Stonebridge World School 2021-2022 Safe Learning Plan
The Stonebridge World School is planning the 2021-2022 school year with all grades attending school in-person five days a week. School begins on August 30 for all grades. We are happy to welcome all students back to the building.
Health and safety of all of our students and staff remains the top priority at Stonebridge. All COVID-19 guidelines will be in place for the 2021-2022 school year. Protocols will include a mask requirement for all students and staff in the building regardless of vaccination status. We will continue with all cleaning protocols that have been in place over the last year: daily cleaning and disinfecting of the building, improved ventilation with a air purification system added and regular maintenance. We encourage frequent handwashing, have sanitizer machines in all rooms, do temp checks as people enter the building, have installed water bottle filling stations on all drinking fountains, have social distance signage throughout the building and promote COVID-19 vaccination and testing.
COVID-19 Guidelines
The following COVID-19 prevention guidelines will be in place during the 2021-2022 school year. These guidelines will be updated in accordance with any changes from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Masks
Stonebridge World School will require masks for all people in the building (ages 2 years and older), this includes teachers, staff, students and visitors regardless of vaccination status. This includes indoor physical education when possible and during meal times when not eating and drinking. Masks are also required on all school buses. Masks are not required outdoors (e.g. recess). Masks are not required if you are working alone in an office or classroom.
Social Distancing
Stonebridge will continue to utilize social distancing of 3 feet when possible. We have social distance decals in the hallways and bathrooms. We will keep students and staff in classroom groups as much as possible throughout the school day related to lunch, bathroom breaks and recess.
Healthy Guidelines and Expectations
Families should conduct a health screening every morning before dropping students off to school or to the bus stop. If your child is exhibiting any of the COVID-19 symptoms do not send them to school, even if they are fully vaccinated. Please report the absence to the school office and contact your child’s healthcare provider.
Symptoms of COVID-19 include: fever greater than or equal to 100.4 F, new onset and/or worsening cough, difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell and at least two of the following: sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, muscle pain, excessive fatigue, headache, nasal congesting (runny nose).
If when you do a health screening every morning you answer yes to the above symptoms for any of your children do not send them to school, report the absence to the school office and contact your child’s healthcare provider.
Stonebridge COVID-19 testing
Stonebridge has an organization at the school every Wednesday that will be doing COVID-19 testing for staff and students. If you would like your child tested weekly please complete the forms that have been mailed to you and return to the office. If you did not receive the forms and would like them sent home call the school office. The results will come directly to the parent/guardian email provided and to the school (if designated) in 24 hours. Do not send a child showing COVID-19 symptoms to the school for testing, in this situation call your child’s healthcare provider.
Quarantine Guidelines
Stonebridge will use a 10-day quarantine and follow the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Decision Tree for Schools. Quarantining helps protect others from getting COVID and slows the spread of the virus. People with COVID-19 can infect others before they start to feel sick and many never have any symptoms.
If a student who is not vaccinated has been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 they will need to quarantine for 10 days. Health experts recommend that people in quarantine get tested 5-7 days after coming into contact with someone with COVID; however a negative test does not shorten the quarantine time.
Families of students who must quarantine should talk with the student’s teacher to make arrangements for academic class work.
If a student is fully vaccinated they may not have to quarantine if the school’s health staff can confirm the student meets current MDH guidelines. If a student has completed the COVID-19 vaccination (two doses in a two dose series or one dose in a one dose series) and is exposed to someone with COVID, they may not need to quarantine if the following is true:
- The COVID 19 exposure was at least 14 day after the vaccination series was fully completed.
- They do not currently have any symptoms of COVID-19.
Contact Tracing
Stonebridge will continue contact tracing throughout the 2021-2022 school year. This helps slow the spread of COVID-19 and means identifying and talking to people who are infected with COVID-19 and then identifying and talking to all the people they may have infected. Stonebridge is required to report confirmed positive case of COVD-19 to MDH.
Meal Service
Breakfast and lunch will be free for all students during the 2021-2022 school year. Students and staff are required to wear masks when they are not eating and drinking. Breakfast will continue to be eaten in the classrooms. Lunch in the cafeteria and/or classroom will be determined on an ongoing basis. Staff will monitor safety protocols throughout breakfast and lunch.
Transportation
Bus drivers and students are required to wear masks on the bus. Families are responsible for self-checking for symptoms or sickness before they go to the bus stop. If weather allows windows will be open to help increase air movement.
Building Access for Visitors
Parents and guardians are welcome to visit the school. Due to COVID we are requesting advanced notice and will limit the visit to 15 minutes. Any outside visitors are required to make an appointment by calling the office at 612-877-7400.
Disinfecting and Cleaning
All staff at Stonebridge are working together to ensure the safety and cleanliness of our school environment. Increased daily disinfecting by custodial staff prioritizes high-touch areas such as door handles, switches, hand railings, desks and bathrooms. Bleach wipes and disinfectant sprays are available for staff use on-site. Teachers will also disinfect classrooms and lockers daily. Nightly cleaning crews will clean and disinfect bathrooms and floors.
Hygiene and Handwashing
Hygiene routines will be put in place for all students and staff. This will include arrival, dismissal, upon entering and exiting the classroom, before lunch, before and after recess. Any use of sanitizer will be monitored by staff. Hand washing signage will be hung up on all restrooms. Handwashing procedures will be reviewed with younger students.
Water bottles will be provided to all students to minimize water fountain use. Water bottle fillers were installed on all drinking fountains.