Hello William Penn Community!
We hope you are staying cool and healthy! Thank you for your patience as we created our School Assurances and Reopening Plan.The plan is located at the bottom of this post for you to review. In addition, the Utah State Board of Health recently released a handbook that will answer many of your questions about the “what ifs”. You can locate this manual at COVID-19 School Manual. We hope these plans will help you make the decision that is best for your child.
To help mitigate the spread of Covid-19 in our building, we will be following the state model for Dual Immersion. This means if students are in Dual Immersion they will have their Dual Immersion teacher and English partner teacher. Students who are in the traditional program will be with one teacher all day. Therefore, all students will be with same group of students during the day.
Learning Option forms are due Friday, August 7th. They may be returned via email to nthiggins@graniteschools.org or in person at the school. Our office hours are 8-4 Monday-Friday. Our front doors remain locked, so you need to call the main office for assistance.
Thank you again for your continued support! If you have additional questions, you may contact Mrs. Higgins at 385-646-4960.
William Penn Assurances and School Reopening Plan
William Penn Assurances and School Reopening Plan (translatable)
William Penn Elementary Condensed Reopening Plan
Communication and Training
Implementation Plan (“How”)
• Develop School reopening protocol and plans (Admin/SCC/MTSS Leadership)
• Share plan with community (letter, email, website)
• Nichole Higgins is point of contact person for William Penn Elementary
• Weekly communication with community (update/changes, best practices for preventive care)
• Pre-write statements to be used in case of confirmed cases/outbreak
• Train all staff on protocols/plans (August)
• Prepare training videos for staff/students/families
Accommodating Individual Circumstances (e.g., High-Risk, Personal Decisions)
Implementation Plan (“How”)
• Develop process for identification as “high risk”
• Provide alternate learning as requested
• ‘High-risk’ employees work with Berkley King and Nichole to minimize risk
• Review Health Care Plans/IEPs/504s to address risk for exposure & accommodate as needed
• Consider emotional/social needs of staff
• Consider emotional/social needs of students
Enhanced Environment Hygiene & Safety
Implementation Plan (“How”)
• Develop increased cleaning and hygiene protocols for custodian, teachers, aides and students
• Faculty/staff/students wear face coverings
• Provide hand sanitizer, soap, water and disinfecting solution and rags in each classroom and other high usage areas of the building
• Provide contact tracing when required by the health department
• Disinfect touched surfaces at least twice daily (doorknobs, desks, tables, etc.)
• Have an adequate supply of PPE
• Use floor markings to indicate directionality in hallways
• Individual student lanyards for masks
School Schedules
Implementation Plan (“How”)
Granite School District has three schedules that we are prepared to implement depending on what may be happening due to the virus. The three schedules are Regular, Modified and Dismissal.
• Regular Schedule: students 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 unless notified a change is required.
• Modified Schedule: school will operate on a split A/B schedule M-Th (Half of the students in a class will come one Mon/Wed. and half on Tues./Thurs.) Students not receiving face to face instruction will utilize distance learning. On Fridays, all students will receive distance learning. Teachers will also use Fridays for planning, small groups meetings and interventions. Students would be divided alphabetically so students in the same families can be on the same schedule. Accommodations will be made on a case-by-case basis.
• Dismissal Schedule: we will only utilize a dismissal for a class, grade, or school in the event of an outbreak and in consultation with the Health Department. Our school could be on any of these schedules regardless of what color phase the state, county or city is in. These plans will be communicated to all stakeholders via email, the school website and hard copies as requested.
Monitoring Incidents
Implementation Plan (“How”)
• Develop and train all staff on school’s protocol for symptom monitoring during August staff meetings
• Establish a plan to assist families in conducting symptom checking at home and communicate the plan with families via email and school website.
• Monitor staff/student symptoms and absenteeism carefully
• Educate and promote “If you feel sick, stay home”
• Do not allow symptomatic people to physically return to school until they meet health department criteria or are cleared by a medical provider.
• Implement more lenient absentee policies
• Provide option of school checking for symptoms
Containing Potential Outbreaks
Implementation Plan (“How”)
William Penn 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
Implementation Plan (“How”)
Nichole Higgins will work with her director and the school nurse for guidance in communication to students, faculty, and patrons. Information will be communicated through email, phone calls, and text using the Blackboard communication system.
Mitigating Tactics for Specific School Settings
Classrooms
• Students and adults required to wear face coverings
• Assign seats to support contact tracing
• Maximize space between seating/desks
• Keep the same students and teachers or staff with each group to the greatest extent possible
• Seat students forward (if possible)
• Nonessential furniture and equipment out of classrooms to increase distancing footprint
• Student water bottles (brought from home/school purchased)
• Doors are kept open to minimize touch surface and support air flow
• Cleaning items: individual student towels, cleaning spray, hand sanitizer
• Individual student books/supplies kept at each desk
• Personal portable carrying cases for each student
• Individual supplies for students
• Chromebooks assigned to one student
Transitions
• Identify high traffic areas and apply floor markings or signage to direct traffic
• Increase time for transitions
• Use alternate methods of providing water/no use of 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
• Students are assigned a spot in classroom line
Entry/Exit Points
• Designate entry/exit flow paths to minimize congestion
• Limit nonessential visitors and volunteers to campuses and programs
• Establish protocols for any visitors and nonessential staff, including at a minimum temperature checking and the wearing of face coverings
• Establish protocols for drop-off/pick-up and communicate updates and expectations to families
• Hand sanitizer available by front office
• Signage encouraging physical distancing
• Each class enters and exits grade level doors one at a time to encourage physical distancing
• Doors are kept opening during entry and exit by an adult
Transportation
• Face coverings for all passengers
• Maximize physical distancing
• Assign seating on bus to support contact tracing
• Clean and disinfect seats and other high-touch surfaces
Restrooms
• Provide education and display signage on proper hand hygiene
• Create schedule for cleaning high-touch areas (faucets, paper towels dispensers, door handles)
• Ensure PPE is available to staff providing support in restrooms
• Provide proper training for proper cleaning protocols for COVID-19
• Minimize number of individuals in restroom (no more than 2 allowed in bathroom at a time)
• Teacher takes entire class to restroom if needed before/after recess and monitor students
• Floor markings to encourage physical distancing while waiting to enter the restroom and to wash hands
• Require mask use while in restroom
• Designated restrooms for grade levels
Lunch/Cafeterias
• Mark spaced lines and designate serving line flow paths
• Remove self-service salad bars and buffet
• Food service workers wear face coverings
• Student hand hygiene routines (hand washing or sanitizer) before and after meal services
• Increase cleaning and disinfecting of high-touch surfaces
• Wear masks when in line and when waiting for dismissal when finished with lunch
• Students with a home lunch are at the front of class line-up and carry lunches to lunchroom
• Students place home lunch carriers outside and place by wall of school close to entry point (paper bags preferred for home lunch)
• Students assigned to cafeteria times and areas by cohort and will be facing forward
• Students assigned seating to support contract tracing
• Doors remain open
Large Group Gatherings (e.g. assemblies, performances)
• Ensure group gatherings are organized with health and safety principles and requirements in place and, as needed, in consultation with local health departments.
• Cancel or limit nonessential assemblies
• Hold multiple sessions of the same assembly with smaller groups
• Assigned seating in assemblies to support contract tracing
• Create alternate plans for whole staff gatherings such as virtual meetings
• Staff and students wear face coverings when participating in large group gatherings indoors
Unique Courses with Higher Risk of Spread
• Before school activities require physical distancing and wearing of masks
• Limit the number of students participating in practices for the school play
• Assigned seats and spaces in Dance, PE, and Music
• Outdoor PE when weather permits
• Students maintain physical distancing as much as possible
Recess and Playground
• Follow recess schedule of only 15 minutes
• Students will wear masks on the playground
• Classes enter the building one class at a time with teacher monitoring their own class
• Designate play areas for students during recess
• Schedule grade level cohort times for morning and afternoon recess
• Create an area on the playground and front of the school with dots for students to have a mask break
Special Education, Related Services, or School Counseling
(e.g. School Psychologist, Speech Language Pathologist, etc.)
• Provide plexiglass, face shields, and/or auxiliary aids for one-to-one close contact to ensure students with disabilities have equal access to information
• Offer reasonable accommodations for students who are unable to wear face coverings in settings where it is required for other students.
PD/Faculty Meetings
• Professional Development trainings and Faculty meetings are to be held in the gym to encourage physical distancing
• Tables and other working areas will be disinfected before and after meetings
• Google Meet may be utilized as needed
Before/After Student Supervision
• Adults on duty arrive on time to monitor students before and after school
• Adults wear face coverings when on duty
• Adults encourage students to physical distance
• Encourage students to return home quickly after school to reduce loitering on school property
Drop Off/Pick Up Areas
• Early 3-minute dismissal of Kindergarten at the end of the day
• Face coverings are required once an individual is on school grounds/campus
• A teacher, responsible adult, or staff member should hold or prop open doors to allow students to enter and exit without having direct contact with the door and/or door glass when entering/exiting the building. If a device is used to prop the door, it should be removed as soon as practical to keep the building secure.
• Students will not play on playground equipment/field or mingle with others when they arrive on or leave the school campus.
• Students will proceed to classroom line and line up facing forward as soon as they arrive at school each morning.
• Students should not arrive at school before 8:20, unless participating in school breakfast (no earlier than 8:05). Students that participate in breakfast will remain in cafeteria until 8:20 under the supervision of the breakfast/cafeteria manager
• Students must leave the school grounds right after dismissal
• Staff will be outside to monitor student activity and ensure social distancing and face coverings are being worn
• No nonessential visitors or volunteers are to be mingling with student body on the playground
• Visitors waiting for students must wait in the front of the school
Front Office
• Plexiglass installed on the front counter
• Markings on carpet in office for physical distancing
• Furniture in office disinfected daily or after use by a community member
• Phone utilized by students is disinfected after each use
• Nonessential visitors are not allowed in the building
• Community members need to call the office and make an appointment for assistance
• Request parents wait outside in their car when picking up students
P/T or SEP Conferences
• Teachers meet in their classrooms with parents and students
• Mask coverings are worn in the building
• Possible Google Meet for conferences
• Appointments for conferences are required
• Provide hand sanitizer
Safety and Fire Drills
• Classes maintain physical distancing on the grass during a safety drill
• Face coverings are worn by adults and students
• Classes enter individually with teachers monitoring their classes
• Scheduled drills will have the staff/students exit the building in a slower and distanced manner
• If the fire alarm sounds when it is not a scheduled drill, teachers and students will exit the building quickly
• Lockdown with Cover, Shelter in Place, and Earthquake drills will be conducted as normal
Patron Meetings
• Community members wear face masks
• Community member meetings are by appointment only
• Furniture is disinfected after meetings
• Community Council, PTA, and Arts Student Support Group meet in the small group room
• Possible Google Meet
Library/Media Centers
• Follow district guidelines/plans for service of the library
• Enter south doors for Library
• Exit north doors for Library
• Students sanitize hands before and after each class
• Utilize Overdrive for checking out books
IEP/Special Ed Meetings
• Require face coverings
• Provide hand sanitizer
• Prop the door open for greater air flow
• Hold face to face meetings when possible
• Disinfect area after each meeting
Multi-Purpose Room
• Doors to remain open during classes
• Doors to be closed when not in use
• Touch points disinfected often during the day
• Chairs disinfected after group use in the large and small group room
• Maximize physical distancing
PE/BTS Classes
• Follow guidelines/plans for service of music, dance, and PE
• Outdoor PE when weather permits
• Social distance in gym when indoors
• Sanitize items and equipment between classes for Music, Dance, and PE
• Enter south doors for PE, Music, and Dance
• Exit north doors for PE, Music, and Dance
• Students sanitize hands before and after each class
Hallways
• Students and adults walk on the right side of the hallways
• Student and adults wear masks and maintain physical distancing when possible
• Touching of bulletin boards and items in hallways kept to a minimum
• Regular cleaning of high-touch surfaces in hallway
