If and when Scioto County
schools reopen, the major concern for all of us is what will happen
when a student, a teacher, or another staff member tests positive for
COVID-19. The Ohio Department of Education's “Planning Guide for
Ohio Schools and Districts” (2020) includes plans for such an
unfortunate event. Of course, these precautions are paramount to
reopening and establishing person-to-person education in our local
schools.
One preventative step
includes recommendations that schools should, as much as possible,
prohibit visitors from entering school buildings. Visitations should
be limited to those enrolling new students or for emergency
situations.
In addition, temperature
checks and symptom checks should be required for all visitors. In
cases where schools and districts have partnerships with community
organizations, health care providers and local government agencies
that provide additional educational and wraparound services to
students, staff of such partners should be allowed into buildings
following the same precautions as school personnel.
As a special note, the
planning guide acknowledges there are many adults who are not
employed by a school district but who remain part of routine school
life, such as student teachers, college faculty observing student
teachers, delivery personnel, etc. These individuals should be
treated as school personnel.
A Positive Case
If a student, staff or
volunteer begins to show COVID-19 symptoms or has a temperature above
100 degrees at school, the person “must” be placed in a
separate room away from other students, given a face covering, and
monitored by a staff member maintaining
physical distancing and wearing personal protective equipment.
Schools should then contact the local health department.
Any staff member
exhibiting symptoms while working in the school also should “continue
to wear a face mask and self-isolate in a separate room, away from
other staff and students.” Students and staff exhibiting symptoms
should go home as soon as possible.
The people must inform the
school of any exposure to the virus. Pursuant to Ohio Department of
Health guidelines, families, caregivers and staff should notify the
school if they have been exposed to COVID-19 or if they, or any
members of their households, have been diagnosed with or presumed to
have COVID-19. They also should notify the school if they are
quarantined.
Personnel and students
with known exposure to someone with diagnosed or presumed COVID-19
“must” self-quarantine at home for 14 days. Personnel or
students who travel to a location with known community spread may
choose to self-quarantine at home for 14 days.
Given the likelihood of
increased absences due to illness or quarantine, school policies
should be adjusted so as not to penalize students and personnel for
required quarantine period(s). Remote learning plans should be
considered for all students who are absent for a significant time
period and able to continue engaging in learning. Even more
significant shifting of instructional approaches most likely will be
necessary when a significant number of individuals are required to be
quarantined (classroom, school-building or district levels).
Schools and districts
should work with their local health departments on COVID-19
surveillance activities by tracking attendance and notifying their
local health departments of significant increases in absenteeism.
Personnel and students
with confirmed or presumed COVID-19 “must meet conditions
prescribed by the Ohio Department of Health and their local health
departments prior to returning to school.” These conditions may
change frequently, and schools and districts should maintain frequent
communication with their local health departments regarding these
guidelines.
A Flare-up
It is expected there will
be “flare-ups” of COVID-19 cases as determined by the Ohio
Department of Health or local health departments. Flare-ups will need
to be addressed by implementing additional measures beyond ongoing
precautions. In some cases, entire school buildings may need to close
for purposes of cleaning and sanitizing or in recognition of high
levels of student or staff illness.
In the event of a
flare-up, districts should follow additional precautions set forth by
the Ohio Department of Health and their local health departments.
These precautions may change frequently, and schools and districts
should maintain frequent communication with their local health
departments regarding these guidelines.
Each Scioto school
district is required to conform to the state plan for reopening.
While it is much easier to make plans than to implement them, local
districts should be transparent and committed to enforcing their
procedures for addressing positive cases of COVID-19. Parents,
caretakers, and all other community members must be a part of a
district's successful plan. After all, the staff and students from
schools come home every day and integrate with the community as a
whole. Vulnerable people outside the school setting will undoubtedly
be increasingly exposed to the virus when a flare-up occurs.
The “Planning Guide for
Ohio Schools and Districts” should be accessed for much more
detailed information concerning Ohio schools reopening in 2020. Click
here: http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Reset-and-Restart/Reset-Restart-Guide.pdf.aspx?lang=en-US
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