Homestead Schoolhouse COVID-19 Health

and Safety Plan 

Family/Teacher Conduct:

            As we are all coming together to make stable groups, we at The Homestead are committed to all of our health and safety. We are ensuring that all of our teachers are following the Health and Safety Guidelines put out by the state.  We are, in turn, asking that all of our families do the same.  We feel this will help the Homestead community stay together for the year.

Schoolwide Start Date:

·       As we are executing all of the changes needing to get ready for the school year, we have decided to push our start date out a day to Monday, Sept. 14 and Tuesday, Sept. 15. 

·       We will be conducting our open house virtually.  We will be sending out a video on Wednesday, Sept. 9.

Annex Changes

  • Due to COVID-19, we are implementing a temporary time change for our AM and PM 3-4 year old classes.  We need more time in-between classes to sanitize and clean in order to keep our teachers and students safe.

  • AM class will begin at 8:30am and will end at 11:30am.

  • PM class will begin at 1:00pm and end at 4:00pm.

  • We are requesting each student brings a backpack that is large enough to fit the papers and projects that will be going home. 

  • Students will also be keeping shoes on for the time being.  No slippers are needed for now.

Drop-off and Pick-up Procedures:

  • Parents or caregivers will be dropping off and picking up on the front steps of the Schoolhouse and at the white double doors of the Annex.  A teacher will be outside welcoming children.

  • A teacher will conduct a daily health screening of your child.  This will entail:

  • Temperature check w/ a no contact thermometer.

  • Asking the parents if the child been exposed to a person with a positive or presumptive case of COVID-19 in the past 14 days.

  • Asking the parent if the child is experiencing an unusual cough, shortness of breath, or fever.

  • Asking the parent if the child has any symptoms of diarrhea, vomiting, headache, sore throat or rash.

  • A teacher will be signing your child in and out.

  • Parents and caregivers are required to wear a face covering during drop-off and pick-up.

  • Parents and caregivers dropping-off or picking-up children are required to maintain physical distancing while waiting.  We will have designated spaces for parents to stand that are 6 feet apart.

  • Children will be asked to wash their hands as they enter the building.  We will also have hand sanitizer available at the entrance. 

  • Drop-off times will be within the first 30 minutes of class and pick-up times will begin the last 15 minutes of the day for staggering purposes.

  • We are encouraging families to have the same person drop-off and pick-up your child each day.

Daily Health Checks:

  • A teacher will conduct a daily health check for any children, staff, and other person (parent, maintenance, etc.) coming into contact with the child care for each stable group.

  • We will be sending out an “Exclusion Summary” page, which will outline in detail if a child may or may not come to school due to health reasons. 

Recordkeeping:

  • The Homestead will keep daily logs for each stable group to support potential contact tracing.  (This will be included in our traditional log-in/out books)

Family Engagement

  • Unfortunately, our beginning of the year BBQ will be cancelled.

  • All in-person activities, such as orientation and open house will be done virtually. 

  • Any meetings will be conducted virtually or outdoors.

  • Homestead teachers will send photos of artwork and other projects as they are displayed.

  • Until further notice, we will be postponing any field trips. 

Group Size and Stable Groups

  • Homestead’s stable groups are the designated classes. 

  • A new child may be added or moved to a different stable group if it is a permanent change.

  • Teachers and children are not required to physically distance from adults or children within their stable group. 

Group Size and Split Classes

  • Schoolhouse location:

    • MWF- no more than 16 students

    • T/TH class- no more than 16 students

  • Annex location: 

    • Ages 3-4 year olds (AM and PM) no more than 16 kids per

    • Ages 2.5-3 year olds are currently no more than 15 kids per

  • Each class will be split periodically throughout the day.  (see daily schedule for specifics)

  • During outside time, we plan on having split groups, but will never have more than one stable group at a time. 

Personal  Protective Equipment for Children and Adults

  • All Homestead teachers will be wearing a face shield or mask at all times.

  • Students are allowed to wear a face covering if it is requested. 

  • If a student wears a face mask, they must be able to take it on/off unassisted.

  • A student’s face mask will remain in their cubby if they are not using it.

  • Teachers and students are required to wash hands before putting on a face covering, after taking masks/cloth face covering off, and anytime the face covering is touched.

  • Teachers who engage in health and safety checks will change face coverings and wear an apron that will only be used during safety checks.  

  • Teachers moving between stable groups (ie. AM to PM classes) will change their outer layer of clothing. 

 

Daily Activities

  • Students will be encouraged to wash hands between activities.

  • Classroom materials will be sanitized between uses.  

  • We will provide individual pencil cases for each student to keep materials in. 

    • Markers, scissors, glue stick, crayons, etc. 

    • These will be made by the teachers 

    • Boxes will be labeled with child’s name and decorated

  • We will discontinue the use of large sensory bins; instead playdough will be placed in individual containers.

  • Each student will have their own quiet reading mat assigned to them.

  • We will reduce time spent in whole/large group activities.  (see Daily Rhythm)

  • We will have between 2-4 spaces available at each table.

  • We will limit the number of children in each space/activity throughout the school.

    • Signs will be posted at each activity limiting the number of students at each space.

  • Incorporate additional daily outside time. 

    • Quiet reading outside- weather permitting

    • Lunch/snacks outside- weather permitting

    • Longer outside playtime

Handwashing and General Hygiene 

  • Require staff and children to wash hands for at least 20 seconds (hand sanitizer is ok when an asterisk appears):

    • Before and after eating, preparing food

    • Before and after administering medication

    • After toileting or assisting with toileting

    • After wiping a nose, coughing, or sneezing *

    • After coming in from outside *

    • Upon entering the child care facility *

    • If staff are moving between stable groups *

    • After each transition *

  • Hand sanitizer will be stored out of reach of children when not in use.

Food and Nutrition

  • Teachers are required to wash their hands before and after assisting children with eating.

  • Children are required to wash hands before and after eating.

  • Teachers will supervise meal/snack times to prevent children from sharing and/or touching each other’s food.

  • Lunches will be brought from home. (4-5 year olds)

  • Homestead will provide the snacks.

  • We will be splitting groups for lunchtime.  (4-5 year olds)

    • Seating for meal times will be spaced out with no more than 4 students at a table.

  • Students are required to bring a water bottle daily, as our water fountain will be turned off.

Cleaning and Building Maintenance

  • Homestead will be increasing our circulation of outdoor air as much as possible by opening windows, using ceiling fans, and running a UV air purifier at all times.

  • We will be doing a full clean/sanitize of the classroom after each class time.

  • During class time: 

    • We will be cleaning and sanitizing surfaces before and after their use.

    • High touch surfaces, such as doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, and toilets, will be disinfected or sanitized throughout the day.

    • Quiet reading mats will be sanitized after each use.

    • We will be cleaning and sanitizing toys after each use.

    • All disinfectants will be out of the reach of children.

 

Responding to Possible and Confirmed Cases of COVID-19

  • Homestead Schoolhouse will make a plan for a confirmed case and the possibility that the facility may need to close. We will provide that plan shortly.