Prevention

Teachers and staff will self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms before coming to campus each day. (List is attached)

·       Stay off campus for 14 days if symptoms or a fever is present, or a positive test.

·       Report to supervisor if had close contact with confirmed positive case. (Close contact is defined at the end of this document)

Parents must ensure they do not send a child to school if the child has COVID-19 symptoms, or a confirmed case of COVID-19. They will enter remote instruction until re-entry requirements are met.

·       If a child comes in close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 individual, they will enter remote instruction for 14 days.

Visitors will be allowed on campus only after they have been screened for COVID-19 symptoms. If they have symptoms, a positive test, or been in close contact with a COVID-19 individual, they will be refused entry to the campus until they meet the re-entry requirements.

If an individual has been confirmed COVID-19 positive, or experienced symptoms of COVID-19 the individual must stay home throughout the infection period.

Conditions for Re-entry to campus:

·       For an individual that is diagnosed with COVID-19, or an individual who has symptoms of COVID-19 but has not been evaluated by a medical professional, the individual may return to school when all three of the following criteria are met:

1.       At least one day (24 hours) has passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medication);

2.       the individual has improvement in symptoms; and

3.       at least ten days have passed since symptoms first appeared.

·       If an individual has symptoms that could be COVID-19, and want to return to school before completing the above stay at home period, the individual must either (a) obtain a medical professional’s note clearing the individual for return based on an alternative diagnosis, or (b) obtain a negative acute infection test at an approved testing location.  

If a possible COVID-19 case is identified on campus:

·       The individual will be immediately separated from others until arrangements can be made for that individual to leave campus.

·       Areas used by the individual while at school will be cleaned as soon as feasible.

·       Individuals who report feeling feverish should be given an immediate temperature check to determine if they are symptomatic for COVID-19.

Response

If an individual who has been in the school is lab confirmed to have COVID-19, the school will notify the local health department.

The school will close off areas that are heavily used by the individual with the confirmed case until those areas can be disinfected.

The school will notify all teachers, staff, and families of all students in a school if a confirmed COVID-19 case is identified among students, teachers, or staff who participated in any on- campus activities. All confidentiality requirements will be followed.

Mitigation

General practices

·       Recommended procedures on social distancing will be applied to all classroom settings, including special education programs when possible and appropriate.  Students’ individual needs will be addressed on a case by case basis.

·       Hand sanitizer stations will be available throughout the school. Students, teachers, staff, and visitors will be encouraged to wash their hands and use sanitizer frequently.

·       All students will wash their hands for at least 20 seconds before eating, and after using the restroom.

·       All coughs and sneezes will be covered with a tissue or elbow. Hands will be sanitized or washed immediately.

·       Frequent cleaning practices will be implemented. If a classroom is used by multiple student groups, it will be sanitized between different class groups. This will include shared devices such as Chromebooks and iPads.

·       Enhanced cleaning practices will be implemented throughout each campus.

·       Students will be provided instruction on appropriate hygiene practices and other mitigation practices adopted by the school on their first day on campus.

Face Coverings

Since the Governor has rescinded the mask mandate, no one is required to wear a mask but all staff and students are still encouraged to wear masks when in the building, classroom, and/or office with others and not able to social distance. Exceptions to this requirement include lunch breaks with appropriate social distancing. Classroom teachers may use face shields and/or social distancing when providing direct instruction in the classroom. During classroom monitoring and circulations, masks are optional.

·       Schools are required to comply with the governor’s executive order regarding the  

wearing of face coverings.

·       Based on current information, students in grades 3 – 12 will be required to wear a face covering while entering and exiting the building, in all common areas, and in certain classroom situations.

·       Students will need to bring a face covering to school each day. Face coverings are not to be shared, and must meet the dress code requirements. The district has a limited number of disposable face coverings for student use.

·       Staff and students are expected to provide their own masks. If individuals need assistance with this matter, the district will have equipment available.

Student – Teacher Groupings

·       Where feasible students are encouraged to practice social distancing.

·       Student desks should be arranged to maximize the distance between each desk.

·       When feasible and appropriate, large gatherings of students should take place outside. (PE classes, band, athletics)

·       Campuses will develop entry, exit, and transition procedures to reduce large group gatherings.

·       Assemblies and other activities that bring a large group together are suspended.

·       Cafeteria procedures will be modified to maximize social distance.

Transportation

·       Students and staff will use hand sanitizer when boarding a bus.

·       Students who attend classes at EPEC will have their temperature checked when boarding the bus.

·       Route buses will have assigned seats for each trip to maximize social distance.

·       Buses will be sanitized after each trip.

Visitors on campus

·       Visits to school are limited to those essential to school operations.

·       Parents will not be allowed to eat with students in the cafeteria. All lunches should be sent with the student prior to the start of the school day.

·       Campuses will remain closed during lunch. Students will not be allowed to leave campus for lunch.

·       Visitors must follow virus prevention and mitigation requirements.

Staffing

·       Employees must continue to meet the work expectation set by the district, subject to any applicable employment contract terms.

·       All staff will be trained on the protocols outlined in this document, and the practices adopted by the district.

·       All staff must follow current face covering protocols, and remain at least 6 feet apart where feasible.

Student or Staff Displaying COVID-19 Symptoms

·       When a student has displayed symptoms of COVID-19, the school nurse will provide a clinical assessment to determine if and when a student needs to be sent home.

·       Students who are ill will be separated from their peers and should be picked up within 30 minutes and no later than 1 hour from the time the campus contacted the student’s parent/guardian.

·       Other students may be removed from the classroom and taken to an alternate location on campus (e.g. go on a walk outside, move to a different classroom, etc.) so that the classroom can be disinfected.

·       District communication will be provided to the parents of students who came in contact with a COVID-19 positive student or staff member.

·       In the case of an individual who was diagnosed with COVID-19, the individual may return to school when all three of the following criteria are met:

o   at least three days (72 hours) have passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications);

o   the individual has improvement in symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and

o   at least ten days have passed since symptoms first appeared.

In the case of an individual case of an individual who has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and who is not evaluated by a medical professional or tested for COVID-19, such individual is assumed to have COVID-19, and the individual may not return to the campus until the individual has completed the same three-step set of criteria listed above.

If the individual has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and wants to return to school before completing the above stay at home period, the individual must either (a) obtain a medical    professional’s note clearing the individual for return based on an alternative diagnosis or (b)receive two separate confirmations at least 24 hours apart that they are free of COVID via acute infection tests at an approved COVID-19 testing location found at https://tdem.texas.gov/covid-19/.

Vaccinations

·       Crosbyton ISD administration and nurse will assist families in finding appointments for a COVID-19 vaccination as needed. The following community locations are currently offering COVID-19 vaccinations by appointments:

o    Regional Pharmacy Crosbyton

o   Payne Family Pharmacy: Floydada, TX

COVID-19 Symptoms Screener

Any of the following symptoms indicate a possible COVID-19 infection:

o   Temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher when taken by mouth;

o   Sore Throat

o   New uncontrolled cough that causes difficulty breathing (or, for individuals with a chronic allergic/asthmatic cough, a change in their cough from baseline)

o   Diarrhea, vomiting, or abdominal pain; or

o   New onset of severe headache, especially with a fever

Close Contact

Close contact with an individual who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19. Close contact is determined by an appropriate public health agency. For clarity, close contact is defined as:

A.     Being directly exposed to infectious secretions (e.g., being cough on); or

B.     Being within 6 feet for a cumulative duration of 15 minutes.

If either occurred at any time in the last 14 days at the same time the infected individual was infectious.

Individuals are presumed infectious at least two days prior to symptoms onset or, in the case of asymptomatic individuals who are lab-confirmed with COVID-19, two days prior to the confirming lab test.

CONTINUITY OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES:

Face-to-Face Instruction and Remote/Virtual Learning

·       All students will be required to attend school Face-to-Face and attend school according to compulsory attendance laws. All COVID protocol will still be followed if a student is tested positive or is a close contact to another positive COVID case.

Face-to-Face Instruction

·       Students attend school daily, as with the regular school year, and follow safety, sanitation, and social distancing expectations.

Remote/Virtual Learning (only will be used if designated by school administration)

·       Students participate in classroom instruction via remote/virtual learning and are expected to complete and submit assignments as communicated by the remote/virtual learning teacher(s). This home learning model is an extension of the classroom and includes the same high-level expectations for participation and assignments as face-to-face.

In both models, the campuses must provide instruction in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for the required grade level/subject/course. Monitoring student learning and progress remains integral to the success of the students. This includes attendance, grades, formative/summative assessments, and other monitoring systems that help teachers know how students are making progress.

 Remote/virtual instruction will be delivered through asynchronous instruction that does not require having the instructor and student engaged at the same time. In this method, students learn from instruction that is not necessarily being delivered in-person or in real time. Crosbyton CISD will structure the students’ learning schedule to require students to participate in asynchronous learning. We will ensure open lines of communication between teachers, students and parents.

Instruction appropriately focuses on student progress on standards and the continuation of learning. During any periods of school closure and virtual instruction, students may receive instruction in the following ways (including, but not limited to):

·       Authentic student work/assignments with timely and relevant feedback for continued progress in learning of the standard

·       Hands-on activities which may need an extra pair of at “home” hands

·       Choice boards and playlists o Instructional activities within Google Classroom o Portfolio tasks and turning in of assignments

·       Assessments

·       Video lessons

·       Project based learning/assignments o Group/partner projects

·       Google Classroom assignments

Crosbyton CISD expectations for asynchronous learning:

·       Complete asynchronous activities assigned each day

·       Students show proof of participation in daily virtual instruction by satisfactorily completing assigned assignments to demonstrate evidence of student learning ie. video, picture, or activities submitted as lessons and/or completing assignments. Please note, not all lessons must have an assignment, as there will be teacher discretion on the number of assignments, as they follow the CISD grading guidelines.

·       Students and parents will communicate with the teacher when needing additional assistance, tutoring, etc.

·       Students MUST login and communicate with teachers daily in order to earn attendance for the day.

·       Some electives may be only available in an in-person format.

·       Some courses may require remote learners to come on campus to demonstrate certain skills (including tests).

·        Accommodations and support services will be provided to all remote learners.

·       Sufficient internet connection is required (internet hotspots will be provided throughout town).

·       District computer device provided.

Unless otherwise noted by the campus administrator, once a commitment to the instructional model has been communicated by the parent/family, a request must be submitted in writing to shift to the other model. These transitions must be approved and processed by the school and may only occur at the beginning of a new six-week period. 90% attendance is mandatory in order to earn credit and/or be promoted to the next grade level.

ARD/IEP Committees will determine the unique needs of students who are IEP-entitled in making support and service recommendations for students attending school virtually.

               Attendance

·       District funding and resources are linked to attendance. Attendance will be taken each day for both face-to-face and remote/virtual learning to ensure that students are actively engaged. During remote/virtual instruction, students are expected to participate and fully engage as communicated by the teacher to receive attendance credit.

In addition, per Texas Education Code (TEC), §25.092, students must attend 90% of the days a course is offered in order to be awarded credit for the course and/or to be promoted to the next grade. This requirement remains in force during the 2020-21 school year. This requirement applies to both face-to face and remote/virtual instruction.

Technology

·       All students in grades K-12 will be provided with a device for the school year to assist with in person or at-home learning if needed.

Grading

·       State law requires each district to adopt its own grading policies. This policy must require a classroom teacher to assign a grade that reflects the student’s relative mastery of an assignment. Crosbyton CISD grading policies are published annually in the Student Handbook. Progress reports and report cards, along with parent conferences, will be used to communicate each student’s progress and performance.

Schedule

·       While in the Virtual Academy, time management is critical to success. Students and teachers must remain in communication regarding daily schedules and assignments. As with any traditional course, there is a risk of receiving a lower grade if a student falls behind. If your student is struggling with time management, then he or she should contact his or her teacher for additional assistance. Classes within the Virtual Academy will follow the schedule of classes at the student’s campus, minus any hands-on electives and/or CTE that cannot be offered.

Within each course, teachers will plan for students to participate in asynchronous learning. Teachers will structure small group time to differentiate instruction within the instructional block. This will require teachers to set up small group instruction schedules for students. It will be vital for teachers and parents to openly communicate the schedules for the students.

Intervention and Enrichment

·       Intervention and enrichment time will be scheduled regularly for students to best meet their academic needs. During this time, students may engage in assigned group activities, project learning activities, small group instruction, and digital platforms. Teachers will communicate with students their plan for the designated time.

For students who are IEP-entitled, progress will be carefully monitored and ARD/IEP Committees will convene and make appropriate recommendations to meet individual student needs to ensure continued growth in the general education curriculum and on IEP goals and objectives.

State and Local Testing

·       All students are expected to follow state and local testing requirements, whether participating in face-to-face or remote/virtual instruction.