Reopening Plan

Purpose:

At Eko Multi-Purpose Center, Inc, we are committed to keeping our staff, students, and families safe while also ensuring that educational goals are met.  As such, we have developed the following measures to minimize the spread of COVID-19 to the extent possible.  This document outlines how the school will plan, prepare, and respond to the new reality.  It includes an approach informed by CDC and state and local health department guidance related to maintaining a clean, safe work environment and limiting the transmission of COVID-19.  We reserve the right to make additions, amendments, and deletions at any time.

 

Cleaning & Disinfecting:

Cleaning and disinfecting products which meet LACDPH standards have been purchased and will be used frequently throughout the day in classrooms, restrooms, and other common spaces.  The school custodians have been trained in best practices for cleaning and disinfecting and has reviewed the latest guidance for cleaning and disinfecting public spaces. We will continue to review procedures on a monthly basis to ensure that the school is staying informed of the most current guidance.

Hands are expected to be washed with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or the use of hand sanitizer for the following activities:

-After being outside for student physical activity

-Before and after lunch

-Prior to leaving school for home

-After sneezing, coughing or blowing nose

-Multiple times during the day

Faculty and staff to wipe down materials and desk after use or between sessions.  Faculty must keep all disinfecting wipes out of reach of students.  Hand sanitizing stations will be placed throughout campus in high traffic areas.  Nightly sanitizing of classrooms, offices, restrooms, and common areas will occur with an electro-static system being used by trained in-house staff to perform to CDC standards.  The application system places an electrostatic charge to approved liquid disinfectants (EPA) to allow them to cling to virtually any surface and destroy 99.9% of germs.  Designated staff to perform multiple cleanings of high traffic and common areas at least three (3) times per day.

Staff will clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces and high-traffic spaces frequently throughout the day.  Those surfaces and areas include, but are not limited to the following:

Restrooms, breakroom	3x per day/or as needed
Classrooms (teachers and student desk)	At the end of each use and/or daily
High Touch Surfaces (i.e., door handles, faucets, light switches)	3x per day/or as needed
Cafeteria area, Common areas	At the end of each lunch period
Appliances (refrigerator/microwave handles)	At the end of each use and/or daily
Electronic Equipment	At the end of each use and/or daily

 Hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes and cleaning supplies are available in every classroom and office.

 

Facial Coverings & Personal Protective Equipment:

While on campus, the proper use of a face mask is required for students, employees and visitors.  The face mask must cover the nose and mouth and must be worn the entire time while on campus.

Neck gaiters and fleeces are prohibited.  All students and staff must bring their own cloth masks.  However, if a student or staff member is in need of a mask, the school will provide one.  The school will also provide a mask when a personal mask is destroyed or lost.  Teachers will be provided with face shields to enhance instruction where students need to view the teachers mouth. Mask may be taken off only during instruction (with face shield remaining in place) for special circumstances (i.e. student need to see the mouth of the teacher to learn sounds) and masks should be placed back on afterwards.  During instruction, the teacher will maintain appropriate distance with students.

 

Students:  Eko Multi-Purpose Center, Inc. is taking a conservative approach to protect all members of our community.  Therefore, it is required that all k-8 students wear facial coverings in indoor settings.  They should also wear facial coverings outdoors when participating in activities. to school each morning for health checks wearing a clean mask.  Should a student or adult forget his/her mask, one will be provided by the school.  Cases of refusal to wear a mask or chronic failure to bring a mask to school will be referred to the principal for follow up action with the family.  Signs are posted around campus as reminders.

 

Adults:  All adults on campus must wear and adhere to the guidance for facial coverings.  Facial coverings may be removed during lunch or snack time.  As recommended by the CDC, facial coverings should be made of two or more breathable layers of fabric, completely covering your nose and mouth.

 

Operations:

The campus will have new signage and new systems of operations in place.  Students will be assigned to a specific entrance and exit gates.  Student desks will face in the same direction with six feet of distance between assigned seating.  Classrooms will be sanitized throughout the day and after each school day.  Regular hand washing will be scheduled throughout the school day.  Additional hand sanitizing stations have been installed in or around offices and common workplace areas.

 

Classroom layout:  Desks will remain in place and be marked for usage within 6” social distancing guidelines.  Where, applicable, doors will be marked for use as entry or exit.  Desk shields will be placed on every desk and PPE boxes will be placed in each classroom.

 

Classroom Protocols:  Student groups will remain stable – no mixing with other student groups.  Students will be socially distanced.  All students will receive personal instructional materials & manipulatives.  Students will be required to have backpacks for their belongings.  Backpacks must be kept outside of the classroom.  Clearly designate student work and seating areas.

 

Campus Signage:  Signage explaining safety protocols will be placed at entrances and in common areas.  Directional signage/floor markings will be placed where appropriate.

 

Social Distancing:

Maintain at least 6 feet social distance from others.  Ensure areas are marked with signage as much as possible.  The classrooms will have 6-foot distancing between student desks and the teacher desk.  The school will provide adult monitoring to ensure students are following safety protocols.   And will ensure areas are properly marked to designate appropriate distancing and post reminders about wearing masks.

 

Pre-Arrival to School:

All Staff and Students will do a daily health check at home (see form A)for the following and are reminded to keep children home when they are sick:

-Fever

-Cough

-Shortness of breath

-Respiratory symptoms

If you have a temperature of more than 100.4 degrees and/or are sick for any reason, please stay home and contact your respective school (parents/students) or school’s administrator (staff).  All students and staff will be required to wear masks when interacting with others.

 

Arrival at School:

Daily screening of staff and student temperatures will be taken at every entry point.  If the person has a temperature of 100.4 degrees or more:

 

Staff:  If staff member has a temperature of 100.4 degrees or more after 3 consecutive temperature checks, the employee is to return home.  The school campus is open at 7:30 am to 4:00 pm.

All staff will enter and exit the campus via the main gate on Santa Fe.  Parking in designated area (Elementary parking lot) and enter through the main entrance to have your temperature checked.

 

Students:  The students will exit from the bus, one seat at a time and enter through the back entry door.  The students that are being dropped off by their parents will enter through the main gate located on Santa Fe Ave.  When the vehicle stops, the student will have their temperature checked and health screening questions are asked before proceeding to their classrooms.  Parents will not exit their vehicle and will leave once their child’s health check has been completed.  All passengers in the car must wear a mask during health screening to ensure the safety of school staff.  School staff conducting checks will protect themselves and others by wearing a mask, gloves and using a no-touch infrared thermometer.

The school hallways are marked with arrows indicating a one-way traffic pattern to allow for 6-foot or greater distancing.

Students will be dismissed from school using the same pattern as the morning.  Students will remain in the classroom with their classmates and teacher until their bus is called.

Students with symptoms or a fever are isolated until a parent can pick them in a designated isolation room (s).  A designated pick-up location (s) for parents picking up sick students, so they do not enter the building.  The student is required to be picked up by a parent/guardian within 45 minutes of being notified.  Students may return to school once they are fever-free without medication for 72 hours.

 

Visitors:

Visitors must report to the main office upon entering and upon exiting the campus.  All visitors will be logged in and registered at the main office.  All visitors will be screened (temperature check) and will be required to wear face masks while on campus, especially during interaction with students or other staff.  Visitors must attest to being symptom-free for the past 10 days and not having been recently exposed to anyone known to have COVID-19.  Entry into schools during working hours will be limited to essential activities.  Essential activities are defined as the following:

• Approved instructional activities.
• Approved school support activities.

All non-school and non-essential activities are not permitted to take place on campus at this time.  Activities that are not permitted to take place on campus include:

• Volunteering
• School classroom/teacher visits

Meetings with parents or other visitors are required to be conducted via electronic platforms to minimize physical contact, including IEP meetings and parent conferences.  Visitors should remain at home and monitor their health if they have tested positive for COVID-19, are showing symptoms of COVID-19, or have recently come in close contact (within 10 days) with a person with COVID-19.

 

Transportation:

Safely transport students to and from school.  The students will have their temperature checked and health screening questions are asked before entering the bus and wearing a clean mask.  The students must wear mask while on the bus.  Students will be seated one student to a bench, alternating rows on each side to create a zigzag pattern on the bus.  The vacant seats will be marked or blacked off.  Each student will be assigned a seat and he/she will seat on the same seat every day.  To prevent students from walking past each other, the students will be seated from the rear of the bus forward.  In the afternoon, the students will board the bus based on the order in which the students will be dropped off.  Students who get off first should board last and sit in the front.  Hand sanitizer will be used when entering the bus and will be used after exiting the bus and prior to entering the school.  The bus driver will be responsible for cleaning and disinfecting their bus after each use.

 

Cohort:

Cohorts will remain stable groups of no more than 12 students and 2 adults to a cohort.    There will be a total of 6 cohorts for students in Kindergarten through grade 12.  There will be a Blue Cohort and Gold Cohort.  The Blue Cohort will attend in-person classes on Mondays and Wednesdays and the Gold Cohort will attend in-person classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.   All cohorts will remain at home for Distance Learning on Fridays.  When cohorts are not on campus for in-person instruction, they will be Distance Learning at home.  Students will be kept with their cohorts and practice the recommended physical distancing throughout the school day.  At this time, students will be dismissed from school after lunch.  Students will resume classes via Distance Learning at 1:30 pm.  The school day will be over at 3:00 pm.

Cohorts will go to recess at the same times but play in their designated areas.  Play areas will rotate each week.  Staff will supervise yard duty and enforce physical distancing practices.

No more than one (1) student may use the restroom at a time.  Between staggered recess times, the staff will disinfect high-touch surfaces in bathrooms.

 

Healthy Hygiene Practices:

Hygiene will be a priority for all teachers, staff and students.  Students and staff will have frequent opportunities to wash their hands for a minimum of 20 seconds with soap and water, rubbing thoroughly, and drying hands with paper towels.  All teachers will also explicitly teach students the importance of handwashing and keeping hands away from mouth, nose and eyes.  All staff members have hand sanitizer in their classrooms for use when washing with soap and water is not feasible.

Students will be asked to wash their hands or use sanitizer upon arrival to school each morning.  Frequently scheduled handwashing opportunities will occur at a minimum of before and after eating, after using the restroom, and after outdoor play.  Students will also be asked to wash hands as needed.  Teachers will train their students on routines like handwashing, best practices for coughing and sneezing and not touching their faces.

To promote good hygiene, students will not be allowed to use the drinking fountains.  Classroom windows and doors will be kept open to allow for good ventilation.  Exterior doors (classrooms, office, etc.) will be kept open to the extent possible to cut down on the number of people touching door handles.

The school will maintain sufficient personal protective equipment to comply with the CDPH guidance for students and staff appropriate for each classification or duty, as well as Cal/OSHA requirements.  The school is well stocked with PPE supplies such as hand sanitizer, disinfectant, masks, shields, gloves, and plexiglass dividers on each student, teacher, and aide desk.  PPE will be replenished as needed.

 

Identification and Tracing of Contacts:

The school will monitor faculty, staff and students throughout the day for signs of illness.  Students, faculty and staff with a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, who show coughing, fatigue or shortness of breath, or who display other COVID-19 symptoms will be sent home.

If a student or staff member exhibits symptoms during the course of the school day, he/she will immediately be required to wear a facial covering and be isolated on the bench outside the school office until home transportation can be arranged.

 

COVID-19:

Eko Multi-Purpose Center, Inc. will provide for periodic surveillance testing of staff and students, consistent with California public health guidance or as instructed by the Los Angeles Department of Public Health.  The Schools will additionally provide surveillance testing for staff and students reporting to campus as required to do so by the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Surveillance testing will be provided using COCID-19 RT-PCR testing performed by a California licensed, CLIA and Certified High Complexity Testing Laboratory able to provide test results within 48 hours.  Baseline testing for staff and students will be conducted within 7 days prior to return to campus.  Testing may be provided weekly thereafter.

All staff and students must have a valid negative test result before coming to campus.  A valid test result is defined as being current within 3 days of submission, and good for 7 days.  A new result must be submitted in order to continue campus access.

Employees and students may obtain testing at:

• LA County Public Health: www.covid19.lacounty.gov/testing/
• Center for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019ncov/symptomstesting/testing
• Drug Stores: o CVS: www.cvs.com/minuteclinic/covid-19-testing

If there is a positive test result, then the School shall notify the staff or student and implement the Exposure Management guidance (see Exposure Management section)

 

Exposure Management: 

In accordance with state and local laws and regulations, school administrators will follow the Exposure Management guideline as prescribed by the LADPH.

If the report occurs when the individual is on campus, immediately separate the individual to a designated on-site isolation area and arrange for the individual to return to their home as soon as possible.  Emergency contacts will be notified as appropriate.

If a positive COVID-19 incident occurs, an investigation will be conducted by Human Resources for employees and the Head Counselor for students.  (see form B)

 

Form B: Investigating COVID-19 Cases shall be the basis of the investigation, and other information may include the following:

-Copy of the positive test result

-Date of COVID-19 test

-Date received test results

-Date first felt symptoms:  fever, chills, cough, muscle pain, shortness of breath, loss of taste/smell

-Date last on campus and a description of work performed and interaction with others

-What rooms/areas of campus were you in?

-What times were you on campus?

-Who did you interact with?  Describe the interaction.

-Describe the work performed or other activities.

Human Resources will report to the LA County Department of Public Health within 1 business day information related to any case of COVID-19 among employees and students who had been on campus at any point within 14 days prior to becoming ill, including all persons on campus who were exposed to the infected person during the infectious period.

In the event of exposure, Human Resources will notify all known individuals who had contact with the infected person while maintaining confidentiality and advise contacts to:

-Ge tested for COVID-19, whether or not they have symptoms

-Self-quarantine at home for at least 10 days from the last date of exposure and continue to carefully monitor their health trough day 14.

In accordance with AB 685 (COVID-19 Infection Prevention Requirements), the School will also notify all employees who were on the premises in the same worksite within the infection period to provide notice of potential COVID-19 exposure, information regarding COVID-19 related benefits to which employees may be entitled under applicable federal, state, and local laws, and notice of the disinfection and safety plan that will be implemented.

The following number of COVID-19 cases will trigger the corresponding response:

 

For 1 COVID-19 case:

1. School informs the case that the DPH will contact the case directly to collect additional information and issue Health Officer Order for Isolation.
2. School works with the case to identify school contacts.
3. School notifies school contacts of exposure and instructs them to quarantine at home and test for COVID-19.
4. School informs contacts that DPH will contact them directly to collect additional information and issue Health Officer Order for Quarantine.
5. School submits contact information for case and site contacts using COVID-19 Case and Contact Line List for the Educational Sector and sends to DPH by emailing: ACDC-Education@ph.lacounty.gov

 

For 2 COVID-19 cases:

1. Follow required steps for 1 confirmed case.
2. If the 2 cases occurred within 14 days of each other, school determines whether the cases have epidemiological (epi) links. A COVID-19 Exposure Investigation Worksheet for the Education Sector tool is available to help assess for epi links.  If Epi links exist, School implements additional infection control measures.

 

For 3+ COVID-19 cases:

1. If a cluster of 3 or more cases occurred within 14 days of each other, school notifies DPH at:  ACDC-Education@ph.lacounty.gov.
2. Prior to notifying DPH of the cluster, the school determines whether at least 3 cases have epi links. If epi links do not exist, the school continues with routine exposure management.
3. DPH requests that the COVID-19 Case and Contact Line List for the Educational Sector be completed by the school to determine if outbreak criteria have been met. If outbreak criteria are met, the DPH outbreak response field team is activated and a public health investigator will contact the School to coordinate the outbreak investigation.
4. School provides updates to the DPH outbreak response field team until the outbreak is resolved.

 

Facilities:

Campus Facilities Usage

The Schools will follow the guidance from local public health officials and work in coordination with LAUSD to ensure that all required safety measures are in place to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19.  Current public health guidance restricts campus access to employees only for the purpose of facilitating distance learning.

Students and visitors may be permitted on campus under the most recent public health guidelines.  This includes for instructional activities to take place on school campuses.

Our goal is to implement the following in our workplace:

-Conduct workplace-specific evaluations using the Form C: Identification of COVID-19 Hazards.

-Evaluate employees’ potential workplace exposures to all persons.

-Review applicable orders and general and industry-specific guidance from the State of California,  Cal/OSHA, and the local health department related to COVID-19 hazards and prevention.

-Evaluate existing COVID-19 prevention controls in place around the schools and the need for different or additional controls.

-Conduct periodic inspections using the Form D:  COVID-19 Inspections as needed to identify unhealthy conditions, work practices, and work procedures related to COVID-19 and to ensure compliance with these Re-Entry and Safety protocols.

-Communicate to employees that they can report possible hazards.  This can be done anonymously.

-Unsafe or unhealthy work conditions, practices or procedures will be documented on the Form D:  COVID-19 Inspections, and corrected in a timely manner based on the severity of the hazards, as follows:

The Re-opening Task Force Team will regularly review the results of internal COVID-19 inspections and determine the best course for correction for any identified hazards.  Correction plans will include:

-The severity of the hazard will be assessed and correction time frames assigned, accordingly.

-Individuals are identified as being responsible for timely correction.

 

Food Service:

A successful nutrition program is a key component to every educational environment.  School meals protect the most vulnerable children against hunger.  A child can not focus on learning when they are feeling hungry.  School meals boost learning, and studies show that students perform best academically when well nourished.  Therefore, ensuring a child has access to healthy and appealing meals in schools is extremely important.

Meals will be prepared according to menus that have been planned using the guidelines from the Child Nutrition Program requirements.  The meals will be served to students in the classroom or outside.  Trash cans must be in the immediate area for disposal.  Healthy meals will be served Mondays and Fridays and lite meals on Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

 

Cleaning and Sanitation:  Update standard operating procedures for sanitation of school kitchen, cafeteria, food storage and production.  Clean and disinfect surfaces frequently touched by students during meal service including tables and chairs.  Teach and reinforce handwashing and use of a cloth face covering by employees when near other employees or students.  Have adequate supplies for both employees and students including soap, hand sanitizer, and tissues.  Post signs on how to stop the spread of the virus.  A timer will be used for cleaning reminders.  Will train all employees on health and safety protocols, including correct application of disinfectants and maintaining physical distancing.

 

Meal Preparation:  Ensure gloves, mask, hair net, disposable aprons and other supplies are readily available and used properly.  Promote fresh menu options that are individually plated and proportioned and pre-wrapped produce.  If using non-disposable foodservice items, they must be handled with gloves and washed, rinsed and sanitized.  All food not eaten, must be disposed of immediately.

 

Campus HVAC System

The School’s HVAC system is a fully ducted system and does not re-circulate air within a room.  Air is continually circulated through vents to the outside and fresh outdoor air is brought in through separate ducting.

The school maintains a database with email addresses, home and mobile telephone numbers of parents as well as emergency contacts.  The school will be able to communicate with parents individually, by grade or collectively via email, phone or text message.  In the event of a student or staff infection confirmed by a positive COVID-19 test, the following procedure is followed:

-The school will work with the infected individual to confirm they are under medical care and have a plan to self-isolate according to the County’s health protocol.

-The school will confirm that other members of the household who are also part of the school community remain at home in self-quarantine per County Health guidelines.

-The students who have been in close contact to the confirmed case within 48 hours of symptom onset or a positive test, whichever comes first, will be required to quarantine for 14 days from the date of exposure.

-The school will notify local health officials and family members of known infections while maintaining privacy.

-The school will clean and sanitize affected areas.

-The school will defer to local health officials’ guidance on closing and/or quarantine.

Please note that we are required to maintain the privacy of all health and medical information for all individuals at all times.

 

Reopening Task Force Team:

Mary Martin, Director

Kenneth Martin, Administrator

Lois Martin, Administrator

Tara Aston, Administrator