Wickenburg Christian Academy is committed to:
The strategies, processes, policies and facility updates have been put in place and continue to be reviewed to allow for a safe return to school. We know this is not comprehensive nor conclusive and is subject to change as the situation is constantly changing. We will update to comply with official mandates as appropriate and necessary. This is not a final document, nor is it a guarantee for an illness-free environment.
- Meeting the Physical Needs. Providing safe learning and working environments for our students, employees, and community.
- Meeting the Academic Needs. Demonstrating educational value for every student to be challenged and successful.
- Meeting the Spiritual Needs. Assisting student growth in the knowledge and understanding of what God has done and is still doing by encouraging students to ask questions about God and the world.
- Meeting the Emotional Needs. Fostering supportive relationships providing activities, experiences, and counseling that help students develop healthy emotions
- Meeting the Financial Needs. Maintaining fiscal solvency through wise stewardship of our resources.
The strategies, processes, policies and facility updates have been put in place and continue to be reviewed to allow for a safe return to school. We know this is not comprehensive nor conclusive and is subject to change as the situation is constantly changing. We will update to comply with official mandates as appropriate and necessary. This is not a final document, nor is it a guarantee for an illness-free environment.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES
- Wellness Checks at Home. All students and staff will go through a mandatory health screening at home before coming to school. This should include:
- Temperature check.
- Response to symptom related questions.
- Temperature Checks at School. All persons entering the school campus will have their temperature scanned with contactless thermal imaging. Anyone presenting a temperature of 100.4◦F or above will be isolated and rescanned in 10 minutes. If their temperature has not lowered, they are not permitted to remain on campus.
- Illness/Symptoms at School. Students exhibiting COVID-19 related symptoms while at school will be cared for in an isolated setting, and the family will be required to pick up the child immediately.
- Physical Distancing. Physical distancing is observed whenever possible. Desks/tables are arranged to create maximum space between them. Student desks are arranged to face in one direction, with no sharing of supplies. Each student will have a desk shield to be used when and where physical distancing is not possible, i.e., small group work and in the tech lab.
- K-6 Morning Opening: Morning “opening” for primary grades is done in the classroom through videoconferencing.
- Drop-off and Pick-up: Each family will be assigned to drop-off and pick-up their students at either the “front” gate (Yavapai St.) or the “side” gate (Madison St.). Temperatures are scanned at the gate during drop-off. Students waiting for pick-up will be required to maintain physical distancing as is possible.
- Recess: Recess breaks are observed daily. Playground games and equipment that are contactless are available.
- Hand Washing. Proper hand-washing/sanitizing procedures are implemented upon arrival and throughout the day, including but not limited to before and after recess, snack time, lunch, and restroom use. Hand sanitizer is also available.
- Face Masks. Face coverings on campus are recommended and not mandated by the school. Students and staff are supported in wearing masks if they desire to do so. Although the school will support students in wearing masks, for a number of reasons, teachers cannot be charged with enforcing student compliance. The school will make face coverings available to students and staff free of charge, but it does not warrant any additional measure of safety or any reduction of risk based upon wearing the school-provided coverings. The expectation is that any mask that is worn on campus will not be a source of distraction and will be free of any words, messages, or images.
Confidentiality protocols. In every instance of parental notification of communicable disease, every effort is made by school administration to maintain student confidentiality broadly within the community. However, due to the infectious nature of some of these diseases, the school considers it responsible to notify classroom teachers so that they can engage cleaning protocols. It is also understood by the school that for reasons of health, certain students and staff cannot be required to wear face coverings. Due to confidentiality around the issue of health, the school’s faculty and staff will not engage a student as to the reason that they are not wearing a face covering.
- Cleaning Protocols. Classroom furniture and high-touch areas, i.e., door handles, are disinfected periodically throughout the day. Playground equipment is sprayed with properly diluted disinfectant after each recess period. As more information is made available on the effects of sunlight on COVID-19 and/or the survivability on surfaces, access to equipment may be relaxed.
- Lunch/Snacks/Water. Students will continue to bring their snacks and lunches to school. Students are not permitted to share food and/or drink. Snacks are eaten either in the classroom or outside. Lunch may be eaten in the classroom, in the Lion’s Den, or outside, practicing social distancing as is practical. Lunch may be eaten in the classroom, in the Lion’s Den, or outside, practicing physical distancing as is practical.
- Student Materials. Students will have their own instructional materials to limit student sharing of items when feasible, i.e., pencils, crayons, markers, books.
- Visitors. Limited visitors are permitted on the school campus. All visitors are temperature checked prior to entering campus.
- School Events. Scheduling of events, school-wide assemblies, and field trips will be evaluated on a regular basis to determine the date events may resume. Virtual events may be hosted during the school day.
- Athletics. Athletic practice and participation in meets/games are determined by league/association mandates and required safety measures.
- Extracurricular. Groups and clubs, such as worship team, chess club, etc., will practice social distancing as much as practicable and/or may be temporarily postponed.
INDIVIDUALS CONFIRMED OR EXPOSED TO COVID-1
In accordance with the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, any individuals including teachers, staff, students, or other campus visitors who (a) are lab-confirmed to have COVID-19 or (b) experience the symptoms of COVID-19 must remain at home throughout the infection period. These individuals cannot return to campus until school screening determines that any of the below conditions for campus reentry have been met:
In the case of an individual who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, the individual may return to school only when all three of the following criteria have been met:
o At least three days (72 hours) have passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications);
o The individual has improvement in symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and
o At least ten days have passed since symptoms first appeared. In the case of an individual who has a fever and additional symptoms that could be COVID-19, and who is not evaluated by a medical professional or tested for COVID-19, such individual must be fever-free for 48 hours before returning to campus.
If a student, teacher, or staff member comes into close contact of a person with confirmed COVID-19, then the student, teacher, or staff member will quarantine/stay home until 14 days after the last exposure. Close contact is defined as within 6 ft., irrespective of whether the person with COVID-19 or the contact was wearing a face covering or whether the contact was wearing respiratory personal protective equipment. The person should self-monitor for symptoms (check temperature daily, watch for fever, cough, or shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19). If the student, teacher, or staff member exhibits no symptoms within the 14 days, they may return to WCA.
o Students who are required to quarantine/stay home are expected to attend school remotely, unless too ill to do so. Teachers will contact parents and students with specific instructions and expectations. Laptops are available for check-out.
o Teachers who are required to quarantine/stay home may be able to teach remotely. Specific arrangements will be made with the head of school and/or school counselor on a case-by-case situation.
In the case of an individual who has been diagnosed with COVID-19, the individual may return to school only when all three of the following criteria have been met:
o At least three days (72 hours) have passed since recovery (resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications);
o The individual has improvement in symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and
o At least ten days have passed since symptoms first appeared. In the case of an individual who has a fever and additional symptoms that could be COVID-19, and who is not evaluated by a medical professional or tested for COVID-19, such individual must be fever-free for 48 hours before returning to campus.
If a student, teacher, or staff member comes into close contact of a person with confirmed COVID-19, then the student, teacher, or staff member will quarantine/stay home until 14 days after the last exposure. Close contact is defined as within 6 ft., irrespective of whether the person with COVID-19 or the contact was wearing a face covering or whether the contact was wearing respiratory personal protective equipment. The person should self-monitor for symptoms (check temperature daily, watch for fever, cough, or shortness of breath, or other symptoms of COVID-19). If the student, teacher, or staff member exhibits no symptoms within the 14 days, they may return to WCA.
o Students who are required to quarantine/stay home are expected to attend school remotely, unless too ill to do so. Teachers will contact parents and students with specific instructions and expectations. Laptops are available for check-out.
o Teachers who are required to quarantine/stay home may be able to teach remotely. Specific arrangements will be made with the head of school and/or school counselor on a case-by-case situation.
SCHOOL COMMUNICATION AND CLOSURE PROTOCOLS
If a student or staff member is confirmed to have COVID-19 infection, WCA will inform parents and staff members of possible exposure and the grade level(s) where the exposure has occurred. Confidentiality, as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), will be maintained unless written permission is given by parents of the infected student or infected staff member to release the name of the infected person.
In most cases, the class where exposure to a verified COVID-19 case has occurred will move to emergency distance learning protocols on Zoom and Google Classroom.
Class and school closure protocols are subject to change based on consultations with the Maricopa County Department of Public Health and other appropriate health agencies.
In most cases, the class where exposure to a verified COVID-19 case has occurred will move to emergency distance learning protocols on Zoom and Google Classroom.
Class and school closure protocols are subject to change based on consultations with the Maricopa County Department of Public Health and other appropriate health agencies.
CONTINGENCY PLAN
- WCA will implement distance learning when the need arises for classroom or school-wide closure due to COVID-19.
- Classroom teachers will provide teacher-led instruction using blended learning resources (digital and print).
- The administration and board of directors will make decisions regarding classroom or school-wide closure in consideration of mandates by local officials and executive orders by the Governor of Arizona.
MODEL SUMMARIES
- If WCA is open for in-person on-site instruction, then students are expected to be in class. However, if a student is ill, is practicing quarantine due to exposure to COVID-19, and/or has received administrative permission, then they may attend school through the Distance Learning model.
- If WCA is required to close, then families may participate in modified distance learning.
*Limited devices available on an as-needed basis.