Health and Safety Protocols

Safe Reopening of School Facilities

Reopening of in-person instruction includes protocols and procedures for restarting school operations, including students, faculty, and staff returning to in-person instruction. 

• Capacity: The District has reviewed the square footage of every classroom, cafeteria, gym, student instructional space, and school bus to determine how many students and adults can occupy each space to ensure social distancing of at least six feet.  To ensure proper social distancing, the number of students who ride school buses and attend in-person instruction each day will be reduced by approximately 50% in buildings and more than 50% on school buses.  Desks and classroom furniture will be arranged to accommodate social distancing capacity in each space.  

• Social Distancing: To ensure proper social distancing of at least six feet, the number of students who ride school buses and attend in-person instruction will be reduced by approximately 50% in buildings and more than 50% on school buses.  Students and adults will be instructed in the necessity for social distancing, and in those limited circumstances where social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained, students and adults will still wear a face covering. Signage will be posted to remind students, adults, and visitors of the social distancing requirements, including signage in hallways and common areas to ensure the bidirectional flow of foot traffic.

• PPE and Face Coverings: HCSD will provide all faculty and staff with reusable face coverings to be worn at all times when on school property or in school buildings.  Additional PPE, such as face shields and gloves, will be provided on an as-needed basis to those adults with an increased risk of exposure.  Parents will be asked to supply face coverings for their children, and HCSD will supply face coverings to any student who does not have one.  Students will be required to wear face coverings at all times while on school property, in school buildings, and on school buses.  Students shall not be required to wear face coverings while eating/drinking at designated times when they can take a break from wearing face coverings while able to socially distance or as a result of a disability or medical condition that prevents them from wearing a face covering.  When students are not wearing a face covering, the social distancing of at least six feet will be strictly enforced.

• Operational Activity: Each school has developed plans for managing the arrival and dismissal of students to ensure social distancing and a process for monitoring that students have had their temperature taken either at home or upon arrival at school.  Large gathering areas such as cafeterias, gymnasiums, and libraries will be used as needed for this purpose.  During lunch periods, students will be socially distanced in the cafeteria, and cafeteria tables and chairs will be marked as designated seating areas. To the extent practicable, the scheduling of students for in-person learning will be organized so that siblings attend school on the same days.  Locker use by students will be limited and staggered to the extent possible.  

• Visitors to Schools: Access to school buildings by visitors and families will be limited during the school day.  Families are encouraged to schedule appointments with faculty when necessary.  Each school will outline procedures for visiting their buildings and communicate those procedures with parents and guardians.  

• Restart Operations: HCSD will ensure that all school facilities are cleaned and inspected prior to any reopening, which includes surfaces in classrooms and instructional spaces; common areas such as hallways, cafeterias, and gymnasiums; ventilation systems; water systems; etc. to make sure spaces are clean and systems are fully operational for student and staff occupancy.

• Hygiene, Cleaning, and Disinfection: A daily, mandatory cleaning checklist will be maintained by each school’s custodial crew, which will include daily cleaning of classrooms, bathrooms, large gathering spaces, offices, and conference rooms.  Cleaning and disinfecting will focus on high touch points such as tables, chair armrests, doorknobs, cabinet pulls, light switches, keyboards, etc.).  HCSD has purchased electrostatic disinfectant applicators that will be used as needed throughout the buildings  and staff are being trained in their use. Restrooms will be cleaned throughout the day and disinfected daily. Custodial staff will be trained in the use of PPE, personal hygiene and use of the new electrostatic disinfectant applicators.  Additional stations for water bottle filling are being added in each school to avoid use of water fountains. Hand sanitizers with signage will be distributed at strategic locations throughout each school, and EPA-approved, school-safe cleaning products that are effective on Coronavirus will be used throughout the school. Germ barriers will be added in strategic locations in each school.

• Before and Aftercare: Each school will have a designated space for students who arrive before the start of the school day, provided that the number of students permits for social distancing.  After-school daycare will be provided to students who are in attendance at school on a given school day for those students whose parents have registered for this service through the Harrison Children’s Center.  Safety precautions (i.e., social distancing, wearing face coverings, hand washing, etc.) will be enforced by staff who supervise the after-school program.

• Vulnerable Populations: HCSD has surveyed parents and staff to determine which students/staff may have one of the underlying health conditions identified by the CDC that increase their vulnerability to the effects of COVID-19 and what reasonable modifications to learning/working may be necessary.  Reasonable modifications may include additional PPE, such as face shields; increased social distancing; adjustments to learning/working schedules and/or locations. Requests for learning modifications will be confidentially reviewed by the school district physician. 

• Transportation: Consistent with state-issued public school transportation and NYSDOH guidance, students and adults who ride school buses will be socially distanced, with the exception that siblings from the same household will be permitted to sit together.  The district will endeavor to limit students to one per seat which is 50% or less of full bus capacity (approximately 21 students per bus, with slight variations). All students and monitors on school buses will be required to wear a face mask at all times (e.g., entering, exiting, and while seated), unless a disability or medical condition prohibits wearing of a face covering.  School bus drivers will wear a face mask when students are loading onto and disembarking from the bus.  If a student does not have a mask, one will be provided.  School buses will be cleaned and disinfected daily and high contact spots will be disinfected between AM and PM runs.  Weather permitting, bus windows will be open for ventilation while in operation and between routes.  Drivers and monitors will be trained regarding the use of PPE, social distancing, and symptoms associated with COVID-19.  Drivers and monitors may be required to complete daily temperature and COVID-19 symptom screening before beginning bus routes.  Masks and gloves will be provided to drivers and monitors; monitors will wear masks at all times, and gloves will be worn when direct contact with students is required.  The standing rule that prohibits eating and drinking on school buses will be strictly enforced.

• Food Services: Food service will be available for students on days they are learning in school and available when students are learning from home.  Food menus will be limited to start the year and may be expanded later. Cafeteria furniture has been arranged to limit the number of students at each table to ensure social distancing while eating. Students will be reminded of the importance of hand washing before/after eating & hand sanitizer stations will be available in the cafeterias. Custodial staff will follow protocols to clean and disinfect cafeteria furniture between lunch periods. Food service workers will receive training in safe food handling and preparation to avoid spread of COVID-19.

• Mental Health, Behavioral, and Emotional Support Services and Programs: HCSD will provide students with all necessary mental health, behavioral, and emotional support as they return to school. These supports include:

  • HCSD K-12 psychologists have received substantive clinical training in trauma-informed and trauma-sensitive teaching practices in addition to ongoing training in cognitive-behavioral (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapies (DBT) to help students develop skills in emotional regulation, mindfulness, and distress tolerance among other wellness skills. This past summer, psychologists and teacher leaders facilitated Professional Development in trauma-sensitive classrooms for our K-5 and 6-12 faculties. LMK and HHS have in place fully functioning DBT teams and work bi-weekly with a consulting psychologist. 

  • During the 2020-21 school year, the LMK psychologists will partner with LMK physical education teachers to provide skills training in mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.  

  • Psychologists are available  at each HCSD school to support students' emotional well being.  The District added psychological support in the 2020-21 budget to meet growing needs at Parsons Elementary School, Louis M. Klein Middle School, and Harrison High School.

  • A district-wide behavioral specialist supports a comprehensive approach to addressing the social-emotional-behavioral needs of students and families. 

  • The district is proactive in supporting wellness and providing social-emotional-learning and emotionally safe and sensitive classrooms for all students. 

  • The clinical team provides additional support to students who struggle in this domain. They know who is most at risk, are trained to recognize signs of emotional distress and struggle, are aware of students who struggle and are well prepared to support.

  • There is in place a systematic, coordinated, and coherent referral process from teachers to counselors to psychologists, under the supervision of the building administration. The system ensures that, when necessary, students receive increasing levels of support (from teacher consultation to direct counseling services) in the social-emotional-behavioral realm. Parents are an integral part of this process supported by systems that provide training and ongoing communication. 

  • Parent support includes coordinated outreach by school psychologists and school counselors, in consultation with classroom teachers and school administrators, to determine student need. Staff is trained in how to talk with and support students during and after the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, as well as information on developing coping and resilience skills for students, faculty, and staff.

• Safety Drills: Safety remains our highest priority for the members of our learning communities.  Conducting drills is an important part of keeping students and staff safe in the event of an emergency.  Education Law § 807 requires that schools conduct 8 evacuation and 4 lockdown drills each school year.  Under the current guidance from NYSED, these drills will continue to take place in a hybrid learning model. These drills will be conducted using different protocols than students and staff are used to in order to reduce the risk of spreading infection.  For example, as required by NYSED or NYSDOH guidance, shelter in place and lockdown drills may be practiced using verbal instructions, rather than requiring students to congregate in close proximity during the drill, which would prevent social distancing.  Should an actual emergency occur, the priority for students and staff will be to get to safety, foregoing social distancing measures.  Other examples of modifications to safety drills may include but are not limited to conducting evacuation and lockdown drills on a staggered schedule or providing an overview of what to do during these drills in lieu of conducting them.  To ensure the safety of students and staff, access to school buildings to visitors will be limited during the school day.   

Monitoring of Health Conditions

Monitoring includes protocols and procedures to track health conditions at schools.

• COVID-19 Coordinator & Liaisons: Each school will have a designated COVID-19 liaison who works with the designated COVID-19 district coordinator.  The COVID-19 liaisons and coordinator will work in conjunction with the school district physician and school nurses to monitor the implementation of safety protocols, collect data on symptomatic students/staff, oversee the safe return of students and staff to school following quarantine and/or isolation, and partner with the NYSDOH to manage contact tracing in the event of positive cases.  The COVID-19 coordinator will keep the Superintendent and Board of Education informed of COVID-19 related mitigation strategies, positive cases, and recommended adjustments to the District’s reopening plan.

• COVID-19 Screening: HCSD will send a daily digital survey to parents and staff, which requires them to answer COVID-19 screening questions and to report whether or not the student/staff member has a temperature of 100° Fahrenheit or higher that day.  Daily screening questions will include:

1. Have you had any COVID-19 symptoms in the past 14 days? (The current CDC definition of symptoms includes: fever, cough, shortness of breath, or at least two of the following symptoms: fever, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, or new loss of taste or smell)

2. Have you had a positive COVID-19 test in the past 14 days?

3. Have you had close contact with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases in the past 14 days?

4. In the past 14 days have you traveled to any of the states that are subject to the New York State travel advisory and require a 14-day quarantine upon return to New York?

5. Do you (staff) or does your child (student) have a temperature above 100⁰ Fahrenheit today? 

Any affirmative responses to questions in the daily digital survey will trigger an automatic, confidential notification to principals, assistant principals and school nurses (in the case of students) and principals/supervisors (in the case of staff members), and those students/staff will be instructed by automated email not to report to school that day and await further communication from a district representative.  Students, staff and parents will also be required to report if they develop symptoms or if their answers to health assessment changes. The daily digital survey will also produce non-compliance reports each day to identify those students and/or staff members who did not complete the survey that day so that they can be asked to complete the survey and have their temperature taken upon arrival to school.  Visitors, contractors, and vendors will also be required to complete the survey and have their temperature checked at the point of entry to each school building.  To the greatest extent possible, visitors, contractors, and vendors will be limited to those who have a necessary/essential reason for being in the school building, as determined by the school principal.

• Testing Protocols: HCSD will follow all applicable guidance from, and work in close consultation with, the New York State Department of Health to monitor and report suspected cases, to refer students and staff for COVID-19 testing when appropriate.  These determinations will be made based on information provided by students and staff in the daily digital COVID-19 screening questionnaire and based on assessments conducted by school nurses if a student or staff member becomes symptomatic at school.    When a student or staff member is referred for COVID-19 testing, documentation of a negative test result will be required before the individual is permitted to return to school.  Any positive from a COVID-19 test will be shared, as required and permitted by privacy laws, with the New York State Department of Health and the school district physician.  

• Testing Responsibility: HCSD will work in consultation with the New York State Department of Health and our school district physician to refer parents and staff members for COVID-19 testing when they meet the symptomatic criteria for testing.

• Early Warning Signs: HCSD will report any known positive student or staff cases of COVID-19 to the New York State Department of Health and will follow NYSDOH guidance in making any determination about steps that must be followed, including the determination that it may become necessary to close school(s). 

Containment of Potential Transmission of COVID-19

Containment includes protocols and procedures for how to respond to positive or presumed-positive cases, as well as preventative practices. 

• School Health Offices: In consultation with the school district physician and school nurses, HCSD has developed a COVID-19 Health Protocol to address the needs of students and staff who may become symptomatic during the school day.  This COVID-19 Health Protocol includes the list of symptoms that the nurse will consider when completing an assessment, the safety precautions that the nurse will take to isolate the individual, the criteria for determining when a student or staff member needs to be sent home, and a protocol for having the individual safely leave the school with a referral for follow-up care by a primary care physician.

• Isolation: Each school nurse will have a designated space to isolate individuals who present with COVID-19 symptoms so that they can be safely assessed according to the COVID-19 Care Plan. Symptomatic individuals will wear a mask/face shield, and the school nurse and health assistant will wear appropriate PPE while interacting with the symptomatic individual (e.g., N95 mask, face shield, gloves, medical gown).  Assessments of symptomatic individuals will be made in consultation with the school district physician and, as needed or required, the New York State Department of Health.  Any space used to isolate symptomatic individuals will be properly disinfected.

• Collection: In the event a student or staff member becomes symptomatic and the school nurse determines that the individual needs to leave school, the school nurse will consult with the principal and school district physician.  The principal may initiate a “hold in place” so that the symptomatic person can be escorted from the school.  The school nurse will provide the parent of the student or staff member with instructions to seek medical attention from a primary care physician and, in consultation with the school district physician, may refer the individual for COVID-19 testing.

• Exposed & Infected Individuals: For students and staff members who are exposed to, or infected with, COVID-19, HCSD will follow the standards for isolation, quarantine, and return to school dictated by the New York State Department of Health, in consultation with our school district physician.  Students and staff members will not be permitted to return to school until permitted according to NYSDOH standards.

• Contact Tracing: HCSD will comply with all requests from the New York State Department of Health for information to support contact tracing when a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 occurs, as permitted by applicable privacy laws.   

• Communication: In the event of a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, HCSD will communicate with parents and staff to provide necessary information, as permitted under applicable privacy laws, to ensure their safety.  This information may include dates and locations of suspected or confirmed locations, measures HCSD is taking to contain the spread of the virus, recommended actions as advised by the NYSDOH, and interim alternative arrangements to ensure the continuity of learning.

• Hygiene, Cleaning, and Disinfection: In the event a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, HCSD will follow cleaning and disinfection protocols recommended by the NYSDOH and CDC.  This may require closing or restricting access to individual classrooms or a school so that cleaning and disinfection can occur.  If it becomes necessary to clean/disinfect following a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, parents and staff members will be informed of the spaces affected, the timeline for completing the cleaning/disinfection, and alternative arrangements while this occurs.

Closure of school facilities and in-person instruction, if necessitated by widespread virus transmission

Closure includes contingency plans, protocols, and procedures for decreasing the scale or scope of in-person education, and/or closing the school. 

• Closure triggers: HCSD will follow the directives and guidance from NYSDOH and NYSED in making any decisions to close school due to COVID-19.  Such decisions will be communicated to parents and staff in a timely way.

• Operational Activity: In the event of a school(s) closure, HCSD will determine which operational activities are deemed essential and implement safety protocols for these essential operations to continue.  

• Communication: In the event of a school(s) closure, HCSD will initiate a communication plan to keep parents and staff members informed by posting information on the District website and utilizing communication platforms (e.g., phone, email, text).