Dear Elementary School Families,
This Hybrid Handbook for families has been created to let you know what COVID mitigation procedures will be in place and what the learning environment will be like at school when students return to in-person learning. Our district website contains additional resources on return to in-person learning and Health and Safety Plans. These are valuable resources that we hope you take time to look through. They contain specific and detailed information about district-wide expectations, procedures, and protocols regarding safety in the hybrid setting.
You can access resources described by clicking here.
Thank you in advance for taking time to review this Elementary Hybrid Handbook. You will see that we have put forth great effort to ensure student and staff safety and to comply with Washington State and King County Department of Health guidelines and recommendations. We will continue to monitor updates and recommendations from the State and County Health Departments to stay current on our health and safety procedures and protocols.
Sincerely,
Jodi Bongard
Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education
Susan Mundell
Executive Director of Elementary Education
Upon return to in-person learning, students will find that some procedures and physical set up of the classroom may look different in the classroom now in order to keep everyone healthy. What students and families will find to be the same as they have experienced in the past is a warm welcoming teacher who is eager to greet students each day, develop relationships, promote community building and social emotional learning and provide quality instruction in the areas of reading, writing, math with science and social studies integrated into core content areas.
To keep everyone healthy, below are some of the COVID mitigation procedures students can expect to see, and be asked to follow, in their classroom:
***Students are encouraged to bring a personal water bottle that they can fill at sink in the classroom. Drinking fountains in the halls will be closed.
In order to ensure students are healthy and free of any COVID symptoms, a daily health attestation will be required. An attestation is a form with questions about your student’s health. Each day you will complete and submit an electronic form. The office staff will review and checkoff completion to ensure all our students are in good health with no known symptoms or recent exposure to COVID. Completing this form prior to arrival will expedite the arrival process for all students.
As students arrive, temperatures will be taken at vehicles for students who are dropped off or as students are excused from busses. Students may be asked to take their temperature again when entering the building to ensure walkers also have had their temperature taken.
Students will be directed to line up with six feet of social distancing at a designated location for their grade level. There are markings to help students maintain social distancing standards. As students enter the building, they will be checked to ensure that their attestation has been completed and that they are cleared to enter the building.
Upon checking temperatures and attestations, students will be allowed to enter the building. When walking through the building, students must stay follow a specific route indicated by visual markers and remain 6 feet apart.
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday (In-person half-day at school):
Wednesday (Remote learning at home):
Students will be able to eat a snack and remove their mask for a short time during their daily recess break while maintaining social distancing. Students may eat a snack outside only. The playground will be divided into zones and students will be required to play in their assigned zone. Classes will rotate through the zones during the week. Students will sanitize their hands when exiting and entering the building.
Restrooms will be closely monitored and sanitized throughout the day. Each classroom will have a designated restroom and assigned times to go. Students will also be permitted to go to the restroom as needed, provided that all restroom procedures are followed. Restrooms will have a limited capacity and a procedure for waiting which will include waiting in socially distanced designated spots.
When walking through the building, students will follow their walking path marked on the floor and will remain six feet (6’) apart.
Due to current safety guidelines, hallway water fountains will not be in use. We encourage students to bring their own filled water bottles. If necessary, students may fill their bottles or use a paper cup to get a drink from the classroom sink.
In order to provide the safest environment possible for our students and staff members, only students and staff members will be allowed in the building once in-person learning resumes. We love our volunteers and appreciate our amazing and supportive parent involvement. We can’t wait to welcome parents back into the building in the future. In the meantime, we will implement the following:
Each building in the district has a COVID Supervisor. This person’s role is to oversee all COVID protocols and to work with district administration on COVID mitigation during in-person learning. The COVID Supervisor is either the school principal or the assistant principal. The backup COVID Supervisor may be the dean, nurse or other support personnel.
An isolation room may be used if a student does not have the daily health attestation which allows them to enter the building or if a student starts experiencing COVID or COVID like symptoms during the school day. The student will be monitored until a parent arrives to pick the student up. Any areas of contact in the isolation room will be immediately deep cleaned and disinfected.
Proper PPE will be worn by all at all times in the isolation room. The student will be evaluated for exposure, diagnosis, and symptoms. The COVID Supervisor(s) will work with the families around next steps and what needs to occur for a student to return to school.
All students and staff are required to wear a mask. However, if a student refuses to wear a mask, they will be asked to leave the classroom to discuss the problem with a staff member. Staff may contact parents to help resolve the issue, if needed. If there is an issue with a student’s mask, a disposable mask can be provided to them. If a student has a documented medical condition preventing them from wearing a mask, please notify the office immediately.
Before leaving the classroom for the day, students will wash/sanitize their hands. Students will leave the building out of their designated exit and will walk with their class to their designated pick-up area.
We look forward to having our students return to school. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions you may have.