STRONG START:
HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS AT IDEA One glance around an IDEA campus and there is a noticeable difference from previous school years. There is a line of students, social distancing, waiting to have their temperature checked. In classrooms, desks are surrounded by plexiglass on three sides while children smile from behind masks. IT IS THE REALITY of in-person instruction, as campuses across the nation grapple with how to safely keep schools open and students learning. The safety, health, and well-being of every scholar is always a top priority at IDEA. However, student learning is at its best during in-person instruction on-campus. There were decisions to be made and a range of factors to consider. In the end, IDEA developed a robust assortment of health and safety protocols that were continually monitored and improved to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on our campuses. To ensure IDEA was prepared to meet the highest safety standards and meet the expectations of families returning to campus, IDEA consulted with local, state, and county health officials and conducted several surveys to aid in the planning and implementation of procedures for the new school year. Based on more than 400 focus-group participants, over 4,000
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IMPACT SPRING 2021
bilingual-survey respondents, and leading research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state health departments, IDEA established protocols that all teachers, staff, students, and parents adopted to ensure the IDEA Team & Family was meeting the highest safety standards to help safeguard students and staff. The results are an approach that encompasses personal protective equipment, updated school procedures and protocols, and safety upgrades to campus buildings. The following practices have been in place on each IDEA campus since August: ALL ON-CAMPUS STUDENTS: • Were provided with two reusable cloth masks • Wear masks when in public spaces (like hallways) • Stay in the same group & classroom throughout the day • Eat all meals inside the classroom • Receive physical education modified for social distancing • Learn at desks while social distancing to the extent possible TEACHERS: • Participate in optional weekly free COVID testing offered on campus • Ensure active-learning and handwashing breaks occur throughout the day • Wear masks when delivering one-on-one instruction but are able to replace them with face shields during Direct Instruction
