may be done district wide or on an individual school basis. The district, or an individual school, grade, or class, could be on any one of these schedules regardless of what color phase the state, county, or city is in.
Monitoring Incidents
We will adopt the new Utah School Nurse Association (USNA) protocol for symptom monitoring.
• These protocols will be emailed to all GSD staff.
• School nurses will verify each site administrator has the protocols and answer questions.
Principals will review these protocols in opening staff meetings.
Containing Potential Outbreaks
James E. Moss elementary school has established a sick room as well as an isolation/quarantine room for suspected exposure. All suspected cases will be reported to the school administrator who will contact the school nurse. The school nurse will then work with the local health department to verify positive cases, provide information for contact tracing, and to establish next steps recommendations for the school (i.e. patron and staff communications, enhanced cleaning in designated areas, prevention education, and determination of other actions needed to prevent an outbreak).
Transition Management Preparation
- We will adopt the new Utah School Nurse Association (USNA) protocol for symptom monitoring.
- These protocols will be emailed to all James E. Moss staff.
- School nurses will verify each site administrator has the protocols and answer questions.
- James E. Moss principal will review these protocols in opening staff meetings.
Mitigating Tactics for Specific School Settings
Classrooms
- Students required to wear face coverings when engaged in contact longer than 15 minutes or within 6 feet
- Assigned seating
- Maximize space between seating/desks
- Seat students forward
- Nonessential furniture and equipment out of classrooms to increase distancing footprint
- Classroom cleaning bucket w/supplies/sprayer
- Used rags container
- Student water bottles (brought from home/school purchased)
- Calming bags/multiple per classroom
- Dots for lining up in classroom for distancing
- Individual student books/supplies kept at each desk – no sharing
Transitions
- Apply floor marking & signage to direct traffic flow
- Increase time for transitions
- Use alternate methods of providing water/ use of bottle fillers at drinking fountains
- Prop doors open or have door holders to reduce touch
- Clean high-touch surfaces before/after transitions
- Require students/staff to wear face masks during transitions
- Minimize/monitor congregation of students
Entry/Exit Points
- Designate entry/exit flow paths
- Limit nonessential visitors/volunteers
- Establish protocol for any non-regular staff including temperature checking and wearing of face coverings
- Establish protocols for drop-off/pick-up and communicate to families
- Hand sanitizer available for both entry/exit doorways
- Signage encouraging physical distancing
- Before School – students line up by class at a grade level designated door
- One class enters at a time keeping appropriate spacing
Transportation
- Face coverings for all passengers
- Maximize physical distancing
- Assigned seats on the bus
- All drivers and all students will be masked on the bus
- The ONLY exception is for students with documented health conditions that preclude them from being able to be masked for a short period of time
- Students who forget district issued cloth masks will be issued a paper one
- Students who refuse to wear masks will not be allowed entry to the bus
- All buses will be sanitized between every run of students
- Driver has a ½ gallon sprayer filled with disinfectant
- Driver will walk to the back of the bus spraying one side of the bus and walk back to the front spraying the other side
- Hand sanitizer dispensers will be placed on every bus
- These are the same dispensers that are located in classrooms and offices in the Granite School District
- Social distancing is not possible on the bus but is encouraged at the bus stop
- Students who are ill, or are showing any symptoms must be kept home
Restrooms
- Signage and instructions on proper hand hygiene
- https://youtu.be/qJG72sycQB8
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQCP7waTRWU
- Regularly scheduled cleaning for high touch areas
- Signage and instructions on proper hand hygiene
- Scheduled bathroom breaks for individual classes
- Minimize number of individuals in restroom (hooks on wall for bathroom pass – no more than 3 allowed in bathroom at a time)
- Floor markings to encourage physical distancing while waiting
- Encourage mask use while in restroom
- Rotate monitoring of restroom
- Signs on bathroom mirrors reminding about hand washing
Lunch/Cafeterias
- Floor markings and signage to designate serving line flow paths
- No self-service bars
- Food servers wear face covering
- Sanitizer before/after meals
- Increase cleaning & disinfecting of high touch surfaces
- Use outdoor areas for eating when possible
- Assigned seating
- Reduce # of students seated at a table/assigned seats
- Home lunch students at start of class line-up
Large Group Gatherings (e.g. assemblies, performances)
- Cancel or limit nonessential assemblies
- Record assemblies to be viewed in classrooms/at home
- Hold virtual meetings when possible
- Wear face coverings when at large group gatherings-
Unique Courses with Higher Risk of Spread
- When more than six feet spacing and minimum duration cannot be maintained, unique courses with higher risk of spread will be postponed and will not resume during risk of spread/contamination.
- Face coverings will be worn by all stakeholders
- Hold virtual classes when necessary
- Limit transition of students
- Assigned seating
- Disinfect between classes
Recess and Playground
- Alternate use of outdoor spaces/class assigned to designated area of play
- Disinfect playground between use – when it is used
- Do not allow students on the playground equipment on a regular basis
- Each class have their own equipment. Make sure it is cleaned off after every recess
- Assign JR. Coaches to a specific class or grade level
Special Education, Related Services, or School Counseling (e.g. School Psychologist, Speech Language Pathologist, etc.)
- Plexiglass, face shields, or auxiliary aids for one-on-one close contact
- Offer reasonable accommodations for students who are unable to wear face coverings
PD/Faculty Meetings
- Host PD or Faculty meetings in the library where distancing can occur
- Hold virtual meeting when possible
- Wear face covering when in a large group
- Send out information through emails when possible
Before/After Student Supervision
1 – Lining up and entering in morning:
● Students line up by entry doors by class
● Paint dots/numbers for students to stand on
2 – Dismissal:
● Teachers escort students out same door as they enter/one class at a time
3 – Ask parents/guardians and student not to arrive at school before 8:25 a.m.
4 – Playground equipment not available in the morning of after school
Drop Off/Pick Up Areas
1 – Lining up and entering in morning:
● Students line up by entry doors by class
● Paint number/dots for students to stand on
2 – Dismissal:
● Teacher escort students out same door as they enter/one class at a time
3 – Bus students head directly to the bus and sit in their assigned seat
Front Office
- Office staff checks in late students using the Red machine in the front
- Parents drop students off in the entrance way. An office staff member walks student to class.
- Plexiglass shield on front counter
- Student phone call will be made by office staff rather than students using the phone
- Check out book and pens will be wiped down regularly
P/T or SEP Conferences
- Conferences will be held in the Gym.
- Social distancing will be established
- Families will be asked to wear masks
- Options will be available for online meetings as well
Safety and Fire Drills
- Drills will be conducted as per State/District requirements. Students will be spaced out as much as possible
- Students will wear masks
- Classes will use the same doors they enter and exit normally
- Places will be designated on the playground for classes to stand
- Accommodations will be made as needed
Patron Meetings
- Cancel or limit nonessential assemblies
- Record assemblies to be viewed in classrooms/at home
- Hold virtual meetings when possible
- Wear face coverings when at large group gatherings
- Ask patrons to schedule meetings in advance
Library/Media Centers
- Appropriate distancing will occur in the library
- Arrows will be on the floor guiding directions
- Isolate Symptoms (e.g., contact tracing, testing, symptom monitoring, self-isolation, etc.)
- Students should be assigned to a place in line, assigned to a seat at library tables and/or on the floor if story time is implemented in order to help with contact tracing.
- Minimize Outbreak Probability (e.g., group size, interaction with multiple groups, etc.)
- Keep the weekly library schedule consistent to the extent possible.
- Library session times should be shortened to the extent possible.
- Creative solutions to decrease library group sizes should be implemented to the extent possible.
- Librarians should consult with district support staff for ideas.
- Encourage students to search online rather than through the shelves.
- Encourage students to place holds for easy pickup and/or delivery.
Physical Distancing (e.g., maintaining distance, close physical interaction, frequency of travel, etc.)
- Students should practice social distancing while in line to check in and check out books.
- Library seating should be physically distanced or oriented to face one direction if distancing isn’t possible.
- Utilize floor markings or signage to direct traffic within the library to avoid congestion.
- Librarians will not hold story time or lesson time in small spaces with whole classes.
- The librarian could visit the classrooms to provide story time and/or instruction.
- Class groups will need to either be spread out or broken into small groups for library storytime and/or lesson time.
Respiratory Hygiene (e.g., face coverings, appropriate covering of sneeze/cough, reduce duration spent face-to-face, increase air flow, etc.)
- Students and staff in the library will wear masks or face shields at all times.
- Library seating should be physically distanced or oriented to face one direction where possible.
Physical Hygiene (e.g., personal hygiene, physical space hygiene, personal protective equipment, etc.)
- Library circulation desks should be equipped with plexiglass shields.
- Prop doors open to reduce touch where possible.
- Students should wash or sanitize their hands before entering the library.
- Make hand sanitizer available.
- Common library equipment should be cleaned by students, teachers, and school librarians after use.
- Time in between library sessions should be given in order to adequately clean and sanitize the library.
- Books that are taken home should be quarantined for at least 4 days upon return to the school.
- This means books should be placed in a location where they are not used, such as a workroom, tote, closet, or other isolated location.
- Library seating should be physically distanced or oriented to face one direction where possible.
- Furniture that can’t be wiped down (bean bags, pillows, etc.) should not be used if it can be avoided.
IEP/Special Ed Meetings
- IEP meetings will be held in a large room where appropriate distancing can occur
- All participants will wear face coverings
- If necessary, meeting will be held online with documentation being sent home in advance
Multi-Purpose Room
- Cancel or limit nonessential assemblies
- Record assemblies to be viewed in classrooms/at home
- Hold virtual meetings when possible
- Wear face coverings when at large group gatherings
- This is really our lunchroom area
PE/BTS classes
- One class will be served at a time for PE
- PE will be held outside when possible
- Games will be no contact
- BTSL class will be one class at a time in the ART room
- Teachers will escort their scholars
- Students will have assigned seating and use their own specific material. Materials that must be shared will be wiped down between each use
Hallways
- Third Tile, Single File is our hallway routine
- One classroom at a time
- Students in number order
- Scholar position is the schoolwide expectation