2021-22 SAFETY GUIDELINES: SCHOOL MANAGEMENT AND COVID-19 CONSIDERATIONS FOR PARENTS:

 

Our plan for opening the Academy prioritizes student health/safety and is based on guidance from ADPH/ALSDE/CDC1 and local medical providers to assist in reducing possible transmission of contagions. The information below is subject to change as new guidance/research emerges daily:

 

• We ask that parents check their child's temperature each morning BEFORE sending them to school and to keep them home from school if they have a fever (100 degrees or higher) or possible symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath, rapid breathing, chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, fatigue, body aches, runny nose, flushed cheeks, extreme fussiness, vomiting or diarrhea). Mass temperature screenings will not be conducted at schools.  

• Return to school from fever - must be fever-free for 24 hours without the aid of fever-reducing medications or as directed by a personal physician.

• We ask parents to administer morning medication doses at home whenever possible to limit the number of students in the health room area at one time, thus limiting possible exposure to illness.

• We do not anticipate mass temperature screenings (logistically challenging and not always a conclusive screening tool) yet will have random temperature checks.

• We ask that parents notify their school nurse asap if their child tests positive for COVID-19 or has been in contact with a COVID-19 positive individual.

• Return to school from COVID-19 - 10 days from onset of symptoms, or if asymptomatic 10 days from the date of a test that yielded a positive result, or as directed by a medical provider. We will follow guidance from ADPH/ALSDE/CDC and local medical providers as situations occur.

• Masks/nose-mouth coverings will be required for all students, employees, and visitors. Mask/Nose-mouth coverings must cover the nose and mouth. Face shield coverings must cover the nose/mouth, wrap the sides of the face and extend below the chin. Special exceptions include documented medical/emotional/psychological conditions that may be negatively impacted by the use of masks/nose-mouth coverings. Dress Code restrictions extend to masks.

• Hand sanitizer stations- MCAA has no-touch hand sanitizer stations throughout the facility. Some are free-standing, some are wall-mounted. We also encourage employees and students to have access
  to their own personal hand sanitizer when possible. We will encourage frequent, proper hand washing for everyone.

• Nurse - MCAA has one school nurse on staff.

• Personal protective equipment (PPE)- school nurses will be provided appropriate PPE (i.e., masks, face shields, gloves) to wear when assessing students for illness.

• Social distancing – All staff will encourage social distancing and will provide social distancing measures in all rooms whenever feasible.

• School nurses will initially perform temperature checks on all students visiting the health room for illness.

• Upon identification of fever - students/employees identified with fever will be masked and escorted to the isolation area. Parents/Guardians will be notified immediately to pick the child up from school. Students’ belongings will be sent to the health room.

• Isolation areas - for students/employees with symptoms while waiting for check out/pick up from school, MCAA’s health vocational room adjacent to the Nurse office will be designated for isolation of students or staff with fever or symptoms of illness who are being sent home. Those students will be masked and seated with social distancing in place.

• Contact tracing will be performed by ADPH. This is not the responsibility of school nurses. We will determine if seating charts will be used in classrooms when advised by the State.

• School nurses will be mindful of confidentiality issues, as always.

• Health office and isolation area will be cleaned at strategic times throughout the day with a focus on high-touch areas.

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1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools through Phased Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/operation-strategy.html

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MCAA COVID-19 DISTANCE LEARNING

In the highly unlikely event that we will return to distance learning in the fall the
following protocol will be used for at home practices:
● All students have been assigned a personal device (Chromebooks) at the start of the year. The devices are monitored through our online monitoring system via Technology Lab. Please be sure students know that Chromebooks are to be used for educational purposes. Students should also be reminded of the Acceptable Use Agreement. Students should only engage in "Safe Searches" and are encouraged to be good "digital citizens" while schools are closed. If students engage in any digital content that school officials deem to be unsafe or inappropriate, parents will be notified.
● Teacher communication with students will take place through various MCAA approved online platforms. Students can expect to receive class announcements and voluntary assignments through Google Classroom, Google Sites, Clever, See Saw, etc.
● Internet equity is important to MCAA and any student in need of internet at home will be provided with a modem via the T- Mobile Project 10 Million or a modem and service through our provider AT&T.