Return to School 20-21 [COVID-19]

Key Procedures based on Evidence-based Health Information ("The What")  

Each key area will have detailed work instructions for implementation across all school areas and the school day ("The When and How")

Ongoing Daily Procedures (implemented across the day, across classrooms, and across the school):  

• • Elimination of non-essential visitors and external organizations inside the building. 
  • Consistent and continual teaching, communicating, and reinforcing these procedures. 
    • AXIS Super Explorers demonstrate the 3Rs (Respect, Responsibility, and Relationships) AND the 3Ws (Wash your Hands, Wear a Mask, and Watch your Distance)
  • Support families in keeping their child at home when the child or other household member may be exhibiting symptoms or they are uncomfortable with public health conditions.
  • Assigned and staggered drop off and pick up times. 
  • Hand washing and/or sanitizing at assigned times (sanitizer stations). 
  • 3' distancing at all times, and 3’+- 6' distancing where possible. 
  • Assigned student desks instead of tables, spaced 6' in most classrooms, 4'-5' in others. 
  • Face coverings (masks and face shields) worn by adults and students (masks) at assigned times where most critical/vulnerable and based on age and activity. Consider mask lanyard to have children keep track of masks. We are encouraging non-distracting masks plain colors or simple print, no characters please.  
  • Reduction of number of AXIS staff members, who come into the building and interact with staff and students. 
  • Elimination of non-cohort interaction, where possible. Recess, lunch, hallway, bathroom times, and specials occur in pods. Teachers/assistants rotate to pod. 
  • Elimination of adult/staff/teacher congregating. 
  • Elimination of singing and focus on other elements during music time. 
  • Maintenance of attendance, pod, and seating chart records for contact tracing. 
  • Breakfast and lunch delivered to classrooms. 
  • Individualized student materials, including unscented hand sanitizer where age appropriate, and elimination of in class congregating. 
  • Implement touch-free surfaces/options wherever possible (i.e. doors propped open, change water fountains to bottle fillers). 
  • Increase amount of time outdoors as much as possible. 
  • Increase ventilation. 
  • Enhanced cleaning of classrooms and building by COVID-certified service. 
  • Signage and markings on floors to support implementation of the procedures. 

Student Symptom Monitoring: Student symptom and temperature checks are the responsibility of parents/guardians and should be done prior to students getting on the bus or entering school.

• Any student exhibiting symptoms will be asked to immediately self-quarantine and seek medical guidance, including potentially a COVID-19 test.
• If it happens while at AXIS the child will go to the exclusion space to be isolated to minimize potential spread of illness until they can be picked up from school to seek further medical attention.

• Individuals with COVID-19 symptoms must stay home and may only return to AXIS if: 
  • They've had no fever for at least three (3) days without the aid of fever-reduction medication. A fever is defined as a temperature of 100.4°F/38°C or higher
  • Symptoms have improved/resolved. 
  • At least ten (10) days have passed since the start of symptoms. 
  • Alternately, individuals may return once a healthcare provider has verified that they symptoms are not COVID-19 related and are not communicable to others in the building. 

Additional Facilities Notes

Implement Exclusion Space Procedures:

• • Exclusion space is the space a child/staff member goes when exhibiting COVID symptoms. 
  • Include the usage of personal protective equipment worn by staff. 

Cleaning,  Disinfecting, and Ventilation

• Spray bottles of disinfectant for staff use in each classroom. 

• Hand sanitizer dispensers available in high-traffic areas in district buildings, including at all entryways and main offices.

• Circulation of outdoor air will be increased as much as possible by opening doors. Additionally, school ventilation systems are designed to recirculate air and are designed to work best when windows are closed. AXIS is considering is upgrading air filters to MERV 13 filters to filter out micron levels of COVID-19 where possible.

Priority cleaning schedule for buildings:

• Daily Cleaning 
  • Restrooms disinfection
  • Locker rooms disinfection
  • Health offices/public areas/reception area
  • Trash/recycling removal
  • High-touch surface disinfection 
  • Sinks and counters disinfection 
  • Vacuum/sweep of hallway floors
  • Entryway door handles and high-touch surfaces 
  • Disinfection with ionizing hydrostatic sprayer

• Every Other Day Cleaning
  • Vacuum/sweep classroom floors
  • Sweep gym floors
  • Vacuum rooms used for small group learning 

• Once Per Week Cleaning 
  • Vacuum office area
  • Vacuum media center
  • Scrub gym floor
  • Staff lounge
  • Outside trash removal
  • Detail cleaning (carpet stains, mopping of floors, dusting, etc.)

Transportation

• Drivers will wear face coverings. 
• Windows and vents on the bus will be left open or slightly open at all times for improved ventilation.
• Buses will be disinfected daily and between routes

Students who use the CEC/AXIS buses will be expected to follow these protocols: 

• Students must wear masks or face coverings at all times when on the bus. Students will not be permitted to board bus without a face covering/mask. 
•  Parents will be expected to take their child’s temperature and symptom screen before leaving the house and to ensure that an ill student does not ride the bus.
• When student enter the bus, they will load the bus from the rear to the front of the bus and unload the school bus from the front of the bus to the back when possible.
• Students will not be permitted to eat or drink on the bus.

Follow Public Health Guidelines and Procedures on Quarantines [Student, Staff, Pod(s), School], Closure and Reopening (To be updated soon per County Health Department call July 6, 2020): 

• • Current Larimer County Health Department Childcare Guidelines 
  • Current Larimer County Health Department School Guidelines 

AXIS Health and Safety Procedures will be applied to Emergency Drills: fire, lock out, lock down, shelter in place

Key Procedures based on the Evidence-based Information ("The What")  

Each key area will have detailed work instructions for implementation across all school areas and the school day ("The When and How") 

• • Provide the strongest educational program onsite and online with the implementation of practices above. 
  • Pace and expectations of online/remote learning will parallel onsite learning with accountability measures and rigor. CDE requirements will be applied. 
  • Technology integration in the classroom will benefit with both onsite and online/remote learning. 
  • Provide critical staff professional development across many areas including COVID information and procedures, and online learning best practices. 
  • Train teachers on COVID-related social and emotional needs. 
  • Increase social emotional opportunities during remote learning. 
  • Plan for students with special needs and other intensive needs. 
  • Ensure staff understands all of the details of the different phases and the Return to School Plan. 

AXIS Area Team Members (Team leads are denoted with an asterisk*): Candy Winans,* Melissa Schramm, Nicole Bauer  

AXIS Programs: AXIS Onsite K-5, AXIS Virtual, AXIS Preschool, AXIS Educare, 

AXIS Home School Enrichment

Key Procedures based on the Evidence-based Health Information ("The What")  

Each key area will have detailed work instructions for implementation across all school areas and the school day ("The When and How") 

• • Prioritize staff and student mental and physical health. 
  • Involve stakeholders in the decision making. 
  • Supportive messaging and removal of barriers for children to stay home when they or a household member is exhibiting symptoms or ill. 
  • Integration of COVID topics and practices into social and emotional learning for onsite and online learning. 
  • Share physical and mental health resources with families and staff:
    • Consider MOU (memorandum of understandings) with local counseling and mental health organizations. 
    • Support families with access to low-cost testing, vaccines, and services for un- or underinsured. 
    • Support families with resources related to mental health, physical health, food insecurity, housing transition/homelessness, and other resources as needed. 
  • Food Resources https://www.psdschools.org/FreeMeals-SchoolClosures
  • Technology and WIFI Support Resources (click here)
    • AXIS has a Chromebook for every AXIS enrolled child who needs one.
    • Contact info@AXIScolorado.org for technology support.

• Creating and maintaining strong staff/student relationships.
• Creating a sense of belonging and connection for students and staff.
  • Weekly in-person one-hour Social Emotional Learning groups will be held with each the students' English Teacher and Partner Language (outdoors with masks and distancing) 
• Emphasizing respect, safety, and community. 
• Emphasizing the importance of attending to mental health, trauma, and building healthy coping skills.
• Monitoring students, staff, and families, and developing a process to support those who are struggling. 
• Our School Psychologist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker partner is available for support and to connect families and staff to additional resources.
   

AXIS Teachers and Specialists will:

• • Provide consistency in daily routines to reduce stress and promote positive learning conditions.
  • Use social and emotional learning programs and support to engage students and connect them to tools and resources for remote learning.
  • Offer opportunities for students to share and process their emotions.
  • Individual, group, and family interventions at all school levels including ongoing collaboration with community partners.

• • Services for students with disabilities.
  • Response, intervention, and referral for students experiencing suicidal ideation.
  • Consultation and service coordination with educators, principals and other staff to support student learning.
    • Education for staff to enhance understanding of students’ and families’ mental health needs and additional challenges during remote learning.
    • Trainings and support focused on connections and relationships with students, staff resiliency, and strengthening students’ sense of safety and affiliation within their school.
  • Educational opportunities for parents to include: COVID impact on youth mental health issues, impact on child and adolescent development, and trauma recovery.
  • Interventions for students focused on re-establishing peer relationships following remote learning.
  • Continued outreach for students who face challenges with accessing changing school models; continued outreach to student and families to ensure connection with community resources.
  • Virtual outreach to students who are not physically returning to school sites.