Table of Contents

Masks, Face Coverings, and Other Personal Protective Equipment Page 2

Once Students are in the building Page 3

Nose Blowing Page 3

Drinking Water Inside Page 3

Gum Chewing Page 3

Cell Phone Use Page 4

Hoods Page 4

Arrival Page 4

Movement within the building Page 5

Bathroom Use Page 6

Handwashing and Hygiene Page 9

Dismissal Page 9

Nurse / Health Protocols Page 10

Covid 19 Nurse’s Office Procedure and Algorithms Page 12

Regarding Food Page 17

Lunch Page 18

In Case of Emergency Page 18

Mask Breaks Page 19

Sanitation When Changing for Math Classes Page 20

Sanitizing and Disinfecting Page 20

Distancing Page 21

Student Cohorts Page 21

Access to and within building Page 22

State Science Guidelines Page 22

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Masks, Face Coverings, and Other Personal Protective Equipment

● We will require face masks for all students and staff in all buildings. While DESE requires face masks for students in grades 2-12, in Weston we will require PK, K, and 1st grade students to wear face masks as well.

● We will not accept valved masks, buffs, gaiters, or bandanas.

● Weston Public Schools Mask Protocol

● Students will need to wear and bring an additional clean mask to school every day and

the district will be providing extra masks as backup. Masks can be reusable (but they need to be washed each day) or disposable.

● Exceptions to mask-wearing will be made in special circumstances. Face shields and/or further social distancing are common accommodations for those students who find it very difficult to wear a mask. Further accommodations could include considering sensory needs, providing alternative PPE equipment, desensitization training for mask wearing, or an alternative learning environment

● We understand that wearing a mask may be challenging for some children, particularly younger students and those with identified disabilities. Nevertheless, our focus must be on the safety of each cohort. Students who have not been identified as requiring accommodations for mask wearing will be subject to possible removal from the in-person learning environment if non-compliant. Students who remain noncompliant after initial reminders will be relocated to a separate area outside of the classroom. If the problem cannot be resolved, parents will be notified by the school nurse to pick up their child.

● Each school schedule will provide an opportunity for mask breaks throughout the day. These will occur with students at least six feet apart, outdoors when weather permits or in a large ventilated space in inclement weather.

● All staff will be provided with PPE appropriate to their job function. Additional safety precautions are required for school nurses and any staff supporting students in close proximity, when distance is not possible. Extra PPE may include gloves, disposable gowns, and eye protection (such as a face shield with a mask)

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Once students are in the building

○ All students will be wearing a mask upon entering the building. ○ All students must report directly to their first period class (most will be in a cohort

room, first period math may be different for some.) ○ First block teachers will need to be ready in their room by 8:25am. (NOTE: this is

an estimate of when students will be entering the building.) All students will be wearing an ID Lanyard - THANK YOU PTO!!

Nose Blowing

● All members of the WMS community will be asked to blow their nose outside of the classroom. When possible, people should use the bathroom. Otherwise, people may quickly step into the hallway and immediately put their mask back on when done.

Drinking Water Inside

● Drinking water should be done without removing the mask from your nose. You must place your mask on fully immediately after taking your sip of water.

Please see the following video for a demonstration: https://youtu.be/1dJlDEg8YHU

Gum Chewing

● Gum chewing is absolutely prohibited in Weston Middle School this year. It is unsafe to chew gum during a pandemic, as it can easily spread germs.

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Cell Phone Use

● Cell phones are prohibited inside Weston Middle School. We only have 8 hours a week

in the building and must maximize our time. Cell phones only create distractions.

Hoods/Hats

● Hoods and hats will be allowed this year. However, students will be asked to wash their sweatshirts/jackets/hats everyday so as to not spread germs and increase sanitation.

○ If asked to remove the hood/hat by a teacher, students must comply.

Arrival

● Entering the building: ○ For students that take the bus:

■ Grade 6 students will enter the building through between room 109 and room 110. They will then walk up those stairs, and continue down the second floor hallway towards the grade 6 classrooms.

■ Grade 7 students will enter the building through the pool door and go up those stairs to the 7th grade classrooms.

■ Grade 8 students will enter through the door between room 106 and room 107 and make their way through the first floor by the science rooms and loop to their classrooms on the first floor.

○ For students that are dropped off (the doors will be locked until 8:30am) : ■ Grade 8 students will enter the main entrance on the right side, use the

small main stairway, and go directly to their first block classroom. ■ Grade 7 students will enter the main entrance on the left side.

● Students whose first block is in room 237, 238, 239, or 240 will walk up the small main stairway, continue down the 8th grade hallway, and go up the stairs by the pool/bandroom. They will then go directly to their first block classroom.

● Students whose first block is in room 230, 231, 232, or 233 will use the main stairway to the second floor and go directly to their first block classroom.

■ Grade 6 students will enter the building through the red door (Door #2) to the principal stairway. They will go up those stairs.

● Students whose first block is in room 214, 215, 216, or 217 will go directly to their first block classroom.

● Students whose first block is in room 222, 223, 224, or 225 will loop around the second floor and go directly to their first block classroom.

● ALL doors will be clearly marked with signage.

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Movement within the building

● All hallways and stairways are one way. ○ One-Way signs have been laminated to be placed across from each classroom. ○ Arrows have been ordered to be placed on the floor of the hallways to reinforce

the one-way directions.

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Bathroom Use

(NOTE - RENAME SINGLE USE BATHROOM INSTEAD OF HANDICAP BATHROOM) ● Bathrooms will be cleaned two times per day by the custodians. Additional times as

needed for emergency situations. ● All communal bathrooms will be locked or designed (blocked-off) for handwashing only. ● Single user bathrooms will be the only bathrooms used during the school day.

○ Student bathrooms are circled here:

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● Bathroom Use (continued):

■ Students will politely knock on bathroom doors before entering. ■ If locked, the student will stand on the marker on the floor.

■ In order to maintain safety, we will not have lines with more than two

people outside of a bathroom. If there are two people waiting, students will be expected to use a different bathroom. When possible, students should use the bathroom that is closest to their classroom.

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○ Staff bathrooms are circled here:

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Handwashing and Hygiene

● All students and staff will be washing or disinfecting their hands regularly throughout the

school day. Appropriate times to wash hands will be upon arrival to school, after bathroom use, before/after eating, before/after recess, before/after putting on and taking off masks, and prior to dismissal. Soap and water is the preferred method for cleaning hands and should be utilized over sanitizer when available.

● Hand sanitizer will be available for use and parents will have the opportunity to approve their child’s use of hand sanitizer. If parents do not give permission for hand sanitizer use, those students must always wash hands with soap and water. Hand sanitizer approval will be part of the annual nurse emergency form.

● Each school will place hand washing and sanitizing visuals throughout the building to remind students and staff of proper hand washing and hand sanitizing procedures.

Dismissal

Dismissal:

● Students will exit the building following the fire drill routes. All students will maintain social distancing as much as possible for as long as they are on the school’s campus.

● At 12:45pm, an announcement will be made over the intercom stating which buses are ready to leave. Students must go directly to their bus.

● At 12:50pm, a bell will ring for all students being picked up by their parents to be dismissed.

● At 12:55pm, all remaining students will head to our gridded waiting area to wait for their bus.

● All stairways become “down-stairways” for dismissal, except for the stairway in the teachers’ lounge.

● Students that are staying for lunch and services/support will eat lunch outside, when possible, under the tent or under the pool breezeway. If weather does not allow, students will eat in the gym, spread out, and practice social distancing.

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Nurse / Health Protocols

For emergencies, please call the nurse or 911 if there can not be a delay

● When NOT to delay referring a student to the Nurse (Student May Need to be Escorted)

* Confusion / Disorientation * Decreased Level of Consciousness * Shortness of Breath / Respiratory Distress * Dizziness / Lightheadedness * Spinal Cord / Head injury -Do Not Move * Insect Sting * Vision Impairment * Vomiting / Diarrhea * Diabetic with Low Blood Sugar * Life Threatening Bleeding

● All Health Information is confidential and falls under FERPA guidelines for IHCP, 504, medical plans

● Never give a student medication unless specifically advised and trained by the nurse ● Students with Medical Conditions (EPI pens Inhalers) - alerts with plans will be in IC ● AEDs are located in: Cafe outside of main office, by gym, and in nurse’s office red bag

● Standard / Universal Precautions: Actions that you take to place a barrier between

yourself and potentially infected body fluids. Recommended that you treat all body fluids as though contaminated.

○ Blood & body fluids (i.e.,, saliva, urine, feces, vomit) can contain viruses & bacteria (Hepatitis B & C and HIV)

○ blood and body fluids are shared through open areas on the skin, splashes in eyes, mouth and needles or sharps

○ Use gloves, protective eyewear, and wash hands frequently for protection

● All Staff Accidents / Injuries requiring assessment and care MUST be reported to and assessed by the nurse.

○ MIIA paperwork will need to be filled out by the employee and nurse with a copy kept and given to the administrator and to Case House. Nurse to call in to MIIA

○ MIIA Form Instructions ○ MIIA Forms 1 and 2 ○ MIIA Authorization Form

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● MERT (Medical Emergency Response Team) responds in emergency situations ○ Team of at least 3 staff members trained in CPR / AED, Basic First Aid, EPI

administration ○ Team members must be CPR certified ○ Please let the school nurse know if you would like to be part of the MERT team

● MERT Procedures:

○ When nurse is available: staff member responds to situation, calls main office and nurse

■ Identifies self, emergency, location, student (if known); never leave student alone

■ Nurse will assess, render care, if needed call 911 and /or activate MERT ■ Nurse, administrator, or assistant will notify family; MERT member(s) to

assist ■ If Emergency Transport needed, school staff will accompany; nurse will

fill out proper reports and send a copy to Director of Health Services

○ When nurse is NOT available: staff member responds to situation as above, calls 911 if needed, and contacts a nurse by phone (school nurse, director, other) for consultation while awaiting EMS, call to main office. The person encountering the emergency will assist in filling out the paperwork at the earliest time with the nurse.

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COVID-19 Nurse’s Office Procedure and Algorithms

Prior to sending students to nurse, teachers will need to call the nurse when a student requests to visit the nurse's office or for concern to have the student evaluated. Please use discretion. Call will be instead of written pass. Nurse will return the call if/when the student is heading back to class. If a “runner” is available to help, a decision will be made to have the student escorted to the proper area.

● If true emergency that can not wait call nurse to scene, send student, or 911 ● Nurse may have students in line and will need a short delay in student being sent,

or nurse may be in illness isolation space and need time to remove PPE ● If you are concerned re symptoms you can just say “Student Name- for EVAL” ● For scheduled Medications, allow student to come without a call, nurse will be

expecting student Students will need to be assessed before entering space. Susceptible illness will require students to go to the illness isolation area for assessment.

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COVID -19 Resources for Staff:

● COVID-19 Testing locations for Staff and Students as of Aug. 12 (State link): https://www.mass.gov/doc/ma-covid-19-testing-sites/download

● Hand Hygiene: https://youtu.be/IisgnbMfKvI ● Cleansing with Hand Sanitizer: https://youtu.be/nA3G7NBOseQ ● Cough/Sneeze Etiquette: https://youtu.be/6H_lzQ_3uKw ● Donning Full PPE: https://youtu.be/H4jQUBAlBrI ● Doffing Full PPE: https://youtu.be/PQxOc13DxvQ ● Storage and reuse of masks (cloth and surgical): https://youtu.be/JwPWdkbyizw ● Storage and reuse of masks (N95/KN95): https://youtu.be/a-KG-cZETfo ● Cleaning face shields for reuse: https://youtu.be/3RvPKkp5EJs

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Regarding Food

SNACKS MAY ONLY BE EATEN DURING OUTDOOR MASK BREAKS. If needed, additional food consumption will be done under supervision of the nurse. Snack Choices:

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Lunch

● All students that qualify for free and reduced lunch must be offered a bagged lunch for

grab and go at 12:40pm. ● All students/parents may order lunch online in the morning.

○ Lunches will be dropped off at the student’s bus. ■ Students may not eat on the bus.

○ If a student is getting picked up, they can get their lunch in the cafeteria.

In Case Of Emergency

● All One-Way directions are ignored and students and staff must exit the building safely. ● If needed, MERT (Medical Emergency Response Team) responds in emergency

situations

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Mask Breaks

In order to minimize student contact, mask breaks will be staggered by grade. Third block teachers will not be required to supervise mask breaks. Other staff will facilitate. However, if the teacher is willing to do so should let the administration know. The schedule is as follows:

Mask Break Locations:

In order to 1. Tent by playspace 2. Tent outside Pool Door 3. Breezeway - Side by the high school 4. Breezeway - Side by MS gym 5. Under the trees by softball field, outside room 107

a. Alternate site is APC 6. Outside main door, walkway

a. Alternate site is Library

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Sanitation When Changing For Math Classes

● Many students will only transition for their math class. Some will not transition at all.

● Transitioning students will be asked to sanitize their desk when they enter their Math room.

○ Students will put on one glove (provided for each classroom).

○ They will take a disinfecting wipe and scrub down their desk and chair, and then dispose of their glove and wipe while the surfaces dry.

Sanitizing and Disinfecting

● All areas of the school building will be rigorously cleaned and disinfected. We will be increasing deep cleaning and sanitation protocols with our custodial staff, following CDC guidelines. We will be sanitizing high-touch areas frequently throughout the school day.

● We will be minimizing the use of shared items within the classroom. Instead, we will be increasing the use of digital instructional resources and 1:1 materials.

● Whenever possible, teachers will minimize assignments that require multiple people to handle materials or paper.

● Students will be advised to bring minimal required school materials to and from school each day. Each school will develop a list of materials that students should and should not bring to school. Lockers will NOT be used at the middle school this year.

● Students will not share materials or food brought from home.

● We will encourage students to bring their own personal water bottles, filled before coming to school. Students should wash them daily with soap and water, or in a dishwasher at home. As backup, the school will provide disposable cups if needed for students to access water to drink in filling stations located in the cafeteria, outside the gym, and room 146 (art room).

● We will develop protocols for the use of specialized shared materials in various departments: technology, library, art, science, and wellness (cooking).

● Resources:

○ Disinfecting and Cleaning Your Facility

○ Disinfectants-one page

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Distancing

● While DESE distancing guidelines are 3-6 feet, in Weston, our goal is to maintain a

physical distance of six feet between individuals.

● We will be maximizing space between student desks and/or stations. In-school class sizes will be capped at 12. This will allow for 6-foot nose-to-nose social distancing in typically sized classrooms. Larger classroom spaces may be able to accommodate more students and maintain 6-foot distancing among staff and students while smaller classrooms will need to accommodate fewer students. All desks will be facing in the same direction.

● Alternative spaces in each school, such as cafeterias, libraries, and auditoriums will be repurposed to increase available space and accommodate additional distancing.

Student Cohorts

● Students in grades PK-8 will be arranged in cohorts to minimize social contact with their

peers. We will minimize student movement on each campus, with the exception of going outside or going to specialized learning areas. Every effort will be made to limit interactions across cohorts.

○ One exception in this is changing for leveled math classes. Most math classes will be formed from two cohorts.

● Middle school cohorts have been designed to be 12 or under in all circumstances. If a group becomes larger, they will be placed in a larger learning space.

● We will be encouraging outdoor instruction as weather permits. Students can expect to be outside for mask breaks. Please be sure your students are appropriately dressed for the weather.

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Access To and Within Buildings

● Before morning arrival, parents will be responsible to conduct a wellness check for their children. Families will confirm that their child is symptom-free before sending him/her to school each day. Guidelines for wellness checks will be communicated to families in August.

● Faculty and staff will go through a self-screening process to determine whether they are safe to enter the school building.

● Students will not be allowed to enter the school building before their assigned arrival time and after their assigned dismissal time. No in-person before or after school activities will occur in any school buildings. Activities can happen outside or remotely.

● Visitors will not be allowed in the buildings. Schools will develop specific procedures for when parents need to drop off or pick up children or items during school hours.

● Physical barriers will be placed in high-traffic areas such as the main office.

● School hallways will be designated as one-way or two-way with clear signage. Two way hallways will have markers that separate opposing traffic flow.

● Only one student will be allowed in a restroom at a time.

State Science Guidelines

There will be a Google calendar set up for the use of some of our science labs.

Guidance on sharing of equipment Require students to wash hands, wear masks, and maintain distance

● Students should wash or sanitize hands before and after using equipment; frequent 1

handwashing is likely the best way to protect against transmission from surfaces. ● Ideally, students should be 6 feet apart. When wearing masks, 3 feet is the minimum

distance allowed between students (seat edge to seat edge). Masks must cover the nose and mouth and be on at all times if students are less than 6 feet apart or using shared equipment.

Minimize and modify shared equipment usage

● Consider lesson plans that minimize the use of shared equipment. If feasible, reduce 2

class sizes for classes requiring equipment to reduce the need for equipment sharing.

1 Harvard School of Public Health, Schools For Health: Risk Reduction Strategies for Reopening Schools. (2020, June). 2 Harvard School of Public Health, Schools For Health: Risk Reduction Strategies for Reopening Schools. (2020, June).

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● If feasible, procure additional pieces of equipment in order to limit sharing. This may not be possible for more expensive equipment (e.g., microscopes) but may be possible for other types.

● Assign specific students to specific pieces of equipment or workstations that they can use for each class session. This is similar to having assigned seats in classrooms so that specific students are always near the same other students.

● If there is not enough equipment for each student to have their own, consider creating cohorts, e.g., having students work in pairs or small groups and keeping those groups the same.

○ One student can physically touch the equipment (e.g., microscope) and the other students can play roles that do not involve physically touching the equipment (e.g., recording results in a lab journal).

○ If it is possible for the students to wipe down/clean the equipment part of the way through class, students can switch roles. Otherwise, students can swap roles in the next class session.

● Equipment that touches the eyes or mouth (e.g., microscopes) can be shared if a disposable protective cover is added and students do not breathe directly into the item (for example, musical instruments like brass and woodwinds cannot be shared). Disposable protective covers should be removed, disposed of, and replaced with a new cover between uses, and the equipment should be cleaned between uses by students or custodial staff.

● Equipment that does not come into contact with the mouth (e.g., beakers) can be shared if cleaned by students or custodial staff between uses.

● Do not share equipment or objects that are hard to clean and disinfect (e.g., any materials with fabric or irregular surfaces). 3

Increase shared equipment cleaning

● Shared equipment should be wiped down before and after each use (so there are ideally two wipe-downs between each student’s use). Students or custodial staff could wipe down/clean equipment as appropriate.

○ An EPA approved disinfectant should be made available in each room for this purpose. Sufficient inventory of disinfectant supplies should be maintained at all times.

○ Teachers play an important role in proper equipment hygiene. In the classes in which students wipe down/clean their own equipment, teachers should demonstrate how to properly wipe down/clean equipment, reinforce the importance of this practice, and supervise cleaning to ensure it is done correctly.

○ Post signage in all areas with shared equipment reminding students to wipe it down/clean it before and after use.

● Additionally, shared equipment should be cleaned and disinfected at least daily as part of building cleaning schedules. Frequently touched surfaces (e.g., handles, buttons) should be cleaned multiple times a day. 4

Science and laboratory work

3 CDC, Considerations for Schools. (2020, May 19). 4 CDC, Considerations for Schools. (2020, May 19).

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Below we offer recommendations for science and lab work that is conducted in school as well as remotely.

General lab guidance for in-school activities

● Follow the guidance on sharing equipment from the Guidance for Courses Requiring Additional Safety Considerations (download).

● Remove unnecessary equipment and materials from lab spaces. ● Consider using outdoor spaces for lab work, as they provide opportunities for optimal

physical distancing and investigations. ● Determine which laboratory experiences are highest priority for all students in a grade

level or in a discipline and what experiences can be modified or removed for the year. o Prepare alternative methods (e.g., videos, simulations, demos) for labs as needed

for students to learn the concept. 5

● After disinfecting shared equipment and person protective equipment (PPE) (safety glasses, goggles, aprons, glassware, etc.), allow the equipment to dry for as long as possible in an area with sufficient ventilation away from students (at least 30 minutes) before use. 6

o Consider using disposable materials and small-scale practices (e.g., micro-scale chemistry experiments, which reduce supplies needed) to reduce sanitation needs.

o Designate a bin or space for students to place materials that need to be disinfected. 7

o Wearing protective goggles in school laboratories is required by Massachusetts law (Mass. Gen. Laws c. 71, § 55C). Extra attention should be paid to goggles, as they come into close contact with the face and eyes. Goggles must be disinfected between uses. 8

● See Appendix XI of the 2016 Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework for general lab safety guidelines, including for the 2019 OSHA updates to the Safety Practices and Legal Requirements.

General lab guidance for remote activities

If a school is unable to hold in-person lab classes, we strongly recommend labs are conducted by teachers and observed by students instead of having students conduct labs at home. If some form of practical work is done at home during remote learning, we recommend the following guidelines to support student safety and prioritize equitable learning opportunities.

● Supplies to support learning activities should be readily available in homes or provided by the district. No chemicals outside of common household items should be required for an activity. Consider opportunities to distribute materials needed to implement activities before requiring an activity to be completed at home.

● Educators should model (e.g., live, video, in writing) safety practices before assigning labs. Provide students and families with information on materials, procedures, and safety protocols of labs. Provide families with a lab safety acknowledgement form tailored to remote learning. Experiments should be done under adult supervision.

● The use of household chemicals or kitchen supplies should be limited to those that have a safety classification as 1 on the Safety Data Sheet (SDS). For example, vinegar should not be used without appropriate PPE because of the safety label of 2. Safety data sheets

5 Flinn Scientific, Guidance on Re-Entry to Schools, K-12: Part A. (2020) 6 Lab Manager, COVID-19: What You Need to Know and What You Should Do Now. (2020, March) 7 Association of Library Service for Children, Best Practices for Cleaning Play and Learning Spaces. (2017, April) 8 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Considerations for Schools. (2020, May)

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should be reviewed beforehand, including the use of any household substances in an activity. Safety hazard information can be found here. Safety Data Sheets can be found by searching the internet for “SDS <chemical name>.

● Prepare alternative methods (e.g., videos, simulations, demos) for labs as needed for students to learn the concept.

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