Thornfield School to start year Aug. 24 ‘as normal as possible’

Thornfield School will start its 2020-2021 school year Aug. 24 “as normal as possible,” administrator Melissa Campbell said last week in responding to the Times’ emailed questions about the school’s plans for reopening in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The school’s stated objectives will be to provide “environments that are as safe as possible for students and  staff” and also to provide “equitable, guaranteed and viable education for all students,” Campbell said.

“Increased awareness of handwashing and social distancing” will be emphasized,” she said. Also, the school will screen students to check for symptoms. Cleaning and disinfecting school property and buses will also be a main focus, she said.

To encourage parents not to send their students to school when they’re sick, “We have removed any attendance policy consequences from our handbook,” Campbell said. 

Parents are strongly urged to keep students home if they are show any of these symptoms: fever, chills, nausea, vomiting; cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing; fatigue muscle aches; new loss of taste or smell; congestion or runny nose; or if they have had close contact (within 6 feet of someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19 for more than 15 minutes). The same guidelines apply to faculty and staff members. 

 Teachers will be encouraged to have classes outside as much as possible, Campbell said. “We will have assigned seating on school buses. We also will be limiting visitors in the school building. We do plan on having recess and all of our normal special classes.”

Thornfield’s reopening plan describes procedures the school will follow at each of three levels of designated pandemic severity in the school district. Campbell said the level could change at any time, depending on whether and how the virus moves through the community, but for now, the school plans to open at Level one, designated as having no cases in the school district, and no large spike in community cases. 

 

Level one guidelines

At Level one:

• All classes will take place in school buildings.

• Extra cleaning and safety protocols for staff and students will be followed.

• There are restrictions on visitors.

• Social distancing and student symptom screenings will be maintained.

• Bus riders will be assigned seats. Family members will sit together.

• Buses will be sanitized after each trip.

• Breakfast will be in the classrooms.

• Students’ temperatures will be checked daily.

• Masks for students/staff are optional.

• Personal water bottles are encouraged.

• Students will use hand sanitizer or wash hands upon entering the classrooms and building.

• Students will participate in daily outdoor recess and educational activities, weather permitting.

• Hand sanitizer will be used or handwashing will be done upon re-entry into the building.

 

Level 2 guidelines

“Upon consideration of community and district COVID cases,” the district’s guidelines say, it may advance to level two, and these steps will be put in place:

• All classes will take place on campus in their classrooms.

• Students will eat their meals in classrooms/outside.

• Sanitization will be done between all movements and transitions to new areas in the building.

• Temperature checks will occur upon building entry.

• There will be no use of the facility by outside groups.

• Entry into the building will be limited to only staff and students unless the person is pre-approved by the school administrator. If a child needs to be picked up, school personnel will accompany the child to the front door.

 

Level three guidelines

If significant spread of the virus occurs in the community and the district, the school will move to level three, and these changes may occur:

• Learning may be transitioned to alternative methods of instruction (AMI) using Kindle Fire devices, paper materials and/or other educational resources.

• Teachers will be available for students by phone, email or other form of messaging. 

• Classrooms or the building may be temporarily closed for cleaning. 

• Masks may be recommended for certain grades and staff if there is continued face-to-face learning.

In most cases, staff and teachers will report to school daily.

• If the school moves to AMI, all student work will be required and graded. Proof of learning will be required for students’ grades, just as occurs in the face-to-face setting. Homeroom teachers and the individual educational plan (IEP) team will implement special needs students’ alternative learning method.

 

If a student has a suspected case of COVID-19

If a student is suspected of having COVID, these procedures will be followed:

• The student will be taken to a designated area in the building, isolated and given a mask to wear while the parent or guardian is notified.

• Student exposure will be identified through contact tracing with other students and staff.

• The school will contact the Ozark County Health Department and communicate with the public based on OCHD recommendations.

•All targeted contact areas will be disinfected. 

• The school administrator will consult OCHD before re-entry.

According to the Reopening Guidance released on July 16 by Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, students may return to school when they are at least 10 days past symptom onset, have had three days with no fever and have improved symptoms. 

Students or staff having close contact with a known case should stay at home for 14 days from their last contact and return to school when they are approved by the local health department or physician.

Ozark County Times

504 Third Steet
PO Box 188
Gainesville, MO 65655

Phone: (417) 679-4641
Fax: (417) 679-3423