Covid-19 Response

FBCS Covid Pandemic Response Procedures 2021-2022

Covid-19 Plan August 25, 2021 FBCS

Health Screening Form (Return to School After Illness)

Epidemic/Pandemic Procedures

Influenza-Like Case Definition

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines an Influenza-like illness as having the following symptoms:

Fever of 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher AND ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

  • Cough
  • Sore Throat
  • Headache
  • Muscle Ache

A student with Influenza-like symptoms must be sent to the office for screening (symptom check and/or taking temperature). If student meets the case definition as described above, he/she must be excluded from school until symptom free. Enter the name of student on tracking log and report on the daily/weekly report form.

No student or staff member who is sick, has a fever or cough, is experiencing Covid-19 symptoms, is subject to contact tracing, or are awaiting a covid-19 test for themselves or someone in their household will be permitted to attend school. If a student tests positive for Covid-19 they must receive clearance from Public Health before being permitted to attend.

Action Steps for Pandemic/Epidemic Preparation

The following is a list of important step-by-step actions taken before a pandemic disease outbreak. Outbreaks can have several cycles or waves so this list may need to be repeated.

Prior to Outbreak/Preparedness and Planning Phase:

  • Review and update their comprehensive school safety plan.
  • Work with local health officials and emergency preparedness officials. They may need to use schools to disseminate information to families.
  • Decide the roles and responsibilities of school staff (including all ancillary staff) to prevent the spread of disease.
  • Train staff in symptom recognition. Remember that a person who is infected may not show symptoms right away, and that children who are getting ill may show different behavior than usual, such as eating less or being irritable.
  • Educate and improve the hygiene of students and staff. Use simple non-medical ways to reduce the spread of illness, i.e. by “cough and sneeze etiquette”, clean hands and clean work areas. Posters should be placed around the campus, along with hand sanitizing stations.
  • For COVID-19, clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
  • We encourage children and staff to stay home when they are mildly ill.
  • Identify students who are most vulnerable to serious illness (immune compromised, chronic illness, etc.) and may have a greater risk of infections. Encourage those families to talk to their health care provider. Some parents may need to be more cautious in keeping their children out of school.

Public Health Actions:

Promote daily preventive actions for all staff, students, and families. FBCS will encourage students to engage in health-promoting behaviors that prevent illnesses:

  • Wash hands multiple times a day for at least 20 seconds.
  • Don’t share food or drinks.
  • Give elbow bumps instead of handshakes.
  • Encourage students and school staff members to eat a balanced diet, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly to help them develop strong immune systems capable of fighting illness.

Public health actions also include activities that help reduce the spread of infectious diseases. For example:

  • Know the symptoms of COVID-19 and ensure that information is made available to the school community in developmentally appropriate ways.
  • Train students to cover their mouths with a tissue when they sneeze or cough and throw out the tissue immediately, or to sneeze or cough into the bends of their elbows.
  • Employees, visitors, and primary caregivers not to come to the school if they have flu symptoms. Reinforce for families to keep sick children home.
  • Establish or reinforce procedures for how families let the school know if their child is sick. These procedures should include letting the school know why the student has been kept home so as to be able to track symptoms. If children are diagnosed with COVID-19, parents must let the school know so they can communicate with, and get guidance from, local health authorities.
  • Conduct active surveillance to identify influenza cases (example: review temperature logs, sick calls, staff absence etc).

 In the event of increased community spread and as mandated by the Public Health Department:

Hygiene Protocols & Wearing of Masks

Wearing of masks will be as per the guidance from the Public Health Department- at this time students age 6 and above will be required to wear masks while inside.  Students will not wear masks outside where they can practice social distancing.

  • Hygiene protocols must be adhered to, these include regular handwashing and hand sanitization
  • Cleaning of high contact surfaces throughout the day
  • Staff will model and demonstrate hand washing procedures for students
  • Those entering the school will be required to sanitize their hands.
  • Students will wash/sanitize hands before and after lunch & recess.
  • In preschool no outside visitors permitted
  • Only one parent for drop off and pick up is permitted
  • Parents are not permitted past the school office entryway

Cleaning:

  • Following each school day, the school will be thoroughly c
  • Routine environmental cleaning will be enhanced and will, include progressive cleaning throughout the day, to ensure that risks of transmission are reduced for high-touch services.
  • Windows should be open where possible at times during the day to promote air flow.
  • Hand sanitizers and tissue will be made available in all learning and office spaces.
  • A deep clean of the facility will take place whenever it is directly impacted by coronavirus (COVID-19). (Approval to re-open must be obtained from the Public Health Department.)
  • Students will not be responsible to clean after a person other than themselves

Health and Well-Being

  • Children’s health and well-being is a first priority at return to school
  • Staff will be aware of any signs of trauma and anxiety
  • Teachers will only share age appropriate Covid-19 information if a child asks
  • Staff should not “overshare” about Covid-19 and should be mindful of how they present the information about hand washing, sanitizing, respiratory etiquette, etc
  • Staff will follow the social-emotional curriculum of the Alex Panton Foundation for children
  • Preschool parents are required to complete a daily health screening form for their child as government mandates require

Physical Distancing

  • The need for physical distancing and the wearing of masks will be as per the guidance from the Public Health Department. At this time children above age six are required to wear masks.
  • Students in schools will be spaced out as much as possible and face forwards (exam style) rather than in a group (no group work)
  • Where possible, classroom furniture will be rearranged to provide maximum space between tables.
  • Seating arrangements will also be changed to maximize distance between students.
  • We plan to use fixed seating plans for students, so that they always sit in the same position in class and/or exam style seating where practical and appropriate.
  • All staff members will adhere to the 3 feet distancing criteria with other adults, wherever possible. This includes co-workers and any other adult entering the school or ECCE centre/Nursery Class (until Public Health guidance changes).
  • Staff should use separate offices where possible.
  • Mixing of staff and students between rooms should be avoided where possible.

 Access

We ask that if possible one parent be designated to drop off and pick up the students.  Parents are required to wear a mask at all times when on the grounds.   Parents should limit multiple trips to the school during the day to drop off additional supplies as to minimize risk and exposure of all.

Only parents, students, & teachers will be permitted inside the building and we ask parents of students in grades 3-7 to avoid fully escorting the child to the classroom door so that we can limit the number of persons in the elementary hallway daily.

A system for recording persons who enter the premises throughout the day has been established. Information such as name, time of entry and exit, reason for entry and contact details is collected. The information should be clearly communicated to all stakeholders to ensure information is retained in case there is a need for contact tracing.

Group Events

There will be no large whole school assemblies or chapels during this time.  Chapel will be virtual for all students.

  • Contact tracing registers will be in place.
  • Each class will be listed and seating plans confirmed wherever possible.

Student group work is suspended in person, and exam style seating is preferred to group clusters.

Bubble Groups

Students will be a part of a “Bubble Group” whom they will interact with on a daily basis so as to limit contact across the entire student body.

Arrival & Departure

  • Drop off and pick up times & locations are as follows:
  • Preschool – Staggered arrival between 7:30-9:00 a.m.
  • Kindergarten & Grade 1 can be dropped off in their classrooms from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. & picked up after school from 2:45-3:00 p.m.
  • Students in Grades 2-7 can be dropped off from 7:30-8:00 to go to their classrooms at the main building using the North entrance. Pick up is as usual in the breezeway from 2:45-3:00 p.m..

 Taking of Temperature

Students may be subject to daily temperature checks in order to keep everyone safe and healthy.   Their temperature will be taken upon arrival and must be below 98.6 F or 37 C.

Library

The librarian will take a selection of books to the classroom for students to choose and sign out a book.  Returned books will be kept in a secure location for 72 hours before being re-shelved.   Where possible books will be wiped down.

Food Hygiene & Water Stations

Food hygiene guidelines from Public Health and Department of Environmental Health must be strictly adhered to. School leaders have made the necessary arrangements for meals which will observe the distancing protocols.   Staff and students should spread out as much as possible when eating. Students will not be permitted to share food in the lunchroom.   Students within one bubble group will eat together daily and will have assigned seats.   Tables and seats will be sanitized between uses.

No use of the water fountain for drinking.

After-School Care

After-school care groups will have limited space and students will maintain bubble groups.

Recess & Outdoor Play

Outdoor play for students will be encouraged.   Dedicated play areas will be given to each “Bubble Group” of students.   Recess and break times will be staggered to minimize contact between groups.  Hand sanitizing routines must be conducted before and after play.

Physical Education

PE will take place inside the gym or outside as time permits.  Equipment will be sanitized between the classes, and students will engage in activities that can be done by social distancing.   Students will also hand sanitize prior to coming to class.

Clubs

Clubs will be monitored at this time and on an on-going basis.

Learning Scenarios K-7th Grade

In Person Learning

  • Teachers will lead lessons in proper hygiene to prevent the spread of Covid-19 with students.
  • Students will remain in their classrooms for the majority of the day, and with the same core group/bubble group of students.
  • Students are not allowed to share supplies or materials.
  • Specials will take place in the regular classroom if possible, with cleaning of shared spaces between groups.

Forced or Mandated School Closure

Should the need arise to close the school, teachers and staff will switch to virtual lessons.

  • Parents will be notified swiftly and online learning schedules emailed.
  • Teachers in K-7th grade will lead lessons in math, language arts, and science during
    remote learning.
  • Learning platforms such as SEESAW, Microsoft Teams, Go Formative, and Epic will be used.
  • Teachers will explain these learning platforms at their virtual orientation.
  • Teachers will use a combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning during remote learning to provide a range of options for all students.
  • Policies for acceptable use have been developed and will be shared with parents and students.