Return to School Plan 2020-21
A Message from Administration
Los Angeles Adventist Academy is committed to academic excellence in a nurturing Christian environment where students build noble character, develop exceptional leadership, and render unselfish service. This mission was effectively demonstrated during the unusual circumstance where our educational program had to transition to an on-line one. Although the mechanism was different, our teachers and administrators maintained a Christ-centered program where every staff member and student started their day with God. Opportunities for Christ-centered activities and social development were still offered, giving our student leaders experience in planning and implementing. Overall, through this extraordinary experience, we saw God’s hand moving in the lives of our students, families, teachers and staff members.
It is with the success of our educational program in person and on-line that we feel confident in whatever program that we will undertake. It is our sincere desire to operate an in-person program for the upcoming school year, thus, the reason for this comprehensive plan.
Guiding Principles to Decision Making
The process in deciding to open Los Angeles Adventist Academy is taken from the California Department of Disease Control (CDC). State and local health departments, along with the Education Department of the Southern California Conference and the school board will be consulted in this matter. The following is the process for consideration:
Will reopening be consistent with applicable state and local orders?
Is the school ready to protect children and employees at higher risk for severe illness?
Are we able to screen students and employees upon arrival for symptoms and history of exposure?
Develop and implement procedures to check for signs and symptoms of students and employees daily upon arrival, as feasible
Encourage anyone who is sick to stay home
Plan for students or employees who may get sick while at school
Regularly communicate and monitor developments with local authorities, employees, and families regarding cases, exposures, and updates to policies and procedures
Monitor student and employee absences and have flexible leave policies and practices
Be ready to consult with the local health authorities if there are cases in the facility or an increase in cases in the local area
School Goals
Los Angeles Adventist Academy is prepared and desiring to once again resume full, in-person classes, in August. We believe that the in-person class format allows us the best opportunity to provide students with the most complete learning experience that LAAA has to offer. However, we are seeking to work with health and government officials to abide by the regulations and policies stipulated in order to curb the spread of COVID-19. We are confident that with God’s help we will be able to successfully fulfill our mission of educating for eternity while keeping our students safe and healthy.
Tuition for the 2020-2021 School Year
Although school operation costs have increased significantly due to the added safety measures and technical support of our students and families, the cost of tuition will remain the same for this upcoming school year.
Return to School Survey Results
In progress
School Health and Safety Guidelines
I. General Measures
Establish and continue communication with local and State authorities to determine current disease levels and control measures in the community. For example:
Collaborate with other local educational agencies in the region, including the county office of education.
Regularly review updated guidance from state agencies, including the California Department of Public Health, California Department of Education and Southern California Conference of SDA: Department of Education.
LAAA will make available our onsite campus resources to external community organizations and ensure that external community organizations using the facilities also follow our guidelines for health and safety.
LAAA will establish a communication system to regularly update parents, students and employees on the health status of the school as well as changes in protocol and procedures. (system to communicate with parents, employees re: status of school)
Identify at risk students and develop an individualized health plan to accommodate for specific needs.(ex: students w/ asthma→ mask alternatives, face shields)
II. Promoting Healthy Hygiene Practices
LAAA will teach and reinforce washing hands, avoiding contact with one's eyes, nose, and mouth, and covering coughs and sneezes among students and staff.
Students and staff will use fragrance-free hand sanitizer when handwashing is not practicable. Sanitizer must be rubbed into hands until completely dry. Note: frequent handwashing is more effective than the use of hand sanitizers.
Only ethyl alcohol-based hand sanitizer will be used by children, as isopropyl hand sanitizers are more toxic and can be absorbed through the skin.
Children under age nine will use hand sanitizer under adult supervision. Call Poison Control if consumed: 1-800-222-1222.
Each classroom is equipped with handwashing stations to minimize movement and congregations in bathrooms. LAAA will implement routines enabling students, teachers and staff to regularly wash their hands at staggered intervals.
Teach and reinforce use of cloth face coverings, masks, or face shields. Face coverings are most essential when physical distancing is not practicable.
All staff will use cloth face coverings unless Cal/OSHA standards require respiratory protection. Teachers can use face shields, if available, to enable younger students to see their teachers’ faces and to avoid potential barriers to phonological instruction.
Staff in routine contact with the public (e.g., front office) will use gloves and facial coverings.
Students will be encouraged to use cloth face coverings. Cloth face coverings are most essential in settings where physical distancing cannot easily be maintained or where space may be insufficient.
Information will be posted on campus and provided to staff and families in the school community on proper use, removal and washing of cloth face coverings.
LAAA will maintain necessary supplies to support healthy hygiene behaviors, including soap, tissues, no-touch trash cans, face coverings and hand sanitizers with at least 60 percent ethyl alcohol for staff and students who can safely use hand sanitizer.
Students will have their own hygiene kit in order to limit sharing. The kit will include: tissues, hand-sanitizers and personal water bottles in addition to school supplies. In the event that a student cannot provide all items, LAAA will help procure necessary essentials.
III. Intensified Cleaning, Disinfection, and Ventilation Procedures
LAAA will clean and disinfect frequently-touched surfaces within school at least daily and, as practicable, frequently throughout the day.
Frequently touched surfaces in the school include, but are not limited to: door handles, light switches, sink handles, bathroom surfaces, tables, student desks, chairs, copy machines & school phones
LAAA has suspended the use of drinking fountains and instead will encourage the use of individual reusable water bottles.
LAAA will limit the use of shared playground equipment in favor of physical activities that require less contact with surfaces.
LAAA will limit the sharing of objects and equipment such as toys, games and art supplies to the extent practicable. But where allowed, clean and disinfect between uses.
When choosing cleaning products, LAAA will use those approved for use against COVID-19 on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved list “N” and follow product instructions.
Custodial staff with the responsibility of cleaning and disinfecting the school site must be equipped with proper protective equipment, including gloves, eye protection, respiratory protection and other appropriate protective equipment as required by the product instructions. All products will be kept out of children’s reach and stored in a space with restricted access.
LAAA will establish a cleaning and disinfecting schedule in order to avoid both under- and over-use of cleaning products.
LAAA will ensure safe and correct application of disinfectant and keep products away from students.
LAAA will ensure proper ventilation during cleaning and disinfecting. Introduce fresh outdoor air as much as possible such as opening windows, etc., where practicable. When cleaning, air out the space before children arrive and thoroughly clean when children are not present. If using air conditioning, replace and check air filters and filtration systems to ensure optimal air quality.
IV. Distancing Inside and Outside Classroom
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
LAAA has labeled designated routes for entry and exit, using as many entrances as feasible and put in place other protocols to limit direct contact with others as much as practicable.
LAAA will ensure that there is minimal contact at school between students, staff, families and the community at the beginning and end of the school day.
Set up drop off locations that are appropriately distanced as to minimize picking up challenges for families.
Set up a temperature and hygiene check-in station where all personnel and students must first enter through.
CLASSROOM SPACE
LAAA students will remain in the same space and in groups as small and consistent as practicable. We will keep the same students and teacher or staff with each group, to the greatest extent practicable to minimize movement of students and teachers or staff.
LAAA will maximize space between seating and desks. Teachers and other staff desks will be distanced at least six feet away from student desks. LAAA will also apply practical ways to establish separation of students such as six feet between desks, partitions between desks, markings on classroom floors to promote distancing or arranging desks in a way that minimizes face-to-face contact as well as rearranging furniture and play spaces to maintain separation.
LAAA staff will develop instructions for maximizing spacing and ways to minimize movement in both indoor and outdoor spaces that are easy for students to understand and are developmentally appropriate.
LAAA will implement online procedures for turning in assignments to minimize contact.
NON-CLASSROOM SPACES
LAAA will limit nonessential visitors, volunteers and activities involving other groups at the same time.
LAAA will substitute communal activities such as chapels and assemblies with virtual chapels and assemblies.
LAAA will maximize non-classroom space for instruction such as regular use of outdoor space, weather permitting.
LAAA will minimize congregate movement through hallways and establish more specific pathways to navigate around campus.
Students will eat lunch and snacks in classrooms and designated outdoor areas instead of the school cafeteria. Students cannot share foods and utensils.
Recess and outdoor activities will be in separate areas, designated by class.
V. Procedures to Limit Sharing
Each student’s belongings will be separated and placed in individually labeled storage containers. Teachers will ensure that belongings are taken home each day to be cleaned.
LAAA will maintain adequate supplies to minimize sharing of high-touch materials (art supplies, equipment, etc.) to the extent practicable or limit use of supplies and equipment to one group of children at a time and clean and disinfect between uses.
To avoid sharing, LAAA will assign individual electronic devices to each student. Sharing of clothing, toys, books and other games or learning aids is currently prohibited.
VI. Health & Hygiene Training Staff and Educating Families
LAAA will continue to train and update all staff and provide educational materials to families in the following safety actions:
Enhanced sanitation practices
Physical distancing guidelines and their importance
Use of face coverings
Screening practices
COVID-19 specific symptom identification
LAAA will conduct back-to-school training and education virtually, ensuring distancing is maintained.
Information should be provided to all staff and families on proper use, removal and washing of cloth face coverings.
VII. Checking for Signs and Symptoms
LAAA will actively encourage staff and students who are sick or who have recently had close contact with a person with COVID-19 to stay home and provide guidelines for re-entry. LAAA will ensure staff, students and students’ families are aware of these policies.
LAAA will implement screening and other procedures for all staff and students entering the facility which includes:
Visual wellness check-in of all students and take students’ temperature with a no-touch thermometer.
Daily screening process which asks all individuals about COVID-19 symptoms within the last 24 hours and whether anyone in their home has had COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test.
A designated staff liaison to serve as a coordinator to ensure prompt and responsible collection of documents, track incidents of possible exposure and notify local health officials, staff and families immediately of any positive case of COVID-19 while maintaining confidentiality, as required under FERPA and state law related to privacy of educational records.
*When a student is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, staff will immediately contact the parent/caregiver and provide a quarantined waiting area.
LAAA will monitor staff and students throughout the day for signs of illness; send home students and staff with a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, cough or other COVID-19 symptoms.
LAAA will not penalize students missing class due to exposure to COVID-19.
VIII. Contingency Plan: Staff Member, Child or Visitor Becomes Sick
LAAA administrators will coordinate with healthcare professionals to identify an isolation area to separate anyone who exhibits symptoms of COVID-19.
Any student or staff exhibiting symptoms will immediately be required to wait in the isolation area until they can be transported home or to a healthcare facility, as soon as practicable. COVID-19 symptoms:
Fever
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Chills
Repeated shaking with chills
Muscle pain
Headache
Sore throat
New loss of taste or smell
If a student’s condition worsens while waiting for transport, LAAA will call 9-1-1. Severe COVID-19 symptoms include: persistent pain or pressure in the chest, confusion, or bluish lips or face.
LAAA will notify local health officials, staff and all families immediately of any positive case of COVID-19 while maintaining confidentiality as required by state and federal laws.
LAAA will close off areas used by any sick person and will not use before cleaning and disinfection. To reduce risk of exposure, we will wait 24 hours before clean and disinfecting. If it is not possible to wait 24 hours, staff will wait as long as practicable. LAAA will also ensure a safe and correct application of disinfectants using personal protective equipment, LAAA will also ensure proper ventilation recommended for cleaning and keep disinfectant products away from students.
LAAA will require sick staff members and students not to return on campus until they have met CDC criteria. This criterion includes 3 days with no fever, symptoms have improved and 10 days since symptoms first appeared.
LAAA will ensure that students, including students with disabilities, have access to instruction when out of class, as required by federal and state law.
LAAA will provide students, teachers and staff from higher transmission areas opportunities for telework, virtual learning, independent study and other options as feasible to reduce travel to schools in lower transmission areas and vice versa.
IX. Maintaining Healthy Operations
LAAA will have a roster of trained back-up staff.
LAAA will monitor the types of illnesses and symptoms among your students and staff to help isolate them promptly.
LAAA has a designated staff liaison who is responsible for responding to COVID-19 concerns. The liaison will be trained to coordinate the documentation and tracking of possible exposure, in order to notify local health officials, staff and families in a prompt and responsible manner. Employees will be kept updated on who liaison is.
LAAA will maintain communication systems (via email, FACTS and text) that allow staff and families to self- report symptoms and receive prompt notifications of exposures and closures, while maintaining confidentiality, as required by FERPA and state law related to privacy of educational records.
LAAA will consult with local health departments if routine testing is being considered or recommended.
LAAA will support staff and students who are at higher risk for severe illness or who cannot safely distance from household contacts at higher risk, by providing options such as telework, virtual learning or independent study.
X. Considerations for Partial or Total Closures0
LAAA will check State and local orders and health department notices daily about transmission in the area or closures and adjust operations accordingly.
When an LAAA student, teacher or staff member tests positive for COVID-19 and had exposed others at the school, the following steps will be implemented:
In consultation with the local public health department, the appropriate school administration may decide whether school closure is warranted, including the length of time necessary, based on the risk level within the specific community as determined by the local public health officials.
Given standard guidance for isolation at home for at least 14 days after close contact, the classroom or office where the student/person was based will typically need to close temporarily as students or staff isolate.
Additional close contacts at school outside of a classroom should also isolate at home.
Additional areas of the school visited by the COVID-19 positive student/person will also be closed temporarily for cleaning and disinfection.
Communication plans for school closure will include outreach to students, parents, teachers, staff and the community.
Information for staff regarding labor laws, information regarding Disability Insurance, Paid Family Leave and Unemployment Insurance, as applicable for public local educational agencies.
LAAA will provide guidance to parents, teachers and staff reminding them of the importance of community physical distancing measures while a school is closed, including discouraging students or staff from gathering elsewhere.
LAAA currently has a plan for continuity of education and other services provided in the regular school setting to establish alternate mechanisms for these services to continue.
Maintain regular communications with the local public health department.
XI. Examples of Alternative School Operations
In the instance that LAAA must move to a distance-learning program, the following program models will be considered:
ALTERNATING DAYS - students within the classrooms may be scheduled for alternating days of in-person and distance-learning school days
DISTANCE LEARNING- students will attend school solely through our distance learning program
CONDENSED DAY MODEL - the school day may be shortened for in-person operations
FAMILY NEEDS MODEL - in-school attendance provided for families who demonstrate that they cannot accommodate distance-learning because of a lack of child supervision.