HOPE — Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corp. has released a more detailed reopening plan as the first day of school approaches.
“We feel good that we have a plan on paper,” Superintendent Shawn Price said. “We are excited to get back and get students back in the building. … We also, you know, still monitoring the situation around us, and we know how quickly things can change. So we want to make sure we’re proceeding with caution.”
The school corporation will return to school Aug. 4, along with the option of full-time eLearning options for “students that are not able to attend on campus due to extenuating circumstances related to COVID-19.”
“Virtual learning at the end of the 2019-20 school year was designed and developed to respond to the very sudden and unexpected closure caused by COVID-19,” according to the school corporation. “FRHC’s virtual model moving forward will provide a level of rigor and expectation comparable to that of the traditional classroom.”
Students who attend school in-person will be screened with temperature checks before entering school buses and buildings. Parents are encouraged to do screening checks and temperature checks before sending students to school. Employees will be required to self-screen for symptoms each day before school begins.
Employees and students who test positive for COVID-19 or exhibit one or more of its symptoms will be prohibited from remaining on campus and sent home on arrival.
If a student or staff member has had recent contact with a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case or lives with someone who is being tested for COVID-19, the school or school district may choose to exclude the student or staff member from campus so that they can self-quarantine for 14 days, the policy states.
The school corporation will follow guidelines from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the return of sick, exposed or symptomatic students to school.
Each school will also have a “designated isolation space” for students and employees who show symptoms and individuals will receive care and wait to be picked up if necessary. Regular medication needs will be taken care of either in a classroom or “another secure location away from the isolation room.”
At school, social distancing will be practiced when possible and “every classroom will be evaluated prior to the start of school to determine proper set up for social distancing,” the plan states.
Inside classrooms, desks will be spaced 6 feet apart when possible and will all face the same direction, with a limit of 23 students per class. Only essential furnishings will be allowed in classrooms so that there is space for students to spread out.
Classes will also be encouraged to meet outside when possible. There will also be assigned seating to limit physical contamination and help with contact tracing, and students will be discouraged from sharing materials.
Hauser Jr./Sr. High School students will not use lockers this year. “Students will be allowed to use a standard-size bookbag to carry their essential supplies which should be minimal,” the plan stated.
In high traffic areas where social distancing may not be possible, sneeze guards and plexiglass dividers have been set up.
According to the reopening plan, “Time will be built into the school day to promote proper handwashing.” Times when students are required to wash or sanitize their hands include:
Upon arriving at school
Before and after eating
After using the restroom
After using shared equipment
Before and after using the playground
Before and after recess
Schools will provide hand sanitizing stations in areas where soap and water are not available.
“Each student and staff member will be provided (2) cloth masks upon returning to school and are required to have them accessible at all times,” the plan states. “Face shields will be available upon request. In situations where social distancing cannot be maintained, students and staff will be expected to wear their facial coverings.”
Such scenarios include on the bus, during arrival or dismissal, in the hallway and during group work.
In regards to school meals, breakfasts will be available “on a grab and go basis” for Hauser Jr./Sr. High School and delivered to classrooms at Hope Elementary.
“Building administration will modify lunch periods to limit the number of students in the cafeteria,” the plan stated. “Alternative locations for cold lunches will be offered to promote physical distancing. Hot lunches will still be provided as a choice for students.”
Students are to maintain social distancing while in line for lunch.
The field house will be used for extra seating to enable social distancing. It will be closed to all other activities during lunchtime.
School fountains will be turned off for the school year per CDC guidelines, and students are encouraged to bring their own water bottles.
The plan also stated that, “Playgrounds will be used, and recess will happen during the 2020-2021 school year as we understand the important role these activities play in the lives of our students. Elementary students will be required to wash hands before and after recess, and the number of students using specific equipment will be limited.”
Playground equipment will be disinfected at least once per day.
To make sure school areas are adequately cleaned and disinfected, the school corp. has promised to:
Hire additional custodial staff
Provide COVID-19 training and a certification course
Purchase additional cleaning equipment and supplies
Provide multiple sanitizing stations for staff and student use throughout the building.
Disinfect all high touch classroom areas at the end of each day
{li class=”_mce_tagged_br”}Deep clean each room weekly with spray disinfectant{/li}{li class=”_mce_tagged_br”}Increase cleaning in high traffic and high touch areas{/li}{li class=”_mce_tagged_br”}Purchase high quality air filters for each room unit{/li}{li class=”_mce_tagged_br”}Increase the replacement of air filters{/li}
Only essential individuals will be allowed to enter school buildings; all other visitors are prohibited. Parents will not be allowed to enter the building to pick up their students but should instead wait for the student to be escorted outside by a staff member.
On buses, students, drivers and assistants will be required to wear masks. Students will be screened and have their temperature checked before boarding the bus.
Once on the bus, each rider will sit forward in their assigned seat. Buses will be disinfected after every route.
The plan stated that in regards to children with special education needs, “Students will continue to receive all necessary accommodations; however, plans may have to be modified due to COVID-19 considerations.”
School officials said they continue to work with the Bartholomew County Health Department, representatives from Columbus Regional Hospital and leaders from the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. to “maintain a comprehensive re-opening plan for the 2020-2021 school year.” The school corp. will also monitor guidance from IDOE, the CDC and the Indiana State Department of Health.
“This is a work in progress,” Price said. “This is by no means a final plan for reopening. This is a draft. And it’ll probably be that way all year long, as we continue to tweak it and make changes and adjustments as things come at us.”
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Where to find the plan” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
The new reopening plan was sent out through the school system’s student messenger system. Price said it will also be posted on the school corp.’s website, http://www.flatrock.k12.in.us/.
He added that anyone with questions can email him at [email protected].
[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”What’s next” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Student enrollment is now open at Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corp. More “building level specific” information will be released sometime in the next week.
There will also be information coming out about the new student management system, Skyward.
According to the reentry plan, Skyward “will allow students and parent greater access to student records including but not limited to attendance, grades, and discipline.”
The plan continued, “While we are excited about this change and upgrade, we understand it does not come without challenges. All returning students will receive information mid-July with directions for accessing the student online registration portal using Skyward. Representatives will be available via email and phone to help through this process.”
[sc:pullout-text-end]
