2020
REOPENING PLAN Students, Faculty and Staff
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HEALTH, WELLNESS, AND SAFETY ARE OUR PRIORITY As we chart a path toward opening school in August, we remain committed to providing our community an environment where dynamic, engaging learning thrives and health, wellness, and safety are a priority. Our Task Force has been meeting regularly to develop plans for reopening school in August while keeping our faculty and students safe. Throughout this planning process, we have relied on guidelines from state and local public health officials, CDC recommendations and medical experts. We have utilized these guidelines to implement several strategies and modifications to support a healthy and safe on-campus environment relating to cleaning and disinfection, ventilation, food services and classroom spaces.
CONTINUITY OF LEARNING The benefits of in-person learning are well-documented (most recently by the American Pediatric Association), and as a result, we have approached this process with the objective—to the extent we believe it can be achieved safely, and in concert with public health guidance—of offering an in-person education model. We intend to implement numerous safety measures and reconfigure campus indoor and outdoor spaces with social distancing protocols. With the current circumstances still evolving, we are preparing for on-campus instruction, blended learning, and virtual learning models. This multi-faceted approach, which provided a robust and successful learning alternative to on-campus education this past Spring, will provide flexibility and continuity of learning if circumstances change and we need to make a seamless shift to virtual learning—should we need to do so. Additionally, our plan ensures an uninterrupted learning program and structure for those faculty and students who are under quarantine or are self-isolating due to personal or family health risks and will not be able to return to campus at this time.
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CONSULTING YOUR MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL We recognize that any in-person model has some degree of risk, and we also recognize the need to accommodate students and faculty with medical concerns. We encourage all community members (students, parents, faculty, and staff) to consult with their medical provider in advance of school reopening regarding the safety of returning to a campus setting. Individuals with underlying medical conditions should discuss the potential risks and decide if it is something they are comfortable with.
REOPENING PROCESS AND GUIDELINES Our plans for re-entry allows for flexibility and prioritizes the health, wellbeing, and safety of our community. At the same time, the guidelines are designed to be consistent with, and compliant with, recent California Department of Education guidance. We recognize that members of our community are likely to have many questions. We hope that you will find the answers to many of your questions below. We’ve categorized the information by the following topics to make it easier to navigate: • Communication • Community Health and Safety Precautions • Physical Distancing • Campus Disinfecting and Cleaning • Training and Education As our plans evolve, we will continue to update them and share with the community.
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COMMUNICATION We understand that clear and concise communication is essential as we embark on the anticipated Fall opening of campus. Using our digital platforms (email, website, social media, etc.), our Communications team members are committed to providing:
Up-to-date information on schedules, health department guidelines, and other relevant facts;
Helpful resources to garner additional knowledge and insights;
Clear criteria under which school will open and/or close as needed;
Signage throughout Campus that is prominent and easy to understand, providing protocol and illness prevention reminders; and
COVID-19 specific guidance (e.g. steps to take if you think you may be positive or have interacted with someone that is a carrier, travel concerns, and how to properly notify the School).
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COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLBEING 4
WELCOME TO CAMPUS Two locations will be available for entry to campus (Palms & Sawtelle Lots). Both locations will be staffed by Chief Security and additional School personnel to help direct and monitor pedestrian traffic, exiting vehicles, entry onto campus, and proper physical distancing as community members enter. Parents/guardians will be instructed to drop off students in one of the two lots. Only students, faculty, and necessary adults for the operations of the School will be allowed to enter campus. Please note - Visitors are only allowed access to campus if they are involved in the normal operations of the School. All approved adults will be required to complete a Visitor Form to allow for contract tracing and will be required to confirm they meet all screening criteria.
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SCREENING Prior to the start of on-campus learning, all families will be asked to complete a health screening questionnaire. It is incredibly important that all community members share this vital information with us, understanding that no one will be subject to discrimination based on their health status. This information will be submitted via our secure Magnus Health portal and will only be reviewed by our School or medical personnel as needed to assist with decision making for a safe return to campus. We are committed to protecting the privacy of all community members. Once we return to campus, we will also be asking that parents/guardians and employees self-screen daily by checking their temperature and observing for other symptoms associated with COVID-19 in the morning prior to leaving for school. Anyone exhibiting symptoms should notify the School. In addition to daily self-screening, parents, students, faculty and staff are obligated to report the following information and remain at home as recommended by the CDC: • If they have traveled outside the country, they may not return to school for 14 days after they return from international travel. • If they had close contact with someone who was ill with confirmed COVID-19, they may not return to school until 14 days after the exposure. Please note – According to the CDC: “Close contact” means being within six (6) feet of an individual for at least 15 minutes. • If a member of their household is ill with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, they may not return to school until 14 days after. Campus arrival – As each child and employee arrives on campus, school personnel will take temperatures using no-touch thermometers. Any person with a temperature over the designated threshold (100.4) will not be permitted on campus or will be held in a designated room until a parent/guardian can pick up their child. Additionally, all community members will be visually screened and asked whether they are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms. Face Coverings – Each person entering campus will be required to wear a face covering that visibly covers both their nose and mouth at all times. The only exception for not wearing a face covering will be while eating on campus (e.g. lunch). Proper social distancing will be in place during lunch sessions so students can remove their face coverings. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a 3-ply face covering.
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People with COVID-19 have reported a wide range of symptoms, ranging from mild to severe. Signs and symptoms include the following:
Diarrhea
Fever
Vomiting
Cough
Nausea
Congestion or runny nose
New loss of taste or smell
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19
Chills
Fatigue
Sore throat
Repeated shaking with chills Headache
Muscle or body aches
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HOW TO PROPERLY WEAR YOUR FACE COVERING
How to Put the Mask On
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Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Dry your hands with a clean paper towel and throw the paper towel away.
Check the mask for any defects such as a tear or missing tie or ear loop. Throw away any that are defective.
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If the mask has ties, pick up the mask by the ties and tie the upper ties behind your head with a bow.
Once the mask is in place, use your index finger and thumb to pinch the bendable top edge of the mask around the bridge of your nose.
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Make sure the exterior side of the mask is facing out, away from your face.
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If the mask has a lower tie, then once the mask is fitted to the bridge of your nose, tie the lower ties behind your head with a bow.
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Place the mask on your face with the blue side facing out and the stiff, bendable edge at the top by your nose.
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If the mask has ear loops, put one loop around each ear.
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Make sure the mask is completely secure. Make sure it covers your nose and mouth so that the bottom edge is under your chin.
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Wash your hands.
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Removing the Mask Wash your hands before removing the mask.
Don’t touch the inside of the mask (the part over nose and mouth). It may be contaminated from breathing, coughing or sneezing.
Untie or remove the ear loops and remove the mask by the straps.
Throw the mask in the trash.
Wash your hands.
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NEW SCHEDULE AND PHASED RETURN The plan to return to campus is a phased approach, designed to support education and training of all community members on essential health and safety protocols and procedures. A new daily class schedule has been designed to support proper social distancing, health and safety measures, and CDC recommendations. The new schedule allows for all three learning options to seamlessly take place: (1) on-campus learning, (2) blended learning (a combination of both on campus and virtual learning), and (3) virtual learning. Some of the highlights of the new schedule include: • Staggered arrival and dismissal times to prevent congestion in the parking lots and screening stations; • A block schedule to minimize student/faculty movement during the day and provide ample time for proper disinfection of the classrooms after each use; • Increased outdoor experiences during nutrition, lunch, and some classes; • A wide selection of pre-ordered and prepared lunches. Healthy and delicious lunches, prepared daily by our CulinArt team, will be delivered to designated outdoor spaces for distribution; and • Staggered breaks throughout the school day to prevent queuing in restrooms and hand washing locations. After school activities will be reintroduced back into the daily schedule as guidelines are issued by governing bodies, and state and local officials. We anticipate knowing more details in late July. Temporary postponement of travel, retreats, and field trips. Reactivation will be based on state and local health departments and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance for educational institutions. • We will continue to utilize Zoom or conference callings for meetings that normally occur outside regular scheduled class times. • In addition to the day-to-day logistics, our counseling team will be available to support student, parent, and employee concerns regarding our return to campus. We hope community members will reach out to them as needed. Specific instructions will be provided by each Division regarding the new schedule and phased return in advance of campus opening.
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TRANSPORTATION We will be continuing our partnership with Tumbleweed Transportation Services. Service will be available but with social distancing mandates for entering, seating and exiting the vehicle. Drivers will be screened prior to running each route and buses will be thoroughly sanitized as well. All passengers and drivers will be required to wear proper face coverings. Additional information and sign up information about the routes will be provided by the end of July.
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PHYSICAL DISTANCING 11
ONE-WAY FLOW OF TRAFFIC A one-way flow of traffic has been designed to support physical distancing as students, faculty and staff navigate campus. All walkways are clearly marked with arrows and stations where needed. This design will allow the community to navigate campus while following recommended physical distancing. Upon arrival to campus all students will go directly to their assigned class. Clear direction will be provided for future locations (nutrition, lunch, etc.) throughout the day.
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A 500 SAWTELLE / VISITORS LOT
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700 600
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900 P
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TRAFFIC FLOW MAP Walking Path of TrafďŹ c Chain link Stanchions
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PALMS LOT
COMING SPRING 2021
Stanchion signs Indicating Instructions New Athletics Portables Outdoor Tents
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SPACE RECONFIGURATION Indoor classroom and office spaces and outdoor spaces have been reconfigured to accommodate the 6’ social distancing guidelines and support all learning models. Some of the steps we’ve taken over the Summer include: • Adding large Modular Classrooms and outdoor tents conveniently located on the athletic field; • Adding web cams to all classrooms to support remote learning; • Converting several campus spaces into larger classrooms (CTL); • Removal of some non-structural walls to increase classroom sizes; and • Conversion of smaller classrooms into office spaces.
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SAFETY AND SUPERVISION Additional layers of protection have been added with individual clear plexiglass desk dividers (where applicable), clear plexiglass panels for faculty leading classroom activities, and clear plexiglass panels for protection of high traffic areas (e.g. Pavilion). Halo wristbands notify all students, faculty and staff when they come within 6’ of one another. The gentle vibration will encourage additional separation when needed. The wristband will also provide a detailed contract tracing report in the event one is needed. All students, faculty and staff will be issued a wristband prior to returning to campus. Please note - no personally identifiable information is shared with the manufacturer (Proxxi) or between bands. Additional supervision of restrooms, common areas, Pavilion, athletic field, patios, etc. to support proper social distancing throughout the day.
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CAMPUS DISINFECTING, CLEANING, AND OTHER MEASURES Hand Washing and sanitizing is a cornerstone of infection prevention, and all community members will be encouraged to practice widely while on campus. Students will be regularly encouraged to wash their hands (upon entering campus, before they enter classrooms, after using the restrooms, and before they eat). Signage will be prominently displayed on how to do so properly. We encourage each student to bring a pocket size hand sanitizer to use as needed. Hand sanitizer and/or soap will be available throughout campus in the following locations: • Restrooms • Classrooms • Freestanding no-touch hand sanitizer stations throughout campus We’ve continued our partnership with Uniserve Facilities Services and their highly trained staff to ensure our campus is properly cleaned and disinfected according to recommended guidelines. Their staff are on campus during the day to support the increased cleaning protocols outlined by the CDC and to continuously disinfect common areas and high-touch locations (door handles, light switches, elevator buttons, etc.) throughout the day.
Doors and windows will remain open during classes (to the extent practicable and safe) to encourage increased ventilation and fresh air circulation. Kickstands and touchless door options for entry/exit have been installed where possible to support the ventilation. We’ve increased the frequency of air filter replacement and servicing of our HVAC systems. Where possible, we’ve installed Merv 13 filters or other systems to support improved air filtration. Limit use of shared objects (lab, equipment, computer equipment). In some instances, students will be required to don gloves when entering a class and remove them when exiting. Water fountains will temporarily not be in use. Community members can purchase bottled water or use one of the refillable water stations on campus. To promote social distancing and the continuous flow of one-way traffic throughout campus, lockers will not be assigned to students. The use of e-books and the new schedule (which reduces the number of classes per day) are designed to reduce the number of educational materials students need while on campus.
Ample time has been built into the new schedule to allow for thorough cleaning and disinfection of all classrooms after each use. Offices will be cleaned at the end of each workday. 15
PROPER HAND WASHING TECHNIQUE 1.
Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
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Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
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Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday� song from beginning to end twice.
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Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
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Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if your hands are visibly dirty.
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TRAINING AND EDUCATION We want all community members to be comfortable with the new protocols and procedures before the start of the school year. Training sessions will be scheduled in mid-August to educate and provide opportunities for questions. Some of the key areas of focus will be: • Daily self-health assessment. • Arrivals and departures. • Temperature and symptom checks. • Proper use of face coverings and other relevant PPE.
• Hand washing technique and expectations.
• Classrooms
• Halo wristband and how to use them.
• Nutrition and lunch
• One-way flow of traffic on campus.
• New schedule
Windward School’s top priority is the health and safety of all students, faculty, staff, and community members. Please be advised that due to rapid developments related to COVID-19, the information in this booklet may be subject to change. In this ever-changing landscape, Windward School will be proactive in monitoring and complying with local public health rules and guidelines. There may be situations that require immediate or different responses as the School determines is appropriate for the health and safety of its Community.
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PROTECT WINDWARD PLEDGE Being a part of the Windward community means that each of us must take extraordinary steps to stay well and protect each other, both on campus and in the community. Accountable together, we as a community pledge to take responsibility for our health, the protection of others and help to keep the Windward community safe from the spread of COVID-19 and other infections. We Pledge To: PROTECT OUR COMMUNITY • Monitor for the symptoms of COVID-19 and report to a medical professional if experiencing a fever of 100.4 or higher, dry cough, difficulty breathing, chills, repeated shaking, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, or loss of taste or smell. • Wash hands often with soap and water or use hand sanitizer. • Carefully observe instructional signs and follow directions. PROTECT OTHERS • Maintain appropriate social distancing, especially in the classroom setting or the presence of members of the community. • Stay home if feeling ill or after an exposure to someone who is ill or has tested positive for COVID-19. • Wear an appropriate face covering (over both mouth and nose) . • Be positive, attentive and helpful to anyone around who may be in need of support.
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