LTS Covid Action Plan 2021

Small School, Big Education.

COVID-19 Action Plan – Updated February 10, 2021

Overview • Our primary focus is always to ensure the health and safety of our students, staff, and school community.

• Our small class sizes, extensive indoor and outdoor classroom and activity spaces, and overall resources allowed us to physically reopen in full on August 24 – following governmental guidelines. Should a school shutdown occur during the current school year, we will revert to online courses for the prescribed amount of time.

• In tandem with reopening our campus, we are also planning for a possible return to remote online learning. Such planning includes implementing a full, remote academic and enrichment program with a focus on increased online facetime for students and faculty during the academic day.

• Unlike larger schools with up to 30 students per class, Lake Tahoe School’s average class size of 15-18 students means that we will not have to offer a hybrid of in-person and online courses by dividing grades and offering classes on alternate days. LTS is offering a full daily schedule of academic and enrichment classes – with appropriate modifications as further outlined in this plan.

General Policies and Procedures • We are working closely with our school attorney to continuously review and implement legal policies related to the crisis. Also, we are in contact with our insurance broker for advice and liability information.

• Our principal sources of health and safety information are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Washoe County Health Department, and the State of Nevada Governor’s Office – including the Nevada Department of Education’s Nevada’s Path Forward: A Framework for a Safe, Efficient, and Equitable Return to School Buildings. We are also utilizing National Association of Independent School (NAIS) and Northwest Association of Independent School (NWAIS) recommendations, and closely following Washoe County School District directives and the actions of peer schools around the country.

Planning Modification & Facility Zoning for Physical Distancing • Drop-off and pickup times for students are staggered or modified by location to allow for maximum separation.

• Parents and visitors are not allowed beyond the main office beyond dropping off or picking up students, or the PreK or Kindergarten check-in areas during the school day.

Potential visitors to campus must call the main office for an appointment.

• Hallway traffic usage and locker area access is monitored during transition time between classes to provide for less large-scale interaction. Transitions themselves are limited and Enrichment teachers may travel to classes in some grades while the students remain in their classrooms.

• Larger gatherings such as assemblies and weekly meetings are temporarily suspended.

• In classrooms, individual desks are separated using the 3’ recommendation wherever possible. Teacher desks and formerly shared use spaces and equipment are now designated for single-person usage.

Planning Modification & Facility Zoning for Physical Distancing • Additional classroom space has been created or repurposed utilizing the Flex Room, Rainbow Reading Room, former PE area, the extra science lab, library, and the Cafeteria outside of lunches. Current PE classes are breaking up larger class sizes using the divider curtain in the APAC to keep numbers manageable.

• In larger grades/classes, schedules for enrichment courses are modified to accommodate smaller numbers in the classroom.

• Whenever possible, teachers are holding classes outdoors around the campus.

Outdoor seats and equipment have been purchased to facilitate this move. Recess and after lunch playtime utilize a rotation system of all three playfields to break up larger groups of students.

• Classrooms that utilize shared supplies or manipulatives – art, music, MakerSpace, etc.

– have moved from shared use to individual kits for required tools or projects.

Restrictions are also in place for shared equipment in all classrooms.

Planning Modification & Facility Zoning for Physical Distancing • Lunch use of the Lower and Middle cafeteria is staggered by time and location to allow for social distancing. We have purchased additional lunchroom tables for the cafeteria to facilitate this separation. Classes are encouraged to eat their meals outside as well, weather permitting. Café Day meal options will offer only prepackaged foods.

• Wherever appropriate and necessary, we are utilizing signage to identify where people should walk and to designate how far apart they should be. Specifically designated paths and outdoor access areas have been created to minimize movement within the main building during transitions.

• After school programs were limited this fall. Athletic offerings are determined by TahNeva League and Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA) recommendations. As of this posting, fall sports such as Cross Country and Girls Basketball have been postponed until January. Attendance at school events – athletic and otherwise - by parents is limited by government directive.

Personal Protection

• Student temperatures are taken each day at drop-off and at check-in.

• Teachers have established regular handwashing times throughout the day for their students. We have maximized locations for indoor and outdoor hand sanitizer stations.

We have also added a sink area in the PreK this summer to facilitate this new need.

• All drinking fountains on campus are turned off. In their place, we added bottle fillers to the current machines. Students are required to bring their own water bottles from home.

• Lake Tahoe School is following the directive of Governor Sisolak and most public and private schools in our area and requires that masks should be worn by all faculty, staff, and students in grades K-8. This policy covers all indoor interactions and public spaces including occupied classrooms, hallways, stairwells, and individual conferences or meetings. The requirement also extends to all visitors to campus – including parents, vendors, contractors, etc. For the full policy, please click here.

• We provide COVID-19 testing for all faculty and staff at regular points during the school year – generally every six to eight weeks.

• Our HVAC system has an ultraviolet light component that kills germs - including COVID-19 - as the air recirculates, and we updated the system this summer. Also, we have purchased portable UV cleaning systems to use in classrooms and the APAC. These units will be used during transitions in empty classrooms during the day and after-hours as well.

Transportation • We have significantly reduced our fall field trip and retreat schedules. Individual parent transportation will be encouraged for those field trips that do go on as scheduled. Bus transportation that does occur will be limited in terms of seating to ensure students are properly distanced.

Supplies and Equipment • We have masks, gloves, hand sanitizers, cleaning equipment, chemicals, and dispensers. We have also identified new suppliers and monitored and tracked all orders to ensure our stock-piles are sufficient for remaining open and to help us through possible school closures in the future.

Health and Hygiene • Dealing with reported COVID-19 cases among our school community is also a concern.

Depending on contact issues, it is likely that the school may be subject to periodic closings for cleaning. Washoe County and CDC guidelines offer direction in this area, and in consultation with our school attorney, we have developed a school-based policy for such an occurrence. Please see our Scenario and Protocols document here.

• We have redesigned, enlarged, and resupplied our infirmary in the Main Office area to better isolate and comfort our ill students.

Cleaning and Sanitation • There are now varying levels of cleaning, sanitizing, disinfection, and sterilization to be implemented for different situations. Our maintenance team, in conjunction with the faculty and following legal requirements, is determining and implementing the new timing and procedures required.

• We have also placed proper signage in place to help students understand the new rules and follow directions.

Communication • Communicating procedures and expectations is essential. In addition to email and school newsletter information, we have created this COVID-19 landing page on our website for policies, procedures, and updates and to provide general COVID-19related information.

Pre-Kindergarten Program • During the school closing last spring, the State of Nevada allowed daycare and PreK facilities to remain open. Should the State of Nevada mandate school closures again in the 2020-2021 school year, we would work to keep our PreK program open. To do so will be to assume approval from the State and continued enrollment of sufficient size to maintain an active and productive program.

No one can definitively know what shape the pandemic will take in the coming months nor its continued impact on schools and education. As school leaders and community members, we are all doing our best to prepare now for what we think might work best under these circumstances. It is our hope that Lake Tahoe School’s thoughtfully prepared response and positive efforts to protect our community will enable our students to continue to be successful learners in the coming school year.

Please continue checking our website and school-wide communications for further updates.