District Plan for Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services
PART I.
Describe how the district will maintain the health and safety of students, educators, and other staff and the extent to which it has adopted policies, and a description of any such policies, on each of the following safety recommendations established by the CDC:
- Universal and correct wearing of masks.
During the December 13th Board of Education meeting, the Lansing USD 469 School Board voted and approved making masks optional for students and staff when we return from winter break in January 2022 and adopting the Kansas Department of Health and Environment's (KDHE) Test to Stay and Learn Plan #2, Strategy A. This plan will provide optional COVID-19 testing for unvaccinated students/staff who have been a close contact with a positive case. This testing will allow for a "modified quarantine" where students and staff who have been exposed can remain in person at school during quarantine using a testing strategy.
- Modifying facilities to allow for physical distancing (e.g., use of cohorts/podding).
We provide proper social distancing given available physical space and enrollment numbers. We have staggered lunch periods and spread out students to classrooms to allow for social distancing.
- Handwashing and respiratory etiquette.
Our staff and students will continue to be expected to wash their hands frequently throughout the school day and signage will continue to be posted throughout our buildings. We recommend and teach handwashing for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. Hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol will also be available throughout our classrooms and buildings.
Students and staff are also encouraged to cover their coughs and sneezes with a tissue.
- Cleaning and maintaining healthy facilities, including improving ventilation.
We will continue our daily cleaning regimen for all our Lansing USD 469 buildings and buses. We run our HVAC systems on the highest MUR rating that is possible for our systems and will continue to monitor ventilation efficiency and effectiveness for opportunities to continually improve air quality.
- Contact tracing in combination with isolation and quarantine, in collaboration with the State, local, territorial, or Tribal health departments.
We will continue to follow Leavenworth County Health Department’s guidance on isolation and quarantine. Our nursing staff will also continue to work in conjunction with the recommendations for contact tracing put forth by our local county health department.
- Diagnostic and screening testing.
We have a nurse on staff for all buildings for our health diagnostics and screening as needed daily. Students, staff, and community members can access COVID-19 diagnostic or screening tests through a variety of community partners.
We will no longer requiring temperature checks when entering our buildings.
- Efforts to provide vaccinations to school communities.
We offered a vaccination clinic through Leavenworth County Health Department to all staff during the 2020-2021 school year and a booster clinic in the winter of 2021, and we promote our local health department vaccination efforts on our website and social media outlets weekly.
- Appropriate accommodations for children with disabilities with respect to health and safety policies.
We will continue to follow accommodations that are written in IEPs for students with disabilities. We have a nurse available for students with known health issues to provide the services necessary to keep the students healthy and safe at school.
- Coordination with State and local health officials.
Our superintendent works closely with the Leavenworth County Health Department Director on the reopening of schools and ongoing attempts to coordinate efforts on the testing and vaccinations for all in our community.
Part II.
Describe how the district will ensure continuity of services, including but not limited to:
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- services to address students' academic needs
Our district offers an Extended School Year for students that have it written in an IEP. We also offer credit recovery for high school students who need it. We plan to return to full-time five days in-person learning during the 2021-2022 school year. We are also adding a virtual learning option for all students through Greenbush Virtual Academy beginning in the fall of 2021.
We screen our students three times a year with a nationally normed test to screen for academic level. We use that information to provide a tiered system of support to address the needs that students present.
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- students' and staff social, emotional, mental health
We have a school counselor or social worker in each of our buildings that screen students for social, emotional, and mental health three times a year. We have interventions prepared through our mental health professionals employed by our district.
We have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) available for staff to support their social, emotional and mental health. This program will reimburse any out-of-pocket expenses after insurance up to three mental wellness visits. We also work with our local teacher association with ideas to provide additional supports for staff.
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- other needs, which may include student health and food services.
We have shared information on our website and social media platforms regarding Kansas Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) with a map showing summer meal locations. We have also shared information about the Kansas Emergency Rental Assistance on our website and social media.
All students will be provided with a free breakfast and lunch this coming school year, and we will continue to provide further food assistance through food banks in our schools.
We provide a school nurse in every building in our district for screenings and daily health needs.
It is the intention of Lansing USD 469 to return to “business as usual”, as much as possible, in the fall of 2021. Our district will continue to follow any state and county mandates as agreed to by our board of education, should they be necessary.