PRIMARY CONTACT INFORMATION

School Director:  Adina Knopfler   718-452-1300   347-397-6225   centerforil@gmail.com

COVID-19 Response Team (CRT): Adina Knopfler, Biana Spektor, Faigy Grunbaum, Esty Rapaport, Leah Goldstein, Renee Verschleiser

Local Hospital: Woodhull Hospital 760 BROADWAY 11206  718-963-8000

Local Precinct:  83rd PRECINCT    480 KNICKERBOCKER AVE. 11237     718-574-1605

I. EVERYDAY HYGIENE & SAFETY

Facial Coverings

All staff members will be provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) and will be required to wear acceptable face coverings whenever they are within six feet of students or other staff. These face coverings are recommended to be worn at all times and only to be removed when a staff member is eating or drinking.

Employees must wear a face covering unless they are unable to medically tolerate such covering. Medical intolerance must be approved by members of the COVID-19 Response Team (CRT) and must be a result of a physician’s letter and positive antibody testing.

Employees may use alternate PPE (i.e., face shields or coverings that are transparent at or around the mouth) for therapies or interventions that require visualization of the movement of the lips and/or mouths (e.g. speech therapy). These alternate coverings may also be used for certain students (e.g. hearing impaired) that benefit from being able to see more of the employee’s face. These specific situations must be documented and approved by the CRT in writing.

Encourage students to wear acceptable face coverings. Lessons with visual aids will be conducted by classroom teachers, instructors and therapists, to highlight the importance of wearing facial coverings and maintaining social distancing in all classrooms. Face coverings should not be used by children under the age of two, or for anyone who is unable to medically tolerate such covering, including students where such covering would impair their health or mental health, or where such covering would present a challenge, distraction, or obstruction to education services and instruction.

Hand Washing

All Staff members must wash their hands with soap and warm water, thoroughly after the use of the restroom or assisting students in the restroom. Staff must make sure that students wash their hands with soap and warm water as well. The recommended time to run hands under water is 30 seconds (approximately the amount of time is takes you to sing happy birthday).  If a staff member needs to sneeze or cough, they will be instructed to use a tissue or as a last resort, to sneeze into an elbow. If a student sneezes or coughs and it is in an open fashion (i.e. not into their elbow, hands, a tissue, etc,) the area will be disinfected immediately.

Food Service

Gloves must be worn by staff when handling food & supplies such as serving utensils (plates, cutlery etc.)

If staff are preparing food (such as bread or a sandwich), a face covering must be worn.

Students should not have access to food until it is placed in front of them. After meals times, all opened food portions must be disposed of. Food service will continue to be provided by our approved Child Nutrition Program (CNP) vendor as individual plated meals which limits handling of food to only the individual student. Students will continue to eat meals in their designated classrooms with no change in location.

Sanitizing

School premises will be sanitized daily according to the CDC and DOH guidelines. A log will be maintained in the school office documenting daily cleaning (twice daily) and disinfection times and scope of cleaning. All teachers and therapists will be required to wipe down all surfaces and toys daily with appropriate disinfectants.

Hand sanitizer will be readily available and stationed throughout the building in all classrooms. Disinfectants will not be used when students are present and will not be provided to students.

Daily Screenings

All students and Staff members are required to check in at the school office each morning before entry for a mandatory temperature check. If a staff member or student registers a temperature greater than 100 degrees Farenheit, the individual will be denied entry to the classroom and will either a. be instructed to leave or b. be escorted to the “quiet corner” room on the 5^th floor until parent is able to come pick the student up. A daily screening questionnaire will be sent out to each staff member prior to the school year and throughout the year.

Antibody and Nasal Swab Testing:

All students and staff are required to have diagnostic antibody testing completed and submitted prior to school opening. If an individual tests negative for antibodies, a nasal swab must be conducted within 5 days prior to school reopening. Routine diagnostic testing will be conducted throughout the year in addition to health screening surveys and temperature checks.

II. Social Distancing

Social Distancing

Staff members must keep six feet of distance between individuals, unless safety or core function of the activity (e.g., instruction) requires a shorter distance. However, any time that staff or faculty are less than six feet from one another or students, they must wear acceptable face coverings. Signage has been posted all across the school floor and in therapy areas to maintain social distancing of six feet at all times.

Daily Activities

Ensure that students and staff groupings are as static as possible by having the same group of students stay with the same staff. Classrooms remain stagnant with the same staff and students throughout the school year.

Restrict mixing between groups and limit maximum student group size to ten in any specific area (e.g. classroom) at any given time, as feasible.

Group sizes should not exceed more than ten students at any given time, as feasible.

Students should be seated at least six feet apart.

Turn desks to face in the same direction (rather than facing each other), or have students sit on only one side of tables, spaced apart.

Limit sharing of personal items, objects, and equipment.

Keep each student’s belongings separated from others’ and in individually labeled containers or areas and ensure they are taken home and cleaned and disinfected regularly, as possible.

Make sure there is enough supplies to minimize sharing of high-touch materials to the extent possible or limit use of supplies and equipment by one group of students at a time and clean and disinfect between use. Avoid sharing electronic devices, books, and other games or learning aids.

Transportation:

Transportation will be provided by the Office of Pupil Transportation and as in years past, students will be given designated seating assignments. Matrons will be instructed to limit interaction between students and keep windows open to increase ventilation when possible.

III. Symptoms

Identify signs and symptoms of COVID-19.

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

If you feel any of the above symptoms, please inform us right away and remain at home until you have been cleared by a doctor to return to work.

Staff & students will be required to have their temperature taken daily.

Mandatory health screening assessment will be implemented (e.g. questionnaire, temperature check).

If any students appear to show any of the above signs they must be isolated immediately.

Should any employee or student become symptomatic for COVID-19:

Any employee or student who screens positive for any of the above criteria (i.e., symptoms, test, or close contact) will be prohibited from entering the school and will be sent home immediately with instructions to contact their health care provider for assessment and testing.

Confidentiality and discretion will be used to when informing parents and other staff if they or their child have been in contact with someone who has tested positive.

Any student or staff member who has screened or tested positive for COVID-19 symptoms will be required to quarantine until the illness has passed, test negative for COVID-19 on a diagnostic test, and not return to school without complete symptom resolution and documentation from a physician that the individual is cleared to return to work.

Protocol for faculty, staff and students seeking to return to school following exposure to an individual with a positive COVID-19 test result will be reviewed and enacted during the 2020-2021 school year.

IV: Ventilation

All classroom teachers and therapists will be instructed to keep windows and doors open when possible to increase circulation of outdoor air while maintaining utmost safety of all students.

V: Contact Tracing

The CRT will notify state and local health department officials of any positive COVID-19 test including students, staff, faculty and visitors. If an individual tests positive, tools provided through the New York State Contact Tracing Program will be utilized to support local health departments in tracing all contacts of the individual. Contact tracing, isolation and quarantine efforts will all be under coordination and cooperation with state and local health departments.

VI: Visitor Control Procedures

The main entrance General School Office will have staff occupying it from the time the building opens until the end of the school day.

Signs are posted at the main and back entrances informing visitors that they must stop at the main desk and sign in using proper identification and have their temperature taken.

Every visitor will be given a pass to the General Office

There must be a sign in and sign out log for all visitors

No visitors are allowed into classrooms and student areas without administration approval and appropriate escort and clearance via daily questionnaire.

Visitors who violate entry and exit procedures may be subject to arrest.

Student Drop-Off and Pick-Up will ONLY occur at the General Office and entry of parents and legal guardians will be limited to the greatest extent possible.

Deliveries will only arrive to the second floor and will be signed in by Esty Rappaport. These deliveries will be limited to food provided by our Food Service Vendor and any necessary supplies.

Cameras are monitored throughout the school day to ensure no unannounced visitors are in the building.

All staff must be aware of visitors who do not have appropriate passes for a designated area or do not have a pass at all. Where feasible, staff should approach such persons and request that they return to the main office.

VII: Extra-Curricular Activities

For the 2020-2021 school year, no outdoor trips or activities will be scheduled.

VIII. After School Program:

Students remain in the same grouping and classrooms each day.

IX. Small Spaces/Restrooms:

No more than 1-2 staff members will be allowed to use restrooms at the same time. Small spaces will not be occupied by more than three individuals at a time. Treatment spaces shall not be occupied by more than two students per two staff members at any time.

X. Vulnerable/Medically Compromised Students:

Parents who do not feel comfortable having their children return to an in-person educational environment will continue to have the option of remote learning and tele-therapy.

XI. Mental Health/Behavioral and Emotional Support Services and Programs:

Resources will be available to help students and families transition back to the in-person educational setting. An integral part of our remote learning program has been the continuous support offered by our family therapy module. Our family therapist provides individual and group counseling sessions to parents and families, while our school counselor provides support to students and parents adjusting to this difficult routine. Individual counseling and workshops conducted by our team of school psychologist and licensed family therapist will continue to provide an opportunity to increase knowledge and skills in topics relating to COVID-19 psychoeducation and management.

Weekly workshop topics for the coming 2020-2021 school year will include:

Emotional support for parents of medically fragile children during the COVID-19 pandemic

Psychoeducation specific to special needs children

Utilization of self-care tools such as soothing techniques and mindfulness without minimizing the actual hardship and concern

The importance of daily structure and remote interpersonal contact during a time when social distancing is crucial.

Techniques for teaching special needs students the importance of hygiene and social distancing.

XII. Communication

Parents and staff will receive applicable instructions, training and ongoing information regarding hygiene requirements, PPE usage and all guidelines, An updated Wellness Policy, specific to COVID-19, has been sent to staff and parents with signatures required to denote stringent adherence to all DOH guidelines.

XIII. Travel

Any student or staff member with recent travel whether it be internationally or within a state with widespread transmission of COVID-19 as designated through the New York State Travel Advisory will be required to undergo diagnostic testing in accordance with local health department officials.

XIV. School Closure

In the event that a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, the CRT will notify state and local officials and adhere to any determination made. Administrative staff will notify all parents and faculty using both email and phone correspondence as well as through our parent chat application, and via continuous mailings. In the event that our school is required to close, our Remote Learning program will immediately take effect and scheduling will be conducted by our CRT.

Signage

Signage will continue to be posted on school floors and specific signage in the school office to remind staff to stay home if they don’t feel well, properly store and discard PPE when necessary, follow hand hygiene and strict hygiene guidelines throughout the day and follow cough and handwashing etiquette.

XVI. Training on Guidelines for COVID-19 Policies and Procedures

Training will occur before school reopens and systematically throughout the school year to ensure all staff and teachers are aware of guidelines.

XVII. Staff and Student Entrances and Exits

All students will be required to use stairwells to increase ventilation with the exception of students who are transported via wheelchair or have special accommodations. When travelling via elevator, no more than two students and their instructors/paraprofessional may ride at the same time.

XIX. Student Equipment

All students requiring individual supplies including those for mealtimes (utensils, etc.) and oral motor exercises will have individually labeled airtight containers containing their materials. For any activities involving fine motor or craft/handwriting skills, students will maintain their own designated materials in labeled and sealed boxes.

XX. Report of Symptoms:

Any report of signs/symptoms of COVID-19 for staff or students will be immediately reported to Biana Spektor, Clinical Director.