Classwork during Covid

Saint Basil Academy recognizes that we are part of the solution for controlling the spread of COVID-19 and, as such, submit the following plan for re-opening. Teachers and staff are highly committed to both safety and education.

However, please remember that we are human teachers working with human students. We are not perfect and ask for your grace and prayers as we encounter a school year as we’ve never experienced before.

Goals

  • Offer all students a high-quality, comprehensive educational experience five days a week with in-person instruction.
  • Respect the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Walla Walla County Health guidelines and adopt policies where feasible.
  • Be creative, flexible, and sustainable in our instruction, operations, and problem-solving.
  • Be empathetic and respectful of each individual’s choices and needs.
  • Consider feedback and suggestions from students, staff, and families with respect and compassion.
  • Maintain credibility and trust through sincere and timely communication.

Child in facemaskStrategies

Common public health strategies to reduce the risk of disease transmission in schools include:

  • Minimizing the number of people who come into contact with each other and reducing the time that they spend in close proximity to others.
  • Maximizing the physical distance between people.
  • Multiplying the sanitation procedures and practices in any shared spaces.
  • Minimizing the dispersion of droplets (face coverings and covering coughs and sneezes).
  • Screening for all students and staff upon entry.

Because of each of these measures’ relative contribution reduces the spread of COVID-19, we will be implementing these strategies. Public health experts have generally recommended that they are used collectively where possible. Saint Basil’s will use these strategies as a guideline for re-opening school.

Health Protocols for Students and Staff

  1. No non-essential visitors or volunteers: Only students and staff should come into the school. We ask that parents and visitors remain in the office if there is a need to be in the building. We ask you to call the office to sign out your student.
  2. It is vitally important that ill students or staff stay at home. Please diligently monitor your student’s health each morning before you come to school. Students with fever, shortness of breath, or cough should stay home. The health department asks that each parent do a screening at home. If your child is staying home, we ask that you communicate with the office via phone or email.
  3. Temperature stations will be set up for students to have a quick screening as they enter. They will then proceed to their first class.
  4. Students and staff with a temperature higher than 100.4 will be asked to return home until they have been 24 hours fever free without fever reducers.
  5. All students and staff are required to enter school wearing a face mask or face shield.  Students should bring their own masks. If they are unable to bring their own, one will be provided.
  6. Students and staff will wash hands with soap and water or (hand sanitizer when water is not available) for at least 20 seconds at the following intervals.
    • Upon arrival at Saint Basil’s
    • Before meals or snacks
    • Before and after outside time
    • After going to the bathroom
    • After nose-blowing, sneezing or coughing
    • After classes outside of the classroom
    • Before leaving to go home
  7. Hand sanitizer may also be used intermittently if immediate access to soap and water is unavailable. Hand sanitizer stations are stationed outside each classroom.

Facilities and Operations

  1. Especially in the summer/fall weather, teachers will teach as many classes as possible outside. This allows for fresh air, sunshine, and unlimited social distancing space. We do ask that each student bring their own lawn chair for outside classes.
  2. Each student will want to bring their own clipboard as well for outside classes. We are eliminating as much sharing as possible.
  3. Student desks will be rearranged to maximize the space between students and will all face the same direction to reduce transmission. Classrooms will maintain a seating chart to help with easier contact tracing if needed.
  4. The facility is already cleaned and sanitized daily, but high touch surfaces will be given extra care including but not limited to:
    • Doorknobs
    • Desks/Tables – Cleaned after each class period
  5. Equipment used in the gym, computer lab, and music rooms will be disinfected between each student group. Whenever possible, classes will be taught outside.
  6. Students will have their own classroom supplies and will not be sharing.
  7. After students have gone home each day, each classroom will be sanitized with an air purifier.