COVID-19 RE-ENTRY PLANS AND PROTOCOLS

All students, employees, and visitors coming to campus will be required to wear a face mask during the school day. Below are Springer’s protocols for wearing masks and shields. These protocols have been informed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Ohio Department of Health.

• Students 10 years old and older will be required to wear a face mask both during class time and during transition times.
• Students under 10 years old will be required to wear face masks during transition times as well as during class, with exceptions being granted and managed individually as needed by teachers.
• Springer will supply one Springer face mask, face shield, and lanyard with clip for mask to every student and employee.
• Springer encourages extra masks to be supplied from home.
• Masks may be homemade, purchased cloth or disposable face coverings.
• Masks should cover the nose and mouth and wrap under the chin.
• When students are working in small groups, or where social distancing isn’t possible, face shields will be required in addition to wearing a face mask. This is an additional layer of protection to help lesson exposure and spread.
• Students will not be required to wear masks during lunch or during recess.
• Breaks will be managed in the classroom as needed by classroom teachers.

While we recognize masks may be difficult to wear for some students, we will work with students to build their stamina and tolerance for masks in order to create and sustain a safe learning environment.

Requests for exceptions due to medical reasons should be directed to the School Office: .

• Cleaning and disinfecting of high touchpoints multiple times a day, including but not limited to: door handles, push carts, light switches, classroom door windows, classroom sinks and counters, classroom tables and chairs, classroom equipment and supplies, elevator push buttons, water fountains/ water bottle filling stations, restroom doors, handles, hallway and stairwell railings and banisters, toilet and urinals, sink and facets, toilet paper, soap and paper towel dispensers.
• Cleaning and disinfecting of common areas multiple times a day, including but not limited to: lobby, hallways, stairwell, elevator, front doors, mailroom, and copiers.
• Cleaning and disinfection will be done after each cohort of students leaves classroom, including between class changes (if applicable), between groups in the cafeteria (when utilized), and after each school day.
• Supplies and equipment will be sanitized frequently with limited sharing.
• Disinfecting wipes will be used on all computer keyboards and touchscreens of shared devices.
• In addition, TDG will be cleaning and disinfecting after school hours. Spray disinfected on outside of lockers, all high touch points, main lobby, mail room, bathrooms, library, conference room, gym, multipurpose room, music room, therapy rooms, and art room.

We have partnered with TDG Facilities Management to develop and carry out protocols that follow CDC guidelines which include classroom cleaning between transitions as well as cleaning rest rooms, high-touch areas and common areas multiple times throughout the day.

Cleaning Routines:

If a member of our community has confirmed exposure to or tests positive for COVID-19 we will work directly with the Health Department to make sure we follow the most recent recommendations for schools.

Hand Hygiene:

• Students, employees and visitors will be required to sanitize their hands with alcohol-based hand sanitizers (60% alcohol or greater) before entering the building and before entering a new classroom. Hand sanitizer stations are located throughout the building and in every classroom.
• Additionally, all members of the Springer Community need to wash their hands (with soap and warm water, lathering for a minimum of 20 seconds) and/or sanitize their hands before meals, after recess or physical education, and scheduled times throughout the day. Some of the recommended times are outlined here:
  • Upon arrival for the day, after breaks and upon returning from outside.
  • After toileting or assisting a child with toileting.
  • After contact with bodily fluids or cleaning up spills or objects contaminated with bodily fluids
  • After cleaning or sanitizing or using any chemical products.
  • After handling pets, pet cages or other pet objects that have come in contact with the pet.
  • Before eating, serving or preparing food.
  • Before and after completing a medical procedure or administering medication.
  • When visibly soiled (must use soap and water).
  • Prior to departure.

To help limit exposure, the school will require a Self-Health Assessment of all students and employees at home PRIOR to leaving for school. You will use the information from the CDC found below to self-assess yourself and family members for the symptoms of COVID-19. By arriving at the building, the staff member and parent confirm that the self-health assessment was performed and conditions below are not present.

• Temperature of 100 degrees or higher
• Sore throat
• NEW uncontrolled cough that causes difficulty breathing (for students with chronic allergic/asthmatic cough, it would be a change from their baseline)
• Diarrhea, vomiting or abdominal pain
• NEW onset of severe headache, especially with a fever
• Had close contact with someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19 (close contact is within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes)
• Had close contact with someone under quarantine for possible exposure to SARS-CoV2 (close contact is within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes)

If a member of our community answers YES to any of the questions the student should not come on campus. For re-entry and next steps please see the Symptoms, Exposure and Re-entry to School tab.

Springer typically loves to welcome parents and visitors on campus. However, the safety of our Springer community is priority, and therefore we are limiting the number of visitors granted access to our buildings. Those granted entry will be subject to the same health and safety protocols as rest of our community. Below is the Visitor Protocol for entering Springer’s building during this pandemic.

All visitors must email the following information to AND the employee you are meeting:

1. Full name
2. Estimated time of arrival
3. Purpose for visiting
4. Confirmation that you have not had any of COVID-19 symptoms (listed below)
5. Confirmation that you have not been around anyone in the last 14 days with a diagnosis or suspected diagnosis of COVID-19.
6. Confirmation of adhering to guidelines (outlined below)

The visitor confirms that they and members of their household have not had any of the following symptoms in the past 24 hours.

• 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

Additionally, we require that the visitor has not been around someone who have tested positive or been around someone with suspected COVID-19 in the last 14 days.

The visitor agrees to the following guidelines:

• Maintain a distance of at least six feet between self and other individuals
• Have their temperature taken upon arrival
• Wear a face mask made of cloth/fabric to cover the mouth, nose and chin at all times inside the building
• Not drink directly from a water fountain
• Cover coughs and sneezes, and immediately clean hands after either
• Clean hands after touching high-touch areas and after using the restroom
• Stay home if sick
• Continue to monitor their own health
• Remain with staff host or in staff approved designated areas

Parents/guardians will be required to conduct health screenings of their student each morning prior to leaving home. Listed below are scenarios alongside requirements consistent with the most up-to-date guidelines shared by the CDC.

These protocols provide guidance based on the most recent information available and will be updated as more information becomes available. If a member of our community has confirmed exposure to, or tests positive for COVID-19, we will work directly with the Health Department to make sure we follow the most recent recommendations for schools. Should those recommendations may differ than published guidelines we plan to follow the recommendations provided by the Health Department.

^*Symptoms

• Temperature 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher when taken by mouth
• Sore throat
• New uncontrolled cough that causes difficulty breathing (for students with chronic allergic/asthmatic cough, a change in their cough from baseline)
• Diarrhea, vomiting, or abdominal pain
• New onset of severe headache, especially with a fever

^**Confirmed or Potential Exposure

• You were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes
• You provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19
• You had direct physical contact with the person (touched, hugged, or kissed them)
• You shared eating or drinking utensils
• They sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on you

Sources

• Discontinuation of Isolation for Persons with COVID-19 Not in Healthcare Settings, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/disposition-in-home-patients.html
• Quarantine If You Might Be Sick, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine.html
• Screening K-12 Students for Symptoms of COVID-19: Limitations and Considerations, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/symptom-screening.html
• When You Can be Around Others After You Had or Likely Had COVID-19, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/end-home-isolation.html

In order to support members of our entire community we will continue to monitor international and domestic travel restrictions and quarantines.

International Travel
Students who travel internationally will not be able to attend classes on campus until 14 days from their return to the United States. Students are recommended to self-quarantine during this time period.

Domestic Travel
Students who travel from any state listed as part of the travel advisory outlined from the Ohio Department of Health will not be able to attend classes on campus until 14 days from their return to Ohio. Students are recommended to self-quarantine during this time period.

As of July 29, 2020, those states are as follows:

• Alabama
• Arizona
• Florida
• Kansas
• Idaho
• Mississippi
• South Carolina

*Should Kentucky and/or Indiana be added to the list of those under Ohio’s travel advisory, exceptions will be considered for students residing in those states.

Alternatives to On-Campus Learning
Any student who had been under self-quarantine due to travel from another state which has since been removed from the list of those on Ohio’s travel advisory will still be required to complete their 14-day self-quarantine. Any students will be able to attend classes via livestream instruction during self-quarantine. Students will need to meet criteria listed on our “Symptoms, Exposure and Re-entry” tab, assuming exposure due to travel.

Livestreaming classes

Springer plans to open school on campus starting Tuesday, August 18^th. Parents will have the option to have their child either attend on campus five-days per week or have their child remain at home and take part in classes in real time while the classes are taking place on our campus.

Distinctions and Definitions
Livestreaming classes is different than, and separate from, our C.O.R.E. Learning Plan.

• Springer’s livestreaming option is the alternative to students attending classes on campus while classes are taking place on campus. Instruction from the classroom will be accessible in real time to students who are attending classes from home.
• Springer’s C.O.R.E. Learning Plan is our remote learning plan if our entire school, or a subsection of our school, is not able to attend classes on campus.

Therefore, the two options for parents/guardians are as follows:

• The student attends classes on campus five-days per week, or
• The student streams classes, which are taking place on campus, live from home.

Intent of Livestreaming Classes
Livestreaming instruction has surfaced as an important option to provide Springer students stability in their education during the current pandemic. Springer’s livestream instruction is intended to be a short-term endeavor to allow continuity of instruction for students unable to attend Springer due to specific health concerns related to COVID-19. This may last for the entire year for some students, while others may be able to return to classes far sooner.

Our intent in offering to livestream classes is to support members of our community in four scenarios:

1. Students and family members with underlying health conditions for which COVID-19 poses a significant risk,
2. Parents/guardians who are apprehensive about sending their child to a school building,
3. Parents/guardians in deciding to keep sick or potentially COVID-19 exposed students at home, and/or
4. Students who must be out for COVID-related health reasons but healthy enough to attend virtually.

In situations 1-3 we ask that parents/guardians clarify and commit to their intent by Wednesday, August 5^th – more information about how to share that intent is below. In situation 4 students will have the ability to access livestreaming immediately. More information about the duration of a commitment and student return options are listed under that section heading below.

Technology, Materials & Limitations
All of our classrooms are currently being outfitted with new technology such as web cameras and microphones to improve access for students, flat screen televisions to increase visibility of students livestreaming to our instructional staff, increasing our bandwidth to support a higher volume of usage, and increasing training and preparation time for our faculty and staff. Students will be provided a Springer-issued Chromebook in order to access classes from off campus. Additionally, we will be introducing “Eagle’s Nests” to afford teachers an opportunity to provide materials in an ongoing manner (i.e. biweekly or monthly) so that students have materials at home for their lessons to the extent possible. An initial Eagle’s Nest is being prepared with general materials that could be useful for any student at any time. That Eagle’s Nest will be offered for students to take home upon the start of the school year.

Expectations for Livestreaming from Home
We recognize and anticipate that our students will have a very different experience livestreaming from home than they would on campus. In our school building Springer’s faculty and staff can build deep and meaningful interpersonal relationships with students, provide redirection and support for students in need of reminders to focus and work completion, and provide learning materials on command and as needed to further a student’s learning. Some of that can be achieved through planning and engagement, but that will not be the case in all situations. Therefore, in order to prepare a home setting to support student learning we ask that all parents/guardians consider the expectations listed below before making a decision whether to send the student to school or livestream classes from home.

Access

• Internet access
• Security settings checked with internet provider
• Headphones/earbuds
• Commitment to using a Springer-provided Chromebook (i.e. no cell phone, tablet, etc)

Structure

• Daily attendance
• Willingness to follow daily schedule
• Develop and stick to a morning routine (i.e. getting dressed and eating before school begins)
• Student remains visible via video at all times during instruction
• Have the student’s daily schedule visible each day (schedules will be provided by Springer)
• No eating, drinking or personal technology devices during class time

Space

• A dedicated, quiet work space
• Student sitting at a table with materials present during instruction
• Family commitment to avoid background noise and distractions (i.e. pets, TVs, siblings, dishwashers, etc)

Family support

• Willingness to learn and support technology as needed for your child
• Access to supervision so that the student remains on-task
• Dedication to socialization outside of classes
• Parent commitment to picking up materials regularly (i.e. bi-weekly or monthly)
• Student work with very limited parent intervention (if any, depending on child age) because student work guides teacher lesson planning
• Commitment to work completion

Translating Courses to Livestreaming
We plan to livestream classes such as literature, mathematics, reading, science, social studies and writing, while other classes such as Art, Music and Physical Education and services such as Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy would be even more complex to deliver via livestreaming. Parents/guardians should expect not to have full access to these programs and services, and we will continue to consider reasonable alterations and alternatives to help our students experience as much as they can when livestreaming from home. On the whole our standards remain high and we will continue to invest a significant amount of time in preparing for a smooth roll-out. At the same time, it is more than fair to anticipate bumps in the road. Your understanding, patience and flexibility is more than appreciated.

Student Schedules
Students in Lower School Blue/Gray and Middle School who are livestreaming will mirror our typical class schedules with screen breaks between classes and during lunch and recess. Official schedules will be provided nearer the start of the school year. We expect that our youngest students in Lower School Green will not be able to maintain screen time for an entire school day. In any such cases teachers will work with parents to prioritize academic areas for a manageable schedule that allows for screen-breaks in order to sustain the content that would be the most important to their learning.

Parent/Guardian Decisions
The initial commitment to attend classes on campus or livestream classes from home will be for the initial 4 weeks of the school year to allow for stability of expectations both for the student and for our faculty and instructional staff.

• The initial decision deadline is Wednesday, August 5^th at 4:00 p.m. This confirms a family’s decision from the first day of school on Tuesday, August 18^th through Friday, September 11^th.
• The option to continue or opt-in for the next 4-weeks will be shared from the School Office on Friday, August 28^th with a response deadline of Wednesday, September 2^nd at 4:00 p.m.

We will determine methods of initial training for students and parents/guardians on how to successfully navigate livestreaming once we have final confirmation of students and grade levels.

Flexibility
As with so many things during this time we anticipate information and guidelines will change and evolve, and Springer’s plans will evolve as new information becomes available. We will reflect upon our core value of stability in our effort to limit changes to the extent possible.

Questions
Parents/guardians with questions about the decision to livestream classes should email the School Office: . We recognize that some questions may be more complex than others. Responses will be as timely as possible knowing the decision timeline.

Springer’s C.O.R.E. Learning Plan (Continuing Opportunities and Resuming Education) will be utilized should a campus closure be necessary during the 2020-2021 school year. Schedules for each team reflect the type of support that would be taking place in our classrooms – direct instruction and supported classwork – in a format that allows for as much flexibility as possible for families.

• The C.O.R.E. Learning Plan will follow a student’s daily school schedule throughout the week. The plan will be explicitly explained and taught to students in person at the beginning of the school year.
• Responsive Classroom (Morning Meeting and Advisory) are incorporated multiple times a day for each grade level so that we remain attuned to our students social-emotional needs throughout the day.
• Google Suite and other student-friendly technology platform will be utilized to provide multiple ways for students to turn in work and communicate with teachers.
• Technology training will be provided for students during Technology classes. Support will be available for students and parents/guardians as needed.
• Live classes will be recorded so that students can access the lesson at a later time if necessary.
• Live teaching sessions will include a 15 to 30-minute lesson followed by an assignment, much like on-campus classes. Live help sessions will be available directly following lessons to support the students with their work.
• Live help/work sessions will also be available with teachers and instructional assistants throughout each day.
• Each week students will outline their schedule for the week with their homeroom teacher.
• Social opportunities will be offered throughout the year such as assemblies, supplemental programs and residencies in order to round out each student's school experience.
• Counseling, Speech-Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy will be scheduled for students who receive these service(s).

This schedule will be implemented if Springer’s campus is closed and is virtual learning. Click image to view and download schedule.

This schedule will be implemented if Springer’s campus is closed and is virtual learning. Click image to view and download schedule.

This schedule will be implemented if Springer’s campus is closed and is virtual learning. Click image to view and download schedule.

This schedule will be implemented if Springer’s campus is closed and is virtual learning. Click image to view and download schedule.