Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan

 

May 17, 2023

 

The Hume R-VIII School District will hold a Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan (SRCSP) meeting on Wednesday June 14th, 2023 at 7:55 PM in the teacher work room at the school. We will be approving a revision to the plan. All interested patrons of the district are invited to attend.  

Hume R-VIII School District

                      Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan (SRCSP)

                                                      School year starting August 30, 2023

Plan adopted on 8/18/21 at Hume BOE General Meeting.

Reviewed and Revised on 10/13/21 at Hume BOE General Meeting.

Reviewed and Revised on 12/16/21 at Hume BOE Special Meeting.                                                     

                      Reviewed and Revised on 01/19/22 at Hume BOE General Meeting.

                         Reviewed and Revised on 07/13/22 at Hume BOE General Meeting.

                         Reviewed and Revised on 12/14/22 at Hume BOE General Meeting.

                         Reviewed and Revised on 06/14/23 at Hume BOE General Meeting.

 

At home before school:

Families are asked to screen students at home for any concerning COVID symptoms before they come to school each day. We ask that you please keep your student at home and consult your primary care physician if necessary if they are experiencing any of the following symptoms.

Symptoms to watch for:

. Cough

. Fever over 100

. Shortness of breath

. Chills

. Muscle aches

. Sore throat

. New loss of taste or smell

. Vomiting/Diarrhea

 

Any absences occurring during the school year related to illness or quarantine due to COVID will not negatively impact your student’s attendance under the following circumstances:

Students who are placed in isolation or are choosing to self-quarantine qualify for home bound instruction and must participate in 5 hours of instruction each week (can be virtual) to be considered “present” for school attendance purposes. However, if the student does not participate in this virtual instruction, they must be counted absent. If virtual learning is not possible, packets can be used and will need to be completed and turned in upon return to school to be counted present.

All schoolwork will continue to be provided in either paper or electronic form regardless of the students’ participation in the 5 hours of “homebound instruction”.

 

Bus Routes:

Buses will be loaded from the rear to the front with family clusters, regardless of age.

Students will be socially distanced as much as possible on the bus routes.

Bus windows will be open, when possible, to allow for better ventilation.

Masks or face shields are optional.

 

Breakfast:

Students should not arrive at the school before 7:35am. Breakfast will be served in the cafeteria and students will be socially distanced as well as possible. PK will have breakfast in their classroom

 

Lunch: 

Elementary lunch periods are staggered by grade. Junior High and High School will have one lunch period.  PK will have lunch within their classroom.  Students will be socially distanced as well as possible.

 

Hornet Pride:

Hornet pride will be the last period of the school day. Students will be socially distanced as well as possible.         

 

Classrooms:

Classes will be socially distanced as well as possible.

All areas of the campus are mask friendly and if staff or students wish to wear a mask, they are more than welcome to do so.

Sanitation of desks and high touch surfaces will be completed throughout the day.

We will avoid having students share materials in class whenever possible.

 

 

 

Recess:

K-6 will have a staggered recess schedule to minimize co-mingling.

                                                                                          

Backpacks:

Backpacks will be permitted to bring belongings into the school. Students will not be allowed to carry backpacks around during the school day due to school safety.

 

Lockers:

Students will be assigned a locker by the principal.

 

Restrooms:

Restrooms will be limited to a max occupancy of 4.

 

Staff/Student wearing masks:

For staff and students, it is optional if they wear masks or face shields when they are not able to social distance.

 

Students who become ill at school:

If a student becomes ill at school or shows two or more of the before mentioned symptoms, or one serious symptom the student’s parents will be contacted, and they will be sent home to self-monitor with recommendations to contact their primary care physician. If a student or staff member is exhibiting concerning symptoms, they may return to school once they are symptom and fever free for 24 hours or receive a note from a doctor.  

 

Students and staff members with confirmed COVID:

If confirmation is received that one of our students or staff members has confirmed COVID, they will not be allowed to attend school for 5 days and must be fever and symptom free for 24 hours before returning, based upon guidance from the CDC. If there is a confirmed positive case within our building, we will do contact tracing and make close contacts aware so they may self-monitor for symptoms. A close contact is identified as being within 6 feet or less for 15 minutes or more with a confirmed positive case. It is still possible that school could be shut down for several days because of positive cases.

If a student has confirmed COVID or chooses to self-quarantine due to contact tracing instruction will continue in a virtual or paper packet format for those students. Staff members will check in with students throughout their absence and provide feedback via email, Google classroom, phone, etc. to be considered “present” for attendance purposes, the student must engage in 5 hours of instruction virtually. If virtual learning is not possible, packets can be used and will need to be turned in upon return to school to count for attendance. Phone calls between the students and teachers will be used for collaboration and follow up. All schoolwork will continue to be provided in either paper or electronic form regardless of the students’ participation in the 5 hours of homebound instruction.

 

Re-entry after illness guidelines:

Current guidelines reflect the following-

Positive cases may return to school after 5 days if they have been fever and symptom free for 24 hours.

Notes from doctors are recommended upon returning.

 

Extra-Curricular Activities:

A bus will be sent to all road games. Students will be socially distanced as well as possible on the bus.

Masks will be optional on the bus.

Participants must bring their own drink bottles. Managers will not be allowed to handle individual water bottles.

Participants will bring their own towels, if needed. Teams will not be able to share towels.

Masks are optional.

 

Field Trips:

All field trip requests will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis and approval processes will still go through the principal.

 

Other considerations:

All students are encouraged to bring a water bottle to the school to be filled rather than drinking directly from the fountain.

7-12 students will be encouraged not to congregate at their lockers during passing time.

All classes will have mandatory seating charts which will be turned in to the office to assist with contact tracing if needed.

Visitors to school must seek prior approval from administration.

 

Mitigation Strategy                                                      District Plan 

Masking                                                                          Masks are optional.

 

Physical distancing and cohorts                             Social-distancing as well as possible

                                                                                         Mandatory seating charts

                                                                                         Grades PK-6 will remain in cohorts whenever possible.

 

Handwashing and respiratory etiquette               Students will be frequently reminded to wash hands.

                                                                                          Proper handwashing taught and reinforced.

                                                                                          Students will be taught and reminded to cough

                                                                                          into their elbow and use a tissue rather than              

                                                                                      their hands for sneezes when possible.

                                                                                            

 

Cleaning and maintaining healthy facilities,            Increased cleaning for high touch surfaces.

including improved ventilation.                             Upgrades to HVAC as funds and materials are available

 

Contact tracing in combination with isolation    The LEA will conduct contact tracing for school-related

and self-quarantine, in collaboration with the   close contacts when there is a case of COVID-19 at 

state, local, territorial, or tribal health dept.      school. Isolation requirements administered by LEA.

 

Diagnostic and screening testing                            COVID testing is available at the local health

                                                                                          department and local medical clinics.

                                                                                      Students and staff with concerning symptoms

                                                                                          will be assessed by the school nurse and sent

                                                                                      home if necessary.

 

 

 

Efforts to provide vaccinations to educators,       District communicates opportunities available

other staff, and students, if eligible.                       in local communities to become vaccinated

                                                                                           if desired.

 

Appropriate accommodations for children           Accommodations as necessary or as mandated by

with disabilities with respect to the health           Individual Education Plan.

and safety policies.                                                               

 

Continuity of Services:

The district returned to in-person learning in August of 2020 and continues to provide in-person instruction moving forward.

If further interruptions occur with in-person learning due to isolations, self-quarantines, or temporary closures, the district will provide instruction online. Students with disabilities will continue receiving services as outlined in their IEP.

The district will continue to provide for the social, emotional, and mental health needs of students and staff during in-person or online instruction. Our at-risk coordinator and counselor will be available in-person and virtually to all students and staff.

 

Understandable language:

The SRCSP is available in languages understandable to stakeholders. The SRCSP will be available in English or Spanish in the district office. Stakeholders who need a copy in another language may contact the office.

 

This plan is relevant as of 06/14/2023. We are required to review the plan and revise, if necessary, at least every six months. (The review will include the following stakeholder groups: students, parents, teachers, and administrators at all levels.) This plan is subject to change as public health guidelines are updated.

 


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Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, families that qualify for free or reduced price meals at school may be eligible for a new one-time Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) of up to $302 per child (Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 12) to help cover the cost of meals students have eaten at home on days that schools have been closed. Students can receive P-EBT benefits even if they have been or continue to receive meals provided by the school district during the school closure. If your child was not previously eligible for free or reduced price meals, but you have now lost income, you may be eligible to receive P-EBT benefits (review the P-EBT Eligibility Criteria document below).

The benefit is placed on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card families use to buy food. If you received Food Stamp (SNAP) benefits in March, do not apply for these new/additional benefits. The full $302 will automatically be loaded to your existing EBT card. If you did not receive Food Stamp (SNAP) benefits in March, you must apply for this benefit by June 30, 2020 (see below).

The most efficient way to apply is to submit your application online at EmergencyMealSurvey.com/MO. You will also likely experience a faster approval process. If you’re not able to apply online, you can 

follow the link below to the paper application. The fillable PDF document can then be emailed or mailed to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). You will find complete instructions and additional details in the letter to families below.

Please review these important documents carefully:

· P-EBT Letter to Families

· P-EBT Eligibility Criteria

· P-EBT Online Application

· P-EBT Paper Application (hard copy to fill out and email or mail to DESE if you’re not able to submit the application online)

· P-EBT Frequently Asked Questions

To request a paper application be mailed to you, please contact our Food and Nutrition Services office at XXX-XXX-XXXX. Please do not send completed applications to your school; see the letter to families above for application submission information.

The Department of Social Services (DSS) will send families a letter indicating they are approved or denied. If you have questions on how to apply for the P-EBT benefit, contact DSS through the online chat feature at mydss.mo.gov or call 855-373-4636. For more information on the EBT card, visit: mydss.mo.gov/food-assistance/ebt.

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Free public WiFi Hotspots provided and powered by Craw-Kan. These hotspots were installed to help kids, parents, teachers and school administrators to provide a means of free internet access due to school facility closures required by the State of Kansas to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. We will continue to add new locations to help reach as much of our service area as possible, so please check the map daily. 

https://ckt.net/hotspots/

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Novel Coronavirus Fact Sheet  (click the link for more COVID-19 information) 

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