NORTHEAST CSD 2024-2025 OPERATIONAL PLAN

July 21, 2024

 PLEASE NOTE: THE NORTHEAST DISTRICT IS REQUIRED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO UPDATE OUR RETURN TO SCHOOL PLAN EVERY SIX MONTHS. RECOMMENDATIONS WITHIN THIS PLAN ARE FLUID AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE. ALL FINAL DECISIONS ABOUT SCHOOL OPERATIONAL PLANS WILL CONTINUE TO BE INFORMED BY THE MOST RECENT LOCAL HEALTH DATA IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE IDPH, IOWA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND CLINTON COUNTY HEALTH OFFICIALS.

Northeast CSD will be providing fully on-site instruction for all students in the district’s two buildings for the 2024-25 school year. This plan will be re-evaluated and updated as necessary based on guidance from the Iowa Department of Public Health and Department of Education.

All students in grades Preschool through 12th Grade will attend on campus for on-site instruction. Students will attend school Monday through Friday with early out dismissal for teachers’ professional development on Wednesdays, per the 2024-25 school calendar. All students and staff will follow a typical school schedule. The district will continue enhanced cleaning and sanitization protocols throughout the school day in each building to help prevent the spread of any illness.

On-site, In-Person Instruction

Northeast CSD will resume using existing classroom and resource space for instruction. Current health/safety social distancing recommended guidelines will be implemented whenever possible and accommodations will be made if/when necessary.

Fully Remote Learning

Enrollment in Edgenuity will be offered ONLY to students with on-going medical needs.

• Students unable to attend on-site for documented medical reasons will need to, along with their parent/guardian, coordinate available and appropriate learning plans with their building administrator. Medical documentation and subsequent learning plans must be approved by the Superintendent.

Temporary Remote Learning Plan

A Temporary Remote Learning plan will be implemented for up to 14 days if directed by the Iowa Department of Education and/or Iowa Department of Public Health. Such plans may be implemented at the classroom, grade or school level based on guidance from the public health department. Student learning will continue online through the remote period.

14-Day Plan Instructional Plan

Students will be provided synchronous and/or asynchronous required online learning activities for core academic areas. Students will be provided a device and access as necessary.

Health & Safety Measures

Face Coverings (face masks)

• Face coverings will be OPTIONAL for students, staff and visitors throughout the day.

• Face coverings or masks must meet CDC/IDPH guidelines.

• All students and staff will be responsible for providing their own face covering.

• Face coverings are OPTIONAL for students and staff using district transportation (bus, vans, etc.).

Health Screening

Northeast CSD will implement daily health screening practices for students and staff. Students (parents) and staff will be expected to self-monitor and to self-report if/when symptomatic. Sending a child to school is a statement by a parent/guardian that the student is symptom free. School health staff will screen students and staff that report symptoms during the school day.

• Visitors are welcome at school, but will be expected to not enter school facilities if they are COVID-19-symptomatic or do not feel well.

 District Health Screening Checklist for Staff & Students (IDPH Symptom Screening Guidance) According to CDC, COVID-19 symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms or combinations of symptoms may have COVID-19:

• Cough

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Or at least two of these symptoms:

• Fever

• Chills

• Repeated shaking with chills

• Muscle pain

• Headache

• Sore throat

• New loss of taste or smell

• Diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms

 Health Protocols

Healthy hygiene practices and routines will be part of each school’s schedule. Teachers and staff will support students in the proper protocols to help against the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses.

Hand Washing/Sanitizing

Guidelines indicate that students should wash hands for at least 20 seconds after blowing their nose, coughing, or sneezing, before/after eating, upon entering classrooms, before/after riding on district transportation, etc. Breaks will be provided for hand washing. If soap and water are not readily available, hand sanitizer will be provided.

Covid-19 Positive Case Procedures 

Exclusion Criteria for Education Settings (Iowa Department of Public Health Guidance)

Students and staff who have Covid-19 symptoms are excluded from school for 10 days after symptoms start and 24 hours with no fever and improved symptoms OR 10 days after positive test (if no symptoms). The district will follow the guidance from the Clinton County Health Department and Iowa Department of Public Health (see appendix).

Suspected/Confirmed COVID-19 Cases - School Decision Criteria

• Symptomatic staff and students in the building will need to go to the nurse’s office, schools may use an isolation space until they can safely leave the building.

• The district will coordinate with Clinton County Health Officials regarding suspected and confirmed cases.

• Close contact is defined as persons within 6 feet of a confirmed case for at least 15 consecutive minutes.

• Parents/Guardians will be contacted if their child had close contact with a positive case in school.

• Necessary information, case by case, will be logged into the district's tracking system.

Close Contact Notification: All individuals who have been in a classroom or other area of the school (including athletic fields) with a COVID positive individual will receive personal notification. Families of students will be contacted to let them know a student or staff member with whom they have class or an extracurricular activity tested positive. Students/staff who were in close contact as defined by IDPH should be closely monitored for 14 days for symptoms such as fever, cough, trouble breathing, or loss of taste/smell. Families should consider limiting contact between these individuals and high-risk family members.

Positive Test Communication Protocol (In the event of a positive test case):

• The staff/student needs to stay home.

• The school nurse contacts Clinton County Health Officials.

• District’s reporting form will be used to document.

Upon the recommendations of Clinton County Health Officials the District may notify:

• Respective District Administrators (if the case involves an adult).

• Student contact(s) (if there are recommendations relating to the student).

• Any pertinent school personnel related to the positive test protocol.

Other

• Staff members are responsible for contacting their direct supervisor upon learning of a positive test.

• Parents and Guardians are responsible for notifying their building principal upon learning of a positive test in the family home.

• Clinton County Health Officials, if deemed necessary, will contact the school district upon any positive case.

Nursing Services

Students exhibiting symptoms consistent with COVID-19, while at school, will be sent to the school nurse's office for further evaluation. Normal nurse’s office procedures and treatments will continue daily. COVID-19 symptomatic staff and students may utilize an isolated space in the school building. The number of students in the nurse’s office will be regulated at all times, following social distancing guidelines.

Cleaning & Sanitization Protocols

The district will continue preventive facilities cleaning strategies to combat the spread of disease. Strategies include an increase in the scope of enhanced daily disinfecting routines/procedures and increased inventory of disinfecting supplies to support the scope of work. The District will use safe cleaning and disinfecting supplies approved by the FDA.

Modes of Cleaning

• Routine cleaning is performed on a regularly scheduled basis by district custodial staff assigned to that building or area. Routine cleaning includes daily cleaning and disinfecting of all restrooms, scheduled sweeping, vacuuming and auto-scrubbing of all floors, emptying trash and other building based tasks.

• Supplemental cleaning is performed by either regular custodial staff, substitute custodial staff or temporary custodial staff assigned to perform cleaning over and above what is considered routine. Supplemental cleaning is focused on cleaning and disinfecting high touch surfaces, specifically for the purpose of slowing the spread of disease.

• Personal area cleaning is performed by all employees in their personal workspace, which may include their desk, telephone, keyboard, chair, student furniture and shared items in a classroom. This cleaning is customized to personal preference, and is done using district supplied cleaning products.

• Emergency cleaning is performed by custodial or maintenance staff on an emergency basis, in response to a particular, identified incidence of disease. The emergency cleaning plan will be implemented at the direction of District Administrators in response to an actual infection located at or attributed to a particular school or location or when directed by County or State health authorities. If the emergency cleaning plan is implemented, the Superintendent will communicate the district’s plan with staff and the public.

 Food Services

Preschool - 5th grade BREAKFAST

• Students will wash/sanitize hands before and after meals.

• Upon arrival from 7:45-8:15, students eating breakfast will go to the cafeteria to receive “Grab and Go” meals to be eaten in designated areas (cafeteria and/or classroom) before the start of classes.

• Food/drink will not be shared.

Preschool - 5th grade LUNCH

• Students will wash/sanitize hands before and after meals.

• Students go through designated lunch line.

• Food service personnel place items in students’ trays.

• Students will eat in assigned areas (cafeteria and/or classroom).

• Food/drink will not be shared.

6th - 12th grade BREAKFAST/LUNCH

• Students will wash/sanitize hands before and after meals.

• Students go through designated breakfast/lunch line.

• Students hand select and/or request specific items to be placed on their tray.

• Food service personnel monitor and assist placement of items on students’ trays.

• Students may be assigned to eat in assigned areas.

 Recess

Preschool - 5th grade

• Hands will be washed/sanitized before and after recess.

• Assigned areas for each class and/or student cohorts may be used by schools during recess time.

Playground equipment will be cleaned per the district’s sanitation guidelines.

Transportation 

Face masks for drivers and passengers are OPTIONAL. Students will be assigned seats on the bus, passengers will sit in assigned seats going to and returning from the school.

• Assigned seats for all students.

• Siblings or members of the same household will sit together whenever possible.

• No guest riders.

• Building staff teach and review expectations. (hands & feet to self, follow direction from driver, etc.).

• Buses cleaned and sanitized after each route.

• During trips, increase circulation of outside air as necessary.

• District transportation staff will clean bus interiors (or other vehicles) focusing on “high-touch” surfaces such as entrance handrail, seats, steering wheel and door handles.

Co/extra Curricular Activities

 Co/Extra Curricular activities will be based on current guidelines provided by state governing associations (IHSAA/IGHSAU/IHSMA).

Community Use Of District Facilities

Community Groups must follow district Health and Safety Protocols including:

• Optional Face Coverings

• Health Screening

• Stay at Home Requirements

• Suspected/Confirmed Cases

• Hand Washing/Sanitizing

Community groups must communicate to the district activities director any suspected/confirmed cases. There is no guarantee the request will be approved and the district has the authority to close facilities at any time due to failure to follow district procedures/protocols. The purpose for possibly closing facilities is to slow the spread of the disease. 

Resources

Iowa Department of Public Health Guidance: Exclusion Criteria for Education and Child Care Settings (Prohibits K-12 schools from mandating face masks effective 5-19-21)

Iowa Department of Education (IDOE)

Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH)

Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

IHSAA / IGHSAU / IHSMA

Appendix