Caravel Academy's ReStart Plan

Dear Caravel Academy families, 

First, let me thank you for your support and patience as we have worked with state and local authorities to develop our Caravel ReStart Plan. We understand that restarting school is an anxious decision for many families and that you have many questions. Let me begin by saying that the safety of our students and staff members is our number one priority. We have developed this plan using the recommendations established by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the Returning to School Guidelines established by the Delaware Department of Education. 
The Caravel ReStart Plan is a dual model plan. The first ReStart model provides Caravel families the choice of returning on September 8, 2020 to an in-person learning environment that will be modified to comply with the guidelines established by the health care professionals and the state of Delaware. Families who choose this model will need to adhere to the new protocols and regulations that will be shared later in this document. The second model allows Caravel families the opportunity to choose a remote learning environment. Students will follow a remote learning schedule established by their school division. 
While Caravel is a school of different communities that makes up one school family, we understand that the needs and expectations are different for each school level (EEC, Lower, Middle, and Upper). We know that many of the questions regarding the start of the school year will be the same across our entire school community, however we also understand that specific questions relating to the EEC may be different than questions related to Upper School. The Caravel administration has worked throughout the summer to address these concerns and would like to thank our staff and families for the input they have provided. We have included in this document a series of questions and protocols that will be used to start the 2020 - 2021 school year. We will continue to monitor and evaluate our processes and procedures and will make appropriate changes when warranted. 
In closing, the Caravel Administration and I are excited about the start of the 2020-2021 school year. We understand that we will have to adapt to a “new normal,” and feel confident that we will continue to model the principles of honesty, integrity, and sportsmanship that have guided Caravel throughout the years. Please review the entire document and email us at caactionplan@caravel.org if you have any questions. In addition, any family who prefers the Remote Learning option must notify the school via caactionplan@caravel.org, including the student’s name and grade level, by August 18, 2020. 
Sincerely, 
Dr. Jerry Lamey 


Caravel ReStart Plan 2020 
Schedule 

• Caravel has delayed the start date from August 31, 2020 to September 8, 2020. 
• Teachers will report on August 25, 2020 to begin preparing for the year. 
• Staggered drop-off and pick-up times for students are still to be determined and will be communicated by each division. 

Health Concerns 

• Face coverings 
  • All adults and students (grades K-12) are required to wear face coverings when on school grounds, except when doing so would inhibit the student’s health. Face coverings are recommended for children preschool and pre-K. Face coverings will also be required for students riding the bus to/from school. *Face coverings should be a solid color or pattern of colors (no writing), and any logo or design must be approved by Caravel Academy. 
    
  • Face coverings are an additional step to help slow the spread of COVID-19 when combined with everyday preventive actions and social distancing in public settings. Students are required to purchase and bring face covering every day. It is recommended that EEC and LS parents leave two face coverings at school. Middle and upper school students are encouraged to have a second face covering with them each day. 
  • Please follow these rules from the CDC when wearing a face covering: 
    • Wash your hands before putting on your face covering 
    • Put it over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin 
    • Try to fit it snugly against the sides of your face 
    • Make sure you can breathe easily 
    • Wear a face covering that covers your nose and mouth to help protect others in case you’re infected with COVID-19 but don’t have symptoms 
    • Don’t put the face covering around your neck or up on your forehead 
    • Don’t touch the face covering, and, if you do, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer to disinfect 
• Social Distancing 
  • Students and staff will maintain six feet of social distancing in indoor and outdoor settings as much as possible. To support social distancing efforts, Caravel classrooms will be set up to follow the health and safety guidelines in our approved plan. Classroom seating will be revised to maximize distancing between students as much as possible. Desks will be rearranged so that students are all facing the same direction. Caravel will clearly mark off six-foot spaces for specific areas, such as bathroom lines or school pick-up/drop-off locations. 
• Gloves 
  • Teachers and other staff will not be asked to wear gloves. Cleaning, kitchen and other special staff like Health Care Providers will be asked to wear gloves based on health guidelines. 

• Hand Sanitizer and Cleaning Supplies 
  • Caravel will have supplies of hand sanitizer (every classroom and hallway) and soap to allow for frequent hand-washing, and classrooms and school facilities will be disinfected regularly. Students will participate in observed hand sanitizing practices at regular intervals (when entering and exiting each class). 

• Health Screenings 
  • All staff and students will attest to their health each morning. 
    • Students and/or their parents will complete a self health assessment each morning before arrival. Employees will also complete a self health assessment every morning before leaving for school. 
    • Temperature screening will also be conducted as students enter their homeroom. Students/staff with a temperature of 100.4 or above will not be able to stay at school. Students and staff should stay home if they are known to be ill (fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, abdominal pain, fatigue, muscle aches, headache). 
• What happens if a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19. 
  • If a student tests positive, the student will move to remote learning, and will not be able to return until they have been cleared by their health care provider. 
  • When a student/staff member receives a positive diagnosis for COVID-19, the school nurse will be notified immediately. The school nurse will work with the Department of Public Health (DPH) to complete contact tracing and identify those contacts that are at high risk for contracting the disease. Those that are identified as a contact will be notified immediately and given further instructions by the state regarding symptom surveillance and quarantine. The privacy of each individual will be respected and information will only be shared that aids in the protection of public health. The current recommendation for an identified contact is to quarantine for the entire 14-day incubation period to eliminate the possibility of spread to other individuals in the community. Individual cases will be evaluated by DPH and the Caravel School nurses for guidance on when it is safe to return to school. 
• What happens if a student develops a fever or becomes ill at school? 
  • Our school nurses have received increased training in identifying potential COVID-19 symptoms and will make a decision on a case by case basis utilizing assessment skills, patient history and input from DPH as appropriate. If COVID-19 is suspected, the parent/guardian will be notified and the student will remain isolated (supervised) until the parent/guardian is able to pick up the student. Students who become ill or develop a fever will not be able to ride home on school buses; they must be picked up by a parent. 
  • Additionally, the current recommendation from DPH is to quarantine all members in the household of the infected person to limit secondary spread of COVID-19. This means, if one sibling is sent home with possible COVID-19 symptoms, all siblings will be sent home. The student and their siblings will not be permitted back on campus until they receive a negative test result or are cleared by a health care provider. 
• What happens if a student or staff member has a family member at home with COVID-19? 
  • Anyone who has had direct, close contact with an infected family member must be quarantined for 14 days, or cleared by their health care provider. Students will continue to be served but in a remote capacity for the duration of the quarantine period. 
• Personal Protective Equipment 
  • Caravel Academy has purchased face coverings, face shields, thermometers, gloves, hand sanitizer and disinfectant spray to help maintain a safe environment and prepare for the return to school. Students are required to purchase their own face covering and bring the face covering every day. *Face coverings must be only a solid color or pattern of colors (no writing), and any logo/pattern must be approved by Caravel Academy. 
• School-wide Testing 
  • We are currently developing a partnership with the state of Delaware to implement State-sponsored testing to school-based staff. This will include testing prior to the start of the school year and ongoing testing every week for 25% of the faculty (on a group rotation basis). COVID-19 testing will be at no cost to employees and will be facilitated by the State of Delaware and Vault Medical. 
• Restrooms 
  • All restrooms will be cleaned nightly and high-risk touch points (faucet knobs, flush handles, partition locks, ADA railings) will be disinfected throughout the day. Staff will stagger bathroom breaks to minimize close contact with students. 
• Is it okay to wear the same face covering daily? 
  • Yes, if it is washed and dried after each day. Face coverings should be laundered on a daily basis (this can be in a sink with soap and water or in a washing machine). *Caravel Academy recommends that students purchase several face coverings. 
• Keeping the Buildings cleaned and sanitized. 
  • Teachers and staff will be supplied with spray bottles and/or sanitizing wipes to assist in preparing and disinfecting classrooms and work stations during the day. Facilities staff will clean and disinfect nightly and teachers and staff will be requested to disinfect desks prior to any new students entering the classroom during the day. Staff will frequently clean touched surfaces in schools and on buses at least daily and between use as much as possible. 
  • Toys or classroom items that cannot be easily cleaned or sanitized (such as plush toys) will be removed. 
  • Windows will remain open as often as possible as conditions allow. 
  • Ventilation systems have been thoroughly cleaned, and filters will be changed on an accelerated schedule. 
• Are Caravel families required to disclose a positive COVID-19 test? 
  • In the interest of public health, it is helpful to know how to keep the school community safe so that people who were exposed to a known positive case can quarantine and prevent the spread of this disease to others. We ask Caravel families to report any positive cases to the school nurse. 

Classrooms 

• Cohorts 
  • A cohort is defined as a group of students who participate in a class or other activity. Our goal is to minimize the number of cohorts any one student participates in during the day. All of our Early Education Center and Lower School students will be a member of a single cohort. 
• Remote Learning 
  • Caravel families will have the option to choose Remote Learning in place of in-person instruction. Families must notify caactionplan@caravel.org by August 18, 2020, if they want to choose this option (this is a change from the original August 14, 2020 date). Families may have the option to switch from remote or in-person learning as needed and coordinated with division principals. 
• What will remote learning look like if we select this option? 
  • We are currently still finalizing remote learning plans. At the middle and high school level, students will mirror their current schedule, following along live with their classmates virtually. At the EEC and Lower School, lessons will be shared virtually with designated staff assisting in instruction daily. Attendance will be taken daily for remote learners. More information pertaining to Caravel’s Remote Learning options will be distributed by each division. 
• Cafeteria 
  • The Caravel EEC, Lower School, and Middle School students will be required to bring their lunch each day to avoid large crowds. The Upper School will be divided into three lunches to reduce crowd size and maintain social distancing guidelines. Upper School students will sit six feet apart from each other and all students will face the same direction. 
  • The Caravel Cafeteria staff will be required to use barrier protection including gloves, face shields and/or face coverings. 
  • Microwaves and other shared materials will be discontinued at this time. 
• Recess and Physical Education 
  • Recess and physical education will be outside weather permitting, and students will be kept in their classroom cohorts. Students are allowed to use and share playground/gym equipment with their cohorts and are required to wear face coverings when social distancing is not possible. Only one cohort will be allowed in a specific outside area at a time. 
  • Recess and PE equipment will be cleaned between cohort groups. 
• Will middle school and high school students be able to change classes throughout the day? 
  • While cohorting will be enforced across our EEC and Lower School, schedules for our Middle School and Upper School will include changing classes. Students will be required to wear face coverings while switching classes. 
  • Current procedures for class rotations and hallway traffic are being reviewed to provide appropriate safety measures and will be shared by division principals. 
• Will locker usage be permitted? 
  • At this time lockers will not be permitted. Students in grades five through twelve will be permitted to carry their materials in a backpack each day. 

Visitors and Parents in the Building 

• Will visitors be allowed in the school building? 
  • Visitors, including parents/guardians, are not allowed into the building at this time. Additional information on pick up and drop off will be provided by division principals. 

Transportation 

• Seat spacing 
  • Buses will allow only one child per seat. Siblings or members of the same household may be permitted to share the same seat. 

Bus boarding and exiting protocols 

• At the bus stop: 
  • Please make sure your student adheres to these bus stop rules, which are important to help slow the spread of COVID-19. 
  • While students are waiting to board the bus, they will need to remain six feet apart, unless they are siblings who live together. Students are required to wear their face coverings at the bus stop. 
• Boarding the bus: 
  • Students will board the bus in a slow, orderly fashion. 
  • Students will wait in line six feet apart until it is time to board the bus. 
  • The driver will signal to the student when it is safe to board the bus. 
  • While on the bus, students, staff, and drivers will be required to wear their face coverings for the duration of the ride. 
• Exiting the bus: 
  • Students will exit the bus in a calm, orderly manner. 
  • The driver will dismiss students in the front of the bus first, going row by row until the bus is empty. 
  • Students will stay in their seats until the driver tells them it is their turn to exit. 
  • Students will remain six feet apart while exiting the bus. 
  • Students must continue to wear their face covering as they exit the bus. 

Before and After Care 

• Will there still be before and after care? 
  • Currently before and after care are still being offered. Additional details regarding this will be shared at a later date. 

Sports and Extracurricular Activities 

• Will there be sports? 
  • Caravel is a member of the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA) and will follow the following guidelines established by DIAA: Delay All Sports and Condense Seasons 
    • Winter Season - Practices start December 14, 2020. 
    • Fall Season - Practices start February 19, 2021. 
    • Spring Season - Practices start April 19, 2021. 
    • All seasons would still include State Tournaments. 
• Will there be clubs and extracurricular activities? 
  • Each club and activity will be evaluated individually and determinations will be made to establish if they can meet safely. 
• Can students who choose remote learning participate in athletics/extracurricular activities? 
  • Yes, students who choose to participate in remote learning will still be eligible to participate in athletics/extracurricular activities. Students must complete pre-screen checks before participating. 
• Will field trips, overnight trips, and assemblies be permitted? 

○ These activities will not be allowed for the time being.