The school community of Brown County Schools is committed to creating a safe and healthy school environment for the students and staff we serve. In order to be responsive to the unique challenges that face our school district during the COVID-19 pandemic, the following plan outlines the strategies that are being deployed to navigate these extremely challenging times.
Safe Return Highlights
DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP PROCEDURES
Our Preschool Programs are using NEW safe drop-off and pick-up procedures that limit the number of individuals in common areas of the school.
SOCIAL DISTANCING
Each day, the same children will be placed with one another and the same teachers. This group of children and teachers will play and learn together during indoor and outdoor activities. Every effort will be made to keep children six feet apart during rest times, meal times and while seated in classrooms on the rug and at tables for lessons and activities.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
All staff members will wear masks per the Brown County Schools Safe Return Plan. Preschool children will be given breakaway lanyards and masks to increase safety as they travel in hallways within the school building. Preschool teachers may wear a covering over their clothes during times when children need to be held and comforted.
SANITIZING AND CLEANING
Each preschool has purchased the safest and most highly recommended cleaning product on the market. Vital oxide and handheld sprayers will be used to keep surfaces, toys and equipment safe for everyone in the classroom. Daily deep cleaning and repeated wiping down of common areas and frequently touched surfaces will take place. Toys and materials that cannot be cleaned will simply not be used. Once toys or materials are used by children, they will be set aside until they can be cleaned for safe re-use.
HEALTH SCREENINGS
Preschool staff will conduct a self-screening each morning at home and not come to work if they have a fever or any symptoms of COVID-19. Each child, upon arrival each day, will have their temperature checked as part of our new “safe drop-off” procedures. In addition, the family will answer a verbal health screening set of questions to check for any symptoms of illness.
ENFORCEMENT OF FEVER- AND SYMPTOM-FREE POLICIES
In order for a child to return to any BCS Preschool classroom, specific requirements must be met to assure a safe return.
- The child must be fever free for at least 72 hours (3 days) without being given fever-reducing medications;
- The child must show significant improvement in their COVID-19 symptoms;
- There must be at least 10 days since the child’s symptoms first appeared.
PERSONAL HYGIENE
Employees, children, and families will have ready access to hand sanitizer, hand-washing stations or other disinfectant products throughout the school day.