Ensworth's Guide for a Return to Campus

ENSWORTH Ensworth’s Guide for a Return to Campus 2020 | 2021

PLAN SUMMARY COVID-19 RESPONSE

We are excited to welcome students back to school on August 19 for a return to in-person programming on both campuses. While this will require some modifications to our normal operations to ensure the health and safety of our community, we are confident that we can continue to deliver an excellent program that will meet the academic and social needs of our students. The following guide will give you an overview of our plans as they relate to key areas such as Health and Wellness, Academics, Food Service, Athletics, Extracurricular Programs, and Bus Transportation.

While the focus of this guide is our return to campus, we have also been engaged in contingency planning as well. Should students have to miss school due to illness or quarantine, or if we are forced to close one or both of our campuses for a limited time due to an outbreak of COVID-19, we are prepared to provide ongoing educational engagement for those impacted. If, in a worst-case scenario, we are required to close for a prolonged period of time, as was the case last spring, our faculty is ready to transition to a remote learning program that will effectively challenge and support our students.

Ultimately, if our campuses can be open, they will be open, and our commitment to providing each student with the best possible Ensworth experience is unwavering, regardless of context. As such, we look forward to making this a positive, productive school year.

David Braemer Head of School

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OVERVIEW GUIDE FOR A RETURN TO CAMPUS The highest principles with the

for returning to campus for the 2020-2021

greatest love: these words from

academic year. This guide will serve as a

Ensworth’s vision statement reflect our

resource for the Ensworth Leadership Team

approach to everything we do, and they

in implementing plans to provide a safe

are guiding our planning for the 2020-

learning environment for students, faculty,

2021 school year. Ensworth is committed

and staff and in making decisions efficiently,

to providing our students with an

thoughtfully, and consistently when

excellent educational experience that

adjustments are necessary.

promotes their social, emotional, and academic development, and we believe this goal is best accomplished through in-person instruction and interaction.

We also hold the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff as our highest priority. After carefully considering all factors, we plan to welcome students to campus on August 19.

This summer, the Ensworth Leadership

The following medical professionals were consulted to advise the Ensworth Leadership Team during planning: • • • •

Dr. Louise Hanson Dr. Emily Kurtz* Dr. Nicole McCoin Dr. Neal Patel*

* Member of Ensworth Board of Trustees

Team has engaged in a robust planning process to review all curriculum,

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will

operations, and extracurricular activities

require our on-campus operations to look

in relation to current local and national

different, but the heart of Ensworth remains

public health guidelines. Using our

the same, and we are confident that we are

knowledge of these guidelines and

prepared to face these challenges and to

lessons learned from the Spring 2020

continue to provide a safe, enriching, and

semester, we have developed a guide

joyful experience for our community.

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GUIDING PRINCIPLES Anticipating that Ensworth will start the 2020-21 school year with in-person instruction, we are planning and preparing to welcome students to campus on August 19. Recognizing that our campuses will open in a much different way than the start of previous academic years, we are taking great care to ensure that our faculty, students, and families are informed and equipped to be successful in navigating the changes necessary for a safe return to campus.

In carefully considering our plans, our team has been guided by the following principles:

Provide a safe, on-campus environment for students, faculty and staff, and visitors.

Create the best possible learning experience, regardless of physical location.

In addition to this guide, we will continue to provide open, transparent, and direct communication from school leadership on a regular basis to maintain a strong partnership with our Ensworth community.

Comply with all local, state, and federal mandates related to COVID-19.

Ensure required modifications to our operations are clearly communicated and are as smooth as possible for students, parents, faculty, and staff.

Maintain community-oriented programs whenever possible.

Our approach is based on the CDC’s premise that COVID-19 is thought to be mostly spread by respiratory droplets released when people talk, cough, or sneeze. It is thought that the virus may also spread to hands from a contaminated surface and then to the nose, mouth or eyes, causing infection. Therefore, personal prevention practices (such as handwashing, staying home when sick, maintaining 6 feet of distance, and wearing a cloth face covering) and environmental prevention practices (such as cleaning and disinfection) are important ways to prevent the virus’s spread.

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ENSWORTH RESPONSE POSSIBLE SCENARIOS

• Campuses open for in-person learning

On Campus with SIGNIFICANT Modifications* *At the time of publication, we anticipate to open school with significant modifications

• Remote access optional for ill, medically vulnerable, and/or students required to quarantine • Social distancing protocols implemented, and masks worn when indoors or when closer than six feet outdoors • Controlled traffic patterns to maintain social distancing, including entrance to and exit from buildings

• Majority of robust cleaning and illness reporting protocols maintained

On Campus with MINIMAL Modifications

• Remote access optional for ill, medically vulnerable, and/or students required to quarantine

• Face masks encouraged, but no longer required

• Parent visits on campus can resume with completion of self-screening questionnaire

• School campuses closed

Remote Learning

• Remote learning implemented for all students and faculty (K-12)

• Limited size gatherings of students and faculty • Limited parent/visitor access to campus and changes to entry policies and procedures • Required daily wellness and temperature checks performed by parents • Designated quarantine areas

• Dining services provided as singleserve only in classrooms, outdoors, and other disbursed locations, with a reduced headcount to achieve social distancing • Athletic activities with social distancing • Robust cleaning protocols • Bus service provided while following protocols for face masks, social distancing, and cleaning

• Regular hand washing encouraged and monitored

• On-campus traffic patterns evaluated and relaxed where possible • Personal protective equipment guidelines evaluated and relaxed where possible

• All athletic activities and spectator events allowed to continue per normal procedures

• Social distancing guidelines evaluated and relaxed where possible

• Meals, large-scale gatherings, extracurricular activities, and after-school programs allowed to continue per normal operating procedures

• Parents to continue monitoring student health and wellness

• School busing operations proceed normally

• All on-site, inter-school, and afterschool activities cancelled

• Cleaning practices adjusted to maintain buildings in clean and well-functioning order

• All athletics suspended

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H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S OF STUDENTS, FAC U LT Y, & S TA F F

The health and wellbeing of our students and faculty/ staff remain our top priority. To maintain this commitment, we must have a strong partnership between the school and our Ensworth community. As the school works to ensure distancing and other safety protocols, including monitoring any symptoms exhibited by students, we ask our parents to also keep a close watch on their children. If a child exhibits symptoms, including but not limited to an unusual rise in temperature or a fever of 100.4 or greater, we ask that you keep your child at home. All of us, working together, can help keep our campuses open and ensure a safe environment for our students, faculty, and staff.

What you can expect:

• Required daily wellness and temperature checks by parents Remote access available for students who are ill, • medically vulnerable, and/or required to quarantine Appropriate social distancing protocols and masks worn by • students, faculty, and staff in accordance with medical guidelines Procedures for regular student and faculty/staff hand washing, • with hand sanitizer also available

• Designated quarantine areas Robust cleaning protocols applied throughout campuses each day, • including cleaning frequently touched surfaces, playgrounds, and athletic equipment with an EPA-approved disinfectant

If/when there are cases of COVID-19 in our immediate community, the • school will follow the recommended course of action, as well as the communication protocols established by the Metro Nashville Health Department to inform appropriate constituents.

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What you can expect during on-campus learning:

CURRICULUM & CAMPUS FACILITIES

Remote access available for students who are ill, medically • vulnerable, and/or required to quarantine social distancing protocols and masks worn • byAppropriate students, faculty, and staff in accordance with medical

Safe, in-classroom learning remains our preference for all of our

guidelines

students, as community engagement is an important component

Controlled traffic patterns to maintain social distancing, • including entrance and exit from buildings

of their academic learning and their social and emotional development. However, we will implement our remote learning programs if local officials determine it is necessary to close our

• Limited gatherings and assemblies of students and faculty Programmatic and logistical adjustments made as needed to • maintain social distancing and adhere to recommended guidelines

campuses.

Improved central air filtration with newly-installed high-quality • MERV 13 filters in accordance with CDC recommendations sharing of materials and resources that are difficult to clean • orNodisinfect Separation of each child’s belongings from those of others in • individually labeled containers, lockers, or areas Limited parent/visitor access to campus, with changes to • entry policies and procedures Suspension of all third party facility rentals and usage • until further notice Robust cleaning protocols applied throughout campuses • frequently each day 6

What you can expect: services provided as single-serve meals in recyclable • orDining disposable containers

FOOD SERVICE

Students with dietary restrictions will continue to have their needs • met appropriately Dining in classrooms, outdoors, and other locations • with a reduced headcount to achieve social distancing

We remain committed to providing healthy, balanced lunch and snack options for our students and faculty, although dining procedures will look different for much of the 2020-2021 school year as we implement safety protocols associated with shared spaces and materials and manage distancing protocols.

Social distancing protocols implemented around food pickup, • delivery, dining, and disposal

• Close coordination with local public health officials Food service employees receive specific training in safe food • preparation and service during COVID-19 Personal protective equipment (“PPE”) required at all times for • food service employees in accordance with local, state, and federal guidance (e.g. gloves, face masks, face shields, hair coverings, etc.)

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ATHLETICS

Athletics support the health and wellness of our students and are an important aspect of our Ensworth community. We are working to identify plans that will be possible within the current guidelines, and we hope to begin athletic activities soon while practicing safe distancing, cleaning, and other required protocols.

What you can expect:

• Athletic activities where social distancing is possible Following best practices for each sport based on local, • TSSAA, and national guidelines regarding practice and competition

• Robust cleaning protocols washing before and after every practice, event, • orHand other gathering Limited spectator attendance at events with appropriate • social distancing

• Competitions live-streamed when appropriate 8

CO-CURRICULAR, EXTRA-CURRICULAR, AND AUXILIARY PROGRAMMING

The co-curricular and extra-curricular student experience is an integral part of the Ensworth culture. We know that broadening relationships with

What you can expect:

teachers, coaches, and other students and exploring interests and talents

Advisory, grade-level, and divisional programming to • continue in person where social distancing is possible

enrich the Ensworth experience and supplement academic learning. While some aspects of our programming may change with COVID-19 protocols, our team is working hard to find the balance between keeping students, faculty,

and virtually where necessary

and staff safe and healthy while continuing to provide a robust, whole-child

programming (clubs, arts productions, etc.)

• toStudent continue where possible under social distancing

student experience both inside and outside the classroom.

guidelines Limited spectator attendance at performances and • events with appropriate social distancing Auxiliary programming will align with Nashville’s road • map for reopening for respective areas Auxiliary programming personnel will receive • additional training in the COVID-19 procedures based on their areas AfterCare program to continue with modifications as • necessary to follow all safety protocols

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BUS TRANSPORTATION

What you can expect: Face masks required for all drivers and riders at all • times while loading, unloading, and riding the bus open for increased air circulation when • Windows weather conditions allow

Bus services will be provided with new rules for our riders and drivers. Our pick-up and drop-off process and seating plans will also change to accommodate the most current social distancing protocols.

disinfected nightly and surfaces within the bus • Buses wiped down with approved disinfectant between each route temperature checks at pickup points in the • Student morning for those who travel to school by Ensworth bus

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GOVERNANCE AND DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

Establishing a coordinated response across

David Braemer Head of School

our campuses, in alignment with public health

Response Team Leadership

guidelines, is critically important for providing a safe learning environment for Ensworth students

In consultation with: Medical Advisory Committee

and families. We have developed a thoughtful

Board of Trustees

approach to ensuring decisions are made quickly, with the right people and information available.

Legal Counsel

To maintain an efficient and consistent response to continually changing guidelines, we have assembled a cross-functional COVID-19 planning

Covid-19 Response Team

team that includes representatives from across the campuses and disciplines.

We will continue to consider several sources for

Heather Caponi Lower School

Sarah Buchanan Enrollment Management

Elise Lowery Auxiliary Programs

Chan Gammill Middle School

Jason Hiett Technology

Bobby Mirzaie Curriculum & Instruction

Nowell Hesse High School

Bedell James Advancement

Tiffany Townsend Communications

Ricky Bowers Athletics

Whitney Johnson Finance & Operations

David Whitfield Community Engagement & Inclusion

guidelines, primarily focusing on public health guidelines and the Nashville Metropolitan Framework of protocols for welcoming students.

Other sources of information include the TSSAA and NFHS related to athletics, as well as best practices applied from benchmark institutions as we all navigate the new considerations for maintaining a healthy and safe on-campus environment.

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