UPLAND HILLS SCHOOL ASSURANCE AND PREPAREDNESS PLAN 2020-2021

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UPLAND HILLS SCHOOL

ASSURANCE AND PREPAREDNESS PLAN

2020-2021

Upland Hills School

2575 Indian Lake Rd. Oxford, MI 48370

(248) 693-2878

WELCOME

Dear Parents, Friends and Community Members,

We are on the cusp of beginning the most fraught and uncertain school year in generations.

There are no easy answers right now for educators, parents or students.

But there is a way forward and it starts with community. We have a 48 year history of finding creative solutions, working hard together and building strong relationships based on a shared love of our children.

The staff have been working throughout the summer to put a plan in place that meets and exceeds the safety requirements for reopening as well as preserves the mission, vision and guiding principles of Upland Hills School.

The parent community has stepped up in a multitude of ways to support our plan. For that, we are extremely grateful.

The following plan is intended to serve as the guide for how Upland Hills will function given the various phases as outlined in the Michigan Safe Schools Roadmap. This is a living document. As the knowledge of the virus changes, so will the guidance and requirements coming from the state and federal governments. We will keep the community up to date and fully informed as the school year progresses.

Sincerely,

Rob Himburg

INTRODUCTION

Governor Whitmer’s Executive Order 2020-142 “provides a structure to support all schools in Michigan as they plan for a return of pre-K-12 education in the fall. Under the order, school districts must adopt a COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan laying out how they will cope with the disease across the various phases of the Michigan Safe Start Plan. In turn, the accompanying Michigan Return to School Roadmap offers a guide to the types of safety protocols appropriate during each phase. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution: What works in Lansing may not work in Sault Sainte Marie. Districts will retain the flexibility to tailor their instruction to their particular needs and to the disease conditions present in their regions.” (EO2020-142)

Each district (public, public school academy (PSA), nonpublic, and intermediate school district (ISD) that educates pre-K-12 students) shall submit a single completed Assurance Document and Preparedness Plan to its Board in time for approval by August 15 or seven days before the first day of school, whichever comes first. This template, when completed, serves as a single Assurance Document and Preparedness Plan.

The Preparedness Plan will be collected by the Intermediate School District for public school districts, the authorizing body for public school academies, or the chief/designated school administrator for nonpublic schools for transmission to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and State Treasurer by August 17, 2020. Additionally, this Preparedness Plan must be posted on the district’s/PSA’s, or nonpublic school’s public website home page no later than August 17, 2020. A single application should be filed by the district rather than multiple applications for individual schools within a district.

ASSURANCES

Upland Hills School assures that it will meet all of the requirements for operation in each of the 5 Phases as given in the Michigan Safe Schools Roadmap.
Upland Hills School assures that it will meet all of the strongly recommended guidelines whenever feasible in each of the 6 Phases as given in the Michigan Safe Schools Roadmap.
Upland Hills School assures that it will meet all of the recommended guidelines whenever feasible in each of the 6 Phases as given in the Michigan Safe Schools Roadmap.
Upland Hills School assures that it will work cooperatively and collaboratively with the Oakland County Health Division to:
- Implement protocols for screening students and staff.
- collect the contact information for any close contacts of an affected individual from two days before he or she showed symptoms to the time when he or she was last present at the school when a confirmed case of COVID-19 is identified.
- notify local health officials, staff, and students immediately of any possible case of COVID-19 while maintaining confidentiality consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable federal and state privacy laws.

PREPAREDNESS PLAN

Policies and procedures Upland Hills School will follow when we are in Phase 1, 2, or 3 of the Michigan Safe Start Plan:

Upland Hills School plans to use a hybrid model of instruction that includes instructional packets, online learning platforms, video calls, phone calls and projects. All school families have access to the internet and adequate access to devices for remote learning.

Teachers will provide necessary supplies when working on remote projects with students. Staff may deliver the materials or families may retrieve them at a designated location. All students will have access to textbooks and learning materials as needed to complete their work.

Students will have daily access to their teachers via two-way communication. The communication will be a combination of synchronous and asynchronous modalities such as Zoom, Slack and phone calls (synchronous) and/or Google Classroom, IXL, Khan Academy, Spelling City, etc. (asynchronous).

Students will have daily access to an online version of the Afternoon Program. A schedule of synchronous and asynchronous classes will be posted daily. Students may participate in as many online Afternoon Program classes as designated for their group as they wish.

Policies and procedures Upland Hills School will follow when we are in Phase 4 of the Michigan Safe Start Plan:

Upland Hills School will provide a modified version of the hybrid model described in the plan for Phases 1-3 for students who continue remote learning. Teachers will provide weekly work plans for remote students prior to the beginning of each school week via Google Classroom. Teachers will provide asynchronous two-way communication a minimum of 2 times per week as well as synchronous communication via phone or video call 2 times per week. Teachers will provide necessary supplies when working on remote projects with students. Parents will arrange with teachers to pick up materials at school. All students will have access to textbooks and learning materials as needed to complete their work. The school will not provide an online version of the Afternoon Program, but will welcome students on campus who wish to participate in certain learning activities. This arrangement will be made between teachers and parents and must be agreed upon in advance of remote learning students participating on campus.

The primary mode of instruction during Phase 4 will be in-person instruction. Students are able to attend school in person five days a week.

Face Coverings:

As per the roadmap requirement, all staff will wear facial coverings whenever they are in a school building.

Staff may choose to take their facial coverings off when outdoors and able to physically distance.

Students in Judy’s group (4-5 yo) will not wear facial coverings indoors.

Students in Melissa’s through Dom’s (6-14 yo) groups will wear facial coverings whenever they are in a school building (and outdoor bathrooms) for any reason.

Students will not be required to wear facial coverings when playing outdoors and physical distancing.

Students may wear facial coverings when in their outdoor classrooms at the discretion of their teachers.

Any student, including those in Judy’s group, who wishes to wear a facial covering when it is not required will be guided and supported to do so in a safe and caring manner.

Facial coverings may be homemade or disposable level-one (basic) grade surgical masks. Homemade facial coverings must be washed daily.

Transportation:

All Upland Hills Students who ride the local public school bus to and from school must wear a facial covering while on the bus.

All Upland Hills School families who carpool are strongly encouraged to have their children wear facial coverings and open the windows while in the car.

Upland Hills School will not be taking any off campus field trips requiring transportation.

Indoor Hallways and Common Areas:

Indoor hallways and common areas will only be used when students travel to the bathroom and back. All students will wear facial coverings when in the school building.

Hygiene:

UHS staff will:

Provide adequate supplies to support healthy hygiene behaviors (including soap, hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol for safe use by staff and students, paper towels, tissues, and signs reinforcing proper hand washing techniques).
Teach and reinforce hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and/or the safe use of hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Continue to teach students how to cough and sneeze into their elbows, or to cover with a tissue. Used tissues will be thrown in the trash and hands washed immediately using proper hand hygiene techniques.
Systematically and frequently check and refill soap and hand sanitizers.
Require hand washing with soap and water every 2-3 hours.
Limit sharing of personal items and supplies such as writing utensils.
Keep students’ personal items separate and in individually labeled cubbies, containers, or bins.
Limit use of classroom materials to small groups and disinfect between use, or provide adequate supplies to assign for individual student use.
Provide portable hand sanitizing stations to set up throughout school and near outdoor learning spaces.

Cleaning:

Upland Hills School will be significantly enhancing cleaning routines and schedules. The school has identified a plant-based disinfectant that is recommended by the CDC as effective for killing COVID-19, as well as nearly all other viruses and bacteria.

As per the roadmap, the school will disinfect:

Frequently touched surfaces including light switches, doors, benches and bathrooms at least every four hours
Library books, computers, arts supplies, and other hands-on classrooms materials after every use.
Student desks at least twice per day.

Athletics:

Upland Hills School does not offer organized athletic programs.

Screening:

Upland Hills School will work closely with the Oakland County Health Division to implement protocols for screening students and staff.

Additionally, we will:

Temperature screen every student when they arrive at school before getting out of the car. Students with a temperature of *100.4 or higher will return home.
Designate a quarantine area in the covered front entrance area of the school and a staff person(Rob Himburg) to care for students who become sick during the school day until a parent can pick them up. Students and staff will wear surgical masks while quarantining at school.
Quarantine any staff who become sick at school. They will wear a mask and isolate until able to leave or get picked up for care.
Require that symptomatic students sent home from school should be kept home until they have tested negative or have completely recovered according to CDC guidelines.
Encourage families to monitor their children for symptoms of COVID-19. The presence of any symptoms, including cough or shortness of breath, should prompt the family to keep the student home from school and to follow up with a primary care provider.

Testing:

Upland Hills School will cooperate with the Oakland County Health Division regarding implementing protocols for screening students and staff. We will cooperate with the local public health department if a confirmed case of COVID-19 is identified, and in particular, must collect the contact information for any close contacts of the affected individual from two days before he or she showed symptoms to the time when he or she was last present at the school.

Additionally, we will:

Notify families of the presence of any laboratory positive or clinically diagnosed cases of COVID-19 in the classroom and/or school to encourage closer observation for any symptoms at home.
Maintain confidentiality consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other applicable federal and state privacy laws.

Upland Hills School plans to follow all Highly Recommended protocols as outlined in Phase 4.

Policies and procedures Upland Hills School will follow when we are in Phase 5 of the Michigan Safe Start Plan:

At the time of writing, Upland Hills School plans to adopt the same policies and procedures during Phase 5 as are outlined in Phase 4 of this document.

Final Steps for Submission

Each district shall submit a single completed Assurance Document and Preparedness Plan to its Board of Education (in the case of a PSA, the Academy Board of Directors; in the case of a nonpublic school, the chief or designated school administrator) in time for approval by August 15 or seven days before the first day of school, whichever comes first.

Date of Approval by the District Board of Education, PSA Board of Directors, or nonpublic school chief/designated school administrator: August 14th, 2020

Link to the Board Meeting Minutes or Signature of Board President, or signature of nonpublic school chief/designated school administrator:

Link to the approved Plan posted on the District/PSA/nonpublic school website:

https://uplandhills.org/

Name of District/PSA/Nonpublic Leader Submitting Plan: Rob Himburg

Date Received by the designated School Administrator: August 14th, 2020

Date Submitted to State Superintendent and State Treasurer: August 17, 2020

Download the full document here.