August 15, 2020

 

Dear Parents/Guardians,

 

 

 

Logistics and
Planning
Diocese of Brooklyn
OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP
CATHOLIC ACADEMY
SOUTH OZONE PARK
RE-OPENING PLAN
2
Identifying the Re-Opening Plan for Our
Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy
for September 2020
• Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy has identified Plan A for
full re-opening in September 2020, preparing for the return of all
students enrolled whose families have chosen their child to receive inschool,

face-to-face instruction, along with students whose parents
have chosen Distance/virtual digital instruction at home. The school
hours will be 8 to 3 for both in school students and students receiving
real time instruction at home. Yet, in the event of the need for
transitioning to full Distance Learning, all protocols already exist as our
academy will in September 2020 be providing synchronous instruction
to 51 families who has chosen only Digital Remote Learning for their
child/children.
•
• All CDC, NYS, and DOH Guidelines for Social Distancing of 6 ft.
between every student/person, hand and respiratory hygiene, testing,
and tracing will be adhered to. Face coverings will be used by all
students, teachers, teacher assistants, teacher aides, custodians, office
staff, administration, and all visitors.
•
• Separating students in a grade into several classroom, depending on
enrollment, will occur allowing for only a maximum of 15 students per
classroom, 6 ft. apart to allow for social distancing. Markings in the
room with taping of every other desk allows students to identify their
place in any classroom. Markings on the floors and walls for one-way
hall direction and 6 ft. spacing allows students to consistently see
where to stand.
•
• Each grade will have one or two teachers depending on grade
enrollment. Teacher assistants will be used to supervise in an adjacent
room the remaining students from a particular grade who are receiving
synchronous instruction, in real time, through a digital device and/or the
Smartboard in the room. All students would have digital devices to
always be connected to the teacher for instruction or guidance during
individual or group work.
•
• According to CDC guidance, the students would remain in the same
classroom all day to allow for the least amount of contact with others.
Instead, teachers will switch from class to class. The teacher using
multisensory, interdisciplinary lessons would begin instruction for 15-20
3
minutes to all students. Through the Google Meet or Zoom platform, all
classrooms of that grade will receive simultaneous instruction by the
teacher, including students at home. After the presentation of the
lesson, during differentiated instruction, the teacher and teacher
assistant would switch classrooms to allow the practice part of the
lesson to include differentiation in instruction. Group letters (rather than
proximity of seating) would identify groupings of students in school or at
home receiving the same resources, content, and intervention for both
advanced/challenging instruction or remediation.
•
• Hand sanitizers will be in each room, and disinfection of everything in
the classroom, restrooms, and halls, etc. will occur daily, as well as
sanitizing during the day of restrooms and halls. An isolation area will
be set up in the event students becomes ill.
•
• The principal will be responsible for developing the plan, affirming to
having read and adhere to its guidance.
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Creating well defined entrance protocols
for students, teachers, and visitors
• Our Lady of Perpetual Catholic Academy plans to open our
Academy incorporating Plan A which entails the full opening for all
students who have chosen in-classroom instruction versus
home/virtual instruction. Yet, in the event of the need for
transitioning to full Distance Learning, all protocols already exist as
our academy has and will continue to provide Distance Learning if
necessary. In September 2020, as well as providing a full
opening, face-to-face instruction, our academy will be providing
synchronous instruction through Distance Learning to 51 students
whose parents have chosen only Digital Remote Learning for their
child/children. All CDC, NYS, and DOH Guidelines for Social
Distancing of 6 ft. between every person will be adhered to in
every part of the school building, classrooms, restrooms,
entrances and exists, isolation areas, and offices.
•
• There are four entrance possibilities for entering the building for
students. All students by grade will be assigned one of the
entrance options – Option A, B, C, and D. Line up at each option
entrance for the students will occur with designated markings of 6
ft. apart, and everyone entering the school must have a face
covering. Option A, at the right front of the building, will be
assigned to Pre-K3, Pre-4, and Kindergarten students. Option B,
at the front main entrance of the building, will be assigned to grade
1 and grade 2. Option C, the right back of the school building, will
be assigned to grades 3, 4 and 5. Option D, on the left entrance
at the back of the school building, will be assigned to grades 6, 7,
and 8.
•
• Teachers, teacher assistants and teacher aides report at 7:30 a.m.
and enter through the side entrance of the school building
designated only for them, report to their classrooms, and then at
7:55 a.m. report to the entrance and monitor social distancing
where their students will be entering. Visitors, wearing face
coverings, and following social distancing, are permitted to enter
through the front main entrance of the building where the secretary
will sign them in. Only essential visitors are encouraged to enter
the building assuring the least amount of exposure to the students.
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Adults using N95 masks are positioned in each of the Option A, B,
C, D and side entrances with no contact infrared thermometers
taking the temperature of the students, teachers, and visitors as
they enter the building.
•
• Entering the building, floor and wall markings, 6 ft. apart, will be
visible for one-direction flow hallways. When existing the school
premises, the same assigned options used for morning entrance
will be used for existing the building. Parents will be informed of
pick-up staggered dismissal times, as well as specific procedures
for pick-up areas.
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Developing routines for daily health checks
• Each morning adults, wearing N95 masks, are positioned in
each of the Option A, B, C, D, and teacher side entrance with
no contact infrared thermometers taking the temperature of
the students, teachers, teacher assistants, teacher aides, and
visitors as they enter the building. Parents/guardians and
school personnel will be instructed that any student or staff
member with a fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or greater
and/or symptoms of possible Covid 19 virus will be sent to the
isolation area to be picked up by a parent/guardian.
•
• Academy personnel will check daily for the following
symptoms of Multisystem Inflammatory syndrome in Children
(MIS-C) associated with COVID 19, which is a serious
condition associated with COVID 19 in children and youth.
The DOH academy nurse will notify the parent/guardian if
their child shows any of the following symptoms: fever,
abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck pain, rash, bloodshot
eyes, and feeling extra tired. The nurse will instruct the
parent/guardian that the child be referred for immediate follow
up with a healthcare provider. The student will be permitted to
re-enter class only with doctor’s clearance.
•
• All personnel and families will be instructed to stay home
when feeling ill. We will actively encourage employees and
students who are ill or have recently been in close contact
with a person with COVID 19 to stay home. Personnel
becoming ill during class time will be asked to go immediately
to their physician for testing and a teacher assistant would
take his/her place for the day. Students becoming ill will be
accompanied to the isolation area to be picked up by parent,
and the remaining students will be moved to another
classroom till the area has been disinfected. All personnel
and student health checks will be conducted safely and
respectfully and in accordance with any applicable privacy
laws and regulations. The academy principal and the DOH
academy nurse will be the persons designated responsible for
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responding to staff and families regarding the COVID 19
concerns.
•
• In the event that large-scale testing becomes necessary
where 3 or more students out of 15 become ill, arrangements
will be made for in-school testing of personnel and students.
We are awaiting directives from the DOH regarding protocol
for such a situation.
•
• Training of personnel to recognize the COVID 19 symptoms:
fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle or
body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat,
congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea.
•
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Developing protocols for social distancing
in the classroom
• All parents/guardians were provided with the option
of in-school instruction or distance digital instruction
for their child. The following protocols for social
distancing in the classroom will be shared with all
school personnel, students, board of directors,
families, church and community.
•
• Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy will
be following all social distancing guidelines;
therefore, classroom will have 15 students allowing
for the students and teacher personnel to be 6 ft.
apart. Taped off areas on classroom floors,
hallways, walls, and line-up areas etc. would
identify the 6 ft. social distancing for each area.
•
• Students will remain in the classroom and teachers
will switch classrooms, therefore, restricting hallway
movement and limiting exposure to large numbers
of students. All special subject teachers will come
to the individual classrooms.
•
• All students will have lunch in the classroom and
only during assigned times will a class proceed,
with social distancing, to the schoolyard for fresh
air.
•
• All student textbooks, digital devices, personal
items, and resources will be labeled for individual
student use. Shared items will not be permitted.
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Therefore, allowing students to maintain 6 ft.
distance when using resources in the classroom.
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Developing a plan for social distancing outside of the
classroom in highly populated areas like
hallway/locker areas, restrooms, locker rooms,
lunchroom/cafeteria, the library, etc. This includes a
plan for Mass and extra-curricular activities.
• Social distancing throughout the building such as in the hallway will be
designated by markings along the floor 6 ft. apart. One direction flow
hallways will allow students not to travel in the hallways face to face.
Teachers and teacher assistants monitor students to ensure procedures
presented to them at the beginning of the year are understood and
followed.
•
• Staggered scheduling among the teachers on the floor will allow for
only one class of 15 students being accompanied by the teacher to go
to the restroom. If a student during class time must use the restroom,
procedure calls for two students, advised to walk 6 ft. apart, will go to
the rest room, if someone is already there, they will wait outside till the
student leaves.
•
• Signs will be posted in highly visible locations such as school
entrances, exits, restrooms, etc. that promote everyday protective
measures, such as properly washing hands, safe hygiene protocols,
and wearing face coverings.
•
• Lunch will be sent up to the classrooms; therefore, there is no need for
students to proceed to the cafeteria.
•
• All special teachers will be going directly to the classroom. We do not
have locker rooms or locker areas.
•
• Our breakfast and after-school programs, as well as all extra-curricular
activities will be held in the auditorium. Three Cohorts will be identified
in the following way – Cohort I – Pre-k3, Pre-k4, Kindergarten, Cohort II
– Grades 2, 3, 4, Cohort III – Grades 5 and 6. The moderators present
with have more than 15 students, 6 ft. apart wearing face coverings,
and maintaining hygiene protocols for disinfecting of materials needed.
•
• First Friday Mass, as well as other religious events, will follow the same
CDC guidelines of students being seated 6 ft. apart, with facial
covering, and receiving Holy Communion only in the hand, removing
the facial covering just to put Jesus in their mouth.
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• All social distancing of 6 ft. in our breakfast and after-school program
will be possible in our school auditorium. Students in these programs
as well as the supervising teachers will have to use face coverings.
Parents picking up their children are mandated to wear face coverings
and maintain 6 ft. distance from the group.
•
• Students utilizing DOE transportation buses must adhere to face
coverings, safety belts, and 6 ft. social distancing. We await guidance
from NYC DOE.
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Developing scheduling options to facilitate
reduced capacity at school
• In order to facilitate the reduced capacity of
the school, and also, alleviate concern for
sending their child/children, to face-to-face
instruction, parents have been provided with
the option of Distance Digital Instruction.
•
• As a result, 51 students of our 446 enrollment
will be receiving virtual instruction at home
through Google Meet or Zoom. Parents were
requested to inform us by email if they chose
this option.
•
• To accommodate social distance requirements
based on enrollment of each grade, all empty
classrooms, as well as the faculty room, title I
room, and reimagining as classrooms other
areas such as the auditorium separated by
movable dividers, etc. are being used to
maintain this safety requirement.
•
• Limiting visitors during the time the students
are in class is a priority; therefore, the
scheduling of parent appointments after
school hours is necessary to limit exposure of
the children to others.
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Creating a plan to handle confidentiality issues
• All personnel and student health checks
will be conducted safely and respectfully
and in accordance with any applicable
privacy laws and regulations.
•
• A confidential communication system for
staff, students and families will be used for
self-reporting of symptoms. For example,
if a teacher becomes ill, he/she will call
the principal’s cell phone and be
immediately relieved to see the nurse.
•
• Students who appear to be ill, or selfreport illness, will be sent to the nurse’s
office with a written note. All
conversations will be held confidential by
the teacher, nurse, and principal.
•
• If a student, teacher or any other school
personnel or school visitor were in close
or proximate contact with others at the
school location and tests positive for
COVID 19, the principal and/or the DOH
nurse will immediately notify and
cooperate with state and local health
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departments with contact tracing efforts,
including notification of potential contacts,
such as other students, teachers, school
personnel or school visitors, who had
close or proximate contact with the
individual, while maintaining confidentiality
required by state and federal law and
regulations.
15
Procuring the necessary supplies for hygiene
like hand sanitizer, wipes with bleach, etc.
• To ensure that all CDC disinfecting protocols are
followed, we have requested through the Diocese
of Brooklyn, Rocklyn, to be included in the
purchase of a Sanitizing Bulk Package consisting of
a Hydro Fog Machine, Diamond 1000 DSV
Disinfectant Sanitizer and Virucide, Respirator
Mouth and Nose, Replacement cartridges.
•
• After August 15, Rocklyn will come into our
academy building and sanitize the complete school
building.
•
• In all our classrooms and offices, we have hand
sanitizers that dispense disinfecting lotion.
•
• We have purchased some items such as household
bleach, but now we await instructions to purchase
in bulk when we order for the academy with other
Deanery schools.
16
Creating a plan for deep-cleaning of facilities and
high touch areas daily, between alternate
schedules, in the case of evidence of positive
cases, etc.
• Daily deep-cleaning of our facility with be done of
the whole school building with the Hydro Fog
Disinfecting machine. After this procedure, all
banisters, doorknobs, and highly touched areas will
be disinfected with a mixture of diluted household
bleach or NYS DEC and EPA registered household
disinfectant.
•
• Three to four times a day, disinfection of restrooms
will occur.
•
• In the event that a student or teacher becomes ill
and tests positive, the area or room will be closed
off and will not be used until cleaning and
disinfecting. It is recommended to wait at least 24
hours before cleaning and disinfecting or as long as
possible.
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Developing any necessary protocols for wearing
face masks including creating plans for students
with sensory issues
• The recommendation by the CDC of wearing
face coverings will be reinforced at the
academy. Therefore, all teachers, teacher
aids, teacher assistants, students, office
personnel, custodians, parents, visitors, etc.
must enter the school building with a face
covering.
•
• All parents have been informed that their
children must be sent to school with a face
covering of their choice. Therefore, any child
that needs a specific face covering because of
sensory issues can use a face covering
provided by the family that is acceptable to the
child.
•
• There will be face masks available for those
students or teachers that do not come in with
a face covering. There will be kn95 and n95
masks available for those who will be taking
the temperature in the morning.
• I have completed the survey for supplies and
face covering needs requested by Christina
Coughlin.
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Reviewing and updating the Emergency
Contact Plan
All emergency plans are reviewed and updated with
parents and all other stakeholders through an email
blast to each individual parent/guardian. Also, a
copy of the plan is immediately placed on our
website and the child’s homeroom teacher’s
homework page.
All changes such as school closings are noted
immediately and notification goes out to all faculty,
parents, office personnel, board of directors, and
pastor as soon as possible via our emergency relay
system.
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Periodically surveying stakeholders to
evaluate programming and support and
make adjustments.
The academy will each trimester of the school year
survey teachers, students, and parents to evaluate
and make adjustments to the academy’s procedures
and protocols according to the needs of the
stakeholders.
Parent Zoom meetings can be arranged to
brainstorm with parents about programming.