Is My Kids' School Ready To Welcome Them Back?
The summer is almost over, and families are facing a very different back-to-school experience this fall. After an abrupt change of scenery during the final quarter of the last academic year, districts are now fine-tuning plans to start a new school year in the middle of a pandemic.
A few weeks ago, I shared tips to help parents evaluate how their childcare programs are managing safety precautions. Now, a number of employees are preparing to return to work on campus, while also getting their children ready to return to classrooms. Yet the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the state of Arizona is still very high.
The details of how schools will operate for the fall semester change frequently. In the face of this uncertainty, parents’ No. 1 concern is how schools will ensure their children’s safety.
Government agencies and international organizations (PDF) have created guidelines for minimizing the spread of this virus, including hand washing, mask usage, temperature checks, and physical distancing. For some families, working and studying from home this semester is not an option.
If you plan to send your children to in-person learning, verify that the school follows not just the preventive procedures, but the protocols in the event of positives cases too. It is important to confirm the staff’s knowledge on how to respond to positive cases, beyond reviewing the information on the district’s website.
Contact your school’s office and find out how they will handle isolation, cleaning, and communications if a child or staff member develops symptoms while at school. Consider asking the following questions:
Isolation – Does the school have a room designated to sequester a sick person until their transportation is coordinated? If symptoms are severe, what are the procedures for safely transporting a sick person to a health care facility? Are people exposed to suspected or confirmed cases instructed to stay at home for 14 days?
Cleaning and disinfecting – Are the areas used by a sick child or staff member closed and held off limits until properly cleaned? Are cleaning supplies stored away from children? Does the school take precautions to avoid chemical poisoning?
Communications – Does the school immediately notify families and local health officials of positive cases while maintaining confidentiality? Do families, children, and staff receive clear instructions on how to follow safety procedures?
You and your children may feel anxiety because you do not know what to expect. This is not unusual, and you are not alone. Taking steps to learn as much as possible will help you and your family navigate this unprecedented semester.