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Argo Community High School District 217

7329 West 63rd Street
Summit, IL   60501
Phone 708.728.3200
www.argohs.net
 
2020-2021
COVID-19 PROTOCOL
HANDBOOK

INTRODUCTION

As we begin the 2020-2021 school year, the coronavirus pandemic has required changes to the
operation of the school. The District has adopted the Argo Community High School District 217
Reopening and Operational Plan to address health and safety concerns while maintaining our
focus on student learning. Considerations most relevant to students and families are outlined
below. This school year will be different and include new challenges, but together our Argo
school community will adapt and thrive.

Please be aware that the recommendations and requirements of the State and local health
departments, as well as the State Board of Education, may evolve as we learn more about the
spread of the coronavirus and as the rate of infection slows or accelerates. The District’s
protocols may also change in response to these developments. We will share updates and
changes with families via our website, and through email communications with our school
community. Please be on the look-out for new information.

Under the reopening plan, two options will be provided to students and their families. As
required by the Illinois State Board of Education, all families will have the option of choosing a
completely remote learning option for their students. In addition, the District will offer a
blended learning model for students, which involves both in-person instruction and remote
learning. This model allows the District to have fewer students in the building at one time to
observe physical distancing requirements that are recommended by the Illinois Department of
Public Health to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Under this model, students with last names
starting with letters A-L will be designated as Group A and will attend school in-person on
Mondays and Tuesdays, and remotely on Wednesday, Thursdays, and Fridays. Students with

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last names starting with letters M-Z will attend school in-person on Thursdays and Fridays, and
remotely on Mondays Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Wednesdays will be designated remote
learning days for all students; students will attend all periods for 35 minutes each.

START DATES –Remote and In-Person Instruction

The District has a planned start date of January 5th, 2021 for all students. January 5 th
through January 15th will be remote learning. Based on current recommendations from the
Cook County and Illinois Departments of Public Health, and to protect the health and safety of
our students and staff, we will be starting with fully remote instruction. If the rate of infection
stays at levels that will support in-person attendance, the District plans to begin the in-person,
blended model of instruction on January 19th, 2021.

STRUCTURED LEARNING OPTIONS

As stated in the introduction to this handbook, there are two learning options for students: 1) a
fully remote learning option and 2) a blended learning option. Students choosing the fully
remote option will connect to classes remotely and follow the adjusted schedule below for the
entire school week. Students choosing the blended learning option will also follow the schedule
below but will report to school for in-person instruction two days per week and receive remote
instruction on the other days. The term “blended learning” describes a model where the teacher is
teaching in-person in the classroom to a small group of students, and the class is being streamed
live to another group of students through a remote learning platform such as Zoom for Education
or Google Meet.

Parents and students may choose the learning option that is best for them. Parents/guardians who
are opting for the fully remote option should notify the District using the Full Remote Learning
Opt-in Form no later than January 13th, 2021. Students electing this option will stay remote
through the end of the 2020-2021 school year.
Hybrid Schedule Starting Tuesday January 19th
Last Names A through L - In School on Monday and Tuesday All Students A through Z will be Last Names M through Z - In School on Monday and Tuesday
Last Names M through Z - Remote Monday and Tuesday at Home in Remote Learning Last Names A through L - Remote Monday and Tuesday
7:00 am - 7:55 am Remote Argo Resources Remote Argo Resources 7:00 am - 7:55 am Remote Argo Resources 7:00 am - 7:55 am Remote Argo Resources Remote Argo Resources
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
8:00 am - 8:50 am Staff Meetings Staff Meetings 8:00 am - 8:50 am Staff Meetings 8:00 am - 8:50 am Staff Meetings Staff Meetings
9:00 am - 10:10 am Period 3 Period 5 9:00 am - 9:35 am 1st period 9:00 am - 10:10 am Period 3 Period 5
10:20 am - 11:30 pm Period 1 Period 7 9:45 am - 10:20 am 2nd period 10:20 am - 11:30 pm Period 1 Period 7
11:40 am - 12:50 pm Period 2 Period 6 10:30 am - 11:05 am 3rd period 11:40 pm - 12:50 pm Period 2 Period 6
1:00 pm - 2:10 pm Period 4 Office Hours 11:15 am - 11:50 pm 4th period 1:00 pm - 2:10 pm Period 4 Office Hours
2:20 pm - 2:55 pm Prep Time Prep Time 12:00 pm - 12:40 pm Break for Students 2:20 pm - 2:55 pm Prep Time Prep Time
3:05 pm - 4:00 pm Remote Argo Resources Remote Argo Resources 12:50 pm - 1:25 pm 5th period 3:05 pm - 4:00 pm Remote Argo Resources Remote Argo Resources
1:35 pm - 2:10 pm 6th period
2:20 pm - 2:55 pm 7th period
3:05 pm - 4:00 pm Remote Argo Resources

Key Highlights

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 Assist in a safe return to the building with 50% of students in building 2 days a week and
3 days remote. As the total day will be shortened, students will not eat lunch at school but
will be provided bag lunches/breakfast (for the next morning) as they are leaving the
building. By not providing lunch in the building students will not need to remove their
masks to eat and will eliminate one of the major safety logistics the district has had to
consider working through.
 
 Academic Resources will be available daily.
 
 Office Hours will be held on Tuesdays (70 minutes) and Fridays (70 minutes) allowing
teachers to provide individual and small group help to students.  
 
 Classes begin at 9am daily allowing Argo students an additional hour of sleep and
accommodating those who may need to help younger siblings get ready for school.
 
 Lunch periods are at the beginning and end of the day and students are not required to be
at school during their lunch period. Students who elect to stay in the building during their
lunch will be put in a study hall to complete homework. Depending on the lunch period,
students may start school as late as 10:20 am 2 days a week OR end school at 11:30 am 2
days a week.
 
 The new schedule creates at least 1 hour 40 minutes less screen time for all students M,
T, TH, F, and reduces an additional 2 hours and 55 minutes weekly for students with a
lunch period.
 
 On Wednesdays, students will attend all periods for 35 minutes each remotely. The
addition of the remote instruction on Wednesday helps ensure that students do not lose a
significant amount of weekly instructional minutes compared to the current schedule and
allows students to see all their teachers on that day.

 Physical distancing will be maintained in classrooms, hallways and during lunch and
support periods.
o All intervention programs such as AMP, “A” Team, ARC will run synchronously
throughout the day.  In addition, all before and after school resources will be
available for students.

Remote Learning Schedule

As stated in the introduction, 2nd semester of the 2020-2021 school year will start off with a fully
remote program. This plan also will be used if the State or local officials order schools to
provide Remote Learning due to changing pandemic conditions, or if a quarantine is required in
school or for a particular school program due to a positive diagnosis of or exposure to COVID-
19 in accordance with the guidance provided by the Illinois State Board of Education and the
Illinois Department of Public Health.

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Key Highlights

 All students will learn from their home, and opportunities for synchronous learning will
be provided. Instruction may also be provided through pre-recorded lessons, or other
learning activities directed by teachers.
 Teachers will notify students by the beginning of the start of the school day if their class
will meet via technology and by which technology (Zoom, Canvas Conference, etc.)
Students will be expected to log in during the day and keep their camera on and faces
visible unless a teacher directs them that they may turn their camera off.
 Assignments will be focused on the most critical outcomes of the course and essential to
the pacing of the curriculum.
 Assignments may be collected and graded, as communicated by the teacher.
 Should certain students have problems with internet access at home, the District will
explore the idea of opening parts of the building where students will report for remote
learning; more information on this option will be provided. If you are concerned about
your internet access/connection, please contact the Helpdesk via the Argo Website or
contact your student’s dean about access to a hotspot.

Calendar Adjustments

Please note the following adjustments to the 2020-21 school calendar:

 Monday, January 4th, is a Teacher's Institute Day; this is a non-attendance day for
students.
 Tuesday, January 5th – Friday, January 15th Students will follow the schedule remotely
 Monday, January 18th – No School MLK Day
 Tuesday, January 19th – Students A-L return to in-person learning
 Thursday, January 21st – Students M-Z return to in-person learning
 Monday, February 15th – Students are not in attendance
 Tuesday, February 16th -Parent Teacher Conferences – Students are not in attendance
 Monday, March 1st – No School Casmir Pulaski Day
 Monday, March 29th – Friday, April 2nd – Students will be on Spring Break
 May 19th, 20th, and 21st – Final Exams

Athletics and Activities

We are awaiting the status of Winter/Spring sports and activities.  The decision is based on
pending guidance and authority of the state and local governing organizations (IDPH and
Governor’s Office). We will be communicating all forms and protocols in the very near future
for all staff, students, and families in relation to self-certification procedures, reporting, and

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communication related to extracurricular sports and activities.

Rule s and Proce dure s for In-Pe rs on Le arning

Students who elect the blended learning model and attend school in-person must adhere to the
following rules and procedures while in the building. These rules and procedures have been
developed in accordance with the guidance provided by the Illinois State Board of Education and
the Illinois Department of Public Health. Students who do not comply with the rules and
procedures set forth below may be sent home or assigned to remote learning for the semester.

SYMPTOM SCREENING PRIOR TO SCHOOL ADMISSION

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, all District staff members, and students (through their
parents/guardians or on their own) must self-certify prior to coming to the District and verify that
they do not have a temperature above 100.4 and that they do not have any of the symptoms of
COVID. The symptom screening check list form is provided below.

Self-Certification Screening Process for Students

Parents/Guardians and students over the age of 18 shall provide a daily verification of self-
certification as follows:

Covid-19 Self-Certification Assessment

Student Form

Student Name: _____________________________________

Student ID #: _______________________________________

Directions: Please complete the following assessment each morning prior to sending your child to
school. If your student is presenting with a fever above 100.4 or is presenting with any of the symptoms
below, they should remain home from school and it is recommended that they seek medical advice on
whether any further actions should be taken.

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Yes No

o Fever or feeling feverish (chills, sweating) ____ ____

o New cough ____ ____
o Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing ____ ____
o Sore throat ____ ____
o Muscle aches or body aches ____ ____
o Vomiting or diarrhea ____ ____
o New loss of taste or smell ____ ____
o Chills ____ ____
o Fatigue ____ ____
o New or unusual headaches ____ ____
o Congestion or runny nose ____ ____

By sending your student to school you are certifying that your student is not exhibiting any of the above
symptoms. Please sign and date below that you understand the information above and that all answers
are true to the best of your knowledge.

Signature: ______________________________________________ Date: _______________

If a student has not completed the self-certification prior to the student arriving at the District,
the student will be provided a symptom screening pursuant to the District’s symptom screening
protocol at school. Students who exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 will not be permitted entrance
in the school and will remain in a supervised quarantine area until a parent or guardian picks
them up.

At-School Screening

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the District will be conducting symptom screening for all
District staff members, students, and visitors who are present in school buildings. Any individual
that has had close contact with a Covid positive person should not come into the building until
they have met their quarantine timeline.

Upon arrival at the school building, the building’s school nurse or other designated staff
members shall facilitate the taking of the individual temperature using a non-contact, infrared
thermometer. To avoid individuals who are symptomatic from entering the building, screening
will be conducted in the following areas:

For students arriving by car: Exit 3

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For students walking: Exit 20

For student bus riders: Exit 20

For ESS students: Exit 13

Student walkers and drivers may enter the building at 8:40am. Buses will arrive between 8:40am
and 8:50am.

The screening shall be conducted as follows:

The individuals will enter a designated entrance that has been equipped with digital walk-
through kiosks. These are all non-contact kiosks. As the student enters the building, they will
either turn in paper the COVID-19 Self-Certification form or present it digitally. If they do not
have their form filled out they will be given a copy and sent to the back of the line to fill it out as
they wait. Each student will receive a folder with masks, and a pad of the paper COVID-19
certification forms on their first day back to school.

To maintain the protection of the individuals undergoing and conducting screening, temperature
checks will be conducted as follow:

By a screener who will be wearing proper PPE, using a non-contact, infrared thermometer. The
screener shall wash or sanitize hands and then put on the PPE prior to beginning screenings. The
screener shall clean the thermometer with an alcohol wipe between uses. If the screener
unintentionally touches the individual being screened, the screener will wash their hands- and
put-on clean gloves before screening the next individual.

If an individual’s temperature is less than 100.4, they do not exhibit or identify any relevant
symptoms, and they have not had close contact with an infected individual, then the individual
will be admitted to the school.

If an individual’s temperature is 100.4 or higher, they exhibit or identify relevant symptoms, or

they have had close contact an infected individual, then

1. if an employee or visitor, they will be sent home and advised to contact their doctor.
2. if a student, they will be sent home with a parent/guardian if present or remain in the
quarantine room while the student’s parent/guardian is contacted to pick the student up.
The parent/guardian will be advised to contact their doctor.

Individuals who have had close contact are expected to self-report.

To facilitate this screening, parents/guardians who are present at school for drop off will be
asked to remain on school grounds until the student completes the check and is admitted into the
building. If the parent/guardian is unable to remain at the school or is not present at the school

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and the student is exhibiting symptoms, the student shall be placed in the quarantine room until
the parent/guardian can pick up the student.

Visitors

Visitors will be limited. Visitors with essential business in the building will be screened in the
same manner as employees. All visitors must contact the building office upon arrival so that a
screener can meet the visitor at the entrance and conduct the screening.

Symptom Screening List

The following list will be included on all self-certification screening forms and will be utilized
by District staff members for in-person screening.

Please identify whether you have any of the following symptoms. Please focus on new or
unexpected symptoms (e.g., a chronic cough would not be a positive screen).

o Fever or feeling feverish (chills, sweating)

o New cough
o Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
o Sore throat
o Muscle aches or body aches
o Vomiting or diarrhea
o New loss of taste or smell
o Chills
o Fatigue
o New or unusual headaches
o Congestion or runny nose

NEW/ADDITIONAL SAFETY MEASURES

 Development and implementation of the Argo Community High School District 217
COVID 19 Handbook, which explains the procedures the District has put into place
for students to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

 Hand sanitizer stations in all rooms, entries and in hallways,

 Over 45,000 Units of Protective Personal Equipment (PPE masks, Face Shield
Visors) for Student and Staff use,

 UV-lights (5) portable and (8) mounted in the building (UV lights work to disinfect
surfaces and air)

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 O3 Aqueous spray solutions with Anti-Bacterial Microfiber Wipes in every classroom

and common space,

 4 Static Sprayers for our hallways,

 Anti-Bacterial Door Handle and Crash Bar Markers for all doors in the district,

 Plastic Barriers in all areas of entry, classrooms, and offices,

 One-way Flow Hallways for all students and staff per IDPH guidance,

 Digital Walk-Through Kiosks for all students and visitors that conduct temperature
checks at main entry points of the building,

 Additional hiring of three Custodians and three Instructional Aides

 Comprehensive cleaning and updating of all HVAC and air filter upgrades by an
independent third-party contractor.

SOCIAL DISTANCING

Social distancing must be observed whenever possible. Social or physical distancing means there
is six (6) feet of space between each individual in the school. Classrooms and other common
spaces will be arranged to accommodate social distancing throughout the school
building. Student seating will be arranged so that students face in the same direction. Floor
markings will be utilized to maintain appropriate distance when students line up and travel
through the halls. Students must observe and respect these markings and maintain social distance
from peers and staff in all settings.

Bathrooms, Lockers and Locker Rooms

Hallway lockers and PE lockers/locker rooms will be unavailable. Rest rooms, stalls, and other
private spaces will be marked to maintain distance between individuals.  The bathrooms that will
be open are the ones by the cafeteria, the ones near 240, and the ones near 305. In addition,
capacity and access may be limited to maintain social distance. Students will not be changing for
PE classes.

Physical Education

Physical education lessons and activities will be structured to facilitate social distancing. Contact
sports and other activities that require students to be in proximity to one another will not be
included in the physical education program.  Floor markings will be utilized to help structure
activities and class sizes will be monitored to provide adequate space for students to participate.
Students will not be changing for PE classes.

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FACE COVERINGS

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, face coverings will be required for all District staff
members, students, and visitors who are present in school district buildings. Face coverings will
also be required on school grounds in circumstances where social distancing (six feet of distance
between individuals) cannot be maintained. Face coverings are masks or other cloth face
coverings which cover an individual’s nose and mouth. They should be fitted to the face and
tightly woven but permit breathing without restriction. Face shields may not be used in place of
face coverings. No gaiters or vented face masks will be allowed to be used.

All students will be provided with a cloth face covering for use during school hours. Students
must wear the District-provided face covering, or, if preferred, a face covering of their choice
that adheres to the guidance published by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH),
available at

https://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19/community-guidance/mask-use.

Face coverings may not be sheer or made of a mesh material.

Face coverings must be always worn by students in school buildings, on school busses and any
other District vehicles providing transportation to and from school, on school grounds when
social distancing cannot be maintained, and at all school activities. Students who refuse to
comply with the face coverings requirement may lose in person learning privileges.

Students who are not wearing a face covering upon entry to school or a school bus or vehicle, or
at any other school event where face coverings are required will be provided a disposable or
clean cloth face covering for immediate use. Students who have not been provided an
accommodation to the face covering requirement and who refuse to wear a face covering in the
school building, on the school bus or other school activity where face coverings are required will
be reassigned to a fully remote option.

Students who cannot safely wear or independently remove a face covering due to disability or
medical condition may be entitled to accommodations to the requirement.

Parents/guardians of students who have a medical condition or other disability which may
prevent the safe wearing of face coverings and who are currently receiving accommodations
under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or services under the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) should contact Ms. Bijal Patel, Director of Educational
Support Services at 708-467-5825 or bpatel@argohs.net. Parents/guardians will be required to
complete the District’s “Face Covering Accommodation Form” which must be verified by the
student’s physician. Upon review of the completed and verified form, the District will schedule a
meeting with parents/guardians and the student’s Section 504/IEP team to review the form and
consider accommodations for the student.

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The District may verify all information provided by the student’s parent/guardian and/or the
student’s physician through an independent review by a licensed medical provider of the
District’s choice and at the District’s expense.

Parents/guardians of students who are not currently served under Section 504 or IDEA who
believe their student requires reasonable accommodation to the District’s face covering
requirement must complete the District’s “Face Covering Accommodation Form” which must be
verified by the Student’s physician. The completed form should be provided to the Ms. Bijal
Patel, Director of Educational Support Services who will contact parents to set a meeting to
consider the accommodation request. The District may verify all information provided by the
student’s parent/guardian and/or the student’s physician through an independent review by a
licensed medical provider of the District’s choice and at the District’s expense. All requests for
accommodations to the face covering requirement must be provided before a student can
return to in person learning.

Visitors to school are limited to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Visitors who are
permitted must adhere to the face covering requirements.

HAND WASHING AND CLEANING

Students will be prompted to wash hands frequently, including upon arrival to and departure
from school; after blowing one’s nose, coughing, or sneezing; following restroom use; before
and after eating; and upon return from physical education. Hand sanitizer will also be available
for use.

Students may not drink directly from water fountains. Instead, students are permitted to carry
transparent water bottles throughout the school day. Students may fill their water bottles in water
fountains but should not touch the water bottle to the spout. Hand washing or sanitizing is
required before and after refilling a water bottle.

Additional cleaning will be conducted throughout the school, especially of highly touched
surfaces (door handles, desktops/ tabletops, light switches, pencil sharpeners, computer
keyboards, hands-on learning items, lockers, and sinks and faucets). For additional details on the
new cleaning protocols, Mr. Gary Nothnagel at (708) 467-5534 or gnothnagel@argohs.net To
the extent possible, supplies and materials will be assigned to individual students rather than
shared. In addition, refer to the previous list of new safety measures the district has
implemented.

ISOLATION AND EXCLUSION REQUIREMENTS

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the District will adhere to the following requirements
regarding isolation of individuals who may be ill at school and exclusion of individuals who are

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ill or have symptoms at home. If anyone in your household is ill, you are required to remain
home and follow the isolation and exclusion requirements.

The phrase “COVID-19 symptoms” refers to the following: fever of at least 100.4 degrees,
cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, fatigue, muscle and body aches,
headache, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, congestion or runny nose, nausea, vomiting, or
diarrhea.

According to the IDPH, “close contact” means being within six feet of an infected person for
fifteen minutes or more (regardless of whether the individuals were wearing masks) starting from
2 days before symptom onset or a positive test if asymptomatic.

The CDC’s definition of “close contact” is in line with the IDPH and includes having direct
physical contact with an infected person, sharing eating, or drinking utensils with an infected
person and being directly exposed to respiratory droplets of an infected person.

Report of COVID-19 Symptoms Before or After School

Reporting COVID-19 Cases & Current COVID-19 Data

School Nurse Katherine Stout maintains a record of daily COVID-19 metrics. Her efforts in
contact tracing - following exposed individuals who test positive for COVID-19, as well as those
with whom they may have been in contact - are essential.

Once someone has been in contact with an infected person, there are five days of incubation
before they themselves may become infectious, so it is vital that they receive a warning as
quickly as possible.

Please inform Katherine Stout of any student who tests positive for the virus or has been in close
contact with someone who either has symptoms or has tested positive. This practice becomes
even more essential under a blended learning model.

Please report any COVID-19-related information to Katherine Stout either kstout@argohs.net or

(708) 467-5647.

Exclusion
If a parent/guardian (on behalf of a student) or staff member reports experiencing symptoms of
COVID-19 before or after school or during the screening process, they should not be permitted
to enter or remain in the school building and should be directed to contact a health care provider.

According to the IDPH, “close contact” means being within six feet of an infected person for
fifteen minutes or more (regardless of whether the individuals were wearing masks) starting from
2 days before symptom onset or a positive test if asymptomatic.

Return to School
A symptomatic student or staff member cannot return to school until:

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 At least 10 days have passed since the onset of symptoms AND they have been fever free
(without medication) for 24 hours AND the respiratory symptoms have improved.

A non-symptomatic student or staff member who tests positive for COVID-19 cannot return to
school until:
 Ten (10) days after the positive test, provided the student / staff member does not develop
symptoms during that period. If the student/staff member develops symptoms, he/she
must meet the criteria defined above.

Report of COVID-19 Symptoms During the School Day

Isolation/Exclusion
If a student or staff member develops COVID-19 symptoms during the school day, they must be
immediately separated from the rest of the school population. Schools must designate areas of
the building for use as quarantine areas for this purpose. Students who report or are observed
experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should be sent to one of the quarantine areas. As a reminder,
student health information is considered confidential and is protected under both FERPA and
HIPPA. While we understand the concern for student and staff health and safety, it is also
important to abide by existing legalities.

If a staff member suspects a student is ill, please call the Deans’ Office for an escort to the
Health Office so the nurses can provide a proper assessment and evaluation.

If a staff member overhears a student discussing Covid (example: “My Mom just tested positive;
I have a grandfather at home who is sick and we think it’s Covid, etc”), please send them to the
Health Office and notify the nurses via email what the reasoning is.

Please do NOT question the student or attempt to gather additional information. It is important
to ensure health information stays protected and confidential while maintaining the approved
protocols to assess, report, and track illnesses through the Health Department/Office. As a
reminder, students are expected to fill out a self-certification form before attending school for the
day which states the student is not ill, nor is anyone at home. However, we know situations may
arise throughout the school day, so it is important to ensure we maintain a consistent protocol to
address the situation. Any health concerns, whether student related illness or family related,
should be sent to the Health Office.

A staff member must be assigned to supervise the student while in the quarantine area and must
not leave the student alone. The staff member should, to the extent possible, always maintain at
least 6 feet of distance from the student. The student’s parent/guardian should be contacted to
arrange to pick up the student from school and directed to contact a health care provider. The
student should remain in the quarantine area until he or she can be sent home safely. The District
will not allow use of school buses or public transportation to send a student home when
exhibiting COVID-19-like symptoms at school.

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If a staff member develops COVID-19 symptoms during the school day and is well enough to
drive home, the staff member should be sent home immediately and directed to contact a health
care provider. If the staff member is not well enough to drive or cannot otherwise get home
safely, the staff member must quarantine in one of the designated areas until arrangements can be
made for the staff member to leave school. Supervision of a quarantined staff member is not
required. 

The Principal will identify, for the staff, the quarantine space(s) in the school building. The
school nurse, or administrator or designee in the absence of nursing professionals, will have the
discretion to determine who is placed in such quarantine spaces and the level of supervision
required. Teachers should report any observation of symptomatic students to the school nurse,
administrator, or designee. The school nurse will document any student or staff member placed
in the quarantine space.

The quarantine spaces have been set up to reduce the risk of transmission:

 Plastic barriers or curtains have been placed in designated health office spaces to separate
individuals with illness symptoms from those without illness symptoms.

 Quarantine spaces have been designed to allow for 6 feet of social distancing between
individuals and to provide restroom access and access to an exterior door, where possible,
to avoid the need for a sick individual to move through the building to exit.

 When interacting with individuals in quarantine spaces, school nurses and/or the
administrator or designee treating the individual will wear appropriate PPE, including
gloves and face coverings. The District will provide this additional PPE to all employees.

 Additionally, treating staff will utilize appropriate hand hygiene and will follow standard
precautions for patient care, as outlined by the CDC.

The District will also close off any areas used by the sick individual and will not permit use of
those areas until after proper cleaning and disinfection. Windows will be opened, when possible,
to increase air circulation in the area. The District will wait at least 24 hours prior to cleaning and
disinfecting the area; if waiting 24 hours is not possible, the District will clean and disinfect the
area after waiting if possible. All areas that were used by the individual who was sick will be
cleaned and disinfected. The potentially infected area(s) will only be opened for use once proper
cleaning and disinfecting has occurred.

Return to School

A symptomatic student or staff member cannot return to school until:

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 At least 10 days have passed since the onset of symptoms AND they have been fever free
(without medication) for 24 hours AND the respiratory symptoms have improved.

A non-symptomatic student/staff member who tests positive for COVID-19 cannot return to
school until:

 Ten (10) days after the positive test, provided the student / staff member does not develop
symptoms during that period. If the student/staff member develops symptoms, he/she
must meet the criteria defined above.

Diagnosis of COVID-19

Exclusion
Students and staff members who test positive for COVID-19 must be excluded from school and
all school activities until they have met the requirements identified below for returning to school.

Students and staff who were in close contact (within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes) with the
individual who tested positive during the two days preceding the positive test or onset of
symptoms must also be excluded from school to self-isolate for 14 days from the date of
exposure and monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and should be directed to contact a health care
provider.

Subject to State and local guidance, if a school is able to maintain 6 feet between all students and
staff throughout the day, including in classrooms and on buses, then only the individual who
tests positive for COVID-19 will be required to self-isolate.  

Return to School
A symptomatic student/staff member who tests positive for COVID-19 cannot return to school
until:

 At least 10 days have passed since the onset of symptoms AND they have been fever free
(without medication) for 24 hours AND the respiratory symptoms have improved.

A non-symptomatic student/staff member who tests positive for COVID-19 cannot return to
school until:

 Ten days after the positive test, provided that the student/staff member does not develop
symptoms during that period. If the student/staff member develops symptoms, he/she
must meet the criteria identified above.

Report of Close Contact with an Individual with COVID-19 Outside of School

If a student or staff member has been in close contact with an individual, outside of school, who
tests positive for or is suspected of having COVID-19, the student or staff member must self-

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isolate at home for 14 days after exposure. No one else in the school is required to self-isolate
under such circumstances.

Parents/guardians and students should report instances of close contact with a person who tests
positive or is suspected of having COVID-19. If the student is required to self-isolate, remote
services will be provided.

Dismissal
For students arriving by car: Exit 3 (bagged lunches provided)

For students walking: Exit 21 (bagged lunch provided)

For student bus riders: Exit 20 (bagged lunches provided)

For ESS students: Exit 21 (bagged lunches provided)

*other exits may be used by walkers, however lunches will not be available at those exits

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