COVID-19 Preparedness Plan for Rushford-Peterson Schools

Rushford-Peterson Schools is committed to providing a safe and healthy learning environment for all our students and staff. To ensure that, we have developed the following Preparedness Plan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students, staff and administration are all responsible for implementing and complying with all aspects of this plan. Rushford-Peterson Schools’ employees have our full support in enforcing the provisions of this plan.

Our plan objectives are to (1) mitigate potential for transmission of COVID-19 in our facilities, and (2) provide traditional (in-person) learning to the greatest extent possible. This will require full cooperation among our parents, students, staff, and administration. By following the public health orders and taking careful steps, we believe we can achieve both objectives.

Staff involvement is essential in developing and implementing a successful COVID-19 Preparedness Plan. We have involved our employees in this process by surveying staff to determine their comfort level for working environments. Previously arranged modifications to roles and responsibilities allow for some staff to work from home. We will provide masks for employees who do not have one. Efforts will be made to align job duties with employees’ comfort level whenever possible. Training will be provided to all staff. Our Preparedness Plan follows Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) guidelines and federal OSHA standards related to COVID-19 and addresses:

hygiene and respiratory etiquette;
engineering and administrative controls for social distancing;
housekeeping – cleaning, disinfecting and decontamination;
prompt identification and isolation of sick persons;
communications and training that will be provided to managers and workers; and
management and supervision necessary to ensure effective implementation of the plan.

Our preparedness plan clearly outlines CDC and MDH guidelines in the areas of: health screening, social distancing, cleaning and disinfecting, handwashing, respiratory etiquette, communicating and training, PPE (face masks), drop off and pick up, program delivery, contact tracing, and properly handling materials. The guidelines are used to develop best practices for each Community Education Program to implement in their setting. Many of these measures are already being used within our schools in supporting emergency workers by providing Tier 1 and Tier 2 childcare. Community Education has already proven we can implement and adapt health and safety protocols during the distance learning period by providing child care for our emergency workers. We are prepared to expand and meet the needs of additional families by providing a safe and academically enriched environment for children throughout the summer.

Certified by:

Jon Thompson
Rushford-Peterson Schools Superintendent

Screening and policies for employees exhibiting signs and symptoms of COVID-19

Rushford-Peterson Schools employees have been informed of and encouraged to self-monitor for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. The following policies and procedures are being implemented to assess employees’ health status prior to entering the school and for staff to report when they are sick or experiencing symptoms:

Employees will be required to communicate if they are sick or experiencing symptoms while at work.
Sick employees will be isolated (somewhere other than the health office) until they can be sent home.
If employees do not come to work because they are sick and experiencing symptoms, they must notify their supervisor.

Rushford-Peterson Schools have implemented leave policies that promote workers staying at home when they are sick, when household members are sick, or when required by a health care provider to isolate or quarantine themselves or a member of their household. Employees are to refer to their contract’s sick leave and leave policies. Paid leave also may be available under the FFCRA (Families First Coronavirus Response Act). Questions regarding the FFCRA or Rushford-Peterson Schools’ leave policies should be directed to Toni Oian in the District Office.

Accommodations for employees with underlying medical conditions or who have household members with underlying health conditions will be made whenever feasible. Specific requests or concerns should be directed to their supervisor or the superintendent.

Rushford-Peterson Schools have also implemented a policy for informing our employees if they have been exposed to a person with COVID-19 at work and requiring them to quarantine for the required amount of time if needed. If an employee is confirmed to have COVID-19, employees will be informed of their possible exposure, but confidentiality will be maintained as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Handwashing

Basic infection prevention measures are always being implemented in our schools. Students and staff are instructed to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water frequently throughout the day, but especially at the beginning and end of the day, prior to any mealtimes and after using the toilet. All visitors will be required to wash their hands prior to or immediately upon entering the facility. Some areas of the building may have hand-sanitizer dispensers (that use sanitizers of greater than 60% alcohol) that can be used for hand hygiene in place of soap and water, as long as hands are not visibly soiled.

Rushford-Peterson Schools have restrooms throughout the building for handwashing. The school will also provide hand sanitizer stations throughout the building in various locations (i.e. Fitness Center, Auditorium, Gyms). The custodians of R-P Schools will ensure the soap and sanitizing stations remain stocked with supplies.

Respiratory etiquette: Cover your cough or sneeze

Students, staff, and visitors are being instructed to cover their mouth and nose with their sleeve or a tissue when coughing or sneezing and to avoid touching their face, in particular their mouth, nose and eyes, with their hands. They should dispose of tissues in the trash and wash or sanitize their hands immediately afterward. Respiratory etiquette will be demonstrated on posters and supported by making tissues and trash receptacles available to all building occupants. COVID-19 posters and CDC recommendation posters have been placed on all doors entering R-P Schools that clearly demonstrate how to cover your cough and/or sneeze.

Social distancing

Social distancing is being implemented in our facilities through the following engineering and administrative controls:

If applicable to the position held, Rushford-Peterson Schools will allow telework and flexible hours to staff.
Employees are encouraged to maintain 6’ apart and socially distant.
Rushford-Peterson Schools have posted signs stating to maintain six feet apart, in both English and Spanish, throughout the school.
Rushford-Peterson Schools will provide instructions for employees needing to use the school vehicles.
Annually, employees are required to do the Bloodborne Pathogens and Employee Right to Know training. Employee Right-to-Know training will be updated to include information on COVID-19 prevention, symptoms, and risk factors, PPE, and chemical safety for any new cleaners and disinfectants being used.
Workers and visitors are prohibited from gathering in groups and confined areas, including elevators, and from sharing PPE, phones, computer equipment, desks, workstations, offices or other personal work tools and equipment.

Housekeeping

Regular housekeeping practices are being implemented, including routine cleaning and disinfecting of work surfaces, equipment, tools and machinery, and areas in the work environment, including restrooms, break rooms, lunchrooms, and meeting rooms. Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting will be conducted on high-touch surfaces, such as phones, keyboards, touch screens, controls, door handles, elevator panels, railings, copy machines, etc. Targeted cleaning and disinfecting will be conducted in areas of the building where a person with COVID-19 spent time. Targeted cleaning will include restricting access to the contaminated area(s) for 24 hours prior to any cleaning and disinfecting. Cleaning protocols will be conducted by the custodial staff. Only disinfectants that have been approved by the EPA will be used.

Communications and training

This Preparedness Plan was communicated to summer programming staff in June and to all employees during back-to-school training in August. Additional communication and training will be ongoing via email and at all-staff in-services throughout the year. Make-up training will be provided to employees who did not receive the initial training. Ongoing monitoring by administration and supervisors will be essential to successful implementation of this plan.

This Preparedness Plan has been reviewed and approved by the Rushford-Peterson Schools’ Board of Education and was posted throughout the school on June 15, 2020. It will continue to be updated, as necessary.

Certified by:

John Linder
Rushford-Peterson School Board Chair

Appendix A – Guidance for developing a COVID-19 Preparedness Plan

COVID-19 Preparedness Plan for Rushford-Peterson Schools

Screening and policies for employees exhibiting signs and symptoms of COVID-19

Handwashing

Respiratory etiquette: Cover your cough or sneeze

Social distancing

Housekeeping

Communications and training

Appendix A – Guidance for developing a COVID-19 Preparedness Plan

General

Handwashing

Respiratory etiquette: Cover your cough or sneeze

Social distancing

Housekeeping

Employees exhibiting signs and symptoms of COVID-19

Training