The 20-21 School Year Guide is a comprehensive plan for operations during the 20-21 School Year. This document serves as a guide for health and safety related to COVID-19 response in conjunction with the School Year Guide.

ASD Resources

The ASD Covid-19 Handbook for Nurses should also be used as a primary source of information

ASD COVID-19 FAQ for Families and Staff

Health and Safety Guidelines

When ASA returns to in-person learning, precautions shall be taken to protect the health and safety of all students and staff, and to minimize the risk of transmission of COVID-19 and any infections diseases. ASA shall implement the following protocols and practices.

Protocols and Practices

School-wide Safety Protocols

“ASD IS SYMPTOM FREE.” Any person experiencing symptoms or illness must stay home and should not enter the school facility

On July 23, CDC released guidance specific to screening. This guidance does not recommend universal screening of students be conducted by schools. The guidance does say that parents/caregivers should conduct daily monitoring of their children for signs of infectious illness, and students who are sick should not attend school in-person.
Classroom teachers are expected to use common sense while visually assessing the symptoms a student may exhibit.

Fevers: temperatures can be checked by the acting school nurse using a non-contact thermometer after the student has been inside the warm building for 10-15 minutes
Cough: New uncontrolled cough that causes difficulty breathing (for a child with chronic allergic/asthmatic cough, see if there is a change from their usual cough)
Fatigue: extreme weariness, is a daily lack of energy; unusual or excessive whole-body tiredness not relieved by sleep.
Congestion or Runny Nose- be aware that a runny nose is often a reaction to inhaled cold air. About 50-90% of people get a runny nose when it's cold. This is called "cold-induced rhinitis". People with asthma, eczema and hay fever seem to experience it more. The nose makes inhaled air warm and wet so that when it gets to the lungs it does not irritate the cells
Diarrhea: It is the responsibility of the student and parent to diagnose this symptom. If the classroom teacher suspects this symptom, please notify the acting school nurse as soon as possible. The acting school nurse will interview the student and place a call home

If a classroom teacher suspects a student is exhibiting symptoms of Covid-19 or influenza:

Have the student gather all belongings and wash hands for 20 seconds before sending to the acting school nurse.
Radio the front office, Principal or acting principal, to indicate the student is being sent to Principal’s Office
If the classroom teacher is able to take the remaining students on an outside break, the classroom desks can be cleaned with the PurTabs solution. Every student will wash hands, per protocol, upon reentry into the sanitized classroom, continue to maintain physical distancing and mask wearing

Symptoms include:

Fever greater than 100.4℉
New Cough
Fatigue
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Muscle or body aches, including headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
Skin lesions/rash

ASA follows the Alaska Smart Start recommendation to send a student home with ANY symptom of COVID-19, unless they have a statement or ASD Chronic Condition/Symptom Release Form from their medical provider that their symptom is part of a chronic medical condition.
“A suspected case is anyone who displays one of more symptoms of COVID-19. If the symptom is related to a chronic medical condition, you must receive a statement from your medical provider stating as such; or complete the isolation procedure guidelines below.” (ASD Healthcare Services Covid-19 Handbook)

No one may enter the building if they have had exposure to someone with the above symptoms or someone with known COVID-19

Additional sources of information include the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics:

CDC Guidance for Schools

AAP Guidance for School Re-entry

Travel Guidance

ASD complies with the State Health Mandates for Out of State Travel.

ASD will continue to rely on the requirements and recommendations from the State of Alaska for all travel related protocols. Employees who have traveled out of state will be required to demonstrate their compliance with State requirements before returning to work at a District worksite.
Details on Alaska’s requirements for travelers can be found at Alaska State Travel Guidance
State of Alaska Health Mandates apply to all persons
See ASD Return From Travel for district protocols (updated 2/19/2021)
All travelers must complete a travel declaration form and self-isolation plan in the Alaska travel portal

Building Protocols

Masks are mandatory for all persons in the building at all times. See ASD acceptable mask guidelines

Mask options for students include single use disposable masks, cloth masks, face shields and humanity shields.
Shields are primarily used for eye protection for the person wearing it. Staff and students will be asked to wear a mouth and nose cover with a shield.
Students refusing to wear a mask, who do not qualify for an exception, shall be isolated until they can be picked up by a parent or guardian.

Exceptions requiring a physician's note:

Children younger than 2 years of age
People with baseline trouble breathing
Anyone who cannot remove the mask in case of medical emergency
Those intolerant due to developmental disabilities, mental health issues, or sensory sensitivities
Severe asthma, requiring frequent emergency care/hospitalization

Hand Washing: Every time upon entering a room or returning to a room, a person shall immediately wash hands with soap and water, for 20 seconds, then dry thoroughly with paper toweling. After hands are washed they may be moisturized to maintain the strength of the skin, to prevent cracking. Moisturizer will be available at the sink.
Frequent Hand Sanitization shall be employed. However, sanitizer is not a substitute for hand washing. Hand sanitizer will be available for regular use in classrooms
Physical distancing of 3 to 6 feet shall be maintained wherever possible
Personal desk sneeze guards shall be issued for each student in a classroom
There will be no school-wide passing times to minimize congregation of large numbers
Students shall keep all personal items and materials with them or in their designated classroom during the day
Visitors, including parents, shall be by appointment only

Behavioral Procedures

ASA will continue to follow our standard school-wide behavior processes and procedures.

All behavior management begins with clear expectations, rules and procedures followed consistently in the classroom
Our first response to student misbehavior is to restore, repair and resolve prior to punitive action
Teachers shall follow their classroom management plans regarding expectations and routine re-directions to follow expectations. In general, 3 redirections for misbehavior or not following expectations may result in removal from class for restoration or a referral
Teachers will contact parents to resolve ongoing mask issues and concerns, seeking resolutions such as new/better fitting masks
Students who refuse to comply with Health & Safety protocols shall be referred to the principal after teachers have taken appropriate steps to resolve the situation
Referral must be submitted in Q by end of day
Should students continue refusal to comply, administrative actions will be taken including

Parent notification
Suspension from school

Students suspended from school and may not return until agreeing to comply with all Health and Safety protocols

Being sent home for non-compliance constitutes Out of School Suspension. Repeated violations shall result in progressive disciplinary action

Classroom Procedures

Clear classroom procedures shall be established and consistently reinforced. Procedures will focus on minimizing interpersonal interaction and movement within the building:

Each class shall be designated a primary classroom for two of three periods of the school day, exclusive of breaks and scheduled small group sessions
Students will be limited classes to two classrooms, within their cohort
Each classroom will have a sanitary kit including masks, gloves, tissues, disposable towels, cleaning spray, alcohol wipes, hand soap and sanitizer gel
Staff shall facilitate regular hand washing and desk sanitizing protocols (all classrooms have sinks)

Upon entering the classroom, including return from restroom or breaks, all staff and students shall immediately wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds
All visitors to classrooms shall wash hands immediately upon entering the room

Sharing of materials, equipment, food and beverages is strictly prohibited
Restroom Use:

There will be no common passing/break times in order to minimize hallway traffic and congestion
Students shall use the restroom one at a time and wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds upon returning to the classroom

The indication that the restroom is available will be the lights. If the lights are off, the restroom is open to use. When exiting the restroom, the light switch should be turned off (use elbow to flip switch)
If the restroom is occupied one student may wait six feet from the entrance until the occupant exits. Only one person outside the restroom at a time

The final 15 minutes of the school day shall be designated specifically for cleaning and sanitizing procedures in each classroom. Staff shall facilitate end of day cleaning and provide students duties and responsibilities including:

All tables, desks and surfaces disinfected and sanitized
Hand washing
Room clean, counters cleared, surfaces wiped/disinfected
Vacuuming, trash and debris pick up
Materials stored and organized neatly
All personal belongings taken from the room

Breaks

A minimum of one full 15 minute break shall be taken during each class period, following the school-wide schedule
Teachers shall not depart from scheduled break times and locations in order to minimize larger gatherings of multiple classes on break
Additionally, teachers may schedule up to two additional short-term (5 to 10 minute) “brain breaks” within the classroom during each period to facilitate movement, mindfulness, and social interaction as well as cleaning and hand washing

Visitors to classrooms, including parents, shall be limited, must be approved by the principal and by appointment only

Arrival Procedures

Students will enter the building through three separate points of entry to minimize congregation and congestion at the beginning of the school day.

Students shall maintain face coverings and physical distancing at all times during arrival
Students shall wash hands upon entering the classroom and each re-entry. Staff shall establish a rotation routine for starting class with warm-up/bell ringer activities while students wash hands
Prior to doors opening for entrance into the building, students will line up in a designated spot of the parking lot - standing at least 3’ apart from one another
Doors shall open for students at designated entrances at 7:45 AM and close at 8:00 AM. Non teaching staff can help monitor doors at up stairs entrances. The 8th grade entrance can be seen from the classroom and can be monitored by the teacher in room 6. Students shall proceed directly to their designated classrooms:

8th Grade: Room 6 entrance - students lined up in last parking spots closest to the gravel path
7th Grade: Main floor side door (parking lot) - student lined up in designated parking spots outside the side door
6th Grade: Main/front entrance - students lined up in designated spots on sidewalks

Late Arrival: Students will enter through the front entrance, one at a time, after 8:00 am. They will be issued a late pass and sent directly to class. Late arriving students should wash hands when they enter the classroom.

Dismissal Procedures

End of day clean up procedures shall be followed each day prior to student dismissal.

Dismissal shall be facilitated through the exits nearest each classroom, following the emergency evacuation procedures. Staff shall monitor exits until all students have been dismissed.

Student Pick-Up

Students awaiting parent pick up must maintain masks and physical distancing on school grounds. Students may only re-enter the building through the front entrance with permission from staff, for explicit purposes (calling rides or restroom use). Staff monitoring the parking lot may begin calling for students on the radio at 1:15 to expedite pick up. Students should complete their assigned end of day cleaning duty before exiting when called.

Students walking home

Students walking home shall notify the dismissal teacher and leave the school and grounds immediately. Students SHALL NOT linger at school or on school grounds, or return to school grounds once they have left. Staff observing students who walk violating this policy shall notify the parent and principal and submit a disciplinary referral.

COVID Exposure Procedures

ASA will follow ASD procedures

Student Isolation

If a student requires isolation during the school day due to becoming symptomatic at school or failure to comply with safety procedures, they will be removed from the classroom and placed in a separate location until they can be picked up. If the student is walking home from school, they may be dismissed to walk home with parent notification and permission.

Incident Reporting

Any COVID-related exposure, positive tests with close contacts at school or other incidents will be reported to the principal immediately. The principal will submit the ASD COVID report and take subsequent action including notifications.

LINK: ASD Initial Report

Nutrition and Hydration

Eating shall take place during designated break times only.

Students are allowed personal water bottles for hydration. Water bottles shall not be shared.

Students may bring cold and pre-packaged food and snacks. Cohorts will have nutrition breaks in their designated classrooms or on outdoor breaks

Students are not allowed to share food or beverages with one another
Water fountain use is permitted only for filling of personal water bottles
Students are encouraged to bring water bottles as drinking from fountains will not be allowed. Sharing of water bottles is prohibited. The school will stock bottled water to provide to students who have forgotten their water bottle
Following nutrition breaks, all students shall wash hands with soap and water, and desks/tables and counters shall be wiped/disinfected
Masks should be pinned to the student’s shirt or placed in a safe and clean place (zip lock bag) while eating, ie. not on the desk or floor
Masks that have dropped to the floor or another contaminated surface will be replaced with a new mask from the emergency supply kit

Schedule

When ASA returns to in-person learning:

The student day shall be 5.5 hours per day from 8:00 AM until 1:30 PM (see bell schedule)
All staff will teach at the school facility in person, providing online content in Canvas, unless otherwise approved by the school district
ASA will continue with the quarter/cohort schedule model, 3 classes per quarter rotating between Math/Science and English Language Arts/Social Studies

Cohort Room Assignments

Each class will be assigned to a primary classroom in order to reduce movement between classes and throughout the building. Cohort group classes will be limited to their primary and secondary classrooms. There will be no common passing times to reduce congestion and congregation in hallways. Breaks shall be on a staggered schedule to reduce mingling of multiple classes.

Room assignments by cohort and “primary” teacher (Scheduled for 2 of the 3 classes):

8th Grade:

Room 6: Goodman

Room 10: Smith

7th Grade: Rooms 110, 111, 113, 114

107: 7th (Mozen)

110: 7th (Holsopple)

111: Resource, Intervention and Core Replacement (Krejca)

113: 7th (Perkins)

114: 7th (Bierer)

6th Grade: Rooms 1, 3, 4, 11

1: 6th (Kotelman)

3: 6th (Gabel)

4: 6th (Staker)

11: 6th (Draeger)

Face to Face Bell Schedule

Period	Time	Parameters
	7:30	Staff arrival
	7:45-8:00	Doors open for students: direct to classrooms After 8:00 AM, students must use main entrance and check in prior to going to class
0	8:00-8:30	Learning Lab: iReady & ALEKS Pull out: Small group Intervention
1	8:30- 9:55	Period 1
2	9:55-11:20	Period 2
3	11:20-12:45	Period 3
	12:45-1:00	Staggered dismissal, end of day clean up procedures
	1:00-1:30	Lunch (off campus for students)

Technology

Blended Learning

ASA shall continue all classes on the Canvas platform for the entirety of the school year. Assignments, assessments and core lesson components will be available on Canvas. Students who are absent, especially those who are sick and/or experience COVID symptoms, will be able to continue progressing in classes virtually.

Technology and Device Use

Each student shall be assigned a chromebook or electronic device for school use
Students who have been issued a STrEaM device must bring this device with them to school each day
Students may bring a personal device, and must follow all school and district use policies
Students shall not share devices
Device cleaning/sanitizing shall be part of classroom and end of day routines

Outdoor Education

ASA will maximize outdoor learning time in keeping with our mission and charter. Outdoor learning provides healthy and safe activity and movement, and follows best practices for mitigating the spread of infectious disease.

School-wide Safety Protocols must be followed for outdoor activities

Masks worn correctly at all times
Maintain physical distancing 3 to 6 feet
Contact activities are prohibited
Hand washing upon returning to the classroom

Students must come to school prepared for outdoor activities, wearing the proper weather-appropriate clothing and gear. Students are not allowed to opt out of outdoor learning activities unless the temperature is 10 degrees below zero or colder
Teachers shall facilitate a minimum of one full, scheduled 15 minute break per class period

This break shall be taken by the teacher and ALL students outdoors at the schedule time and place, unless an alternate activity is approved by the principal
Students shall NOT be permitted to remain indoors during break without supervision, administrative permission and parent notification

Teachers may schedule up to two additional shorter-term breaks per period (5 minutes), for the purpose of

Brain breaks
Movement, stretching
Mindfulness and meditation
Nutrition and hydration
Room cleaning
Hand washing and sanitizing routines

REVISED: 3/22/2021