Acadia Academy 2023-2024 Contagious Illness Operations Plan
Acadia Academy 2023-2024 Contagious Illness Operations Plan
Introduction
Acadia Academy has developed the following plans, protocols and procedures for the 2022-2023 school year. This plan has been made in consideration with the Maine Department of Education Framework for Returning to Classroom Instruction. The physical and mental safety and wellbeing of students and staff were kept at the center of the committee’s decision making throughout the planning process.
Prioritization of Learners
If our school should need to close, all students will move to the remote learning model. If a reduction in the number of In-Person learners is required we will prioritize Pre-K, Kindergarten and Special Education students for In Person learning.
Recommendations for Protecting Health and Safety
The Maine Department of Education has established a framework for advising schools on how to conduct In-Person learning. At the foundation of this framework of recommendations and suggested strategies to support a successful school experience are the Framework for Reopening Schools and Returning to In-Person Instruction. These recommendations are based on science and data, considering the safest way to operate our community. Acadia Academy has closely examined these essential practices and has determined precisely how they can be met in our school building. With cooperation and understanding from families, students, staff and our community we will safely implement the needed precautions and practices to meet these recommendations and offer In-Person learning to all of the students.
Framework for Schools & In-Person Instruction
● Masks/Face Covering
○ Required masking for individuals who are displaying symptoms consistent with transmission (cough, sneezing)
○ Recommended masking for individuals who are identified as a close contact. ○ If tested positive and cleared to return to school mask days 6-10
● Acadia will continue to closely monitor local and school contagious illness levels and state guidelines and may adjust this plan in the future based on those factors.
● Return to School after Illness - Sick staff members and students must use home isolation until they meet criteria for returning to school.
○ Criteria may be determined by appropriate school medical staff
● Students and staff exhibiting any symptoms of contagious illness will be assessed by medical staff. If a student is found to have symptoms consistent
with spread of illness they will need to be picked up by parent or guardian and will have to be off school grounds within a reasonable amount
of time.
In-Person Learning Model: Whole School Closure
● Procedures are in place for responding to a positive case of contagious illness in the building. ● Remote Learning if Required
○ Teachers in grade 1-6 will use Google Classroom to assign and collect work as well as to communicate with students.
○ A school wide Bloomz account has been established for whole school communication. ○ ACADIA administration will work with families to
provide necessary distance learning technology and internet access as needed.
At Home Symptom Self-Check Requirement
● Symptom self-checks must be completed for all in-person learning students and staff members working in the building each morning before coming to school.
● Each student and staff member will be provided with a symptom checklist for reference ● If a student or staff has any excludable symptoms, we
request that they stay home from school and report the symptoms to ACADIA Academy.
● To report symptoms/absence, call ACADIA Academy at 207-333- 3765.
Arrival and Dismissal Protocol
● Arrival Procedures:
○ Drop Offs:
■ Use bus lane (lane closest to the school) and middle lane for dropping off students ■ See times listed above.
■ Hand sanitizer stations available prior to entering school.
■ Pre-k and Kindergarten students will wait at the playgrounds with their teachers and enter the school as a group as weather permits.
○ Bus students:
■ There will be a bus aid on both Auburn and Lewiston buses in the morning
■ Hand sanitizer will be available on the bus with the bus aid
■ Once at school, students are to go directly to their classrooms.
○ Dismissal Procedures:
■ Pre-K and Kindergarten students dismissed from playgrounds
■ Parents/Guardians need to wait for their student beyond the fire lane for 2:20 walker dismissal
■ Bus arrives at 2:30 and students depart on the bus at 2:35 p.m.
■ Aftercare students dismissed at 2:30 pm
■ Playgrounds will not be available after school.
■ If parents/guardians need to discuss issues with teachers they are welcome to schedule a time to do so. At pick-up time staff are busy and side conversations with them can lead to unsafe situations, so must be avoided during that time.
Cleaning Protocol Overview
● All cleaning procedures have been designed following CDC guidelines and using approved cleaners and disinfectants.
Hand Washing/Hand Sanitizing Procedures
● Hand hygiene (washing with soap and water, using hand sanitizer) is easily one of the best ways to stop transmission of illnesses. All staff and students should do handwashing or use hand sanitizer at the following times during the day:
○ Upon entry to the school building
○ After using the bathroom
○ Before snack/food prep
○ After snack/food prep
○ After eating
○ After assisting with personal care
○ Following the removal of gloves or other PPE
○ After end of day disinfecting routines
○ After picking up an item of trash from the floor
○ After removing gloves
○ If there is a risk of body fluids on hands (from sneezing, coughing or touching face/mask, after touching others)
○ Before and after playground use
○ Before and after shared equipment use
○ Before and after riding the school bus
Lunchroom Procedures
● Students should bring their own utensils and napkins each day if possible in order to minimize possible spread of germs.
● We request that whenever possible students bring lunches that do not require heating.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Procedures
● Regarding both staff and students
○ Everyone should be introduced to masking prior to starting school.
○ Everyone should come to school with at least one clean mask each day.
● If dictated by the masking policy, students and staff may be required to wear a mask for the entire day, including on the bus and outside, with the following exception of during lunch ● Everyone must comply with PPE recommendations and procedures at all times to ensure the risk of contagious illness or disease transmission is minimized.
○ If required to mask by the masking policy, no one will take off masks in common areas, such as the lobby, bathrooms, staff room, etc.
● Staff only
○ If needed, staff will wear appropriate PPE in addition to masks and gloves, when working with students with “higher-risk” behaviors that include possible transmission of bodily fluids.
○ Staff may elect to wear “additional” PPE. This should be reviewed with administrative staff to ensure additional PPE is appropriate.
○ Administrative staff may determine “higher” levels of PPE are required for working in 4
certain situations.
○ Staff must comply with PPE recommendations and procedures at all times to ensure the risk of illness transmission is minimized.
Illness in Staff or Students Protocols
● If a person becomes sick while at school with any symptoms associated with contagious illness: ○ A nurse will be contacted for assessment. If the nurse is not present there will be a designated staff member to fill that role and who can utilize telehealth assessment as appropriate.
○ The nurse will determine if the person will be going home.
○ The person should be off campus within 1 hour, or as soon as possible. They should contact their primary care physician for further consultation.
● Reactive measures for a contagious illness:
○ Everyone must inform the school if they are diagnosed as infected with a contagious illness.
■ This should be done by phone. No one should come to Acadia to report a diagnosed contagious illness.
○ Anyone who have tested positive for contagious illness should not return to our campus until the criteria to discontinue home isolation has been met
■ This will be done in consultation with healthcare providers, state/local health departments and/or Acadia nursing staff.
■ The school may request a doctor’s note and/or clearance from the nurse before re-entry is permitted, based on the nature of the contagious illness.
○ Adequate air circulation will be ensured throughout the building. This may be safely done during the day in some areas, and after hours in others.
○ All spaces throughout Acadia will be disinfected throughout the day and at the end of the day, as outlined in disinfectant protocols.
○ “Protected” disclosure will be given to Acadia Community Members without releasing identifying information of the individual identified with contagious illness.
○ Acadia administration will work with the nursing staff and local health agencies to inform the community about determined “next steps.”
○ Administration, the CDC and local health authorities will review a number of factors, including resources, time on site, time from site before identification, etc. when making recommendations.
■ The CDC may make additional recommendations to possibly include:
● Contract tracing
● Request to close the site for a determined amount of time
● Additional cleaning/disinfection measures
● Self-quarantine of identified staff or students determined to be close contacts
○ Acadia administration must share information regarding a positive case within the school while working to protect confidentiality of the individuals, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Special Education Services Protocols
● If a school closure is necessary.
○ If health and safety protocols allow, students with 1 to 1 special education support will receive In-Person services.
○ Students receiving speech, OT, and SDI will be able to come for In-Person scheduled appointments.
○ If health and safety protocols do not allow any students in the building all students will receive their services through Zoom for a 30 minute session unless the teacher determines it is developmentally appropriate for the child to have shorter or longer sessions.
Learning Continuum for Students in Need of Quarantine or Isolation
● In the event that a student needs to be out of school because of contagious illness they will be provided with any learning materials necessary to complete class assignments at home.
● Teachers who use google classroom may provide assignments via that platform. Kindergarten through second-grade students will be provided with books and other necessary curriculum materials to complete their assignments.
revised 2/23/23
reviewed 5/9/23
revised 12/5/23