Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
Table of Contents Our Mission_______________________________________ 2 Our Approach_____________________________________ 3 Our Goal_________________________________________ 4 Life on Campus__________________________________ 5-6 Guiding Principles__________________________________ 7 The Important Role of Families______________________ 8 Community Expectations________________________ 9-10 Face Coverings___________________________________ 11 Safety Enhancements______________________________ 12 COVID-19 Monitoring______________________________ 13 Management of Student/Staff Illness_________________ 14 Returning to School After Illness____________________ 15 Heath and Safety Measures_______________________16-18 Back-to-School Orientation________________________ 19 Student Life and Learning_______________________ 20-21 Support Services_________________________________ 22 COVID-19 Response Team__________________________ 23
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Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
Our Mission Old Trail School is a vibrant educational community focused on academic excellence. We develop intellectually curious, independent thinking students who emerge with a passion for discovery, critical thinking and collaborative learning. Our graduates are well prepared to become responsible global citizens who achieve in high school, college and life. Core Values Respect, Responsibility, Goodness and Service
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Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
Our Approach The emergence of the novel coronavirus pandemic in late 2019 and its global spread through early 2020 forced Old Trail, like other schools around the world, to reevaluate nearly every aspect of its educational practices. Across the school, teachers, staff, parents and students have demonstrated extraordinary resilience in adapting to new and often challenging conditions. Perhaps more so than any other year, we look forward to once again welcoming students, faculty and staff back to our beautiful campus this fall. We understand that this transition back to school may come with concerns and complexities, and we are committed to reorienting your children to the new school year in the safest and most supportive way possible. In response to the pandemic, Old Trail established a COVID-19 Response Team that consisted of the administrative team and four faculty members representing each division of the school. In addition, we created an Advisory Committee made up of board members, parents and physicians. Throughout all of our planning, we have used the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Summit County Public Health, University Hospitals and leadership from the State of Ohio. We are currently preparing the physical campus to support students, faculty and staff in the fall of 2020.
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Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
Our Goal We recognize that the ideal teaching and learning environment is one in which students and teachers are able to interact with each other face-to-face. We also recognize the vital importance of creating a campus environment that addresses the health and safety concerns of our students, faculty and staff. Our plan for the 20-21 school year seeks to do both, providing a road map for our community to follow in the months ahead. Our Plan is also designed to allow us to adapt quickly to changing conditions of the pandemic and still provide for the continuous education of our students. As guidelines change, we will pivot to ensure we are adopting best practices based on the data that is available to us. At all times, we will calibrate our school operations and teaching to public health conditions. Our goal is to offer an exceptional education for our students while prioritizing the safety and wellness of our community. The following details of our plan represents a model in which our students, faculty and staff are back on campus operating under new health and safety guidelines and protocols. Accommodations will be made for students requesting not to be on-campus. Other options, including a return to the distance learning model implemented last spring, will be considered based on guidelines, considerations and/or mandates from the state and local health departments, or if the school determines it is unsafe for our community to return to campus. Old Trail is committed to providing a continuity of learning for students on and off campus. We understand that there will be times when students, even those who elect to return to campus, will need to learn from home due to an illness or the quarantine of a cohort. Students who are learning from home will be able to continue their classwork through an online platform placing them virtually in their classroom with their peers and teachers through an investment in new technology. School day hours for virtual learning will be the same as in-person learning. More details will be shared with families later this summer. We recognize that the Early Childhood program presents unique challenges when in-person learning is not possible. This is a complex problem and discussions are ongoing to determine the best solution for students and families if and when distance and virtual learning are necessary. It is important to note that this plan is not intended to address every question that students, faculty, staff, and families will have. Nor does it provide all the details on the many issues and decisions that will continue to be made as we approach the fall. Our guide is intended to provide an overview of our Return to Campus strategies. 4
Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
Life on Campus The following is a snapshot of what life on campus will look like this fall. More details can be found throughout this document.
A Healthy Community Environment ɒ State and local health and safety guidelines will be followed and procedures implemented for hygiene, social distancing and enhanced cleaning protocols. ɒ Face masks will be required of all faculty, staff and students in the building with specific options available for students in ECP to Grade 2. Mask breaks will be scheduled throughout the academic day. ɒ Parents will be responsible to check and monitor their child’s health each morning and alert the school of high temperatures and/or symptoms of illness. In turn, all school employees will be responsible for monitoring their own health each morning and alerting the school of the same symptoms. ɒ Students and employees must not enter the campus if they test positive for COVID-19, display any signs or symptoms of COVID-19, or have had close contact with someone who has displayed any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 or who has been diagnosed as positive for COVID-19. ɒ Parents and visitors will not be allowed on campus without an appointment. A Healthy Campus Environment ɒ Academic schedules and classroom use will be reimagined to keep students in smaller, consistent groups, or cohorts, during the day. This will reduce the risk of viral transmission and allow for discrete cohorts to quarantine in the event of infection without requiring that the entire campus close and shift to distance learning. ɒ Cohorts will be defined as the child’s class for students in ECP to Grade 2 and homeroom for students in Grades 3-8. Each cohort will vary in size, and classroom modifications have been made in order to allow for social distancing. ɒ Improvements to the school’s HVAC system have been made to provide the highest-possible air quality in the building, including the installation of MERV 13 filters, improved ventilation in areas of concern throughout the building and cleaning of all coils. Additionally, a new GPS Ionization System will be installed to help kill bacteria, viruses and germs in the building. Air exchange currently occurs every hour in different parts of the building and air filters will be replaced frequently on a regular schedule. 5
Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
Life on Campus ɒ Our vast outdoor space on campus will be utilized to complement our inside classroom environment as often as appropriate to reduce the risk of transmission for students and adults. Primary and ECP students will not be required to wear a mask while at play outdoors. Students in grades 3-8 will wear masks outdoors when they cannot be socially distanced. ɒ Lunch will be provided for students but the options will be limited when school begins. Students will remain in their cohorts during lunch and will eat outdoors for as long as the weather permits. Other spaces are being explored for alternatives due to inclement weather. Students may also choose to pack their lunch. ɒ Students will not eat in the dining room this year. This room, as well as other common spaces, may be used as classrooms to accommodate social distancing. ɒ A registered nurse (RN) has been hired to serve our student body and the Health Clinic has been moved to a new location to allow for the isolation of students with fevers and other COVID-19 symptoms, as well as day-to-day needs (medication, cuts, bruises etc.). ɒ Movement on campus will be controlled and directed to reduce the mixing of cohorts. ɒ Additional custodial staff will be on duty during school days to enhance cleaning efforts throughout the entire building.
Other Important Details ɒ School hours will remain the same (8:30 a.m. to 3:25 p.m.) daily. Classrooms will open at 8 a.m. each day for students in grades K-8 to join their respective cohorts prior to the start of the day. ɒ To help students and families become more familiar with new health and safety protocols and procedures in place for the school year, one-hour Back-to-School Orientation sessions will be scheduled during the week of August 24-28. More details will be shared later this summer. ɒ Transportation will be provided by existing OTS bus routes. Additional routes may be added in the future. Public school busing of students to private schools is still being discussed at the state and local level and may not be available. Parents are encouraged to contact their local school districts for more information. ɒ Before and after-school care will be provided, but OTS+ enrichment classes will not be offered. ɒ Interscholastic sports will be suspended for the fall season, including boys soccer, boys and girls cross country, girls field hockey and girls tennis. 6
Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
Guiding Principles Old Trail has defined four guiding principles that help to inform our decisions as we return to campus. These principles speak to our Mission and Core Values, and to our commitment to being a school community that supports each other and works together to provide as safe a campus environment as possible for all stakeholders. They are also aligned with what we have learned from our experience with distance learning last spring.
Safety The health and well-being of our community will always be a top priority at Old Trail School. We believe that a healthy environment is ultimately a secure environment, one in which students, teachers and staff are able to thrive. We also believe that we have an obligation to support the health of the broader community – from our own Old Trail families to those around our state. At all times, we will seek to align our measures with guidance from Summit County Public Health, Ohio Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). On-Campus Instruction Old Trail recognizes that the optimal learning environment for children is one in which they are learning from their teachers and fellow students in-person. We also recognize the value of the unique role our campus plays in the education of our students. To the best of our ability, and in accordance with official health guidelines, we will seek to provide as much on-campus instruction as possible for all students every day. Academic Coherence and Excellence Old Trail believes in the pursuit of academic excellence in any context and that a continuous educational experience is vitally important to achieving this end. While health circumstances may necessitate certain changes or restrictions to student life, our ultimate goal is to support our students’ learning and development as seamlessly as possible. Flexibility and Adaptability Old Trail recognizes that any plan that we design to respond to external health conditions must be flexible and able to adapt to circumstances beyond our control. Our overarching goal is to create a continuous learning structure that is durable enough to adapt to possible emerging coronavirus infections while still allowing us to maintain as much on-campus instruction as possible. 7
Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
The Important Role of Families Families play a vital role in maintaining safety on campus. The top safety measure is to keep a child home if they are sick. We want to work with families to support their child’s adherence to safety measures while they are on campus as well as at home. To support this effort, prior to the start of school, we will provide an updated student handbook with helpful information and orientation and training materials to help transition students to campus. We understand that there are families with higher risk members in their households. As a community that prioritizes health and safety, we must all do our part to adhere to state health recommendations and regulations to control transmission and potential future outbreaks. Moreover, there may be times when we ask families to comply with broader safety measures, and we greatly appreciate your cooperation in this regard.
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Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
Community Expectations All members of the Old Trail community have a shared responsibility to prevent the spread of illness when they are aware or suspect that they have contracted a communicable disease. It is imperative that all members of our school community remain committed to the safety policies and procedures listed in this and future communications to help keep students, staff, and faculty safe. By enrolling your child at Old Trail, you agree to the following requirements: ɒ COVID-19 Testing and Notification. If your child or someone in your household tests positive for COVID-19, you must notify the School Nurse as soon as possible. Your child should remain at home and guidance will be provided by the school. ɒ Face Coverings. All ECP to Grade 8 students are required to wear a face covering and must come to school with face coverings every day they attend on-campus classes. Parents should teach their children how to properly use and remove a face mask. If using fabric masks, ensure that your child’s mask is cleaned regularly. We will work with each child at their developmental level as they learn to manage this safety protocol. See next section for more details about face coverings. ɒ Follow Federal, State, and Local Orders. All families are expected to adhere to the directives of applicable federal, state, and local government health departments, including the CDC, regarding social distancing in public and other measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19. ɒ Hygiene. Practice and reinforce good hygiene practices at home, in particular, the importance of frequent handwashing. ɒ Medical Forms; Emergency Contacts. Parents must complete and submit all required student medical forms prior to the first day of school. Parents must provide at least three (3) emergency contacts who are able to pick up your child from Old Trail within one (1) hour of receiving a call from the school if your child presents with a temperature or becomes ill during the school day.
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Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
Community Expectations ɒ Stay Home if Exposed. If anyone in your household has been notified by the local health department that they were in contact with an individual infected with COVID-19, you must notify the school and self-quarantine (your child and family members) for 14 days. During this time, your child will be able to continue classes via virtual learning. More details can be found on pages 14-15. ɒ Stay Home if Sick. Families are required to monitor their household members for symptoms and must not bring children with symptoms related to COVID-19 to school while erring on the side of caution. If your child is sick, you are expected to keep them home from school. Symptoms related to COVID-19 include fever (100 degrees or higher), cough, shortness of breath, chills, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, congestion or runny nose. ɒ Students’ Personal Items. Limit the items your child brings to school each day and reinforce policies around the sharing of food, supplies and other items with other students. ɒ Temperature Checking. Morning temperature checks at home are required. In addition, Old Trail will periodically check temperatures of students at school. If your child presents with a temperature that is higher than 100.0 F, your child will be sent home. ɒ Travel. All students must self-quarantine for 14 days upon return from a state reporting positive testing rates of 15% or higher for COVID-19, per Gov. DeWine’s travel advisory.
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Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
Face Coverings Face coverings are an important layer of safety used throughout the day by students and faculty. The approach used on campus is consistent with local health department recommendations and directives regarding the use of face coverings outside the home. An important consideration for the use of face coverings is to balance the need for effective teaching with student and faculty safety. Our policy around face coverings is subject to change based on health conditions at the time. All students and employees will wear face coverings in the building. ɒ ECP students will wear either a hat with a face shield, a gaiter or a cloth face mask. ɒ K-2 students will wear either a cloth face mask or gaiter. ɒ Students in grade 3-8 will wear a cloth face mask. ɒ All students are required to come to school with a face covering each day as well as maintain a supply of at least two additional personal face coverings at school, similar to having a change of clothes. ɒ Regular mask breaks will be given to all students and faculty throughout the day. Students in grades ECP-2 will not be required to wear masks when outside. Students in grades 3-8 will not be required to wear masks outside if their activity is conducive to social distancing. Should students in grades 3-8 want to have closer contact and conversations with peers while outside they will be asked to wear their mask. Teachers will work with students to develop this life skill, which is supportive of being a responsible global citizen. Consideration will be given to chronological age and developmental level as students manage this expectation throughout the school day. We accept that wearing masks will be a challenge for our younger learners, therefore, we will work with them as needed to help them adjust.
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Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
Safety Enhancements With safety as a top priority, Old Trail is investing additional resources to enhance COVID-19 safety measures. Some of these measures include the following: ɒ Improvement of ventilation systems and practices ɒ Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for employees ɒ No-touch thermometers to detect fevers ɒ Microshield 360 antimicrobial coating ɒ Plexiglass barriers and partitions for employees ɒ Hand sanitizer available in all classrooms, offices and high traffic areas ɒ Full-time registered nurse on campus ɒ Amplified cleaning practices The school day and our classrooms are also being reimagined with new schedules and smaller, discreet cohorts (defined as each student’s classroom grouping) in order to minimize the number of other students each individual will come into contact with during the day. In the event of small numbers of infections on campus, this will enable us to have the affected cohort learn from home for two weeks without requiring that the entire campus close and revert to distance learning. With more teaching spaces needed, classrooms and other areas are being prepped to ensure that all students will have the best learning experience. Additionally, non-academic staff will be deployed in many areas to support faculty when needed. Given the uncertainty of the health situation in our community and on campus, classrooms are being set up with additional technology, including remote camera set-ups, which will allow for greater connections for students who may need to learn from home.
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Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
COVID-19 Monitoring Members of the COVID-19 Response Team will convene regularly to monitor health indicators reported by the State of Ohio agencies as well as our school community. These meetings will track the number of COVID-19 cases in the state; the number of students and employees on campus who report illnesses; the number of people with recorded fevers; attendance and a host of other data points that will factor into our community’s health status and inform any actions Old Trail will take. We will monitor and analyze these indicators for predictive trends and anomalies. Any changes to our health protocols will be shared with our community. Our goal will be to calibrate our school operations and instruction to the public health conditions present at the time. Our Return to Campus Plan will continue to evolve as the status of COVID-19 and our understanding of best practices to address the virus become available. We will continue to rely on the guidance, consideration and mandates established by local and state health experts and leadership. Regular monitoring of the overall health and well-being of our school community will also be considered independently.
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Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
Management of Student/Staff Illness In the absence of testing, it is difficult to know if individuals with symptoms, particularly children, have COVID-19 or another illness. As a result, individuals with COVID-19 symptoms should not be in school and they should be tested. Negative test results would allow them to behave as they normally would (back to school or not, depending on illness severity and symptoms). However, national/regional/local testing capacity will likely not adequately support testing demands of ill children excluded from school. Standards of practice are evolving for the care of our community and our school nurse will monitor federal, state and local guidelines.
A student or school employee will be sent home and/or required to stay home if: ɒ An individual experiences symptoms related to COVID-19 including fever (100 degrees or higher), cough, shortness of breath, chills, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, congestion or runny nose. Any one of these symptoms alone or in combination puts students at greater risk for COVID-19 infection, necessitating that the affected student be medically isolated and sent home from school. ɒ Someone in the students’ or employees’ household tests positive for COVID-19 (unless instructed otherwise by the Health Department). ɒ An individual tests positive for COVID-19. A confirmed COVID-19 test-positive student should not report to school. If at school, the individual will be isolated immediately and required to depart campus within an hour.
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Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
Returning to School After Illness Any student or school employee must have a healthcare provider note to return to school following a COVID-19 symptom-based/illness-based school absence. ɒ For an individual with alternative diagnosis for symptom-based school absence (i.e. allergies), provider clearance is required and should include clinical evaluation but does not require COVID-19 testing. ɒ For an individual with clinical COVID-19 who is not tested, the student or employee may return to school after at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared (unless the individual has healthcare provider clearance); at least one day (24 hours) of being fever free without the use of fever-reducing medications; and experiences improved respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath). ɒ For individuals who receive COVID-19 testing: » If COVID-19 testing (PCR test) is negative, the individual could return to school. » If COVID-19 testing (PCR test) is positive, see “Individual who tests positive for COVID-19” below.
Individual who tests positive for COVID-19 must meet all three (3) of the following criteria before returning to school: ɒ At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared, unless you have healthcare provider clearance; ɒ At least one day (24 hours) fever free without the use of fever-reducing medications; and ɒ Improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath).
Individual with confirmed COVID-19 positive household contact: The student or employee may return to school after receiving provider clearance and a period of 14 days has passed since their last exposure to the individual who tested positive for COVID-19.
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Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
Health and Safety Measures The health and safety of our community will always be a top priority. The following is a list of safety measures we are planning to put in place, regardless of our alert level. Further details about these and other safety measures will be shared in our upcoming student handbook.
Assemblies/Large-Group Gatherings Based on guidance from state health officials, large group gatherings will be held virtually. Some events will be canceled. Cohorts and Decreased Mixing of Students Academic schedules and classroom use will be designed to keep students in smaller, consistent groups (cohorts) during the day. This will reduce the risk of viral transmission and allow for discrete cohorts to quarantine and move to distance learning. Dining Room and Food Services Given that masks cannot be worn while eating, this is among the more complicated issues for the reopening of school. Box lunches, including vegetarian and allergy-friendly options, will be available for students. Weather permitting, students and employees will eat outdoors when possible. Expanded food options will be explored as our confidence in safety protocols is established.
Enhanced Cleaning/Disinfection Schedule Daily cleaning practices will be compliant with CDC recommendations, including the types of cleaning products used and the frequency of cleaning. Special attention will be paid to the cleaning of high touch surfaces throughout the day. Additional custodial staff will be on duty during school days to enhance cleaning efforts throughout the entire building. Face Coverings All students and employees will wear face coverings throughout the school day. See page 11 for additional information. Hand Hygiene Students and faculty will follow a regular schedule of handwashing and use of hand sanitizer throughout the day. Hand sanitizer will be available in every classroom and throughout the building. In addition, students should bring their own sanitizer daily. Per FDA guidelines, hand sanitizer should not include methanol or wood alcohol.
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Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
Heath and Safety Measures Health Screening Families are required to monitor their household members for symptoms, including fever, and must not bring children with symptoms related to COVID-19 to school erring on the side of caution. Temperature and symptoms screening will be conducted for all students and employees at school as needed. Students with symptoms will be separated from other students and parents/ guardians will be contacted to arrange pick-up within the hour. Families should also monitor their child for COVID-19 related symptoms 14 days before the start of school this fall. Hydration Students are required to bring their own water bottles to school. All drinking fountains will be disabled. The touchless water bottle fountains will be available. Physical Distancing Movement on campus will be controlled and directed to reduce the mixing of students. In classrooms, students will be seated with spacing to minimize transmission risk, but allowed to interact more closely for limited periods with additional safety measures and greater supervision in place. Until further notice, middle school students will not use lockers in the hallway and will instead store personal items in their respective cohort rooms.
Quarantine and Contact Tracing If a student or employee has a COVID-19 infection, school officials will support Summit County Public Health Department efforts for contact tracing and enforcing quarantining of those infected and their contacts. Provisions will be made to support the continuity of learning from home during quarantine periods. Transportation – OTS Bus Safety Protocols All students must wear a mask before entering the bus. All buses will be equipped with hand sanitizer and students will be directed to use this upon entering the bus and when exiting the bus. Students will be seated from the back to the front of the bus when entering and in reverse order when exiting. Students will sit one per seat (unless from the same household). All windows will be opened to provide sustained ventilation. Drivers will wear a face mask. All buses will be disinfected and sanitized after morning drop off and again after evening drop off. If you plan to use public school transportation, please contact your local school district’s transportation department to learn about their procedures/protocols for the upcoming school year.
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Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
Heath and Safety Measures Other Safe Classroom Practices Teaching methods will be adjusted to minimize shared equipment or learning materials between students; Classroom practices will reduce the transfer of objects between home and school and touching of other students’ personal belongings; Infrastructure will be put in place to minimize surfaces which cannot easily be disinfected. Updated Sick Policy and Enforcement Practices Rules regarding sick policies for students and employees will be enhanced and strictly enforced to minimize the number of sick people on campus, as well as to allow continuity of learning from home for mildly ill or asymptomatic students. Visitors on Campus Visitors will be restricted to those who have essential business on campus and all visitors will be required to wear a mask, have their temperature taken upon arrival, and complete a health screening form. During this time, we encourage families and visitors to complete all school business electronically, via phone, email or video conference, to limit the number of visitors to campus during the school day. Prospective families will have the opportunity to learn more about the school through virtual events and on-campus visits, when appropriate, this year. 18
Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
Back-to-School Orientation Prior to the start of school, your family will receive information about parent and student orientations, the first day of school and student schedules. Small-group orientation will include time for parents and students to visit classrooms and meet teachers/advisors, and will include one-to-one device distribution and training for third and sixth grade students as well as other new intermediate and middle school students. Because of the limitations on visitors to campus, all parents and guardians are encouraged to participate in the orientation programs, as this will be the sole opportunity to see your child’s room at the start of the year. Information regarding your child’s teacher(s) and classroom will be shared prior to orientation. During orientation, students and parents will learn details about the daily schedule and what they can expect on day one.
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Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
Student Life and Learning Across the campus, we are working to limit the number of individuals that students come into contact with over the course of the day. In the Early Childhood program, we are doing this by decreasing density in the classrooms. For all other grade levels, this is achieved by rebuilding schedules to keep students in discrete cohorts and rooms. Specials will occur on a rotating basis and at various times, faculty will move between classrooms or provide remote instruction to a class. While school will look and feel different from usual in many ways, it will also feel quite the same in that we will open the year eager to support our students’ growth and to usher them into the school year comfortably with care and attention to their needs. We are also committed to continuing a well-rounded program that fosters academic growth, supports health and well-being, and cultivates the development of the whole child.
Athletics Due to the high risk of close-contact transmission and issues surrounding transportation to and from other schools, we are not able to offer interscholastic athletics during the fall season. This includes boys soccer, boys and girls cross country, girls field hockey and girls tennis. We are currently exploring club and other non-competitive options for students and will continue to reevaluate all possibilities throughout the academic year.
Dress Code The dress code will be modified to accommodate being outdoors as much as possible. Students will be encouraged to wear comfortable clothing conducive to going outside daily. A new list of acceptable clothing will be provided by division directors.
Before and After School Care We are committed to providing care before school and after for those that it is a necessity. We will not, however, be offering enrichment classes through our OTS + program. The hours of our after school care program will remain from 3:25 - 6 p.m. and before care will be from 7:30 - 8:00 a.m. 20
Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
Student Life and Learning Extracurricular Performing Arts, Student Clubs and Extended Learning We are committed to providing meaningful experiences for all students in life outside of the academic classrooms. We also acknowledge that in our current environment, the experiences in performing arts, electives, student clubs and extended learning will be different from the pre-COVID-19 context. Performing arts that are part of the curriculum will continue but in a modified context. We will not be offering in-person live performances this fall.
Physical Education Physical education will operate in a modified context in the fall. The physical education curriculum being developed will emphasize the natural world, wellness, and physical activity. Weather permitting, all classes will be outside and appropriate shoes and clothing should be worn. As a result of the revised physical education curriculum and the limitations of health guidelines, swimming will not be offered until it is determined to be safe by the school. We will continue to evaluate this.
Recess and Outdoor Play Opportunities for play and engagement with Meyo Library While access to the shared space of the Meyo the outdoors remain vital to our students’ Library will be prohibited, access to books will health and well-being and will remain important features of the Old Trail School continue. Our librarians will implement safe procedures for students to select and borrow experience. Spaces across the campus will be used to support play, outdoor learning and books regularly, including a quarantine of 72 healthy movement. These activities will be hours for returned books. scheduled and supervised in order to maintain safe conditions for our students. Monday-Friday Schedule The school will transition to a Monday-Friday cycle as opposed to our traditional six-day cycle (A through F days). This change is intended to simplify the school week for students and families and facilitate the implementation of modified schedules. It also makes any potential move to distance learning (in the event we are required to close campus) a more seamless experience for families.
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Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
Support Services We plan to continue to provide supplemental instructional support for our students who have been identified as having substantial learning challenges in the areas of literacy, math and/or executive function skills. This will be delivered via Zoom sessions with one of our specialists either in the context of the school day or in the late afternoon/after school hours. Students who have been enrolled in Speech and Language Therapy, as well as students who are identified as being candidates for Speech and Language Therapy, will have the opportunity to continue to receive support from our Speech and Language Pathologist, though the service delivery details for this service have not been finalized at this time. We are also aware that our students may experience heightened emotions including feelings of anxiety, sadness or irritability during this pandemic. If you are concerned about your child’s emotional/social comfort or behavioral adjustment, you can access one of our two school psychologists by calling our Director of Support Services, Kathi Howard, School Psychologist and Licensed Professional Counselor, at 330-666-1118, ext. 335 or by sending an email to khoward@oldtrail.org. Mrs. Howard will contact you to schedule a time for a confidential phone consultation or for a confidential tele-counseling session.
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Return to Campus Plan: 2020-21
OTS COVID-19 Response Team Our planning effort has been guided by the thoughtful work of the Old Trail School COVID-19 Response Team, a task force composed of faculty and staff. Sarah Johnston, Head of School David Chottiner, Middle School Director Barb DiTirro, Primary School Teacher Kathi Howard, Director of Support Services, School Psychologist Amanda Irwin, Primary School Diretor Michael McGrievy, Intermediate School Teacher Susan Newman, Director of Enrollment Management Meeta Nosrati, Chief Financial Officer John Pintola, Intermediate School Director Rachel Rich, Early Childhood Teacher Ronald Teunissen, Physical Education and Health Education Teacher Joe Vogel, Associate Head of School Paul Warner, Marketing and Communications Director Sharon Winfrey, Technology Director
Advisors to Old Trail School
Thomas Eaton III (OTS’ 92), MBA, Board President, P’28 Dr. Thomas Nguyen, Pediatric medicine, Childrens Physicians Inc., P’21, P’23 Dr. Carrie Lehman, FAAP, Akron Children’s Hospital Pediatrics, P’27 Dr. Priya Maseelall, FACOP, Reproductive Gynecology and Infertility, Board Member, P’22, P’27 Holly Little, J.D., Board member, P’28, P’30, Jill Penrose Smith, MBA, Chief People and Administrative Officer, Board member, P’21, P’24
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2315 Ira Road, P.O. Box 827, Bath, Ohio 44210 330-666-1118 | oldtrail.org
