Safety Planning for Reopening School
Dear George Elementary Parents and Families:
School starts on August 24th. I would like to provide you with more specific information on our plans for keeping your children safe.
OUR GOAL:
Provide a high-quality instructional program for all students while implementing good safety practices recommended by the Springdale School District, the Arkansas Department of Health, and the CDC to keep students and staff safe and healthy.
MASKS MUST BE WORN
- To protect everyone, all faculty, staff, and students must wear masks. We will have spots in the classroom away from everyone where students can take a mask break during the day.
- The school district has bought two buffs for each child. The buff can be pulled up to cover the nose and mouth. Wear your masks from home on the first day. The buffs will be handed out by the teachers.
WATER BOTTLE FILLING STATIONS:
- Our water fountains have been capped for safety.
- Instead of fountains, we have water bottle filling stations! I have purchased a water bottle for each student.
DAILY SCREENING VERIFICATION REPORT:
- PARENTS, by sending your child(ren) to school you are verifying that he/she/they do not exhibit any of the following symptoms: cough, fever, shortness of breath, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell, muscle aches and headache, chills or runny nose.
- Remain home if any of these symptoms are present.
- Our PTA has purchased no contact thermometers for each grade level so we may check temperatures should a child become sick.
SAFE AND HEALTHY MEASURES/PROCEDURES:
- Families' daily screening verification.
- Hand hygiene - sanitizer/washing procedure for each class. We have hand gel dispensers in every classroom by the doors.
- An isolation room is required for sick students at school showing symptoms (current health room). The student with symptoms will be removed from class and sent to the health room. A mask is required. A phone call will be made to the parent and the student will be sent home. More will come later defining communication and procedures for sick students and staff, removal, and re-entry. It is extremely important that all parents update phone numbers if they have changed.
- We have a health clinic on-site with a full-time Advanced Nurse Practitioner. Call 479-872-3045 for information.
ADDITIONAL CLEANING AND HEALTH ROOM SAFETY
- Two custodians will clean the school during the day. The night shift will deep clean the whole school each night.
- The office has plexiglass barriers for when we can have visitors in the office again.
- Right now, we cannot allow volunteers or visitors in the school. However, we can talk to you by phone and video.
- The school nurse will stay in contact with our district nursing supervisor and the Arkansas Department of Health to monitor the health and wellness of our children and families.
TECHNOLOGY:
- Students in grades classes 2-5 will use Chromebooks
- Grades 3-5 will use Google classroom for the learning platform.
- 2nd Grade will use Seesaw as the learning platform.
- Students in grades K-1 will use iPads and Seesaw for the learning platform.
- Click the George Giant picture. This will take you to our school district's page. You can watch short videos about Seesaw and Google classroom.
- If you do not have the internet at home, you can come to our parking lot and download your lessons through our Wi-Fi.
BUS CLEANING:
- The buses will be sanitized after each route.
- Students riding buses will be assigned seats by family members.
SCHOOL LUNCH SERVICE:
- We will eat lunches in our classrooms.
- There will be only one lunch choice.
- The lunches will be delivered to the classrooms to limit student transitions in the halls.
- Lunches will be delivered in Take-Out style packaging.
SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL SUPPORT:
- Mrs. Clough, our counselor is here to help! You can reach her at lclough@sdale.org
- Mrs. Hug, our social worker can help as well! You can reach her at lhug@sdale.org
- We also have Ozark Guidance Counselors. Mrs. Meggan Gordianni can be reached at mgordiani@sdale.org
- In our health clinic, we also have an Ozark Guidance Center Counselor. Her name is Jamie Miller. You can reach her at 479-872-3045 starting August 24th.
REDUCED TRAFFIC IN THE HALLS DURING THE DAY
- Students will leave the rooms only for lunch, recess, and to go to an ENCORE class.
- We have walking routes marked with social distancing stickers to help everyone stay 6 feet apart. Masks will be worn during all transitions and in the classroom.
- Bathrooms for grades 3-5 will have a sign out system to limit the number of students in the bathrooms. A day custodian will clean the bathrooms throughout the day.
- K-2 students have bathrooms in their classrooms which will be sanitized regularly.
- Students will sanitize their hands when they leave the classroom and when they enter.
CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION
- Individual classes will not be mixed with other classes at any time.
- Teachers will post lessons online through Goggle Classroom and Seesaw.
- Students who are working from home on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday or Tuesday and Thursday will have their lessons to complete through Google Classroom or Seesaw. Students will also have access to ST Math at home and at school.
- Seating charts will be completed by all teachers and updated if seating changes.
- All students will have individual supplies. Please label all of your child's supplies with a marker before sending them to school.
ENCORE CLASSES
- Students will have music, art, and library classes on a two-week rotation to reduce the number of transitions. This will give students the opportunity to finish projects before rotating to the next ENCORE class.
- Students will carry individual supply baggies to each ENCORE class.
- Any other supplies used in ENCORE classes will be cleaned with CDC approved cleansers.
- Students will have PE classes weekly. They will go to the gym with their own class. Physical fitness classes will focus on fitness activities that do not involve contact with others.
RECESS
- Each grade level will go to recess at the same time. However, each class will play in their own zone each day. The classes will not mix on the playground.
- Masks must be worn at recess.
- A mask break spot will be designated on each playground so students can take their mask down when away from others.
Thank you for your patience and support in the most difficult time. Information is constantly and rapidly changing. I will keep updating you as we open school!
