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Birchmount Operational Plan

Level 2(updated Jan 25/22)

Revised date: Jan 30^th/22

(Following protocols from the Healthy & Safe School document revised on Jan. 28^th)

2021 – 2022

This plan is based on the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Public Health and WorkSafe NB reopening guidance documents and Winter Plan 2022 revised document from Healthy and Safe Schools revised on Jan. 28/22).

Mandatory Public Health recommendations are in place:

·   Physical distancing (1M/2M)

·   Frequent handwashing

·   Cleaning surfaces properly

·   Respiratory etiquette

·   Community Mask must be fitted around face. Clear masks that are open or bandanas are not acceptable.

·   Community masks must be worn at ALL TIMES (entering and exiting the school, transitions from class to class, washrooms, hallways, & classrooms, common areas) Community Masks must be worn by all persons on school property—inside and outside on school grounds.

o       Students can remove their masks when they are eating at their desks, or drinking.

o       Students will wear their masks during Physical Education when engaged in an activity such as running, and other activities that are physically exerting.

o       Staff can remove their masks when they are eating or drinking while eating alone in their classrooms and/or maintaining 2 feet apart from others.

o       All Custodial Staff must wear a mask all day and during their night shifts, unless eating or drinking.

·   School Busses: All Students (K-12) must wear a mask on the school bus, regardless if they sit alone or with a family member.

·   Self-assessment questionnaire posted in every entrance.

Birchmount School will be reopening for all students on Monday, January 31^st.

·         All staff, students and guests/visitors must self-assess as per the screening questions and must use hand sanitizer and or wash hands upon entry to the school. Parents will be asked to assess their child’s health prior to coming to school each day.

·         Sanitizing stations will be in all common areas.

·         All 26 home room classrooms have been equipped with 2 HEPA filters.

·         Students will require 2 community masks (an extra one to keep at school):

§         1.) arrivals and dismissals

§         2.) will remain at school in the event if the student becomes ill

Arrivals & Dismissals:

·         Masks are mandatory entering and exiting the building and in all areas.

·         Entry to school in the morning with be at 2 designated locations only:

1.     Safe drop off (parking lot)—this is for students being dropped off by vehicle and or being dropped off in the care of an EA. Also, students that are late or coming to school after 8:25, need to use this entrance—this includes walkers.

2.     Ayer Avenue Front Entrance—this is for students who take a school bus to school and/or are walking to school from 8:10-8:25. After 8:25, walking students need to use the safe drop off entrance.

·         Main entrance in parking lot for staff and guests and students that are tardy.

·         Ayer Ave Entrance of school will be for Beaverbrook School on Tuesdays for Tech classes.  

·         Greetings at classroom doors can be air high fives, etc. but not any physical contact, for examples: Hugs, handshakes, etc.

·         Walking students can depart from school with their classmates at their designated grade level doors—K, ½, ¾, 5/6 and 7/8. Any students being picked up via vehicle, can go out the safe drop off doors. Bus students, daycare and Sistema students will continue to use the Front Entrance on Ayer Avenue.

Hallways / Transitions:

·         Hallways- students will walk on the right and left sides of hallways and stairwells.

·         Signage will clearly mark spots where classes need to STOP, LOOK and then GO.

·         Keep to the Right and Physical Distancing Signage will be displayed.

·         ‘Wear you Mask’ signage will be posted and visible around the whole school.

·         Washroom signage will be on the outside of all washrooms to remind students that only 2 students are allowed in at once. Students need to use their designated washrooms that are closest to their classrooms.

Start and End of the Day

·         Students will go directly to their classrooms when they arrive between 8:10-8:25am. Teachers will be on hallway duty. Students will not be permitted in the school before 8:10am or on the playground.

·         The Breakfast program will be located at the Kitchen door and the 7/8 bottom stairwell from 8:10-8:25. A teacher will be at the breakfast cart and handing out breakfast to go to students to take back to their classrooms. Students will keep 1M a part in the line up. At 8:25, the breakfast will go into bins and be taken up to the office for students that come in later.

·         The playground is closed in the morning.Please do not send your children to school before 8:10 as there is no supervision until 8:10.

·         Masks are worn all day unless eating or drinking quietly at a desk or table.

·         Only one family member may pick up/ drop off a child with the expectation that they stand 1m apart from other parents and wear a mask. (Masks are now mandatory when on school property, this includes the playground and drop off zones.

·         Walkers /Drop- Offs :

§         Students will be dropped at the bottom of the safe drop off.

§         Students will not be assisted exiting the cars by staff.

§         Staff will assist students to enter the school.

·         End of Day Procedures:

§         K -8 Dismissal will be by class. Students will get ready for home and line up in the classroom.Assigned EA’s will take students to the front entrance on Ayer Ave. to wait for buses and daycare, while the teacher takes the walkers/pick-ups to their assigned entrance/exit. There will be a teacher on duty at 1:40 and 2:40 for the bus duty.

§         K-2 students will require a tag attached to their bookbag outlining bus student / daycare/ Sistema. There are signage located in the front entrance for daycare and Sistema students to line up.

§         Masks are mandatory for morning arrival and afternoon dismissal by students, staff, outside agencies and parent/guardians.

Daycares: will drop off and pick up at the front of the school (Ayer Ave) – scheduled when the bus schedule is released.

Office:

·         The office goal is to limit the amount of external traffic within school. All face to face meetings should be done via Skype or phone etc. where possible with the exception of meetings where physical distancing can take place.

·          All visitors must have a scheduled appointment so there is a plan in place for the meeting.

·         Students who are picked up for appointments will be pre-arranged with the teacher and the office. Students will be sent to the office and will wait in a designated area outside the office.

·         Student and Casuals sign-in/Out will be set up just outside the office area by the windows.

·         Visitor log will also be located on the shelf inside the office.

·         Printer in the office will be accessible, and two staff members can be in that area at a time. (Other than Admin office staff)

·         Cum files will remain locked in the main office – please wear your mask and sign out the cum file.

·         Attendance will be due to the office by 9am. Guest teachers will wait for a volunteer to pick up attendance at the classroom before 9am.

·         The revised Winter Plan for Level 2 and At Home Screening for Staff and Students is as follows:

·         Level 1: Students and school personnel will screen for symptoms at home every day. They will screen for symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose or any other symptoms that may have developed or worsened.If a new or worsening symptom develops, a student or a school personnel is not permitted to attend school until they have a negative point-of-care-test (POCT).If a student or a school personnel has a constant and recurring symptom, for instance seasonal allergies, they may continue to attend school after they have a negative POCT test. This test can be done one time for the same reoccurring symptom, as long as that symptom is not worsening and no new symptoms develop, at which point a retest will be necessary.

·         Level 2: Same as Level 1—(See above) All student and school personnel may be required to undergo regular testing (POCT) at home as directed by Public Health.This test can be done one time for the same reoccurring symptom, as long as that symptom is not worsening and no new symptoms develop, at which point a retest will be necessary.

·         If students develop a symptom and/or start to feel unwell during the day, they will wait at the office and we will contact home for pickup. (All Levels)

Public Access to Schools:

One fairly large change that Public Health has asked us to make to the organization of our schools will be that schools cannot be accessed by the general public, including parents and others picking up and dropping off your child like day care providers.  Essential volunteers will still be allowed in schools as long as the public health protocols are followed.  This means if you bring your child to school:

·         You will drop your child off outside of the school.Parents will be able to drop off items like lunches to their child through the school day by ringing the buzzer at the safe drop off and waiting until a staff member comes to collect the items. .  Please try and remember to send those items to school with your child in the morning. 

·         If you need to pick up your child through the school day for an appointment etc. that can be done but you need to contact the school and make an appointment to do that in advance.  That way we are expecting each parent and your child can meet you at the entrance instead of you entering the school as was the process in the past.  All of this will be in place to reduce the number of people students at school come in contact with, which will help keep them safe.

Staffroom

§         Tables will be set up with physical distancing: Nor more than 6 persons at a time in the staff room and must maintain 2 meters apart when eating or drinking.

§         Seating will be limited

§         No students are permitted in this room

§         A secondary room(s) can be set up, if possible, in specialty rooms.

The Pause & Reset Centre (PRC)/BEST Program

§         We are able to set up the learning centre with stations 6 ft apart and students wearing their masks

§         Student referrals must be made at ESS Team prior to sending students to PRC

§         No students can be sent without a referral unless it was a suggested VIP PRC pass by a Team member

§         Mindful Lunch will be supervised by C. Martin and S. Steeves. Students coming will have been pre-approved through ESS Team or Office referral.

Resource & Guidance Support:

·         EST-R’s will be supporting classroom teachers and students in the classroom.

·         EST-R’s will support students on PLP-I’s and PLP-Adjusted, with one on one support, and groups of 3 if from the same bubble.

·         EST-G will support students on a 1-1 basis and do in class support around Mindfulness and Social & Emotional Learning.

Playground: Students will need to wear a mask outside.

The playground and property have been divided into 15 zones: Section A (A1,A2,A3,A4,A5), Section B (B1, B2, B3, B4, B5), and SectionC (C1, C2, C3, C4, C5). The classrooms assigned to these sections will rotate only within their section.

·         Each classroom teacher will be taking their students outside for an additional 30 mins each day.

·                     First recess, all students will stay in their classrooms and eat their snacks. There will be a duty teacher in each hallway.

§         Each class will be assigned a zone each day for the second recess/lunch breaks ad rotate throughout the week.

§         K-8 will have a rotational schedule that allows students in each classroom to rotate through the zones with their bubble. The upper floor classrooms will eat first from 11:57-12:22 then go outside.The Lower level classrooms will play first from 11:57-12:22 and then eat after from 12:22-12:47. Zones will be scheduled on a rotational basis and expectations reviewed with the students.

§         Each class will have a plastic bin assigned to their bubble with activities for outside.

§         Classes will be staggered entering and exiting the playground to their designated doorways.

§         There will be 4 duty teachers and EA’s with their students on duty to ensure students are safe and remain in their bubble.

Halls , Washrooms and Fountains

§         Teachers will be mindful of sending students to the bathroom and water fountain, one at a time.

§         Please bring a water bottle to school to fill up at our water stations.

Gym:

• Students will have designated areas specifically for entry and exit into the gym based on their specific class (clearly marked).  

• There will be sanitizer at both the entry and exit to the gym.  Students will sanitize prior to entry and as they leave the gym. 

• Classes needing to go through the will STOP, LOOK and GO when the path is clear.

• Equipment will be properly sanitized by both staff and students between every class (initially low equipment games will be planned).

• Certain equipment may be used by a specific class for a designated period of time then rotated to a different class, with appropriate sanitation between designated time frames.

Breakfast program

§         Individual wrapped items will be made available for students-Our Grab n’ Go Bags

§         Students to pick up at the kitchen entrance and lower 7/8 stairwell between 8:10-8: 25 and then proceed to classes in the morning. A School staff member on duty will be there to hand out the bags.

Hot Lunch/ Milk

§         NO program this school year

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Sanitation Protocols:

Custodians will be cleaning high touch surfaces often. Copiers, printers, doorknobs, handles, washrooms etc.

Washrooms will be cleaned and sanitized, prior to school opening each day, again after break and once again after lunch.

Classrooms will be provided with items for washing down materials. Employees are required to have their own community masks and wearing them at all times, and except eating and drinking, with physical distancing of 2 meters .

PPE will be made available to each staff

Concerts / Assemblies will be done virtually. This will be the same for Meet the Teacher and Parent teacher conferences. Staff Huddles will all be virtual at this time.

Additional resource to refer to:

• GNB/Signage - https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/corporate/promo/covid-19/resources.html.html
• How to Self Monitor
• Protect Yourself and Others
• Use of Hand Sanitizer
• Hand Washing
• Use of Mask
• Other
• Video
• Masks: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tPOEbvZUjxc
• Bus: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xDqnvQZOdjk

·         Currently we are taking direction from EECD and Public Health document, here is the link.

·         https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/corporate/promo/covid-19.html this site has a dashboard for all information.

·         Please follow directions from NB811,

 https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/corporate/promo/covid-19/positive_result.html

District Dashboard for Updated cases: https://asdeast.nbed.ca/covid/

Communication Plan:

Staff will all be sent a copy of the revised plan on Thursday, Jan. 27^th and this will be reviewed in a virtual staff huddle.

Admin Team will communicate with parents regarding to the plan and new procedures and the Updated Operational Plan and Winter planwill be on our webpage on Thursday, Jan. 27^th.

Plan will be reviewed regularly, and changes will be communicated to staff, parents and students through Monthly Operational Committee Meetings, Health and Safety Meetings and Staff Meetings.

Revised Operational Plan will be on our Birchmount Website with the revision dates noted. When the Healthy and Safe School document has revisions, so will our plan!

Operational Plan updated by Christa Martin—Principal

Joint Health and Safety Operational Committee:

Christa Martin- Principal

Suzanne Steeves- Vice Principal

Karin Bourdreau– Resource

Shary Horsman – Educational Assistant

Alexandra Cormier– K-2

Sara Stewart– Grades 7-8

Susan Murray- Educational Assistant

Monique Tower-Administration Assistant

Roberte Richard-C2 (Head Custodian)

TOGETHER WE CAN ~ TOGETHER WE WILL!!!