Plans For Reopening -- Ohio, Scioto Schools

As we consider reopening local schools, I believe all people should read the “Reset and Restart Education Planning Guide for Ohio Schools and Districts” by the Ohio Department of Education. It details the plans for opening schools in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Access the planning guide here: http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Reset-and-Restart/Reset-Restart-Guide.pdf.aspx?lang=en-US

This document is designed to help schools and their partners understand guidelines and considerations for reopening school buildings during the continued presence of COVID-19 in a way that protects the health and safety of vulnerable members of school communities. Its intention is to spur local-level, partnership-based discussions and decision-making that will result in locally developed Reset and Restart Education Plans.

The guide also stresses that reopening plans should be designed to complement other community mitigation strategies, minimize disruption to teaching and learning, and protect students and staff from social stigma and discrimination; therefore, ongoing collaboration and communication among community stakeholders is critical to ensuring a meaningful year for students in which they remain engaged in learning.

We here in Scioto County recognize youth as our most valuable resource. Our schools are such a vital part of life in our rural communities; however, we must vow never to endanger children. Every young life must be protected, as they are vulnerable to the great harm presented by the virus.

Operating Assumptions

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Ohio Department of Health indicate that COVID-19 will be present at the start of the 2020-2021 academic year. Also, as has been the experience over the past several months, conditions can change rapidly. District and school planning will need to contemplate various contingencies. As a result, this planning guide operates under the following assumptions:

• Ohio’s education system must be nimble, flexible and responsive to ensure the health and safety of all students and adults.

• Schools will need to have the capacity to operate in various modes at different times and, sometimes, with minimum advance notice.

• When schools are operating with students in the building, they will need to adhere to health and safety guidelines set forth by the Ohio Department of Health and local health departments. Guidelines may change as circumstances change, which most likely should lead to course corrections throughout the year.

• The traditional school experience as it was known prior to the onset of the pandemic will be different, as will many of the day-to-day practices of schools.

The Reset and Restart Guide

The guide presents what it calls “A Student’s Daily Journey” to emphasize the routine of students. To best understand the various health and safety needs of our students, it asks us to “walk in a pair of one student’s shoes” and journey through a typical day. Here is that journey …

“This includes waking up in the morning, riding on a school bus to the physical school building, waiting to enter the building, entering the building, waiting inside the building in designated areas, attending adult supervised care visiting lockers, getting to class, taking into account any and all movement throughout the day (changing classes, using the restroom, lunch/cafeteria [breakfast and lunch], gym/physical education, recess, etc.), leaving school and returning home.

(“Reset and Restart Education Planning Guide for Ohio Schools and Districts.” Ohio Department of Education. 2020.))

Although our understanding of COVID-19 continues to evolve, one thing that has remained constant is that using multiple layers of protection to protect against catching the virus is key. On June 27, the Lancet, a renowned medical journal, published a systematic review and metaanalysis of available medical information related the effectiveness of physical distancing, face masks and eye protection to prevent person-toperson spread of the virus.

The review confirmed that these nonpharmaceutical or non-medicine-based interventions play a key role in limiting transmission of the virus:

• Physical or social distancing

• Face mask

• Eye protection

• Good hand hygiene

The Lancet review concluded alone, each of these things offer some protection. However, as they are layered together, they provide an increasingly stronger barrier of defense against the virus.

(Derek K Chu, MD, Prof Elie A Akl, MD, Stephanie Duda, MSc, Karla Solo, Msc, Sally Yaacoub, MPH, Prof Holger J Schünemann, MD, et al. “Physical distancing, face masks, and eye protection to prevent person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” The Lancet. June 01, 2020.)

Is it feasible that schools in our area should even consider face-to-face reopening during COVID-19 spikes? The degree to which schools comply with effective strategies to reduce infection is paramount to any consideration of reopening Scioto County schools. 

The Ohio School Boards Association has a page dedicated to the reopening of our schools titled “OHIO SCHOOL DISTRICT RESTART PLANS.” You can keep abreast of developments there. Click here: https://www.ohioschoolboards.org/ohio-school-district-restart-plans