WESTCHESTER LUTHERAN SCHOOL REOPENING PROTOCOLS
Back to School Plans for Westchester Lutheran School
Under COVID-19 Mandates
Updated 5-11-21
School Reopening Under Red/Substantial Risk level mandates
As of this writing, the “Adjusted Case Rate” for Los Angeles County is 1.4. This has recently been falling significantly (from a high of 75.3 in January), and we are now in the Yellow/Mimimal Risk Level, which allows us to open all grades of our school under specific protocols.
We are committed to following all LA County Dept. of Public Health Protocols and Mandates. The Protocols in detail are listed here: LA County Public Health Protocols Appendix T1
Employee Training
All employees have completed the COVID-19 Safety Compliance training program, which covers policies and practices to protect employee health and appropriate response to infection and contamination.
All Exposure Management Protocols will be followed, and are listed in detail here: LA County Public Health Exposure Management Protocols Appendix T2
Employee Screening
All employees are required to check in daily with the Brightwheel health screening App (see below) and have their temperature checked.
Employee Screening
All employees are required to check in daily with the Brightwheel health screening App (see below) and have their temperature checked.
WEEKLY Employee COVID-19 Asymptomatic/Surveillance Testing
While we were in the Purple Tier and the ACR was above 25, it was recommended that we test all staff each week for COVID-19. The Red tier is less stringent, but we are maintaining the weekly testing cadence. We are also opening this testing to students and their families as an option (not a requirement). Students who are participating in sports programs are required, however, to participate in weekly testing. Health plans are required to pay for this testing, so there is no cost to employees or school families. Enrollment Forms and test kits are available from the school and will be made available every Monday. Testing is done before noon and sent to the testing lab on Tuesdays, and results are received within two days. We will continue to require asymptomatic/surveillance testing of staff, at least through the time we are in the red tier (which has less stringent testing requirements).
COVID-19 Compliance Task Force
Rev. Lawrence Becker, DPH Liaison/Compliance Officer
Harold Simpson, Facility Manager
Amy Vaughan, HR
Denise Sanchez, Property Commission and Reopening Task Force Chair
Student Health Protocols
Check-in for all grades
We are implementing the use of the Brightwheel Health Screening App, which will allow parents to answer a set of health and contact questions on their smartphone or tablet. Use the app to scan a QR code that we provide, and the student is checked in. As the students come on campus, their temperature is checked with a touchless thermometer by a staff member and they are directed to class. Parents are to remain in the car during this process.
Note that the Brightwheel app is a part of our upcoming preschool management system, but we are going to use their health check-in app for the entire school This short video gives a simple demonstration of the Brightwheel check-in process (using the app or the check-in kiosk): Brightwheel Health Check-in Process
• Parents will enter the campus through the 77th St. gate drop off the students at the normal drop-off location. Parents must remain in their cars
and are not allowed to be on campus.
• After the check-in process, children will be guided to their classrooms via marked walkways.
• The pick-up process will also require entry on 77th St. gate. Children will be brought to the cars by staff.
• Social distancing will be maintained throughout the check-in and check-out processes.
• As more grades open up we will stagger the drop-off times and locations.
• Parents may not, under any circumstances, visit children in classrooms – per LACDPH guidelines
Exclusion from School, and Returning to School
If a child has any of the symptoms named in the health screening app (e.g., cough, runny nose, sore throat, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, chills, temperature greater than or equal to 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, loss of taste or smell) that are NOT explainable for other reasons, OR has had close contact with a person with a confirmed case of COVID-19, that child will be referred to their medical provider for evaluation and possible COVID-19 testing.
• Siblings living under the same roof are subject to the same exclusions and return provisions.
• If a child begins to exhibit symptoms during the school day, that child will be taken to the office’s isolation room and remain there until the parents arrive to pick them up.
Link: LACDPH Decision Pathways for Children and Contacts of Potential COVID-19 infection
Stable Groups
ALL children will be kept in “stable groups” for the entire day. Note also that:
• Stable groups will also be maintained at lunch time and during recesses.
• Adults may be a part of up to two stable groups.
• The definition of “stable groups” has been significantly altered by the state and LA County Public Health Departments, and we are permitted to rework the way
we place children in groups.
Link: https://k12playbook.ccee-ca.org/guidebook-old/schedules-and-grouping/#tab1
Classroom Setup
Classrooms for TK-5th grades have individual 3-sided plexiglass shields for each child’s desk. Children are sitting 3-6’ apart. Hand sanitizing stations are in each classroom. Classrooms for 6th – 8th grades are utilized to allow 3’ distance.