REOPENING YOUR SCHOOL DURING COVID-19

Many schools are set to reopen this fall, with restrictions in place to limit the spread of COVID-19. For administrators and teachers, there will be several challenges to think about before reopening in this new environment. Of course, regulations will differ by location, so please make sure you are up to date on the policies in your state and district. In addition to the CDC's list of considerations for schools that are facing reopening, here are some general practices to further protect your students and staff:

The first step to reopening a school or childcare center is to create new protective policies. Consider removing attendance-based awards or policies that punish students or staff for missing classes. Instead, encourage parents, staff, and children to recognize the importance of staying home when sick to prevent spreading any sickness. Offer virtual classes if possible so students do not fall behind.

Several day to day operations may also need to be revised. Have a staff member check each student and staff member’s temperature daily before they can enter the building. Revise drop off and pick up operations to limit physical interaction between both students and parents/guardians. Limit volunteers and visitors to your school or childcare center. 

The CDC recommends that in-person classes are divided into small groups of students and instructors that stay together all day. Students should remain 6 feet apart and should not share items.

See guidelines for returning to school during COVID-19 pandemic ⯈

To enforce these policies, make sure your staff is adequately prepared. Make sure you have the supplies needed to protect staff (and students) including masks for daily wear, gloves, and cleaning solutions to tackle everyday mess cleanup. Teach staff how to put on, remove, and properly clean a cloth mask. 

If possible, provide your staff with physical dividers to set up in classrooms, such as clear barriers around desks or tape to create hallway “lanes” that can encourage distancing in the hallways. To avoid children sharing toys or objects, each classroom or area must have enough supplies for every student, including things like pencils, crayons, scissors, glue, etc.

Staff also need to be trained on any new policies (such as the ones mentioned above), as well as emergency plans. Make sure your school or center has a plan of action for handling a confirmed COVID-19 exposure, including how to communicate with parents and other staff members. Teach your staff how to recognize COVID-19 symptoms, so they know what to do if one of the students shows signs of infection. All new policies and procedures should be readily available in digital form for staff to refer to.

See tips on training your staff for returning to school during COVID-19 ⯈

Follow recommended cleaning and disinfection guidelines provided by the CDC. All staff should be required to wear a cloth mask during all operation hours. Each classroom or area should be stocked with cleaning materials and regularly disinfected after each use. Limit the use of shared toys or games, especially between different groups of children.

For dining services, encourage parents to provide children with meals from home. If possible, dining services can distribute individually-packaged meals. Communal dining spaces should be avoided if at all possible. Avoid travel between rooms and classrooms, and have small groups eat in their classrooms.

Learn more about how to provide a healthy environment while reopening during COVID ⯈

It is important to make sure you take extra precautions to protect staff and students who are at a higher risk of contracting severe illnesses. These measures will differ depending on your school or center, so make sure you create a plan with administration to prioritize their safety. This may include having a separate communal area, limiting physical interaction with other students and staff, or creating a mostly-virtual participation setup.

Classrooms should be modified to enforce social distancing. Set desks six-feet apart, space students out when sitting at tables, or have all students face one direction instead of sitting on both sides of a table.

Read more about how to create a COVID back-to-school policy ⯈

During these times, it is essential to keep parents, students, and staff up to date on all activities and new policies. Identify the most efficient communication channel. Avoid paper statements and notices. 

Provide parents with resources on identifying virus symptoms in their kids, and communicate the importance of staying home when sick. Outline any changes in drop off and pick-up processes so parents know what to do. Staff and parents should be immediately notified if anyone at the school or center has been exposed to COVID-19, and you should have a plan in place for how to quickly close your center if needed. Any closure needs to be immediately communicated to all staff, students, and parents.

Find out how to up you communication game with parent during COVID-19 back-to-school ⯈

• Easy communication - EZChildTrack software includes a parent portal that provides a centralized place to communicate with parents. If your facility needs to close, if there is a COVID-19 exposure, if any policies are changed, the portal makes that information easily accessible for all parents. 
  
  
• Keep track of absences - Our attendance tracker allows parents and staff to track attendance. Attendance tracking makes it easy to identify if large numbers of students or staff are sick, which can help stop an outbreak at your facility before it happens by enforcing emergency policies early.
  
  
• Minimize paper - Our cloud-based management system stores all information online. Limiting in-person interaction mitigates the spread of any illness, while freeing up space in your offices that file cabinets used to fill. Attendance, payment, enrollment, and payroll forms can all be filled out virtually, which protects both parents and staff.
  
  
• Save money - Centralized operations can cut your labor costs by minimizing the time needed to manage day to day activity. Automated billing reduces the time needed to calculate and print invoices and reduces the cost of paper, envelopes, and postage. We know that right now funds are tighter than ever, so it is important to save money where you can.
  
  
• Virtual payment processing - Parents can set up automated payments online so staff does not have to handle cash or credit cards, which helps limit the spread of the virus. Tax statements, transaction reports, and statements can be emailed and posted to an account. 
  
  
• Contactless attendance -  Parents can use a custom QR code on their phone or tablet to check their child in and out of school or childcare. This contactless option helps maintain social distancing without complicating the drop-off and pick-up processes.