Check here regularly for COVID-related updates as we move to remote for at least 14 days
One of our staff members has tested positive for COVID. Exposure was with someone outside the school.
This means that we pivot to remote learning for 14 days. There will be no classes in the building; all classes will be remote. The school will be disinfected during this time.
Unfortunately, the school’s farm trip scheduled for Friday, Oct. 30 has been cancelled.
Parents will be contacted by your child’s teacher about remote learning details. Monday, Nov. 2 is a Records Day. Remote learning begins on either Tuesday, Nov. 3 or Wednesday, Nov. 4. Tentatively, we will be back in school on November 11.
Because of the way the schedule was originally drafted (for conferences and records day), students will only miss five actual classroom days.
Please check this space for updated information. Also, be sure to follow us on Facebook for updates.
New Morning updates Peak Performance Wellness Plan
(10/14/20)
New Morning School’s Peak Performance Wellness Plan (PPWP) for reopening New Morning School follows. Accommodations may need to be made for now, but not forever. We can each follow the procedures below to help those in our community from getting sick.
Updated: Read our Wellness Policy
Our plan is for all children to attend every day for classes. This means a cap on the number of students per class. A plan is just a plan. If health circumstances require it, we might at any time have to pivot to remote learning. Remote learning will start in 48 hours. Kids are resilient. They will get used to the new procedures. Having students back at school is much better than continuing remote learning. There will be changes, but we are not changing our culture. That will remain the same.
FACE COVERINGS
• All staff, parents and students in the building will wear masks at all times.
• Preschool and K-8 students will wear masks.
• Exceptions will be made for a student or adult with a medical condition.
HYGIENE
• Students will be taught to wash their hands for 20 seconds.
• Adequate disinfecting supplies will be provided.
Hygiene for Preschool
• All students will be asked to wash their hands thoroughly about every hour, and especially upon arrival, mid-morning, and before and after lunch, after nap, and before and after being in the gym or outside
• All toys used will be disinfected every four hours.
• Each student will have a box of personal supplies, so there is no sharing of common supplies.
Hygiene for K – 8 Children
• All students will be asked to wash their hands thoroughly about every hour: especially upon arrival, mid-morning, and before and after lunch, mid-afternoon, and before and after being in the gym or outside
• Students will wipe off their computer device at the end of the day. Computers will be 1:1 for safety.
• If students use learning games, they will be wiped off before returning them to the shelves.
• As much as possible, school items stay at school and will not be brought home.
• Students will place their lunchboxes and fully-supplied pencil boxes at their workspaces to limit sharing supplies during the day.
Hygiene for Adults
• All adults (aides, staff) will be assigned high-touch places to disinfect throughout the
day. High-touch places will be cleaned mid-day and after school.
• Adults will wash their hands about once an hour.
CLEANING
Throughout the School
• We have always practiced standard disinfecting procedures. The new plan just increases the frequency. We expect to use the same disinfecting products.
Deep Cleaning
• A paid cleaner and aides will do a deep disinfecting cleaning every day.
Disinfecting
• Staff will wear gloves and masks when cleaning.
• Aides/ teachers will disinfect tables and chairs in Zen room and science/music room after each class or skill group meets.
• Staff and parents will clean high touch spots such as the bathrooms, door knobs, surfaces, locker handles and light switches every four hours and a complete cleaning after school, including wiping off classroom materials that were used.
OUTSIDE AND IN THE GYM
• Children will wash their hands prior to going outside (or to the gym) and when they come inside (or leave the gym).
• Children should wear masks in the gym.
• They do need to wear masks outside as well.
• They may play on the play equipment and with balls only to start.
• Play equipment will not be disinfected.
SCREENING
• All children and adults entering the school will require a temperature check. If a temp is 100 degrees F. or higher, that person cannot stay at school.
• All children and adults will be asked to complete a health questionnaire.
• Parents and children will wear masks when entering the building. Parents will say goodbye to their children in the lobby and will exit the building. Staff will take the children to class.
• Staggered start times will minimize congestion.
SOCIAL DISTANCING
• Social distancing is not feasible in preschool. Total enrollment will be capped, so there will be fewer children in the space.
• In K-8, students will each have a separate desk or table for their workspaces. Social distancing will be adhered to as much as is feasible.
• K-8 students will have their own supply boxes.
• There will be staggered start and dismissal times to minimize congestion in the hallways.
• We will limit exposure between classroom groups. For now, no reading buddies.
• For specials classes, when possible the specials teacher will rotate to the next class rather than all of the children rotate to the specials’ location.
PLAN FOR SOMEONE WHO IS SICK
The wellness plan and Wayne County Health Department guidelines continue to change.
Parents will receive any changes in policy directly to their email account.
APPENDIX
Attendance
Including all the students currently registered and able to add a few more, but not to full capacity, we can have all of the children attend every day.
Preschool: limit to 12 kids (instead of 25) between both classrooms, so two groups of 5-6 kids
Kindergarten: limit to 8-10 kids, purchase individual work tables
Elementary: There is a lot of space. We can accommodate up to 30 kids with room for moving around.
Middle School: All kids (21) can fit between the two MS rooms at 6 ft. apart.
Kids’ Club
• Students may only stay for Kids’ Club if the working parent requires care for his/her children. Please, no extra kids in Kids’ Club, so that we may socially distance. Please, pick up on time.
• Morning
• Students arriving between 7:00 and 8:00 am go to Marisa’s room to be screened
and to stay in Kids’ Club.
• Students arriving after 8:00 am, are screened up front and then go to the gym for Kids’ Club
• Preschoolers arriving at 8:15 am or later, go directly to the preschool playground for screening and to play.
• Kindergarten students come to the exterior kindergarten door to be screened.
• Elementary students arrive at the front door and go straight to Kids’ Club.
• Middle School students who arrive at 8:15 am or later go straight to their
classrooms, not Kids’ Club.
• Afternoon
• Kids who are being picked up on time do not go to Kids’ Club for a few minutes.
• Kids’ Club hours are 2:45 (3 pm start) to 6:00 pm.
• For most of Kids’ Club, the preschoolers will be in the preschool classroom or outside. K-8 students will be in the gym and outside.
• The groups will combine when numbers are very low.
B
We can stagger our start times so fewer kids are in the hallway.
Arrival
7:00 AM Nina arrives and sets up in Marisa’s preschool with a thermometer and questionnaires for students needing early morning care. She will screen the children before the parents leave.
8:00 AM Nina takes the children arriving early to the gym until 8:30 pm.
8:15 AM Connie screens and watches preschoolers outside.
All gr. 1-8 students who arrive before 8:15 AM go to Kids’ Club in the gym. Middle school students who arrive after 8:15 AM go directly to their classrooms.
Arrival/Start/School ends
Kindergarten:
Go to exterior K door for screening
8:00 am 8:15 am 3:00 pm
Elementary, gr. 1, 2, 3 8:10 am 8:30 am 3:15 pm
Elementary, gr. 4 8:20 am 8:30 am 3:15 pm
Middle School 8:30 am 8:40 am 3:15 pm
Preschool 8:50 am 9:00 am 3:15 pm
Dismissal
Kindergarten exits from K exterior door.
Elementary exits their exterior door and walks with teachers over to the soccer park for pick-up.
Middle School exits double doors and walks with their teachers to the soccer park sidewalk for pick-up., keeping Elem and MS students separate if possible. Middle school students with no siblings at the school dismiss from the front porch.
Preschool picks up at staggered times and exits the front door.
Specials Classes
When possible, the specials teacher will rotate between classrooms rather than all the groups come to the specials’ classroom. Disinfecting of tables, chairs and materials must be done between classes.
Art
• Some classes will be in the art room; some are in the classrooms.
Music
• Music will be paused for now. Singing spreads many more droplets.
Science
• Science classes will be held in the science/ music room, so that students can spread out and in the classrooms.
Physical Education
• Classes will be held outside when weather permits or in the gym. Any equipment used will be disinfected as frequently as possible.
Tutoring
• Tutoring will be in the tutor room, socially distanced at each end of the table.
Lunch Routines
Per the Wayne County Health Department regulations, the following cannot be used:
6
• Drinking fountains
• Microwaves
• Coffee pot/ Keurig
PS K Elem MS
11:30 am – 12:00 pm Outside Eat at desks Outside/gym
(come in at
11:55 am)
Lunch at desks
12:00 – 12:30 pm Eat spread out Outside (12:05) Lunch at desks Outside/ gym
(12:00 pm)
Rainy Lunch Routines
PS K Elem MS
11:15 am Gym
11:30 am Play in room? Gym Eat Eat
11:50 am Eat Eat Play at desks Gym
12:10 – 12:30 pm Eat Play in room Gym Quiet reading/ journaling
Physical Activity
• Teachers will implement more brain breaks for greater physical activity.
• Before and after going to the gym or outside, children must wash their hands.
• Children may run outside with masks and may play on the equipment and with balls only.
• Children may run in the gym with masks and may use the balls only. Balls should be disinfected at end of lunch period.
• Students will be going outside even if it’s rainy or cold. Parents should put appropriate gear in their child’s locker. Bring rain boots.
• Three kids at a time can play GaGa ball.
Per the Wayne County Health Department regulations, the following cannot be used:
• Drinking fountains
• Microwaves
• Coffee pot/ Keurig
PS K Elem MS
11:30 am – 12:00 pm Outside Eat at desks Outside/gym
(come in at
11:55 am)
Lunch at desks
12:00 – 12:30 pm Eat spread out Outside (12:05) Lunch at desks Outside/ gym
(12:00 pm)
Rainy Lunch Routines
PS K Elem MS
11:15 am Gym
11:30 am Play in room? Gym Eat Eat
11:50 am Eat Eat Play at desks Gym
12:10 – 12:30 pm Eat Play in room Gym Quiet reading/ journaling
Physical Activity
• Teachers will implement more brain breaks for greater physical activity.
• Before and after going to the gym or outside, children must wash their hands.
• Children may run outside with masks and may play on the equipment and with balls only.
• Children may run in the gym with masks and may use the balls only. Balls should be disinfected at end of lunch period.
• Students will be going outside even if it’s rainy or cold. Parents should put appropriate gear in their child’s locker. Bring rain boots.
• Three kids at a time can play GaGa ball.
