Updated 2-3-22 COVID-19 Return To School Plan

Updated February 3, 2022 North Platte Public Schools believes that the best way for children to learn is in person. The Return to School Plan is designed to create the safest environment for our students and staff and keep our schools open to in-person learning. We believe this plan supports the needs of our students, staff, and families while acknowledging the current risk to the health and safety concerns within the community and the schools. Additionally, this plan meets all requirements of the Americans Rescue Plan.

North Platte Public Schools will continuously review and update the 2021-22 NPPS Return to School Plan throughout the school year as the risk of COVID-19 spreads in our community and school changes. This work will be ongoing as new research emerges and more guidance is provided to the school district from the Great Plains Health (GPH), West Central District Health Department (WCDHD), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE), and the U.S. Department of Education.

Please note: North Platte Public Schools will adjust protocols (including face-covering requirements) as necessary to address changing conditions. During the 2021-2022 school year, protocols and requirements may change for a specific school building, program, classroom, transportation, or a setting based on the number of positive cases, contact tracing, community test positivity rate, community conditions, and risk of spread.

Please note: The requirement for face-coverings may change if there is an identified high risk of spread within the community, school building, program, or classroom. Any changes made to the plan and protocols will be communicated in a timely manner through the NPPS website, email, and/ or social media.

Jan 3, 2022

1

Each school will monitor its internal factors (student & staff contact tracing data) and community factors to determine what safety measures need to be implemented.

A COVID Response Team (Cabinet, principal, school nurse) will monitor each school’s status and determine what safety measures will be implemented based on the data collected. Appropriate measures will be communicated to students, staff, and parents in a timely manner.

Safety measures considerations are face-covering requirements, discontinuing certain activities, classroom closures, school closures, and other precautionary measures determined by the COVID Response Team.

Dr. Ron Hanson North Platte Public Schools Superintendent

Please note: The requirement for face-coverings may change if there is an identified high risk of spread within the community, school building, program, or classroom. Any changes made to the plan and protocols will be communicated in a timely manner through the NPPS website, email, and/ or social media.

Jan 3, 2022

2

COVID-19 Information and Proactive Actions CDC COVID-19 Information to Reduce Your Risk

Definitions Recommendations regarding face coverings differ based on the level of community spread and can be found throughout this document. Information should be provided to staff, students, and families on proper use, removal, and washing of cloth face coverings. Any policy regarding face coverings should be sensitive to the needs of students and staff with medical issues that make wearing a face-covering inadvisable.

Face Coverings

CDC Guidance

Hand sanitizers should contain at least 60% alcohol and only be used with staff and older children who can safely use hand sanitizer. Hand soap should be used for younger children.

Hand Sanitizer

CDC Guidance

Ensure the safe and correct application of disinfectants and keep them out of reach of children.

Clean/Disinfect

CDC Guidance

Please note: The requirement for face-coverings may change if there is an identified high risk of spread within the community, school building, program, or classroom. Any changes made to the plan and protocols will be communicated in a timely manner through the NPPS website, email, and/ or social media.

Jan 3, 2022

3

The NPPS Plan Self-Screening Staff, students, and visitors entering any NPPS facility are expected to conduct a self-screening for COVID-19 symptoms every day before arriving. *Every day, ask yourself or your student the following screening questions PRIOR to entering an NPPS building: Do you have one of the following? ● Fever of over 100.4 ● The onset of shortness of breath or difficulty breathing ● New onset of dry cough ● New onset of loss of taste or smell Do you have two or more of the following? (lasting more than 24 hours without a known cause) ● Chills longer than two hours ● Congestion and/or runny nose ● Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea ● Sore throat ● Headache ● Muscle pain Have you had contact with COVID-19? ● Contact longer than a cumulative 15 minutes within 6 feet without a face covering or residing with someone who is positive.

If you answered YES to ANY of the above questions, do NOT go into an NPPS building. Instead: ● Contact your doctor or seek medical care & contact your immediate supervisor. ● Get tested for COVID-19. ● Self-isolate. Do not go to an NPPS building until you have a negative COVID-19 test result or have been cleared by a medical professional.

Get tested for COVID-19 ● Great Plains Health https://www.gphealth.org/patients-visitors/covid-19-resources/testing-for-covid-19/ WCDHD - https://wcdhd.org/community/covid/testing.html ●

Please note: The requirement for face-coverings may change if there is an identified high risk of spread within the community, school building, program, or classroom. Any changes made to the plan and protocols will be communicated in a timely manner through the NPPS website, email, and/ or social media.

Jan 3, 2022

4

Vaccination Status Vaccination status is based on a self-identified system. NPPS asks that vaccinated employees register their vaccination information through the Self-Reporting Registry.

According to the CDC, in general, people are considered fully vaccinated: ● or

Two weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines,

●

Two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine

Face Coverings The North Platte Public Schools plan for face coverings is based on current community and school conditions and Great Plains Health and West Central District Health Department recommendations.

Students For students who are fully vaccinated, face-covering is recommended. To reduce the risk of being infected with the Delta variant and possibly spreading it to others, the CDC recommends wearing a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission.

For students who are not fully vaccinated, face coverings are recommended. The CDC recommends that you wear a mask in indoor public places if you are not fully vaccinated and aged two or older.

Each school will monitor its internal factors (student & staff contact tracing data) and community transmission rate to determine what safety measures need to be implemented. When the exposures and positivity rate meet or exceed the set thresholds (see below), face-coverings will be required for a minimum of 10 consecutive days to slow and or prevent the transmission of the COVID virus.

Requirements will be evaluated based on the length, time, and proximity of exposure, grade level, and school contact tracing.

Examples: The elementary classroom has one positive case in a 4th-grade classroom; the classroom will be placed in a face-covering requirement based on the exposure time, proximity/ *shared spaces, and positive cases not being face-covering. The principal may require the entire grade level to wear face coverings to stop the transmission between students and the classroom. The administration is responsible for contacting parents or guardians of any direct exposure to a positive case.

If the school has multiple positive cases in more than one classroom, the entire school will be placed in a face-covering requirement. *Grade levels share spaces such as; lunch, art, music, and other specials classes.

Please note: The requirement for face-coverings may change if there is an identified high risk of spread within the community, school building, program, or classroom. Any changes made to the plan and protocols will be communicated in a timely manner through the NPPS website, email, and/ or social media.

Jan 3, 2022

5

The administration is responsible for contacting parents or guardians of any direct exposure to a positive case in secondary schools. Anyone deemed in direct contact with a positive case must wear a face-covering for 10 consecutive days and self-monitor.

When visiting buildings other than your primary work location, masks are required for all NPPS employees.

Staff For buildings that self-report, an employee vaccination registry of 70% or higher masking will be optional for all students and staff.

For buildings with less than a 70% self-reported registry, fully vaccinated staff, face coverings are OPTIONAL. For staff who are not fully vaccinated, face coverings are REQUIRED. When visiting buildings other than your primary work location, masks are required for all NPPS employees.

Volunteers, Visitors, and Families at School During regular school hours (including Kids Klub hours), volunteers, visitors, and families are welcome to enter the school buildings, at each principal’s discretion, as long as they wear a face-covering over the nose and mouth at all times.

For volunteers, visitors, and families who are fully vaccinated, face-coverings are required.

Note: If the district, school, building, or classroom is in a face-covering mandate, anyone who enters the facility will be required to wear a face covering.

Elementary schools will continue to use the ‘hug and go’ area and drop-off and pick-up procedures to avoid unnecessary exposure to staff and students.

Events Outside of Regular School Hours, For volunteers, visitors, and families who are fully vaccinated, face-coverings are optional. For volunteers, visitors, and families who are not fully vaccinated, face-coverings are recommended. We will follow NSAA guidance for sanctioned events.

Transportation - Buses We will follow the Nebraska Department of Education Guidelines (NDE) for Pupil Transportation Mask Requirements. The NDE guidance states masks are recommended but not required. *Drivers do not need to wear a face-covering if they are the only person on the bus.

Please note: The requirement for face-coverings may change if there is an identified high risk of spread within the community, school building, program, or classroom. Any changes made to the plan and protocols will be communicated in a timely manner through the NPPS website, email, and/ or social media.

Jan 3, 2022

6

Preventative Measures When wearing a face covering: ● Face coverings must be multilayered. ● Per our current school dress code, bandanas are not allowed. ● Plastic face shields may be used as a replacement for multilayer cloth face coverings if necessary. ● NPPS will have face coverings available for staff and students who do not provide their own. ● Families are allowed to provide their own multilayer cloth face coverings. Please note: Gaiters are single layers and can only be used if doubled up and cover both nose and mouth. ● Students and families are responsible for laundering and wearing their face coverings each day. ● NPPS will treat face coverings as a required part of the dress code where applicable, and discipline for not following the dress code is outlined in our Important Information Handbook.

Face covering exemptions North Platte Public Schools will offer mask exemptions to any student who meets the requirements outlined in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. For more information about this, please visit https://www.disabilityrightsnebraska.org/file_download/inline/3dbbef7f-a93b-4d41-9761-b3058b0c 4b3a.

If you have additional questions, please contact the building administrator for your student’s school.

Hand Hygiene Students, staff, and visitors will be encouraged frequently to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds.

Hand sanitizer will be available in classrooms and multiple locations throughout the building when hand washing isn’t easily accessible.

Custodial staff will clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces in common areas and classrooms as needed and at the end of the day.

Physical Distancing We will continue to keep everyone physically distanced from others by maintaining three to six feet whenever possible. Any distance makes a difference, and we will space out individuals as far as possible, where and when we can. Desks/ tables/ chairs will be placed as far apart as possible.

Please note: The requirement for face-coverings may change if there is an identified high risk of spread within the community, school building, program, or classroom. Any changes made to the plan and protocols will be communicated in a timely manner through the NPPS website, email, and/ or social media.

Jan 3, 2022

7

Ventilation and Cleaning Efforts The Maintenance Department will continue with fresh air practices in alignment with recommendations from ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers) and the CDC (Center for Disease Control).

Custodial staff will clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces in common areas and classrooms as needed and at the end of the day. Daily cleaning protocols will remain in place from the 2020-2021 pandemic plan.

Drinking Fountains and Water Bottles ● ● ● ● ●

Drinking fountains will not be available.

Classroom sinks will be available.

Water bottle fill stations will be accessible where available.

NPPS will provide one water bottle per student for the 2021-2022 school year K-12 students may bring bottles full of water from home.

Cafeterias Elementary ● ● ● ● ●

Hand sanitizer will be provided for students as they enter the cafeteria.

Meals will be served in individual containers.

Students may be assigned to a table.

No food delivery will be allowed.

No visitors will be allowed for lunch.

Secondary ● ● ● ●

Hand sanitizer will be provided for students as they enter the cafeteria.

Meals will be served based on past practice.

No food delivery will be allowed.

No visitors will be allowed for lunch.

Please note: The requirement for face-coverings may change if there is an identified high risk of spread within the community, school building, program, or classroom. Any changes made to the plan and protocols will be communicated in a timely manner through the NPPS website, email, and/ or social media.

Jan 3, 2022

8

Vaccinations The COVID-19 vaccine is not required but strongly recommended.

Under Title 173 of the Nebraska Administrative Code, each school or school district in Nebraska is required to keep the immunization history of the students enrolled on file. If your child has received the COVID-19 vaccine, we ask that you please provide us a copy of the information by emailing a copy of the vaccination card to your school nurse. If your child has not received the COVID-19 vaccine, there is nothing you need to do.

The West Central District Health Department provides the following information about the COVID-19 vaccine: Everyone eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19 can schedule an appointment at https://wcdhd.org/services/covid/covid-vaccination.html.

For more information about safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines and answers to common questions, please see the helpful resources below: ● Benefits of Getting Vaccinated - Benefits of Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine | CDC, Frequently Asked Questions about, & CDC - Different COVID-19 Vaccines ● It’s Up to You – COVID-19 Vaccination - Questions & Answers About COVID-19 Vaccines | The Ad Council (getvaccineanswers.org) ● Learn more on the WCDHD website at Services: COVID-19 Resources: COVID-19 Vaccination.

Infection Response Each school will monitor its internal factors (student & staff contact tracing data) and community factors to determine what safety measures need to be implemented.

A COVID Response Team (district and school administration and the school nurse and health professionals) will monitor each school’s status and determine what safety measures will be implemented based on the data collected. Appropriate measures will be communicated to students, staff, and parents in a timely manner.

A 5% - 10% threshold of exposure and positive rates among students and staff will be used to determine what safety measures will be implemented.

Please note: The requirement for face-coverings may change if there is an identified high risk of spread within the community, school building, program, or classroom. Any changes made to the plan and protocols will be communicated in a timely manner through the NPPS website, email, and/ or social media.

Jan 3, 2022

9

Example: A elementary school with a total of 300 individuals. A 5%-10% threshold would be 15 – 30 individuals who have been exposed and/ or tested positive. The COVID Response Team will determine the appropriate safety measures that will be required.

Safety measures considerations are face-covering requirements, physical distancing, disinfecting enhancement, discontinuing certain activities, classroom closures, school closures, and other precautionary measures determined by the COVID Response Team.

Any changes made to the plan and protocols will be communicated in a timely manner through the NPPS website, email, and social media. In some cases, it could be short notice time due to when the incident occurred and when the information was received.

Contact Tracing - Close Contact Close contact is defined as someone who has been within 6 feet of the positive case for a cumulative 15 minutes or more, and one or both persons were not wearing a face covering. A positive COVID-19 case begins 48 hours before the onset of symptoms or test date if the positive case is asymptomatic.

Quarantine and Exclusion Quarantine and Exclusion requirements are established in consultation and at the direction of the West Central District Health Department and Great Plains Health.

Updated 1-3-2022 - https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1227-isolation-quarantine-guidance.html Given what we currently know about COVID-19 and the Omicron variant, CDC is shortening the recommended time for isolation for the public. People with COVID-19 should isolate for 5 days and if they are asymptomatic or their symptoms are resolving (without fever for 24 hours), follow that by 5 days of wearing a mask when around others to minimize the risk of infecting people they encounter.

The change is motivated by science demonstrating that the majority of SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs early in the course of illness, generally in the 1-2 days prior to onset of symptoms and the 2-3 days after.

Additionally, CDC is updating the recommended quarantine period for anyone in the general public who is exposed to COVID-19. For people who are unvaccinated or are more than six months out from their second mRNA dose (or more than 2 months after the J&J vaccine) and not yet boosted, CDC now recommends quarantine for 5 days followed by strict mask use for an additional 5 days.

Alternatively, if a 5-day quarantine is not feasible, it is imperative that an exposed person wear a well-fitting mask at all times when around others for 10 days after exposure. Individuals who have received their booster shot do not need to quarantine following an exposure, but should wear a mask for 10 days after the exposure. For all those exposed, best practice would also include a test for Please note: The requirement for face-coverings may change if there is an identified high risk of spread within the community, school building, program, or classroom. Any changes made to the plan and protocols will be communicated in a timely manner through the NPPS website, email, and/ or social media.

Jan 3, 2022

10

SARS-CoV-2 at day 5 after exposure. If symptoms occur, individuals should immediately quarantine until a negative test confirms symptoms are not attributable to COVID-19.

Isolation relates to behavior after a confirmed infection. Isolation for 5 days followed by wearing a well-fitting mask will minimize the risk of spreading the virus to others. Quarantine refers to the time following exposure to the virus or close contact with someone known to have COVID-19. Both updates come as the Omicron variant continues to spread throughout the U.S. and reflects the current science on when and for how long a person is maximally infectious. These recommendations do not supersede state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, nor do they apply to healthcare workers for whom CDC has updated guidance.

Household Exposures When individual tests are positive, all who live with this person will need to follow the following guidelines before returning to school/ work at NPPS. Vaccinated or unvaccinated individuals must wear a face-covering and may return to school/ work as long as they are symptom-free. These individuals will self-monitor and wear face-covering for 10 days. It is recommended to be tested 3-5 days following the date of exposure.

Or, the parent/ guardian has the choice to keep the student/s home while self-monitoring for up to 10 consecutive days.

Isolation for Positive Symptomatic Individuals = Isolate five days; you cannot test out of isolation.

Early Childhood & Prekindergarten Classrooms Prekindergarten classrooms will follow pre-pandemic protocols. During the 2021-2022 school year, protocols may change for a specific school building, program, classroom, transportation, or settings based on cases, contact tracing, community conditions, and risk of spread.

All Home Visits When there is a confirmed positive COVID-19 case in a home, NPPS staff are not permitted to return to the home until: ● The last person in the home is out of their quarantine period and fever and symptom-free. ● In the time being, services will be provided through the following options when agreed upon with the family: ○ Alternate means (technology) ○ Alternate location

Please note: The requirement for face-coverings may change if there is an identified high risk of spread within the community, school building, program, or classroom. Any changes made to the plan and protocols will be communicated in a timely manner through the NPPS website, email, and/ or social media.

Jan 3, 2022

11

■ If provided in an alternate location, the members of the family present at the visit pass the NPPS self-screen ● All those present at the meeting will wear masks and social distance.

Contact Information Program Specific If you have any questions or need additional information regarding the NPPS Return to School Plan, please use the following information: 1.

School-level concerns, speak to the building principal a.

High School, Scott Siegel, ssiegel@nppsd.org b.

Adams Middle School, James Ayres, jayres@nppsd.org c.

Madison Middle School, Robin Vahle, rvahle@nppsd.org d.

Cody Elementary, Tami Eshleman, teshleman@nppsd.org e.

Eisenhower Elementary, Brad LaChapelle, blachapelle@nppsd.org f.

Jefferson Elementary, Jeff Ellsworth, jellsworth@nppsd.org g.

Lake Elementary, Chris Vieyra, cvieyra@nppsd.org h.

Lincoln Elementary, Danesa Fleck, dfleck@nppsd.org i.

McDonald Elementary, Kim Flanders, kflanders@nppsd.org j.

Washington Elementary, Harmoni Wagner, hwagner@nppsd.org 2. a. b. c.

d. e. f. g. h.

Program/ District-level concerns Students, speak to the director of student services, Brandy Buscher, buscher@nppsd.org Adults, speak to the director of human resources, Kevin Mills, kmills@nppsd.org A program, curriculum, instruction, and assessment, speak to the directors of teaching and learning, K-6 Lyndsey Douglas, ldouglas@nppsd.org, or 7-12 Vikki Carlson, vcarlson@nppsd.org Special education & Early Childhood Programs, speak to the director of special education, Peggy Romshek, promshek@nppsd.org Kids Klub, speak to the director of Kids Club, Carrie Lienemann, clienemann@nppsd.org Facilities and maintenance, speak to the director of facilities, Lori Coburn, lcoburn@nppsd.org Technology, speak to the director of technology, Brian Tegtmeier, btegtmei@nppsd.org Operation/finances speak to the executive director, Stuart Simpson, ssimpson@nppsd.org

Please note: The requirement for face-coverings may change if there is an identified high risk of spread within the community, school building, program, or classroom. Any changes made to the plan and protocols will be communicated in a timely manner through the NPPS website, email, and/ or social media.

Jan 3, 2022

12