Facilities Guidance

In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection in the school, facilities operations will be geared toward meeting social distancing requirements and cleaning frequently touched spaces regularly. In carrying out projects or tasks supporting infection control, requirements will be met for changes associated with building spaces. Plans for changes or additions to facilities will be submitted to comply with the requirements of the 2020 New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (BC) and the State Energy Conservation Code. 

The function, position and operation of stairs and corridor doors, which have closers with automatic hold opens (and are automatically released by the fire alarm system), will remain unchanged.

The school plans to meet the deadline for submission of Building Condition Survey or Occupational Safety Inspections on time.

Upon reopening, the school plans to increase ventilation, to the greatest extent possible. Water systems will be flushed in buildings that have been unoccupied.

The school will revisit Emergency Response Plans, protocols, and procedures and make modifications in light of COVID-19.   

Describe the facilities reopening plan and activities, which will occur including:

• Fire Code Compliance: The school will comply with the requirements of the 2020 New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (BC), except as specified in 19 NYCRR 1221.2(d). Such activity may require building permits and review by local municipalities and/or code enforcement officials to ensure such compliance.  The school will consult with the Town of East Greenbush regarding code enforcement. Changes or additions to facilities may require review by local municipalities and/or code enforcement officials to ensure such compliance.  

• Doorways: Stairwell doors and corridor doors, or shared doors that are not classroom doors, should be kept open whenever possible to eliminate the touching of shared door handles. Classroom doors should also be left open when possible, and especially if students are out of the classroom, again to minimize the touching of shared door handles. The function, position, and operation of those doors must remain unchanged. 

• Time Management: Students will remain in one classroom for the majority of the school day. Students will not change classrooms between periods, except as needed to complete lab work for middle school science classes. Teachers who instruct multiple cohorts may change classes. 

• Faculty and staff should minimize the number of students leaving the room at one time to one student, to minimize the number of students in the hallways. Faculty and staff with a line of sight to the bathroom door should observe if there is a wait, and send students when they can go directly into the restroom without waiting in the hallway.

• Faculty and staff should not send students to the office for any reason, unless first notifying and receiving approval from the main office.

• Students should only be in common spaces (hallways, restrooms, cafeteria/gym, lobby, etc.) when absolutely necessary.

• Leave Doors Open: To reduce the spread of the virus from touching door levers and knobs, doors may be fixed in the open position. This is only permitted at doors without door closers and doors which are not fire rated.

• Plastic Separators: The use of light-transmitting plastics is recommended in locations where social distance or mask requirements cannot be complied with or easily regulated (e.g., to separate individual lavatory sinks from each other). Light-transmitting plastics must comply with Building Code Section 2606.

• The school will provide hand sanitizing stations with approved hand sanitizer in all classrooms and common areas.

• Alcohol-based Hand-Rub Dispensers may be installed in rooms and corridors in limited quantities in accordance with the 2020 Fire Code of New York State (FCNYS) Section 5705.5.

• Dividers at Doors and Other Points of Congregation: The school may utilize dividers at queue lines and other areas subject to overcrowding to control the groups. The school will consult the local municipality and/or code enforcement officials for their review, to ensure that dividers are properly placed and do not obstruct escape during an emergency.

• The Elementary side of the building does not have an HVAC system. The Middle School has an HVAC system for heat only. The Library has an HVAC system for both AC and heat. All spaces in the building that are used by cohorts will have an air purifier with UV light filtration.

• Windows and doors should be kept open when weather permits. AC units circulate air in and out of the classrooms on the Elementary side of the building. All classrooms in the building will have an air purifier with UV light filtration.

• Drinking Water Facilities: All three water fountains will remain open as bottle-fill stations. The water fountain spout component has been disabled.

Infection Control Strategies

Cleaning and Disinfection Following Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19 Case

Immediately, all areas where the individual (who has a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19) traveled will be closed for at least 24 hours, and may not reopen until approval is given to do so by the main office. If anyone is currently occupying that space, they should be relocated while cleaning and disinfecting occurs. This applies to all areas of the school building.

 School administration will consult with the local health department to determine when these areas may reopen (these areas will be closed for at least the remainder of that day), or if further action is needed (i.e. sending certain students, a cohort, or faculty and staff members home).

Outside doors and windows (not interior classroom doors) should be immediately opened to increase air circulation to the area

Custodial staff should wait 24 hours before cleaning and disinfecting the space whenever possible. If waiting 24 hours is not feasible, wait as long as possible.

 All areas used by the person suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 must be cleaned and disinfected

Once these areas have been cleaned or disinfected, they may be reopened for use

 Individuals without close or proximate contact with the person suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 can return to the area and resume school activities immediately after cleaning and disinfection

 If more than seven days have passed since the person who is suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 visited or used the facility, additional cleaning and disinfection is not necessary, but routine cleaning and disinfecting should continue.

Coordination and Phased Reopening

The COVID-19 Safety Coordinator will be the Principal of the school. In the Principal’s absence, the Parish Manager will assume this role.

This Safety Coordinator will ensure continuous compliance with all aspects of the school’s reopening plan, as well as any phased-in reopening activities necessary to allow for operational issues to be resolved before activities return to normal or “new normal” levels.

LIMITING CONGREGATION IN COMMON AREAS

Students will receive instruction in one classroom throughout the day (exception: it is possible that students in 7th and 8th grade may cycle between the Science Lab and one other classroom). During arrival, dismissal, and lunch time, when groups of students need to move through the hallways, the teacher will supervise the cohort’s movement through the hallway, ensuring social distancing and proper protocols. When students enter the hallway to use a restroom or bottle-fill station, teachers should limit the number of students in the hallways so that only one student is present in the hallway from their classroom at a time. Teachers with line of sight from their classroom doors to the bottle-fill stations or restrooms should check to see if there are other students waiting to use these areas, and if so, should wait until these areas are clear before sending students into the hallway. Faculty members moving through hallways should always be mindful of reminding students about bi-directional traffic flow, adhering to markers regarding social distancing, use of hand sanitizer or practicing hand hygiene, and using a mask at all times while in these common areas.

CLASS SIZES

Class sizes are capped in each classroom to ensure that all classrooms are in compliance with NYSED guidance on square footage per person. The guidance requires 20 square feet of space per person. Pre K 3 classes will be capped at 18 students, Pre K 4 classes at 21 students, K-4 classes at 20 students, and middle school classes at 20 students.

Facility Alterations and Acquisition

• The school will utilize the gymnasium to operate arrival and dismissal, as well as our Aftercare Program.  Students will be in cohorts with appropriate social distancing and protective barriers in place, and proper cleaning and disinfecting protocols will be followed.

• The school will utilize the Library to house middle school students during arrival and dismissal. These students will be in cohorts with appropriate social distancing and protective barriers in place.

• Classrooms will have clear protective barriers in place on and between desks, as well as on and/or between common areas/spaces such as lunch tables, arrival/dismissal areas, etc. These barriers are sufficient to maintain proper protection of students, but do not interfere with the layout of the classroom/spaces or the means of egress. 

Space Expansion

The school, as of the publishing of this plan, is able to satisfy all social distancing requirements without the expansion of additional square footage. 

Tents for Additional Space

The school does not plan to use tents for additional space.

Plumbing Facilities and Fixtures

• Faculty will have access to the Faculty restroom. Elementary and Pre K 4 students will have access to the Elementary restrooms. Pre K 3 students and Kindergarten students will have access to the restroom in their classroom. Middle school students will have access to the middle school restrooms.

• Drinking Water Facilities: The water fountains have been modified to function as bottle-fill stations, while the drinking spout feature has been deactivated. The school will seek to provide each student and staff member with a water bottle, and all students and staff are asked to bring in a full water bottle at the start of each day. The school will be prepared to supply a water bottle or container for water if the student or staff member does not have one.

• In shared bathroom/restroom spaces, occupancy is capped at 2 persons. Markers and signs will indicate the capacity or each rest room, along with appropriate waiting spaces that ensure social distancing.

• Only one individual may use the sink at a time.

• Use proper hand hygiene techniques as defined in this plan.

• Use a paper towel to dry hands, or if not feasible or possible, use the air dryer.

• Teachers and staff should minimize the number of students out of the classroom to use the restroom at a given time. Those with line of sight to the bathroom waiting areas should examine these areas prior to sending students out of the classroom. Pre K 4 staff members should escort their students in small groups to and from the rest rooms, and monitor them throughout. This will minimize the number of students congregating near restrooms.

• Teachers should employ similar methods with regard to bottle-fill station use.

Ventilation

• Ventilation should be a focus for all staff members throughout the day.

• When warm weather allows, windows should be opened whenever possible to allow outdoor air into the classroom and building.

• When colder weather is present,a window should still be opened if possible, even while heating systems are on, to increase ventilation. This must be done while maintaining an appropriate temperature in the classroom.

• The use of air conditioners cycles outdoor air in and indoor air out

• Regardless of whether windows are open or the AC unit is in use, each room will have an air purifier with a UV light filtration system, and these should run at all times.

School Safety and Emergency Drills

The school will conduct fire (evacuation) drills and lockdown drills as required by education law and regulation and the fire code without exceptions. The school must continue to conduct mandatory fire and lockdown drills according to the existing statutory schedule. Drills will be conducted in a manner that maintains social distancing at exits and gathering points outside the building, while still preparing students to respond in emergencies. 

• Fire Code Section 404 requires that schools maintain Fire Safety, Evacuation, and Lockdown Plans and these plans include how lockdown and evacuation drills are conducted. These plans will be modified to address social distancing and/or use of face coverings during the lockdown and evacuation drills.

• Education Law § 807 requires that schools conduct eight (8) evacuation and four (4) lockdown drills each school year. Conducting drills is an important part of keeping students and staff safe in an emergency; however, these drills will be modified to minimize the risk of spreading infection while conducting drills. During a lockdown drill, all individuals should immediately put on their mask and move to their designated area,  follow all instructions from faculty and staff members present in the room, and all lockdown procedures as defined in the school’s safety plan. During an evacuation drill, all individuals should immediately put on their mask/face covering, follow all instructions from the faculty and staff member supervising the group or individual, and follow the protocols for leaving the building as defined in the school’s safety plan.

• Regardless of the modification used when conducting a drill, students should be instructed that if it was an actual emergency that required evacuation or lockdown, the most imminent concern is to get to safety; maintaining social distancing in an actual emergency that requires evacuation or lockdown may not be possible and should not be the first priority.

• When conducting drills, the school will give consideration to modifying drills to allow for social distancing, while at the same time ensuring the drills are conducted in a manner that prepares students, faculty and staff for an evacuation or lockdown.

The school modifications to Evacuation Drill protocols may include, but are not limited to:

• Conducting drills on a “staggered” schedule, where classrooms evacuate separately rather than all at once, and appropriate distance is kept between students to the evacuation site. Staggering by classroom minimizes contact of students in hallways, stairwells, and at the evacuation site. If conducting drills using a modified procedure, it is required that the drill be conducted with all students in the school building on that school day, it may be necessary to do so during a class period that is extended for this purpose.

• Students participating in a hybrid model, and those participating remotely, will receive instruction in emergency procedures, and participate in drills while they are in attendance in-person.

The school modifications to Lockdown Drills protocols may include, but are not limited to: 

• The use of masks during the lockdown drill.

• Conducting some lockdown drills in the classroom without “hiding”/ “sheltering” but providing an overview of how to shelter or hide in the classroom.

• Conducting drills on a “staggered” schedule.