St. Jude the Apostle School will emphasize healthy hygiene practices for students and staff by providing initial and refresher education in hand and respiratory hygiene, along with providing adequate supplies and time for frequent hand hygiene. Signs will be posted throughout the school (e.g., entrances, restrooms, cafeteria, classrooms, administrative offices, auditorium, custodial staff areas) and regular messaging will be shared with the school community. Signage will be used to remind individuals to:
Students and staff must carry out the following hand hygiene practices.
Hand washing should occur:
The COVID-19 virus spreads from person to person in droplets produced by coughs and sneezes. Therefore, the school will emphasize the importance of respiratory hygiene.
Students and staff must carry out the following respiratory hygiene practices.
For more information about how hygiene information will be communicated to students, families and staff members, visit the Communication/Family and Community Engagement section [www.stjudetheapostleschool.org/re-opening-plan/communication-family-and-community-engagement/] of our reopening plan.
St. Jude the Apostle School has developed a plan with policies and procedures for maintaining social distancing of all students, faculty, staff, and visitors when on school facilities, grounds and transportation.
If social distancing of 6 feet cannot be maintained, proper face coverings must be worn in common areas such as hallways or school buses. For those medically unable to wear face coverings, individuals will be required to provide a medical note and efforts will be made to find best alternatives (a face shield will be recommended) and/or allow for better social distancing of that individual whenever possible.
The availability of safe transportation and local hospital capacity in consultation with local department of health officials were considered in the development of this reopening plan.
Students, staff and visitors to our school will be expected to wear face coverings indoors and outside, including on the school bus, when six-foot physical distancing is not possible. Students will be allowed to remove face coverings during meals, instruction, and for short breaks so long as they maintain appropriate social distance. Students who are unable to medically tolerate a face covering will not be required to wear one.
Because students and staff will need to be prepared to wear a face covering if another person unexpectedly cannot socially distance, they will be required to wear a face covering in all common areas (e.g., entrances and exits) and when traveling around the school.
Face coverings will be provided to students and staff, if needed, at no cost. Acceptable face coverings for COVID-19 include, but are not limited to, cloth-based coverings and surgical masks that cover both the mouth and nose.
An employee is allowed to wear their own acceptable face covering if they choose. Employees with healthcare provider documentation stating they are not medically able to tolerate face covering will not be required to do so.
Face coverings may be challenging for students (especially younger students) to wear in all-day settings such as school, so there may be periods of time when masks are not worn.
Face coverings should not be placed on:
The school will instruct students, parents/guardians and staff, contractors and vendors on:
Training will be provided to all staff and students, within the first two weeks of school and on an ongoing basis throughout the school year, on proper social distancing and use of face coverings. The school will provide replacement cloth face coverings to all staff and students when needed. Proper PPE will be provided to all staff members required to complete temperature checks and health screenings.