COVID-19 Preparedness Plan for AOD Schools

Jul 17, 2020

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Phase 4

If a school is located in a Phase 4 MERC District, as described in the MI Safe Start Plan, the following will be adhered to:

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

All staff will wear facial coverings when in classrooms, except (1) during meals and (2) unless face coverings cannot be medically tolerated as documented through written and signed verification by a physician.
All passengers and drivers will wear facial coverings when on a school bus, except (1) when eating and (2) unless face coverings cannot be medically tolerated as documented through written and signed verification by a physician, with parental consent.
All staff and all students in grades pre-kindergarten and up will wear facial coverings when in indoor hallways and common areas, except (1) during meals and (2) unless face coverings cannot be medically tolerated as documented through written and signed verification by a physician, with parental consent for students.
Facial coverings are not required in preschool classrooms by children ages 3 and 4.
All students in grades kindergarten through 5 will not be required to wear facial coverings in their classrooms, unless (1) students do not remain with their cohort class throughout the school day and (2) come into close contact with students in another class.
All staff and students in grades 6-12 will wear facial coverings, except (1) during meals and (2) unless face coverings cannot be medically tolerated as documented through written and signed verification by a physician, with parental consent.
AOD schools will not conduct indoor assemblies that bring together students from more than one classroom.
School Masses may be allowed provided that all AOD Mass guidelines are followed.
Facial coverings may be homemade or disposable level one/basic-grade surgical masks.

HYGIENE

Provide adequate supplies to support healthy hygiene behaviors (including soap, hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol for safe use by staff and students, paper towels, tissues, and signs reinforcing proper handwashing techniques).
Teach and reinforce handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and/or the safe use of hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Educate staff and students on how to cough and sneeze into their elbows, or to cover with a tissue. Used tissues should be thrown in the trash and hands washed immediately using proper hand hygiene techniques.
Systematically and frequently check and refill soap and hand sanitizers.
Daily, provide opportunities for handwashing with soap and water by students and teachers.
Limit sharing of personal items and supplies such as writing utensils.

SPACING, MOVEMENT, AND ACCESS

Space students as far apart as feasible in classrooms, whether desks or tables are utilized.
Post signage to indicate proper social distancing.
Place markers at six-foot intervals where line formation is anticipated.
Provide social distancing markers in waiting and reception areas.
Post signs on the doors of restrooms to indicate proper social distancing and hand hygiene techniques.
Restrict entrance to the school to students and staff only, with the following allowances: Family members or other non-staff adults are not allowed in the school building except under extenuating circumstances determined by school officials. All non-staff adults entering the building must be screened for symptoms using a monitoring form, wear a facial covering, and wash/sanitize hands prior to entering. Strict records, including date and time, should be kept of all non-staff adults entering and exiting the building.

SCREENING STUDENTS AND STAFF

Cooperate with the local public health department regarding implementing protocols for screening students and staff.
Identify and designate a quarantine area and a staff person to care for students and staff who develop signs or symptoms of COVID-19 at school.
Students and staff who become ill with signs or symptoms of COVID-19 will be placed in an identified quarantine area with a facial covering in place, if able, until they can be picked up. Identified person caring for these children/staff will wear a facial covering.
Symptomatic students and staff sent home from school will stay home until they have tested negative or have completely recovered according to CDC guidelines.
Staff will conduct daily self-examinations, including a temperature check, prior to coming to work. If they exhibit any new or unusual symptoms as reported on the COVID-19 school monitoring form, they will stay home. Staff member will contact the school administrator.

TESTING PROTOCOLS FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF AND RESPONDING TO POSITIVE CASES

Cooperate with the local public health department regarding implementing protocols for screening students and staff.
Symptomatic students and staff will be kept home until they have tested negative for COVID-19 or have been released from isolation according to CDC guidelines.
Families will be notified of the presence of any laboratory positive or clinically diagnosed cases of COVID-19 in the classroom and/or school to encourage closer observation for any symptoms
at home.

RESPONDING TO POSITIVE TESTS AMONG STAFF AND STUDENTS

Cooperate with the local public health department if a confirmed case of COVID-19 is identified, and in particular, collect the contact information for any close contacts of the affected individual from two days before he or she showed symptoms to the time when he or she was last present at the school. The Local Health Department will initiate contact tracing, following regular public
health practice.
Notify local health officials, staff, and students immediately of any possible case of COVID-19 while maintaining confidentiality consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable federal and state privacy laws.

FOOD SERVICE, GATHERING, AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Prohibit indoor assemblies that bring together students from more than one classroom.
School Masses may be allowed provided that all AOD Mass guidelines are followed.
If cafeterias are used and six feet of distance between students is not possible, meal times should be staggered or physical barriers should be used. Serving and cafeteria staff will use barrier protection including gloves, face shields, and surgical masks.
Classrooms or outdoor areas can be used for students to eat meals at school.

ATHLETICS

Schools will comply with all guidance published by Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
Students, teachers, and staff must use proper hand hygiene techniques before and after every practice, event, or other gathering.
Every participant should confirm that they are healthy and without any symptoms prior to any event. On non-school days Monitoring Form needs to be completed by all participants (this includes all adult volunteers, coaches and administrators)
All equipment must be disinfected before and after use.
Each participant must use a clearly marked water bottle for individual use. There should be no sharing of this equipment.
Handshakes, fist bumps, and other unnecessary contact must not occur.
Indoor weight rooms and physical conditioning activities that require shared equipment are suspended. Outdoor physical conditioning activities are allowed while maintaining social distancing.
Large scale indoor spectator events are suspended. Large scale outdoor spectator or stadium events are limited to 100 people, and people not part of the same household must maintain six feet of distance from one another.
Spectators are allowed provided that facial coverings are used by observers and six feet of social distancing can be maintained at all times. Attention must be given to entry and exit points to prevent crowding.

CLEANING

Frequently touched surfaces including light switches, doors, benches, bathrooms, will undergo cleaning at least every four hours with either an EPA-approved disinfectant or diluted bleach solution.
Libraries, computer labs, arts, and other hands-on classrooms will undergo cleaning after every class period or when cohorts change classrooms, with either an EPA-approved disinfectant or diluted bleach solution.
Student desks will be wiped down with either an EPA-approved disinfectant or diluted bleach solution after every class period, or when cohorts change classrooms.
Playground structures will continue to undergo normal routine cleaning, but using an EPA approved disinfectant is unnecessary.
Ensure safe and correct use and storage of cleaning and disinfection products, including storing products securely away from children, and with adequate ventilation when staff use products.
Staff must wear gloves, surgical masks, and face shields when performing all cleaning activities.

BUSING AND STUDENT TRANSPORTATION
(INCLUDING EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND ATHLETICS)

Schools who use public school district busing will defer all safety guidelines to those providers. The following is intended for schools who are the direct provider of busing services.

Schools will require the use of hand sanitizer before entering a school bus. Hand sanitizer will be supplied on the bus.
The bus driver, staff, and all students in grades preK-12, if medically feasible, will wear facial coverings while on the bus. Note: there may be situations where it is not safe for the bus driver to wear a facial covering. Decisions about these situations should be made on a case-by-case basis with local public health officials.
Schools will clean and disinfect transportation vehicles before and after every transit route. Children will not be present when a vehicle is being cleaned.
Schools will clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces in the vehicle (e.g., surfaces in the driver’s cockpit, hard seats, arm rests, door handles, seat belt buckles, light and air controls, doors and windows, and grab handles) prior to morning routes and prior to afternoon routes.
Schools will clean, sanitize, and disinfect equipment including items such as car seats, wheelchairs, walkers, and adaptive equipment being transported to schools daily.
Schools will create a plan for getting students home safely if they are not allowed to board the vehicle.
If a student becomes sick during the day, they will not use group transportation to return home and must follow protocols outlined above. If a driver becomes sick during the day, they will follow protocols for sick staff outlined above and will not return to drive students.
Weather permitting, doors and windows will be open when cleaning the vehicle and between trips to let the vehicles thoroughly air out.

MENTAL & SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL HEALTH

Schools are to identify a point person or establish an access navigator to facilitate mental health referrals, communications to families/ students, and public-facing wellness materials.
Provide all staff with timely, responsive, and ongoing training/professional development.

Phase 5

Below are the guidelines for Catholic Schools when our region advances to Phase 5 of the MI Safe Start Plan. This plan is not yet active in our schools. We share this plan now as a way to keep you informed and prepared. When our region moves into Phase 5, each school will notify families directly, the Archdiocese of Detroit will alert the community through multiple diocesan channels, and this web page will be updated accordingly.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Face coverings are optional for students and staff when in classrooms. If a staff member or student has been identified to be at increased risk of illness by their physician, face covering should be worn.

All passengers and drivers will wear facial coverings when on a school bus, except (1) when eating and (2) unless face coverings cannot be medically tolerated as documented through written and signed verification by a physician, with parental consent.
All staff and all students in grades pre-kindergarten and up will wear facial coverings when in indoor hallways and common areas, except (1) during meals and (2) unless face coverings cannot be medically tolerated as documented through written and signed verification by a physician, with parental consent for students.
AOD schools will not conduct indoor assemblies that bring together more students than the most recent Executive Order allows.
School Masses may be allowed provided that all AOD Mass guidelines are followed.