Purpose of this Document - Last updated:1/29/21                                              

The purpose of this document is to provide each school site with clear guidance for reopening in a manner that provides a safer and cleaner environment for students, school staff and any essential visitors. This COVID-19 School Site-Specific Protection Plan (SSPP) is based on the template Site-Specific Protection Plan provided by Del Norte County Unified School District and Del Norte County Public Health. They are also informed by the American Academy of Pediatrics “COVID-19 Planning Considerations: Guidance for School Re-entry.” It incorporates past and current Del Norte County Public Health Orders and requirements, in addition to updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the California Department of Public Health and the California Department of Education. It has been modified to meet specific guidance and requirements for schools and school offices and is intended to ensure schools and school/district offices have well developed and thorough plans in place and remain in compliance.

Description of a COVID-19 School Site-Specific Protection Plan (SSPP)

The (SSPP) template below combines state-level guidance published in the California State Resilience Road map and local Del Norte County public health policies. The State of California requires all schools to:

1.         Perform a detailed risk assessment (school site walkthrough) and implement a school site-specific protection plan (SSPP)

2.         Train employees on how to limit the spread of COVID-19, including how to screen themselves for symptoms and stay home if they have them

3.          Implement individual control measures and screenings

4.          Implement disinfecting protocols

5.          Implement physical distancing guidelines

Additionally, this SSPP should be incorporated into the Comprehensive School Safety Plan.

As the COVID-19 public health crisis continues to evolve and new Public Health Orders are issued both at the State and local levels, amendments to individual schools’ SSPPs may be needed in order to incorporate new requirements. The DNUSD website will post and disseminate updated information and tools for you to use in developing any needed amendments. 

Guidance for Developing Your School’s COVID-19 School Site-Specific Protection Plan (SSPP)

1. Perform a risk assessment and school site walkthrough of your campus and office spaces and use the protocols, guidance and best practices detailed in the  Public Health Guided Return to Site-Based Classroom Instruction as a guide for conducting your assessment.

2. Use the template below to create your own SSPP by filling in the required details, based on your individual school site/school or district office, to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19, along with the accompanying guidance from Del Norte County Public Health.

3.  To assist you in your process, Del Norte County Public Health will provide a nurse liaison to area schools for technical assistance should questions emerge as school plans are developed. You should post the plan on your web site and/or at your school or office at a visible location, near the entrance where students, staff and visitors can easily review it without touching the document. 

4. Signage also needs to be posted at each public entrance of each site to inform all students, staff and visitors that they should:

• Avoid entering or using the facility if you have COVID-19 symptoms;
• Maintain a minimum six-foot distance from one another;
• Sneeze and cough into a cloth or tissue or, if not available, into one’s elbow;
• Wear face coverings, as appropriate; and
• Do not shake hands or engage in any unnecessary physical contact.

 Templates for signs can be downloaded for use from CDC

Tools for Developing Your School Site-Specific Protection Plan

1.  COVID-19 School Site-Specific Protection Plan (SSPP) Template

The Del Norte County Unified School District is providing this template that can be used by any school in Del Norte County Unified School District to create their own School Site-Specific Protection Plan (SSPP). It contains all of the standard content already written for you to re-open your school or school office and prompts you to “fill in the blank” where unique information is required in order to complete your SSPP. The template has been reviewed and is supported by Del Norte County’s Public Health Officer.

2. School Specific Best Practices

Del Norte County Unified School District is monitoring updated guidance from the Center for Disease Control, the California Department of Public Health, the California Department of Education, and Del Norte County Public Health to support and promote emerging best practices to share with the school community in Del Norte County. These best practices are based on alignment with local, State and federal guidelines in coordination with the county’s Public Health Officer. There is a section in the Template document that instructs you to cut/paste best practices right into your SSPP.

Specific Control Measures and Screenings

☐1.  All activities are consistent with and will adjust to changing applicable state and local Public Health orders.

☐2.  Health and safety practices and protocols are in place, including hand washing, appropriate face coverings, and access to essential protective equipment.  DNUSD has ordered all of the PPE items needed to protect health and provide safety.   All adults on campus will wear face coverings unless eating/drinking or in a room alone unless they have a medical reason not to do so.  If fabric face coverings are not possible, plastic face shields with a fabric drape below the plastic will be utilized.

 Staff and students will wash hands frequently (for a minimum of 20 seconds) with soap and water.  Hand sanitizer is also provided, although hand washing is preferred.  

Students will be placed into groups with limited external interaction from other people.  No volunteers will be allowed on campus.  

☐3.  Training is provided to all staff and students reinforcing the importance of health and safety practices and protocols. All staff, parents and students will be trained the week of Sep.  14th. Students will be trained on protocols by staff on their first day in the classroom with at least monthly reviews of protocols.

☐4.  A single point of contact will be established and identified at each school site to direct questions or concerns around practices, protocols, or potential exposure. This person will also serve as a liaison to Public Health and participate in the school’s COVID-19 Task Force. The name of this person is: Paige Swan

☐5.  Plans are implemented for intensified cleaning and disinfecting, including training for staff and access to cleaning supplies and essential protective equipment, and regular disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces. Schools are directed to use EPA-approved disinfectants for COVID-19.

☐6.  Health screening for each student is conducted daily prior to leaving home and includes symptoms and, history of exposure and temperature screening. Staff and students/families will participate in “passive screening”, meaning that they will check for signs of illness before entering the school campus. In the classroom, teachers are vigilant for signs of illness in students and follow school protocols when a child becomes ill.  Teachers will call the office and send students when exhibiting symptoms and the student will participate in active screening with a DNUSD Staff member. Parents/Guardians will be notified by the office if a student fails active screening and student will wait for the parent/guardian in our isolation room.

☐ 7. Staff and students who are sick are expected to stay home.

☐8.  Schools and districts will cooperate with Public Health to support testing strategies to mitigate transmission of COVID-19.

☐9.  Protocols, actions and template communications are in place for the following COVID-19 related scenarios 

1. A student or staff member either exhibits COVID-19 symptoms, answers yes to a health screening question or has a temp of 100.4 or above.
2. A family member or someone in close contact with a student or staff member test positive for COVID-19.
3. A student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19.
4. A student or staff member tests negative for COVID-19 after any of the reasons in scenarios b, c or d.

Parents of affected classrooms for scenarios b, c, d will be notified in writing by use of district communication templates.

 Below is the link to the templates that can be used for scenario B, C, and D. Scenario A has no communication that goes out since nothing has been confirmed, but as you know, a student in scenario A will still go through the safety processes and procedures.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BFrNtfSEQLHYzTFh3smHDBEk-SoeRjWy?usp=sharing

☐10. Distance staff desks at least 6 feet from student desks. Where practicable, physical distancing of six feet is maintained between students within a classroom or instructional area (distance of 6 ‘ or to the fullest extent possible, and no less than 3’.  If seated less than 6’ apart, we need to be able to justify why, including a discussion of consideration of other inside/outside spaces and considerations if other safety precautions are in place as specified in this document).  Maximize distancing between desks to the extent possible by redesigning classroom space and removing non-essential furnishings. Facial coverings and other measures are intended to support the effectiveness of all levels of distancing.

☐11. For elementary students, stable classroom groups (up to standard class size at each respective grade level) are maintained throughout each school day, and through each quarter or semester, with an assigned primary group teacher, and systems are in place to prevent the mixing of classroom groups. Prioritize stability of classroom groups over strict physical distancing.

☐12. For middle and high schools, single classroom groups are used as practicable but larger groups made up of students from more than one classroom may be arranged as long as accurate attendance data for students and adults is maintained on a daily basis while avoiding school-wide mixing of students and staff. Students should be seated 3’ apart, to the fullest extent possible,and no less than 3’. If seated less than 6’ apart,  we need to be able to justify why, including a discussion of consideration of other inside/outside spaces, if all other safety measures are in place as specified in this document. Strict social distancing is prioritized in older children and when grouping cannot be implemented.

☐13. Where practicable, desks are arranged facing forward to minimize face to face proximity between students.  Staff will maintain physical distance, wear proper PPE (as applicable) and maintain a classroom visitation log for any classroom visit outside of their group.  Staff will maintain physical distance, wear proper PPE (as applicable) and maintain a classroom visitation log for any classroom visit outside of their group.

☐14. School staff are permitted to visit and instruct more than one classroom group, strictly following physical distancing and face covering protocols, and must document/record visits to classrooms that are not identified as their primary classroom group.   A log of classroom visits will be kept by anyone who is an itinerant staff provider (FSA, speech teachers, music teacher, etc.). All visiting staff members will follow physical distancing and face covering protocols.

☐15. Routes for entry and exit to the campus will be designated for each classroom group, using as many entrances/exits as feasible.  8th grade will use North exit by room 19. 7th grade will use East exit by the stairs.  E wing will stagger and work with each other on Dismissal. D wing will stagger and work with each other on Dismissal. Music class takes place after school and will use the entrance/exit at room 13.  Please see amendment A to view maps.

☐16. Schedules for arrivals, recess and lunch will be strategically coordinated to prevent mixing of classroom groups. When students arrive at school they will go straight to their classrooms. Groups exiting the classroom for recess must go to an area not occupied by another group. Breakfast and lunch will be delivered to classrooms.

☐17. Congregate movement through hallways will be minimized as much as practicable. 

           Student activity monitors will assist with movement. Teachers will be responsible for movement at dismissal.

☐18. Large gatherings (i.e., school assemblies) are currently prohibited.

☐19. The use of outdoor space for instructional purposes is maximized, shared, and coordinated to ensure students remain in their cohort group. 

☐20. Use of shared playground equipment will be limited in favor of physical activities that require less contact with surfaces, and shared equipment will be cleaned between uses.

☐21. Use of non-classroom space for instruction such as gymnasiums and multi-use rooms should be considered to support physical distancing with cleaning between uses.

☐22. Meals will be served in classrooms or outside instead of cafeterias or dining rooms with individually plated or bagged meals as much as practicable.

☐23. Routines and schedules will be developed to enable students and staff to regularly wash their hands at staggered intervals.   Staff is provided with regular breaks and lunch periods and encouraged to wash hands at these intervals or as needed.  All classrooms (main building/annex) have sinks for hand washing in them.  Students will be encouraged to wash hands in classrooms and bathrooms at regular intervals. Portable classrooms will use hand sanitizer or allow students to use their designated bathroom.

☐24. On going training will be provided. Face coverings must be used in accordance with CDPH guidelines (link to document). 

☐25. Training will be provided for staff and students on proper use of face coverings which will include instruction to minimize touching of face coverings.

☐26.   Sharing of supplies, manipulatives, toys, sports equipment, and other learning and recreational materials will be limited and each student will have separate individually labeled boxes or cubbies.

☐27.    Sharing of electronic devices, clothing, books and other games or learning aides will be avoided as much as practicable.

☐28.   Use of privacy boards or clear screens will be considered as much as practicable.

☐29.   Non-essential visitors, including parent volunteers will be limited and essential workers will be required to adhere to all health and safety guidelines.

☐30.   This School Site-Specific Protection Plan outlining the above measures is completed, posted and shared with all stakeholders and updated as state and local Public Health guidance dictates.  

Cleaning and Disinfecting Protocols

Schedule for Cleaning and Disinfecting high traffic areas and commonly used surfaces.

Fill in the fields below with the schedule for how often each area is disinfected.

Mark N/A for all that do not apply to your specific worksite and add any that are missing to “Other”

Physical Distancing Guidelines

Notification of COVID-19 Positive Case at School or Office Site

Training

Staff have been or will be trained on the following topics:

Room 17 will serve as the Isolation Room for students.

Once at school, if a student exhibits or complains of symptoms. including fever , the student will be taken to room 17 (Isolation room). They will have their temperature taken and parents will be notified. In extreme cases, emergency services may be called to transport the student to a health care facility.

Compliance and Documentation

Amendment A: CE Safety Guidelines FAQ’s 

Amendment B: Crescent Elk Protocols

Amendment C: COVID-19 :Phase 3 Expectations Matrix

Resource Documents:

• Back to School Playbook
• Del Norte County Health and Human Services
• Del Norte County Public Health Local Orders 
• California Department of Public Health COVID-19 Industry Guidance: Schools and School Based Programs (Jan 14th, 2021)
• Center for Disease Control - Schools Decision Tree
• California Department of Education - Stronger Together: A Guidebook for the Safe Reopening of California’s Public Schools
• DNUSD COVID-10 Family Resources

Safe practices files are located at Del Norte Unified School District.

Global & Common Environment Safe Practices