District announces back-to-school plan

Safety Expectations MUSTbe implemented by schools as determined by the Kentucky Department of Public Health 

1.      Social Distancing: 

• Schools will make every attempt to increase space between students to 3 feet, when possible, through supervision and communication.
• Every possible attempt will be made at the school to reduce congestion in the classroom and in common areas.
• Buildings may limit visitors.
  

2.      Cloth Face Coverings, Personal Protective Equipment and School Health Policies (UPDATED 9/14/21)

• Masks are required for all staff and students while indoors. Masks also will be required on school buses for all students (PK-12). The latter is a requirement by CDC order.
• All schools will encourage frequent hand-washing and good hand-cleaning hygiene.
• All schools will clean and disinfect surfaces frequently.
• Hand sanitizing stations will be located in every classroom and in high traffic areas.
• All families should screen their students for COVID-19 before sending them to school. Parents should make sure that students have no signs or symptoms of illness prior to sending them to school. Students with a fever of 100.4 or greater will not be allowed in school. In order to return to school, students should be fever-free for 24 hours with no medication.
• If a student or staff member displays at least one symptom as determined by our school nurse (fever, chills, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, new cough, new loss of taste or smell or gastrointestinal symptoms), the student or staff member must be isolated immediately. Parents will be called to pick up the student. Staff members will leave immediately. Those individuals or parent/guardians of those individuals with symptoms will be encouraged to notify the health department or their health care provider for further guidance and possible testing for COVID-19.
• Students who have COVID-19 will be required to quarantine (see 4. Contact Tracing for more information).
  

3.       3. Sanitation and Environmental Standards

• As always, proper hand washing and respiratory hygiene practices (covering coughs and sneezing into the elbow) will be taught and emphasized to students and staff members. Frequent use of hand sanitizer also will be encouraged throughout the school day.
• Daily cleaning and disinfection of school facilities will follow KDE and the Kentucky Department of Public Heath guidance.
• Cleaning, disinfecting, and PPE supplies from various vendors that meet the safety and health needs of students and staff will be on hand daily.
  

4.       4. Contact Tracing

• In collaboration with the Purchase District Health Department, we will continue to isolate students who develop symptoms at school, instruct on isolation guidelines for those who test positive for COVID-19, and contact trace/quarantine those who are in close contact with positive cases.

For staff and students, quarantine procedures with be either a 10-day quarantine since exposure or seven days after exposure with a negative COVID-19 test that occurs on or after the fifth day since exposure. Vaccinated individuals will not be required to quarantine unless they are experiencing symptoms.