Twiggs County Public School COVID-19 Plan Update 2021

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Table of Contents School District Decision Tree……………………………………………………………….…………………………….3 Vaccination Statement………………………………………………………………………………………………………3 PPE & Healthy Hygiene Practices ……………………………………………………….…………………...…………..4 Employee COVID-19 Protocol……………………………………………….…………………………………………..4 Entering the Worksite………………………………………………………….……………………………………..……4 High-Risk Behavior Questions……………………………………………..……………………………………………4 COVID-19 Screening……………………………………………………….…………..…………………………….……5 Sick on Work……………………………………………………………………..…………………….………………….5 Virus Mitigation Process…………………………………………………………………………………………………..6 The CDC recommends the following……………………………………………….………………………….………….6 While at Work…………………………………………………………………………..……………………………..……..6 Facial Coverings…………………………………………………………………………..…………………………….…..6 Gloves………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………….…...6 Hand Sanitizer ………………………………………………………………..………………………………………..…...6 Social distancing………………………………………………………………….…………………………………..…….6 Creating a safe working environment……………………………..……………………….………………….…………..7 Response to illness……………………………………………………………………………………………………..….7 Plan to address positive cases or increase community spread………………………………………….……...….……8 The Twiggs County Protocol for Contact Tracing and Isolation………………………………………....…………….8 Tiered Approach & Criteria for Determination of Contacts for Testing……………………………..…….……..…..8 Flow Chart(Reporting COVID-19)…………………………………………………….……………….……………...10 Updated Guide From the Department of Health………………………………………………..………..…………...11 Duration of Quarantine………………………………………………………………………………….…....………..11 After COVID-19 Illness or Exposure…………………………………………………..…..……………….………...12 Isolation of Cases/Return to Work Strategy……………………………………………….…….……….………….13 Quarantine of Contacts……………………………………………………………………………….……………....13 In-School Contact Tracing Protocol for Students…………………………………………………..….………….....14

Quarantine Times for Contract Tracing………………………………………..………...…..……………….…..…14

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In-School Contact Tracing Pictorial ……………………………………………………………………………….15 Twiggs County Public Schools COVID19 Transportation Protocol…………………….……………..….….…..16 Twiggs County Transportation Department Protocol for COVID-19/School Transition………………..…...…16 Bus Stop Expectations………………………………………………………………………………………………16 Morning Board Bus Procedures………………………………………………….…………………….…..………16 Unloading at Campus…………………………………………………………………………………….….………17 Afternoon Campus Boarding Bus Procedures……………….……..………….………………………….….……..17 Unloading at Bus Stop……………………………………………………………………………….…………….…17 Disinfecting Protocols…………………………………………………………………….………….……………..….17 Students Arrival/Dismissal…………………………………………………………….…….……...……….. ………18 Parents/ Guardians…………………………………………………….…………………..….……...………………...18 Teachers/Staff………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…..18 Isolation procedures…………………………………………………………….…..…….…………..……………..….18 Faculty Safety Measures………………………………………………..……………………….……….……….…….18 Visitors Protocol…………………………………………………………….………...…….…………….…....………..19 Staff Meeting Protocol………………………………………………………………...……………….….……….……19 Community use of school buildings……………………….…………………………………….…………..……….…19 Drinking-water, Hand Cleanliness………………………….………………………….………………...…….………19 Water Fountains……………………………………………………….………………………..……….……….………20 HVAC Systems………………………………………………………………..………….……………….……..………..20 Plexiglass Barriers……………………………………………………………………………………….………….……20 Cleaning, Sanitizing, & Disinfecting……………………………..…………..………………………….………………21 Custodial Scheduling…………………………………………………………………………………..…………………21 Disinfect objects between users…………………………………...…………………………………….……………….21

School District Decision Tree

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Georgia’s Path to Recovery for K-12 Schools not only provides considerations for school leaders as they develop their plans for restarting school this fall but provides a flexible framework to address challenges that may develop throughout the 2021-2022 school year. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, the following District Decision Tree provides a menu of instructional models and responses districts can adopt to ensure students and staff members’ continued success and safety.

The Twiggs County Reentry Plan for the 2021- 2022 School Year

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The procedures and precautions outlined in this document are intended to ensure the safe return of employees and students to the Twiggs County Public School System. The methods, protocols, and practices were developed using resources from the Center for Disease Control, OSHA, several governmental websites, and input from the Twiggs County Administrative team. This document is intended to be as comprehensive as possible; we must consider and reexamine processes to align with state mandates, recommended suggestions, and conditions on the ground.

Vaccination Statement Achieving high levels of COVID-19 vaccination among eligible students as well as teachers, staff, and household members is one of the most critical strategies to help schools safely resume full operations (CDC K12 Guidance 2021).

Vaccination is currently the leading public health prevention strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic. People who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are at low risk of symptomatic or severe infection. A growing body of evidence suggests that people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are less likely to have an asymptomatic infection or transmit COVID-19 to others than people who are not fully vaccinated (CDC K12 Guidance 2021) .

Current guidance from the Center for Disease Control indicates that people who are fully vaccinated can safely resume activities they did before the pandemic. This cannot be the case for Twiggs County public schools for the 2021-2022 school year. The decision to maintain the current level of virus mitigation measures is based on the following factors: ● Most of the students are not eligible for vaccination prior to the start of the school ● Low vaccination rates in the community currently 37.55% (Georgia COVID tracker 7/16/2021) ● Low vaccination rate in Georgia currently 39.58% (Georgia COVID tracker 7/16/2021) ● Vaccination rate among all classes of staff members stands 59.34% (Staff surveys May 16,2021) ● As the state and country continues to open, the number of infections has begun an upward incline.

An individual’s vaccination status will play a role in the Contact Tracing Protocol if there is an incident of COVID-19 Exposure.

PPE & Healthy Hygiene Practices Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), healthy hygiene, and respiratory practices are critical in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Students and staff will be allowed to bring hand sanitizer and wear face coverings per CDC guidelines. The school system will require frequent handwashing of students and staff through scheduled handwashing breaks integrated into daily rituals and routines. Students will be discouraged from sharing resources, including but not limited to books, materials, supplies, equipment, and devices/gear used for athletics and band. Hand sanitizing stations are located strategically throughout each campus. Students and staff will be educated on preventing, contracting, and spreading the virus.

Employee COVID-19 Protocol

Employees are required to participate in a "Back to Work" orientation before the beginning of the school year.

Training and Orientation sessions will be conducted several times throughout the year. The anticipated training dates will occur before and after a scheduled break, Pre- and Post-Planning, transitional periods, and any time significant updates occur from state or local authorities.

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A member of the District Administrative Team will conduct COVID-19 status meetings. Meetings should be planned and placed on the district calendar. Also, onboarding new employees will include a COVID-19 orientation. The orientation sessions will consist of the following topics: ● ● ● ●

The current status of the pandemic in the local area The guidelines for entering and exiting the workplace The expectation for the use of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) What to do if they or a family member become ill with COVID -19

Entering the Worksite Every employee in the district will undergo a health screening before starting the workday. Each district facility has a designated screening location at its main entrance. The screening will consist of a temperature check and a series of questions to determine if an employee is at high risk.

High-Risk Behavior Questions 1. Do you or have you had a fever in the last week?

2. Have you been diagnosed with COVID-19?

3. Have you been in contact with anyone diagnosed with COVID-19?

4. Have you traveled to a COVID-19 “hot spot”?

It will be the responsibility of staff members to record responses to screening questions and temperature on the COVID-19 monitoring form. If there are any irregularities, the monitor will notify the administration for further action, resolution, or clarification. Monitoring forms will be kept in a notebook and should be placed in a file for the entire school year.

COVID-19 Screening

The district has invested in contactless wall-mounted thermometers to alleviate staff members' contact with potentially sick individuals during the screening process. In addition, all individuals entering the Twiggs County Facility will undergo COVID-19 screening before allowing full access to the facility.

Employees and students with temperatures up to 99.4 degrees F may remain at work/ school, but visitors will not gain access and be asked to leave. ● Staff and students with temperatures of 100.4 degrees F and higher will be required to return home. ● Employees sent home due to fever cannot return without proper documentation. ●

Screening Station Monitors The staff members monitoring the screening location should not be individuals considered High-Risk.

Individuals with pre-existing conditions such as high- blood pressure, diabetes, or any other respiratory ailments are considered high-risk.

Employees who are monitoring the screening station are required to wear the following PPE while on duty: ● Gloves ● Face Mask ● Face Shield

The screening areas/sites will be equipped with the following items and maintained by the Operations Department:

In addition, the screening areas will be sanitized daily by custodial staff.

Sick on Campus If a staff member or student becomes sick while on campus, they must be isolated from others immediately. If they can leave independently, they must use the least populated and closest exit. Do not stop at any high traffic locations such as teacher workrooms, main office or lunchroom before leaving. If they must use a restroom, choose one that is isolated and has the least traffic. Once the employee has left the building, notify the Operations Department to begin the virus mitigation process. Individuals who become sick on campus and exhibit COVID-19 symptoms will be required to bring a doctor's clearance to return to campus. It is of paramount importance that the privacy of staff members and students is maintained at all times and information concerning their illness is on a need-to-know basis. (See Contact Tracing section below)

Virus Mitigation Process If an employee or student becomes sick on campus, we must be able to isolate the area(s) within the building(s) in which the person occupied so that those areas can be cleaned and sanitized. The district uses two types of chemicals in its electrostatic sprayers, one of which can be used safely in the presence of staff and students during work hours.

The CDC recommends the following: ● Close off area for all use for 24 hours ● Open windows to increase circulation ● Disinfect and sanitize after a 24-hour waiting period Once notified of an incident, a member of the Operations Team will use the backpack sprayer and antiviral chemicals to aid in the mitigation process once the contaminated space is unoccupied.

Facial Covering When teachers, staff, and students who are not fully vaccinated consistently and correctly wear masks, they protect others and themselves. Consistent and correct mask use by people who are not fully vaccinated is especially important indoors and in crowded settings when physical distancing cannot be maintained.

● Indoors: Mask use is recommended for people who are not fully vaccinated, including students, teachers, and staff. Children under two years of age should not wear a mask. ● Outdoors: In general, people do not need to wear masks when outdoors. However, particularly in areas of substantial/high transmission, CDC recommends that people who are not fully vaccinated wear a mask in crowded outdoor settings (Source CDC K12 Guidance 2021-2022 school year)

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Face Mask Touchless and Contactless Thermometer Facial Tissue Paper Towel Gloves Disinfect Spray/Cleaning supplies Hand Sanitizer

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● Wearing a mask is mandatory. The Twiggs County School district expects students and staff to provide their face coverings. However, if an individual does not have a face covering, one will be provided on a limited basis.

Gloves Gloves will be provided to each office to carryout wellness screening and for other incidental use.

Employees needing gloves due to the nature of their assignments will receive them from their supervisors. ● Gloves should be used when there is a suspicion that COVID-19 is present. ● ●

Hand Sanitizer Hand sanitizer and antibacterial soap are available throughout all district facilities, including classrooms, bathrooms and hallways ● Employees will be required to sanitize their hands every time they enter a building ●

Social Distancing

● Between students in classrooms ○ In elementary schools, students should be at least 3 feet apart. ○ In middle schools and high schools, students should be at least 3 feet apart in low, moderate, or substantial community transmission areas. In areas of high community transmission, middle and high school students should be 6 feet apart if cohorting is not possible. ● Maintain 6 feet of distance in the following settings: ○ Between adults (teachers and staff), and between adults and students at all times in the school building. Several studies have found that transmission between staff is more common than transmission between students and staff, and among students, in schools. ○ When masks cannot be worn, such as when eating. ○ During activities when increased exhalation occurs, such as singing, shouting, band, or sports and exercise. Move these activities outdoors or to a large, well-ventilated space, when possible, such as school lobbies and auditoriums. (Source: CDC website school guidance 2020-2021)

Creating a safe working environment The following procedures will ensure that we maintain a healthy work environment for all stakeholders. In the past, we encouraged employees to come to work if they were feeling a little under the weather; but current circumstances require that we stay home if we have any of the following symptoms:

Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Fatigue Muscle or body aches Headache New loss of taste or smell Sore throat Congestion or runny nose Nausea or vomiting Diarrhea

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Source (CDC Website 2021)

If employees have the symptoms previously mentioned, they must seek medical attention immediately and before returning to work. According to the CDC website, most people can recover from COVID- 19 without seeking medical care. Still, due to the large volume of people an employee of the school district may encounter, employees need to return to work with a doctor's note.

Also, if you have been in close contact with someone with COVID-19 or are caring for someone with the virus, you must isolate yourself for 14 days (CDC) after the last contact with the sick person. Employees will be required to get tested and return to work with results that indicate that the employee is no longer contagious. A copy of the negative test results should be given to the Human Resources Department located at the Central Office.

Response to Illness If a student or staff member develops signs of COVID-19, they will be immediately separated from others until they can leave. While waiting to go, the individual will wear a cloth face covering or mask. The staff and students will inform the school immediately if there is a positive test result for COVID-19. If the student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, the school system will follow CDC guidelines on cleaning and disinfecting affected areas and defer to the DPH for notification protocol.

The students and staff members who have been deemed a close contact of the COVID-19 virus or have contracted the virus can only return to school once they produce documentation that they are free of the virus.

Plan to Address Positive Cases or Increased Community Spread If a student, teacher, staff member, or visitor tests positive for COVID-19, the school system will follow the guidance of the local health department regarding necessary school closures, home quarantine or isolation requirements, and close contact notification protocol. The health department will determine whether the closure is warranted, the length of the shutdown, and the number of schools impacted based on the specific incident and risk level within the community. Based on the level of community spread of the virus, the health department and other state or federal health officials may prescribe additional measures. If state or local health officials order closure, students will transition to the virtual learning model platform to ensure instructional continuity.

Cleaning and disinfecting of affected areas will take place following CDC and DPH guidance.

Protocol for Contact Tracing and Isolation The Twiggs County School System will use a tiered system to determine possible contact and the system's level of intervention. The following information provided will become the basis on which we base our quarantine and contact tracing protocol. Once a possible exposure report has occurred, the supervisor must determine which tier of contact the individual falls within.

Tiered Approach and Criteria for Determination of Contacts for Testing

9 Students, teachers, and staff who were within 6 feet of the individual with confirmed exposure to COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more beginning two days before the individual with Covid-19 became symptomatic (or, for asymptomatic individuals, two days before specimen collection) until the time of the isolation.**Schools should consider the following example settings in determining close contacts:

Tier 1 Close Contacts

Classrooms Lunchrooms Athletic teams and other extracurricular activities After-school care and other events

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Highest Risk of Transmission

Students, teachers, and staff in the same classroom/cohort/pod as the person with Covid-19 who always kept 6 feet distance between persons. For example, this includes individuals in the following scenarios:

Tier 2 Potential Contacts Next Highest Risk of Transmission

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Students, teachers, or staff in the same hallway, but not sharing a classroom or bathroom.

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Students who took the same bus, simultaneously but were farther than 6 feet apart from the person with Covid-19.

Students, teachers, and staff shared common space (e.g., teacher's lounge, library) and were not using the space simultaneously as the person with Covid-19, but where shortduration exposure to those with confirmed Covid-19 cannot be definitively ruled out.

For example, this includes:

Tier 3 Potentially Exposed Individuals

Students, teachers, and staff who are in-person at the school on a different schedule and in different rooms than the individual confirmed Covid-19, but exposure cannot be definitively ruled out.

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Lowest Risk of Transmission

Source CDC website 1/13/2021

Sta or Student

Don't report to building if symptomatic or positive test . Isolate if necessary. Notify

Supervisor No ed

Supervisor should report to Central Office (Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent )

HR Notified by Supervisor No Nurse

es

Length of quarantine determined by nurse and Admin. Individual informed

Nurse should complete DPH case form if necessary Quaran ne Determined

Individual informed of back to work/School date

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Supervisor/Principal should contact on weekly basis

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The Flowchart below should be used to report all suspected cases of Covid-19 Contact

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Updated Guidance from the Department of Health as of May 8, 2021 COVID-19 is a respiratory disease - common symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath, nausea, loss of taste or smell, chills, sore throat, diarrhea, etc.) If contracted, symptoms develop within 2-14 days of exposure.

Unless precautions are taken, your health is at risk; other people may contract this disease from you.

DPH may contact you if they determine you: ● have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 ● are a close contact to someone who tested positive with COVID-19; To prevent the spread of the virus: ● ● ● ● ●

Monitor your health for 14 days from your last possible exposure, Remain at home, Avoid large settings, Avoid public activities, Practice social distancing

Quarantine of Vaccinated Contacts Fully vaccinated persons with exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not required to quarantine if they meet all of the following criteria: ● Are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (i.e., it has been greater than 2 weeks following receipt of the second dose in a 2-dose series, or it has been greater than two weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine), ● It has been less than three months since the person was fully vaccinated, ● Do not experience any symptoms since current COVID-19 exposure Persons who do not meet ALL 3 of the above criteria should continue to follow quarantine guidance for “Unvaccinated Contacts” found within this document.

Duration of Quarantine for Unvaccinated ● If you are not sick, monitor health for symptoms of COVID-19 during the 14 days following last time in close contact with a sick person (includes checking temperature twice a day). ● Quarantine at home except in case of emergency or to be tested for COVID-19.

The recommended period for quarantine is 14 days, but you may be able to leave quarantine before that if specific criteria are met.

If you discontinue quarantine before 14 days, you should continue monitoring your health and following mitigation strategies until 14 days after your most recent exposure and isolate immediately if symptoms develop.

Mitigation strategies that should be practiced include: ● Wear mask constantly ● Social distance ● Hand and cough hygiene

You should obtain a test for COVID-19 at least once during your quarantine. As a reminder, the earliest time frame you can leave quarantine is after seven full days have passed since your most recent exposure.

The Twiggs County School System will quarantine for 14 days in close contact situations.

It will be the Twiggs County School District's operating procedure to require a 10-day quarantine at a minimum for all employees and students with a close contact exposure to COVID- 19 or who have had a positive test.

Twiggs County School system will require 14 days of quarantine for close contact

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● Environmental cleaning and disinfection ● Avoid crowds ● Ensure adequate indoor ventilation

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Return to campus based on guidance from the Georgia Department of Health After COVID-19 Illness or Exposure Georgia Department of Health recommends a time-based return to school after COVID-19 exposure.

Isolation of Cases/Return to Work Strategy Symptomatic persons with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 can return to childcare, school, or IHE after: ● At least ten days have passed since symptoms first appeared AND ● At least 24 hours fever free without the aid of medication ● Symptoms are improving Asymptomatic persons with confirmed COVID-19 can return to childcare, school, or IHE. ● After at least ten days have passed since the positive laboratory test AND ● Person remains asymptomatic Asymptomatic persons who test positive and later develop symptoms should follow the guidance for symptomatic persons.

Quarantine of Contacts ● All close contacts MUST be quarantined and excluded from childcare/school settings and all extracurricular activities. ● A 14-day quarantine period is still recommended: however, individuals may opt for a shorter quarantine period by meeting specific criteria.

Twiggs County School System will quarantine close contacts for 14 days.

Asymptomatic persons who have a known exposure to a person with COVID-19 can return to school: After seven full days have passed since your most recent exposure occurred, if you fulfill all THREE of the following criteria: ● Do not experience any symptoms during your monitoring period ● Are tested for COVID-19 (test should be a diagnostic test – PCR or antigen and after day 5 of your quarantine period). ● Receive a negative test result After ten full days have passed since the most recent exposure if they are not tested for COVID-19 AND do not experience any COVID-19 symptoms during the quarantine period.

After day 7 or day 10 of quarantine, individuals who do not have symptoms should closely monitor themselves for COVID-19 for the full 14 days from the most recent date of exposure.

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For the entire 14 days, they should strictly adhere to mitigation measures, including: ● appropriate mask usage, ● staying at least 6 feet from others except for brief transitional movements (e.g., changing classes), ● washing their hands, ● avoiding crowds, and ● taking other steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

In-School Contact Tracing Protocol for Students Once it has been determined that an exposure event has occurred and the event's epicenter is identified, the contact tracing process must be conducted. ● Students must be tiered using the following chart. ● In conjunction with the nurse, administrative staff must determine the students' risk level and place them on a tier, ● The school administration will report their findings to the superintendent for further instruction. ● The school administration will notify parents. ● The nurse will report all cases as required by the Department of Health.

Tier

Days of Quarantine

Tier 1 – Close Contacts

Fourteen days of required quarantine. A negative COVID-19 test result is required to return. The test must be taken after the 10th day of quarantining

Notified of possible exposure, additional PPE, observation, and limited interaction with others in the workplace required

Tier 3 – Potentially Exposed Individuals

Ten days of required quarantine. A negative COVID-19 test result is required to return. The test must be taken after the 5th day of quarantining

Tier 2 – Potential Contacts

Quarantine Times for Contract Tracing

In School Contact Tracing

Lunch Schedule

Extra Curricular Ac vi es Identify how this will impact other schools and grades

Classes

Bus / Transporta on

Student suspected /confirmed close contact with COVID-19

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Siblings /Households

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Contact Tracing will be conducted on students in household

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Twiggs County Public Schools COVID-19 Transportation Protocol The transportation department is often the first and last point of contact for most students each day and, therefore, will be the most critical link in the chain in implementing an effective COVID-19 strategy. Our protocols aim to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and protect both students and staff.

As Twiggs County Public Schools reopen for the 2021-2022 school year, the transportation department will play a vital role in protecting students as they travel to school. Enhanced safety and sanitation measures are in place to mitigate the spread of the virus. In addition, students using school bus transportation are required to wear face coverings at all times.

The Twiggs County School District has made significant investments in the Transportation Department to ensure our student’s safety and well-being as they travel to and from school. ●

Each bus is equipped with an air purification system that kills all COVID-19 airborne particles.

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The buses in the fleet have undergone extensive maintenance on their air-conditioning and ventilation systems.

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The Bus Shop has been equipped with a fogging sanitation system used daily to disinfect the fleet.

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Bus drivers are equipped with personal protection equipment.

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It is required that Bus Drivers wipe down all high-touch surfaces.

Exceptions may be made for student management reasons, such as keeping younger elementary students near the bus closer to the driver.

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Students will be seated from the back seats, then toward the front when possible, with household seating prioritized.

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Students will use hand sanitizer provided near the bus stairwell.

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Bus drivers and monitors will wear face coverings during the loading/unloading of the bus and when interacting with students.

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Students will not share food, drinks, personal devices, or personal property.

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Students will practice social distance whenever possible (if there is adequate space, and it is safe to do so) while waiting for, approaching, and boarding the school bus.

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Each bus will have a limited number of face masks for students that don't have one.

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Students will wear face coverings at the bus stop, when boarding the bus, and for the duration of the bus ride.

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The following guidance applies to any Twiggs County student riding a bus. These protocols will be followed when students arrive at their designated bus stop until they exit the school bus.

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Unloading at Campus ●

Unloading will start from the front to the back.

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Students will continue to wear face coverings, practice social distancing, and follow campus guidelines.

Afternoon Campus Boarding Bus Procedures ●

Bus drivers and monitors will wear face coverings during the bus loading/unloading and interacting with students.

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Students will wear face coverings when boarding the bus and for the duration of the bus ride.

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Students will practice social distancing as they approach and board the bus.

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Students will use hand sanitizer provided near the bus stairwell.

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Students will be seated starting from the back seats, then toward the front when possible, according to address with household seating prioritized.

Exceptions may be made for student management reasons, such as keeping younger elementary students near the front of the Bus to be closer to the driver.

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Students will not share food, drinks, personal devices, or personal property.

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Unloading at Bus Stop Unloading will start from the front to the back.

Students will continue to wear face coverings until they have exited the bus, departed the bus stop area, and can maintain more than six feet of social distance from other riders. ● Students will practice social distancing and avoid gathering in groups of 10 or more. ● Students will not share food, drinks, or personal devices. ● ●

Disinfecting Protocols Between Each AM & PM Campus Drop-Off Drivers are trained in bus cleaning methods and the proper use of PPE. School bus drivers, bus monitors, and staff will spray and wipe down high-touch items with disinfecting spray. ● Bus drivers will run their buses for 15 minutes before leaving in the morning to allow the air purification system to clean the air before students are loaded. ● When possible, after unloading, windows will be opened to allow outside air to circulate throughout the bus. ● ●

Bus Arrival & Dismissal Expectations Student - Arrival

Students will load and unload the bus at staggered times at the direction of the bus driver.

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As students depart from the bus, they will immediately walk into the building and designated area for a wellness check. Staff at each campus must be designated to unload students and direct them as needed.

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Students will not congregate with other students after exiting the bus.

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Students will maintain an appropriate social distance as they enter the building.

Student - Dismissal ●

Students will wait in a designated "pre-loading" area for each bus to arrive (socially distanced).

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Students will load onto the bus at staggered times at the direction of the school staff.

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Students will maintain social distancing guidelines as they load and are seated for the bus ride home.

Parents/Guardians When possible, parents/guardians will help with student supervision at the bus stop.

Teachers/Staff ●

Assigned staff will supervise student arrival and dismissal, ensure that students are wearing face coverings, and direct students to wellness checks.

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Schools will have face masks available for students that don't have them.

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Staff will ensure social distancing during arrival and dismissal.

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During dismissal, teachers will supervise designated pre-loading areas for students waiting for the bus to arrive.

Isolation Procedures for School buses When the community spread level is minimal or moderate, an isolation area will be designated on each bus route. The isolation seat will be the first seat located on the right of the bus driver.

Ideally, the Twiggs County School System does not want to transport a sick child, but it may be necessary when conducting health screenings, and a parent or guardian cannot retrieve a student who is deemed to have a fever. Therefore, any student found to have a fever and, for safety reasons, must be transported will be required to sit in the isolation seat with a mask (provided by the system). The driver is to radio the Transportation Director, who, in turn, will inform the administrative staff of the child's school. If necessary, the bus may need to alter its standard drop-off procedures to ensure that the child in question is the first to depart from the bus. Once in the school building, the student should be escorted to the building's isolation area and parent contact made for pick-up.

Facility Safety Measures

The Twiggs County School System has implemented a healthy building strategy to protect the students and staff. These strategies incorporate improving air quality, cleaning effectively, monitoring and limiting access to district facilities, and sanitizing programs.

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Visitor Protocols The Twiggs County School System strives to create a welcoming environment for all visitors.

During this unprecedented time, the Twiggs County School System will limit non-essential personnel from entering the building while school is in session or on teacher workdays. Personal protective equipment (PPE), healthy hygiene, and respiratory practices are critical in preventing the spread of COVID-19; therefore, all visitors will be required to wear a mask and use hand sanitizer before meeting school personnel. To reduce the number of visitors entering our facilities, we ask that the following guidelines are observed: ● Meetings with parents should take place by Teleconference, if possible. ● All visitors will be required to wear PPE during their visit. ● Visitors or vendors must have a wellness check by their sponsoring staff member if school is in session. ● All visitors and vendors must sign in at each facility that they visit. ● If possible, visits by vendors should be scheduled when students and staff are in the building.

Staff Meeting Protocols To reduce the density of occupied spaces and to facilitate social distancing, staff meetings should be held via videoconferencing as much as possible. However, when a meeting must be held in person, the meeting organizer must ensure that space and distancing requirements are enforced, and participants have the proper PPE. In staff-only settings, vaccinated staff members have the option of not wearing masks. As stated in the social distancing guidance from the CDC, there should be a minimum of 3 feet between meeting participants.

Community Use of School Buildings Community access to district facilities will be limited to prioritize safety. However, in conjunction with the Twiggs County Board of Education, the superintendent will deem it appropriate to allow outside groups to use facilities.

Hand Cleanliness According to the CDC, handwashing is a critical activity to maintain good personal hygiene and prevent the transmission of the COVID-19. To ensure that staff and students can maintain good hand hygiene while on campus, the district has implemented the following: Installation of Soap and paper towel dispensers in classrooms that currently have sinks Every classroom in the district will be equipped with hand sanitizer and paper towels.

Hand sanitizing stations will be placed at every entrance and in the cafeteria.

The district has purchased twice the supply of soap for the restrooms.

● ● ● ●

Principals will establish plans that allow students to wash their hands immediately after arriving at school, entering the classroom, finishing lunch, touching shared objects, using the bathroom, or after coughing, sneezing, if necessary. Handwashing should be incorporated into the school day every time students enter or leave their classrooms and transition between activities. It is important to remember to stagger times not to cause crowds or congestion in the restroom.

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Water Fountains /Bottle Fillers Water fountains are considered a source of COVID-19 transmission, and health agencies have recommended minimizing the use and touching of water fountains. Students may bring bottled water from home or use one of the reusable water bottles provided by the school system. Water fountains will not be used by staff and students. The district has entered into a contractual agreement with Crystal Springs to provide water and bottle filling stations until the district can source and install permanent bottle filling stations for every facility within the district.

HVAC Systems SARS-CoV-2 present in the coughs, sneezes, and exhaled breath of an infectious person can be transported in the air to disperse throughout a room and remain aloft for hours. This long-range airborne virus can infect even people who have not had close contact with the infectious person if they inhale enough of the virus. Bringing fresh outdoor air into a room can dilute and displace any present airborne virus, which reduces the probability that someone breathes enough infectious air to become infected.

Heating and air conditioning systems functioning at optimal levels are critical in providing a safe and clean building environment. In addition, a properly designed and functioning HVAC system can mitigate the transmission of the virus.

The Twiggs County School district has made several investments to improve the air quality and ventilation within district facilities. ● The district will follow the Center for Disease Control recommendation and increase the filter rating throughout the district from MERV 8 to MERV 13; this change will vastly reduce the number of airborne particles, including viruses, that pass through the ventilation system thus improving air quality within facilities. ● The district has purchased an Ionic air-purification system for every classroom as well as the cafeterias. These units can kill bacteria, viruses, control odors, and reduce air-born particles and allergens. ● The HVAC system at Jeffersonville Elementary has been upgraded with eight new 20-ton units and air handlers, and all units have been inspected. ● The exhaust fans in the restrooms have undergone upgrades to ensure that they provide proper ventilation. ● The maintenance staff has received updated training on how to maintain the district's HVAC systems.

Improved air–quality and an effective cleaning program are the major components in a layer defense strategy to mitigate and reduce the transmission of COVID-19.

Plexiglass Barriers

The district has installed Plexiglass Wellness Barriers in selected areas where there are fixed interactions with the public. Wellness Barriers can be found at the Main office counters and each reception desk within the district.

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Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting Cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting are broad approaches to preventing infectious disease transmission in the Twiggs County School System. However, it is crucial to first understand key terminology when discussing cleaning facilities in the district.

Key terms: ● Cleaning removes germs, dirt, food, body fluids, and other material. Cleaning increases the benefit of sanitizing or disinfecting. ● Sanitizing reduces germs on surfaces to safe levels. ● Disinfecting kills germs on surfaces of a clean object.

Understanding how cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting are interrelated and not the same is essential. Therefore, different processes and materials will be used to ensure that virus levels are kept minimum.

The effective cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces (desks, doorknobs, light switches, faucet handles, stair rails, tables, countertops, telephones, etc.) using EPA-approved cleaners will significantly decrease the risk of transmission.

Schools will be cleaned daily, and frequently touched surfaces will be sanitized multiple times throughout the day. Cleaning and disinfecting protocol will be used in computer labs, media centers, and athletic facilities. The school system will continue to ensure that cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitization procedures align with CDC and DPH guidelines using EPAapproved cleaners. Sanitizing schools and administrative offices will take place on a regular schedule.

Cleaning Frequency ● ● ● ●

Classroom Desk, Tables, Chairs Shared Spaces Handrails Floors

Multiple times per day

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Door Handles Light Switches Drinking Fountains Restroom Surfaces Cafeteria Surfaces Computers Phones Toys Games

Daily Sanitizing

● ● ● ● ● ●

High traffic areas Cafeteria Gymnasium Halls Restrooms Offices

Daily

Weekly Sanitizing

● Classrooms

The district has purchased equipment that will allow the custodial staff to handle the additional cleaning responsibility promptly. For the past several years, the school system has invested in

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touchless restroom cleaners that enable one person to clean and disinfect a restroom in under five minutes. This allows for cleaning in between classes and transitions. Aiding the custodians in sanitizing the district's facilities are two Victory Electrostatic Sprayers. These sprayers allow for the fast and efficient use of sanitizing chemicals, thus allowing for a more thorough and effective application. In addition, if sanitizing is required, the Victory Electrostatic Sprayer can be deployed while school is in session without putting students and staff at risk.

Custodial Scheduling The custodial work schedule has been set up to allow more staff to be on duty when students occupy facilities. In the past, there was only one custodian on duty in the mornings, but the enhanced cleaning requirements dictate that, at a minimum, there must be two staff members on duty at each school to carry out the new cleaning regime.

Disinfect Objects Between Users In a school setting, especially on the elementary level, it may be challenging to limit sharing objects (for example, books, pencils, electronics, and art supplies). However, the school system has an adequate supply of disinfectant wipes for classrooms to disinfect shared materials. Once again, frequent handwashing before and after sharing materials is an important control strategy when sharing materials between students.

Teachers should construct lessons and activities that do not require shared equipment or close contact. It is preferable that students have their supplies for classroom activities. The district will implement the following measures to stop COVID-19 transmission by using shared materials: