@HSD Staff Health Update
August 26, 2021
Summary School Opening COVID Safety Protocols for Start of School Year
PK-12 Masking Requirements
- Per Governor Murphy's Executive Order 251, all students, educators, staff, and visitors will be required to wear face masks indoors for the start of the 2021-2022 school year.
- Masks are required in the indoor premises of all Haddonfield School District buildings, with limited exceptions outlined here. This includes events held before/after school hours (e.g., BOE Meetings).
- Masks are required on school buses, regardless of vaccination status.
- Masks are not required when outdoors.
- For those medically unable to wear a face covering, a medical note by a licensed healthcare provider must be submitted to the school nurse for review/final approval by the district physician. Once such a note is submitted to the school nurse, the district will make a final determination within 7 working days.
- New masks (same mask model, different colors) will be provided to HSD staff. Until the order arrives, please see your building principal/supervisor for a disposable mask, if needed. We also have a limited supply of the red masks provided last year.
Physical Distancing
We will maintain 3 feet of physical distancing to the greatest extent practicable while offering full-time, in-person learning to all students.
Where students may be in classroom configurations where desks/tables are in small groups, teachers will make every effort to keep those students together when moving about the classroom (e.g., on carpet area)
Lunches
- Similar lunch protocols that were successfully employed at the end of 2020-21 will be in effect, with some exceptions: a) school will run traditional lunch periods; b) physical distancing will be at least 3 feet.
- School lunches will be free for all students until the end of the 2021-22 School Year (no paperwork, income verification, etc.).
- Students will eat snacks and lunches outdoors to the greatest extent possible and when weather conditions permit (3 feet of physical distancing).
- To accommodate physical distancing, elementary students will again eat on the floor and be provided with a raised lunch tray. Staff will sanitize floors before and after each lunch period.
- When the heat index is anticipated to be above 90 F, elementary students will eat lunch indoors.
Screening, Communication and School Exclusion
- Completion of daily screening required for students and staff
- HSD will continue to send COVID notifications for COVID+ cases and maintain the COVID+ dashboard to document current cases, in addition to timely messages from @HSD Health.
- Parents are implored to contact the school nurse when a student and/or family member is COVID+. This is the primary means by which the district is made aware of positive cases.
- Students excluded from school for being in close contact with a COVID+ individual and/or are COVID+ will have the option to receive remote instruction.
- Students displaying COVID-like symptoms without a medical diagnosis of COVID will have the option to received remote instruction after 3 consecutive days missed. (please see "Virtual Instruction..." info. in the next section)
- In the PreK–12 indoor classroom setting, the close contact definition excludes students within 6 feet of an infected student (laboratory-confirmed or a clinically compatible illness) where both the infected student and the exposed student(s) correctly and consistently wore masks the entire time.
- Even though students that meet the close contact definition will not likely be required to be excluded from school, courtesy close contact notices will still be sent to families/staff. This exception does not apply to unvaccinated staff. If an unvaccinated staff member is in close contact with a COVID+ individual, they will be excluded from school and have the opportunity to request work from home accommodations.
- General COVID+ notices and COVID+ Dashboard will continue to remain in effect.
Virtual Instruction for Students Excluded From School
- If your student is excluded from school for being COVID+, a close contact, or experiencing COVID-like symptoms for more than 3 days, virtual instruction will be provided (if the student is well enough to participate).
- We expect teachers will make the live stream and classwork available as soon as possible, but we do not anticipate that to be immediate.
- For example, if you learn late in the evening or early in the morning, you will not be expected to have a virtual institution ready the next day. General minimum guidance is that traditional work is provided within 24-48 hours, and virtual instruction thereafter. Your principal is prepared to discuss this with you for specific guidance when the instance arises.
Windows? Fans? Air Conditioning?
- While we encourage open windows to the greatest extent, you should not do so at the expense of the classroom learning environment. Bottom line, on excessive heat days (or excessive cold), it's ok to have windows closed.
- Even with windows closed, our HVAC system brings in a minimum of 20% of fresh air, which is beyond the required 10% per NJ Building Code.
- Wall fans should not run as they push around the air and possibly aid in spreading airborne contaminants.
- Also important to note that the district did not notice any difference in COVID cases among windowless classrooms and those with windows.
Exploration of In-District Pooled COVID Testing Screening - UPDATE
What is Pooled Testing?
- Pooled testing means combining the same type of specimen from several people and conducting one laboratory test on the combined pool of specimens to detect SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
- Pooled tests that return positive results will require each specimen in the pool to be retested individually to determine which individual(s) are positive.
- Testing would most likely occur in the home and be designated only for non-vaccinated individuals.
We have received limited information from the State that a testing program may be available to school districts; as a result, we are awaiting more information from the State before further considering an in-district testing plan.
Results of August Parent Interest Survey for Pooled COVID Testing
Regional COVID Levels
Athletics
- Masking is not required for students while participating in athletics (regardless of vaccination status).
- Student-athletes must wear masks only when indoors, when not engaged in high-intensity aerobic activity, and when on school buses.
HSD/Adler's Pharmacy In-District COVID Vaccination Clinic
- The Pfizer vaccine will be administered.
- This event is for those who received their first shot on 8/11, those in need of their first dose, and those in need of the third booster shot - only for those getting their first or booster doses - You MUST pre-register at Adler's Pharmacy website. Then click the image at the bottom of the page, "COVID-19 Vaccine Information." Next, click "Haddonfield Memorial High School, and follow the registration prompts/questions. Once registered, you will receive a follow-up notice from Adler before September 1.
- This is being held in the HMHS Cafeteria. Please enter HMHS at the Sylvan Lake entrance. The main entrance to the school will not be accessible.
- This opportunity is open to any individual eligible to receive the COVID vaccine.
- HSD STAFF ONLY: We are planning an In-District COVID-19 booster clinic for HSD staff and their families, tentatively scheduled for November 2 from 3-5 PM
Wednesday, Sep 1, 2021, 04:00 PM
Haddonfield Memorial High School - B Building, Sylvan Lake Avenue, Haddonfield, NJ, USA
Governor Murphy's Executive Order 253: School Personnel Vaccination Requirement
- All public, private, and parochial preschool programs, and elementary and secondary schools, including charter and renaissance schools (“covered settings”), must maintain a policy that requires all covered workers to either provide adequate proof to the covered setting that they have been fully vaccinated or submit to COVID-19 testing at minimum one to two times weekly.
- This requirement shall take effect on October 18, 2021, at which time any covered workers that have not provided adequate proof that they are fully vaccinated must submit to a minimum of weekly or twice weekly testing on an ongoing basis until fully vaccinated.
- The vaccination rate for all HSD Staff is at least 85% as of 8/26.
- The vaccination rate among vaccine-eligible students is at least 79% as of 8/26.
- The district is currently in communications with a local vendor to possibly provide weekly testing in-district. Those that are not fully vaccinated must submit to weekly testing (1 time per week).
- Our nurses have access to NJ's Immunization Information System (NJIIS); therefore, fully vaccinated staff will not likely have to provide any information to the district. We will reach out to those without information in the NJIIS (some vaccination providers do not share data with NJISS; in these instances, the staff members will be required to show proof of vaccination).
- Staff may demonstrate proof of full vaccination status by presenting the following documents if they list COVID-19 vaccines, along with an administration date for each dose: 1) The CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Card issues by the vaccination site or an electronic or physical copy of the same; 2) Offical record from the NJIIS or other State immunization registry; 3) A record from a health care provider's portal/medial record system on official letterhead signed by a licensed physician, nurse practitioner, physician's assistant, registered nurse, or pharmacist; 4) A military immunization or health record from the US Armed Forces; 5) Docket mobile phone application record or any state-specific application that produces a digital health record.
- YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PROVIDE THE ABOVE RECORDS UNLESS YOU ARE REQUESTED TO DO SO BY THE DISTRICT
Haddonfield School District
Email: gpriolo@haddonfield.k12.nj.us
Website: https://haddonfieldschools.org/
Location: 1 Lincoln Avenue, Haddonfield, NJ, USA
Phone: 856-429-7510
Facebook: facebook.com/HaddonfieldSchoolDistrict/
Twitter: @HaddonSchools