Clay County schools releases draft reopening plans amid the COVID-19 pandemic

CLAY COUNTY, Fla. —

The Clay County School District has released its draft reopening plans for schools this Fall amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

School board members are meeting at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday to discuss the contents of the draft reopening plan.

Under the proposed plans by the district, parents would have the option for in-person learning at brick and mortar schools, Clay Virtual Academy for all grades,

OneClay online for kindergarten through 6th grade, and blended learning for grades 7 through 12.

The district is requiring the leaders of each individual school to create plans for health and safety protocols, saying each school is different.

Each school will need to submit their plans to the district for approval by the start of school on Aug. 11.

The district says all plans should include safety protocols for the arrival and dismissal of students and faculty, lunch in the cafeteria, hallway movement, safety and security, and classroom layout and routines.

According to the plan, all unnecessary furniture will be removed from classrooms to allow for social distancing as close to six feet apart as possible.

The district also says it is “highly recommended” that families and staff take temperatures daily prior to coming to school or work. Anyone with a temperature above 100.4 degrees should not go to school. It goes on to say students and adults experiencing cough or shortness of breath should not attend school.

When it comes to school bus transportation, the district says students and bus drivers will need to wear a face-covering on school buses unless social distancing is in place.

The plan also states principals should intensify daily cleaning and disinfection efforts at their schools. It says each school and facility will utilize Electrostatic Sprayers to disinfect in a thorough and efficient manner, and it goes on to say throughout the school day, custodial staff will move through common travel spaces and spray/disinfect high touch items like door handles, push plates, door jambs, railings, etc.

The plan also lays out how the district, and the department of health, would respond if a student tests positive for the coronavirus.

If a student doesn’t feel well in class, a teacher will give the student a mask, and a nurse would take their temperature outside of the on-campus clinic.

If the reading is over 100.4 degrees, the student would be isolated until picked up by a parent.

Parents are then encouraged by the district to have their child tested. If the test is positive, the department of health would begin contact tracing.

Based on the findings, the district would make a recommendation on whether the school should be closed.

Otherwise, the health department would reach out to the families of students who may have had prolonged contact and tell them if they need to self-isolate.

Cox Media Group