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COVID-19 School Guidance Checklist

Date: March 4, 2021

2021 COVID-19 School Guidance Checklist

 

Name of Local Educational Agency or Equivalent: El Centro Elementary School District

Number of schools: 12

Enrollment: 5302

Superintendent (or equivalent) Name: Jon LeDoux, Superintendent

Address: 1256 El Centro, CA 92243

Date of proposed reopening:

March 29, 2021

Phone Number: 760-352-5712

Email: [email protected]

County: Imperial

Current Tier: Purple

(please indicate Purple, Red, Orange or

Yellow)

Type of LEA: School District

Grade Level (check all that apply)

☑TK   ☑2nd   ☑5th   ☑8th  ☐11th

☑K   ☑3rd   ☑6th   ☐9th   ☐12th

☑1st   ☑4th   ☑7th   ☐10th

 

This form and any applicable attachments should be posted publicly on the website of the local educational agency (or equivalent) prior to reopening or if an LEA or equivalent has already opened for in-person instruction. For those in the Purple Tier and not yet open, materials must additionally be submitted to your local health officer (LHO) and the State School Safety Team prior to reopening per the Guidance on Schools. 

 

The email address for submission to the State School Safety for All Team for LEAs in Purple Tier is: [email protected] 

 

LEAs or equivalent in Counties with a case rate >=25/100,000 individuals can submit materials but cannot re-open a school until the county is below 25 cases per 100,000 (adjusted rate) for 5 consecutive days. 

 

For Local Educational Agencies (LEAs or equivalent) in ALL TIERS:

☑ I, Jon LeDoux, post to the website of the local educational agency (or equivalent) the COVID Safety Plan, which consists of two elements:the COVID-19 Prevention Program (CPP), pursuant to CalOSHA requirements, and this CDPH COVID-19 Guidance Checklist and accompanying documents, which satisfies requirements for the safe reopening of schools per CDPH Guidance on Schools. For those seeking to open while in the Purple Tier, these plans have also been submitted to the local health officer (LHO) and the State School Safety Team. 

 

☑ I confirm that reopening plan(s) address the following, consistent with guidance from the California Department of Public Health and the local health department: 

Stable group structures (where applicable): How students and staff will be kept in stable groups with fixed membership that stay together for all activities (e.g., instruction, lunch, recess) and minimize/avoid contact with other groups or individuals who are not part of the stable group. 

 Grades TK-6: Students will be assigned to stable groups that stay together all day with their core teacher (and any support staff who is present). Meals will be provided through grab-n-go service. Staggered breaks will be implemented with individualized activities being encouraged. 

 

Please provide specific information regarding: 

 

How many students and staff will be in each planned stable, group structure? (If planning more than one type of group, what is the minimum and maximum number of students and staff in the groups?) 

Groups will be dependent on classroom size to ensure proper physical distancing and to minimize mixing. Stable groups will contain a minimum of 5 students, maximum of 22 students per group, with maximum dependent on physical classroom size and distancing requirements. 

 

If you have departmentalized classes, how will you organize staff and students in stable groups? 

Stable groups will be assigned to a homeroom with a supervisory staff member. 

 

If you have electives, how will you prevent or minimize in-person contact for members of different stable groups? 

Stable groups will be assigned to a homeroom with a supervisory staff member. 

 

☑ Entrance, Egress, and Movement Within the School: How movement of students, staff, and parents will be managed to avoid close contact and/or mixing of cohorts. 

Stable groups will be assigned to a homeroom with a supervisory staff member. Stable groups will enter and exit at designated access points throughout campus to avoid close contact and/or mixing of groups. 

 

☑ Face Coverings and Other Essential Protective Gear: How CDPH’s face  covering requirements will be satisfied and enforced for staff and students. 

Face mask guidance shall follow the California Department of Public Health. El Centro Elementary School District will require individuals on school premises to wear a mask. Masks will be available for students or staff, if needed. 

 

☑ Health Screenings for Students and Staff: How students and staff will be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 and how ill students or staff will be separated from others and sent home immediately. 

All staff and students will be encouraged to complete the ECESD Daily COVID-19 Symptom Check In/Questionnaire prior to entering school property. The District will direct students and staff to not report to District property if they have symptoms of COVID-19. At a designated location, prior to entering District property, all individuals will have their temperature taken and asked if they have any COVID-19 related symptoms. If temperature is taken at 100.4 or above and symptoms are present, individual will not be allowed on District property. 

 

☑ Healthy Hygiene Practices: The availability of handwashing stations and hand sanitizer, and how their safe and appropriate use will be promoted and incorporated into routines for staff and students. 

Each school site will have hand sanitizing stations throughout the school site. Staff will be required to complete the “COVID-19 School Based Guidelines” online training. Staff will receive training by the district Health Coordinator on COVID-19 safety and prevention measures. Teachers will educate their students as to COVID-19 Guidelines, proper hand washing/disinfecting techniques, respiratory etiquette, and the proper use of a face mask. Teachers will implement a regular hand hygiene routine. 

 

☑ Identification and Tracing of Contacts:Actions that staff will take when there is a confirmed case. Confirm that the school(s) have designated staff persons to support contact tracing, such as creation and submission of lists of exposed students and staff to the local health department and notification of exposed persons. Each school must designate a person for the local health department to contact about COVID-19. 

The Health Coordinator will document, track, and monitor all confirmed cased and exposures in the ECESD adopted COVID-19 tracking system. The ECESD COVID-19 Team is comprised of site administrators, the Health Coordinator, district administration, and Health Aides. ECESD will follow the Imperial County Public Health Department (ICPHD) reporting protocols. 

 

☑ Physical Distancing: How space and routines will be arranged to allow for physical distancing of students and staff. 

Physical distancing guidelines will be enforced for all individuals on campus. Signage will be posted throughout campus to reinforce social distancing. Where 6 feet distances are not possible, the District will consider other separation techniques such as physical barriers, arranging desks to minimize face to face contact, optimize ventilation, redesigning activities for smaller groups, and rearranging furniture to maintain separation. District will prioritize the use and maximization of outdoor spaces for activities where possible. Limit non-essential visitors, volunteers, and activities involving other groups at the same time. 

 

Please provide the planned maximum and minimum distance between students in classrooms. 

Maximum: 6+ feet 

Minimum: 4 feet. If this is less than 6 feet, please explain why it is not possible to maintain a minimum of at least 6 feet. 

Physical distancing of 6 feet will be maintained where possible. At least one of our schools (King Elementary) has undersized classrooms where 6 feet will not be feasible. Maximum spacing of desks/tables will be implemented with no distance of less than 4 feet implemented. 

 

☑ Staff Training and Family Education: How staff will be trained, and families will be educated on the application and enforcement of the plan. 

 

  • Staff completed the “COVID-19 School Based Guidelines” Zoom training. Staff will receive training by the district Health Coordinator on COVID-19 safety and prevention measures. 
  • Teachers will educate their students as to COVID-19 Guidelines, proper hand washing/disinfecting techniques, respiratory etiquette, and the proper use of a face mask. Signage is posted throughout campuses requiring the use of face coverings, hand washing, proper respiratory etiquette, and social distancing. 
  • Families will be educated via the following: Zoom Parent Meetings, ECESD website, signage throughout all campuses, handouts and resources that are sent home, school social media accounts and other communication platforms. 
  • ECESD will continue to inform all stakeholders of the latest updates regarding Imperial County Public Health Department COVID-19 Guidelines on a regular basis. 
 

☑ Testing of Staff: How school officials will ensure that students and staff who have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 will be rapidly tested and what instructions they will be given while waiting for test results. Below, please describe any planned periodic asymptomatic staff testing cadence. 

ECESD will follow the approved ECESD COVID-19 Prevention Program (CPP) and staff will be provided information for testing and encouraged to follow ICPHD guidelines. 

 

Staff asymptomatic testing cadence. Please note if testing cadence will differ by tier: 

ECESD will follow the approved ECESD COVID-19 Prevention Program (CPP) and staff will be provided information for testing and encouraged to follow ICPHD guidelines. 

 

☑ Testing of Students: How school officials will ensure that students who have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 will be rapidly tested and what instructions they will be given while waiting for test results. Below, please describe any planned periodic asymptomatic student testing cadence. 

Students who display symptoms will be sent home and must isolate in case they are infectious. Students will be able to return to school when they provide a negative test result for SARS-CoV-2, have no symptoms and have been released by their health care provider. If they refuse to get tested, they will be assumed positive and follow ICPHD isolation guidelines. Students with chronic or pre-existing conditions causing COVID-related symptoms will be required to provide a note from their health care provider regarding their chronic illness. If students test positive, they will follow ICPHD isolation guidelines or orders from their health care provider. If students were exposed and test negative, they must stay home per ICPHD quarantine guidelines. We encourage students to use the state and county free testing sites as needed. 

 

Planned student testing cadence. Please note if testing cadence will differ by tier: 

We will encourage asymptomatic students testing while we remain in the purple or red tiers, per the testing cadences in the COVID-19 and Reopening In-Person Instruction Framework & Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools in California 2020-2021 School Year published on January 14, 2021. 

 

Purple Tier: We will encourage asymptomatic students to be tested every two weeks and to use the state and county free testing sites as needed. 

 

Red Tier: We will encourage asymptomatic students to be tested every two weeks and to use the state and county free testing sites as needed. 

 

Orange Tier: We will encourage asymptomatic students to be tested, as needed. 

 

Yellow Tier: We will encourage asymptomatic students to be tested, as needed. 

 

☑ Identification and Reporting of Cases: At all times, reporting of confirmed positive and suspected cases in students, staff and employees will be consistent with Reporting Requirements. 

 

  • Students, staff and employees who exhibit COVID-19 symptoms will be identified through Daily COVID-19 Symptom Check In/Questionnaire. All staff and students will have their temperature checked daily. Screening staff will be trained on screening protocols, use of screening equipment and COVID-19 symptoms. 
  • Reporting will follow the ICPHD guidelines. 

☑ Communication Plans: How the superintendent will communicate with students, staff, and parents about cases and exposures at the school, consistent with privacy requirements such as FERPA and HIPAA. 

ECESD will inform students, staff and parents of cases and exposures via letters sent home, text, or email in accordance with FERPA and HIPAA laws. 

☑ Consultation: (For schools not previously open) Please confirm consultation with the following groups 

El Centro Elementary Teachers’ Association, California School Employees’ Association & its Chapter 595 and School Site Councils.

 

☑ Labor Organization 

Name of Organization(s) and Date(s) Consulted: 

Name: ECETA 

Date: 02/19/21, 02/24/21, 03/01/21, Ongoing 

Name: CSEA Chapter 595 

Date: 02/23/21, Ongoing 

 

☑ Parent and Community Organizations 

Name of Organization(s) and Date(s) Consulted: 

Name: School Site Councils 

Date: 03/01/21 

Name: Community Meeting (PACE) 

Date: 03/02/21 

If no labor organization represents staff at the school, please describe the process for consultation with school staff: 

_________________________________________________________________

 

For Local Educational Agencies (LEAs or equivalent) in PURPLE: 

Local Health Officer Approval: The Local Health Officer, for (state Local Health Jurisdiction) _________________________________. Local Health Jurisdiction has certified and approved the CSP on this date: __________________. If more than 7 business days have passed since the

submission without input from the LHO, the CSP shall be deemed approved.

 

Additional Resources: 

Guidance on Schools 

Safe Schools for All Hub 

Note: This checklist was amended on January 29th to delete language regarding the need to submit this checklist to a County Office of Education. The CSP does not need to be submitted to the County Office of Education as part of the public health guidance, though the County Office of Education may request the CSP as part of other processes.