COVID-19 Mitigation Plan for the Grand Canyon Unified School District #4 - 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR Approved, August 19, 2020 - Grand ...
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COVID-19 Mitigation Plan for the Grand
Canyon Unified School District #4
2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR
Approved, August 19, 2020
Image from the Yaki Point on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park; Grand Canyon National Park Public
Albums.
This Page Intentionally Left Blank
Contents
Contents
Contents .........................................................................................................................................i
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 1
What’s Inside ............................................................................................................................ 1
A Changing Landscape............................................................................................................. 1
Preliminaries ................................................................................................................................. 2
Should You or Your Child Come to School? ............................................................................. 2
COVID-19 Testing Information.................................................................................................. 2
General Safety Practices .............................................................................................................. 4
Hygiene ..................................................................................................................................... 4
Campus Cleanliness ................................................................................................................. 6
Cohorting .................................................................................................................................. 6
Physical Distancing ................................................................................................................... 7
Learning Model Choices ........................................................................................................... 7
Student Services ..................................................................................................................... 10
Standard Operating Procedures ................................................................................................. 12
Expectations of Parents .......................................................................................................... 12
Bus Procedures ...................................................................................................................... 12
Campus Arrival by Car, Bicycle, or on Foot ............................................................................ 13
Food Service ........................................................................................................................... 14
Classroom Cleaning During the School Day........................................................................... 15
Recess .................................................................................................................................... 15
School Office Protocols........................................................................................................... 15
Athletics .................................................................................................................................. 16
Detection and Intervention.......................................................................................................... 17
COVID-19 Symptoms ............................................................................................................. 17
Reporting of COVID-19 ........................................................................................................... 18
If a Student or Staff Member is Sick ....................................................................................... 18
School Reopening and/or Closure Criteria ............................................................................. 20
Information Resources ............................................................................................................... 23
Arizona Department of Education ........................................................................................... 23
Arizona Department of Health Services .................................................................................. 23
iContents
Centers for Disease Control.................................................................................................... 23
Coconino County Health and Human Services Department ................................................... 23
The Trust................................................................................................................................. 23
Second Step Family Resources.............................................................................................. 23
Revision History.......................................................................................................................... 24
Appendices ................................................................................................................................. 25
Regulation GBGB-R – Staff PERSONAL SECURITY AND SAFETY ..................................... 25
Regulation JICA-RB – Student Dress and Face Coverings .................................................... 27
Regulation ICA-RB – Student Dress (Cloth Face Coverings) ................................................. 28
Regulation KI-RB – Visitors to Schools (Cloth Face Coverings)............................................. 29
iiIntroduction – What’s Inside
Introduction
This document describes the practices and procedures necessary for return to in-person
instruction, and the criteria used to determine return to full-time Brick and Mortar instruction,
Hybrid instruction, online instruction and Intermittent Closure should that become necessary.
The School District will be working with Coconino County Health Department and will always
comply with directions of governmental agencies. We will go to 100% virtual learning should we
have to close. (See School Reopening and/or Closure Criteria page 20.)
This resource document is based on guidelines from the Arizona Department of Education,
Centers for Disease Control, Coconino County Health and Human Services Department, The
National Park and The Trust, our school's insurance company.
What’s Inside
This document is broken into the following primary sections:
• The first section, General Safety Practices, covers practices intended to prevent the
spread of the Coronavirus. These are derived from the guidelines of various governing
agencies noted above. The general practices in this section are intended to be
generalizable and thus applicable in situations not foreseen in specific standard
operating procedures.
• The second section, Standard Operating Procedures, covers standard, routine and well
defined procedures which should be implemented as written.
• The third section relates to responses and interventions to COVID-19 symptoms, and
provides criteria for opening or closing school based on Department of Health or other
government criteria.
• Appendices are provided for relevant Regulations, Policies and other supporting
material.
A Changing Landscape
This is a living guide, the practices and procedures in this document may be modified as we
receive new information and guidance. Updates to this guide will be posted prominently on the
District’s web site.
1Preliminaries – Should You or Your Child Come to School?
Preliminaries
These items are described in more detail later in the document; however they are provided here
for quick access to critical information.
Should You or Your Child Come to School?
Because the health and safety of our students and staff is our primary concern as we begin in-
person learning, we have established the following criteria which must be met for any student or
staff to come to the school campus.
No person, student, staff member, parent or visitor may enter the school campus if they exhibit
any of the following symptoms.
● A fever of 100.4 degrees or higher
● Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
● Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
● Cough or sore throat
● Headache
● Fatigue
● Muscle or body aches
● Loss of sense of taste or smell
● Chills
● Congestion or runny nose
● Any other symptom of illness, whether or not you believe it’s related to COVID-19
More information on symptoms can be found in “COVID-19 Symptoms,” page 17.
See also “Criteria for Return to School for Students and Staff” for information on returning after
symptoms or a positive test, page 19.
COVID-19 Testing Information
If you are showing any of the above signs of COVID-19, or if you believe you may have been
exposed to the Coronavirus, it is recommended that you contact one or more of the following
health services.
Coconino County Health Services COVID-19 Information Line:
928-679-7300
2Preliminaries – COVID-19 Testing Information
Testing is available at the Fort Tuthill specimen collection site free of charge M-F 10 am to 3
pm. No healthcare provider order is required. Testing is for patients who are showing
symptoms or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19. .
https://www.coconino.az.gov/covid19
Arizona Department of Health Services Hotline: 1-844-542-8201
https://www.azdhs.gov/
Statewide COVID-19 Hotline: 2-1-1
English and Spanish daily from 8 am to 8 pm
https://www.azdhs.gov/index.php
Grand Canyon Clinic:
928-638-2551
COVID-19 testing available Mondays from 1-2 pm. Testing provided to patients who are
showing symptoms or have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19. If you have
insurance, your provider will be billed. If no insurance, a sliding scale for services will be used
to determine cost.
3General Safety Practices – Hygiene
General Safety Practices
Safe operating practices are derived from the guidelines of various governing agencies and are
intended to mitigate the spread of the Coronavirus which causes the disease COVID-19. These
are intended to be generalizable, and are provided for situations not specifically covered by
Standard Operating Procedures.
Hygiene
Hand Washing
Hand sanitizer dispensers have been distributed throughout the school buildings. Hand
washing stations have been updated with no-touch faucets in the elementary building and in all
school restrooms.
All students should be instructed on proper hand washing. The below image depicts proper
handwashing technique. Students should be reminded that handwashing should typically take
20 seconds or more. Prompting younger students to sing a short song or rhyme is often a
useful measure of hand washing time.
Image provided by the Arizona Department of Health Services
When handwashing stations are not available, staff and students should make use of hand
sanitizer anytime they have touched something which may have been contaminated, or have
touched other individuals.
4General Safety Practices – Hygiene
Face Coverings
In accordance with regulations GBGB-R, JICA-RB, ICA-RB, and KI-RB, (see Appendices
beginning on page 25), face coverings are required by all students, staff and visitors at all times,
unless specifically authorized by the Superintendent.
If the Superintendent authorizes the removal of face coverings, the removal will only be
authorized when a minimum of 6 feet separation can be maintained between individuals.
The requirement for masks may change based on the conditions in the local community. See
“School Reopening and/or Closure Criteria,” page 20.
Staff and Parents on behalf of Students may request alternate accommodations to the
requirements for face coverings based on specific health issues. Such requests should be
directed to the school principal and will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
Student Specific Materials or Supplies
To minimize the possible spread of the Coronavirus, all students will be issued their own set of
supplies such as math manipulatives, workbooks, art supplies etc. Tools and materials which
will need to be shared will be wiped down with disinfecting solution before being shared with
other students.
Students may be directed to take these materials home for on-line study, and will be expected
to return them the next time they return to class.
Water bottles and bottle fill stations
To minimize the possible spread of the Coronavirus, all drinking fountains on campus have
been disabled, and are in the process of being replaced with touchless water fill stations.
All students will be issued a water bottle and asked to label it with their name in indelible ink.
Water bottles should never be shared among students. Water bottles should be taken home on
weekends for cleaning, and should return with the student on the next in-person school day.
The school will provide disposable water cups for students who forget their water bottle;
however the school discourages their continued use.
Restroom Procedures
Restroom procedures will vary by grade level; however the general procedure will be to excuse
students one student at a time for restroom breaks, and a signaling system will be established
at the exterior of the restroom to indicate a restroom is occupied. The intention is to limit access
to the restroom to one student at a time.
5General Safety Practices – Campus Cleanliness As the school will be utilizing cohorts of students to limit the need for student transitions between classes, particularly at the higher grade levels, restroom breaks should be given on an as needed basis, and should not generally occur during any passing time. (See “Cohorting,” below.) Lockers Because the school will organize students in cohorts, and limit the movement of students from classroom to classroom, to limit the potential spread of the Coronavirus across cohorts, the school will not be assigning high school students lockers this year. Campus Cleanliness Enhanced cleaning techniques The district will utilize enhanced cleaning techniques this year, including but not limited to additional daily cleaning of all wipeable surfaces, decontamination of classrooms using antiseptic foggers or other enhanced techniques in the evenings. Playground equipment will be cleaned at least daily, and athletic equipment, for example balls or field equipment will be wiped down after each use. Heightened disinfection of high touch surfaces High touch surfaces such as door knobs, counters and restroom touch surfaces will be disinfected multiple times each day on a routine schedule. Cohorting Cohorting refers to the organization of students into groups whose members remain together as a unit for the duration of the day. This is typical of elementary students, however it is being implemented up through the high school as a means of limiting the number of people who could receive a significant exposure from an infectious, most likely asymptomatic person. Cohorts are generally organized from same grade-level students, and are assigned to a single room for the day. This minimizes the contact time with other students and staff, and thus minimizes the breadth of virus spread during activities like class transitions, hallway encounters, and restroom breaks. Remaining in the classroom for the school day minimizes the need for student lockers. Class topic transitions in cohorts are typically done by transitioning the teacher from room to room rather than students from room to room. Food service is also typically provided in the classroom to minimize contamination contact opportunities in a shared cafeteria. 6
General Safety Practices – Physical Distancing
Physical Distancing
All schools in the District have reorganized classrooms such that all desks are arranged at least
6 feet apart and facing the same direction.
The schools will post signage throughout school buildings to remind students and staff of the
importance of maintaining minimum physical distancing whenever possible. Hallways are
divided into one-way lanes, with designated in and out hallway doors.
For younger students in particular, simple distancing techniques such as “airplanes” where
students are asked to hold their arms out to their side like airplane wings, and ensure that they
are far enough apart that they cannot touch hands, provide regular reminders for the need for
physical distancing.
Large group events, for example, school assemblies, in-person athletic competition, spectator
events, and field trips have been canceled for the year.
Small group activities, for example, reading groups will be performed virtually when possible,
and if used in person, will require face coverings and enhanced hygiene routines.
The below graphic illustrates many of these mitigation processes.
Image provided by the Arizona Department of Health Services
Learning Model Choices
The Grand Canyon Unified School District is taking steps to ensure we meet the standards set
by the Centers for Disease Control, Arizona Department of Education, the National Park Service
and State and local health departments for safe reopening. We recognize that even this may
7General Safety Practices – Learning Model Choices not be adequate to meet the needs or comfort level of every family situation, and so the district is providing alternate learning options. To facilitate all learning models this year, all students in grades 3 through 12 will be provide with a laptop computer (typically a Chromebook). Students in PreK-2 will be provide with a tablet device. These devices will be used occasionally during in-person learning time, and will be expected to be used during the Distance Learning period of the hybrid model. Students will also be provided with an appropriate charger, and are expected to bring the device to school fully charged each day. Full Distance Learning Option The Grand Canyon Unified School District is offering a Distance Learning Program beginning in the fall of 2020, and running for as long the Coronavirus poses a threat. We will serve all students in Pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The Distance Learning program follows the in-classroom curriculum and pacing. The curriculum materials are put together by our certified teachers, and is delivered through a learning management system and video conferencing tool to create a virtual classroom. While we cannot fully replicate the social interaction of an in-person classroom, video conferencing software provides a rough approximation of in-classroom instruction and offers opportunities for your children to interact in small groups under the guidance of a teacher. Our program is led by a certified teacher with seven years of experience as an on-line teacher. The program utilizes one of two learning management systems, one of which the district has been using for several years to provide a broad range of elective classes to our high school students. The result is that we have the leadership, experience and tools to ensure every child’s success. While details of the distance learning program will adapt to the needs of our students, a typical day would likely begin with a check-in of all students at a particular grade level through our video conferencing system, essentially a virtual home room. The teacher will go through expectations for the day, identifying specific times of on-line classes, and students will have an opportunity to ask questions from the prior day's work. This would be followed by online classes taught by a teacher through the video conferencing system, as well as self-study, which may consist of exercises, math problems, or watching relevant YouTube videos on class topics, or on-line interactive activities. Students in the online program should expect to be directly engaged in school activities for at least 5 hours each day, though that time would likely be divided into smaller work segments and corresponding breaks where exercise and outdoor time will be encouraged. Each child’s teacher will be monitoring students for adequate daily progress as well as providing opportunities for individual help when needed. Finally, all on-line teachers will work with their students to find and encourage space for positive interaction with other children. 8
General Safety Practices – Learning Model Choices
The Hybrid Schedule
The hybrid schedule was suggested by the Arizona Department of Education with the intention
of reducing both the number of students in the classroom at any one time in order to facilitate
physical distancing, and reducing the amount of time students are together to reduce the virus
exposure risk.
In the hybrid schedule, a student is assigned to either a Group A, or Group B schedule. Group A
would be on campus Monday and Tuesday, and Group B would be on campus Wednesday and
Thursday. Any educational process is a combination of direct instruction and either group or
individual work. Normally, these are interspersed together. With the hybrid model, the idea is to
intentionally separate these into two days of direct instruction, with the individual and group
work (via learning management tools) occurring on the days when students are not physically at
the school. So the curriculum and student work is not significantly changed, but the order of that
work is altered.
The hybrid schedule enables three important mitigation strategies for the school. Because only
half of the number of students are on campus at any one time, there will be no more than half
the number of students in each classroom as compared to a regular full time schedule, allowing
easier physical distancing within the classroom. Also since only half of the students would be at
school, the need for transportation for students is substantially decreased, enabling more
physical distancing on the bus. Since only half the number of students will be in classrooms,
the probability of virus spread from an infected individual on campus is halved.
In-School Student Services
Should the school employ a Hybrid schedule, by Executive Order 2020-41 of the Arizona
Governor, all schools are required to provide supervised study or other service options to
students on request. This is intended to support parents who need to work, students who don’t
have access to high speed internet, and students with special needs.
If a student is on the hybrid “A” schedule, for example, they would be in-classroom on Monday
and Tuesday, and normally expected to participate in distance learning activities on Thursday
and Friday from home. If however, their parents request in-school student services, those
students would attend school on Thursday and Friday in a distance learning capacity. They
would be provided with a space, internet access, and be supervised by a school staff member
while they complete the on-line portion of their school work. They would receive assistance as
needed, receive food service and appropriate breaks and recess during this time, however the
Arizona Department of Education has been clear that there is no expectation of direct
instruction.
This requirement provides a good deal of flexibility. For example, the supervised distance
learning could be done locally, in Tusayan, or Valle to minimize the need to transport students.
The school has been reaching out to develop partnerships with organizations who could provide
space for this, without having to bus students to the school campus.
9General Safety Practices – Student Services
In-school student services also provide the opportunity to provide services for students in our
Exceptional Student Services program.
Student Services
Emotional Health
Because emotional health is an important aspect of the educational process, prior to the arrival
of students on campus, school staff will receive training on the Second Step Program, which is
our curriculum on social and emotional development. Prior to this year, the Second Step
program covered only our kindergarten through eighth grade students. It has been extended
through high school starting this school year. Several resources on Second Step can be found
in the “Quick Links” section of our school website.
More information on Second Step can also be found on their web site:
https://www.secondstep.org/what-is-second-step
In addition to our expanded focus on Second Step, we will be continuing counseling services as
needed.
We have two PhD psychologists on contract to provide counseling as needed, and our High
School counselor, Susan Duthie, is certified in the WHYTRY program, see:
https://whytry.org/whytry-program/
From their web site:
The WhyTry curriculum uses ten visual metaphors to teach important life skills.
Decisions have consequences… dealing with peer pressure… obeying laws and rules…
plugging in to support systems…
Our visual metaphors are reinforced with relevant music, videos, learning activities, and
journals. The WhyTry curriculum engages all major learning styles, including visual,
auditory, and body-kinesthetic.
Special Education
Special Education (Exceptional Student Services [ESS]) will be provided by the school in
accordance with the student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP). Depending on the IEP and the
choice of learning model, ESS may be:
• Administered by the student’s regular teacher as part of the regular distance learning
program
• Administered remotely by a special education teacher
10General Safety Practices – Student Services
• Administered as part of the in-classroom or one-on-one session during the student’s on-
campus hybrid schedule.
• Administered daily as part of the school’s support of In-school Student Services.
11Standard Operating Procedures – Expectations of Parents
Standard Operating Procedures
Expectations of Parents
It is the Parent’s or Guardian’s responsibility to evaluate the health of their child every morning
BEFORE sending them to school or the bus stop.
If a student presents with COVID-19 symptoms during the school day, it is the Parent’s or
Guardian’s responsibility to make arrangements for the pickup and transportation of that student
from the campus to the family home in a timely manner. The longer a symptomatic student
remains on campus, the higher the risk the child poses for the transmission of the Coronavirus
to other students and staff.
If a student has underlying health problems which may mimic COVID-19 symptoms—for
example, congestion and runny nose from allergies, or shortness of breath from asthma—it is
the responsibility of the Parent of Guardian to inform the school before the student arrives on
campus.
Bus Procedures
To limit the opportunity of virus spread on the bus:
• Parents who transport their child to the bus stop will be asked to keep them in the car
until the bus arrives.
• For students who walk to the bus, they will be asked to maintain minimum physical
distancing when waiting. Because we know this will be a challenge for some students,
we will ask parents for their assistance in reinforcing observance of the COVID-19
protection protocols.
• An aide will accompany the bus driver on all routes. When the bus arrives at a bus stop,
the aide will get off the bus; greet each child; perform a basic health assessment using
recommended CDC questions; observe signs of illness; and take the child's temperature
using a no-touch thermometer.
• If a student has a temperature of greater than or equal to 100.4 degrees, or if the student
shows symptoms of COVID-19 infection:
o The student will not be allowed to board the bus
o The Parent/Guardian will be contacted
o If the Parent or Guardian can be contacted, they will be asked to pick up the
student and return them to their home
o If the Parent or Guardian cannot be contacted, the student will be isolated in a
separate vehicle, a school van or auxiliary bus, and if necessary, brought to the
school until a parent is reached and a pickup of that student is arranged.
12Standard Operating Procedures – Campus Arrival by Car, Bicycle, or on Foot
• All students will be required to wear a face covering while riding the bus.
o We ask that each student provide their own clean face covering.
o In the event that a student arrives at the bus stop without a face covering, the
school will provide a disposable covering for the day.
o Medical exemptions may be requested for circumstances where a student cannot
wear a face covering. Appropriate accommodations will be made in such cases.
Contact the Principal for more information.
• Assigned seating will be used to and from school, generally one student per seat except
for family units. Students will load from back to front in order to limit passing other
students and thus limit possible exposure to as few students as possible.
• The assigned aide will work with the driver to monitor for compliance of COVID-19
protocols while students are on the bus.
• Students who do not follow the COVID-19 protocols may be denied future bus service.
Other Bus related procedures
• Changing of bus-pick-up and drop-off locations must be made by 1:00 pm. Please
contact the office for changes.
• Buses will be deep-cleaned and sanitized after each bus run is completed by any of
several means, including, but not limited to, ozone generators and use of disinfectant on
all wipeable surfaces. Specifics of the deep cleaning process are documented in the
Transportation and Maintenance Department procedures.
• When disembarking the bus, students should generally exit beginning with the front
rows.
Campus Arrival by Car, Bicycle, or on Foot
Dropping Students Off by Car
Parents who are dropping students off by car should line up in single file in the marked drop-off
lane on Boulder Street. As they reach the walkway up to the school office, a staff member will
open the car door, assist the child/children to exit the vehicle, greet them and screen them in the
same way bus riders are screened. Parents will be asked to remain at the drop-off location until
given the go-ahead to leave by the staff member.
Students will be asked to proceed to their first period classroom.
Walking or Bicycling to Campus
Students arriving by foot or bicycle should proceed directly to their first period classroom.
13Standard Operating Procedures – Food Service
Other Arrival Notes
• School starts at 7:50 a.m., please plan to arrive not earlier than 7:40 a.m. to avoid the
urge to congregate in non-physically distanced groups.
• Students are required to go directly to their first hour classrooms and NOT the multi-
purpose room (MPR). Breakfast will be served in the classrooms.
• A school staff member will do an assessment of students using the same protocol as at
bus stops, including taking temperatures of students with a no-touch thermometer as
they enter the buildings. A student with a temperature of 100.4 or higher or other
symptoms of COVID-19 will be sent to an isolation area to wait for parent pick up. See
“If a Student or Staff Member is Sick,” page 18.
Food Service
Breakfast
Breakfast will be provided as sack breakfasts in the classroom. Students should not go to the
Multi-Purpose Room (MPR) for breakfast.
Lunch
To minimize the possible spread of the Coronavirus from an asymptomatic person to the larger
school, lunch will be provided in the classroom. (See “Cohorting” page 6.)
Closed Campus
The school has traditionally had an “open lunch campus” policy; however, to limit exposure to
unknown virus sources, consistent with cohorting practice, the school will restrict students to the
school grounds for lunch, recess or other breaks.
Safety Protocols for the School Day
• All Students, Staff, and Visitors are required to wear a face covering when on campus,
either inside or outside of buildings. See Regulations: GBCB–R, JICA-RB, and KI-RB,
beginning on page 25.
• All staff and students will have their temperature taken via touchless thermometer by a
staff member on arrival.
• Lockers will not be issued during the 2020-2021 school year.
• Recess will be held for classes using a staggered scheduling model to limit contact
between children.
• Lunch will be served in the classrooms for Elementary, Middle School and High School.
We will NOT have an Open Campus for High School students this year.
14Standard Operating Procedures – Classroom Cleaning During the School Day
• Routine sanitizing will be performed throughout the day on high contact surfaces such as
student workstations, doorknobs, water refill areas and bathrooms.
• Students will NOT be sharing materials such as art supplies, pens and pencils, PE
equipment or electronics.
• We expect that students will be changing classrooms in a limited capacity to reduce
contact between students during passing times in the hallways.
• Classes will be organized as cohorts. Students will be grouped by grade level, and will
primarily remain in one classroom for the duration of the school day.
• Directional signage will be posted in the hallways to limit exposure to non-cohort
students.
• Handwashing and hygiene practices will be taught and utilized throughout the day.
• Hand sanitizer is available throughout the hallways and classrooms.
Classroom Cleaning During the School Day
Teachers will be responsible for the routine sanitization of their classrooms and work areas. To
facilitate this:
• Spray bottles with commercial disinfectant, gloves, eyewear and paper towels will be
provided to each classroom, work area, office, etc., and must be kept out of the reach of
students at all times.
• Maintenance staff will coordinate with all areas to ensure fresh disinfectant is distributed
as needed.
• Surfaces such as desks, computer keyboards, door handles, and other frequently
touched areas will be routinely sanitized.
Recess
Recess will be held by cohort using a staggered scheduling model to limit contact between
different cohorts of children.
Consistent with Regulation JICA-RB, “Student Dress and Face Coverings,” (see page 27) face
coverings are required by anyone on the school campus, both inside or outside the school.
Students may however remove masks when outside, under the direction of a district staff
member, when at rest, and physically distancing from other staff and students by at least six
feet. Masks are required while children are engaged in playground play.
School Office Protocols
To ensure the health and safety of parents, students and staff, we are implementing the
following changes with the front office:
15Standard Operating Procedures – Athletics
● Parents are required to wear a face covering when entering the front office.
● Due to the small space of the front office, parents may be asked to wait outside until the
office is clear of other parents and physical distancing of 6 feet can be maintained.
● The school will strictly limit volunteer and guest access for this school year.
● Questions should be directed to the school office at:
928-638-2461, or by Email to:
○ Rosa Velazquez, rvelazquez@grandcanyonschool.org or
○ Alejandra Flores, aflores@grandcanyonschool.org
Athletics
The Grand Canyon High School and Grand Canyon Middle School will follow the
Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) guidelines for participation in athletics. We
expect these guidelines will change throughout the 2020-2021 school year. See:
http://aiaonline.org/
16Detection and Intervention – COVID-19 Symptoms
Detection and Intervention
COVID-19 Symptoms
Any Staff or Student who experiences any of the following symptoms should report those
symptoms to the school office. Symptoms may be evaluated against existing medical and/or
health conditions such as the existence of asthma, allergies or other known conditions before
taking action. Out of an excessive standard of caution, all conditions should be reported.
● A fever of 100.4 degrees or higher
● Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
● Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
● Cough or sore throat
● Headache
● Fatigue
● Muscle or body aches
● Loss of sense of taste or smell
● Chills
● Congestion or runny nose
● Any other symptom of illness, whether or not you believe it’s related to COVID-19
17Detection and Intervention – Reporting of COVID-19
Reporting of COVID-19
Any incidence of COVID-19 symptoms, or known significant exposure to the Coronavirus should
be reported to the school office.
Any reporting by the school of possible Corona virus exposure by a student or COVID-19
symptoms of a student are subject to the restrictions of the Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act (FERPA).
Policy GBGCB grants the Superintendent the authority “to take reasonable and lawful measures
to protect students and staff members from the transmission of communicable diseases.” The
Superintendent will direct any reporting or notification to other staff, students, family or
agencies. Any reporting of incidence to others, including through media or social media without
authorization by the Superintendent is subject to disciplinary action.
Similar privacy expectations are in place for exposure or symptoms of any staff member. The
school office must be notified, and further notifications directed by the District Superintendent.
If a Student or Staff Member is Sick
Procedures For Covid-19 Symptoms Or A Positive Test1
If a person displays COVID-19 symptoms or reports a positive COVID-19 test, the procedures
listed below should be followed:
1. Immediately report the situation to the Principal. Confidentiality must be maintained to
the greatest extent possible.
2. If an employee develops COVID-19 symptoms at work:
a. Separate the employee from all other students, staff, or visitors.
b. Make arrangements to send the employee home in a safe manner.
i. If the employee is able to self-transport, have the employee leave the site.
ii. If the employee is not able to safely self-transport, contact a family
member, friend, or other method of transport to get the employee home or
to a health care provider.
iii. If the employee appears to be in medical distress, call 911.
3. If a student develops COVID-19 symptoms at school:
a. Separate the student from all other students and staff
b. Assign one staff member to supervise the student:
i. Have this staff member wear PPE or a cloth face covering and maintain a
distance of at least 6 feet from the student at all times, unless there is an
emergency.
ii. Immediately notify a parent or emergency contact to pick up the student.
18Detection and Intervention – If a Student or Staff Member is Sick
iii. Call 911 if the student appears to be in medical distress.
4. Close off any areas that were exposed to the symptomatic employee or student for a
prolonged period.
5. Wait 24 hours before cleaning and disinfecting those areas. During that time, if feasible,
open windows or outside doors to increase air circulation. After 24 hours, thoroughly
clean and disinfect all surfaces in the area, per CDC guidelines.
6. Determine whether other employees or students may have been exposed to the
symptomatic individual within 6 feet and for a prolonged period of time (typically longer
than 15 minutes). If so, following the guidance of the Superintendent (see Notification
above), to notify those individuals (or, in the case of students, their parents) of the
potential exposure. DO NOT disclose the name of the individual who has become sick.
Notification should recommend that exposed individuals monitor their health closely,
contact their health care provider if possible, and self-quarantine if any symptoms
develop.
Criteria for Return to School for Students and Staff1
Employees or students who have developed COVID-19 symptoms or had a positive
COVID-19 test may not return to the school campus until either of the following two
scenarios has occurred:
Scenario one
At least 3 days (72 hours) have passed since recovery, which is defined as:
1. Resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications; and
2. Improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and
3. At least 10 days have passed since the first symptoms emerged.
—OR—
Scenario two
There has been a resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications; and
1. There has been improvement in respiratory symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of
breath); and
1
Based on The Trust, COVID-19 Protocols for Re-Opening Schools, Cathleen M. Dooley, June 12, 2020,
https://www.svc.the-trust.org/publicfiles/Reopening%20Document%20FINAL.docx
19Detection and Intervention – School Reopening and/or Closure Criteria
2. The individual has received negative results of an FDA emergency-use-
authorized COVID-19 molecular assay for detection of the virus that causes
COVID-19
School Reopening and/or Closure Criteria
On August 6, 2020, the Governor’s office, in coordination with the Arizona Department of Health
Services (ADHS) and the Arizona Department of Education (ADE), released criteria for Safely
Returning to In-Person Instruction. See:
https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-
epidemiology/index.php#novel-coronavirus-schools
A slide deck for the presentation can be found at:
https://www.azdhs.gov/documents/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-
disease-epidemiology/novel-coronavirus/covid-19-safely-return-to-in-person-instruction.pdf
Background
The Arizona Department of Health Services has set two key criteria for reopening school
buildings for in-person instruction. First is the quality of the school’s mitigation plan, this
document, and the second is the level of spread occurring within the community.
CDC defines community spread as
● Minimal community spread: Evidence of isolated cases or limited community
transmission, case investigations underway; no evidence of exposure in large communal
setting
● Moderate Community Spread: Sustained transmission with high likelihood or confirmed
exposure within communal settings and potential for rapid increase in cases
● Substantial Community Spread: Large scale, controlled community transmission,
including communal settings (e.g., schools, workplaces)
The ADHS further defines community spread levels with the thresholds outlined below. These
thresholds are consistent with the national standards set by the Coronavirus Task Force.
Benchmarks Minimal Moderate Substantial
Cases per 100,000 100
Percent Positivity < 5% 5% to 10% > 10%
COVID-like illnesses < 5% 5% to 10% > 10%
20Detection and Intervention – School Reopening and/or Closure Criteria
Criteria for Opening and Remaining Open for In-person Instruction
The Arizona Department of Health Services collects data from around the state and publishes
COVID-19 related health statistics at the State and County levels every Thursday for the
proceeding two weeks.
The ADHS in coordination with the ADE has established the following guidelines for opening
and maintaining in-person instruction based on this data:
• Cases: a two week decline in the number of cases or two weeks with new case rates
below 100 per 100,000
• Percent positivity: two weeks with less than 7% positivity2
• COVID-like Illness Syndromic Surveillance: two weeks with hospital visits due to COVID-
like illness below 10%
In addition, the Local Health Department may modify a specific benchmark to address specific
conditions pertaining to the local area.
The Grand Canyon Unified School District will monitor the data published by the ADHS
every Thursday, and make recommendations to the School Board if changing conditions
warrant either closing or reopening the school for in-person instruction.
The School District will be working with Coconino County Health Department and will always
comply with governmental agencies. We will go to 100% virtual learning should we have to
close.
Cohort, Building and Campus Exclusion
In the event that a contagious individual results in a “significant exposure” as quantified by a
competent health agency, herein defined as the CDC, State, National Park Service or Local
Health Departments, a determination should be made in collaboration with those agencies as to
the potential risk of exposure at the cohort, building, and school campus levels.
At the recommendation of the competent health agency, based on the potential exposure from a
contagious individual to a cohort, building or the entire campus, the district may choose to shut
2
Based on questions and answers from the ADHS in their August 6, 2020 webinar, the 7% percent
positivity rate, which is in the Moderate range, was considered acceptable based on students returning to
school in a hybrid model, as in students only on campus 50% of the school instruction hours. They
recommended 5% for a return to normal instruction. See:
https://www.azdhs.gov/documents/preparedness/epidemiology-disease-control/infectious-disease-
epidemiology/novel-coronavirus/covid-19-safely-return-to-in-person-instruction.pdf
21Detection and Intervention – School Reopening and/or Closure Criteria down an individual cohort, building or the entire campus for in-person learning, and exclude members until they meet the criteria for returning to the school campus. Any such shut down will result in an enhanced cleaning and decontamination of the affected areas. 22
Information Resources – Arizona Department of Education
Information Resources
Arizona Department of Education
https://www.azed.gov/
Arizona Department of Health Services
https://www.azdhs.gov/
Centers for Disease Control
https://www.cdc.gov/
Coconino County Health and Human Services Department
https://www.coconino.az.gov/221/Health
The Trust
https://www.svc.the-trust.org/
Second Step Family Resources
https://www.secondstep.org/
23Revision History Revision History Revision Brief description of change(s) Approved by (Board Date President Signature) 8/19/2020 First Revision Kevin Hartigan 24
Regulation GBGB-R – Staff PERSONAL SECURITY AND SAFETY
Appendices
The following are Arizona School Boards Association (ASBA) recommended new or updated
regulations relevant to the COVID-19 mitigation strategies. These are included here as
reference material guiding the above mitigation practices and procedures. Once updated on
PolicyBridge, the PolicyBridge documents supersede the regulations as printed here.
See PolicyBridge at:
https://policy.azsba.org/asba/browse/allmanuals/welcome/root
Regulation GBGB-R – Staff PERSONAL SECURITY AND
SAFETY
GBGB-R ©
REGULATION
STAFF PERSONAL SECURITY AND SAFETY
Threats
Any employee who is threatened with harm by an individual or a group while carrying out
assigned duties shall immediately notify the school principal or supervisor. The principal or
supervisor shall then immediately notify the Superintendent's office of the threat and together
they shall take immediate steps in cooperation with the employee to provide every reasonable
precaution for the employee's safety. Precautionary steps, including any advisable legal action,
shall be reported to the Superintendent's office at the earliest possible time.
Eye Protective Devices
Every student, teacher, and visitor in public schools shall wear appropriate eye protective ware
while participating in or when observing vocational, technical, industrial arts, art, or laboratory
science activities involving exposure to:
A. Molten metals or other molten materials.
B. Cutting, shaping, and grinding of materials
C. Heat treatment, tempering, or kiln firing of any metal or other materials.
D. Welding fabrication processes.
25Regulation GBGB-R – Staff PERSONAL SECURITY AND SAFETY
E. Explosive materials.
F. Caustic solutions.
G. Radiation materials.
The Board shall equip the schools with eye protective ware.
Schools may receive and expend federal, state, and local monies to provide eye protective
devices.
For purposes of this procedure, eye protective ware means devices meeting the standards of
the U.S.A. Standard Safety Code for head, eye, and respiratory protection, Z21-1959, and
subsequent revisions thereof, approved by the United States of America Standards Institute, Inc
Cloth Face Coverings
All persons, including, but not limited to, staff, students, vendors, visitors, and volunteers, shall
wear a cloth face covering while on any District property, in any District facility, at any District
event, whether indoors or outdoors, and in any District vehicle, including District busses or
vehicles rented or leased by the District.
Cloth face coverings should not be worn by:
A. Children under the age of 2;
B. Anyone who has trouble breathing;
C. Anyone who is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask
without assistance.
The Superintendent may make exceptions to the requirement to wear a cloth face covering
while keeping in mind the health and safety of everyone involved.
Cloth face coverings are to fully cover a person’s nose and mouth, ideally fitting snugly but
comfortably against the sides of the face and under the chin. They are to remain affixed in place
without the use of one’s hands and are to not have holes. They are to be laundered regularly or
disposed of appropriately.
A cloth face covering does not replace the need for frequent handwashing, covering coughs and
sneezes, and practicing physical distancing (six feet[6’]away) to the extent possible. Individuals
are to be reminded to avoid touching their cloth face covering and to wash their hands
frequently. To ensure the proper use of cloth face coverings, staff and students are to be
educated on how to wear and care for their cloth face coverings.
26Regulation JICA-RB – Student Dress and Face Coverings
Regulation JICA-RB – Student Dress and Face Coverings
JICA-RB ©
REGULATION
STUDENT DRESS
(Cloth Face Coverings)
All persons, including, but not limited to, staff, students, vendors, visitors, and volunteers, shall
wear a cloth face covering while on any District property, in any District facility, at any District
event, whether indoors or outdoors, and in any District vehicle, including District busses or
vehicles rented or leased by the District.
Cloth face coverings should not be worn by:
A. Children under the age of 2;
B. Anyone who has trouble breathing;
C. Anyone who is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask
without assistance.
The Superintendent may make exceptions to the requirement to wear a cloth face covering
while keeping in mind the health and safety of everyone involved.
Cloth face coverings are to fully cover a person’s nose and mouth, ideally fitting snugly but
comfortably against the sides of the face and under the chin. They are to remain affixed in place
without the use of one’s hands and are to not have holes. They are to be laundered regularly or
disposed of appropriately.
A cloth face covering does not replace the need for frequent handwashing, covering coughs and
sneezes, and practicing physical distancing (six feet [6’] away) to the extent possible. Individuals
are to be reminded to avoid touching their cloth face covering and to wash their hands
frequently. To ensure the proper use of cloth face coverings, staff and students are to be
educated on how to wear and care for their cloth face coverings.
27Regulation ICA-RB – Student Dress (Cloth Face Coverings)
Regulation ICA-RB – Student Dress (Cloth Face Coverings)
ICA-RB ©
REGULATION
STUDENT DRESS
(Cloth Face Coverings)
All persons, including, but not limited to, staff, students, vendors, visitors, and volunteers, shall
wear a cloth face covering while on any District property, in any District facility, at any District
event, whether indoors or outdoors, and in any District vehicle, including District busses or
vehicles rented or leased by the District.
Cloth face coverings should not be worn by:
A. Children under the age of 2;
B. Anyone who has trouble breathing;
C. Anyone who is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask
without assistance.
The Superintendent may make exceptions to the requirement to wear a cloth face covering
while keeping in mind the health and safety of everyone involved.
Cloth face coverings are to fully cover a person’s nose and mouth, ideally fitting snugly but
comfortably against the sides of the face and under the chin. They are to remain affixed in place
without the use of one’s hands and are to not have holes. They are to be laundered regularly or
disposed of appropriately.
A cloth face covering does not replace the need for frequent handwashing, covering coughs and
sneezes, and practicing physical distancing (six feet [6’] away) to the extent possible. Individuals
are to be reminded to avoid touching their cloth face covering and to wash their hands
frequently. To ensure the proper use of cloth face coverings, staff and students are to be
educated on how to wear and care for their cloth face coverings.
28Regulation KI-RB – Visitors to Schools (Cloth Face Coverings)
Regulation KI-RB – Visitors to Schools (Cloth Face Coverings)
KI-RB ©
REGULATION
VISITORS TO SCHOOLS
(Cloth Face Coverings)
All persons, including, but not limited to, staff, students, vendors, visitors, and volunteers, shall
wear a cloth face covering while on any District property, in any District facility, at any District
event, whether indoors or outdoors, and in any District vehicle, including District busses or
vehicles rented or leased by the District.
Cloth face coverings should not be worn by:
A. Children under the age of 2;
B. Anyone who has trouble breathing;
C. Anyone who is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask
without assistance.
The Superintendent may make exceptions to the requirement to wear a cloth face covering
while keeping in mind the health and safety of everyone involved.
Cloth face coverings are to fully cover a person’s nose and mouth, ideally fitting snugly but
comfortably against the sides of the face and under the chin. They are to remain affixed in place
without the use of one’s hands and are to not have holes. They are to be laundered regularly or
disposed of appropriately.
A cloth face covering does not replace the need for frequent handwashing, covering coughs and
sneezes, and practicing physical distancing (six feet [6’] away) to the extent possible. Individuals
are to be reminded to avoid touching their cloth face covering and to wash their hands
frequently. To ensure the proper use of cloth face coverings, staff and students are to be
educated on how to wear and care for their cloth face coverings
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