During the past week, Gov. Mike DeWine announced safety guidelines for schools as students prepare to return for the 2020-2021 academic year. Suggested guidelines mean that classroom environments will look different than in previous years as protocols are designed to increase health and hygiene measures intended to keep students, staff and families safe.
Prior to and immediately following last week’s statewide announcement, the diocesan Office of Catholic Education collaborated with pre-K to eighth grade and high school principals to establish a reopening strategy. Collectively, “Transitioning Forward,” a comprehensive toolkit, outlines resources for personal protective equipment, cleaning methods and best practices. It is updated as new state mandates are announced or when new resources become available.
Schools are being encouraged to communicate their reopening plans by the last week of July.
“Getting students back to school to learn in the safest manner is of the highest priority,” said Tracey Arnone, associate superintendent for Catholic education. Diocesan school leadership, legal and facility operations personnel meet frequently to guide, answer questions and help schools communicate to parents as plans proceed to reopen schools.
On July 8, leaders from 108 Catholic schools in the diocese met via Zoom to hear from the diocesan legal team who addressed how to interpret state guidelines, alerted principals about what may vary at different county or city levels, reviewed how to update attendance policies for both staff and students that incorporate technology and remote learning, updated field trip and shared building use policies and how to determine what PPE is required within various social distancing parameters.
Questions submitted via the live chat from the 130 participants were answered during each presentation topic. Many questions focused on mask and face shields and suggested quarantine procedures if a staff member, student or parent is diagnosed with COVID-19.
“What Geauga County requires may be different than our Cleveland schools,” said Sue Biggs, assistant superintendent. “I cannot stress enough to work with local health departments now. Ask focused questions so that we can prepare in a collaborative nature should anything happen in the future,” she added.
Ed Vittardi, principal of St. Albert the Great school in North Royalton, shared his “Transitioning Forward” video address that was streamed live to 400-plus parents and community members from his school. Vittardi emphasized how the school community “must be proactively flexible.” Also, “There are not setbacks, we just pivot our course,” he said, when addressing what could happen as the school year progresses.
Following the morning session with diocesan legal officials, the principals broke into smaller virtual groups where they shared answers to the following questions:
- How is your school going to vigilantly screen staff and students each day?
- What is the school’s face covering policy for teachers –and – for students?
- How often will the school disinfect frequently visited areas (i.e. restroom, clinic, shared spaces)?
- Will the school be able to meet in person five days a week with social distancing protocols in place?
By exchanging information, diocesan school leaders said they hope that best practices are formed among the schools and that any last-minute updates can be made as schools firm up their plan to communicate to stakeholders.