SMES Road Map to Re-Entry 7-16-20

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LEAD TO A WHOLEHEARTED EDUCATION AT ST. MARTIN’S U P DATED JULY 16 , 2 02 0

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ED July 16, 2020 Dear St. Martin’s Families, St. Martin’s Episcopal School has been very busy this summer planning for a safe re-entry for students, faculty and staff for the 2020-21 school year.

As we look to our Aug. 13 first day of school, things will look very different from those in previous school years. Our goal is to provide a safe and healthy space for children to learn and enjoy a full St. Martin’s education within the confines of the current global pandemic. This updated Road Map provides answers to many questions that may be on your mind regarding school opening. But like any road, between now and Aug. 13, there could be unexpected twists and turns that may require adjustments to our intended journey. This document reflects our current plan with the caveat that alternatives may be necessary depending on the climate as we move into August.

Following the recommendations of public health officials, as well as local, state, and federal requirements, and with the absolute priority of safeguarding the health and well-being of our students and staff, the school intends to welcome students and teachers back to campus for On-Campus Learning in August. If public health guidelines or concerns require a delayed campus opening or campus closures throughout the school year, we will provide instruction to our students via Virtual Learning. As the news reports about area public schools’ reopening plans, we are confident that independent schools may be better positioned to succeed due to manageable, small class sizes and the ability to safely and effectively social distance students and teachers.

Please take some time to familiarize yourself with this document and rest assured that additional details will be shared as plans become firm. I look forward to working hard to uphold our goal to continue to provide a wholehearted education to our students as we traverse this very different school year.

With love, light and blessings always, TABLE OF CONTENTS Our Promise To You......................3

Dr. Luis Ottley Head of School

Finances.............................................4 Overview...........................................5 On Campus Learning....................6 Preparing for Interruptions...... 14 Technology..................................... 15 Resources........................................ 16

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Our Promise To You

TUITION, TECHNOLOGY + INFRASTRUCTURE

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To show our commitment to and partnership with our families, St. Martin’s will absorb the activity fee for all students for the 2020-21 school year. This $120,000 savings to SMES families is an acknowledgement that next school year may not allow for the normal level of student activities associated with a St. Martin’s education.

SMES will be investing upwards of $500,000 in technology and infrastructure upgrades for the safety and well-being of our entire community in addition to distance learning enhancements to ensure robust learning and safe transition into the school year.

Technology and Infrastructure Investments:

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Installation of video collaboration technology in classrooms to ensure seamless synchronous and Virtual learning.

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Installation of remote carpool technology to eliminate the need for all students to gather outside for afternoon carpool and allow them to remain in classrooms and efficiently be called and escorted (if necessary) to the carpool loading area.

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Redesign and rebuild the St. Martin’s nurse station to expand equipment and the footprint to better meet the needs of the school. This will include a quarantine waiting area.

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Distance Learning professional development for all faculty to hone skills should the need arise for periods of distance learning next school year.

Installation of infrared personal body temperature kiosks at every entrance to monitor body temperatures of all students, faculty, staff and guests.

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Questions About

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FINANCES

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Will tuition change for the new school year?

St. Martin’s is committed to delivering a robust teaching and learning program regardless of the environment necessitated by the pandemic. Like all non-profit organizations, the vast majority of our annual budget is dedicated to our employees. We are wholeheartedly dedicated to maintaining the continuity and highquality of a St. Martin’s education experience for our students.

Should virtual learning become a reality for an extended period of time due to COVID-19, the Board of Trustees and the school will explore the possibility of a tiered tuition discount for that portion of the 2020-21 school year.

Will there be reimbursements for services not used?

Should the 2020-21 school year necessitate virtual learning, any unused services or fees (Explorers, Enrichment, lunch and the Dunwoody bus) will be credited accordingly. More than $200,000 in fees were credited to SMES families for unused services in the spring of 2020.

Can families customize payment plans?

We invite you to reach out to our business office to discuss your individual circumstances to discuss alternative tuition payment plan options.

Is purchase of tuition reimbursement insurance still an option?

Yes. St. Martin’s families will be notified with details for purchasing a tuition refund plan option until July 31, 2020. Our goal is to ensure that our community remains intact and that we successfully navigate the COVID-19 crisis as one St. Martin’s family. The school encourages families to take advantage of this opportunity.

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Overview

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ON-CAMPUS LEARNING OR AT-HOME VIRTUAL ACCESS

St. Martin’s Episcopal School is committed to maintaining an on-campus, full school day schedule for students including lunch service and after-school Explorers. If a family chooses to keep their child at home for any reason while On-Campus Learning occurs, the student will continue learning through our At-Home Virtual option.

Specific decisions and plans regarding on-campus procedures will align with public health guidelines and will be revised as health and safety standards of care evolve.

Both On-Campus Learning and At-Home Virtual Learning are based on these two guiding principles:

PROTECTION OF THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF STUDENTS AND STAFF following the guidelines set forth by the CDC, Georgia Department of Public Health, the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, and the Georgia Department of Education.

MISSION-BASED LEARNING focused on the needs of the whole child and providing a quality education to our students

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ON-CAMPUS LEARNING

What will the protocols for monitoring and reporting illness look like for the 2020-21 school year?

Monitoring & Reporting • Before the first day of on-campus school on Aug. 13 and any day thereafter, anyone (students, faculty, staff, family members) who is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should be tested and not arrive on campus until cleared.

• SMES families should communicate with the school nurse (Pam Pomar, ppomar@stmartinschool.org) and division principal if anyone in their home tests positive for COVID-19, experiences symptoms, or is exposed to someone positive or symptomatic.

• Staff who become sick or experience symptoms while on campus should notify their immediate supervisor and leave campus immediately or report to a designated isolation room until able to leave campus.

• Students who become sick while on campus will be escorted to the school nurse for isolation. Parents will be notified for immediate pickup.

Exposure to COVID-19 • Students should not come to school, and families should email the school nurse (Pam Pomar, ppomar@stmartinschool.org) and division principal immediately if they feel sick, test positive for COVID-19, or have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

• The school nurse will notify local health officials, staff, and families immediately if a student or staff member is sick with COVID-19.

• Families will be notified of confirmed illnesses occurring within the classroom; however, patient confidentiality will be maintained.

• If a student or staff member is confirmed to have been exposed or is highly likely to have been exposed to COVID-19, they will be required to selfquarantine. The length of quarantine will be in accordance with the school and CDC guildelines.

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• At school, anyone exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 will be immediately placed in an isolation room until they can be safely transported to their home or a healthcare provider.

• Sick staff and students should not return until they have met the CDC’s most upto-date criteria to discontinue home isolation.

• Students and staff who test positive for COVID-19 or are presumed to have COVID-19 (but have not been tested) will be unable to return to campus until they have had no fever for at least three days, their symptoms are improving, and at least ten days have passed since their symptoms first appeared.

Contact Tracing • Contact tracing will be implemented to mitigate the spread of infection.

• The school nurse will work with public health officials if a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19.

• The school nurse and/or local public health officials will work with the infected person to identify close contacts and notify community members who may have been in close contact with the infected person.

• Instructions that follow the current CDC and Georgia Department of Public Health guidelines will be provided to the infected person and all close contacts regarding isolation and quarantine.

Protecting Vulnerable Populations Vulnerable populations include elderly individuals and/or individuals with serious underlying health conditions.

• Virtual Access will be provided for vulnerable students, even when On-Campus Learning operations are occurring.

• The school will adhere to FERPA and HIPAA requirements

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What are the screening protocols to enter campus for the 2020-21 school year?

Morning Arrival & Screening Process • Everyone entering the building will be screened upon arrival in the carpool key.

• Late arrivals will be screened in the Warrior Hall lobby.

• Each day, parents will receive a text from the SCHOOL PASS app, which will prompt them to complete the following COVID health screening questions before and/or during campus arrival:

> Does your child have a temperature of 100.4° Fahrenheit or above?

> Has your child been exposed to someone with symptoms of COVID-19? > Has your child been exposed to someone diagnosed with COVID-19? > Does your child have any of the following symptoms: fever, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, respiratory symptoms, diarrhea, or vomiting? > Does your child have any two of the following symptoms: chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, loss of taste, or sore throat?

• If the screening reveals any COVID-19 symptoms, the student must immediately leave campus.

• Students will have their temperature checked in the carpool line. Anyone with a temperature of 100.4° Fahrenheit or above must undergo additional screening that may result in the need to leave campus immediately.

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ED Will there be additional hand sanitation stations and enhanced cleaning procedures throughout the campus?

Handwashing

• Faculty, staff, students and visitors (limited) should wash or sanitize their hands for at least 20 seconds after entering the building and throughout the day. Soap and water or hand sanitizer with an alcohol content of more than 60 percent should be used for handwashing.

• Faculty, staff, families, and students will receive instruction and reminders on hand hygiene and proper coughing and sneezing protocol to limit the spread of infectious disease.

• St. Martin’s will provide and maintain appropriate hand soap and hand sanitizer supplies throughout campus, including hand sanitizer dispensers at all entrances, hallways, and classrooms.

Cleaning & Sanitation Practices In addition to rigorous hygiene, sanitation, and disinfection procedures already in place, special attention will be paid to the following: All school: • Deep-cleaning and disinfecting protocols for all St. Martin’s facilities and equipment will be guided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations for schools. The SMES facilities management personnel will oversee daily cleaning and will be supplemented by an Atlanta-based biological decontamination team using a Clorox Pro T-360 system. The school is investing in an additional system to supplement the rigorous cleaning schedule already in place.

• The SMES facilities management team will also undergo training by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council for industry accreditation.

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ED Early Childhood Shared Materials:

• Surfaces and objects that are frequently touched will be sanitized regularly, including but not limited to toys, games, and objects or surfaces not ordinarily cleaned daily.

• Toys and games that cannot be cleaned and sanitized will not be used.

• Toys that children have placed in their mouths or have been otherwise contaminated by bodily secretions or excretions will be set aside until they can be cleaned thoroughly by a person wearing gloves.

• Machine-washable cloth toys will be used by one individual at a time or not used at all. These toys will be laundered before being used by another child.

• Toys used by a group of children will be washed and sanitized before children use them in different groups or classrooms.

• Items that need to be cleaned will be set aside in a dishpan with soapy water or a separate container marked for soiled toys.

• Only washable bedding (sheets, pillows, blankets, and sleeping bags) may be used. Extra care will go into ensuring that no child’s bedding will touch another child’s bedding. Cots and mats will be labeled for each child. Any bedding that touches a child’s skin will be cleaned weekly or before use by another child.

• All rest items and student belongings will be washed and disinfected if the child goes home ill.

Elementary and Middle School Materials: • All classroom toys, supplies, materials, and manipulatives will remain in their designated classroom and be washed or sanitized daily. The sharing of supplies between classrooms will be limited.

• Each student should use pens, pencils, scissors, and other supplies designated for their sole use. Ziploc bags with name labels will be available for each child’s use.

• Staff will sanitize classroom materials as needed using provided spray bottles, cloths, and EPA-approved wipes.

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• All school materials must stay at school; no home materials should be brought to school.

• No personal toys will be allowed on campus.

• Chromebooks and iPads will not be shared and will be sanitized before and after use.

• Whiteboards and markers will be wiped down at the end of the day and between classes.

• Only manipulatives that can be easily disinfected will be used.

What kind of changes will be implemented for parents and visitors to campus?

• Due to current circumstances, campus entry will be strictly regulated, including parent volunteers and visitors. We will notify you of changes as community assessment and guidelines evolve.

• Anyone who comes into the school building must wear a mask and maintain social distancing.

Will faculty, staff, students and/or visitors (limited) to campus be required to wear a face covering?

• All faculty, staff, students (grades 1st-8th) and visitors must wear a face covering while on campus. Exceptions will be made with consideration for medical reasons and age, and to accommodate eating and drinking, certain outdoor activities, PE, and independent work in personal office spaces where physical distancing can be maintained. All staff should remain 6 feet from students if not wearing a mask.

• Face coverings do not have to be worn by staff when they are alone in their office or classrooms, but the school recommends wearing one whenever safely possible to limit the spread of microbes.

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• Staff, students, and visitors must wear face coverings when traveling throughout the building, in confined spaces such as workrooms and breakrooms, in all common areas and gathering spaces such as classrooms, hallways, and lobby areas, and in locations where others are present.

Will physical distancing practices be implemented in the classrooms or for other gatherings on campus during the school day?

• All students and staff will maintain safe physical distances of six feet as feasible.

• Class group size will be determined by the ability to maintain physical distancing in the designated classroom space, which could be indoors or outdoors.

• Students will remain in the same groups as much as possible throughout the day.

• Most co-curricular teachers will visit students in their classrooms.

• Mixing of student groups will be limited.

• All large events such as student assemblies, special performances, parent night, and school-wide events will be modified to allow for social distancing or held virtually.

• All individuals should maintain six feet of distance from others in common areas, are discouraged from gathering in groups in confined areas, should limit the use of elevators to two individuals at a time, and should maintain at least six feet of space on staircases.

• Signage throughout the school will reinforce physical distancing.

• During student drop-off and pickup, staff will wear face coverings and maintain six feet of physical distance from others.

• Upper ES movement and MS movement will also be significantly curtailed to limit exposure.

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ED How will lunch be served?

• Currently, lunch will take place in classrooms, instead of in the cafeteria. Some students in older grades may eat outside.

• All students and staff must wash their hands before and after eating snacks or lunch.

• Faculty and staff will use provided gloves, disinfectant, and paper towels to thoroughly clean tables after students have eaten.

• Water fountains will not be available for use. Water bottle refilling stations will remain open for use.

• Hand sanitizing stations will be provided in beverage and dining areas.

How will the aftercare Explorers program operate?

The St. Martin’s Explorers program carries some degree of increased risk as students may be allowed to mix groups. To better protect our students who participate in Explorers, as well as the rest of our community, we will implement the following practices: • Until circumstances allow, there will be no morning Explorers. Carpool will begin at 7:30 am and students should go directly to their classrooms.

• Outside activities will be held as often as weather permits.

• Social distancing will be implemented.

• Elementary and Middle school students will wear face masks.

• Students will wash hands before entering and leaving Explorers.

• Temperature screenings will be conducted before students enter Explorers, regardless of whether their temperature has been taken prior in the day.

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Questions About

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PREPARING FOR INTERRUPTIONS

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Following the recommendations of public health officials, state, and federal requirements, and trends from past pandemics, St. Martin’s Episcopal School is prepared for potential interruptions to On-Campus Learning. Should conditions relative to the pandemic change, and it is necessary to suspend On-Campus Learning, we will transition to Virtual Learning or Blended Learning (Off-Campus Learning).

If my family chooses not to send my child(ren) to school, what will Off-Campus Virtual Learning look like?

Students who are advised by a physician or are unable to attend school will be able to participate in school remotely through a combination of asynchronous and some synchronous lessons.

If there is a mandated school shutdown, what will Off-Campus Virtual Learning look like?

Virtual Learning will look significantly different than the Virtual Learning we implemented last spring. We are investing in software and hardware solutions to make the Off-Campus Virtual Learning experience as close to our On-Campus Learning experience as possible. Through Off-Campus Virtual Learning, students will follow a developmentally-appropriate schedule and will interact with teachers and classmates through a mix of live and recorded content. We will continue to educate the whole child, encourage the pursuit of individual passions, promote life balance, build confidence, encourage play as a foundation of learning, and provide multi-sensory learning experiences.

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Technology

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Web Cameras with integrated microphones will be used to record lessons and provide information to students needing At-Home Access.

ZOOM will enable our teachers and students to securely connect for class to provide a high-quality video.

Google Classroom is a free web service developed by Google for schools aiming to simplify creating, distributing, and grading assignments. The primary purpose of Google Classroom is to streamline the process of sharing files between teachers and students.

Clever brings all applications into one secure portal and provides single signon for everyone.

The SCHOOL PASS school dismissal and student safety platform empowers us to keep our children safe and is developing a new feature for the school to enable our families to record and submit their daily health assessments.

Seesaw is a platform for student engagement that enables students to use creative tools to take pictures, draw, record videos and more to capture learning in a portfolio. *Technologies will be implemented according to need, and in alignment with developmental and age-level appropriateness for the children we serve.

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Resources

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AND LINKS

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) - https://www.cdc.gov https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/schools.html https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/open-america/community-mitigation.html

Georgia Governor’s Office - https://gov.georgia.gov • Governor’s Executive Order - https://gov.georgia.gov/executive-action/executive-orders/2020-executive-orders

Georgia Department of Education - https://www.gadoe.org/Pages/Home.aspx • Georgia Dept of Early Care and Learning - http://www.decal.ga.gov/Default.aspx • Georgia Insights - https://www.georgiainsights.com/uploads/1/2/2/2/122221993/georgias_k-12_recovery_plan.pdf

Other • Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) - https://gbac.issa.com • DeKalb County Schools - https://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/documents/coronavirus/update-23-b.pdf

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