COVID-19 guidelines set for classrooms

Posted 1/5/22

Classes resumed at the Hendry County School District Jan. 5 with the following COVID-19 safety protocols:

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COVID-19 guidelines set for classrooms

Posted

LABELLE -- Classes resumed at the Hendry County School District Jan. 5 with the following COVID-19 safety protocols:

Screening
 Schools may choose to continue to screen students, staff, and visitors for COVID with temperature checks.
 Schools should post signage indicating to all visitors that, if they exhibit any sign or symptoms of COVID, they shall not enter the building.

Signs
 Schools should post signs throughout the building encouraging personal hygiene best practices (e.g., wash hands for 20 seconds, cover your coughs and sneezes, etc.).
 Schools will have hand sanitizer available for all in each classroom.

Spacing
 All schools shall seat students at least three feet away from each other in the classroom to the greatest extent possible.

Facial coverings
 Students and staff members may choose to wear a facial covering mask or face shield while at school, but wearing a facial covering is optional.
 All facial coverings must be within dress code. Bandanas are not allowed.

Symptomatic students and staff
 Any staff member or student who exhibits the following COVID-like symptoms should remain home and not return to school until they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine and original symptoms improved:

o Fever or chills
o Cough
o Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
o Fatigue
o Muscle or body aches
o Headache
o New loss of taste or smell
o Sore throat
o Congestion or runny nose
o Nausea or vomiting

o Diarrhea

 Any staff member who exhibits the symptoms listed above while at school shall go home and not return to work until they fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine and original symptoms improved or received approval to return to work from a medical professional.

 Any student who exhibits the symptoms listed above while at school will be isolated and given a mask to wear while on campus. Parents shall be notified and the student shall be picked up. Students shall not return to school until they are symptom fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine and original symptoms improved or receive approval to return to school from a medical professional.

 Hendry County Schools will follow the CDC guidelines for quarantine. Parents of students who have been exposed to a positive case at school will be informed of the potential exposure through written school correspondence, and/or correspondence from the Department of Health.

Students will be quarantined for a period of 10 days. Those students who obtained a negative PCR COVID test result on or after day five, may return to school upon receipt of the negative PCR COVID results. Student MAY return to school on day eight IF they have remained symptom-free throughout the quarantine. Parents must also remain in contact with their school nurse throughout the quarantine.

*Please note this is an ever-evolving situation that the Hendry County School District will continue to monitor closely. The District reserves the right to change any policy/procedure in order to best respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Guideline date: Aug. 13, 2021, 8/26/2021 3:41 p.m.

Cleaning classrooms
 All schools will follow enhanced cleaning routines including, but not limited to the following:

o Using approved cleaning detergents that are more effective in combatting COVID.
o Schools will adopt procedures so that all classrooms are cleaned after every class period to minimize the spread of COVID.
o High traffic faculty areas, such as copy rooms, etc. will be wiped down after each use.
o Buses will be disinfected twice daily, after each run.

Spraying

 All schools will be provided additional personnel for cleaning.
 All schools must disinfect all classrooms daily.

Employee leave procedures related to COVID

Any employee/staff member that exhibits COVID related symptoms, should remain home until they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine and original symptoms are improved. Employees who
believe their time off is paid by the District should visit their principal or designee in order to fill out the proper paperwork and submit it to Mrs. Melissa Thomley at 863-983-1507.

1. Any employee that exhibits COVID related symptoms should remain home until they are symptom free for 24 hours.

2. For an employee who is sick and gets tested for covid (PCR Test Only):
a. The employee should remain home until the results of the COVID test are received.
b. If the PCR COVID test results are positive, the District will provide the employee paid time off for up to 10 days for each incident. The employee may return to work upon doctor/medical approval.
c. If the PCR COVID test results are negative, the District will provide the employee with paid time off for up to three days. The employee may return to work when they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine and original symptoms are improved.

3. For an employee who is sick and does not get a PCR COVID test:
a. Should remain home until they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine AND original symptoms are improved.
b. The employee sick time will be charged for days missed from work.

4. For an employee who has a dependent child that has tested positive for covid, or has been quarantined by the County Health Department:
a. The District will provide the employee paid time off to care for the child for up to 10 days, and  the employee will not have to use the employee’s sick time.

5. For an employee who lives at home with someone who is sick with covid-like symptoms and/or who lives with someone who has tested positive for covid:
a. As long as the employee is symptom free, they may continue to report to work. The employee should continue to monitor their symptoms, wear a mask at work, regularly clean their workspace, and maintain a safe distance from others.

Student absences related to covid

Student absences related to covid, for either of the reasons listed below, shall be excused. The school administration retains the ultimate authority in determining if an absence is covid related.

 A student exhibits any of symptoms detailed above. The student must be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine and original symptoms are improved.

 The student is informed that they are a possible close contact of positive case and must quarantine for the required amount of time.

*Please note this is an ever-evolving situation that the Hendry County School District will continue to monitor closely. The District reserves the right to change any policy/procedure in order to best respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Guideline date: Aug. 13, 2021.

COVID-19, Hendry County School District, schools

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