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ASD’s Approach to Safety: Four Pillars of Safety
ASD’s Approach: Four Pillars of Safety
Physical Distancing and Reducing Density
Infectious disease and public health experts continue to insist on the importance of physical distancing as an effective strategy to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
To meet the KHDA requirements and to keep our students and staff members safe, ASD will implement the following layers of support:
• Strict 1m distancing in classrooms; desks will be arranged accordingly. We will exceed 1 meter wherever possible to maximise distancing. • Strict 1m distancing in common areas. • One-way campus circulation patterns, as feasible. • Staggered entry and exit plans to minimize crowding • Signs and floor stickers to prompt proper behaviors. • Extra adult supervision in common areas, as well as outside of lavatories. • Evenly divided “Pods” of students in the ELC, students stay exclusively with their homerooms. • Limiting mixing between grades (floors) in middle school. • Adults coming onto campus to drop off or pick up their child MUST be vaccinated or have a negative PCR within the past 48 hours
Health Screening and Preventative Hygiene
Careful health screening and preventative hygiene practices are paramount to mitigating the risk of COVID-19 infection and transmission. We have ample evidence to support that physical distancing coupled with specific hygiene practices will reduce the risk of infection with COVID-19. In line with this evidence, ASD will require:
• Parents must check their child in the morning before sending them to school, and must keep their child home if they exhibit any signs or symptoms of illness, or if their temperature is 37.5 or higher. • Students must obtain a PCR test and share the negative result with the health office before returning to school in case he/she exhibits signs or symptoms of illness that are consistent with COVID-19. • Students will wash their hands (or sanitize them) frequently throughout the day. • Students in Grade 1 and higher must wear a mask at all times (on buses and campus, except when eating). • Students are asked to bring spare masks to school each day, and wash reusable masks daily and dispose of used disposable masks properly. • Face shields, gloves, or other PPE (aside from masks) are optional, and to be provided by families. • Students and staff members will pass through thermal scanning after entering the gate.
ASD will not allow anyone to access campus if he/she has any symptoms of illness, or if he/she has not met ASD’s travel quarantine policy. Please note that ASD’s current travel quarantine policy has been revised and allows your child to access campus sooner than 10 days if a PCR is done and is negative. If unvaccinated, the PCR must be done no sooner than day 5 after landing. If vaccinated, the PCR can be done anytime after landing in the UAE.
We encourage your children to enter the designated gates to minimize queuing time, and mixing. See page 15 for designated gate information.
Review these Healthy Habits from the Health Office »
Four Pillars of Safety—cont’d
Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting
ASD’s cleaning protocols are superb and in line with Ministry of Health and Dubai Municipality requirements. The school is lucky to have a strong, well trained cleaning team to implement these enhanced protocols.
The following has been put in place for the return to school:
• Deep sanitization prior to school reopening • Multiple hand-washing stations and hand sanitizer dispensers have been placed in strategic locations throughout the campus (inside and outside); teachers will work with students to establish hand-washing routines • High-touch points, bathrooms, cafeteria tables and classroom desks will be cleaned and disinfected frequently, using safe but effective products • Playground equipment will be cleaned between different groups of students • Sanitizing desks after each “changeover” of students • Swimming pools and locker rooms will be sanitized between different groups of students • Carpets, plush toys, and costumes have been removed from the classrooms to reduce viral transmission and to facilitate disinfection procedures. • Sanitizing shared IT devices after each use • Main doors in high traffic areas have been modified and plastic screens have been placed in certain areas to reduce the risk of viral transmission • Special consideration and careful risk assessment will be given to classes thought to pose higher levels of risk such as P.E., Band, Orchestra, and Music • Sanitization of affected spaces in case of a positive case on campus
ASD will follow the latest guidelines that are still being formulated by researchers around the world.
Communication, Training, and Coordination
The establishment of clear communication channels and training of all members of our community are fundamental to the implementation of health-related policies. With the ever changing COVID-19 landscape, ASD will stay up to date with any changes in the current situation and will adapt its guidelines as needed and as directed by our expert bodies. ASD will ensure that its families are well informed, and will provide clarity so that the stage is set prior to you entrusting ASD with your children when the school reopens.