OVERVIEW White Rock Elementary has prepared this living document for the health, wellness and safety of our students and staff. As experts continue to learn more about COVID-19, this document will likely change and/or be amended. The updates/decisions made by the McDonald County School District will be in conjunction with local and state health officials. White Rock Elementary will make every effort to maintain social distancing throughout the school year.
McDonald County R-I School District offers different learning programs. Parents can choose to enroll their children in one of two styles of instruction: ● Online: The student attends school off-campus and receives all instruction virtually. ● In-Person: The student attends all school on-campus and receives instruction in a traditional face-to-face classroom delivery approach. |
DATES August 24 (Onsite and virtual instruction begins) |
Virtual ~ONLINE LEARNING OPTION For students/families who do not feel comfortable with in-person school, McDonald County School District will offer online learning for students in grades K-12. A parent or guardian will need to register each student for virtual instruction at White Rock Elementary by August 17, 2020. A certified teacher will monitor student progress. All content is aligned with the Missouri Learning Standards. (This option is a semester-long commitment; a chromebook and internet may be provided for student use if needed.) If you choose the online option your student will take their classes via the following online platforms: K-5: All courses will be delivered via Launch 6-12: All courses will be delivered via Edgenuity. Students enrolling in these options may not be receiving instruction from their regular classroom teacher. The platform will deliver all content. Tutoring will be available MWF from 3:30 to 4:30 for INternet option students. This option is not available for Pre-K students. There will be a quarterly co-hort gathering for families who want to participate.
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TRANSPORTATION McDonald County School District will provide transportation for school 2020 and will run a normal schedule. Drivers and aides will be trained on how to sanitize the bus after each use. Students will be assigned seats and social distancing will be observed. Families will be asked to sit together. We will leave an open seat whenever possible. Buses will be loaded from back to front in order to prevent crossover. Face masks will be worn by all employees and students. Students not following riding guidelines will lose riding privileges.
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ARRIVAL All staff will have temperature checks & answer a questionnaire before entering leaving the main office. Doors will open each morning at 7:55 a.m. - Please do not drop your child off at school prior to 7:55 a.m., as we are unable to provide supervision until the doors open. Grade Level Building Entry Locations: Parent drop off will be car lane only to reduce the number of people entering the building. Parents should remain in their car during drop off. Please be mindful of students unloading during this time; do not pull your vehicle into motion until all students/staff are clear. Students will use hand sanitizer or wash hands upon arrival into classrooms. Common areas will be restricted where feasible. Students dropped off by bus will be released according to social distancing recommended procedures.
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DISMISSAL All student pick-up will be through the car pick-up line. Parents should remain in the car to promote social distancing. Be mindful of students loading vehicles around you; do not pull your vehicle into motion until all students/staff are clear. Students riding the bus home will load from the back to the front according to their assigned seats. Car riders will be dismissed. At least two auxiliary teachers will walk that grade level’s car riders to the front to monitor social distancing and congregating. Car rider family members will stand together, socially distanced from other groups. At preplanned staggered times, each teacher will walk his/her students to the buses, walking 6ft. apart. Once outside students will stay with their class until they load their bus.
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BREAKFAST/LUNCH/DINNER All students will wash or sanitize their hands before eating. Students bringing their own lunch need to make sure it is secured in a lunch bag and not handled by other students. Student dinners will again be provided to all students following the above guidelines.
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CLASSROOMS Upon arrival students will report straight to their classroom and staff will monitor to ensure no congregating occurs. Social distancing strategies will be implemented in each classroom. All student desks will face the front of the classroom and not be clustered together. Teachers will implement seating charts which will be adhered to daily. Students will be taught appropriate hygiene/COVID-19 practices and encouraged to maintain distance from each other in school. At preplanned staggered times, breaks will be scheduled for frequent restroom and handwashing needs. Hand signals will be created to replace shaking hands, hugging or giving high-fives. Appropriate measures will be taken for cleaning Chromebooks or other technology. In order to avoid cross contamination, special classes will be conducted in the cohort classroom for grades K-6. (P.E. class will be conducted in the gym or outside when weather permits). Elementary students will be in one classroom for the duration of the day with the exception of arrival, dismissal, physical education, recess and restroom breaks. At preplanned staggered times, Junior High students will rotate following their individual schedules; extra time will be given during transition times to accommodate for staggered release times so students may observe social distancing procedures and classrooms can be sanitized. Lockers will not be used. Kindergarten through sixth grade students will leave their belongings in the classroom during the day. The seventh and eighth grade students will carry their belongings from class to class. There will be no whole-school gatherings or assemblies of any kind. All communication from Mrs. Cox, including daily announcements will be conducted virtually. Social distancing of at least 3-6 ft. will be expected at all times in all classrooms. Students in elementary school will have the same desk space for the duration of school to minimize exposure to the virus. Students will not share supplies or devices to minimize exposure. When lining up to leave the classroom, students will be socially distanced. Teachers will offer several breaks and movement opportunities throughout the day to counteract the restrictions of staying in one room and not working in groups. Hands will be washed periodically throughout the day. Proper handwashing techniques will be shared frequently with students. Tables, chairs, and handles will be sanitized regularly upon leaving and entering the classroom. All staff will be required to wear masks. Co-teachers will wash their hands upon entering and leaving each classroom. With water fountains being closed, water bottles will be refilled at filling stations provided in each building.
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Transition times, restroom breaks and water bottles. Passing periods will be limited as much as possible. Movement throughout buildings will be reduced. Spacing of at least 6 feet has been marked in all hallways to help students and staff maintain safe social distance at all times. Signage will be posted throughout the building to remind everyone to maintain social distancing practices. Teachers will schedule transition times and restroom breaks to limit the number of students in the hallways. Schedules will be shared with the staff. Water fountains will be closed. Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle from home that may be refilled at the district provided bottle filling stations. Students waiting in line will stand on spots at 6 ft. intervals. Bottle fill-up times will be scheduled by teachers, so that a minimum number of students are waiting to fill their bottles at a time.
At preplanned staggered times, restroom breaks will be scheduled frequently, with the exception of emergencies, students will not be permitted to leave the classroom to visit the restroom between breaks. Each classroom will have a dedicated restroom to minimize exposure. Every other urinal and sink have been marked out-of-order to ensure safe social distancing; toilet stalls having barriers will not need to be closed off. Maximum number of occupants allowed in a restroom has been posted. This will be monitored by teachers. Students waiting in line will stand on spots at 6 ft. intervals.
Students will be taught how to wash their hands properly. Teachers will model proper handwashing procedures. The custodial staff will disinfect all restroom surfaces between scheduled restroom breaks using a safe and effective EPA approved disinfectant purchased by the school district.
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VISITORS/VOLUNTEERS Parents must call ahead if they have a need to visit the school, outside of an emergency situation. No breakfast or lunch guests or volunteers will be permitted. Visitors, except for outside necessary employees providing student instruction and student services, will not be allowed in the building.
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PLAYGROUNDS Elementary students will participate in daily outdoor recess, weather permitting. Teachers will communicate with Mrs. Cox to schedule recess times that are staggered and do not allow classrooms to co-mingle. Play will include no-contact activities. Classroom recess equipment used should be disinfected daily. Students and staff will wash their hand or use hand sanitizer upon re-entry of the building.
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CLEANING/HYGIENE Cleaning will be provided with COVID-19 and EPA approved products for frequently touched hard, non-porous surfaces, such as counters, tabletops, stair rails, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets and drinking fountains. Classrooms will be disinfected with COVID and EPA approved products daily. Hand sanitizer dispensers have been installed throughout the building. Students will be provided with best practices for hygiene during the school day. Only trained staff will be allowed to clean classroom surfaces. (Students will clean up at their own workstation if a mess occurs during instruction).
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HEALTH SERVICES School staff will enter through the main office door and will be screened upon entry. Parents must screen their children at home prior to sending them to school. This includes checking their temperature. We have an RN onsite three days each week and a health assistant available daily. Students will be asked to wash hands while visiting the nurse. Students will be sent home for any symptoms of a cough, cold or a fever greater than 100.
Nursing staff will wash hands and clean health room surfaces (cot, counters, chair, etc.) in between each student seen. (Only students who require daily medications or have scrapes and bumps will be seen in the nurse's office.)
Room 105 will be the sick child office. If a child is being sent for a temperature check, health ailment, etc., the staff member will call the office using the intercom or radio to let them know that a student is on their way to room 105. The nurse or health assistant will meet the student at room 105. Students who are ill will stay in room 105 with the nurse until parents arrive. (This room will be cleaned after each student has been seen.) Our school nurse will provide COVID-19 safety materials to faculty and staff. If you have medication for your child, please schedule a time with the school nurse to drop it off.
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PPE/FACE COVERINGS Masks are HIGHLY RECOMMENDED while in the school buildings or other school facilities for students in K-12. Masks are HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for ALL students to wear during passing times in the hallways, common areas or when social distancing cannot take place. Masks are required for all staff while indoors while in the presence of other staff and students. Parents who send their child with a mask should teach them appropriate usage. If a mask or other PPE is disruptive to the educational environment the administrator may call the parent/guardian. Use of masks will be required for all staff and for all K-12 students using bus transportation.
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MCDONALD COUNTY SCHOOLS ACTION PLAN IF CONFIRMED COVID-19 CASE Contact the Central Office. The Central Office will then contact the Health Dept. Identify students and staff who have been in contact with the suspected individual. Notify the Director of Operations for cleaning protocol for the specific incident. Perform target cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched hard, non-porous surfaces, such as counters, tabletops, stair rails, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets and drinking fountains. Inspect areas with the Director of Operations to determine readiness for re-entry. Verify with the Central Office prior to re-entry. Each building will identify a care room for housing sick students. This room will be separated, as much as possible, from the rest of the student population. The care room for White Rock Elementary is room 105.
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TEMPORARY CLOSURES The Superintendent may temporarily close one or more schools for appropriate cleaning and planning if he determines daily student attendance has been significantly impacted by COVID-19 infections. All students affected by such a temporary closure would transition to a virtual schedule until the school reopens. All measures outlined in this policy are temporary and subject to further review and change based on information received from local, state and federal officials. The superintendent and designees will continue to monitor available data including local case counts and recommendations from the local health department. |
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL WELL BEING Counselors will be available to all students whether they are enrolled In Person or Virtually. There will be a quarterly co-hort gathering for students and families who choose the Virtual enrollment option. ACCESS Family Care and Ozark Center Services are also available to all students regardless of which enrollment option you choose.
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ATHLETICS
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