The Lincoln County Schools’ Reopening Plan is built upon the guidance and recommendations of health officials and is strongly aligned to the reopening guidelines that have been provided by our state and federal leaders. The reopening plan prioritizes the health and safety of students and teachers as we open the school buildings and deliver instruction during the 2020-2021 school year. The following tiered approach has been developed to address varied levels of covid cases that may exist within Lincoln County. Continued guidance and recommendations will be provided to address the academic, social, and emotional effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on students and employees. In order for schools to operate in a traditional format this year, screening for symptoms and history of exposure will be very important. For students attending Lincoln County Schools, there is a continuum where wellness should be checked. Challenges with Wellness ● Home​ is the first point on the screening continuum and therefore, the most important. It is critical to the health and safety of all involved that students and staff who exhibit symptoms stay home. Families are encouraged to self-report symptoms of illness, which could include fever, new onset of cough, etc. Parents are asked to conduct a health screening for their child prior to attending school and to keep their child home if they are running a fever higher than 100.4​o ​or showing other symptoms. ● Transportation​ is the second point on the screening continuum. Staff will check for symptoms on the school buses. ● School​ is the final point on the screening continuum. Staff will check for symptoms which may include temperature checks) and/or confirm with families that students are COVID-19 symptom free. Definitions Recommendations regarding face Face Coverings coverings differ based on the level of community spread and can be found throughout this document. Information will be provided to staff, students, and families on proper use, removal, and washing of cloth face coverings. Thank Decisions regarding face coverings will be sensitive to the needs of students and staff with medical issues that make the wearing of a face covering inadvisable. Face coverings will follow handbook rules Hand Sanitizer Hand sanitizers for use by staff and students should contain at least 60% alcohol. Clean/ Disinfect Application of disinfectants must be used correctly according to the directions and kept out of reach of children to ensure a safe and clean environment. Level of Spread Procedures Total Active Cases Divided by Total County Population (34,366) (DATA COLLECTED FROM STATE AND LOCAL HEALTH OFFICIALS) *Disclaimer: This formula is an automatic indicator to move to the next level, although there may be other measures and/or governmental guidance that will force the district to advance to the next level. Level I Spread Level II Spread Level III Spread Based on the formula below, if the number of active cases in Lincoln County remains below 172, the district will remain at this level. (Formula: Number of active cases divided by the total population. <.5% or 172 active cases) Based on the formula below, if the number of active cases in Lincoln County is between 173-343, the district will remain at this level. (Formula: Number of Active Cases divided by the total population. >.5 - 1% or 173-343 cases) Based on the formula below, if the number of active cases in Lincoln County is above 344, the district will remain at this level. (Formula: Number of Active Cases divided by the total population. > 1% or 344 cases) ● Establish and maintain communication with local All requirements for Minimal Spread will continue and state health officials unless modified below: ● Post signage to communicate how to stop the ● Implement ​enhanced ​social distancing spread, COVID-19 symptoms, preventive measures ​(see ​Transitioning, Large Group measures (including staying home when sick), Gatherings, and Instruction and Learning​) good hygiene, and school/district specic ● Require all staff and students to wear a mask protocols while they are inside the school building ● Follow prevention guidelines ​(Prevention ● Isolate and deep clean impacted classrooms and Protocol) spaces ● Utilize the protocol for students/staff who feel ill ● Adjust school schedule to limit density of people or experience symptoms when they come to in school facilities and transportation vehicles to school ​(see ​When a Child, Staff Member, or no greater than 50% maximum occupancy Visitor Becomes Sick at School)​ ● Accommodate needs of children, teachers/staff, and families at higher risk for severe illness as feasible ​(see ​Protecting Vulnerable Populations for considerations) ● Utilize protocols for students and employees who test positive for COVID-19 or have exposure to someone that is positive ​(see Positive Screening Protocol) All schools are closed: ● Implement virtual learning ​(see Nutrition Procedures and ​Supporting Instruction and Learning​). ● Close facilities and wait a minimum of 4 hours before cleaning and disinfecting. ● Teachers/employees will be allowed to use their classroom/workspace if needed to carry out their responsibilities. Level of Community Spread (as determined by state and local health officials) Prevention Protocol Level I Spread District/School Guidance: Schools are required to do the following: ● Parents conduct a student wellness check including temperature prior to sending a student to school. Students with temperatures over 100.4° must stay home ● Employees self-screen for symptoms before departing for school ● Provide hand soap, hand sanitizer, and paper towels ● Teach and reinforce good hygiene measures such as handwashing and covering coughs ● Clean/disinfect frequently touched surfaces at least daily and clean shared objects after each use ● Ensure all water systems are safe ● Ensure ventilation systems operate properly and increase circulation of outdoor air, when this does not pose a safety or health risk ● Conduct deep cleaning of schools prior to students/staff returning and schedule periodic cleanings during weekends or school breaks ● Post signage to communicate how to stop the spread. COVID-19 symptoms, preventive measures (including staying home when sick), good hygiene, and school/district specic protocols It is recommended that schools do the following: ● Allow students and staff to bring personal hand sanitizer and face masks/coverings from home ● Allow staff to wear face masks/covering ● Limit non-essential visitors and activities involving external groups or organizations Level II Spread District/School Guidance: All requirements for Level ISpread will continue unless modified below: ● Require all staff and students to wear a mask while they are inside the school building, with the exception of K-2 which will be required to wear masks when outside of their classroom. ● Water fountains will only used to fill water bottles Level III Spread District/School Guidance: ● Use the website, social media and other forms of communication to inform parents, students, and staff about COVID-19 symptoms, preventative measures, good hygiene, and school/district specific protocols ● Encourage COVID-19 testing ● Teachers/employees will be allowed to use their classroom/workspace if needed to carry out their responsibilities. Level I Spread Instruction and Learning Families will be surveyed to gauge which students will conduct their schooling virtually during the 2020-2021 school year Traditional Instructional Model ● Develop a master schedule to balance classes as much as possible ● Establish distance between the teacher desk/board and students’ desks ● Identify and utilize large spaces (i.e. auditoriums, outside) for social distancing ● Administer formative assessments at the start of the school year ● Integrate a virtual component into the daily instructional plan to prepare students for a return to remote learning Virtual Instructional Model ● Students will have the option of either enrolling in the Lincoln Central Virtual Academy (4-12) or taking virtual courses through their child’s school (K-12) ● The online curriculum will meet the same standards as our local school curriculum, but it will not necessarily match the same pacing or activities that are delivered in school buildings. ● Chromebooks will be made available to students ● The virtual option will follow the system calendar ● Attendance will be determined each day by completing assignments on the LMS ● Grades will be taken ● Reliable internet is necessary ● Students will only be allowed to transfer from virtual to traditional at the end of each grading period (nine weeks for local school virtual school or at the end of the semester for Lincoln Central Academy) ● Electives may be limited for virtual students Level II Spread Hybrid Instructional Model A/B Model ● Reduce the number of students in the schools each day to achieve social distancing guidelines. ● Students are divided in half, with each half reporting to school on alternating days and participating in distance learning during days scheduled at home. ● Monday/Tuesday would be Group A; Thursday/Friday would be Group B; and Wednesday would be used for tutorials/special populations/PD/deep cleaning/sanitization Virtual Instructional Model ● Students will have the option of either enrolling in the Lincoln Central Virtual Academy (4-12) or taking virtual courses through their child’s school (K-12) ● Chromebooks will be made available to students ● Virtual students will follow the system calendar ● Attendance will be determined each day by completing the assignments on the LMS ● Grades will be taken ● Reliable internet is necessary ● Students will only be allowed to transfer from virtual to traditional at the end of each grading period (nine weeks for local school virtual school or at the end of the semester for Lincoln Central Academy) ● Electives may be limited for virtual students Level III Spread School buildings are closed. District/School Considerations: ● Teachers/employees will be allowed to use their classroom/workspace if needed to carry out their responsibilities ● Utilize virtual tools and platforms wherever possible to conduct essential business and keep in-person reporting to an absolute minimum during school closures Virtual Instructional Model ● Chromebooks will be made available to students based on need ● Access to high-speed internet will be provided where needed and available (School hotspot locations) ● Student lessons will be delivered through a learning management system ● Grades will be taken ● Attendance will be taken each day by logging into the LMS and completing assignments along with feedback from the teacher Level I Spread Bus Transport Level II Spread Level III Spread District/School Considerations: District/School Considerations: District/School Considerations: Implement standard operating procedures along with the following preventative measures: All requirements from Level I will continue unless modified below: School buildings are closed ● Limit eld trips ● Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces on the bus at least daily ● Air out buses when not in use ● Assign seats to assist with contact tracing ● Allow family members to sit together ● Parents conduct a student wellness check including temperature prior to sending a student to school. Students with temperatures over 100.4° must stay home ● Employees self-screen for symptoms before departing for school ● Staff check for symptoms of bus riders ● Eliminate eld trips ● Use the website, social media and other forms of communication to inform parents, students, and staff about COVID-19 symptoms, preventative measures, good hygiene, and school/district specific protocols ● Encourage COVID-19 testing Entering/ Exiting School Buildings District/School Considerations: Implement standard operating procedures along with the following preventative measures: ● Provide hand sanitizer for students and staff ● Limit unnecessary congregations of students and staff ● Monitor arrival/dismissal to encourage students to go directly from transportation to class and vice versa ● Post signage in classrooms, hallways, and entrances to communicate how to stop the spread. COVID-19 symptoms, preventative measures (including staying home when sick), good hygiene, and school/district specic protocols ● Utilize protocol for students/staff who feel ill/experience symptoms when they come to school ​(see ​When a Child, Staff Member, or Visitor Becomes Sick at School​) ● Establish a protocol for visitors: calling the front office before entering, screening visitors, requiring use of face coverings/masks, etc. ● Parents conduct a student wellness check including temperature prior to sending a student to school. Students with temperatures over 100.4° should stay home ● Employees self-screen for symptoms before departing for school ● Staff check for symptoms of car-riders upon entering the building District/School Considerations: All requirements from Level I Spread will continue unless modified below: ● Restrict nonessential visitors and volunteers ● Establish a protocol for student pick-up/drop off: staggered entry and release (by grade, class, or bus numbers), marked spacing for pickup School buildings are closed. District/School Considerations: ● Teachers/employees will be allowed to use their classroom/workspace if needed to carry out their responsibilities ● Utilize virtual tools and platforms wherever possible to conduct essential business and keep in-person reporting to an absolute minimum during school closures Level I Spread Nutrition Procedures District/School Considerations: Implement standard operating procedures along with the following preventative measures: ● Conduct cleaning of cafeterias and high-touch surfaces throughout the school day ● Develop a serving model that promotes social distancing where feasible ● No self-service ● Provide individual condiments ● Allow student hand-washing before and after meal service ● Provide hand sanitizer for students and staff ● Allow students and staff to wear face masks/coverings ● Utilize plexiglass shields or face shields for cashiers Transitioning District/School Considerations: Implement standard operating procedures along with the following preventative measures: ● Conduct cleaning of hallways and high-touch surfaces throughout the school day ● Designate areas of the hallway to walk (i.e. lanes) to keep students separated (to the extent feasible) ● Where possible, designate hallways as one-way, posting directional arrows on walls and floors ● Allow students and staff to wear face masks/coverings while in large group gatherings Level II Spread District/School Considerations: All requirements from Level I Spread will continue unless modified below: ● Use disposable plates, utensils, etc. ● Adjust lunchroom usage to limit density of people to no greater than 50% maximum occupancy District/School Considerations: All requirements from Level I Spread will continue unless modified below: ● Limit mixing between groups (to the extent feasible) ● Consider class changes and other transitions throughout the school day: ○ Provide additional time ○ Use staggered times for classes (ex: by hall, odd/even room numbers, grade/ discipline) to decrease the number of students in hallways at one time Level III Spread District/School Considerations: School buildings are closed. Feeding programs should follow the following guidelines: ● Practice established social distancing protocols to the greatest extent feasible ● Provide PPE to participating staff District/School Considerations: School buildings are closed. Level I Spread Conducting Large Group Gatherings ​Applies to groups of 50 or greater for non-academic purposes District/School Considerations: Implement standard operating procedures along with the following preventative measures: ● Limit unnecessary congregations of students and staff ● Discourage the congregation of students in parking lots and common areas ● If social distancing cannot be maintained, students and staff are required to wear face masks/coverings ● Provide hand sanitizer for students and staff ● For breakfast and lunch guidance ​(see Nutrition Procedures​) ● Follow ​TSSAA and TMSAA ​guidelines for sporting events and practices ​Protecting Vulnerable Populations V​ulnerable Populations -Individuals over the age of 65 and/or individuals with serious underlying health conditions, including high blood pressure, chronic lung disease, diabetes, obesity, asthma, and those whose immune system is compromised such as by chemotherapy for cancer and other conditions requiring such therapy. Level II Spread District/School Considerations: All requirements from Level I Spread will continue unless modified below: Level III Spread District/School Considerations: School buildings are closed. ● No gatherings at any locations ● Abide by the maximum number of people allowed to congregate as dened by state and local health officials ● Stagger the schedule for large group gatherings (i.e. recess) ● Identify and utilize large spaces (i.e. gymnasiums, auditoriums, outside spaces – as weather permits) for social distancing ● Mask are required District/School Considerations: Implement standard operating procedures along with the following preventative measures: ● Establish a point-of-contact with the local health department ● Systematically review all current health plans for accommodating students with special healthcare needs and update their care plans as needed to decrease the risk for exposure to COVID-19 ● Identify local COVID-19 testing sites ● Provide hand sanitizer for students and staff ● Allow vulnerable students to complete their coursework virtually ● Allow vulnerable students and staff to wear PPE throughout the school day (to the extent feasible) ● Vulnerable staff can require students to wear a mask while in their classroom. Verification documentation required. ● Establish a process for regular check- ins with vulnerable students and staff ● Allow an early transition for vulnerable students to go to classes ● Limit large group gatherings/interactions for vulnerable students and staff ● Adhere to FERPA and HIPAA requirements ● Adhere to state and federal employment law and extended leave allowances Exposure - No Symptoms Who Staff Member Diagnosis - No Symptoms Staff or student reports that they were exposed to someone with COVID-19 within the last two weeks, but is NOT symptomatic Staff or student reports that they were diagnosed with COVID-19 less than 10 days ago, but is NOT symptomatic Staff or student presents with at least one of the following COVID-19 symptoms (fever...chills...shortness of breath/difficulty breathing...new cough...loss of taste or smell) ● Immediately go home ● Notify local health department and follow its procedures ● Can return to school in 14 days since the last close contact, if no symptoms develop ● Can participate in virtual teaching (if applicable) while out ​(resulting in no loss of sick days) ● Wear a face mask/covering until able to leave the building ● Immediately go home​ and notify direct supervisor (wear face mask while leaving) ● Notify local health department and follow its procedures ● Notify parents of the classroom with the confirmed case ● May return to work if: ○ At least 10 days have passed since the test; OR ○ Receive two negative test results in a row, at least 24 hours apart; ● Can teach virtually (if applicable) while out ● Immediately go home (wear face covering until able to leave the building) ● Notify local health department and follow its procedures ● If a person has a negative COVID-19 test, they can return to work once there is no fever, without the use of fever-reducing medications and if they have felt well for 24 hours ● Can teach virtually (if applicable) while out, if they feel well enough ● If the person is diagnosed with COVID-19, or does not get a COVID-19 test but has had symptoms, they can return to work when: ○ At least 72 hours without fever and fever-reducing medications;​ AND ○ Improvement in symptoms (e.g. cough, shortness of breath); ​AND ○ At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared; ​OR ○ Receive two negative test results in a row, at least 24 hours apart; ​OR ○ Provide documentation from a physician indicating your symptoms are not COVID related and it is safe for you to return to work If diagnosis is reported during the school day: ● Close off the area used by the sick person ● Wait at least 4 hours before fogging, THEN clean and disinfect the areas Student Symptoms ● Immediately go home ● Notify local health department and follow its procedures ● Can return to school once in 14 days since the last close contact, if no symptoms develop ● Can participate in virtual learning while out ● Wear a face mask/covering until able to leave the building ● Wait in a designated area under adult supervision until able to leave ● Immediately go home and notify administration ● Notify local health department and follow its procedures ● Notify parents of the classroom with the confirmed case ● May return to school if: ○ At least 10 days have passed since the test; OR ○ Receive two negative test results in a row, at least 24 hours apart; ● Can participate in virtual learning (if applicable) while out ● Wait with face covering in a designated area with adult supervision until able to leave If diagnosis is reported during the school day: ● Close off the area used by the sick person ● Wait at least 4 hours before fogging, THEN clean and disinfect the areas If a positive diagnosis is reported during the school day: ● Close off the facility area used by the sick person ● Wait at least 4 hours before fogging, THEN clean & disinfect those areas ● Immediately go home (wear face covering until able to leave the building) ● Notify local health department and follow its procedures ● If a person has a negative COVID-19 test, they can return to school once there is no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and they have felt well for 24 hours. ● Can participate in virtual learning (if applicable) if they feel well enough ● Wait in a designated area with adult supervision until they leave school. ● If the person is diagnosed with COVID-19, or does not get a COVID-19 test but has had symptoms, they can return to school when: ○ At least 72 hours without fever and fever-reducing medications;​ AND ○ Improvement in symptoms (e.g. cough, shortness of breath); ​AND ○ At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared; ​OR ○ Receive two negative test results in a row, at least 24 hours apart;​OR ○ Provide documentation from a physician indicating your symptoms are not COVID related and it is safe to return to school If a positive diagnosis is reported during the school day: ● Close off the facility area used by the sick person ● Wait at least 4 hours before fogging, THEN clean & disinfect those areas *​Exposure is defined as being within 6 feet for 10 minutes or more of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 10 days OR living with someone who has tested positive within the last 10 days.