In-person school in Puyallup to include maskless recess, lunch in class, isolation rooms
The Puyallup School District announced Monday it would allow the youngest students return to the classroom on Sept. 28.
Staff presented a plan to the school board for drop-off, class time, recess and lunch for elementary students.
The district also has added an “isolation space” for students with COVID-19 symptoms while they wait for parent pickup.
Mario Castello, assistant superintendent for operations, told the board on Monday one of the most crucial parts of returning to school during the coronavirus pandemic is the “cohort.” Students are expected to only interact with their “cohort” or classroom. This limits the number of interactions between children.
Before getting to school, parents must submit an “attestation form” on the health of each student every day.
The form asks the name of the student, which building they will be in, if they have any symptoms, if they have been around anyone who has tested positive in the last 14 days, and if any medical official recommends that they quarantine.
“It takes about 30 seconds to fill out,” Castello said on Monday evening.
If “yes” is selected on any of the questions, students are asked to stay home.
Here’s a look at the plan:
Morning
Elementary students who take the bus are limited to two per seat, and siblings can sit together.
Whether students ride the bus or are dropped off by parents, they will not be allowed in the building until 10 minutes prior to the bell.
Masks are required and six-foot social distancing is expected by all.
“The most important thing for families to know is that students will only be allowed to enter the building 10 minutes before school starts. We want to control that flow of traffic into the buildings,” spokesperson Sarah Gillispie said.
At the front door, each student will receive hand sanitizer before making their way through the building to their classroom. Castello said there are signs and floor markings around the building encouraging social distancing.
Students will receive more hand sanitizer before entering the classroom, Castello said.
Classroom
Desks and tables are spaced six-feet apart, and students will continue to wear masks through instruction.
Surfaces will be cleaned and sanitized with disinfectants and paper towels provided to every classroom, Castello said.
“The teachers and students will work as a team to clean between recess, lunch and before a new group of students come in,” he said on Monday.
Classrooms, offices and restrooms will be cleaned throughout the day and nightly by custodians.
Music and physical education will be held in the classroom to limit the movement of student groups, Gillispie said.
Lunch
Students will bring their lunch from home and eat in the classroom. Those on the free and reduced lunch program will receive a five-day meal box every week. Desks and hands will be cleaned before and after meals.
Recess
Students will continue to have 30 minutes outside, but it will be vastly different. The playground is divided into 60-square-foot sections for each classroom. Children will stay with their classroom, Castello said.
Each classroom will receive designated Frisbees, balls and jump ropes that will be disinfected daily.
Students can remove face masks outside.
“They get some face mask release time while remaining six-feet apart,” Castello said.
Paraeducators and teachers are expected to monitor students and supervise social distancing. The jungle gym will be cleaned between grades.
Isolation space
When a child feels sick, they are sent to the nurse’s office, where a medical professional will take their temperature and ask them questions. If the nurse determines they could have the coronavirus, parents are called and the child will wait in an “isolation space.” The COVID coordinator will monitor the room as needed.
COVID-19 testing
If a student is sent home for COVID-19 symptoms, they cannot return until the student is deemed to be COVID-19 free.
Students with initially positive test results must wait 10 days after symptoms first appear and have 24 hours without fever.
Those who were sent home with COVID-19 symptoms but tests came back negative must have at least 24 hours without fever, improvement in symptoms and have a doctor’s note confirming the negative test result.
Families that do not feel comfortable returning to the classroom are welcome to continue remote learning.
“We will work to switch them to continuous learning if they want,” board president Kathy Yang said.
This story was originally published September 23, 2020 at 10:13 AM with the headline "In-person school in Puyallup to include maskless recess, lunch in class, isolation rooms."
