Among dozens of provisions in the district’s draft health and safety plan are a ban on field trips and limits of two per seat on school buses.
Rigorous cleaning protocols, social distancing and bus capacities are some of the dozens of provisions in a draft health and safety plan for reopening Council Rock schools discussed in detail at Thursday night’s school board virtual meeting.
The plan might be revised somewhat before the school board votes on it at its July 23 virtual meeting, Superintendent Robert Fraser said.
It calls for a return to classrooms for all students whose parents are comfortable sending them, and not some sort of hybrid plan where all students would alternate days attending school in person and taking online classes, Fraser added.
The 478 students whose parents indicated in a survey they weren’t comfortable with a return to classrooms in late August will be accommodated with an online learning program that will be detailed at the July 16 joint committee virtual meeting, the superintendent said.
Extensive surveying of parents, staff and other stakeholders on what they wanted to see in a return to schools will be updated, Fraser added.
“We got a tremendous rate of participation on surveys and I wanted to thank everyone for that,” he said.
Council Rock Special Services Director Charles Lambert, part of a three-member district pandemic team, went over details of the draft health and safety plan
They include: a ban on field trips; no use of water fountains; a minimum of 3 feet in social distancing whenever possible and more, up to six feet, when feasible; mandatory wearing of face coverings by students and staff whenever social distancing is not possible; no sitting or standing face to face whenever possible and limits of two per seat on school buses, and 52 total occupants on each bus.
Among other provisions are education for parents on how to check their children for coronavirus symptoms before they come to school, limited use of the cafeteria, no volunteers or visitors beyond the main office, one-direction hallways and stairways and multiple exits and entrances at schools to prevent large congregations of people, multiple hand washing and sanitizing for students and staff every day, and once-a-day disinfecting of common touch surfaces in schools and twice-a-day disinfecting of school bus seats.
The entire 44-page draft plan can be viewed on the district website, crsd.org.
“There’s an important aspect of public health to getting kids back to school,” said Bucks County Health Department Director Dr. David Damsker, who participated in Thursday’s meeting to help answer questions from residents.
“There are higher levels of suicide, depression and other problems when kids are forced to be home for so long,” he continued. “But it has to be done safely. I have three children heading back to school in a neighboring school district, so I want it done safely as much as anyone.”
Damsker and Council Rock officials answered dozens of questions emailed in from residents during the meeting, including one that asked about the status of sports programs.
“You will know more about that when we know,” Fraser said. “We’re anxious to have more information on that just as you are and are awaiting more guidance from the state.”
Council Rock Operations Director Doug Taylor said all areas within schools will be kept as well ventilated as possible.
“There are air exchanges taking place in every room regardless of whether there are windows,” he said.
In addition to more information on the online learning program, the July 16 joint committee meeting should also include some preliminary reopening cost estimates, Fraser said.
He added that the district will be prepared to resume full-time online learning for all students if that becomes necessary because of a coronavius resurgence.
Questions, comments and concerns with Council Rock’s draft reopening plan can be emailed to [email protected].
