College Station ISD 2020 Health & Safety FAQs

School is back in session for College Station ISD. With the many concerns around health and safety of students, teachers, staff, and families, College Station ISD has instituted health and safety protocols to make sure that everyone is safe and secure as our students return to school

Below, we are going to outline some of the processes, standards, and protocols in place for 2020. Hopefully, you’ll get an idea of what to expect and how to make sure that your student’s 2020 school year starts off right.

 

Are College Station ISD classes in person or online?

As the 2020 school year starts, College Station ISD is holding in-person classes, but parents and students have the option to participate in virtual learning. 

The district has organized 2 curriculums available for parents and students. Should COVID-19 concerns force in-person schools to close, classes will then switch to virtual learning at home.

To view all of College Station ISD’s in-person and virtual curriculum, visit here.

 

How is College Station updating the layout of classrooms to meet health and safety requirements?

Classroom Configurations and Procedures

• Desks or tables will be socially distanced as much as instructionally possible.
• Each classroom will be outfitted with the following:
• Hand sanitizer stations
• Access to disinfectant to sanitize working surfaces
• When possible, communally shared supplies will be eliminated. Shared supplies will be sanitized between use.
• Remove shared non-essential items from the classroom.  
• When possible, technology can be utilized when the use of manipulatives is needed.
• Reduce the use of large table seating in classrooms and replace with desks when possible. If tables are used, limit the number of students per table and identify which seats are to be used to provide as much social distancing as possible.  
• To the extent possible, keep doors open between classes to minimize contact with doors and door handles by students and staff entering or exiting classrooms.
• The use of outdoor space for learning will be considered when possible.
• Whenever possible, students and staff will maintain consistent groupings of people to minimize the spread of the virus. Additionally, supplemental services will be grouped by grade level when possible.
• The recommended procedures will be applied to all classroom settings, including special education services locations when possible and appropriate. Students’ individual needs will be addressed on a case-by-case basis.
• Collaborative Work and Projects
• When possible, technology should be utilized when students are involved in collaborative work.
• Group or pair work can be implemented while maintaining physical distancing.

Common Areas

• Common areas include spaces that are used for meetings and collaboration. This includes computer labs, flexible spaces, campus libraries, conference rooms and other meeting rooms.
• Campuses will develop schedules and protocols for the use of common areas, including how to sanitize space between use.
• When needed, students will bring personal supplies from the classroom.
• All students and staff will be required to use hand sanitizer when entering and exiting common areas.
• The use of virtual meetings will be considered when possible.
• In-person meetings will maintain social distancing.

Meeting Spaces

• Meetings will be limited to video conferencing when possible.  
• If meetings must be held in person, all social distancing protocols will be implemented.
• Limit the sharing of materials/supplies

Administrative Spaces – Reception, Offices, Conference Rooms, Mail Room

• When possible, meetings will be conducted virtually. However, if the need arises to meet in person please follow campus guidelines:
• Individuals are expected to stand behind the shield guard installed at the reception desk.
• Hand sanitizer will be provided in front office spaces.
• Distances of 6 feet will be provided between all occupied seats and workspaces.

Flexible Learning Areas

• Classes/grade levels will sign up to reserve common areas.
• Limit number of students as driven by available space and social distancing guidelines.
• Visual reminders will be displayed for social distancing throughout common areas.
• Informational graphics will be posted to help with 6 feet social distancing.
• There will be procedures for students to sanitize their spaces before and after usage.

Computer, Music, Art

• Students will use their own art supplies as much as possible, and shared supplies will be sanitized between use.
• Equipment will be sanitized and/or wiped down after each use.

Physical Education

• Whenever possible, physical education classes will be held outside to allow for maximum physical distance between students.
• Any activities bringing students into close physical contact will be avoided.
• Procedures will be implemented in the locker rooms to encourage social distancing.
• Equipment will be disinfected after each use.
• Activities requiring multiple students to touch or handle the same equipment will be avoided.
• Sanitizing areas and access to handwashing will be provided.
• Recess – Elementary and Intermediate Schools (Grades PreK – 6)
• Campuses will consider limiting the number of students per recess group. Staggered schedules can be utilized when needed.  
• All students and staff will be required to use hand sanitizer before entering the playground and upon exiting the playground.
• Brain breaks will be implemented as needed, at the discretion of the campus/teacher.

Elevators

• Only students and staff with a physical impairment or the need to move large/heavy equipment will be allowed to use the elevator.

Restrooms

• Signage will be placed outside of each restroom indicating the maximum number of people allowed inside at a time.
• Signage and teacher reminders will be used to encourage students to wash hands.
• After a restroom break, students will be required to use hand sanitizer before reentering the classroom.
• Proper handwashing technique will be taught to all students and consistently reinforced. Signage and teacher reminders will be used to encourage students to wash hands.  (ELEMENTARY ONLY)
• The scheduling of whole class restroom breaks is recommended to eliminate co-mingling of students across various classes and to ensure teacher monitoring of social distancing guidelines. (ELEMENTARY ONLY)

Library

• Visual reminders will be added and furniture rearranged to help students maintain social distancing while in the library.
• Students and staff will sanitize hands upon entering and exiting the library.
• High touch surfaces (i.e. table tops, chairs, door handles) will be disinfected regularly.
• Occupancy will be limited.

 

How is College Station ISD handling class transitions in their schools?

• If executive orders are not in place, the District will strongly encourage the use of masks during passing periods.
• To prevent congregating during transition times, students will not be assigned an academic locker. Students will be permitted to bring backpacks to class.
• When transitioning between classes, students will travel corridors as far to the right as possible.
• Visuals will be developed to help students maintain physical distances and adhere to established campus traffic flow in hallways.
• Traffic patterns will be established throughout the campus that separates individuals to the greatest extent possible.

 

What are drop off procedures for College Station ISD students?

• Entry doors will be designated based on arrival method: bus riders, parent drop-off/walk to school, student drivers, students with unique needs.
• Sanitation stations will be placed at each designated entrance.
• Students will go directly to their designated location upon arrival.
• Staff will assist with maintaining social distancing in the hallways.
• Parents may not accompany students into the building.
• Students dropped off before the building is open will not be allowed inside the building.

 

What are student pick-up procedures like for College Station ISD schools and students?

Dismissal – Elementary Schools

• Sibling connections will be done outside the building.
• Campus will designate staggered dismissal group
• Staggering the groups of walkers, car riders, bus riders and daycare students will help manage student movement in the building and decrease the risk of potential crowding outside at dismissal time.  
• Separate entrances will be utilized for car riders, bus riders, walkers and daycares.
• There will be bus procedures, based on campus specific needs.

Dismissal – Secondary Schools (Grades 5-12)

• Dismissal times will be staggered to limit the number of students in hallways and exit areas at any given time.
• Sanitation stations will be placed at each exit.

 

Are face coverings required for College Station ISD?

Consistent with the Governor’s most recent executive order, and assuming that order is still in place, masks will be required while in school buildings, with certain exceptions made, as noted in the order.  Schools will also be required to follow any forthcoming executive orders issued by the Governor.  Although current executive orders apply to students 10 years of age and older, the district will apply the mandate in grades K – 12 to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 across grade levels.

This requirement will be in place at least until the completion of the first marking period.

If executive orders are not in place, the District will review the current situation within the community and in consultation with local health authorities to determine if masks should continue to be mandated throughout the district or at a specific campus/department.  Even if no mandate is in place, the District will continue to strongly encourage the use of masks during periods of viral spread within our community.

 

What does College Station ISD consider “close contact” between students and staff?

Being within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative duration of 15 minutes without a face covering starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to positive specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated. Being directly exposed to infectious secretions (e.g., being coughed on while not wearing a mask or face shield);

 

What type of screening will students and staff go through for the 2020 school year?

Staff will be required to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms prior to reporting to work each day.  

Parents/guardians are expected to screen their students for COVID-19 symptoms each day prior to sending their student to school.

Screening includes consideration about whether the individual has recently begun experiencing any of the following in a way that is not normal for them.

• Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0° F
• Loss of taste or smell
• Cough
• Difficulty breathing
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Chills
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Shaking or exaggerated shivering
• Significant muscle pain or ache
• Diarrhea
• Nausea or vomiting

 

What are the isolation protocols for symptomatic students and staff during the College Station ISD 2020 school year?

• When a student has displayed symptoms of COVID-19, the school nurse will provide a clinical assessment to determine if and when a student needs to be sent home.
  • Students who report feeling feverish will be given an immediate temperature check to help determine if they are symptomatic for COVID-19.
• Students who are ill will be separated from their peers and should be picked up within 30 minutes and no later than 1 hour from the time the campus contacted the student’s parent/guardian.
• If a student is isolated based upon the screening, other students will be removed from the classroom and taken to an alternate location on campus (e.g. go on a walk outside, move to a different classroom, etc.) so that the classroom can be disinfected.
• Consistent with school notification requirements for other communicable diseases, and consistent with legal confidentiality requirements, schools will notify all teachers, staff, and families of all students in a school if a lab-confirmed COVID-19 case is identified among students, teachers or staff who participate in any on campus activities.
• Individuals who were in close contact with an individual who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19 will be notified of their requirement to quarantine until the 14-day incubation period has passed.
• Staff members displaying COVID-19 symptoms will follow district protocols including reporting and isolation from students and other staff members.
• Students and staff with known close contact to a person who is lab confirmed to have COVID-19 will not be allowed to return to work/school until the end of the 14 day self-quarantine period from the last date of exposure if that individual did not experience COVID-19 symptoms during that period. If the individual experienced symptoms, they must stay at home until the conditions outlined or return to work/school are met.
• If an individual who has been in a school is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19, the district will notify the local health department, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations, including confidentiality requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
  • During the isolation period, individuals should self-monitor daily for symptoms of COVID-19:
    • Check and record their temperature twice a day
    • Contact a healthcare provider immediately if they:
    • Feel feverish or have a temperature of 100.0⁰ F or higher
    • Develop a cough or shortness of breath
    • Develop mild symptoms like sore throat, muscle aches, tiredness, or diarrhea
  • Avoid contact with high risk individuals (unless they live in the same home and had same exposure as you)

 

What is the process for students and staff to return to school after isolation?

In the event that a CSISD teacher, staff, student, or other campus visitor is either lab confirmed positive for COVID-19 or experiences the symptoms of COVID-19, they must stay at home throughout the infection period and can not return to campus until cleared for re-entry.

Individuals who are confirmed to have COVID-19 will not be allowed to return to work/school until they meet criteria as established by the CDC and are released by their physician.

• Confirmed COVID-19 with Symptoms:  
  • At least 24 hours have passed since last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications; and
  • Symptoms have improved; and
  • At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared
• Confirmed COVID-19 without Symptoms:
  • 10 days have passed since positive test
• Unconfirmed COVID-19 with Symptoms
  • In the case of an individual who has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and who is not evaluated by a medical professional or tested for COVID-19, such individual is assumed to have COVID-19, and the individual may not return to the campus until the individual has completed the same three-step set of criteria listed above.

If the individual has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and wants to return to school before completing the above stay at home period, the individual must either

• obtain a medical professional’s note clearing the individual for return based on an alternative diagnosis; or
• obtain an accurate infection test at an approved testing location (https://tdem.texas.gov/covid-19/) that comes back negative for COVID-19 

 

Are campus visitors allowed in College Station ISD schools?

Yes they are, but they have to follow protocols here.

 

How is College Station ISD making sure that schools are clean and safe?

Frequent disinfection and hand sanitization will ensure health and wellness of students and staff.

• District personnel will be trained on social distancing and proper hand washing.
• Hand sanitizer will be available at the main entries to campuses, in classrooms, in the cafeteria and in common areas throughout the campus.
• Staff will be expected to regularly wash and/or sanitize their hands.
• Students will frequently be encouraged to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds and/or use hand sanitizer.
• Requirement for hand washing and/or use of CSISD-provided hand sanitizer:
  • Elementary: Provide hand sanitizer upon entry to classroom and periodic teacher reminders during instructional day
  • Elementary: Thorough hand washing after recess, before eating, following restroom breaks
  • Intermediate/Middle/High: Provide hand sanitizer upon entry to classroom and periodic teacher reminders during instructional day
  • Intermediate/Middle/High: Thorough hand washing upon return from outdoors, before eating, following restroom breaks
• Staff will have access to disinfectant to sanitize high-touch and working surfaces and shared objects regularly.
• Staff will limit the use of shared supplies when possible.

Frequent cleaning and disinfecting will promote a healthy learning and work environment for students and staff.

Custodial staff will be trained in proper cleaning and sanitation techniques of high touch surfaces and areas and specialized equipment. Daily campus cleaning includes:

• Each classroom, campus offices, and restrooms will be disinfected daily. This process will include the use of hospital grade disinfectant and custodial staff will indicate the date/time of last cleaning in each location on a label near the entrance/exit of each room. Inspections will be conducted each morning to ensure thorough disinfection has occurred.
• All high touch areas will be disinfected daily.
• Custodians will be provided masks and gloves during work hours.
• The cafeteria will be cleaned and disinfected between lunch periods.
• Staff will have access to disinfectant to sanitize working surfaces and shared objects after each use and during breaks in instruction.

For confirmed cases: 

• If a classroom or facility is closed due to COVID-19 spread, hospital grade disinfectant will be used. Any areas heavily used by the lab-confirmed case will be closed off until the non-porous surfaces can be disinfected, unless more than 3 days have passed since that person was on campus.

 

What additional safety measures is College Station ISD taking to ensure cleanliness?

College Station ISD is taking additional efforts to make sure that COVID-19 is not transmitted among students and staff.

• Plexiglass shields will be installed in areas of high contact (e.g., receptionists)
• Desks or tables will be socially distanced as much as instructionally possible.
• Water fountains will be turned off and water filler stations will be operational. All locations will have water bottle filler(s) available.
• When possible, communal supplies will be eliminated. Shared supplies should be sanitized between use.
• High touch surfaces (i.e. table tops, chairs, door handles) will be disinfected regularly.
• For middle school and high school, lockers will not be assigned – students will carry all needed materials and lunch with them.
• Students will be encouraged to bring water bottles to school for their personal use.