On-Campus Protocol
Welcome to Episcopal Collegiate's planning pages for a healthy school year.
In the menus below, you will find information about our planning process and our plans for the 2021-22 school year. As plans evolve, we will alert you to updates to this page.
Planning Process
- Driven by Mission and Values
- Scenario Planning: Determining the Way Forward
- Core Commitments
- Task Forces
- Reopening Campus Objectives
- Academic Continuity Planning Objectives
Driven by Mission and Values
The pursuit of academic and personal excellence does not waver even in the midst of a pandemic. At Episcopal, we are most effective in that pursuit when students are:
- Provided the right measures of challenge, grace, support, and accountability
- Surrounded by caring and dedicated teachers and coaches who know them well
- Integrated into the kind of strong community that comes from healthy relationships with peers and adults
- Afforded opportunities to become better versions of themselves by turning interests into passions, service into leadership, and fears into triumphs
While the ways we might provide this kind of learning environment might change, these values and commitments don’t.
Scenario Planning: Determining the Way Forward
In spite of the uncertainty that exists in what the start of school might hold, we have made considerable progress by planning around four possible scenarios.
Planning Scenario 1: In-person school with moderate mitigation strategies that do not significantly impact our normal operations
Planning Scenario 2: In-person school with enhanced mitigation strategies forcing more significant changes to the school day
Planning Scenario 3: Periods of in-person and remote learning throughout the fall semester with enhanced mitigation strategies likely for time on campus
Planning Scenario 4: Whether we begin the year in-person or not, a large portion of the fall semester in E-session
While we will make every effort to safely conduct school in-person throughout the fall semester, we do not know the conditions under which we will operate to start the new year. Nevertheless, these planning scenarios allow us to focus our thinking and be prepared for a variety of possibilities.
Core Commitments
As we reflect on our successes and challenges this spring during E-Learning and work to maximize the likelihood and the time we can safely remain on campus during the fall semester, a number of key dimensions of our planning have emerged. We are committed to:
- Operating with student and teacher safety at the forefront
- Pursuing the highest possible quality educational experience whether we are in E-session or regular session
- Providing support and challenge to help each student move towards that best version of himself or herself
- Building safe, healthy, and supportive communities in classrooms, advisories, divisions, chapel, and across the school
- Training faculty to operate most effectively under these circumstances
- Designing seamless transitions between E-Learning and in-person learning
- Affording families flexibility in instructional delivery during regular session that allows for teachers and students to remain connected, engaged, and progressing whether at home or school
Task Forces
Administratively, we have divided the comprehensive and complex work of returning to Episcopal among three overlapping Task Forces.
Re-opening Campus—This task force is focusing on designing the proper mitigation strategies for a safe return to campus under the various scenarios. They are drawing on public health directives and expertise from within the medical community and guidelines produced by various government entities such as the CDC and the Arkansas Department of Health.
Academic Continuity—This task force is focusing on providing the most compelling and seamless academic experience possible given the varied demands placed on schools during this pandemic. Their work includes drawing on the expertise of industry leaders and our experience this spring; designing technological and pedagogical solutions to the challenges various scenarios present; and equipping teachers with the tools and understandings they need to serve our students best.
Financial Sustainability—This task force is focusing on managing the myriad financial pressures facing the school during this public health and economic crisis in ways that meet the needs of current students and ensure the health of the school for future generations of students.
Reopening Campus Objectives
The guidance released by the CDC and the Arkansas Department of Health will serve as our guide as we seek to provide a safe environment for our students. As we get closer to the start of school, this guidance will undoubtedly be refined, and we will make adjustments to our plans accordingly.
In the meantime, we are using the CDC’s phased framework for schools to shape our planning. Those plans are centered around four central efforts:
- Identifying protocols and procedures to conduct in-person classes and school activities safely. (screening, distancing, disinfecting, limits to movement and sharing, cohort isolation, etc.)
- Developing two levels of mitigation strategies: moderate and enhanced
- Developing protocols for a response to a test-positive case within the school community
- Coordinating across the school: facilities, cleaning services, dining services, athletics, arts, academics, and other programming
Academic Continuity Planning Objectives
- Identify areas of improvement in E-Learning at all three divisions
- Develop a plan for accommodating students, faculty, and staff who need to isolate or quarantine for a period of time—i.e. hybrid learning
- Ensure we can quickly move from in-person to E-Learning and back
- Develop summer PD to enhance skills of teachers in the design and delivery of E-Learning
- Develop a standardized testing and vertical teaming plan that can help teachers tailor instruction to the demonstrated needs of students
Reopening Campus Plans
- Health and Safety Overview
- Personal Responsibility
- *Sharing
- Screening
- Mask/Face Covering Requirements
- Physical Distancing
- Cohort Separation
- Visitors
- Large Gatherings
- Cleaning/Sanitizing/Disinfecting
- Ventilation
Health and Safety Overview
While specific plans continue to evolve based on the ongoing work of this task force, the most recent guidance by public health organizations, and the policies as set forth by the State of Arkansas, we are currently plan to open the school year as scheduled on August 18 with enhanced levels of mitigation strategies. The list of these efforts are included in the tabs below. Procedures for implementation will be shared by Division offices later this month.
Personal Responsibility
During this pandemic, our interdependence upon one another has never been more critical. If we hope to maintain the health of our community and the continuity of the school year, we must each take on the responsibility for the health of the group.
- Personal Hygiene: Students and all school personnel have a responsibility to maintain habits of personal hygiene that reduce the spread of infections:
- Avoid touching your hands and face
- Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds routinely throughout the day
- Use hand sanitizer when unable to wash your hands
- Face Coverings/Masks: At this time, all school personnel, students, and visitors to campus are required to wear proper face coverings/masks. This can change due to the level of operation.
- Physical Distancing: All school personnel, students, and visitors to campus are expected to maintain proper physical distancing to the greatest extent possible.
- Social Distancing: Each of us (school personnel, students, and parents) has a responsibility to avoid large gatherings, avoid travel to hot spots, and limit social activity outside of school in ways that reduce the risk of infection and protect our community when we are together on campus. Staying home when you experience symptoms or have concern over your exposure is critical to the health of our community.
- Reporting: Each of us (school personnel, students, and parents) has a responsibility to report symptoms, possible exposure, and positive tests for COVID-19 to ensure we take the appropriate steps to care for one another and minimize the potential spread of the disease. Reports should be made to the school nurse, Lenna Hopkins and the appropriate Division Head.
*Sharing
We have taken a number of steps to minimize or eliminate the sharing of materials and equipment (books, computers, school supplies, etc.). Efforts include:
- We are now 1 to 1 with computers in 1st – 8th grades. Computers in 1st – 5th grade will now be assigned to individuals just as typically is done in the Middle School.
- Soft toys and furniture in classrooms have been minimized.
- Electronic copies of materials for classes or other gatherings will be provided to avoid sharing.
- Library books will be held for 5 days after return before being re-shelved or will be disinfected under UV light.
- PE equipment will be sanitized between uses, and sharing during activities will be minimized.
- Students are encouraged and athletes are required to bring their own water bottles.
Screening
Students and faculty should stay home under the following conditions:
- If you have not been fever-free (without medication) for the last 24 hours
- If you are experiencing 2 or more of the symptoms of COVID-19
- If you have been or have reason to believe you been exposed to someone who has COVID-19 within 48 hours of the onset of their symptoms
- If you are under a 14-day quarantine for possible exposure—even if you have negative test results.
- All staff and students will have their temperature checked prior to entering the building each morning. Students using carpool lines will have their temperatures checked while in their cars. Students who drive themselves or ride with student drivers will have their temperatures checked before they enter the Upper School building.
Mask/Face Covering Requirements
Mask/Face Covering
To begin the year, masks or face coverings will be worn by all K-12 students and faculty while indoors. When outdoors, masks should be worn whenever 6 feet of social distancing cannot be maintained.
Note: While we are not requiring masks or face coverings to be in school colors, we will not allow masks or face coverings with slogans, messages, or symbols. Sports teams or college logos are acceptable. Episcopal branded masks will be for sale in the Wildcat Warehouse. We highly recommend masks/face coverings be labeled with student names.
Exceptions include:
- Students engaged in strenuous activity like PE with proper distancing
- Faculty alone in their rooms or office.
- Presentations by teachers or students provided they maintain 12 feet of distance from their audience
- Recess with proper distancing
- Lunch with proper distancing
Physical Distancing
Throughout the school, precautions will be taken to maintain at least six feet of social distancing to the greatest extent possible.
- Desks in rooms will be spaced at maximum distance. In most classes, K-12, this allows for the recommended six feet of physical distancing (center to center) of desks
- Separate entrances will be used in the LS for PK, for K-1st, and for 2nd-5th. All Lower School hallway travel will be one way in the morning
- Locker access will be limited at any one time to allow for proper physical distancing between students
- The US Commons and other common areas will be closed except under direct faculty supervision
Cohort Separation
In each division, care has been taken to separate students into cohorts (i.e. groups) that are as small as possible and to minimize close contact with students from other groups. This separation will play an important role in reducing potential exposure, tracing close contact, and responding appropriately to positive tests.
- Lower School: Students will largely be isolated by their classes—e.g., Ms. Pate’s class will not interact with the other 1st grade classes. Prekindergarten classes will use a separate entrance and remain on their wing with minimal interaction with teachers or administrators from other grade levels. Most co-curricular teachers will conduct lessons in the students’ homeroom.
- Middle School: Middle School will be cohorting by grade level whenever possible, though there are some exceptions. A small number of upper school students will visit the middle/upper school counselor in the middle school and a similarly small number will be taking algebra one in the middle school with primarily eighth grade students. Seventh and eighth graders will attend co-curricular arts classes together, and some seventh and eighth grade students will travel to the upper school to take high-school level world language classes with upper school students. Lastly, students in all grades who qualify for AAC services will utilize those in the Middle School's AAC space.
- Upper School: Students will interact with other upper school students but not students from other divisions except for a limited number of students in classes in World Languages, Mathematics, and Fine Arts.
Visitors
- Parents and other visitors to campus will be restricted; i.e., parents may not enter the buildings during the school day unless they have an appointment.
- Special check-in and check-out procedures will be established to restrict parent entry into buildings. Each division office will communicate those procedures.
Large Gatherings
- Lunch will be held in classrooms, outdoors, or in other spaces in small groups.
- Chapel will be viewed by students in classrooms in small groups.
- LS classes will attend PE with their class, not with their grade level.
- Traditional opening of school ceremonies are being converted to virtual events, delayed, or reduced in size to allow for proper physical distancing and cohort separation.
Cleaning/Sanitizing/Disinfecting
- Additional cleaning staff will wipe high-touch surfaces throughout the school day—water fountains and faucets, door handles, counters, etc.
- Each classroom will be stocked with disinfecting sprays for surfaces and hand sanitizer.
- Hand sanitizing stations will be placed at all building entrances.
- Individual classroom air purifiers.
- Interior doors will be propped open as much as possible to minimize the need to touch them.
- Co-curricular classrooms and spaces that are used by multiple groups will be sprayed with a safe, sanitizing mist between classes.
- PE Equipment will be sanitized between classes.
Ventilation
Academic Continuity Plans
- Hybrid Learning Plans
- Lower School E-Learning Overview
- Middle School E-Learning Overview
- Upper School E-Learning Overview
- Teacher Training
- Vertical Continuity
- E-Learning Transitions
- E-Learning Schedules
- Student Support
Hybrid Learning Plans
Hybrid learning is involves teaching and learning with some students or the teacher at home and other students or the teacher in the classroom.
Who: Students or faculty who find themselves or a family member in a high-risk category or otherwise have serious concerns about their health may choose this option from the beginning of the school year. We also anticipate there will be times a student or faculty member must quarantine due to potential exposure to the virus.
What: All classes will have an online option with most classes livestreamed using a device (an OWL—see it in action here) that gives the online participants a full view of the room and allows them to easily participate in class discussions. The Associate Teachers in PK3, PK4, and Kindergarten will facilitate hybrid learning for those students. A small number of faculty will lead their classes from home in real time with a substitute teacher in the room to facilitate the process. We have also established a backup plan for each teacher in the event someone is out for a prolonged illness.
How: At-home students will follow the regular, in-person class schedule, but classes will be recorded to make it easier for them to keep up. While each teacher will have a plan for supporting at-home students, advisors, grade level teams, and learning support staff will provide some additional measures of attention and support to ensure at-home students are managing the demands effectively.
Contact your child’s Division Head if you are interested in learning more.
Lower School E-Learning Overview
Enhancements
Taking into consideration feedback from parents and teachers, best practices from the National Association of Independent Schools, and information collected from other comparable independent schools across the country, we have enhanced the structure of our E-Learning program for the Fall. Our changes are driven by the importance of consistent interaction with classroom teachers, both whole group and individual instruction. The program for the Fall will be built around a consistent daily schedule that more closely mirrors on-campus instruction. This includes more live instruction for both core classroom content and co-curriculars, as well as time for small group and individual check-ins. Recognizing that there may be times where synchronous instruction is challenging, all live instructional lessons will be recorded and available to families.
Differentiation/Student Support
As with on-campus instruction, our goal is to provide a learning experience that meets the needs of all students. In order to achieve this through E-Learning, our program is focused on elements that allow for appropriate differentiation including enrichment opportunities for students who need additional challenge and engagement and added support for students who encounter difficulties. Every grade level will have dedicated resources that allow for extension of classroom lessons, as well as support for independent exploration. Specialists and classroom teachers will provide resources for students who might need extra practice with particular concepts. Through small group instruction, individual check-ins, and feedback from parents, teachers will be able to better tailor the E-Learning experience to student needs and ensure continued engagement.
Assignments/Assessments
Daily assignments and regular assessments will allow teachers to have a solid understanding of how students are progressing through the E-Learning curriculum. Students will continue to be assigned daily work that supports the live lessons. Small group instruction and individual check-ins will offer an opportunity for teachers to informally assess student understanding in much the same way that pulling students to the “back table” with the teacher is used daily in the classroom. Summative assessments will continue to occur as appropriate. Feedback will be provided to both parents and students on submitted work as well as through live interaction during class and individual meetings.
E-Learning Lower School Schedule
All grade levels will begin each day with live homeroom meetings with their teacher and classmates to foster community and set expectations for the day and the week. This will be followed by a morning of live core instruction with age-appropriate breaks. Midday students will transition to live co-curricular classes. Afternoons will allow for classwork completion time and a menu to offer opportunities for choice and differentiation. Small group instruction, meetings with specialists, and check-ins with homeroom teachers will all occur during these afternoon blocks.
Middle School E-Learning Overview
In the Middle School’s E-Learning program, we will start school 30 minutes later and allow fifteen minute breaks between classes. Students will still continue to have seven classes, including both core and co-curricular classes, and they will continue to attend five classes per day, as they would during in-person school.
Modes of Instruction
Teaching and learning will occur during class time predominantly synchronously, meaning students in a class will be working on the same things during class time, either individually or in groups, though not necessarily on a live meeting, and asynchronously, where students will be researching, problem solving, and working on their own and at their own pace. We want to be conscious of our young people having too much screen time, and we also know that most students tend to dis-engage from teacher lectures after approximately 15 minutes in person or online. It is important to note, however, that even when working asynchronously, students will never be alone during class time; the teacher will still be on-line or easily accessible via the classroom chat or Google meet. This would be akin to what our teaching and learning looks like during in-person school. Teachers do some direct instruction, but more importantly, they create experiences for students and guide students through these, while also being available to answer questions and offer feedback.
Learning Management System
Whether at school or in E-Learning, students will know what their expectations are for each class because they will be published on Haiku, Episcopal’s Learning Management System (LMS). Faculty will post course expectations, assignments (including due dates), and resources on their class Haiku pages. Students will submit assignments through Haiku as well. Parents, too, have the ability to access this information. Training for rising sixth grade parents less familiar with Haiku, and parents of students in grades 6-8 new to the school, will be offered prior to the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year. Parents of returning students will also be afforded the opportunity to receive this training. Parents will also be able to log in to the School’s Veracross system to see their child’s grades.
Communication
Grade-level teaching teams, together with the Academic Dean, Head of Middle School, and Director of Learning Support Services meet once per week during E-Learning to discuss different aspects of pedagogy and curriculum, as well as to talk about how students are doing. When students begin to fall behind, or appear to need assistance, the team will create a plan to help the child and that information will be shared with the child’s parents. Where necessary, virtual meetings with one or more teachers and the director of learning support services can be scheduled.
The Head of Middle School and grade-level teams will share responsibility for disseminating electronic information to families every other week on what is happening in our classrooms and during morning meetings during a given week.
Additionally, advisors will connect with parents periodically during E-learning to share information on students’ socio-emotional health and well-being, as well as talk to parents about recent advisory curriculum programming.
Differentiation
This past spring’s E-Learning experience clearly showed that students complete work at different rates and some require additional support. Some students seem to thrive in E-Learning and others tend to plug along.
Parents and students who find that they are not being challenged enough in and through our E-Learning program (or during in-person school), should reach out to their child’s advisor, who will then create a plan with the student and their teachers to increase the level of challenge in that student’s academic program.
Upper School E-Learning Overview
Differentiation
We know that each student works at his or her own pace, whether we are on campus together or working remotely. Our work with E-Learning last spring highlighted--and perhaps amplified--the range of student experience in classes, with some students reporting that the work for their classes was overwhelming while others felt that they would have benefited from greater challenge. When we are working in person, teachers often have the opportunity to identify and address these needs in the course of day-to-day interactions with students, but these interactions are limited when we are working remotely, and we therefore recognize the need for a proactive, deliberate approach to identifying students in need of support or enrichment.
As part of our E-Learning program this fall, we will use a range of strategies to identify students who might need additional support with work for their courses as well as those who would benefit from enrichments to supplement their coursework. We will continue regular reviews of current student performance in classes and conversations with teachers and advisors, and we will also use student performance on diagnostic and standardized testing. Additionally, parents and students who feel that they need additional support or a higher level of engagement should contact their advisor, who will create a plan with the student and his or her teachers.
Assessment
Our experience with E-Learning this spring highlights the fact that students have nearly instant access to a vast array of facts. We know that the ability to evaluate sources, synthesize information, and apply knowledge--rather than content knowledge alone--will best serve students as they prepare for life beyond high school. We want students to have a mastery of content that allows them to create a context for their understanding and a framework within which they can evaluate new sources of information, but we also want to design assessments that increasingly allow students to demonstrate their ability to evaluate and apply information and skills.
Learning Management System
As we began E-Learning during the spring, our primary Learning Management System (LMS) was unable to provide consistent access to students and teachers because of the increased server load on Haiku from schools across the country. When we surveyed students and teachers, several remarked on the inconsistencies that resulted as we tried to provide short-term solutions to substitute for Haiku.
As we prepare for the fall, we are working to ensure that students and teachers have reliable access to course information through our LMS, and we will work toward greater consistency across classes in the presentation of course expectations, assignments (including due dates), class resources, and the assignment submission process.
Students and parents will continue to use Veracross to access current grades. We recognize the importance of providing prompt feedback for students, and we typically expect to record grades in Veracross for major assessments within one week of submission.
Student Support
We know that students sometimes need additional support, and we want to make sure that they feel that it’s easy for them to get help when they need it. We will continue to provide help with mathematics through our Math Lab every day that school is in session, whether in person or online. Our student-run Writing Center will continue to offer one-on-one sessions where students can get individualized help and feedback on their written assignments across the curriculum. When we are in E-Learning, the Simpson Library will offer drop-in sessions for students who need help with research for classes, book recommendations, or anything else library related. Our librarian is also available for individual sessions with students who need help at other times during the day.
Students can also get help from their teachers, either by attending their teacher’s established office hours or by making an appointment with their teacher. When we are working remotely, students simply need to email their teacher to schedule a time. In addition, our school counselor and the Academic Achievement Center will continue to work individually and in small groups with students, whether we are on campus or working remotely. Students and parents can contact the AAC directly for additional help, or their advisor can help to connect them with the AAC.
Teacher Training
This summer, all faculty (PK-12) will complete a summer minicourse specifically designed for our environment and based on the best practice for both in-person and E-Learning.
The course will review best practices in the following areas:
- Assessment and grading
- Presentations, discussions, and other forms of student engagement
- Differentiation
- Community-building in the classroom
- Technology integration
Vertical Continuity
At Episcopal, we always invest considerable effort to ensure our curriculum maintains continuity from grade to grade. Our curriculum map is updated each year to reflect the content covered and teams of teachers at a grade level or in a department meet regularly to ensure vertical continuity of expectations, content, and progress. We typically use a variety of means to assess our success, including standardized tests, and make adjustments accordingly.
Heading into this fall, the process is even more important. We were not able to conduct our typical ERB and ACT Series tests this spring and even under the best of circumstances, E-Learning can be disruptive. While we were diligent in identifying the curricular goals we needed to meet while in E-Learning, we want to ensure teachers have all of the information they need to design instruction and set curricular goals accordingly. We have developed plans to do just that and those plans include:
- Students in 7th through 12th grades have been assigned or recommended summer math work based on a diagnostic test. Students in Algebra II and below took an online diagnostic this spring while we used the PSAT performance of the rising 11th and 12th graders to define their areas of focus.
- All students up through 8th grade will take some form of assessment this fall to help us understand where they are in math and reading comprehension. For 3rd - 8th graders, testing will happen two to three times during the year using a new ERB Milestones tests focused on Math and Reading Comprehension. The 9th grade will take an ACT-series test in October when the 10th and 11th graders are taking the PSAT. Other plans are still in the works.
- Based on their curricular goals this spring, teachers are identifying areas in need of additional attention as students transition to the next grade.
- Working with curricular leaders, their departments, and grade level teams, teachers will review both testing and these areas of need to inform content and instruction in the coming year.
E-Learning Transitions
Episcopal is prepared to pivot seamlessly to E-Learning on very short notice. Should the need arise, a single class, grade level, an entire division or even the entire school can transition to E-learning for the next school day. While E-Learning schedules are adjusted and different than in-person schedules, it is important to note the situations in which we will follow which schedule:
Hybrid Learning
Follow in-person class schedule
A single class moves to E-Learning
Follow in-person class schedule
A grade level moves to E-Learning
Follow in-person class schedule
Upper School only moves to E-Learning
Follow in-person class schedule
Middle School only moves to E-Learning
Follow in-person class schedule
Lower School moves to E-Learning
Follow E-Learning schedules
Middle and Upper Schools move to E-Learning
Follow E-Learning schedules
Entire School moves to E-Learning
Follow E-Learning schedules
E-Learning Schedules
Click on the links below to find sample E-Learning schedules for PK3 - 5th grades and the E-Learning schedule for MS/US.
Lower School (To find your grade level, please view the different tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet.)
Student Support
One of the lessons learned from last spring has been the importance of the extra time our teachers give to students on an individual basis in and out of the classroom as well as the network of support we provide to support the academic efforts of our students and to ensure their social and emotional health. We have developed a number of plans to further strengthen the support we give students. Administrators, classroom teachers, advisors, counselors, specialists, and AAC staff have all re-tuned their attention to the needs of students in light of the varied demands we anticipate being placed on them as the school year unfolds-- learning at home while others are at school, full E-learning, and shifts from one to the other.
Central to these efforts is the work of the Academic Achievement Center. Recognizing that E-learning presents unique challenges for a variety of learners, the AAC is committed to being a resource for students and families as they navigate coursework this fall. E-learning demands a level of self-motivation, planning, organization, and cognitive flexibility that may be challenging for students depending on where they fall within their development of executive functioning skills. Our staff are prepared to offer additional structure and support through supervised virtual study halls, weekly planning/organization meetings, and a dedicated AAC chat room helpline. One benefit of E-learning is that assistive technology can be seamlessly integrated into much of the coursework, so we are also available as a resource for Learning Ally audiobook availability and text-to-speech/speech-to-text technology.
Our priority is to ensure that students with an academic accommodations plan continue to have those accommodations met consistently throughout any learning scenario that we may be in. We will work closely with classroom teachers and students to monitor how those accommodations are implemented. We encourage you to communicate regularly with classroom teachers, advisors, and the AAC. We are best able to serve your child when we have frequent feedback about how the E-learning lessons are working.
How to set students up for success with e-learning:
- Develop a regular schedule that incorporates classes, meals, sleep, and other aspects of self-care. Encourage your child to wake up in time for breakfast and a transition into the regular school day.
- As your space allows, set up a comfortable workstation with any materials your child will need to access throughout your day. It is recommended that this not be the child’s bedroom, if possible.
- Determine how to handle distractions. Find a quieter space, use earplugs or noise canceling headphones. Remove your phone, tv remote, gaming devices, etc. that might be a temptation.
- The amount of information provided for each class online can be overwhelming. Have your child add assignments, projects, tests, and other tasks to a visual calendar.
- Print the weekly syllabus, rubrics for projects, google slides, or other documents that might need to be accessed frequently and place them in a binder for the class. This will eliminate scrolling and searching on the computer. It also provides a hard copy where students can check off items as they are completed.
- Begin work early to ensure deadlines are met. Work ahead, if it helps to manage the workload.
- Take breaks as needed, but set a timer to make sure that the breaks are short and efficient.
Additional resources can be found at the links below:
https://eyetoeyenational.org/news/coronavirus-covid-19-resources-for-the-ld-adhd-community
https://www.teachthought.com/technology/remote-learning-tips-for-parents/
https://education.jhu.edu/2020/04/8tipsforfocus/
https://ed.stanford.edu/news/supporting-distance-learning-home
Guidelines for Possible Exposures to COVID-19
- Definitions and Clarifications
- Responsibility to Notify
- Communication
- Response Protocol
- Quarantine Protocol
- Guidelines for Returning to School
Definitions and Clarifications
There are three distinct scenarios involving a test-positive case and its potential impact on our community:
1. A student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19 (known infection)
2. A student or staff member comes into close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19 or is presumptively positive (direct exposure)
3. A student or staff member comes in close contact with someone who was in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 (secondary exposure)
According to the CDC, close contact with someone who has tested positive for or has symptoms of COVID-19 involves one of the following:
- You were within 6 feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period* starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to test specimen collection).
- You provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19
- You had direct physical contact with that person (touched, hugged, or kissed them)
- You shared eating or drinking utensils with that person
- They sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on you
Close contacts of a test-positive person are required to quarantine for 14 days. No testing releases the close contact from this requirement.
Individuals who do not meet the criteria for close contact may have had elevated levels of exposure. Individuals that fall into this category are expected to quarantine and test. A negative test on Day 5-7 after exposure would allow the individual to resume normal activities.
We will use the term, incidental contact to describe brief encounters in which no direct contact with the infected person’s secretions or those in which persons are masked and/or 6 feet or more apart.
Responsibility to Notify
Parents must notify the appropriate Division Head, the school nurse, and the Head of School immediately if either their child, or anyone with whom their child has had close contact has been diagnosed with COVID-19, receives a positive test result for the Coronavirus, or is awaiting test results for the Coronavirus.
Parents must notify the appropriate Division Head, the school nurse, and the Head of School immediately if either their child, or anyone with whom their child has had close contact exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 as identified by the ADH, CDC, or other reputable public health authorities, including but not limited to: fever or chills; cough; shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; fatigue; muscle or body aches; headache; new loss of taste or smell; sore throat; congestion or runny nose; nausea or vomiting; diarrhea; etc.
A faculty/staff member must notify their Division Head, the school nurse, the Director of Finance and Operations, and the Head of School immediately if he/she or anyone with whom he or she has had close contact has been diagnosed with COVID-19, receives a positive test result for the Coronavirus, or is awaiting test results for the Coronavirus.
A faculty/staff member must notify their Division Head, the school nurse, the Director of Finance and Operations, and the Head of School immediately if he/she or anyone with whom he or she has had close contact exhibits symptoms of COVID-19 as identified by the ADH, CDC, or other reputable public health authorities, including but not limited to:
- fever or chills
- cough
- shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- fatigue
- muscle or body aches
- headache
- new loss of taste or smell
- sore throat
- congestion or runny nose
- nausea or vomiting
- diarrhea
Communication
In the event a student’s family or faculty/staff member notifies the school of a positive test:
- The School alerts the Arkansas Department of Health.
- The School communicates with the families of students who may have had close contact with the test-positive person. No names will be provided and identifying information will be kept to a minimum.
- The School communicates with the entire school of the test-positive person indicating that if your child had been in close contact at school, you would have received a separate letter.
- The School sends a second communication (if necessary) to update the Division on steps taken and any other relevant information.
Response Protocol
- Isolate the individual if student or faculty/staff member is on campus—
-
We have designed our mitigation strategies (masks, distancing, and cohorting) to minimize the close contact among individuals on campus to the greatest extent possible. However, we will be guided by the Arkansas Department of Health to determine who should quarantine for 14 days.
Note: this may not happen given our screening and personal responsibility efforts.
- Assess Risk—Identify those individuals who may have had close contact with the test-positive person in the 48 hours prior to the first symptoms.
- Communicate (see above)
- Determine next steps
- Initiate any necessary moves to remote learning and determine whether it is by class, by grade level, by Division, or by School.
- Initiate cleaning/sanitizing/disinfecting of spaces
Quarantine Protocol
Quarantine is used to keep someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others. Quarantine helps prevent spread of disease that can occur before a person knows they are sick or if they are infected with the virus without feeling symptoms. People in quarantine should stay home, separate themselves from others, monitor their health, and follow directions from their state or local health department and/or their doctor.
Guidelines and Expectations:
- Stay Home, do not go anywhere. Don’t go to the store, to a friend’s house, to the mall, and do not have friends come over. You can go sit outside, as long as you stay away from other family members
- Monitor yourself for signs and symptoms for Covid-19
- Take your temperature daily and record it
- Wear a mask when out of your room and around others in your household (Make sure the mask covers your mouth and nose and it is secure under your chin)
- Wash hands regularly
- Disinfect frequently touched surfaces in your home. Don’t forget to clean your phone.
- Practice proper physical distancing from family members in the home.
- If possible, use a separate bathroom from siblings and other family members.
- If possible, you should be separated from others at meal time.
- Avoid sharing in the home-- food, utensils, drinks, computers, remote controls, household items, etc.
Guidelines for Returning to School
A test-positive person
That person can return to school if all three of the criteria below are met.
Recently updated CDC guidelines state:
- Person is fever free for 24 hours (without taking any medication to reduce fever)
- Other symptoms have improved like cough and shortness of breath (cough must be controlled).
- And at least 10 days have passed since the person’s symptoms first appeared or if no symptoms, 10 days from the date of the positive test.
Direct exposure to a test-positive person
That person can return to school once they have completed the 14-day quarantine provided they have no symptoms.
Secondary exposure to a test-positive person
Close contact with someone who had close contact with a test-positive person
It is prudent to monitor symptoms closely, but there are no requirements regarding quarantine or testing and no limitations to school attendance.
A student with symptoms of COVID-19 that are not otherwise explained
If a student experiences symptoms of COVID-19 that are not otherwise explained, it is imperative that he or she stay home. In order to return to school, a student needs to be fever-free for 24 hours (without medication) and be cleared to return to school by a physician. A negative test is not required.
CDC Information:
Frequently Asked Questions
Academic Continuity FAQ
What are my options if I do not feel comfortable sending my child to school?
All classes will have an online option with most classes livestreamed using a device (an OWL—see it in action here) that gives the online participants a full view of the room and allows them to easily participate in class discussions. The Associate Teachers in PK3, PK4, and Kindergarten will facilitate hybrid learning for those students.
This option allows those students learning-at-home to have the same instruction as those in the classroom and is available for extended periods of time or for as little as two weeks to allow for students who need to be quarantined to keep up with their classes. Students who are ill or need to miss class for other reasons may find it useful to view the livestream or the recording.
What are the plans if a teacher is not able to be in the classroom?
Teachers may find themselves in one of three scenarios that would take them out of the classroom for some extended period of time.
The need to teach from home due to health concerns: A teacher in this situation would complete all planning, present all lessons, and grade all assessments while at home. Lessons would be livestreamed (with portions possibly recorded) into his or her classes while a qualified adult (a substitute or other faculty/staff member) would be in the room with the students to facilitate the learning. Extra help sessions, individual instruction, or small groups would be conducted through Google Meet or Zoom.
The need to quarantine for 14 days due to exposure to someone who tested positive: Provided the teacher does not become ill, a teacher in this situation would continue classes through livestreaming (with portions possibly recorded) just as in the first situation. A substitute would be assigned to the room to facilitate the learning and manage the classroom.
The need to stay home due to illness: For shorter term illnesses, substitutes would be used with the support of the teacher or other faculty to continue the instruction just as we typically do. For longer term illness, we have developed a backup plan for every faculty member that will give students the best opportunity to continue their learning and the momentum of the class. Backup plans include a range of solutions: combining sections, using other faculty or administrators with expertise in that area, using qualified substitutes, or blended learning options that involve some online learning.
Will students be able to meet with teachers before or after school for additional help?
One of the lessons from last spring has been the importance of the extra time our teachers give to students on an individual basis in and out of the classroom as well as the network of support we provide to support the academic efforts of our students and to ensure their social and emotional health. Not only will students be able to meet with teachers as they typically do during in-person school, but we have developed a number of plans to further strengthen the support we give students including those who are learning from home and those who may need additional support during E-Learning.
Can I choose to have my child do E-learning at any time?
The primary purpose of the livestreaming is to provide an avenue for students to keep up with their classes in the event they need to stay home for any number of health reasons. It should not be used as an alternative to coming to school for other reasons—vacations and cases of the “Mondays” are not appropriate uses of this option.
If a family chooses to keep their child home due to concerns over risk of infection, we ask that each child be registered for that option through the appropriate Division Head and commit to doing so for at least two weeks. Teachers need time and predictability to ensure students have the necessary materials and direction for their time learning at home.
Students who need to quarantine should also use this option provided they are not sick. There may be limited opportunity for advance notice to the School and it may take a day for the student and teacher to get organized for it.
If your child is experiencing unexplained symptoms of COVID-19, he or she must be kept home. We want families to make the choice based on community and personal health without the added pressure of falling behind in classes. This year more than ever, sending a sick child to school puts others at risk. Students who find themselves in this category are welcome to tune into the livestream. They may not have everything they need on short notice or even feel up to watching the feed. However, we will make the usual accommodations for students who are out sick for periods of time.
Health Related FAQ
Will students be required to wear masks throughout the school day? If so, are there dress code requirements?
To begin the year, masks or face coverings will be worn by all students PK-12 and faculty while indoors, and outdoors whenever 6 feet of social distancing cannot be maintained. While we are not requiring masks or face coverings to be in school colors, we will not allow masks or face coverings with slogans, messages, or symbols representing some message. Designs and prints on the face coverings are acceptable as long as they are school appropriate. Athletic team logos are allowed. Episcopal branded masks and buffs are on order and will be for sale in the Wildcat Warehouse. We highly recommend masks/face coverings be labeled with student names.
There are exceptions to this rule and they will include:
- Students engaged in strenuous activity like PE with proper distancing.
- Faculty alone in their rooms or offices.
- Presentations by teachers or students provided they maintain 12 feet of distance from their audience
- Recess with proper distancing
- Lunch with proper distancing
How often will temperature checks be done?
Our current plans are to only check temperatures at the beginning of the day. However, we are evaluating the value and feasibility of conducting an additional check during the school day.
If my child experiences symptoms of COVID-19 that are not otherwise explained, what is the process that our family needs to go through to be eligible to return to school? Does he/she need to get tested for COVID-19?
If a student experiences symptoms of COVID-19 that are not otherwise explained, it is imperative that the student stay home. In order to return to school, a student needs to be fever-free for 24 hours (without medication) and be cleared to return by a physician. A negative test is not required.
If my child has a temperature of 100.0 or greater, what is the process that our family needs to go through to be eligible to return to school? Does he/she need to get tested for Covid?
Students need to be fever-free for 24 hours (without medication) before returning to school.
Are students able to attend school if they travel out of the state before school begins? Are students able to attend school if they travel out of state during the school year?
Given the increased infection rates in so many places across the US, specific travel restrictions are not needed at this time. However, it is imperative that families take the necessary precautions (mask wearing and social distancing) when they are away from school whether they are in town or traveling. If your time away from school leads to a possible exposure to someone infected with COVID-19 or takes you to a place that has considerable community spread, please err on the side of caution, remaining home and getting tested as advised by your doctor.
What will you do if someone tests positive for COVID-19?
For a complete list of our protocols, please refer to the Guidelines for Possible Exposure accordion menu.
If a student or faculty member tests positive, we will work with the Arkansas Department of Health to determine our response and the individuals who will need to quarantine. Our mitigation strategies of distancing, wearing masks, and cohorting are designed to minimize the number of individuals who may need to quarantine. Only those deemed to have had (or potentially had) close contact exposure to the test-positive person will be required to quarantine for 14 days. In all likelihood, that means a number of students and/or faculty members may be required to quarantine for 14 days. Classes will continue remotely for individuals in quarantine following our in-person class schedule.
Families of students in each division will be notified if a student or faculty member tests positive. Those students who have potentially been in close contact with the student will receive a separate letter indicating next steps. Identifying information will be kept at a minimum in both communications.
How will cleaning/sanitizing take place?
Cleaning/sanitizing and disinfecting will take place in a variety of ways-- fogging, misting, hand-wiping solid surfaces, using UV light, and through personal hygiene. For a more complete description, please see the Cleaning/Sanitizing/Disinfecting tab on this page.
What are the plans for lunch?
Students will eat lunch in small groups in classrooms or outside. We are still finalizing the details of our food service. SAGE is presenting us three different approaches/menus. Once we determine our path forward to begin the year, we will communicate with all parents and let parents decide then if they want to participate.
Will students be able to participate in athletics?
Athletic workouts are currently being conducted and could continue under the present conditions or more normally if restrictions are lifted by the Arkansas Activities Association. The AAA will determine how we are able to proceed.
Other FAQ
What are the plans for lunch?
Students will eat lunch in small groups in classrooms or outside to allow for proper distancing. The details of the modifications to the lunch program are provided here.
Please indicate if your student(s) will be participating in the lunch program here.
Middle and Upper School Lunch Menu
Will students still have recess and PE?
Yes.
Will students be able to participate in athletics?
Athletic workouts are currently being conducted and could continue under the present conditions or more normally if restrictions are lifted by the Arkansas Activities Association. The AAA will determine how we are able to proceed.
How will afternoon carpool work? What time will students be able to be dropped off in the morning and what is the procedure for entering the building? If students need to leave school for an appointment during the school day what is the procedure for checking out and checking back in?
Procedural details such as these will be communicated by each Division Office during the last week of July.
What are the rules for masks/face coverings?
To begin the year, masks or face coverings will be worn by all K-12 students and faculty while indoors. When outdoors, masks should be worn whenever 6 feet of social distancing cannot be maintained.
Note: While we are not requiring masks or face coverings to be in school colors, we will not allow masks or face coverings with slogans, messages, or symbols. Sports teams or college logos are acceptable. Episcopal branded masks and buffs are on order and will be for sale in the Wildcat Warehouse. We highly recommend masks/face coverings be labeled with student names.
Exceptions include:
- Students engaged in strenuous activity like PE with proper distancing
- Faculty alone in their rooms or office.
- Presentations by teachers or students provided they maintain 12 feet of distance from their audience
- Recess with proper distancing
- Lunch with proper distancing