The health and safety of SSP students and staff is our top priority when planning for a successful return to in-person learning. SSP continues to utilize the most up-to-date guidance from the CDC, MDH and local health officials. 

Guidance for safety protocols are expected to be continuously evolving and the protocols below will be modified as needed based on current guidelines, research and best practices. Students and staff will be given information, ongoing training and guided practice to be able to adhere to the health related expectations.

In alignment with guidelines from the CDC and MDH:

• Social Distancing and Minimizing Exposure
  Social distancing (also called physical distancing) means keeping space between yourself and other people outside of your home. Social distancing is a critical tool in decreasing the spread of COVID-19. We will be creating as much space between people as possible during the day.
  
  
• Face Coverings
  Following the Governor's Executive Order, face coverings are required for all students, staff and other persons present in any school buildings or district offices or riding on school transportation vehicles. Staff will wear face coverings and face shields. Accomodations will be made when staff are serving students in settings where seeing a person’s lips is necessary. Children younger than 5 years of age are not required to wear face coverings.
  
  
• Daily Health Screening
  • Before arriving at school, students and staff are stating they do not have any of the following: a temperature 100.4°F or higher, difficulty breathing, new or worsening cough, and loss of taste or smell. They do not have two or more of the following: sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, muscle pain, excessive fatigue, sever headache, new nasal congestion. 
  • Students and staff who are ill or exhibiting any symptoms of illness should not come to school or work.
  • Continue to report any positive COVID test results to the District COVID Coordinator, Shawnee Krueger 651-248-1055.
  • Staff and students who have been exposed to a person with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 should follow current CDC recommendations to stay home and monitor their health. Per CDC guidance, exposure is considered to be within six feet of the diagnosed individual for 15 minutes or greater.
    
    
• Health Offices
  School health offices have designated a separate space for the care of students who are ill, while having another space to serve the general health and medication needs of students.
  
  
• Health Reminders
  Students and staff will be educated on and reminded of proper prevention techniques, including:
  • Handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and increase monitoring to ensure adherence among students and staff. If soap and water are not readily available, hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol can be used. Appropriate supplies to support healthy hygiene behaviors (e.g. soap, hand sanitizer, paper towels, disinfectant wipes and tissues) to be strategically place in areas where they may be frequently used.
  • Covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue, throwing used tissues in the trash and washing hands immediately with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

• During arrival and dismissal times, schools will use as many designated entry and exit points as possible to avoid large gatherings of students in one area. Details will be shared by your child's school.
  
  
• Signage will be posted throughout schools that promote everyday protective measures and reminds how to stop the spread of germs (properly washing hands, properly wearing a face covering, social distancing).
  
  
• Classroom arrangements will be modified to the extent possible to create as much physical distancing among students and staff.
  
  
• Classroom practices will be modified to minimize sharing of items that are difficult to clean or disinfect, including electronic devices, toys, books and other games or learning aids.
  
  
• As much as possible, students will stay together (cohort model) in the same classroom throughout the day.
  
  
• Classes will minimize movement through the building, only moving when necessary to do so. Common areas will be reconfigured by spacing out or eliminating furniture to minimize crowding.
  
  
• Passing times will be staggered when possible in order to reduce the number of students in hallways.
  
  
• Alternate indoor spaces and outdoor areas will be used to the extent possible in order to enhance physical distancing.
  
  
• INTERIM RESTRICTIONS FOR VISITORS: To help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, parents, guardians, family members and others are discouraged from entering school buildings. We are requiring that student drop-off/pick-up are done from outside the building. In the event a situation arises for someone other than a student or staff member to enter our building, prior approval from the Building Principal or Department Leader is required. Preapproved visitors are required to check in at the office. All visitors are required to wear a face covering at all times when in our district buildings. If a visitor does not have a face covering, masks are available in each building office. Visitors who are unable to wear a face covering due to a medical condition should speak with an administrator.
  
  
• While many steps will be taken to provide physical distancing, there is no way to guarantee it in all instances.

• Custodians will conduct a deep cleaning of each school nightly using hospital-grade disinfectant that can have a residual effect of up to 24 hours.
  
  
• Custodians will increase the frequency of cleaning of common touch surfaces including handrails, door handles, etc., using hospital-grade disinfectant.
  
  
• Custodians will increase the frequency of restroom checks to ensure hand soap and paper towels remain available.
  
  
• Buildings and grounds staff will work to maintain adequate inventory of building cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment.
  
  
• Regular inspections of ventilation and air handling systems will be conducted to ensure normal operation.

With student and staff safety as our top priority, we are working closely with our transportation providers to follow the most up-to-date guidance from the CDC, MDH, and local health officials.

• Busing capacity will be limited to 50 percent.

• Students will be loaded back-to-front, and unloaded front-to-back, and students may have assigned seats.

• Students will be required to wear masks at the bus stop and on the bus at all times.

• Bus drivers will wear masks at all times.

• Hand sanitizer will be available on all buses.

• The buses will be thoroughly cleaned on a nightly basis. Common touch surfaces (handrails, tops of seats, etc.) will be cleaned between all routes.

• Bus riders will be limited to one student per seat. Siblings will be allowed to sit together.

• Eligible students will be required to register for transportation services.

• Special Education transportation will follow safety and social distancing protocol.

• In-person students will notify their teacher at the beginning of the day if they need a hot lunch.

• Elementary school meals will be delivered to classrooms and students will have 30 minutes to eat.

• Meals will be in individually wrapped selections or pre-plated.

• Students and teachers will wipe their desk/table using soap and water prior to eating.