2020-2021 Avenue City School District Plan for Maintaining a Healthy and Safe Environment
Avenue City District’s Plan for 2020-2021:
Synopsis: Avenue City School will be offering face to face instruction for students beginning August 24, 2020. Answers to questions in regards to maintaining a healthy and safe environment can be found below. If you have any other questions, feel free to contact administration at 816-662-2305.
What are the school hours?
- School hours are (8:25 AM-3:15 PM; Students can arrive at 8:00 AM)
Is the school planning extended breaks?
- At this point the district is not planning for extended breaks. The plan is to attend school on the days assigned by the Board of Education Adopted 20-21 School Calendar. You can find the school calendar on the district website.
Will my child’s temperature be scanned each day?
- If students are brought to school via personal vehicle their temperatures will be scanned. If temperature is below 100.4 degrees F, students will then go directly to breakfast or to their classroom.
- Temperatures will be scanned before children board the bus. It temperature is above 100.4 F., they will not be able to board the bus.
Will my child be required to wear a mask?
- All students will be required to wear a mask when they are in the hallways, communal spaces, or participating in an activity that you social distance cannot be maintained.
What is the district doing about extracurricular events or activities?
- School Aged Childcare (after school) will NOT be provided the 1st quarter. We will reassess this decision at the beginning of 2nd quarter.
- There will be NO “Back to School Night”. There will be a limited Meet and Greet on August 20, 2020.
- Extracurricular Activities: ACES will follow Missouri State High School Activities Association guidelines with regard to extracurricular activities.
Will visitors be allowed in the school building during the school day?
- Access to the building will be limited to only necessary personnel and students.
What will guidelines be for bus riders? School bus transportation may not readily allow for physical distancing. However, strategies to reduce contact on buses and risk of infection will include:
- Students will have their temperature scanned before they get on bus. If the child is running a temperature of 100.4 or above, they will not be allowed to ride.
- Every child on the bus will have assigned seats. Siblings will be seated together when possible.
- Every child on the bus must wear a mask
- Bus will be loaded from back to front. Students will depart from front to back.
- District will supply bottle of hand sanitizer for each bus. Students will use hand sanitizer when boarding bus.
- Bus Company will be cleaning the bus before and/or after each route.
What if my child is experiencing anxiety at the thought of returning to school?
- If your child is experiencing anxiety during this time, please contact your child’s teacher and/or the school counselor, Ms. Stormie Milne. They can help you and your child develop a plan that will ease their anxiety.
What is my child is on a specialized plan, such as an Individualized Education Plan, a 504, a remedial reading plan?
- All of these plans are individualized to a particular student. If you have questions about your child’s individualized plan – please contact case worker via email. The district professionals will work with other participants on the child’s team to meet the needs of the child.
How is the Avenue City District Planning to Maintain a Healthy Environment? District administration, reentry committee members, and board of education are working on a plan to maintain a healthy environment for our students. Please see plan below.
Cleanliness
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- Staff will clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces (e.g., playground equipment (after each recess), door handles, desk tops, sink handles) within the school and on school buses at least daily.
- Students will be required to wear mask when they are in hallways, communal spaces, or participating in an activity that social distance cannot be maintained.
- Each student will wash hands each time they enter the classroom, before lunch, after recess, etc.
- Hand Sanitizing Stations will be displayed throughout the school building. Everyone will be encouraged to use them.
- Staff will use disinfecting wipes / cleaner on desk tops and frequently touched surfaces numerous times a day.
Shared Objects
- Staff will discourage sharing of items, especially items that are difficult to clean or disinfect.
- Staff will keep each child’s belongings separated from others’ and in individually labeled containers, cubbies, or areas.
- Staff will ensure adequate supplies to minimize sharing of high touch materials to the extent possible. Avoid sharing electronic devices, toys, books, and other games or learning aids when possible. Wipe down objects prior to sharing.
- Library books will be wiped down before being placed on shelf for next person.
- Computers keyboards in lab or communal areas will need to be sanitized before each use.
Water Systems
- Drinking fountains will not be used. Students will provide their own bottled water, may purchase from the cafeteria, or will provide a refillable container and may use the district’s refill stations.
Modified Layouts
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- Student desks will face in the same direction (rather than facing each other), or students will sit on only one side of tables, spaced apart when possible.
- If classroom is equipped with tables, district will provide dividers that will be placed between each student.
Communal Spaces
- Recess will be staggered times and classes of students will be guided to different areas of playground.
- Minimal children in restroom at a time.
- Physical Education classes will take advantage of “open air” outside activities when possible.
Food Service
- Lunch times will be staggered so that there can be more space between students.
- Use disposable food service items (e.g., utensils)
- Class treats / birthday treats may only be bought / prepackaged / individualized.
Gatherings, Visitors, and Field Trips
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- District will limit any nonessential visitors, volunteers, field trips, and activities involving external groups or organizations.
- When preschool students enter and exit building, staff member will meet students at door and escort them to class.
Identifying Small Groups and Keeping Them Together (Cohorting)
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- Ensure that student and staff groupings are as static as possible by having the same group of children stay in the same room.
- Mixing between groups will be avoided when at all possible. ACES cohorts will be limited – when there is a mix of groups it will be K-2; 3-5, 6-8. (For example: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade will go to recess at the same time, however they will be assigned to different areas of the playground to avoid unnecessary contact.)
COVID-19 Point of Contact
- All school staff and families will notify school nurse in the event that if they (staff) or their child (families) become sick with COVID-19 symptoms, test positive for COVID-19, or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 symptoms or a confirmed or suspected case.
- If child becomes ill at school, he/she will immediately be removed from classroom; will be quarantined to nurse’s office with a mask until parents arrive.
- Once sick child leaves premises the area will be closed off and not used until after cleaning and disinfecting.
- Administration will work with county officials to communicate to others who were exposed to positive case.
- Administration will notifying staff, families, and the public of school closures and any restrictions in place to limit COVID-19 exposure (e.g., limited hours of operation).
- If a student or staff member at Avenue City School is identified as positive for COVID-19, administration will work with the Andrew County Health Department to follow correct protocol.
Recognize Signs and Symptoms
- Students will have temperature checks before entering building or boarding school bus each morning.
- School will supply each parent with “symptoms checker” identification sheet to be used before school each day.
- All students must fill out COVID-19 questionnaire upon registration.
Education
- Visual aides will be posted around school for reminders of social distancing, hand washing, cover your cough, mask wearing, etc.
- Administration will post on social media / school website education in regards to “stopping the spread” of COVID-19.
What if I do not feel that it is safe for my child to return to school?
- Avenue City Elementary School District will be offering face-to-face instruction ONLY. If you do not feel that it is safe for your child to attend, you may decide to homeschool. Please note that if you homeschool during the 20-21 school year and then decide that your child will return to ACES during the 21-22 school year, we will administer a placement test. Based on that test, administration will decide grade placement of your child.
This is a very fluid situation. The Avenue City School District reserves the right to adjust this plan as new information becomes available or situations change.