Plainview Public Schools

Revised 8/12/2020

Background:  During the spring of 2020, COVID-19 broke out in the United States and in Oklahoma.  This virus is easily transmitted from person to person, and in response the Oklahoma State Department of Education closed schools for the remainder of the school term.  During this time of closure, districts were to maintain contact with their students via distance learning.  We are now in the planning phase for the reintroduction of onsite and offsite learning for the 2020-2021 school year. 

Introduction:  In preparation for the implementation of the 2020-2021 school year, it will be necessary to look at multiple facets of the school environment.  The first area of consideration will be school operations, followed by academics, family, and school personnel.  Plainview Public Schools will consult with the Carter County Health Department and other health officials in all phases of planning. 

Communication:  To facilitate efficient communication with our Plainview Family, we will utilize a dedicated section of our district website for COVID-19 related announcements (www.plainview.k12.ok.us ).  The Plainview One Call system will be used to immediately communicate information related to school status and condition.  Additionally, various social media outlets will be utilized for information dissemination as well. 

Potential School Closures:  Plainview Public Schools shall work alongside local health authorities to determine school closures due to COVID-19.  Closures may be short- term, mid-term or long-term.  Each closure will facilitate a different educational plan.  Continued distance learning will be implemented during mid-term and long-term closures.  Closures may be district–wide, site-based, or by classroom according to each case with guidance attained from the local health authorities.   

School Operations:  When discussing school operations, we must look at the context of the delivery methods to make decisions that will be appropriate and in the best interest of our students and their safety.  Plainview Public Schools will offer the potential for two distinct delivery methods in order to best serve our students educational needs.   

Distance Learning- This delivery model will be the least facility operationally taxing, as the students will be learning via guided activities and software on their own offsite.  Students may be utilizing one or all these delivery methods during the 2020-2021 school year depending on the circumstances with COVID-19. Extra-curriculars will not be available. 

Onsite Instruction- This delivery model will be the traditional set for which our students are educated.  This model will require the most thought in the school operations category, and it will sustain the most physical contact from students and staff. When discussing onsite instruction, the primary focus will be student safety from the current pandemic with COVID-19.  Since the primary source of transmission of this virus is person to person, many modifications to onsite school procedures must be made.  

Academics:  Onsite learning will utilize a standard academic plan of direct instruction and interaction.  Students will utilize a variety of academic materials to enable further understanding of topics and concepts taught.  By offering in person and remote learning for our students, we will continue to focus on strong relationships and instruction along with our expectation of deeper learning.  Distance learning may be asynchronous (student and teacher not online at same time) or synchronous (student and teacher are online at the same time).  Our primary learning management software will be Google Classroom, and it is within this general management system all our online learning activities will be communicated.  A variety of additional resources will be incorporated to enhance our digital program.  It is likely our onsite students will have distance learning as well during the school year due to COVID-19. 

Attendance:  Students receiving onsite instruction will have attendance taken daily per district policy.   Students receiving distance learning instruction will have attendance based on connection with their teacher each day.  Due to the likely nature of school closures due to COVID-19, attendance policies will include flexibility. 

Screening:  Students and staff will have their temperatures taken during an initial screening upon entry to the building for school.   Any individual with a temperature above 99.5 will be reassessed after a five-minute delay.  If any individual tests over 99.5 both times, they will be sent home and not allowed to stay on campus.  Designated isolation areas will be identified in each building for students who exhibit symptoms during the day or are running a temperature above 99.5.  They will remain in this area until a guardian has picked them up from the school. Any student who is sent home due to fever will not be allowed back in school until one of the following:  1) negative COVID-19 test and 48 hours fever free without medication  2) must be 72 hours fever free without medication, have no other symptoms and must have no known exposure to COVID-19  3) if exposed to COVID-19, must be 14 days fever free with no use of medication and no other symptoms.    

Social Spacing:  Measured six-foot markings will designate spacing in common areas to aid in social distancing.  Routes in the hallways will be marked with spacing as well as in the cafeterias, libraries and shelter areas. Changes in the classrooms for social distancing may include: reduced desk capacity, spacing and orientation of desks to all face forward, common materials moved out for additional space, etc.  

Masks:  

Masks: UPDATED  

After significant deliberation and consideration of all of the information from various government agencies and health officials and in an abundance of caution and the desire to provide continuous onsite learning, we will be following guidance from the Oklahoma State Department of Education as follows for the start of the 20-21 school year:

■ Masks are required for all staff and students in grades 4-12, with exemptions for adults and children who are physically unable to wear them.

■ Masks are required for staff and students in grades PreK-3 in hallways, common areas and during times of school transportation. Masks may be removed while inside classrooms if classroom cohorts remain grouped together throughout the day. During such time, teachers are still recommended to wear protective face shields and/or masks (clear-paneled masks preferred). Teachers may wish to wear both a face shield and a mask to provide an additional safeguard layer when students are not wearing masks.

■ Exceptions are allowed for the following: when eating meals, naptime, recess and during physical education if social distancing is possible, or as approved by the site principal.

■ Adults are required to wear masks around other adults.

■ If a student elects to bring their own mask, it must comply with school dress codes.

■ This requirement will be reviewed and updated frequently.

Sanitization:Shared items will either be removed or sanitized between each use.  Staff will clean the desk areas and commonly touched surfaces multiple times throughout the day.  Students will be encouraged to use the water bottle fill stations instead of conventional drinking fountains.  After the instructional day ends, all areas will be sanitized and cleaned thoroughly for the next day.  Hydrostatic sprayers will be used in the evening to disinfect building areas.

Visitors:  For the safety and health of our students, visitors will be restricted.  All visitors will be screened prior to being allowed access to the hallways or the building, if deemed necessary.  If a visitor is dropping off an item, they will be allowed in the office only for a period of ten minutes or less.  If they cannot socially distance, a mask will be provided to the visitor prior to accessing the building. 

Student Services:  In either an onsite or distance learning environment, student services will continue to support the needs of our students.  Counselors and other special service personnel will be available for both onsite and distance learning time periods of our school year.  Due to the uniqueness of the school year with COVID-19, the district’s crisis team will play an active role as the year progresses.  We will continue to address the needs of the social emotional well-being of our students both onsite and distance learning. Staff will continue to research best practice for supporting our students during this stressful time period. 

Athletics:  Plainview Public Schools will follow the guidance of the OSSAA and our local health departments while supporting our students in their athletic and activity programs.  These programs will be available as allowed by our current status with COVID-19.  Athletics will not be available for distance learners. 

Child Nutrition:  We will continue to provide child nutrition services for our onsite students.  In the event of district closure for medium or long term, we will provide grab and go lunches similar to what was provided during the 2019-2020 school year. 

Transportation:  Plainview Public Schools will continue transportation services during the 2020-2021 school year.  Due to the insurmountable difficulty in social distancing on a school bus, it will be a parent and  student decision as to whether they wish to take the risk of COVID-19 exposure to ride the bus.  We will sanitize the buses in between each route and each evening in preparation for transportation.  When possible, all windows will be opened to allow for airflow through the bus.  Masks are required on buses.

School Personnel:  Each school personnel will receive a mask and will be encouraged to wear them.  Other PPE will be provided as needed.  School personnel will be expected to observe social distancing rules to the extent possible and to wear PPE when distancing is not possible.  When/if the district must close due to COVID-19, teachers will report to their buildings to implement the continuation of learning through our distance instructional plan unless health agency guidance is to the contrary. 

Summary:  The return to learn plan for Plainview Public Schools must be a fluid framework to allow flexibility when addressing unknown circumstances that will arrive during the 2020-2021 school year.  Specific situational guidance will be issued through our One Call and website communication methods.  We will continue to update our website with current information relative to our educational programs and the status with COVID-19.  In the event of a school closure and transition to distance learning, teachers will use Google Classroom as an additional means to communicate directly with students and parents.