Paschal Sherman Indian School

 PSIS Health and Safety Precautions Fall 2021 09 13 21

PSIS Health and Safety Plan for Fall 2021

In-Person Instruction

All PSIS students begin school on August 30, 2021 with regular full day scheduling: Monday through Friday 8:00 – 3:00. In the event there are extenuating, health related circumstances, we may accommodate remote learning for a limited number of students. Remote learning will be decided on a case by case basis pending approval from superintendent and principal. PSIS will maximize opportunities to increase physical space between students during all scheduled activities and limit interactions in large group settings.

Recently, PSIS school administration met with Colville Tribes medical experts for guidance. The recommendations inform us that all students who are physically on campus at PSIS should have an initial screening that includes a rapid response test for the Covid virus. Parents are welcome, by appointment, to accompany their children during the test. It is painless and not uncomfortable. Procedure: staff member doing the testing or the student him/herself will twirl the swab in the shallow part of nostril and hand it back to the person doing the testing, with results 15 minutes later. See psischiefs.org for video demonstration.

For more information, here is a link to the CDC article: What You Should Know about Covid Testing in Schools. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/what-you-should-know.html#

Testing dates are as follows.

· Grades 5 – 9 – Thursday, September 16th 8:00 – 11:00

· Grades K – 2 – Thursday, September 16th 1:00 – 3:00

· Grades 3 – 4 – Friday, September 17th 1:00 – 3:00

Make up tests: Monday, September 20th 1:00 – 3:00 and Tuesday, September 21st 1:00 – 3:00 or as needed.

Tests will be conducted in the Nurse’s room at PSIS. By law, student privacy is protected regarding test results. We will take precautions if we need to inform you of a positive result.

If you are opting out of the Covid test for your child, we are requesting a brief interview between you and your child’s teacher to identify how we can address any individual concerns. For example, students may feel more comfortable testing in a private setting while their classmates are in class or perhaps parents would like to do their child’s Covid test at one of the clinics and bring us a copy of the results. Whatever the situation, we will work with you. Remote learning remains to be an option at PSIS but we are somewhat limited in numbers of remote learners because of the difficulty for teachers to do both in-person and remote within one classroom.

Attendance

Attendance is extremely important for your child’s academic progress. Non- attendance could result in failing grades and being removed from school roster. According to State and Federal agency rules, the 10 Day Drop rule still applies. If a student is absent for 10 consecutive days, they can be dropped from enrollment and must provide explanation, re-enroll, and possibly attend truancy board meetings.

Attendance Protocol

Every day, in the morning before 10:00, all classroom teachers and specialists will report the following data to the school secretary for attendance purposes. Reports include students who are:

1) Physically present in the building, tardy, or absent

2) Present, tardy, or absent online through Zoom or Double Robotics.

3) Completing work through distance learning with assignments and assessment data gathered twice per week.

Note: Number 3 above will be a rare occurrence and cannot be assumed without school administrative approval.

Consistent attendance will avoid students being dropped. If parents do not notify school of absence, teachers and office staff will contact parents after second consecutive day of absence.

PSIS Residential Facility and Leadership Academy

PSIS Residential Leadership Academy will open on August 29th, 2021.

To enroll your child in the Residential Program, please call Mrs. Falcon or Ms. Edwards at 509-422-7591.

Meals

If students are not physically on campus, parents may request meals but must pick them up at the school.

Meals for on campus students:

Breakfast:

• After initial screening students will sanitize hands and go to eat breakfast distanced by six feet in the lunch room.

 

Lunch:

• Students will wash hands and eat lunch distanced by six feet in the lunch room.

• Outdoor floor mats designated for picnic seating, weather permitting

Safety Precautions

The safety of our students and their families is of highest priority to PSIS staff. It is our goal and desire to work with you, the parent/guardian, in doing our very best (kwu switimist) to keep our students, their families, and staff safe and healthy.

When not to send your child:

· If stated that he/she feels aches, pains or has a headache has aches, pains

· Experiencing diarrhea

· Cough, Shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing

· A fever of 100.4 or higher, or a sense of having a fever

· A sore throat

· Chills

· New loss of taste or smell

· Muscle or body aches

· Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea

· Congestion/runny nose-not related to seasonal allergies

· Unusual fatigue

· If anyone in your household has any above symptoms

· If anyone has been in close contact with someone suspected or confirmed COVID-19

In the event your student is unable to attend class in person or on-line, please immediately call the front office to let us know.

Guidelines for parents when students are on campus:

· Contact the front office to make an appointment to enter the building

· Wear a mask upon entering the building and at all times.

· You will be asked to temp check, go through screening questionnaire, and hand sanitize before entering the building.

· Parents will not be allowed to eat, drink or stay inside the building longer than necessary

 

Student Transportation

For transportation to be successful, we need the full support of the parent/guardian when it comes to:

• Social distancing at the bus stop.

• Mask wearing (at the bus stop and on the bus).

• Keeping student(s) home if not feeling well/showing signs of sickness.

• Reminding student(s) to keep their personal items with them and not sharing food/drink.

 

Parent Transportation

Parents choosing to transport students themselves can apply for a gas voucher for the miles used. This will reduce COVID-19 exposure of the parent’s child during travel with other students. If student’s attendance is affected from the use of the parent transport, there will be notification that can result in recommendation of transition to bus transport.

 

Riding the Bus

We encourage parents to deliver students to school when possible to reduce the number of bus riders and to help reduce the potential of COVID transmission on the bus.

• Students temperatures will be checked on the bus.

• Members of the same household are encouraged to sit together.

• Students and staff will be required to wear a face covering while on the bus.

• Students must ride their assigned bus

· We will follow guidance from local, state and/or federal health departments; the CDC and EPA when choosing the type of disinfectant and the degree and frequency for cleaning and disinfecting our fleet.

We will clean/disinfect:

• All commonly touched surfaces (handrails, seat tops, etc.) between runs.

• The entire bus after morning and afternoon runs.

• Windows and roof vents will remain open to allow for the circulation of outside air, when feasible and weather permitting.

 

In addition:

· Plexiglas installed behind the bus driver

· Students cannot board the bus without a face covering

· Temperature checks will be taken for all students before they can go to their assigned seat on the bus

· The bus monitor will walk the student back to their home if the students temperature is 100.4 degrees or higher

· Students will sanitize their hands before going to their seat

 

Hall Ways and Classrooms

 

· ALL employees and students will wear face coverings.

· As much as possible students and staff will maintain a six-foot distance recommended, or at least three-foot distance between people.

· Students will use bathrooms one at a time or with empty stall between them. Touchless soap dispensers and hand towel devices are now installed in the restrooms.

Hand Hygiene & Start of Day

Enter classroom, deposit items at desk and begin handwashing. Sink will have running water and soap. Teachers and staff supervise children when they use hand sanitizer and handwashing, as necessary. After assisting children with handwashing, staff should also wash their hands. If soap and water are not readily available, alcohol - based hand gel with at least 60 percent alcohol will be used.

All children, staff, and volunteers should engage in hand hygiene at the following times:

• Arrival to the facility and after breaks

• Before and after preparing food or drinks

• Before and after eating or handling food, or feeding children

• Before and after administering medication or medical ointment

• After using the toilet or helping a child use the bathroom

• After coming in contact with bodily fluid

• After playing outdoors or in sand

• After handling garbage

 

Cleaning and Disinfecting

· Increased cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting of school buildings following CDC guidelines. After student use of restroom, staff will wipe down surfaces.

Separate those with Symptoms

If someone develops symptoms while at school they will be separated from others, asked to keep a mask on, and sent home. Students developing symptoms will be tested for the Covid virus with a rapid response testing kit. Parents will be notified of results when they pick up their child.

The area where the symptomatic person waited will be aired out, cleaned, and disinfected after they leave. The local Tribal health authority will advise the school on next steps, and it is likely that many of the other students or staff who was in close contact with the infected individual will need to self-quarantine for 5 – 14 days, depending on circumstances.

Screening Questions for Parents and Visitors

As part of the screening process, visitors will have a temperature check and be asked if they are experiencing any of the following shown on our symptoms lists.

Symptom list is as follows:

· Cough, Shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing

· A fever of 100.4 or higher, or a sense of having a fever

· A sore throat

· Chills

· New loss of taste or smell

· Muscle or body aches

· Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea

· Congestion/runny nose-not related to seasonal allergies

· Unusual fatigue

· Does anyone in your household have any above symptoms?

· Has anyone been in close contact with someone suspected or confirmed COVID-19?

· Have you had any medication to reduce a fever in the last 24 hours?

Emergency Protocol

In the event a student or teacher tests positive for the Covid – 19 virus, anyone within close contact will return to 100% online instruction until quarantine period is over. If the teacher tests positive, students will continue instruction online with a substitute teacher for the duration of the quarantine. Contact tracing will then occur. Close contact is defined by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as someone who was within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more within 2 days prior to illness onset until the time the patient is isolated, regardless of whether the contact was wearing a mask.

Returning to school after having suspected signs of Covid-19

A staff member or student who had signs of suspected COVID-19 can return to the school when: At least 24 hours have passed since recovery – defined as no fever without the use of medications and improvement in respiratory signs like cough and shortness of breath. A negative Covid test is required prior to returning to school.

The following Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is provided by the school to students and staff

· 3-ply disposable face masks, cloth masks, and shields as needed

· Gloves, hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies widely available

Face Coverings

All students, staff, and visitors are required to wear face coverings in the PSIS building. Masks may be brought from home or one will be provided at the building. Students may remove face coverings to eat and drink and go outdoors for recess, physical education, or other outside activities when they can be physically distanced.

Cleaning Procedures

• Wear disposable gloves to clean and disinfect.

• Clean surfaces using provided cleaner and disinfectant. Cleaning reduces number of germs, dirt, and impurities on the surface. Disinfecting kills germs on surfaces.

• Focus on routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces.

• More frequent cleaning and disinfection may be required based on level of use.

• Surfaces and objects in public places should be cleaned and disinfected before each use. Disinfecting High Touch Surfaces

• Each day custodians will disinfect high touch surfaces, which include tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, sinks, etc. Safe and Sanitary Disinfecting

 

• On Wednesdays after hours, custodians will use large area spray technique. Every day they will disinfect high touch surfaces and conduct “safe and sanitary” cleaning.

 

Seating and Signage

• Various tools will be used to help students remember to maintain 6-foot social distancing. These tools may include velcro dots for classroom carpets, hoola hoops on classroom floors, etc.

• Signs will assist in establishing migration patterns throughout each space.

• Appropriate Covid-19 signs will be placed throughout school buildings, at entry and exits. Classrooms / Building

• Mandatory seating charts for every class will help should contact tracing be necessary.

• Elementary recess will be structured with all outdoor areas used, cohorted groups with spacing between groups and students.

 

Ventilation and outdoors

Ventilation including windows, fans, and HVAC settings will be used to maximize the amount of outside air entering program areas. Outdoor learning and activities will be encouraged as possible.