MCSD Communicable Disease Plan - Mechanicville City School District

PDF Copy of MCSD Communicable Disease Plan

Communicable Disease – Pandemic Continuity of Operations Plan

This Continuity of Operations Plan (plan) has been developed to meet the requirements of subsection (2)(m) of Education Law §2801-a which requires public employers to prepare a plan for the continuation of operations in the event that the Governor declares a public health emergency involving a communicable disease. This plan is built upon the components of the District-Wide School Safety and the Building-Level Emergency Response Plan(s). The Plan includes elements of COVID-19 Reopening Plan and will be updated regularly to reflect current guidance and best practices. The District-Wide School Safety Team assumes responsibility for development and compliance with all provisions of this plan and implementation at the building level through the Building-Level Emergency Response Team.

The Mechanicville City School District will work closely with the Saratoga County Department of Health to determine the need for activation of this plan. The district will report suspected and confirmed cases of communicable diseases (e.g., influenza, coronavirus, etc.) on the monthly Communicable Disease Report, (DMS-485.7/93; HE-112.4/81) and submit it to the local health department. Depending on the severity of the disease, the district may be required to report information more frequently and in another format (i.e., daily for COVID-19).

The local health department will monitor county-wide communicable disease cases and inform school districts as to appropriate actions.

When this plan is activated, the District-Wide School Safety Team may invite additional people to the meetings to aid in the planning efforts:

District Medical Director
School nurse(s)
Technology Director
Human Resources Director
Business Official
Facility Director
Food Service Director
Transportation Coordinator
Public Information Officer
Curriculum Director

Communication with parents, students, staff, and the school community is important throughout a pandemic outbreak. Communication methods will include postings to the district website, general mailings, email, social media, school communication apps, and the public media. The Superintendent’s Office has been designated to coordinate this effort and will work closely with the Assistant Superintendent for STEAM and Innovation to ensure proper function of all communication systems.

Essential Positions/Titles

The district has developed this plan to prepare for any future government ordered shutdowns that may occur, similar to the coronavirus shutdown in the spring of 2020. Attachment 1 includes a list of essential positions that would be required to be on-site or in district to continue to function as opposed to those positions that could work remotely. The list includes:

Title – a list of positions/titles considered essential (i.e., could not work remotely) in the event of a state-ordered reduction of in-person workforce.
Description – brief description of job function.
Justification – brief description of critical responsibilities that could not be provided remotely.
Work Shift – brief description of how work shifts of essential employees and/or contractors will be staggered in order to reduce overcrowding in the district.
Protocol – how precise hours and work locations, including off-site visits, will be documented for essential employees and contractors.

Working/Learning Remotely

The District will assess devices and technology needs of all non-essential employees and contractors in order to enable telecommuting.

Options for assessing district needs include stakeholder meetings or surveys to determine:

Who will need devices and/or peripherals at home,
What programs will need to be added to these devices, and
The availability of viable existing at-home Internet service.

The information from these surveys will be used to determine what items need to be purchased, which programs need to be installed on devices and if appropriate Internet bandwidth can be provided to those in need

Reducing Risk

Depending on the exact nature of the communicable disease and its impact, the district is prepared to use the strategies below to reduce traffic congestion and maintain social distancing:

Limiting building occupancy to 25%, 50% or 75% of capacity or the maximum allowable by state or local guidance.
Forming employee work shift cohorts to limit potential contacts.
Limit employee travel within the building and/or between buildings.
Limit restroom usage to specific work areas.
Stagger arrival and dismissal times.
Alternate work-days or work weeks.
Implement a four-day work week.
Limit or eliminate visitors to the building.

The district may need to include additional strategies based on updated federal, state, and local guidance.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Face Coverings

The district will procure a six-month supply of face coverings and PPE required for essential work tasks. Disposable PPE will be provided in quantities of at least two pieces per work day.

PPE Type	Task/Role
N-95	Nurses/Nurses’ Aides Cleaners/Custodians (based on disinfectants used)
Face Shields	Nurses/Nurses’ Aides Special Education
Gowns	Nurses/Nurses’ Aides Special Education
Gloves	Nurses/Nurses’ Aides Special Education Cleaners/Custodians Maintenance/Mechanics
Cloth Face Coverings*	All faculty, staff and students

* OSHA does not consider cloth face coverings to be personal protective equipment because their capability to protect the wearer is unknown. However, cloth face coverings are important as a source control for COVID-19 and provides some protection to the wearer. As such, OSHA strongly encourages workers to wear face coverings.

Those individuals that are required to wear N-95 respirators will be fit-tested and medically screened prior to use to ensure they are physically able to do so.

The use of cloth face coverings to reduce the spread of communicable diseases is important to the health and safety of faculty, staff and students. Cloth face coverings are meant to protect other people in case the wearer is unknowingly infected (asymptomatic) and are essential when physical distancing is difficult. Information will be provided to faculty, staff and students on proper use, removal, and cleaning of cloth face coverings. All faculty, staff and students will be encouraged to utilize their own personal face coverings but the district will secure and provide face coverings as needed.

PPE and face coverings will be stored in a manner which will prevent degradation. These supplies will be monitored to ensure integrity and track usage rates.

Continuity of Operations

Continuity of operations could be severely impacted by a loss of staff. The table below describes the procedures for maintaining essential functions and services by planning for backup personnel.

Role/Topic	Task	Backups
Overall Operations	Have decision-making authority for the district. Make district policies and procedures to reflect crisis response.	Those listed below are assigned to this role: Superintendent Business Official Director of Facilities
Business Office	Maintain overall function and facilities operation. Review essential functions and responsibilities of back-up personnel. Monitor utilization of supplies, equipment, contracts, and provided services and adjust as necessary	Purchasing Purchasing Agent Payroll District Treasurer Accounts Payable Senior Typist
Facilities	Keep the Business Office informed of staffing issues and of the point at which buildings can no longer be maintained Provided building administrators with procedures for maintaining essential building functions (e.g., HVAC system operation, alarms, security, etc.) along with a list of telephone numbers of outside companies and alternates for repair and maintenance of these systems Meet with staff and monitor their ability to maintain essential function	Buildings and Grounds Supervisor
Human Resources	Monitors absenteeism and ensures appropriate delegation of authority Work with bargaining units to develop the plan for emergency use of personnel in non-traditional functions and changes in the normal work-day such as alternate or reduced work hours, working from home, etc.	Recruitment/Staffing Business Manager Workplace Safety Superintendent/Business Manager Training Business Manager Labor Law Compliance Business Manager Compensation Planning Business Manager
Continuity of Instruction	Implemented in the event of significant absences or school closure. Alternate learning strategies will include: Hard copy, self-directed lessons Use of mobile media storage devices for lessons (CDs, Jump Drives, iPad) On-line instruction; on-line resources; on-line textbooks Communication modalities for assignment postings and follow-up: telephone; Postal Service; cell phone, cell phone mail, text messages; e-mail; automated notification systems; website postings

Response

The District-Wide School Safety Team will meet to determine the need for activation of a pandemic response based on internal monitoring and correspondence with the local health department and other experts.

The Incident Command Structure at both the District and Building level will be informed that the response effort has been enacted. These individuals will meet to discuss the plan’s activation and review responsibilities and communication procedures.
Communications will work closely with the Informational Technology Department to re-test all communication systems to ensure proper function. The District-wide School Safety Team and Building-Level Emergency Response Teams will assist in this effort.
An alert will be sent to the school community upon activation of this plan. The communication will be based on the latest information from federal, state and local health authorities.
If the decision is made to close a school building, the district will notify the NYS Education Department and District Superintendent.

The district will assign a communicable disease safety coordinator for the district, whose responsibilities include continuous compliance with all aspects of the district’s reopening plan and any phased-in reopening activities necessary to allow for operational issues to be resolved before activities return to normal or “new normal” levels. The coordinators shall be the main contact upon the identification of positive communicable disease cases and are responsible for subsequent communication. Coordinators shall be responsible for answering questions from students, faculty, staff, and parents or legal guardians of students regarding the public health emergency and plans implemented by the school.

Hand Hygiene

Faculty, staff, and students will be trained on proper hand hygiene. Information will be provided to parents and/or legal guardians on ways to reinforce hand hygiene at home. The district will provide stations around the school buildings:

For hand washing: soap, running water, and disposable paper towels.
For hand sanitizing: an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol for areas where hand washing facilities may not be available or practical.
Accommodations for students who cannot use hand sanitizer will be made.

Communicable Disease Exposures

The district must be prepared for communicable disease outbreaks in their local communities and for individual exposure events to occur in their facilities, regardless of the level of community transmission. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) have provided recommendations for strategies to follow after an exposure:

Close off areas used by a sick person and not using these areas until after cleaning and disinfection has occurred;
Open outside doors and windows to increase air circulation in the area.
Wait at least 24 hours before cleaning and disinfection. If waiting 24 hours is not feasible, wait as long as possible;
Clean and disinfect all areas used by the person suspected or confirmed to have a communicable disease, such as offices, classrooms, bathrooms, lockers, and common areas.
Once the area has been appropriately cleaned and disinfected it can be reopened for use.
Individuals without close or proximate contact with the person suspected or confirmed to have a communicable disease can return to the area and resume school activities immediately after cleaning and disinfection.
If more than seven days have passed since the person who is suspected or confirmed to have a communicable disease visited or used the facility, additional cleaning or disinfection is not necessary, but routine cleaning and disinfection should continue.

Contact Tracing

The district will notify the state and local health department immediately upon being informed of any positive communicable disease diagnostic test result by an individual within school facilities or on school grounds, including students, faculty, staff, and visitors of the district.

Districts may assist with contact tracing by:

Keeping accurate attendance records of students and staff members
Ensuring student schedules are up to date
Keeping a log of any visitor which includes date and time, and where in the school they visited
Assisting the local health departments in tracing all contacts of the individual in accordance with the protocol, training, and tools provided through the NYS Contact Tracing Program

The district, in consultation with the local health department, will determine what process will be followed when communicable disease cases are discovered in the school (e.g., how many individuals will be quarantined, closing of areas or classrooms, etc.).

Confidentiality must be maintained as required by federal and state laws and regulations. School staff should not try to determine who is to be excluded from school based on contact without guidance and direction from the local health department.

Returning after Illness

The district has established protocols and procedures, in consultation with the local health department(s), about the requirements for determining when individuals, particularly students, who screened positive for communicable disease symptoms can return to the in-person learning environment at school. This protocol includes:

Documentation from a health care provider following evaluation
Negative COVID-19 diagnostic test result
Symptom resolution, or if positive for a communicable disease, release from isolation

The district will refer to the NYSDOH’s “Pre-K to Gr 12 COVID-19 Toolkit” and other applicable guidance regarding protocols and policies for faculty, staff, and students seeking to return to work after a suspected or confirmed communicable disease case or after the faculty or staff member had close or proximate contact with a person with a communicable disease.

The district requires that individuals who were exposed to a communicable disease complete quarantine and have no symptoms before returning to in-person learning. The discharge of an individual from quarantine and return to school will be conducted in coordination with the local health department.

Cleaning/Disinfecting

The district will ensure adherence to hygiene and cleaning and disinfection requirements as advised by the CDC and NYSDOH, including “Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfection – Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools and Homes” and other guidance, as applicable.

Attachment 2 describes cleaning and disinfection protocols and procedures for the district. Regular cleaning and disinfection of the facilities will occur, including more frequent cleaning and disinfection for high-risk and frequently touched surfaces. This will include desks and cafeteria tables, which will be cleaned and disinfected between each individual’s use. Cleaning and disinfection will be rigorous and ongoing and will occur at least daily, or more frequently as needed.

The district will ensure regular cleaning and disinfection of restrooms. Restrooms will be cleaned and disinfected more often depending on frequency of use.

The school district has determined employee policies for available leave in the event of the need of an employee to receive testing, treatment, isolation, or quarantine. These policies are consistent with existing federal, state, or local law, including regarding sick leave or health information privacy.

Housing for Essential Employees

The school district, in coordination with the local health department, will determine when the emergency housing of essential workers is necessary. Essential workers who will be required to use emergency housing will be identified.

Recovery

Re-establishing the normal school curriculum is essential to the recovery process and should occur as soon as possible. The district will

Work toward a smooth transition from the existing learning methods to the normal process.
Use the described communication methods to keep the school community aware of the transition process.

Work closely with the New York State Education Department to revise or amend the school calendar as deemed appropriate.
Evaluate all building operations for normal function and re-implement appropriate maintenance and cleaning procedures.

Each Building-Level Post-incident Response Team will assess the emotional impact of the crisis on students and staff and make recommendations for appropriate intervention. The District-Wide School Safety Team and Building-Level Emergency Response Teams will meet to de-brief and determine lessons learned with input from all essential functions. The District-Wide School Safety Plan and Building-Level Emergency Response Plans will be updated accordingly.

Curriculum activities that may address the crisis will be developed and implemented.

Attachment 1 – Essential Positions

Title	Description	Justification	Work Shift	Protocol
Superintendent	Responsible for the planning, operation, supervision and evaluation of the education programs, services, and facilities of the district	Oversees District Day to Day operations	Individual office	When on-site: Sign in sheets will be used to track times entering and leaving Health assessment will be completed electronically or on paper
Business Manager	Oversee the day-to-day operational departments of the district. Directs, supervises, and manages all financial management, budget, general accounting, payroll, accounts payable, financial reporting, and grant management activities and practices for the district	Responsible for oversight of business office, school lunch department, buildings & grounds, and transportation departments	8 am – 4 pm Individual office	When on-site: Sign in sheets will be used to track times entering and leaving Health assessment will be completed electronically or on paper
Other District Office Personnel	Processes purchases for the entire district. Human resource administrative work and Accounts payable Payroll, accounting entries and cash management. District Clerk/Executive Assistant to Superintendent	Enters prints and processes all district purchase orders. Assists with human resource paperwork and issues district payment to vendors Processes payroll for all employees of the district. Maintains all district accounting records and is responsible for the day-to-day cash management of district funds. Liaison between parents/community and superintendent & BOE	Work shifts vary Hours are between 7:30AM – 4PM All desks are socially distanced	When on-site: Sign in sheets will be used to track times entering and leaving Health assessment will be completed electronically or on paper
School Impact Department	Oversees School Improvement, STEAM and Innovation and DATA and Accountability	Professional Development and Coaching * Instructional Practices * Behavior Management * Curriculum Alignment * Instructional Technology Integration * Common Formative Assessments Oversees district level/state data reporting	Individual offices	When on-site: Sign in sheets will be used to track times entering and leaving Health assessment will be completed electronically or on paper
Buildings and Grounds Supervisor Maintenance & Grounds Cleaners & Custodians	Oversees buildings and grounds employees. Maintains the functioning of all district building systems (interior and exterior) Cleans, disinfects, and supplies district buildings Removes snow and leaves, maintains lawns, and trims bushes/trees	Daily building walkthroughs to determine if building systems are functioning properly Cleaning/disinfection of buildings	One person will be assigned to each area of a building so there is no overlap	When on-site: Sign in sheets will be used to track times entering and leaving Health assessment will be completed electronically or on paper
Transportation Supervisor	Oversees all school bus drivers and bus mechanics	Coordinates transportation of students and when applicable delivery of meals, classroom materials and technological devices	7 am – 3 pm	When on-site: Sign in sheets will be used to track times entering and leaving Health assessment will be completed electronically or on paper
Food Service Director	Responsible for Meal planning and ordering of food items. Preparing breakfast and lunch meals to be provided to students. Cleaning and sanitizing kitchen.	Ensures students receive breakfast and lunch each day whether in person or deliveries for remote learners. Food preparation needs to be performed in a DOH permitted facility	6 am – 2 pm	When on-site: Sign in sheets will be used to track times entering and leaving Health assessment will be completed electronically or on paper
Communications	Develops and implements a program of planned and strategic two-way communication. Responsible for information output, press releases and media requests, and social media.	Will come in to assist with various district needs as required.	As deemed necessary	When on-site: Sign in sheets will be used to track times entering and leaving Health assessment will be completed electronically or on paper
Technology	Responsible for planning, purchasing, installing and maintaining physical technology systems.	Setup and distribution of technological devices to teachers, student and staff as needed.	As deemed necessary	When on-site: Sign in sheets will be used to track times entering and leaving Health assessment will be completed electronically or on paper
Instructional Programs Teachers Teachers Assistants Teaching Aides Special Education Athletics	Responsible for preparing lesson plans and educating students at all levels, assigning homework, grading tests, and documenting progress. Teachers must be able to	Provide lessons to in school and/or virtual students	As deemed necessary Will be socially distanced based on assignments to classrooms	When on-site: Sign in sheets will be used to track times entering and leaving Health assessment will be completed electronically or on paper
Security	Provides security for the district’s faculty, staff and students	Will come in to assist with various district needs as required Will help with organization of meals and technology that will be distributed to students	As deemed necessary	When on-site: Sign in sheets will be used to track times entering and leaving Health assessment will be completed electronically or on paper
Nurses	Provides technical assistance regarding health screenings, management of ill persons, isolation areas, and day-to-day school heath issues	Aid in the tracking of cases Answer parent and staff health related questions Manage ill students	As deemed necessary	When on-site: Sign in sheets will be used to track times entering and leaving Health assessment will be completed electronically or on paper
Safety Personnel	Provides technical assistance on matters related to compliance with federal, state and local regulations Aids in the development of plans/programs and training	Will come in to assist with various district needs as required	As deemed necessary	When on-site: Sign in sheets will be used to track times entering and leaving Health assessment will be completed electronically or on paper
Support Staff (Buildings)	Provides support to building principal, teachers, parents Liaison between parents and teachers/principal Assist in communications to parents/community from building	Will come in to assist with various district/building needs as required	Work shifts vary Hours are between 7:30AM – 4PM All desks are socially distanced	When on-site: Sign in sheets will be used to track times entering and leaving Health assessment will be completed electronically or on paper

Attachment 2 –Cleaning and Disinfection Protocols and Procedures

Room Types/Areas	Cleaning Frequency	Disinfection Frequency	Responsible Party	Additional Information
Classrooms	Daily	Daily	Custodial staff; staff and teachers	Doors, desks, chairs, and floors
Restrooms	2x daily	2x daily	Custodial staff	Doors and sinks will be done twice daily. Floors will be done once daily.
Health Offices/Isolation Rooms	Various	Various	Nursing staff; Custodial staff	Cots, bathrooms and health office equipment will be cleaned after each use. Floors will be done once daily.
Breakrooms	Daily	Daily	Custodial staff	Doors, tables, chairs and floors
Cafeterias/Kitchens	Various	Various	Custodial staff; staff and teachers	Tables and chairs will be cleaned/disinfected in between each group’s use. Floors will be done once daily.
Outside Seating Areas	Various	Various	Custodial staff; staff and teachers	Tables and chairs will be cleaned/disinfected in between each group’s use. Floors will be done once daily.
Computer Labs	Various	Various	Custodial staff; staff and teachers	Equipment to be cleaned/disinfected between each use. Doors, tables, chairs and floors will be done once daily.
Science Labs	Daily	Daily	Custodial staff; staff and teachers	Equipment to be cleaned/disinfected between each use. Doors, tables, chairs and floors will be done once daily.
Maintenance Office and Work Areas	Daily	Daily	Custodial staff	Doors, desks, chairs, and floors
Bus Garage	Daily	Daily	Custodial staff; Transportation staff	Bathroom, doors, desks, chairs, and floors
Libraries	Daily	Daily	Custodial staff; Librarians	Equipment to be cleaned/disinfected between each use. Doors, tables, chairs and floors will be done once daily.
Playgrounds	N/A	N/A	N/A	These areas are not going to be used. When these areas will be returned to use, then an appropriate frequency for cleaning/disinfection will be established.
School Buses	Daily	Daily	Transportation staff	High contact spots will be cleaned after the morning (AM) runs and cleaned/disinfected after the afternoon (PM) run.
School Vehicles	After each use	After each use	Staff using vehicles
Administrative Offices	Daily	Daily	Custodial staff	Doors, desks, chairs, and floors
Large Meeting Areas (e.g., gymnasiums, auditoriums, music rooms)	N/A	N/A	N/A	These areas are not going to be used. When these areas will be returned to use, then an appropriate frequency for cleaning/disinfection will be established.
Athletic Training Rooms, Locker Rooms	N/A	N/A	N/A	These areas are not going to be used. When these areas will be returned to use, then an appropriate frequency for cleaning/disinfection will be established.
Frequently touched surfaces (e.g., doorknobs, light switches, elevator buttons, copy machine buttons, handles, etc.)	2x daily	2x daily	Custodial staff
Shared frequently touched surfaces (e.g., keyboards, desks, phones, laptops, tablets, remote controls, etc.)	After each use	After each use	Staff using shared surfaces
Shared equipment (e.g., hand tools, facilities equipment, groundskeeping equipment, golf cart, etc.)	After each use	After each use	Staff using equipment

* Only district approved chemicals will be used. At no time will students be allowed to use cleaners or disinfectants.