USV Community,
As we prepare to start school next week,
please find enclosed our reopening guidelines for our families. After you have reviewed this information if
you have any questions please contact the school. A few of the highlights are listed:
1) There will not be an hour delay on Wednesdays
until January at the earliest.
2) Students will start on Thursday, August 13
rather than Wednesday, August 12.
3) Facial coverings are required by order of
Governor DeWine on Tuesday, August 4 for all K-12 students. USV will work to allow students breaks for
the use of facial coverings.
Again, if you have any questions contact the
school and we will do our best to answer these questions.
Educationally,
Craig M. Hurley
Craig M. Hurley
Superintendent
Care about ALL kids!
“It is a Great Day to Learn”
Reopening Guidelines/Procedures
For Families
2020/2021 School Year
Communications
1) Changes to plans will be
communicated through various means.
Including the school website, Facebook, One-call system, US Mail, text
messaging
2) Health and safety protocols will be
explained and modeled to the students at the beginning of the school year. These will be reinforced throughout the
year. Changes and/or updates will be
explained and communicated with students.
Opening to the school year changes
- There will be no Open House
2) Teacher Professional Development Day
on Monday, August 10
3) Teacher workday on Wednesday, August
12
4) Classified PD day on Wednesday,
August 12
5) Students first day on Thursday,
August 13
6) Wednesday mornings will not have an
hour delay until January at the earliest.
Class sizes for instruction
The weekly decision will be made on
the preceding Thursday following the release of the updated level on the Ohio
Public Health Advisory System.
a) When Hardin County is listed under Level 1 Yellow or Level 2 Orange,
USV will keep class sizes the same. (All
students are face to face)
b) When Hardin County is under Level 3 Red, USV will implement a blended learning plan. (During blended learning plan K-6 grade students will report to school as normal, 7-12 will attend by group/cohort two days a week.
c) When Hardin County is listed Under Level 4 Purple,
USV will implement a 100% remote learning option.
Security vs. Health concerns
1) All classroom doors will remain open
during the school day. Classroom doors may be closed (not totally shut or latched) during the school day if there is a reason to do so. Examples: taking an assessment, room beside a high traffic area, showing a movie… However, only staff should touch the doors to open and close them. If a student leaves to use the restroom or another reason, please leave the door all the way open until he/she returns to the room
2) Bathroom doors will be propped
open. (These are designed so that even
when door is open you cannot see into the restroom area)
3) Visitors to the building will be
very limited.
Visitor Procedures
1) Screening
a) Vendors - will be screened at the
main office and will follow all safety procedures required for staff
b) Visitors will be very limited. If necessary, an appointment should be
made. Visitors will be required to
complete the Covid-19 symptoms check and follow all safety procedures of staff
while in the building.
2) Volunteers will not be permitted in
the building.
3) All groups using the USV school
building or facility must follow all safety procedures that are put into place.
Signs of Illness/Nurse’s Office
1) Students should not come to school
if they have any of the symptoms of Covid-19
a) Temperature above 100°
b) Cough
c) Shortness of breath
d) Body aches
e) Vomiting or diarrhea
f) Fatigue
2) First period or home room teachers
will complete a health check with students daily.
3) If students are sick, they should
follow the same procedures as before and notify the appropriate school staff of
the absence.
4) If a student becomes ill at school,
they will be immediately removed from other people in the building and will be
sent home.
5) Student visitation to the nurse’s
office will be limited. The nurse will
be going to see students rather than students coming to the office.
6) As stated, before the nurse’s office
will be very limited for students. A
student must have explicit permission from a teacher to go to the nurse’s
office.
7) Chronic health information will be
shared as in the past on a need to know basis.
Facility Preparations
1) Cleaning
Protocols will be increased.
2) There will be four entries used this
year rather than the two that were used last year. (See Arrival and Dismissal for details)
3) Transitions and common areas will
have protocols posted and explained for social distancing reasons. More specific information will be provided by
the principal for each building.
- PPE – Facial coverings are being provided to students that need them. As of now facial coverings will always be required for all staff/adults. All students will be required to wear facial coverings on school transportation and throughout the school day. USV will work to create times for safe breaks of wearing facial coverings. If outside, a student can remove the facial covering if 6-foot social distancing protocols are maintained.
5) Student needs. If there are specific needs a student has
that may cause a concern for any of these protocols, please contact the
principal. If these needs are of a
medical nature please, contact both the principal and the school nurse.
6) Handwashing and hand sanitizing -
There will be extra hand washing required during the school day. There will be handwashing stations in all K-6
classrooms. There will also be hand
sanitizer available in all classrooms and other locations.
7) Health and safety protocols will be explained and modeled to the students at the beginning of the school year. These will be reinforced throughout the year.
8) Limiting of spaces:
a) Restrooms - limit of four students
at a time
b) Cafeteria will have limited seating
c) Hallway/transition protocols will be
implemented by principals, this will include the use of facial coverings for
grades 4-12 during transition times
Classroom Instruction and Learning
Activities
- Community supplies will be limited
to only those that are necessary for education.
Supplies used communally will be disinfected between use.
2) There will be procedures to follow
for students planning on completing Home Based Instruction. However, this will not be as good as face to
face learning. The Home Based
Instruction programs will follow state standards.
3) Students will not leave assigned
rooms to assist in other rooms as has been done in the past.
4) All students will be provided with a Chromebook in grade 1-12.
5) The backpack rule that was
instituted last year in grades 7-12 for safety reasons may be adjusted to limit
student congregation at lockers.
6) Parent/teacher conferences in the
fall will take place. The way these
occur will be decided and communicated later.
7) Recess will occur with the following
protocols.
a) Maintain a 6-foot social distance
policy
b) Disinfect hands before and after
recess
c) Disinfect equipment, high touch
surfaces between groups
d) Limiting the number of students at a
time on the playground
Social
and Emotional Learning Supports
1) USV has added the School and
Community Resource Coordinator position to assist students with all their
needs. (social, emotional, physical,
health…)
2) Social/Emotional supports will be expanded through RAMS time and homeroom activities, and the addition of a social skills class for grade K-3.
3) Needs of the students will determine
if these programs need expanded or adjusted.
Student Discipline
1) Students that refuse to comply with
safety procedures may face consequences under the student code of conduct for
insubordination.
2) Student discipline issues will be
handled in much the same way as previous years.
With the exception that students should be sent to the office in only
extreme circumstances. Principals will
call students to the office as needed.
Enrichment Activities
1) Co-curricular and Extracurricular
groups will continue to operate as long as all safety protocols are
followed. There may be additional
protocols placed on these groups based on the individual program.
2) There will be no field trips during the school day until further notice.
3) Fundraising will be completed in the
same manner as the past. Keep in mind we
must follow the Smart Snacks guidelines for items sold or delivered at school.
4) School clubs that have the ability
to meet virtually would be encouraged to do so.
5) Spectators at these events will be
decided on a case by case manner. There
will be guidelines created for spectators.
Informational Technology
1) Devices will not be exchanged
between students or staff. If a device
needs to be fixed a teacher should contact Drew and let him know. He will then pick up the device or make arrangements
for the device to get to him.
2) USV has purchased Chromebooks for grades 1-12. There is a limited supply of loaner Chromebooks that may be available if one breaks.
3) USV is looking into all options for
technology offerings for our students. Including,
the possibility of purchasing hot spots for students.
Transportation
1) Masks and hand sanitizer will be
available for students entering the bus.
All students will be required to wear facial coverings while on school
transportation.
2) Seating will be two per seat and three may be used if all are from the same residence.
3) Buses will be sanitized between each
route.
4) Bus stops will not be monitored to
ensure social distancing. For this reason,
we are adding more stops to the routes to allow for less students at each
stop. Seating: load from back to front
in the morning and reverse in the afternoon to limit passing in aisles.
5) More specific procedures and
protocols will be given to students by the transportation department.
Arrival and Dismissal
1) USV will be entering through 4 doors this year rather than just the two that were used last year. All students' temperatures will be taken while entering the building.
a) Bus riders will enter through the
back doors. 7-12 students will enter on through
the north door nearest the transportation office. PK - 6 will enter through the south door by
Officer Mulligan’s old office.
b) Non-bus riders will enter through
the front doors. 7-12 students will
enter through the north door to the right of the flagpole. K-6 will enter through the south door to the
left of the flagpole. Pre-school will
enter through the south end of the building nearest the classroom.
2) There will be extra staff on duty
for arrival and dismissal of students.
3) Additional procedures will be given
by the principals.
4) Students arriving late or leaving
early will be handled as previous with the following changes:
a) Parents do not need to come into the
building to sign students out
b) Parents can call office from cell
phone and someone will escort the student out or parents can come up to the
door and use the intercom system to have the student dismissed
Breakfast and Lunch
1) Cafeteria tables will have limited
seating and assigned seats will be used at lunch time.
2) Breakfast procedures will remain the
same for K-6 students and this will take place in the classroom. 7-12 breakfast procedures will be given to
students by cafeteria staff and principal.
3) Cleaning procedures were already
very good in the cafeteria. This will
continue and be added to, to ensure safety.
4) More detailed procedures and
protocols will be provided by Mrs. Daring, Mrs. Jeffers and Mrs. Thompson
Restroom Procedures
1) There will be a limit of four students in a restroom at a time.
2) Teachers will monitor this in the
elementary. The HS/MS students will self-monitor
the number of students.
3) Restrooms will be checked
periodically by teachers. Custodial
staff will be disinfecting restrooms throughout the school day.
4) Water fountains will be shut
off. We have ordered touchless water
filling stations for all water fountains.
Students will need to have a refillable water bottle with them daily.
Main Office Visits
1) Office phones may be used by
students or staff. They will need to be
disinfected after each use.
2) Parents and students will have
limited access to the main office area.
An appointment should be made to come to the office when possible.
3) Meetings that need to take place
with parents will be held in the conference room.
4) Paperwork will be encouraged to be
filled out online whenever possible.
Budgetary Concerns
Many
of the new protocols and procedures outlined above will come at a financial
cost to the district. USV will keep a
close watch on the financial implications of these protocols and procedures. However, we will not allow finances to put
the safety of students and staff at risk.
This plan is a fluid document and may
need to be changed or adjusted based on the needs of the students and staff.