Fall 2020 Reopening plan

The delivery of instruction for 2020-2021 is designed to allow students an educational experience that is similar whether on campus or remote. As we continue the phase-in of students onto campus, some families have surfaced questions about the on-campus experience. Here are some responses to those wonders.

1. Will kids be able to get up from their desk during the day? Yes, students will be able to get up and move around throughout the school day. They will have recesses and movement breaks. Teachers will take time to ensure that physical distancing is purposefully instructed so that students understand what that should look like in the classroom and around campus.
    
2. Will students be zooming on their laptops or iPads like they would be at home, but be in a room with their peers? The classroom learning experience will include much of the in-person, hands-on approaches teachers have used with students in the past as well as technology to support student learning. Because students will not be able to move among cohorts, and in order to create learning opportunities and connections among students across the grade level, technology will be used to support that. For example, for small group work, students may be on individual devices meeting with others or they may have group lessons via Zoom. As they have in the past, students will also interact in person with their cohort and teachers in the classroom throughout the day.
    
3. Will students be watching any Zoom lessons collectively on a large screen (rather than devices)? Yes, in addition to live instruction by the cohort teacher, direct instruction by other grade-level teachers and specialists will be projected into each classroom for students to view and interact with. Cohort teachers who are physically in the classroom will facilitate interactions with the virtual teacher so students may have questions answered and share their ideas. Students who choose to learn remotely will continue to participate with the cohort as they are currently, via Zoom.
    
4. How will the day be different for students who are physically at school (versus fully remote)? There are several key factors that will be different for students who fully transition to on-campus versus remote learning. On-campus students will:
   • Enjoy the familiar routine of arriving daily on campus
   • Have the opportunity to interact with classmates and assigned cohort teachers in person daily
   • Take part in recess, lunch, and quiet time with classmates
   • Meet in person for learning skills and other support sessions
   • Experience increased responsiveness to questions through small group cohorts
      

5. What does lunch look like on campus? At lunch, students have time to calmly eat their food and enjoy a story with their classmates while following needed health and safety protocols. Lunch and snack are the two main times during the school day when students remove their masks. For that reason, there are a number of very specific systems in place in classrooms to reduce risk at this key time of day. Before lunch or snack, every student washes their hands. As they finish washing, they return to their desks and get out their food. Once everyone is seated at their desks, students remove their masks and eat. Desks are all spaced in classrooms to maintain six-foot distancing. To reduce risk even further, students do not socialize while they eat. Teachers read aloud or share books through Storyline Online for the students to enjoy while they focus on their food. Lunch read-alouds were a common practice in many grades previously, but they are now happening in all classrooms as part of this protocol. When students are finished eating, they put their masks back on and pack up their remaining lunch to bring home. Then all desks are wiped down by the teacher with sanitizing spray after lunch is over. For all grade levels, either just before or after lunch, the cohort has recess. 

6. What does recess look like? At recess, students spend time with their friends, joyfully running, laughing, socializing, and playing. Students have a scheduled recess with their cohort two times every day. In addition to this time, teachers regularly schedule walks and other outdoor activities for their classes. It is not uncommon to see cohorts reading, writing, or doing math around campus. The scheduled recesses take place at three areas: Chips playground, Commons (the area around the grassy circle), and the Boulders play space and under-cover area. All three cohorts in a grade level have their recesses scheduled at the same time. However, the cohorts stay separated at the different play spaces to maintain distancing between the groups. Every cohort brings out their own bucket of play equipment that only they use. Equipment will be added and changed out over time in these buckets to keep it interesting; currently, jump ropes and bouncy balls are very popular. Teachers practice and reinforce physical distancing during recess. As you can imagine, some favorites, such as tag, just don’t work if students can’t get too close to classmates; we all continue to build our repertoires of distanced games to teach to the students as possibilities for these spaces. When students return to their classroom from recess, they wash their hands again before heading into the next part of their learning day. Meanwhile, recess structures and equipment are cleaned by staff with an electrostatic sprayer. 

7. What does Specialist time look like? During Specialist classes, students engage with their Specialist teachers virtually to learn new concepts. They also work with their grade-level teacher and classmates in the classroom to do activities, ask questions, and interact. Specialist teachers are in a dual role this year. In addition to their usual role as a content expert for all of the grades, each Specialist is partnered with a grade-level team as a support teacher. Because they see all students across the school, to reduce exposure between cohorts the Specialist teachers teach their content lessons virtually. Before each Specialist class time, the Specialist teacher provides hands-on materials that the grade-level team can use with the students; that might be watercolors and paper, seeds to plant, or a folder of French words. When it is Specialist time, the grade-level teaching team joins a Zoom link and shares the Zoom meeting on the big screen in the classroom. Remote students join as well. No matter the class--Art, PE, French, Latin, Music, Science, or Social-Emotional Learning--the Specialist teacher leads the virtual lesson. In the classroom, the grade-level teachers assist students, passing out materials, assisting as needed, and helping students communicate with the Specialist. Sometimes the Specialist will share a follow-up activity after the lesson to be completed and shared with them via Seesaw, Office 365, or through the grade-level team. Grade-level teachers and Specialists communicate regularly to collaborate and support students in these important parts of the school day. 

Have a pressing question you'd like answered? Reach out to communications@epiphanyschool.org and we will route your inquiry to the right person and get it answered here or in an upcoming ES Weekly.

Guided by the three Professional Learning Community (PLC) big ideas—a focus on learning, a focus on collaboration, and a focus on results—we know that excellent instruction and high student achievement require an interdependent collaboration among teachers, students, families, and administrators to achieve our common goals. Our academic program goals for 2020-21 (for both on campus and virtual learning) are to:

• Build consistent structures and routines that allow students and families to easily navigate the instructional day
• Engage students daily with consistent personalized support from grade-level teachers to ensure their success
• Provide a safe and highly engaging learning environment built on instructional best practices and the developmental stages of children
• Create a robust but manageable schedule so all students can equally participate in all core and specialist content
• Be prepared to move to a fully remote teaching and learning model for all students if at any point in-person schooling is not possible based on guidance from WA state Governor or Department of Health.

In building out the detailed plan for coming back on campus, we used health and safety guidelines to determine how best to instruct and engage students. We have measured and created simple architectural drawings to assess how many students and staff we can accommodate safely in every learning space. Our plan allows for all students to be on campus together every day. We have students and teachers assigned to smaller cohorts (e.g., 12-14 total) designated for certain learning spaces, with movement of students and adults limited within classrooms and between indoors and outdoors.

One of the many ways in which Epiphany School is rich with resources is in our amazing staff. Our teachers are multitalented, highly educated in their field, and put student learning and success first. Due to this deep pool of talent, we have been able to build strong grade-level teams from within our staff (and with some great new hires) to best support the small student cohorts that will spread out safely around campus once we can return to in-person learning. Each cohort of staff is made up of lead teachers and support teachers as well as a Learning Skills specialist aligned with the grade for student support. These cohorts will be working together throughout the month of August to build the team and refine the instructional model to the developmental age of the students in each grade.

See below for a map of cohort classroom locations for the 2020-2021 school year. By reimagining existing campus spaces and renting additional space from the neighboring Parish, we were able to assign every small cohort group to a classroom that allows for physical distancing and will be outfitted with the necessary technology for simultaneous remote and in-person teaching.

In order to support our newly formed cohorts and ensure high quality instruction, both on campus and at home, teachers have built out their professional skills in the following areas:  

• Technology-based student assessment tools
• Collaborative learning platforms
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion practices
• Interactive learning structures to enhance instruction
• Digital citizenship and social-emotional learning 
• Health and safety protocols and practices
• Personalized learning structures for support and extension 

Our instructional framework allows for all students, whether on or off campus, to participate in the day's learning with their cohort. Throughout the school day, teachers Zoom synchronous lessons to the grade-level classrooms and home learners. These synchronous lessons are on a predictable schedule that remains the same whether on or off campus. The lead and support teachers facilitate these parts of the school day for all students: 

• Morning meeting
• Synchronous direct instruction for core subjects 
• Synchronous specialist instruction for content areas
• Asynchronous practice with skills and content
• Lunch 
• Breaks (time away from learning at home, recess/quiet time on campus)
• Closing Circle

The details of the daily schedule for each grade level can be found on the password-protected grade-level web pages. The on-campus version of the schedule also includes staggered arrival and dismissal times, during which timr teachers can focus on small groups and individual support for students. 

From Pre-K to 5th grade, Epiphany School has provided a device and supplemental materials to each student in preparation for a fully remote school program and in keeping with the grade-level curricular needs and expectations.

Though we know how critical our Extended Day program is for many families and students, given the need to maintain small, contained cohorts for safety reasons, Extended Day will not be open for before or after school care initially. Once we are able to return every grade to on-campus learning, we will reassess opening our Extended Day program.

School day arrival will be staggered over a 45-minute period. Families/students will check in by family group and alphabetically. Families will be notified of their grouping and specific arrival and dismissal time windows. Prior to coming to school each day, families will complete a COVID-19 questionnaire via an online platform and be asked to confirm those results when arriving with their student(s) at their assigned screening location. Staff will then check each student's temperature using touchless thermometers. Students with a temperature of over 100.4 degrees or who are experiencing one or more of the listed symptoms on the checklist will be asked to return home. Students will be dismissed by their same group to their assigned dismissal location.

In order to limit exposure we ask that families designate the same person for drop off and pick up at school.

Families and employees play an important role in helping us maintain a safe campus. The most important safety measure is for a student or employee to stay home if they are sick. If a student or employee is experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms at home, the student or employee should not come to school. Symptoms include: congestion or runny nose (not related to seasonal allergies), cough, shortness of breath, headache, chills, elevated temperature, muscle pain, sore throat, new loss of smell or taste, unusual fatigue and nausea/vomiting/diarrhea. Families and employees should report the illness to Epiphany School's COVID-19 Coordinator at health@epiphanyschool.org.

If a student or employee suffers from seasonal or ongoing allergies that exhibit similar symptoms to COVID-19, families should let the school know this on the student's medical form with a list of typical symptoms experienced and employees should inform Jenn Elkin, Head of School, about this information.

The school will work with the local health department by reporting any confirmed COVID-19 diagnoses, identifying close contacts, and consulting on other key issues regarding a COVID-19 exposure.

Symptoms on Campus
In the event that a student exhibits symptoms associated with COVID-19 during the school day, we will:

• Relocate the student to a designated quarantine area and supervise the student
• Notify parents or guardians immediately to pick up their child
• Notify the DOH of a suspected COVID-19 case
• Disinfect the classroom and other areas where the individual has been
• Disinfect the designated quarantine area
• Communicate to school community
• Maintain confidentiality of the individual who was exhibiting symptoms

Close Contact with an Individual with a Suspected or Confirmed Diagnosis
"Close contact" means someone who has been within six feet of a person with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 for more than 15 minutes from 2 days prior to the date symptoms appeared.  

The Department of Health has stated that close contacts of a confirmed diagnosis include:          

• Siblings who attend the same school
• Students and adults in the same classroom or cohort
• Others sitting close to the student on a school bus

Close contacts will be asked to self-isolate for 14 days and may then return to school if they remain free of symptoms. Testing at day 10 is encouraged, but a negative test will not shorten the exclusion period. The school will provide remote learning through this period.

The school will review any situation involving close contacts with suspected diagnoses on a case-by case basis.

Confidentiality
The identity of individuals who have suspected or diagnosed COVID-19 is protected confidential health information and will not be disclosed.  All members of the community are expected to respect privacy and confidentiality and to not speculate on the identity of, or in any way target individuals who are suspected of or diagnosed with COVID-19.

Emergency Contacts
Families should make sure emergency contact information is up-to-date and that you can be reached immediately whenever your child is at school. 

All members of the community are required to wear a cloth face covering while on campus. Cloth face coverings need to be laundered regularly. If a student forgets their face covering, a disposable face covering will be provided for them for that school day. We do not plan to have a "uniform mask," but we ask that family-purchased face coverings be 2 or more ply/layers and free of writing or graphics. Face coverings not allowed at school include those with filters, "gaiter style" coverings, and bandanas. Patterns or print fabrics are fine, assuming they follow the school dress code in general. Families should send two cloth face coverings to school in their student's backpack every day so extras are available if needed. Students will only be able to remove face coverings to eat snack, lunch and in school-designated areas that allow for physical distancing during recess.

The DOH and CDC recommend all people 2 years of age and older wear a cloth face covering in public settings. Face coverings must be worn properly. Face coverings should not be worn by anyone who has trouble breathing or anyone who is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the cloth face covering without assistance. The CDC recognizes that wearing cloth face coverings may not be possible in every situation or for some people. In some situations, wearing a cloth face covering may exacerbate a physical or mental health condition, lead to a medical emergency, or introduce significant safety concerns. Adaptations and alternatives should be considered whenever possible to increase the feasibility of wearing a cloth face covering or to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading if it is not possible to wear one. Contact a Division Head if you need to review an adaptation or alternative for your child.

You can find DOH information about face coverings here.

The CDC does not recommend face shields as a substitute for cloth face coverings. Contact a Division Head if you need to review an adaptation or alternative for a student or employee.

For additional information on how to properly wear face coverings, please refer to the CDC guidelines here.

According to the CDC, handwashing is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your family from getting sick. All students and employees will follow a regular schedule of hand washing or use of hand sanitizer throughout the day. All students and employees will wash hands upon arrival on campus, before and after eating, after using the restroom, after blowing their nose, coughing or sneezing, after recess or other time spent outside, and before leaving campus. Washing hands with soap and water is the preferred method for hand hygiene. Hand sanitizer (alcohol-based with at least 60% alcohol) will be available in all classrooms and at entry points on campus. 

Teaching and modeling proper hand hygiene will remain a priority at all age levels. Additional signage around campus and near sinks will remind students of proper handwashing techniques.

For additional information on how and when to wash hands or how to use hand sanitizer, please refer to the CDC guidelines here.

The CDC recommends that social distancing should be practiced in combination with other everyday preventative measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19, including wearing cloth face coverings, avoiding touching your face with unwashed hands, and frequently washing your hands. All students and employees on campus must adhere to the six-foot physical distance guidelines whenever feasible throughout the school day. These guidelines will be made explicit through physical symbols (marks on the ground and signs), verbal reinforcement, and behavior modelling.

Classroom spaces will be rearranged with furniture and seating spaces to ensure physical distancing between all students. Hallways and other areas will be marked with directional arrows and other visual indicators. Traffic patterns in hallways will be one direction and doors will be labeled with entry/exit only signs to help reduce congestion. When possible, classes may be held outside in the Cage underneath a tented area, with students still maintaining six feet between each other.

Large gatherings, like assemblies and community events, will not be held in person.

Students have recess only with their cohort. All students are expected to wear masks at recess unless in a school-designated area that allows six feet of physical distance. Pre-K cohorts have recess in the Pre-K playground. Cohorts in grades K-5 have recess in an assigned area on campus, including Chips, Commons, and Boulders. Students from one cohort are not be permitted to play in another cohort's area. The Cage and the sand area in Boulders are not available to students during recess. Each cohort has their own set of recess supplies (balls, jump ropes, etc.). Chips and Boulders are sanitized by electrostatic sprayers after each recess.

Lunch service by Lunch Ladies will not be made available this fall or winter, nor will milk be provided to students. Students are required to bring a lunch and beverage from home. Students will not have access to a refrigerator or a microwave, so plan accordingly to use a thermos for hot food and ice packs for cold food. Students should be able to open and close all lunch and snack containers independently, and will be asked to pack up and bring home anything left over from their lunch or snack in their lunchbox.

Students will be able to refill water bottles in their classrooms. Water fountains will not be available for use by students or staff.

Personal items that students can bring to school are limited. Students need a backpack to carry lunch, snack, a water bottle, and other school materials, but toys, games, and playing cards are not allowed. Cubbies are only used to hang coats and store footwear for wet/cold weather. Backpacks are kept in the classroom.

All classrooms, hallways, bathrooms and offices have been deep cleaned, and will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected on a daily basis. There will be additional cleaning staff available during the school day to help with frequent cleaning of high-touch surfaces, restrooms, and classrooms. Faculty will be trained in proper cleaning and sanitizing and will clean tables and chair backs before and after students eat lunch and snack in their classrooms.

Faculty and students are expected to keep classrooms tidy in order to facilitate cleaning in the evenings by our custodial team.

While classes are in session, high-contact areas such as main doors, stairwell railings, doorknobs and restrooms will be sanitized. During recess, classrooms will be disinfected with our electrostatic sprayers.

Epiphany School recently engaged its HVAC vendor to complete an assessment of all HVAC systems on campus and make recommendations to improve air quality in classrooms and office.

For all our buildings on campus, the key strategy to minimize the risk of virus transmission is to increase outside air ventilation whenever possible and improve air filtration. To achieve maximum outside air ventilation, we will keep windows and doors open as much as possible. For buildings that have outdoor air handling units, we will adjust settings so that the system runs continuously, bringing in more outdoor air. For spaces which do not have a mechanical ventilation system, we will keep windows and doors open, and use fans during recess times to bring in fresh air. For all areas on campus, windows will be kept open after dismissal for 2 hours. Windows will also be open 2 hours before classes start to fill the rooms with fresh air.

As a result of these strategies, classrooms and offices may be colder or warmer than we normally expect. We suggest students and employees wear layers of clothes to campus in order to feel comfortable on campus. 

To improve air filtration, we will change filters to MERV13 filters wherever possible and purchase portable HEPA filters for rooms where there is no mechanical filtration system.

Visitors are not allowed on campus. Essential facility-related vendors are allowed on campus but will be screened at the designated entry point. This policy does not apply to parents picking up students during school day hours. Parents picking up students during school hours will be screened upon entry into Spock Hall.

The staff lounge will no longer be used for lunch or for breaks. The refrigerator, coffee maker, and microwave will not be used. Mailboxes are relocated to the front office work space, near the laminator. The front office work space will have limited capacity in order to maintain physical distancing. Only two staff members are permitted to be in the front office work space at one time. If there are already two staff members in this area, others who need access to this area will need to wait. Staff are not permitted to congregate in the front office work area or in the lobby waiting area.