Salesian Elementary Town Hall and Parent Meeting
June 24, 2020 

Guidance and Pastoral Care

Sister Carmen - Principal
sr.carmen@salesianschool.org

Theresa LoBue - Office Manager
office@salesianschool.org

Safety Protocol and Guidelines

Rosemary Anderson - Emergency Services Manager of Santa Cruz County 
rosemary.anderson@santacruzcounty.us 

Jessica Randolph - HSA/Public Health Admin, County of Santa Cruz 
jessicarandolph@hotmail.com

Campus Logistics and Personal Protective Equipment

Patrick Kehoe - Hospital Pharmacist/PharmD, Dominican Hospital 
kehoe@salesianschool.org 

Adrienne Race - Critical Care Nurse, Dominican Hospital 
adrienne.race@yahoo.com 

Natalie Candau - Critical Care Nurse, Stanford Hospital 
Nat.m.bailey@gmail.com  

Academic Programs and Instruction 

Vanessa Kehoe - Middle School Literature Professional 
kehoe@salesianschool.org  

Denise Henderson - Intermediate Cluster Coordinator  
henderson@salesianschool.org 

• In consultation with the local public health department, the appropriate school official may decide whether school closure is warranted, including the length of time necessary, based on the risk level within the specific community as determined by the local public health officer.

• Salesian will coordinate with local health officials once a COVID-19 case has been identified. These officials will help administrators determine a course of action.

• Duration of school dismissals will be made on a case-by-case basis using the most up-to-date information about COVID-19 and the specific cases in the community.

• The administration will seek guidance from local health officials to determine when students and staff should return to school and what additional steps are needed for the school community. In addition, students and staff who are well, but are taking care of, or share a home with someone who is COVID-19 Positive, should follow instructions from local health officials to determine when to return to school.

• Persons who have a fever of 100.4 or above or other signs of illness should not be admitted on campus. We encourage parents to be on the alert for signs of illness and to stay home when they are sick. 

• Staff assigned to take daily temperatures will also conduct visual wellness checks. If students are displaying any symptoms at the morning screening, the student will be asked to be taken home. These symptoms include: 

  • Fever or chills

  • Cough

  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

  • Fatigue

  • Muscle or body aches

  • Headache

  • New loss of taste or smell

  • Sore throat

  • Congestion or runny nose

  • Nausea or vomiting

  • Diarrhea

• All staff and students will be asked to wear a face-covering when on campus. This is in compliance with Gov. Gavin Newsom statewide order on Thursday, June 18th.  It follows new guidance from the California Department of Public Health that asymptomatic or presymptomatic people can still spread the disease. 

• Face-coverings can be either paper or cloth. Your child may wear whichever face-covering in which s/he feels most comfortable. The face-coverings may have logos on them, but please follow school dress code guidelines, so that all logos and designs are appropriate. 

•  Salesian will require each student to wear a face-covering when on campus and have a second face-covering in his/her backpack if needed.

• If a child loses his/her face-covering or the face-covering becomes soiled during the day, the office will have a face-covering available to use as a backup. 

• We acknowledge that wearing face-coverings for this extended period of time will be challenging. Students will be allowed to take breaks during class time, step outside, and take off their face-covering if needed. In addition, our teachers will be able to take advantage of our large campus for outdoor learning, when appropriate. Pop-up tents will be set up outside to provide additional space for quiet reading time, as well as individual work. 

• Doors and windows to classrooms will be kept open as much as possible to provide ventilation and increased circulation.

• Face-coverings will not be worn during snack recess, lunch recess, and PE

• Face-coverings can be either paper or cloth. Your child may wear whichever face-covering in which s/he feels most comfortable. The face-covering may have logos on them, but please follow school dress code guidelines, so that all logos and designs are appropriate. 

• No bandanas or hand towels

For the 2020-21 school year, Salesian does not anticipate mandating a vaccine for COVID-19 prior to returning to school.  Once a vaccine becomes available for COVID-19 it is anticipated to be in high demand and only provided to those who are at the highest risk.  Salesian has historically not mandated flu vaccines.  As the response to COVID-19 evolves and a vaccine becomes available, Salesian will re-evaluate and work with the Local Health Department on the best practices, given this situation.  

• Classroom: Classroom desks have been set up with a  6-foot separation between them.  Salesian has two classroom sizes allowing for 18 students in the larger classrooms, and 15 students in the regular-sized classrooms.  Classes will cap at these numbers.  

• All individuals (teachers, students) are required to wear face-coverings during class time. If a student asks to use the bathroom, this is considered class time and that students needs to stay masked.  

• All supplies (school and classroom) are individualized; there are no communal supplies (e.g. pencils, erasers, etc.).

• Lunch: lunchtime will be staggered, allowing for three grades to eat lunch at a time.  At their appointed time, students from each class will eat lunch in one of the three outdoor patios, sitting with a 6-foot distance between them.

• Recess (snack and lunch) will be staggered, reducing contact between grade levels.

• All grades will follow an established schedule for the full day (9 am to 2:15 pm).

• Each day will begin as a school with a Morning Message from Sr. Carmen.

• Following Morning Message, students begin their class time with Pastoral Care, which is uniquely Salesian. The faculty and staff at Salesian nurture the whole child: Reason, Religion, and Loving Kindness.  Pastoral Care is a time for students to connect with their teachers and classmates.  Teachers pay particular attention to support each child's social-emotional growth and so that each child continues to feel loved.  The academic portion of the day begins immediately after Pastoral Care.

• Students will be engaged for the full day, in age-appropriate ways 
  (e.g. primary grades will have a different structure from older students)

• Students will be engaged in a combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning activities. 

• Each cluster (TK-2; 3-5, 6-8) will use the same digital platform for schooling, ensuring consistency across the grades: Primary grades: Seesaw; Grades 3-8: G-Suite for Education (Google Classroom, Meets, Slides, Forms, etc.).

• Teachers will continue to use textbooks and workbooks, as they progress towards meeting state standards and following their grade-level curriculum.

• Daily attendance will be taken.

• Homework will be posted regularly on classroom websites.

• Routine cleaning and disinfecting are an important part of reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19. 

• The classrooms and bathrooms will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after each school day. We will be using EPA-approved disinfectant products, including ready-to-use sprays, concentrates, and wipes. End-of-day cleaning will ensure a clean classroom and bathroom at the start of each school day. In addition, the classrooms, bathrooms, and high-touch surfaces will be wiped down midday. 

• During cleaning, windows will remain open to ensure ventilation and air circulation. 

• After recess and PE, play structures will be sprayed down with disinfectant and allowed to dry before the next use.

• New wall-mounted hand sanitizer dispensers will be installed at the doorway of each classroom and offices. Students and staff will “Gel In" and "Gel Out” when entering and exiting any of these rooms. New signage will also be posted at each dispenser as a reminder. 

• To ensure safe distancing in the bathrooms, every other sink will be available for handwashing. In addition. new soap dispensers will be installed at each sink as well as handwashing signage. 

• New refillable water stations will replace current drinking fountains, where students will be able to fill their reusable water bottles.

Children's books, like other paper-based materials such as mail or envelopes, are not considered high risk for transmission and do not need additional cleaning or disinfection procedures. ( CDC )

• Salesian will be following the CDC guidelines for returning to school if a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19.  This requires three days of no fever, improving symptoms, and at least ten days since onset of illness. 

• If a child is ill for ANY reason, we will require that the child is assessed by a medical professional. The child's medical provider will assess and recommend treatment, length of time before returning to school, and when the criteria have been met the child may return to campus. 

• If a student is home due to illness will home learning be available to prevent learning loss? We will definitely support the student! 
  Teachers will keep students up to date on assignments as they have in the past:
  - Homework will be posted to classroom websites
  - As needed, work will be assigned using the appropriate digital platform (Seesaw or Google Classroom).
  - Necessary books and materials will be sent home

We are waiting to hear from the county in regard to our carpool restrictions. We will update as soon as we have definitive answers.

YES

Under the current guidelines playground structures are not to be used. We have reached out to county representatives for approval, having them take under consideration that this equipment will be sprayed with disinfectant after use.

Yes, students will bring their own lunches and reusable water bottles to school. In compliance with safety standards, no hot lunch program will be offered this year.

Yes, the student will continue to have PE.

• Not at this time. 

• We are closely watching for further guidance and changes in restrictions to allow for after school sports.

Salesian will not be able to offer extended care at this time.

August 10, 2020