• Petal Middle School COVID Plan 

    Safety Measures & Procedures

    2020-2021 School Year

    Overview

    PSD has taken steps to prepare for the health, wellness, and safety for students and staff for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year.  These guidelines are part of a living document and will be updated with new information as it becomes available.  Please see the information below for a set of general guidelines and expectations. Decisions will be made in coordination with local and state guidelines as they are released.

     

    Transportation

    • Students will be separated on the bus where feasible. Siblings or children living in the same household will be seated together.  
    • Drivers and any students who choose to utilize PSD bus transportation will be required to wear masks for the duration of the route to school. 
    • Buses will be appropriately disinfected after each use with approved disinfectants. 
    • Buses will have hand sanitizer dispensers installed 
    • Bus drivers will be properly trained in COVID safety measures

     

    Arrival

    • Petal Middle School students will go straight to their 1st period class.
    • Students will use hand sanitizer or hand washing upon arrival into classrooms
    • Common areas will be restricted where feasible  

     

    Dismissal

    • Use of the car line for student pick-up only. No in-person parent pick-up to avoid parent gatherings in school lobby or in front of school
    • Students will be released in waves from their 8th period class.
    • 1st wave--car riders and walkers
    • 2nd wave--first group of buses
    • 3rd wave--second group of buses



    Cafeteria-Breakfast and Lunch

    •  Cafeteria (Breakfast and Lunch) - Alternate serving methods will enable all students to have access to meals while complying with physical distancing guidelines. To achieve this goal, multiple meal service methods during a single meal service period may need to be utilized with different groups of children within the school building.  Methods may include: serving meals in classrooms, providing “Grab and Go” meals in the cafeteria or hallways.  Meals choice will be limited this year due to safety protocols for students and staff.
    • Hand washing/hand sanitizer will be available before and after lunch
    • Cafeterias will be appropriately disinfected after each use with EPA approved products. 




    Classrooms

      • Multiple social distancing strategies will be implemented based on feasibility of the unique space and needs of each school
      • Students will be encouraged to maintain distance from each other in the school and taught appropriate hygiene/COVID practices: COVID 19 Do the 5!
      • Personal water bottles will be encouraged as drinking fountains will have limited availability
      • Built in time during the day for frequent handwashing and hand sanitizing
      • Appropriate measures will be taken for cleaning Chromebooks/other technology devices
      • Observe students for illness prior to starting class and refer students to nurse

     

    • PSD teachers/staff clean/disinfect at appropriate times

     

     

    Passing Periods

    • Hallway traffic will be limited by schedule and students will be monitored while walking in hallways
    • 7th and 8th grade students will be released from class at separate times.
    • Movement throughout buildings will be limited and reduced.
    • Hand washing/hand sanitizer will be available

     

    Visitors/Volunteers

    • Nonessential visitors will be limited
    • No lunch guests or volunteers allowed
    • Visitor Procedures  

     

    Cleaning/ Hygiene

    • Cleaning with COVID and EPA approved products will target cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched hard, non-porous surfaces, such as counters, tabletops, stair rails, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, drinking fountains, and any other surfaces that are visibly necessary
    • Areas that have been unoccupied for 7 days or more will only need normal routine cleaning to reopen the area. This is because the virus that causes COVID-19 has not been shown to survive on surfaces longer than this time.
    • CDC Guide to cleaning/disinfecting
    • Hand sanitizer will be available at most exterior doors and in classrooms
    • Students and families will be provided with best practices for hygiene during the school day (Sanitize Five) and upon arriving at home

     

    Health Services

    • School nurses will provide COVID safety training/materials to faculty and staff
    • Medication for students--please schedule a time with the school nurse to drop it off.
    • Encourage staff self screening 
    • Encourage parents to screen students at home prior to sending to school
    • Students or staff demonstrating symptoms will be referred to physician or PSD clinic ~ Prior to returning to school, consult school nurse or provide documentation from physician 
    • Exclusion procedures will follow best practices. Students and/or staff exhibiting COVID symptoms will be required to wear a provided mask.  
    • Students/adults who are symptomatic will be issued a mask to wear until they are picked up by a parent or leave the building.

     

    PPE

    • Use of personal masks will be allowed for students 
    • Use of personal masks will be optional for staff but may be required in special situations.
    • Masks must be worn when in motion. (Masks in Motion)

     

    Athletics/Activities

    • MHSAA/MSDH Guidelines