The Woodlands Christian Academy Announces Reopening Plan for 2020-2021 School Year

THE WOODLANDS, TX - As we prepare for the reopening of our campus on August 12, 2020, the health of our students, faculty and staff remains our top priority. We will implement measures as follows, all of which are subject to change based on federal, state and local directives.

SUPPORTING A HEALTHY CAMPUS

Keeping our campus open for learning will require cooperation and support from all of our families. We know our Warrior community is up to the task and we are counting on you to do your part to support this process. Keeping your children at home when they are not feeling well is essential.

• Completing an at home temperature check and a daily self-screening checklist for COVID-19 symptoms will be required of all students, faculty and staff before coming to campus each day. NOTE: We are exploring the use of a mobile app to more easily facilitate the daily self-screening protocol. Information regarding this app will be forthcoming. This is NOT a contact tracing app.

• Any and all students, faculty or staff should stay home from school or work if they have (1) tested positive for COVID-19; (2) had close contact with anyone confirmed to have COVID-19 in the last 14 days; (3) are experiencing symptoms including but not limited to cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, feeling feverish or a temperature of 100 degrees or more, chills, shaking or shivering, headache, loss of smell or taste, sore throat, significant muscle pain or diarrhea.

• If a student or a staff member develops symptoms while on campus, the student or staff member will immediately be isolated in a separate room in our school clinic and sent home for testing and self-quarantine. Areas used by the student or staff member will be disinfected immediately.

• In the event of a confirmed case of COVID-19 for a student or staff member who has been on campus, we will notify the Montgomery County Health District and follow their guidance regarding the necessity of a school closure. Areas where the infected person has been will be closed off for 24 hours then disinfected. All parents, faculty and staff will be notified of a confirmed case of COVID-19 on campus.

• Students or staff members who exhibit signs or symptoms of COVID-19 and who are not tested will be presumed positive for COVID-19.

• After recovering from COVID-19, the criteria for returning to school are as follows: (1) Fever free for 72 hours without the use of temperature reducing medications; (2) Improvement of symptoms; (3) At least 10 days must have passed from the development of symptoms.

• If any student or staff member has possible symptoms of COVID-19 and wishes to return to school before completing the stay at home period, the individual must either present a note from a physician clearing the individual to return to school based on an alternative diagnosis or receive two separate confirmations at least 24 hour apart that they are free of COVID-19 and provide documentation to the school nurse.

Information regarding COVID-19 testing sites may be found here.

HEALTHY CLASSROOMS

All Grade Levels

• Only essential visitors will be allowed on campus.

• Parent visits to campus are restricted at this time.

• Face masks/face shields are mandatory for all faculty members.

• Students will be required to use hand sanitizer when entering or departing classrooms.

• Classroom items such as desks and other supplies will be disinfected between uses.

• Recommended distancing measures will be in place.

LOWER SCHOOL

• Masks will be required for students ten years of age and older. Parents will be responsible for providing suitable masks for their students. Masks will be available for purchase from our school store, The Armory and from our uniform provider, Lands’ End. Parents are free to purchase appropriate masks from other vendors.

• Upon arrival each morning, students will go immediately to classrooms for prayer and morning announcements.

• Students will stay in cohorts when possible.

• Students will remain in classrooms for specials.

• PE classes will be held outdoors as weather permits. When indoors, students will follow physical distancing guidelines for activities.

• Classes will alternate when transitioning.

• Recess time will be structured to maintain physical distancing. Recess time may include walks and other outdoor activities as weather permits.

• Chapel will be held in the classrooms via Zoom.

• Lunches purchased from the Warrior Cafe will be pre-packaged and delivered to designated eating areas. Students may also bring a lunch from home.

• Afternoon carline will be staggered by grade level as follows:

- 2:55 p.m. Pre-K
- 3:00 p.m. Kindergarten
- 3:05 p.m. 1st grade
- 3:10 p.m. 2nd grade
- 3:15 p.m. 3rd grade
- 3:20 p.m. 4th grade
- 3:25 p.m. Families with children in multiple grade levels

• Students with underlying health conditions, as determined by a physician, and students who must quarantine, will have the capacity to maintain instructional continuity at home. These situations will be reviewed on a case by case basis. Please contact your child’s principal for more information.

MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL

• Masks will be required for all students. Parents will be responsible for providing suitable masks for their students. Masks will be available for purchase from our school store, The Armory and from our uniform provider, Lands’ End. Parents are free to purchase appropriate masks from other vendors.

• Students will have access to lockers at alternating times.

• Students will make classroom transitions at alternating times.

• Chapel will be held in the classrooms via Zoom.

• Classes will alternate when transitioning.

• Lunches purchased from the Warrior Cafe will be pre-packaged and delivered to designated eating areas. Students may also bring a lunch from home. Students may enjoy lunch outside or at various locations around campus.

• Students are prohibited from gathering in large groups on campus.

• Students with underlying health conditions, as determined by a physician, and students who must quarantine, will have the capacity to maintain instructional continuity at home. These situations will be reviewed on a case by case basis. Please contact your child’s principal for more information.

HYBRID LEARNING PLAN

Should physical distancing requirements increase, lower school students will remain on campus as our facilities allow for greater spacing of these students. In the case of middle school and high school, we will implement a hybrid model as outlined below.

In the event of unforeseen circumstances, the hybrid learning schedule may be implemented for all grades.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

• When students are on campus, they will continue to follow the protocols outlined in the On-Campus Learning Plan and follow the schedule shown below.

• When students are at home, they will receive a combination of asynchronous and synchronous instruction.

HIGH SCHOOL

• When students are on campus, they will continue to follow the protocols outlined in the On-Campus Learning plan and follow the schedule shown below.

• When students are at home, they will receive synchronous instruction.

DISTANCE LEARNING PLAN

LOWER SCHOOL and MIDDLE SCHOOL

• Students, twelve years of age and younger, who have parents that are considered essential workers will be allowed to remain on campus with childcare provided by Brighton Academy.

- Woodlands Christian faculty will partner with Brighton Academy to instruct students.
- Maximum of ten persons per classroom.
- All health and social distancing protocols will be in place.

• All other students will receive a combination of asynchronous and synchronous instruction at home.

• No on-campus activities.

HIGH SCHOOL

• Synchronous instruction at home.

• No on-campus activities.

TECHNOLOGY

Students and teachers will utilize Canvas, our new learning management system. Canvas streamlines all digital tools and contact for a simpler more connected learning experience.

FINE ARTS AND ATHLETICS

Athletics:

We are in frequent contact with the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) about what may be feasible for this fall and beyond. We will provide more information about the likelihood of interscholastic athletics as it becomes available.

Fine Arts:

Plans are still under development. Information about our fine arts programs will be communicated as it becomes available.

FIELD TRIPS, BEYOND THE WALLS TRIPS AND OTHER PROGRAMS

At this time we are evaluating all of our extra-curricular programs such as field trips, our Beyond the Walls experiences, Warrior Leagues and other after-school activities. Information will be communicated as it becomes available.

EXTENDED CARE

Our extended care program will operate as follows:

• Before-school care will be offered for students twelve years of age and younger.

- Masks will be required for students ten years of age and older.
- Health and physical distancing measure will be in place.

• After-school care will be offered for students twelve years of age and younger, under the direction of Brighton Academy.

- Temperature checks will be taken at the door.
- Masks will be required for students ten years of age and older.

DISINFECTING PLAN

Disinfecting measures will be implemented as follows:

• DAY CLEANING - A designated member of our facilities staff will be assigned to clean and disinfected all doorknobs, countertops and other high touch, high traffic areas across campus throughout the school day.

• NIGHT CLEANING - Our contracted janitorial company will perform nightly cleaning and disinfecting in every building on our campus. Special attention will be paid to sanitizing high touch areas.

• DEEP DISINFECTING - Deep disinfecting will be performed on a monthly basis in all campus facilities. This treatment process combines fogging/spraying/misting technologies that treat facilities with a proprietary blend of high powered disinfectants, cleaners and RAZOR Antimicrobial Coating ™. This process ensures that all areas of the facility are disinfected; this treatment kills 99.99% of harmful microbes and inhibits microbial growth. We have been assured that this product will help protect our facilities from harmful bacteria, germs, viruses and microbial growth. Campus facilities receiving this treatment will be tested and certified each month. The products used in this method of disinfection are CDC approved.

• HVAC FILTERS - Premium MERV-13 air filters have been installed in all HVAC units across campus. These filters are CDC approved.

• As outlined in the On-Campus Learning Plan, classroom desks and other supplies will be disinfected between each use.

• A touchless hand washing station has been installed in the EMPR.

• Hand sanitizer stations have been placed throughout campus.

Photos