D51 Safe School Reopening Plan - Phase 1
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The health and safety of our students, staff, and families is our top priority. The D51 Safe School Reopening Plan was developed with guidance from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the
U.S. Department of Education, the
American Academy of Pediatrics, the
Colorado Department of Education, the
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment,
Mesa County Public Health, the Governor’s office, and with input from families and staff members of the Mesa County Valley School District and our community. This is Phase 1 of our D51 Safe School Reopening Plan. We will continue to monitor the situation on a regular basis and make changes where needed.
Based on the above-mentioned guidance and feedback, D51 students in grades PreK-12 will return to in-person learning five days a week. This plan focuses on cohort methodology (keeping students in defined groups to reduce contacts, where possible) with physical distancing implemented to the greatest extent possible. CDE guidance mentions that, “Cohorting significantly reduces the number of students and staff who will need to be excluded in the event of a case of COVID-19 in a school by limiting the number of close contacts of each individual.”
Why return to in-person learning?
A recent statement from the AAP, AFT, NEA, & AASA states, “We recognize that children learn best when physically present in the classroom. But children get much more than academics at school. They also learn social and emotional skills at school, get healthy meals and exercise, mental health support and other services that cannot be easily replicated online. Schools also play a critical role in addressing racial and social inequity...Science should drive decision-making on safely reopening schools. Public health agencies must make recommendations based on evidence, not politics. We should leave it to health experts to tell us when the time is best to open up school buildings, and listen to educators and administrators to shape how we do it.”
A note on health and safety in our schools
By attending in-person learning, students, families, and staff agree to follow all school safety, health, and hygiene practices.
If a student is not able to use a face covering due to health issues, building administration should be notified as soon as possible. Staff will be informed of which students are unable to use a face covering, and accommodations will be made.
In the event that a student forgets or fails to follow protocols, the following steps will be taken in order to ensure the safety and health of the learning community.
- Masks/Face coverings will be provided to students who need one.
- Conversations will be held with students and families about the need to protect our community.
- If the student is unwilling to follow safety protocols, support will be given to families to transition to the D51 Online Program.
By following our district protocols for safety, health and hygiene, we hope to keep our learning community safe so that in-person learning may continue throughout the 2020-2021 school year.
Please join us in supporting our learning community.
A doctor's note is required for a face covering exemption. Please fax the note to Tanya Marvin at 970- 245-0825