Safely on Campus Guidelines | Oak Grove School

SAFELY ON CAMPUS “SOC” GUIDELINES

Per state and local guidelines, our Preschool through grade 12 students are on campus in an adjusted capacity; per county guidelines, preschool through 12th grade have now returned to campus. Weather will continue to play a part in our ability to remain on campus, due to our outdoor learning spaces. We continue to work on all options and closely monitor the situation (on-campus, hybrid, remote). We are thoughtfully working on all contingencies and are actively working with Ventura County Public Health. We are nimble.

• Please read the introduction section in its entirety before proceeding to the program-specific plans •
Updated 01.19.21

Introduction ALL GRADES High School Middle School Elementary Early Childhood

The Safely On Campus (SOC) guidelines detailed here are based on current health requirements, state licensing, accreditation standards, best practices for small schools, and government orders and may change as new information becomes available. Please note guidelines vary between programs. If you have children in multiple programs, please read through each relevant set of guidelines.

No matter what the coming year brings, we are in this together. We are committed to working in partnership with you to support the vibrant growth of our students.

TRAVEL: Family Travel Policy

Due to the rise of positive COVID-19 cases in Ventura County and across California, the Oak Grove School travel policy has been updated.

As of December 3, 2020, Oak Grove now ask families who do nonessential travel by train, plane, ride-sharing, or any other form of public transportation to self-quarantine for 10 days without COVID-19 testing or 7 days after receiving a negative test result starting on the date you return home.

Engaging in high-risk social activities places our community at risk. Oak Grove highly discourages high-risk activities and/or experiences, which include:

Social gatherings outdoors without masks and physical distancing with more than three households
Social gatherings indoors without masks and physical distancing with people who live outside your household
Traveling by car with someone outside your household without wearing masks and having the windows down
Travel to a city, county, state, or country experiencing high levels of COVID-19, including destinations with a Level 3 Travel Health Notice. You can check the Travel Health Notices for recommendations for places you have traveled, including foreign countries and U.S. territories. You can also check states, counties, and cities to determine if these areas are experiencing high levels of COVID-19.

This travel policy does not replace quarantine measures for close contacts. If you or any member of your household has been in close contact with a known COVID-19 positive case, you must quarantine for 14 days and receive a negative COVID test before returning to campus.

As the California Department of Public Health updates its COVID-19 mitigation policies, the Oak Grove Health and Safety Team will update our policies to ensure we are doing all we can to minimize the spread and to keep our campus open for our students. Please continue to wear a mask, sanitize, and maintain physical distance while on campus and in your personal life.

STAFF Travel Policy

TRAVEL: Staff Travel Policy

Due to the rise of positive COVID-19 cases in Ventura County and across California, the Oak Grove School travel policy has been updated.

As of December 3, 2020, when you – an employee of Oak Grove School – travel by train, plane, ride-sharing, or any other form of public transportation, you are required to self-quarantine for 10 days without testing or 7 days after receiving a negative test result starting the date you return home and before returning to work. If you experience an extenuating circumstance that requires you to travel, please reach out to your direct supervisor.

Engaging in high-risk social activities places our community at risk. Oak Grove highly discourages high-risk activities and/or experiences, which include:

Social gatherings outdoors without masks and physical distancing with more than three households
Social gatherings indoors without masks and physical distancing with people who live outside your household
Traveling by car with someone outside your household without wearing masks and having the windows down
Travel to a city, county, state, or country experiencing high levels of COVID-19, including destinations with a Level 3 Travel Health Notice. You can check the Travel Health Notices for recommendations for places you have traveled, including foreign countries and U.S. territories. You can also check states, counties, and cities to determine if these areas are experiencing high levels of COVID-19.

Disinfecting

Play equipment, classroom/office surfaces, and high touch points (doorknobs, light switches, etc.) are disinfected while students are not present before school and two times throughout the day.

Disinfectants are listed on the EPA list N for use against SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19). Our Maintenance Department is currently using several products to meet the disinfecting needs of the campus. All disinfectants DO NOT contain phosphates or harsh chemicals; all disinfectants are eco-friendly, several are biodegradable, and one is botanically derived.

Daily Health Screening

All parents wishing to walk on campus and all students are required to complete a Daily Health Screening prior to arriving on campus.

Face Coverings and Physical Distancing

Face coverings are required for parents and kindergarten-12th grade students while walking to the classroom and during the time that they are on campus. We ask parents to maintain physical distancing with other children, parents, and teachers when possible. Students will be walked out to the parking lot for pick up at the end of their school day.

An acceptable face covering is a clean, properly fitting face mask that covers the nose and mouth. Current studies indicate that buffs, gaiters, and bandanas are not effective face coverings and are potentially worse than wearing no face covering at all. All students, staff, and parents are advised to discontinue the use of buffs, gaiters, and bandanas as well as masks with exhalation valves. We ask that face coverings do not include words or images which could be disruptive, scary, or controversial. Patterns are fine. If you need a mask while on campus, please come to the front office. We will supply you with an unused, disposable mask.

Oak Grove has open-air, outdoor classrooms for each grade, which is where teachers spend the majority of the learning day. Each of our outdoor classrooms accommodates a full class (ranging from 12-18 students) with physically distanced seating (6 feet apart).

Fresh Air

All indoor classrooms and offices have open doors and windows, even when HVAC is running, to ensure fresh air flow. Air filters are cleaned and replaced frequently.

*The Center for Disease Control (CDC), the California Department of Public Health, the California Department of Education, the Ventura County Office of Education, OSHA, and Ventura County Public Health, California Association of Independent Schools, National Association of Independent Schools.

Staff and visitor guidelines are available here.

Mitigation for Students and Staff —

Guidelines

All plans are developed using the CDPH COVID-19 and Reopening In-Person Learning Framework for K-12 Schools in California, 2020-2021 School Year and the CDPH, CDSS, and Cal/OSHA guideline COVID-19 UPDATED GUIDANCE: Child Care Programs and Providers and the CDPH, CDSS, and Cal/OSHA guidelines COVID-19 Industry Guidance: Schools and School Based Programs.

Monitoring

Teachers monitor students in their cohort throughout the day for any signs of illness, as outlined by the CDC. Teachers send symptomatic individuals to the Care and Comfort staff. Parents/guardians are contacted immediately for an early pick-up. Care and Comfort staff report symptomatic individuals to School Liaisons immediately.

Mitigation

Oak Grove’s Care and Comfort staff uses N95 or surgical/procedure masks when caring for sick students or staff (community members). If a community member is coughing, a surgical/procedure mask is provided to that community member if needed. We immediately notify parents/guardians and send students home with a temperature of 99.5 F or higher using an oral or no-touch thermometer, cough, or other COVID-19 symptoms, after isolating from the general cohort population. COVID-19 testing is recommended, and the school and class can stay open. A community member who presents with a temperature of 99.5 F or higher orally or 99.5 F or higher using an oral or no-touch thermometer, cough, or other COVID-19 symptoms is sent home. COVID-19 testing is recommended, and the school and class can stay open. Community members with a documented history of allergies are not excluded from campus.

Measures outlined on CDPH’s COVID-19 and Reopening In-Person Learning Framework for K-12 Schools in California, 2020-2021 School Year (July 17, 2020) will be followed when a student, teacher, or staff member has symptoms, is a contact of someone infected, or is diagnosed with COVID-19.

Reporting, Identification, and Tracing

Oak Grove has two designated VCPH Liaisons. If a community member is confirmed with a COVID-19 case infection, a School Liaison notifies VCPH, isolates the case, and excludes the person from school premises for 14 days from the onset of symptoms or test confirmation date. VCPH and School Liaisons, separately and/or in cooperation with County Health, identify contacts, recommend quarantine, and exclude exposed contacts (i.e. the entire cohort) for the entire 14-day period after the last date the case was present at school while infectious. VCPH and the School Liaisons recommend testing of contacts, and prioritize symptomatic contacts (this will not shorten the 14-day quarantine). The campus Maintenance team disinfects and cleans the classroom and primary spaces where the case spent significant time (more than 15 minutes). School may remain open. Oak Grove staff will inform all community members who have been in contact with a confirmed case.

If a community member has symptoms associated with COVID-19 but receives a negative test result, they may return to the school campus three days after the last symptom resolves.

Testing Students and Staff — Testing Those with Symptoms

If a community member displays symptoms of COVID-19, they are immediately sent home and directed to an approved Ventura County COVID-19 testing location.

Close Contact with Someone with COVID-19

If you or anyone in your household has had close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case, all members of your household must quarantine for 14 days from the last exposure. Testing is recommended (but will not shorten the 14-day quarantine).

Testing Staff

To detect asymptomatic infections and per the COVID-19 and Reopening In-Person Learning Framework for K-12 Schools in California, 2020-2021 School Year (July 17, 2020), staff are tested periodically, as testing capacity permits and as practicable. When feasible, 25% of staff are tested as often as every two weeks, or 50% every month, to ensure adequate testing frequency among all staff.

High School – Grades 9-12

High School Program (Safely On Campus)

Schedule: 8:30am-3:15pm

Before School Plan from 8:00-8:30am: Teacher Office Hours and Club Meetings

Cohorts

Grade-level students remain in their cohorts from 8:30am-1:30pm for academic classes. Teachers rotate among classes. For one class period between 1:45-3:15pm, students attend elective classes in mixed cohorts (the largest cohort is 10 students) and outdoors. Students wash hands and wear masks, unless seated and at least 6 feet apart while outdoors. Classrooms are cleaned during lunch break. Advisory, Assemblies, and Stone Circles are held outdoors after lunch.

Daily Health Check

Parents complete Daily Health Screening on behalf of their students every day prior to arriving on campus.

All students and staff are encouraged to stay home if they are experiencing any symptoms of illness. Teachers monitor students in their cohort for any signs of illness as outlined by the CDC throughout the day. Teachers send symptomatic individuals to the Care and Comfort staff and contact parents immediately. Oak Grove staff will inform all community members who have been in contact with a confirmed case.

Attendance

The attendance policy in High School is adjusted to encourage students to stay home should they have any symptoms associated with illness.

Arrival and Dismissal

Face coverings are required for parents and students while walking to the classroom and during the time that they are on campus. We ask parents to maintain physical distancing with other children, parents, and teachers when possible. Students will be walked out to the parking lot for dismissal at the end of their school day.

Face Covering and Physical Distancing

All teachers wear face masks during the school day, except when eating or drinking while physically distanced by at least 6 feet and seated outdoors. High school students wear face masks during the school day, except when eating or drinking while physically distanced by at least 6 feet and seated outdoors.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms are limited to single-use. Only one person at a time in bathrooms. Teachers monitor use throughout the day to ensure that one person at a time is using the bathroom.

Disinfecting

Classroom surfaces and high touch points (doorknobs, light switches, etc.) will be disinfected without students present before school and two times throughout the school day.

Disinfectants are listed on the EPA list N for use against SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19). Our Maintenance team is currently using several products to meet the disinfecting needs of the campus. All disinfectants DO NOT contain phosphates or harsh chemicals; all disinfectants are eco-friendly, several are biodegradable, and one is botanically derived.

Moving to Remote

Although our objective is to be on campus together, we will toggle onto remote learning when we are unable to provide a learning environment on campus which is safe for our students. Possible reasons to move to remote learning:

Confirmed positive case of COVID-19 within the community
Significant percentage of teachers absent
Significant percentage of students absent
Rain (because much of our learning will be outside)
Excessive heat (because much of our learning will be outside)
Stay at Home orders issued by the government

There is a plan in place to transition to upgraded remote learning should a rolling shut-down or school closure occur.

Middle School – Grades 6-8

Regular Day Schedule (Safely On Campus)

Hours: 8:00am-1:15pm

Hours: Wednesdays, 8:15am-12:15pm

Cohorts

Grade-level students will remain in the advisor’s classroom for academic classes. Academic teachers rotate among the classes. Advisory and assemblies are held outdoors after lunch.

Daily Health Screening

Parents complete Daily Health Screening on behalf of their students every day prior to arriving on campus.

Attendance

The attendance policy in Middle School is adjusted to encourage students to stay home should they have any symptoms associated with illness.

Arrival and Dismissal

Face Coverings and Physical Distancing

All teachers wear face masks during the school day, except when eating or drinking while physically distanced by at least 6 feet and seated outdoors. Middle school students wear face masks during the school day, except when eating or drinking while physically distanced by at least 6 feet and seated outdoors.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms are single-use. Teachers support bathroom monitoring throughout the day.

Disinfecting

Play equipment, classroom surfaces, and high touch points (doorknobs, light switches, etc.) are disinfected while students are not present before school and two times throughout the school day.

Moving to Remote

Confirmed positive case of COVID-19 within the community
Significant percentage of teachers absent
Significant percentage of students absent
Rain (because much of our learning will be outside)
Excessive heat (because much of our learning will be outside)
Stay at Home orders issued by the government

There is a plan in place to transition to upgraded remote learning should a rolling shut- down or school closure occur.

Elementary – Grades 1-5

Remote and/or Hybrid Schedule

These schedules will be shared by homeroom teachers through ParentSquare.

Regular Day Schedule (Safely On Campus)

1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade school hours:

M, Tu, Th, F: 8:00am-2:15pm – Wednesdays: 8:00am-12:00pm

Regular Day Schedule (Safely On Campus)

4th and 5th grade school hours:

M, Tu, Th, F: 8:00am-2:15pm
Optional sports (sign-up available in August): 2:20-3:00pm
Wednesdays: 8:00am-12:00pm

Face Coverings and Physical Distancing

All teachers wear face masks during the school day, except when physically distanced by at least 6 feet and seated or while eating or drinking. Elementary students wear face masks during the school day, except when physically distanced by at least 6 feet and seated.

Daily Health Screening

Parents complete Daily Health Screening on behalf of their students every day prior to arriving on campus.

Attendance

The attendance policy in the Elementary School is adjusted to encourage students to stay home should they have any symptoms associated with illness.

Arrival and Dismissal

Bathrooms

Bathrooms are single-use. Teachers support students while waiting for bathroom use.

Disinfecting

Play equipment, classroom surfaces, and high touch points (doorknobs, light switches, etc.) are disinfected while students are not present before school and two times throughout the school day.

Moving to Remote

Confirmed positive case of COVID-19 within the community
Significant percentage of teachers absent
Significant percentage of students absent
Rain (because much of our learning will be outside)
Excessive heat (because much of our learning will be outside)
Stay at Home orders issued by the government

There is a plan in place to transition to upgraded remote learning should a rolling shut-down or school closure occur.

Preschool

Beforecare – M-F, 8:15-9:00am
Gecko Group – M-F, 9:00am-12:00pm
Iguana Group – M-F, 9:00am-12:15pm

Kindergarten

Beforecare – M-F, 8:15-9:00am
School Day – M/T/Th/F – 9:00-1:30, Wednesday – 9:00-11:45

Travel for All Families

CDPH travel guidelines

You can travel for urgent matters or if such travel is essential to your permitted work. Avoid traveling long distances for vacations or pleasure as much as possible. This is to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Before traveling away from your community, consider these questions from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) travel guidance:

Is coronavirus spreading where you are traveling?
Are you or those you are traveling with more likely to get very sick from coronavirus?
Will you be able to keep 6 feet of physical distance from others during or after your trip?

Face Coverings and Social Distancing

All teachers wear face coverings during the school day, except when physically distanced by 6 feet and seated while eating or drinking. Kindergarten students are required to wear masks during the school day except when outside, physically distanced by 6 feet and seated. We do not require Preschool children to wear masks when outside at school.

An acceptable face covering is a clean, properly fitting face mask that covers your nose and mouth. Current studies indicate that buffs, gaiters, and bandanas are not effective face coverings and are potentially worse than wearing no face covering at all. All staff and parents are advised to discontinue the use of buffs, gaiters, and bandanas as well as masks with exhalation valves. If you need a mask while on campus, please come to the front office. We will supply you with an unused, disposable mask.

Preschool

Community Care Licensing, as well as the American Academy of Pediatrics, acknowledge that Preschool -age children may not be able to manage their masks in a way that ensures proper hygiene and prevents spread of germs (i.e. touching their mask, taking it off and on frequently). When children are not able to safely manage their mask, it is safer not to wear a mask at all. To ensure the safety of all children and staff, we practice active hygiene and are entirely outdoors.

Arrival/Dismissal

Face coverings are required for parents while walking their child to the Preschool or Kindergarten play yard and during the time that they are on the play yard with their child. We ask parents to maintain physical distancing with other children, parents, and teachers when possible. Students will be walked out to the parking lot for pick up at the end of their school day. Your child’s teacher will share more detailed information regarding the pick up plan.

Daily Health Screening

Parents complete Daily Health Screening on behalf of their students prior to arriving on campus.

Food and Water

Students bring food to school from home and do not share food. Students eat outdoors with their class cohort. Water fountains are closed; children will bring filled water bottles from home and will have access to water bottle refill stations.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms are single-use when possible. Teachers support students while waiting for use.

Disinfecting

Play equipment and materials are not shared between cohorts and are cleaned at the end of the day when children are not present. High touch surfaces (door knobs, gate latch, sink and toilet handles) will be disinfected throughout the day.

Disinfectants are listed on the EPA list N for use against SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19). Maintenance is currently using several products to meet the disinfecting needs of the campus. All disinfectants DO NOT contain phosphates or harsh chemicals; all disinfectants are eco-friendly, several are biodegradable, and one is botanically derived.

In the event of illness (teachers, staff, and students)

If a community member has close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case, that community member is sent home to quarantine for 14 days from last exposure. Testing is recommended (but will not shorten the 14-day quarantine). School/classroom may remain open. Oak Grove will consider a school community notification of a known contact.

If a community member is confirmed with a COVID-19 case infection, one of our two dedicated school Liaisons will notify VCPH, isolate the case, and exclude from school for 10 days from symptom onset or test date. VCPH or school Liaisons identify contacts, recommend quarantine, and exclude exposed contacts (likely the entire cohort) for 14 days after the last date the case was present at school while infectious. They will recommend testing of contacts, prioritize symptomatic contacts (but this will not shorten the 14-day quarantine). Maintenance will disinfect and clean classroom and primary spaces where the case spent significant time. School may remain open. Oak Grove will send a school community notification of a known case.

If a community member tests negative after symptoms, the community member may return to school three days after symptoms resolve. Oak Grove will consider school community notification if there is prior awareness of testing.

Sick community members should not return until they have met CDC’s criteria to discontinue home isolation.

Maintaining confidentiality during COVID-19 positive case investigations and contact tracing is critically important. Please respect the confidentiality of all involved if this instance should occur.

Moving to Remote

We will toggle onto remote learning when we are unable to provide a learning environment on campus which is safe for our students. Possible reasons to move to remote learning:

Confirmed positive case of COVID-19 within the community
Significant percentage of teachers absent
Significant percentage of students absent
Extended rain (because all of our learning will be outside)
Excessive heat (because all of our learning will be outside)
Stay at Home orders issued by the government

SAFELY ON CAMPUS “SOC” GUIDELINES

TRAVEL: Family Travel Policy

TRAVEL: Staff Travel Policy

Disinfecting

Daily Health Screening

Face Coverings and Physical Distancing

Fresh Air

Mitigation for Students and Staff —

Guidelines

Monitoring

Mitigation

Reporting, Identification, and Tracing

Testing Students and Staff — Testing Those with Symptoms

Close Contact with Someone with COVID-19

Testing Staff

High School – Grades 9-12

High School Program (Safely On Campus)

Cohorts

Daily Health Check

Attendance

Arrival and Dismissal

Face Covering and Physical Distancing

Bathrooms

Disinfecting

Moving to Remote

Middle School – Grades 6-8

Regular Day Schedule (Safely On Campus)

Cohorts

Daily Health Screening

Attendance

Arrival and Dismissal

Face Coverings and Physical Distancing

Bathrooms

Disinfecting

Moving to Remote

Elementary – Grades 1-5

Remote and/or Hybrid Schedule

Regular Day Schedule (Safely On Campus)

Regular Day Schedule (Safely On Campus)

Face Coverings and Physical Distancing

Daily Health Screening

Attendance

Arrival and Dismissal

Bathrooms

Disinfecting

Moving to Remote

Preschool

Kindergarten

Travel for All Families

Face Coverings and Social Distancing

Preschool

Arrival/Dismissal

Daily Health Screening

Food and Water

Bathrooms

Disinfecting

In the event of illness (teachers, staff, and students)

Moving to Remote

CONTACT OAK GROVE

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