El Rancho Charter School
September 11th, 2020
September 14-18...Week 5 Schedule
Tuesday: Periods 2, 4, and 6
Wednesday: Periods 1, 3, 5, and 7
Thursday: Periods 2, 4, and 6
Friday: All Classes
Plan for Reopening El Rancho
Reopening Schools
On September 8th, the first reassessment under the Blueprint for a Safer Economy took place. Orange County moved to Tier 2: Substantial (red), and it must meet the Tier 2 criteria for two consecutive weeks for schools to reopen. If the metrics for the county worsen for two consecutive weeks, they move back to the more restrictive tier.
Orange County schools would be able to offer in-person classes as soon as September 23rd. However, at El Rancho Charter's July Board Meeting, we committed to being online until the end of the first quarter, which is October 14th.
Additional Resources:
When will El Rancho Reopen?
All students will not return to school on the same day. We plan to open slowly with a staggered start. Everyone will remain online on October 15th and 16th. On Monday, October 19th and Tuesday, October 20th, 7th-grade students will return with the Monday/Tuesday group and then the 7th-grade Wednesday/Thursday group will return on October 21st and October 22nd. Our 7th graders have never been on our campus and will need to learn the routes to their classes and new rules and protocols. 8th graders will continue with online learning during this week.
Monday, October 26th and Tuesday October 27th, our 8th-grade students who chose Monday and Tuesday will return in their groupings. Then, the Wednesday and Thursday 8th grade group will come in on October 28th and October 29th. All students will work virtually on Friday, October 30th.
Students who are 100% online will continue to meet with their classes as they have been and use the Hybrid Bell Schedule.
What Steps Have been taken at El Rancho?
Our custodial staff has worked hard while students have been off-campus to prepare for the safe return of our students and staff.
- Clorox 360 cleaning system was purchased to assist custodial staff in the cleaning and disinfecting of classrooms.
- Plexiglass personal student barriers were purchased for students to take from class to class.
- Portable clear barriers for staff to move within the classroom.
- Plastic shields for teacher desks.
- Physical barriers were installed in front office areas where face-to-face interaction with the public occurs.
- Every classroom and workstation has been provided hand sanitizer to use.
- Additional hand sanitizer stations have been added around campus.
- Handwashing stations will be added to our campus.
- Posted signs around campus reminding students of face coverings, social distancing, and handwashing to prevent the spread of germs.
- One-way directional signs to limit face to face contact between students.
- Staff will adhere to social/physical distancing and face mask guidelines.
Face Coverings and PPE
In accordance with the California Department of Public Health's (CDPH) Guidance, students and staff are expected to wear cloth face coverings.
Students must utilize face coverings:
- While in the classroom
- While waiting to enter campus
- While on school grounds (except when eating, drinking or playing)
- While entering and exiting school
- While on the bus
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will be provided to staff and students, but it is highly encouraged for students to bring their own face covering.
- Personal face coverings will be allowed in compliance with dress code policies.
- Teachers and identified staff members will receive a reusable face shield.
- Gloves are not recommended for use by students or staff, with the exception of those conducting cleaning, first aid, or food service.
If a student arrives to campus without a face-covering, one will be provided for them. Students who refuse to wear a face-covering will be sent home and will need to attend classes virtually, otherwise they will be marked absent.
Learning Options
Hybrid:
- Students attend on-campus classes on either Monday and Tuesday or Wednesday and Thursday from 8:30 AM to 2:50 PM.
- Students will attend half of their classes on one day and the other half on the second day with a block schedule of 90 minutes per class period.
- Mondays and Wednesdays will have Periods 1, 3, 5, and 7 and on Tuesdays and Thursdays will have Periods 2, 4, 5, and 6.
- Monday through Thursday 5th-period will be 45 minutes in length.
- The two days students are not on campus they will join the class virtually.
- All students will participate in each class online on Fridays.
Online:
- Students will attend all classes online on a structured schedule.
- Students will attend Periods 1, 3, 5, and 7 on Mondays and Wednesdays, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays will attend Periods 2, 4, 5, and 6.
- Classes Monday-Thursday will be 90-minutes in length, except for 5th period, which will be 45 minutes in length.
All students will have the option to take the 5 core classes and 1 or 2 electives or just the 5 core classes. Families that choose to remove their electives at this point in the year may have their schedules rearranged. This may result in your student having different teachers.
Attendance
Physical Education Classes
Students will participate in PE in their uniforms.
OR
Students will have the opportunity to wear El Rancho sweatpants and uniform top to school on days that they have PE, which will be worn all day.
Student and Parent Responsibilites
- If your student is not feeling well, even a little scratchy throat, keep them home. They can attend class online and get attendance credit.
- Commit to daily symptom checks, including temperature checks before school. 100 degrees and over need to stay home until they have been symptom free for 72 hours without medications.
- Adhere to hygiene (handwashing) and physical distancing protocols.
- Wear face-coverings/masks-students without a mask will be given one; those who refuse will be sent home.
- Bring a refillable water bottle to school as drinking fountains are shut off.
- Students should have their own supplies to prevent the sharing of supplies and the need for cleaning.
- Voice any concerns or challenges to an adult.
Screening At Home
Screening at home will be vital to keeping students and staff healthy.
- Families are strongly encouraged to take temperatures daily and monitor children for symptoms before going to school. Anyone with a fever of 100°F, without fever reducer/pain relief medication, or higher should not go to a school site. Personal illness, quarantine, and COVID-19 illness or symptom-related absences will be excused.
- Students and staff may only return to school after 72 hours of being symptom free with out medications.
- Students and adults are strongly encouraged to self-screen for respiratory symptoms such as cough and shortness of breath prior to coming to school each day. Students and adults experiencing those symptoms should not attend school.
- Staff members are required to have their temperatures taken prior to beginning work. If staff members are experiencing symptoms, they should stay home and contact the office.
We are returning just as the flu season is about to begin. Both the flu and COVID-19 are contagious respiratory illnesses cause by different viruses. Because some of the symptoms of flue and COVID-19 are similar, it may be hard to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone. Testing may be needed to confirm a diagnosis.
Symptoms of the Flu: Influenza (flu) can cause mild to severe illness and usually comes on suddenly. People who have the flu often feel some or all of the following:
- fever* or feeling feverish/chills
- cough
- sore throat
- runny or stuffy nose
- muscle or body aches
- headaches
- fatigue (tiredness)
- some may experience vomiting and diarrhea, which is more common in children than adults.
*Not everyone with the flu will have a fever.
Symptoms of COVID-19: People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms which range from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms my appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with COVID-19 may have the following symptoms:
- fever or chills
- cough
- sore throat
- congestion or runny nose
- muscle or body aches
- headaches
- fatigue (tiredness)
- nausea or vomiting
- diarrhea
- shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- new loss of taste or smell
Arriving at School
- Students and staff members will be required to wear face coverings.
- School sites will designate routes and specific locations for entry and exit in order to limit direct contact with others.
- School sites will have signage throughout campus to remind students and staff about wearing face coverings, social distancing and hand washing.
- Parents, please call the office prior to arriving on campus if you need to pick your student up early from school.
Other Safety Considerations
- Staff members will complete mandated COVID-19 online trainings.
- Campuses will follow guidelines developed by the CDPH for cleaning, disinfection, and ventilation of school campuses.
- Common touch surfaces will be cleaned regularly (e.g. countertops, door handles, restrooms, student desks, student chairs)
- Staff and students will be expected to wash/sanitize their hands regularly.
- Schools will limit the sharing of supplies between students to the extent possible and encourage students to take home personal items for cleaning daily.
- Students will be encouraged to bring personal/refillable water bottles.
Transportation
Addington Dr. @ Addington Cir.
Deerfield St. @ Bainbridge
Eastpark Dr. @ Oakcrest Cir.
Valley Forge @ Merrimac
Nutrition and Lunch
During these times, students will need to practice social distancing. Unless they are eating, students will also need to wear their face coverings.
COVID-19 Testing and Reporting
California Department of Public Health Action Guidelines
Student or staff with COVID-19 Symptoms (e.g., fever, cough, loss of taste or smell, difficulty breathing):
- Send home student or staff immediately, place in school site isolation room while awaiting pick-up
- Recommend COVID-Testing
- School/classroom remain open
- No communication sent to the classroom or school community
Student or staff with close contact to a confirmed COVID-19 case:
- Send home student or staff immediately, place in school site isolation room while awaiting pick-up
- Quarantine for 14 days from last exposure
- Recommend COVID-testing
- School/classroom remain open
- Consider school community notification of a known contact
Staff or student with confirmed COVID-19 case infection:
- Notify the local public health department
- Isolate case and exclude from school for 10 days from symptom onset or test date
- Identify close contacts, quarantine and exclude exposed contacts; could be entire cohort for 14 days after the last date the case was present at school while infectious
- Recommend testing of contacts, prioritize symptomatic contacts
- Disinfection and cleaning of classroom and primary spaces where case spent significant time
- School remains open
- School or classroom community notification of a known case
Staff or student tests negative after symptoms:
- Staff or student may return to school 3 days after symptoms resolve
- School/classroom remain open
- Consider school community notification if prior awareness of testing
What are the criteria for closing a school?
The California Department of Public Health recommends individual school closure based on the number of cases, the percentage of the teacher/student/staff that are positive for COVID-19, and following consultation with the Local Health Officer. Individual school closure may
be appropriate when there are multiple cases in multiple cohorts at a school or when at least 5% of the total number of teacher/student/staff cases are within a 14-day period, depending on the size and physical layout of the school.
The Local Health Officer may also determine school closure is warranted for other reasons, including results from public health investigation or other local epidemiological data.
If a school is closed for in-person learning, when may it reopen?
Schools may typically reopen after 14 days and the following has occurred:
- Cleaning and disinfection
- Public health investigation
- Consultation with the local public health department
What are the criteria for closing a school district?
The California Department of Public Health recommends that a superintendent should close a school district if 25% or more of schools in a district have closed due to COVID-19 within 14 days, and in consultation with the local health department.
If a school district is closed, when may it reopen?
Districts may typically reopen after 14 days, in consultation with the local health department.
*These action guidelines may change in accordance with recommendations from CDPH and the local county health officer.