Safe Return to In-Person School and Continuity of Services Plan

Safe Return to In-Person School and Continuity of Services Plan

Safe Return to In-Person School and Continuity of Services Plan  

COVID-19 Mitigation Plan

2021-2022 Academic Year

 

Genesis Academy has resumed in-person instruction for the 2021-2022 school year. Following are our school’s policies regarding COVID-19 Mitigation and Continuity of Educational Services:

Health and Safety Precautions:
In order to ensure our campus’s health and safety, we are utilizing CDC recommendations for re- opening schools to prevent COVID 19 spread. We will practice the following precautions:

  • Face Covering Policy:
    Face masks must be worn over the mouth and nose at all times by students, parents, visitors and school personnel while they are inside the building. Parents or students who do  not have a face mask will be provided with one, and will not be permitted to go past the front lobby until they are wearing it. Masks should fit snugly over the mouth and nose with no gaps and should be made of  breathable fabric

 

  • Handwashing and Respiratory Etiquette:
  1. Always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or use the inside of your elbow.
  2. Throw used tissues in the trash.
  3. Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If  soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
  • Temperature Check Policy: Staff will check temperature for all students upon their entry to the campus. Staff will call the parents of those students who have a temperature of 100 degrees or above so that their child may be sent home as quickly as possible. Please be sure that we have a current telephone number for you and that you answer your phone should we have to call you. Until we are able to contact a parent, the student will be kept in a safe isolated area which is observable by staff.
  • Cleaning & Disinfection: Enhanced cleaning schedules have been established allowing for regular cleaning of frequently touched surfaces and work areas throughout the day. Paper towels, cleaner and hand sanitizer will be placed in high traffic areas throughout campus. All staff have been provided with cleaning products to be used as needed between classes, at workstations and in common areas.
  • Immunization: All Genesis City faculty and staff are fully vaccinated and we encourage our students and their families to get We will  provide vaccination information to families based on  the current science and will be hosting vaccination clinics on our campus.

 

  • Contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine in collaboration with the State.

Genesis Academy follows guidance from the Arizona Department of Health Services as it relates to contact tracing and protocols for individuals with exposure to and/or symptoms of                          COVID-19. Genesis Academy supports COVID-19 mitigation through contact tracing efforts. We encourage our staff to report the following types of incidents:
Once a student has been identified with a  Positive COVID-19 Test result, any individuals who were in close contact  for Instances (within 3 feet for 15 minutes or longer within a 24-hour                    period) will be encouraged to self-monitor for COVID symptoms and not return to campus if they are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms and can produce a negative COVID-19 test.

  • Academic Support and Continuity of Services for Quarantined Students If a quarantine situation occurs as a result of COVID-19 exposure, we understand that it may cause disruption to the student’s academic progress, and we are prepared to provide support. If a student cannot attend school in person due to quarantining protocols, we have the following in place to assist with the continuation of learning:

 

  1. Students may make-up the work missed during quarantine. Assignments and coursework shall be accessible to students digitally e.g. scanned worksheets and textbook pages, ,etc.).
  2. Students are encouraged to access available coursework digitally in order to maintain current with the course.
  3. Students and parents may reach out to their teachers virtually (via email) during quarantine to ask for support in making up work.
  4. Tutoring sessions are also available for students to receive support from teachers and for assistance in making up work if needed. Sessions are provided Tuesday through Friday from 2:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m.
  5. Any student who misses school is encouraged to take advantage of the online resources available to them.
  6. Students who receive Special Education and related services will be contacted by their campus regarding access to IEP services

 

  • Genesis staff will utilize a Return to Campus Survey once students who have been diagnosed with COVID return to campus. Following are the survey questions:
  1. Has your child been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications? Yes No

    If the answer is ‘no,’ the student cannot return to school until the response to this question is ‘yes.’

  1. Have other symptoms of COVID-19 improved? Yes No

If the answer is ‘no,’ the student cannot return to school until the response to this question is ‘yes.’

  1. Has your child been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 14 days? Yes No

If the answer is ‘yes,’ please contact the school registrar to assist you in determining the new return date.

The importance of staying home when sick cannot be emphasized enough. We encourage all students, parents, staff, and teachers to self monitor for symptoms at home prior to leaving for school. Symptoms include:

  • Fever (greater than or equal to 100℉
  • Subjective chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea

COVID-19 symptoms may present differently in children than in adults. For example, children are less likely than adults to have fever with COVID-19 and more likely to present with non-respiratory symptoms such as nausea and diarrhea. It is important to recognize that many common illnesses have similar symptoms. In an abundance of caution, any person experiencing symptoms should remain home.

If a student or staff member on Site has COVID-19 symptoms they will be sent home if illness is suspected and emergency contacts will be notified immediately. Our school assumes that any of the symptoms listed above that are not related to an already diagnosed condition or illness (as known by school personnel) could be COVID-19. The student or staff member should not physically attend school until clearance from isolation criteria* have been met or an alternative diagnosis is made. As with other infectious diseases, if a student or staff member develops any symptoms at school, they will be immediately removed from any group setting and will be placed in a separate room with a mask on, as tolerated. If a separate room is not available, the sick student or staff member will be placed in a location where they can be at least 6 feet away from others until emergency contacts have been notified. Staff tending to the care of the sick individual should use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) including surgical mask, gloves and eye protection (goggles or face shield). If they are in direct contact with the sick individual they should wear a gown. Contact will be made with the emergency contact for the individual to be picked up from the campus as soon as possible, ideally within 1 hour. 911 will be called if the individual is exhibiting any serious symptoms, including difficulty getting enough air, change in alertness or responsiveness, and bluish lips or face.

All household members of someone confirmed or suspected to have COVID-19 should not physically attend school and quarantine at home for 14 days. Keep in mind, siblings may be at the same school or at another school (age dependent). Should a student become sick, families should notify the school of any household contact. If a sick student’s household contact is in school, the contact’s school should be notified and they should be removed from the classroom and sent home as soon as possible, even if not displaying symptoms. If the household contact is also sick, follow steps as above. *It is important to note that release from isolation DOES NOT require a provider’s note and DOES NOT require repeat testing or a negative test. Verifying that a student or staff member meets criteria for release from isolation will be up to the school staff or administration. The following dates should be collected for verification:

  • Date of test collection (if tested);
  • Date of onset of symptoms; and
  • Date of resolution of fever.

 

Health Department Reporting

Our school will report any outbreaks of COVID-19 to the local health department. Having more than one case within a school does not constitute an outbreak. An outbreak is defined as two or more laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases among students or staff with onsets

within a 14 day period, who are epidemiologically linked, do not share a household, and were not identified as close contacts of each other in another setting during standard case investigation or contact tracing.

COVID International or Domestic Travel

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread in all regions internationally as well as throughout the United States. Individuals who travel internationally, or domestically outside of their communities, may be at risk for exposure to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, before, during, or after travel, and could spread the virus to others at their travel destination or upon returning to their home community.

As part of a broader strategy aimed to limit continued new introduction of COVID-19 into US communities, all travelers should remain vigilant for signs and symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 and take routinely recommended precautions to limit community spread after traveling from one location to another. Travelers with greater potential risk of exposure because of the circumstances of their travel (e.g., travel from or to an area that is experiencing a high level of spread based on country, state, or county data) or activities during travel (e.g., attendance at a large social gathering or mass gathering) are recommended to take additional precautions during the 14 days after travel. Staff and students who have traveled outside the state should notify staff upon their return and quarantine as suggested on the table that is displayed on the CDC.gov website:  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/risk-assessment.html

Students’ Food Assistance:

Students whose families are facing household food shortages will be assisted through donated grocery store gift certificates.

Students’ Social Emotional and Mental Health Needs

The following are Genesis Academy’s commitments to ensure all of our staff and students are socially and emotionally supported:

  1. Educate staff and students on resources that are available at work/school and in the community should supports be needed:
  1. We have an Employee Assistance Program available through our employee insurance benefit.
  2. Community Partnership with mental health and behavioral health agencies such as Wesley Community Center and Chicanos Por La Cause for families to mental health and social services.
  3. Promote staff and students taking advantage of resources available and practicing the best self-care 3. Encourage staff and students to talk with people they trust about their concerns and how they are feeling
  4. Ensure staff are educated on the signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression as well as have a means to refer a student to appropriate Genesis City personnel for assistance.
  5. We have a Request for Intervention system that staff utilizes to refer students to support services when they may be displaying such symptoms
  6. We provide access to a comprehensive list of resources such as local distress hotlines (Teen Lifeline: 602-248-8336); national distress hotline: 1-800- 985-5990

Staff Emotional and Mental Health Needs:

Faculty and staff are provided assistance through the Employee Assistance Program.

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