Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region XI
Division of Davao del Sur
Santa Cruz South District
SINORON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

SCHOOL COMMUNICATION PLAN

Background
With the technical guidance from the Department of Health (DOH) and other child
health expert organizations, the Department of Education (DepEd) formulated the
operational guidelines on the pilot implementation of face-to-face learning modality in
preparation for the eventual school reopening. The guidelines aim to ensure that
students, school staff, their families, and surrounding communities are afforded the
maximum amount of protection against COVID-19.

The pilot implementation of face-to-face classes will provide essential insights on the
expansion of reopening of schools, hence, the coordination of the Central Office and
schools is critical in this undertaking.

Objectives
This communications plan aims to:
• Guide key communicators of the pilot face-to-face classes in developing and
crafting messages and interventions to concerned stakeholders; and
• Provide documentation and media management protocols for the pilot run of face-
to-face classes; and
• Establish field coordination and crisis management protocol for possible scenarios
for the duration of the pilot face-to-face
classes.

Stakeholder Mapping
As long as the threat of COVID-19 exists, education stakeholders face daunting
challenges in the reintroduction of physical classes. Communication will play a big
role in establishing interventions to address issues that may hamper the pilot
implementation and its eventual expansion.

STAKEHOLDER INTEREST AND COMMUNICATION CORE

INFLUENCE ISSUE MESSAGE
 STATUS
LEARNERS High interest, Unfamiliarity with the Let’s take care
high influence new normal protocols of each other
face-to-face classes
TEACHERS AND High interest, Information overload Let’s guide
SCHOOL high influence due to health protocols each other
PERSONNEL that must be observed
and or/ implemented
PARENTS High interest, Anxiety due to risk Let’s protect
high influence exposure of their our children
children attending face together
to face classes
COMMUNITY High interest, Lack of awareness Let’s do our
MEMBERS high influence cooperation part together

Communication Strategies
To further communicate to concerned stakeholders the core messages for a safe
return to schools, below are the proposed
communication interventions in the national and local level.

CORE AUDIENCE POSSIBLE RESPONSIBLE

MESSAGE COMMUNICATION OFFICE/
INTERVENTION STAKEHOLDER
Let’s take care LEARNERS  Posting of learner  Teachers
of each other friendly IEC
materials in
common school
areas
 Conduct of
learners
orientation
 Coordination with
parents

Let’s guide TEACHERS AND  Provision of bite-  Teachers
each other SCHOOL sized information  School Clinic
PERSONNEL and IEC materials Coordinator
 Availability of  DRRM
direct contact to coordinator
officials  School Head
 Reinforce
communication
efforts for
informed decision
on vaccines
 Feature school’s
best practices
Let’s protect PARENTS  Provision of direct  Teachers
our children contact numbers
together to school
 Feature stories
about community
support and
preparations
 Provide IEC
materials
Let’s do our COMMUNITY  Conduct  Teachers
part together MEMBERS community
orientation
  Feature stories
about
community
support and
preparations
 Provide IEC
materials

TIPS TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY WITH STUDENTS,

PARENTS/GUARDIANS AND TEACHERS
Communicate early and often
Sending frequent communication about essential school health services,
safety
measures and referral protocols to prevent and mitigate the transmission in the
school
setting would help parents/caregivers, teachers and students to be better informed
about the measures that are put in place to ensure a safe learning environment at
school. Communicate for student learning

Consult
Regular consultation and dialogue create an opportunity to inform as well as to be
informed. It is essential to encourage the active participation of students, teachers and
students and parents/caregivers, while teachers can be reached via facebook and
messenger.

Use multiple channels

Combine multiple modes of communication to ensure all audiences have
access to messages and influence the positive behavior as schools are preparing to
reopen.

Communicate for student learning continuity

Good communication clearly conveys the message and helps the person on
the other end to understand the full meaning on what’s the positive approach
towards school reopening.

Help students’ re-establish routines

Students had to confront cycles of disruption and adaptation, driven both by

pandemic related health reasons and a new way of learning. Communicating with
empathy - it’s about stepping into the shoes of students, understand their
perspectives and feelings and using that understanding to provide information/advice
that resonates with the students - is central to help children navigate some of the
complicated emotions they may be facing with going back to school or any
changes in the learning practices.

Recognize the challenges students have gone through

All children, of all ages across the globe, paid the heaviest price for the school
closures – from adapting to a new way of learning to not being able to meet friends
and dealing with a loss of a parent or a loved one.

Make the learning schedule and all communication visible and easily
accessible
 As students are getting ready to return to their classroom, it is more likely that
schools adopt a mix of face-to-face instruction in the school setting and virtual
learning. Sharing the learning schedules with parents/caregivers, teachers and
students through multiple channels gives an opportunity on what to expect in the
coming weeks/months.

Engage with students, guardians and teachers when developing your crisis
communication plan

It is important to build a COVID-19 communication plan to reassure students,

parents/caregivers and teachers that schools are safe to attend once the public
health and social measures have been put in place. Communication should address
and counter rumors and misleading informing as well as avoid any stigma among
education staff, teachers, parents/caregivers and students.

Give scientific-based information when promoting vaccination among teachers

The vaccination of teachers and school staff is critical to help keep them
healthy and protect children. It is one of the key elements to regain continued access
to education and social life at schools. Schools can promote COVID-19 vaccinations
by providing information and encouraging vaccine confidence.

COVID-19 SCHOOL COMMUNICATION GUIDE

The following communication plan is a guide for schools to use when communicating
various activities and responses related to COVID-19. This is not all inclusive, but
gives a range of scenarios and template to use through various response efforts for
students, staff, and families.

School is notified of Contact barangay heath Follow local public health

positive COVID-19
center/municipal RHU guidance for course of
action; communicate to
students, families, and
Contact School District staff
Nurse

Roles and Responsibilities

Local Public Health Department School

Contact investigation of positive case Identify areas where there might have been
and contact close
tracing contacts and share information with local
public
health
- Roster of potential close contacts with
names
of student(s), guardian(s), phone(s),
Contact notification and instruction Ask students, families, and staff to
follow instructions given by local public
health
Recommend initial and additional Follow and communicate
courses of action recommendations

Provide letters to positive cases or close
contacts
indicating when they can safely return to
school
Answer health-related questions
Do not allow individuals back to school
before the public health department
letter indicates they can do so safely
Answer school-related questions

Potential Courses of Action Based on Scenario

 Objective of Templates and Audience
Communication

First exposure in the • Notify students and Letter for positive case
school regardless of families of confirmed
risk level case All
• Reassure that local
public health is
collaborating with the
school to identify
• any students or staff that
were in close contact
• Reassure that
individuals who were at
risk
• of exposure will be
contacted with 1-2
• days
Exposure – no close • Notify students and Letter for positive case
contacts families of confirmed
case All
• Reassure that local
public health is
collaborating with the Letter for Positive Case with
school to identify any No Close Contacts Identified
students or staff that
were in close contact All

Ongoing exposure – • Notify students and Letter for positive case

close contacts families of confirmed All
identifiable • case
• Reassure that local
public health is
• collaborating with the
school to identify
• any students or staff that
were in close
• contact
• Reassure that
individuals who were at
risk
• of exposure will be
contacted with 1-2
• days
Exposure – close • Notify students and Letter for positive case
contacts not families of confirmed
identifiable and risk • case
of spread is unknown
 or high

Letter for Positive Case in School

Dear Parent, Guardian & Staff Member:

Sinoron Elementary School is committed to keeping families informed, and it’s our
goal to be transparent within the bounds of our student, staff, and community’s rights to
confidentiality. We are writing to update you on the most current developments regarding
COVID-19.

Today, we were informed by Sta. Cruz Municipal Health Office that an individual
within our school community has tested positive for COVID-19. Please keep his/her health
and recovery in mind.

Health officials are working with us to identify and contact those who may have come
into close contact with the individual. An epidemiologist team member from local public
health will be notifying parents, staff, and faculty who had closest contact to the individual
testing positive for COVID-19. At this time, if you are not contacted by phone then your
student is not considered to be at any significant risk and you do not need to have
heightened concern.

We have protocols in place for positive cases, which includes the following:

• Communicating directly to our school community

• Intensifying cleaning and disinfection protocols
• Coordinating with Sta. Cruz Municipal Health Office on our next course of action,
which is dependent on the level or risk to our school community. Such courses of
actions could include:

o Low-risk: no further action and normal school operations continue;

o Medium risk: some students and staff may have had an increase in risk of
exposure, and they may be contacted with further instruction on home
isolation or to monitor symptoms for 14 days;

o High-risk: multiple students and staff have been identified as a close contact
and a short-term closure of school is needed to stop the potential spread.

We will continue monitoring any developments and plan accordingly in partnership

with local public health.

We will update you as we have more information. In the meantime, please seek
information from credible sources during these challenging times.

We encourage you to continue to take care of yourselves and one another.

Sincerely,

ROMMEL V. MEDIANO
Head Teacher I
Letter for Positive Case with No Close Contacts Identified

Dear Parent, Guardian & Staff Member:

Sinoron Elementary School is committed to keeping families informed, and it’s our
goal to be transparent within the bounds of our students’, staffs’, and community’s rights to
confidentiality. We are writing to update you on the most current developments regarding
COVID-19.

Sta. Cruz Municipal Health Office has completed their contact tracing efforts and
concluded that no close contacts were identified (close contact is defined as being within 6
feet for more than 15 minutes). We commend our students, families, and staff for their efforts
in maintaining our safety protocols and mitigations strategies, and emphasize the continued
need to do so while at school and out in our community.

In order to keep our school safe, please continue to monitor for signs and symptoms
of illness and to take the following COIVD-19 precautions:
(Include any state or regional standard recommendations):
• Engage in physical distancing of at least six feet
• Wear face coverings in public places
• Stay home if sick
• Practice good hand hygiene
• Cover coughs and sneezes
• Disinfect surfaces and objects regularly

Sincerely,

ROMMEL V. MEDIANO,
Head Teacher I
Letter for Short-Term Dismissal

Dear Parent, Guardian & Staff Member:

Sinoron Elementary School is committed to keeping families informed, and it’s our
goal to be transparent within the bounds of our students’, staffs’, and community’s rights to
confidentiality. We are writing to update you on the most current developments regarding
COVID-19.

Health officials have been working with us and have identified a cluster of COVID-19
illnesses at our school and are recommending a short-term dismissal of students and most
staff. At this time, we are closing the school until________ to allow for __________ (e.g.
staff and students to stay home and monitor symptoms for 14 days).

We have protocols in place for positive cases, which includes the following:
• Communicating directly to our school community
• Intensifying cleaning and disinfection protocols
• Coordinating with South Central Public Health on our next course of action

Schools can re-open safely after short-term closure. We will continue monitoring any
developments and plan accordingly in partnership with local public health. We will update
you as we have more information. In the meantime, please seek information from credible
sources during these challenging times.

We encourage you to continue to take care of yourselves and one another, and to
continue following COVID19 community precautions and mitigation strategies.

Sincerely,

ROMMEL V. MEDIANO,
Head Teacher I