“The Best Little School District in Georgia™” COVID-19 ...

Bleckley County Schools“The Best Little School District in Georgia™”

COVID-19Response Plan

2021-2022Adopted June 8, 2021

Updated August 17, 2021

Bleckley County Schools - Summary

Bleckley County Schools completed the entire FY21 school year with no shutdowns or major outbreaks of COVID-19. When Bleckley County High School experienced an increase in the number of students being sent home to quarantine for possible exposure, administrators and the Bleckley County Board of Education agreed to implement a “Purple/Gold” schedule, where half of the BCHS students attended one day and the other half the next day on a rotating basis five days per week.

For FY22, all students will begin school face-to-face, with NO adjustments to schedules.

Bleckley County Schools - SummaryDuring the FY21 school year, the District could find NO evidence of any school-exposed quarantined student ultimately having a positive COVID-19 test. With widespread access to vaccines, the District plans to resume normal school operations in FY22. However, some changes implemented in FY21 will remain in effect in FY22, primarily relating to cleaning, disinfecting, and access to water fountains.

We realize the delta variant is much more contagious, and we will constantly review our data to determine if changes need to be made to these plans.

Bleckley County Schools -Summary

These graphs summarize the number of students AND staff impacted by COVID-19 in FY21, as reported weekly to the Georgia Department of Education and Georgia Department of Public Health.

Bleckley County Schools

NOTICE

The goal of our COVID-19 Response Plan is to keep schools open. Our plan incorporates, where feasible, guidance from the CDC, Georgia Department of Public Health, Governor’s Office, and the Georgia Department of Education.

Some guidance is more restrictive than this plan.

As situations change, this plan is subject to change.

Bleckley County SchoolsParent Notification of Positive Students or Teachers

NOTICEBecause of concerns regarding timeliness of contact tracing from DPH, any confirmed positive of a student or staff member will result in notification of all EXPOSED* persons. The school will contact EXPOSED students’ parents within a few hours of notification, and ask that parents pick up their student from school to limit additional exposure.

*EXPOSED is defined as being within 3 feet for 15 minutes or longer.

Does Worker/Student Have Symptoms?

NO Yes

Recent Positive

COVID-19 Test?

NO YesHas Person Been

Near a Person with

COVID19?

NO Yes

Yes

May Return to

Work/School

EXPOSURE/

Close Contact*

Beginning 2 Days

Before Positive

Person Had

Symptoms or Test

Sample Taken?

*Close Contact/

EXPOSURE defined

as 3 feet or Less for

15 Minutes or Longer

NO

Yes

May Remain at

Work/School, but Should

Monitor Symptoms

Does Worker/Student

Have Up-to-Date

Vaccination?

Confirmed or

Suspected

COVID-19?Yes

May Return to Work/School

After:

1) At Least 24 Hours

Fever-Free without

Medication, AND

2) Improvement in Other

Symptoms, AND

3) 10 Days Have Passed

Since Symptoms First

AppearedNO


After:


Fever-Free without

Medication, AND


without Other

Significant Symptoms

COVID-19 DECISION GUIDE – FY22Subject to Change. Based Upon DPH Guidelines. Revised 8/17/21

May Return to

Work/School After 10

Days Since

Positive/Symptoms First

Appeared

YesNO


After 7-Day Quarantine

Period, IF a negative test

(PCR or antigen) is taken on

day 6 or 7 after EXPOSURE,

AND NO SYMPTOMS

If no negative test, May

Return to Work/School After

10-Day Quarantine Period IF

NO SYMPTOMS

OPTIONAL: May Return to

Work/School Immediately if:

1) No Symptoms, 2) No

Positive Cases in the

Household, & 3) Mask Is

Worn In Buildings and on

Buses

Were both

wearing masks? NO

Yes

Incorporates CDC Guidance on Masks

Bleckley County SchoolsCOVID-19 Plan

Transparency

During the FY21 School Year, a Weekly COVID-19 Report was posted on the website and social media with statistics on students and staff either positive or quarantined due to possible exposure.

The FY22 Weekly COVID-19 Report may be found on the Home Page of the District website: www.bleckleyschools.org under News (about halfway down the page).

Bleckley County SchoolsCOVID-19 Plan

■ Only One Educational Option:

– 1. Traditional School – Face-to-Face Instruction

■ The Administration and Board of Education feel this to be best option for appropriate academic progress and social, emotional learning to occur.

– 2. Remote Learning Option: NO LONGER OFFERED

■ Students with health issues that are severe enough to keep them out of school should qualify for Hospital Homebound services.

Bleckley County SchoolsCOVID-19 Plan: Safety1. Face masks are Permitted in all facilities and buses at all times, but are

NOT required, in accordance with Governor Kemp’s May 28, 2021 Executive Order. As of 8/17/21, EXPOSED students and staff who have no symptoms, no positives in the household, and willing to wear masks may return to school if they wear masks inside all buildings and buses.

2. Visitors are NOT REQUIRED to wear masks at this time; however, schools may limit visitors if the number of positive cases rises either within the schools or the community.

3. Guests WILL be allowed to eat with students, in accordance with each school’s guidelines. However, see #2.

4. Staff and students will no longer have their temperatures taken daily. Only those with symptoms will be temped.

5. Hand sanitizing stations are installed in all schools.

6. Hand washing posters are prominently placed in all schools.

Bleckley County SchoolsCOVID-19 Plan: Safety, Continued

7. All classrooms and buses are disinfected at least once daily.

8. Frequently touched surfaces are disinfected often.

9. All “bubblers” at water fountains have been disabled and replaced with bottle fillers.

10.Air filters are replaced more often on all HVAC units.

11.Hand sanitizer is available in all lunchrooms.

Bleckley County SchoolsCOVID-19 Plan: FAQs

1. Will students social distance at school?

a) All classrooms may not be implementing social distancing. Because of the size of our schools and limited resources, we cannot expect students to social distance on buses, in the lunchroom, or in classrooms. If a student has a specific need, please contact the school administrators and teachers.

2. What happens if a student tests positive?

a) See the Decision Guide. Only students who were within 3 feet of the student for more than 15 consecutive minutes should quarantine. School personnel will call parents of EXPOSED children as soon as possible, and may ask them to come pick up their child. Any children who ride the bus and are found to have a positive test will be isolated, and parents will be required to pick them up. ALL POSITIVE STUDENTS AND STAFF MUST ISOLATE AT HOME FOR THE ENTIRE PERIOD, REGARDLESS OF ANY SYMPTOMS.

3. What about a positive student who changes classes?

a) Passing a positive person in the hallways does not constitute EXPOSURE, since no one would have necessarily been within 3 feet for 15 consecutive minutes. However, school personnel will interview the positive person to determine who might have been exposed, and school personnel will contact parents of EXPOSED children as soon as possible.

4. What happens if a teacher tests positive?

a) See the Decision Guide. Only students or teachers who were within 3 feet of the teacher for more than 15 consecutive minutes should quarantine. School personnel will interview the positive person to determine who might have been exposed, and school personnel will contact parents of EXPOSED children as soon as possible.

Bleckley County SchoolsCOVID-19 Plan: FAQs, continued

5. Will schools close for good again?

a) Both the President and Governor have indicated a desire for schools to remain open, and recent CDC guidance supports schools reopening and remaining open. We plan to keep schools open UNLESS the President or Governor issue an Executive Order to close schools. Georgia DPH community transmission rates will also inform our decision.

6. Will schools close if a teacher or student tests positive?

a) No. We will determine who has truly been exposed to someone who tests positive and notify those people (staff members or parents of students). EXPOSED is defined as being within 3 ft of a positive person for more than 15 minutes.

7. Will schools close if a number of teachers and/or students test positive?

a) That really depends upon the location of the positive test results. If concentrated in one school, that school could close for 1-3 days for extensive cleaning/disinfecting. If a majority of the staff and/or students in a school tests positive, that school could close for 10 calendar days so the positives can isolate and everyone else can quarantine at home.


8. If schools close for 10 days, will students receive instruction?

a) Definitely. Students will receive instruction from their teachers using Google

Classroom (or other electronic means) unless the teacher is symptomatic

and unable to conduct class. In that case, a substitute teacher will most

likely deliver the material.

9. Will teachers take attendance during all this time?

a) Yes. All teachers will take attendance. Administrators will continue to be

extremely understanding on attendance appeals where COVID-19 is involved.

10. Is there a number of positives that would result in school closure?

a) There are no exact numbers, because we need to determine how

concentrated the positives are: same classroom, same hall, scattered

throughout the building, etc. We will use discretion to determine how best to

keep school going with student and staff safety taking priority.


11. If schools close for 10 calendar days, how will those traditional students who

don’t have Internet access or devices be served?

a) Teachers have surveyed students to determine the accessibility needs, and

we have a plan to address those needs (mobile hotspots, Chromebooks,

etc.).

12. Will students have recess?

a) Yes. Students who normally have recess during the traditional school day will

still have recess. Because students use the playground equipment

throughout the day, we cannot ensure that the equipment will be disinfected

throughout the day.

13. Will students use the water fountains?

a) Not in the manner they are accustomed. The “bubblers” have been disabled

or replaced with bottle fillers. We recommend each student bring a water

bottle with his/her name on it.


14. Will plenty of hand sanitizer be available?

a) Yes, in all schools and lunchrooms.

15. If a student or teacher in my child’s class tests positive, how will the school notify

me?

a) School personnel will call parents of EXPOSED children as soon as possible,

and may ask them to come pick up their child. Any children who ride the bus

and are found to have a positive test will be isolated, and parents will be

required to pick them up. EXPOSURE is defined as being within 6 feet for 15

minutes or longer.

16. What if a number of drivers get sick or can no longer work?

a) We have a plan to stagger start times of the schools, so drivers can drive two

routes in the morning and the afternoon. Under this plan, BCMS, BCHS, and

BCSA would begin school at 8 am, and all others would be shifted to 9 am.

We hope we do not have to implement this plan, but we must prepare for

contingencies.

Bleckley County SchoolsReopening Plans – FAQs

17. What if a coach tests positive?

a) See the Decision Guide on p.7. Parents of any player or other coach

EXPOSED will be notified by school personnel as soon as possible.

18. Will fans be allowed to attend games?

a) Yes. We expect no limitations on fan attendance at all sporting events and

extra-curricular activities.

19. What if I have additional questions/concerns?

a) We encourage you to contact your school administrator. Our superintendent

also welcomes questions. Dr. Smith’s email address is

[email protected].

Thank you for your support of

Bleckley County Schools!

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