At Monday night’s special School Board meeting, the Board updated the reentry plan to include required face coverings to be worn by both students and staff in the buildings. This is effective tomorrow, August 31, or when the elementary school returns on September 7, 2021. Masks will be available in the school office as needed. This update will be in effect until an appointed advisory panel meets and makes further changes to the reentry plan. This advisory panel will meet and bring forward recommendations coming back for Board approval on or before the next regular School Board meeting on September 14.
Thank you for your understanding and observance of this recent change made at tonight’s special meeting.
Attached is a copy of the current re-entry plan:
MCS Reopening Plan Updated 8/30/21 2021-22 School Year
Highlighted sections are additions or updated to the current plan.
Manchester Community Schools is committed to the physical and mental wellbeing of our students, staff, and community. Throughout the pandemic we have worked collaboratively with the Wabash County Health Department (WCHD), Indiana Department of Health (IDOH), and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to provide a safe environment for all employees, students and their families. The following document is fluid and the information may change daily as new guidance becomes available. As we continue to plan for continued success during the 2021-22 school year, Manchester Community Schools will stay focused on the following goals:
1) to maintain a safe and healthy school environment, and
2) to minimize the prevalence of COVID-19 in our community.
Face Coverings
● Facial coverings will be required when staff and students are on school provided transportation(buses).
● Considerations will be made for students and staff with documented medical issues that make the wearing of a face covering inadvisable.
Social Distancing
● At least 3 feet (about 1 arms’ length) of distance will be maintained from other people in the classroom and other areas in the building when practical
● Gatherings in groups will be limited
● Hallways will be one (1) direction where applicable
● Avoid crowded places and mass gatherings
● Plexiglass may be used in some instances to create a barrier at tables
Disinfecting
● Face coverings will be required for all staff and students. Staff who are able to maintain
6 feet of social distance may remove face coverings.
● Students are required to wear face coverings to protect themselves and others. In the
K-12 indoor classroom setting, the close contact definition excludes students who were
within 3-6 feet of an infected student if both the infected student and the exposed
student(s) correctly and consistently wore well fitting masks the entire time. (Adapted
from the August 26, 2021 Indiana Department of Health guidance.)
● Lunch seating will be socially distanced with predetermined seating arrangements for
contact tracing.
● MCS ensures safe and correct application and use of cleaners and disinfectants.
● Desks and other surfaces will be disinfected routinely throughout the day.
● Clean and disinfect athletic/band equipment, restrooms and high touch areas (i.e. door handles, light switches, computer keyboards, mouse, library tables) daily and after each use.
● All necessary cleaning supplies will be provided as needed.
Hand Cleaning
● Students and staff will be given adequate time and multiple opportunities to wash hands or use hand sanitizer; especially, prior to eating lunch
● Soap and water should be used when available.
● Hand sanitizer, containing at least 60% alcohol, can be used with staff and students only
when soap and water is unavailable. Screening
● Self-Screening – Manchester Community Schools will communicate information to parents and employees about the symptoms of COVID-19 and require staff, students and visitors to self-screen before coming to school. Students,employees and guests exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 will be sent home.
● School-Based Screening – Manchester Community Schools may take the temperature of students, employees and visitors on school property on a random basis or in situations where there is reason to believe that the person may be ill.
● Observational – School staff will be trained to observe others for COVID-19 symptoms. Students and employees exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 without being otherwise explained, are prohibited from coming to school, and if they do come to school, they will be sent home immediately.
Prevention
● Clean/disinfect frequently touched surfaces and shared objects after each use daily.
● Students and staff will wear face masks/coverings on school-provided
transportation(buses). Face masks/coverings may be brought from home OR will be
provided by MCS.
● Drinking fountains will be turned off. Students and staff are encouraged to bring water
from home in a clear container. Bottled water may be provided if necessary.
● Air filters on all HVAC units will be changed routinely.
Transportation
● Encourage parents to provide transportation when possible to reduce numbers of students on the buses.
● Face masks/coverings are required for the bus driver and all passengers on the bus when any school-provided transportation vehicle is used.
● Encourage students to use hand sanitizer (provided by the student) when they enter and exit the bus.
● Assign seats to students & they will remain in assigned seats and not be allowed to change seats during the route.
● Place family groups together when possible.
● Load buses from the back to the front when possible.
● Open windows to provide fresh air whenever possible.
● Drivers will sanitize the bus between routes as well as thoroughly clean and sanitize all
buses and transportation vehicles at least once a week.
Food Service
● Provide prepackaged salads- no salad bar unless approved by the Health Department.
● Use disposable plates, bowls, cups and silverware, transition to non-disposable plates,
bowls, cups and silverware when safe to do so.
● Handle kitchen and food items – food service staff will place food items, condiments,
milk, cutlery and optional ala carte items on students tray prior to handing it to the
student
● Not allow cashiers to accept cash
● Tables will be disinfected between use and social distancing will follow health
department regulations.
● Food service staff will wear masks and gloves according to health department
regulations.
● Work with local health department officials to comply with all requirements for your
county
● Require classroom party items should be commercially prepared and prepackaged.
● Encourage all children to utilize hand washing or sanitizing to ensure safe eating
practices prior to eating.
● Provide accommodations to any student who may have specific needs. To make
arrangements for accommodations please contact the building principal, school nurse or food service director.
Teaching and Learning
● Provide hand sanitizer upon entering the classroom. Students of parents concerned about sanitizer use, go to the restroom to wash with soap.
● Practice cleaning/sanitizing as often as possible.
● Discourage prolonged congregation in the hallways, lunch rooms, etc.
● Focus on cleaning and personal hygiene and on being as realistic as possible about
social distancing guidance and mask wearing.
● Have students sit in assigned seats in each classroom.
● Lockers will be utilized. Students may carry their belongings in their backpacks. Students in the lower grades will have a cubby in their homeroom to store a coat or gym shoes, etc.
● Visitations to the building will be restricted to the front office.
● All visitors will be required to adhere to current guidelines.
● Close drinking fountains. Students will be encouraged to bring a water bottle and will be
allowed to keep the bottle with them all day; it can be filled at the filling station within each school.
Social and Emotional
The Manchester Community Schools Guidance Department will continue to meet the academic, social/emotional, and career needs for all students K-12. Counselors will be available for individual counseling, academic and career guidance as needed. Counselors at each school will work with building level administrators to address the more specific needs of each building.
Student or Staff illness
● Anyone going into the nurse’s area wears a mask to avoid spreading viruses.
● Any students or staff exhibiting symptoms of COVID will be isolated in a separate room
within the school building. Students will be escorted to/from this room by office personnel
Outside Educational Groups
Field Trips
COVID-19 Symptoms
● Runny nose
● Fever of 100 or greater
● Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
● Fatigue
● Cough
● Headache
Outside Educational Groups will be determined by a case by case basis and will be required to
wear masks while in the buildings.
Field trips will continue and will adhere to the mitigation procedures of MCS as well as any
additional requirement of the venue attended. We will monitor the current status of COVID
activity at the location of the field trip.
● Muscle or body aches
● Diarrhea, vomiting, nausea or abdominal pain
● Loss of Taste or Smell
● Sore Throat
● MCS will provide students/staff with vaccination site information as it comes available.
