Covid-19 Reopening Safety Plan

COVID-19 Transparency Policy and Vaccination

In order to build trust in the school community and support a successful return to school, We kindly ask you and commit to a transparency policy:

School Vaccination Requirements and Exemptions:

Averroes High School is mandating COVID-19 vaccination policy for the fall 2021-2022 semester. 

All students are required to be fully vaccinated, to keep our school safe, and to be allowed on campus. Please be aware that failure to comply will result in students being sent home WITHOUT online learning ability.

Exemptions from vaccination requirements may apply for some students in the event of providing a doctor’s note explaining the reason why the student cannot take the vaccine, the document should be signed by the physician and stamped for authenticity reasons. 

 Absence Notification:

If your child is absent for any reason, please fill the absence form on FACTS as early as possible so we would notify his teacher and do expect an email from the office (admin@averroesinstitute.com). In our email, you will be asked to indicate the reason for your child's absence. If your child is sick, please describe her/his symptom(s). Do expect a follow-up email if your child is sick. 

 Following our school COVID-19 Transparency policy, our school has partnered with Covid testing today to ensure our school is a safe haven for all our students and staff.
What you need to know is: 

 - Testing will be conducted on-site, every other week and it will be optional but highly recommended for students. 

 - Signing up for the platform is mandatory in case of illness or any other need. Please use this link (https://book.covid-testing-today.com/?AverroesHighSchool) to upload the needed information to have your son/daughter get tested when needed.

 We highly appreciate your cooperation

COVID-19 Symptoms: 

• fever (100.0 degrees Fahrenheit or higher)

• chills

• cough

• shortness of breath

• difficulty breathing

• fatigue

• muscle or body aches

• headache

• recent loss of taste or smell

• sore throat

• nausea

• vomiting

• diarrhea

If your child is experiencing any of those symptoms please don't send them to school and immediately send an email to admin@averroesinstitute.com so we can accommodate an online learning alternative for them. And they'll be required to undergo a test for COVID-19 before coming back to school, in this period of time the student will isolate till they get their test results. After getting the test results the school will be required to follow the 2021-2022 TK-12 TEST RESULT DECISION TREE.

In the case of Exposure (ALLAH forbids) the school will be required to follow the 2021-2022 QUARANTINE DECISION TREE FOR TK-12 SCHOOL-BASED EXPOSURE.

Student Travel: 

If your family has traveled on the weekend or on one of the school vacations, please note that the student will be required to undergo a COVID-19 test and provide a negative result to be able to get back to the school campus. 

Privacy and Information protection:

At any point, if your family has been exposed or any family member was confirmed to be a COVID-19 Positive case, and you were required to isolate and miss school. Please note that sharing this information with the administration will remain confidential, this information will NOT be shared with staff members nor students. The school will continue to follow the guidelines and trace exposure to confirm the safety of students and staff members. In such an event, the school will provide work for the student to continue to keep up with studies while they wait for their results.  They'll be assigned work to be completed at home, failure to complete their assigned work at home will result in makeups at the end of the semester. 

We highly appreciate your cooperation to make the school a safe place for our children and make it possible to continue giving them the best education we can offer. 

If you have any questions please feel free to refer to California department of public health questions and answers. or feel free to send us your questions on (info@averroesinstitute.com) and we'll be happy to help.

This CRSP is designed to control exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 Virus and to keep our school safe for all community members.

Averroes High School
43600 Mission Blvd, Fremont, CA 94539

Updated August 11th, 2021

COVID-19 REOPENING SAFETY PLAN (CRSP) OVERVIEW

The Averroes CRSP was created and implemented to protect our staff and students from COVID-19, following the recommendations and guidance of the CDC, OSHA, HHS, CDPH, and other federal, state, and local health authorities. It includes an action plan in the case of potential COVID exposure, and protocols for contact tracing and isolation of potentially infected people. We believe our CRSP will mitigate risk to our community. We intend to operationalize the CRSP when given approval by the Alameda County Public Health Office and the State of California to reopen for in-person learning.

IMPLEMENTED MEASURES FOR INFECTION CONTROL AND PREVENTION:

• Intensified cleaning and disinfection procedures compliant with EPA and child safety standards (including deep disinfection prior to returning to school).
• Trained staff on COVID-19 related safety actions, including contact tracing, and prepared to contract with an external medical firm to perform contact tracing if needed.
• Mandatory face masks worn indoors; masks outdoors optional.
• Campus designed to provide safe distancing in classrooms and between grade levels, during both indoor and outdoor learning.
• Sanitation stations on campus contain at least 60% alcohol.
• Sick staff and students are required to not attend school until they have met CDPH criteria (see criteria listed in “Testing Regime” section below).
• Staff and students are encouraged to report safety and health concerns.

PHYSICAL DISTANCING REQUIREMENTS

As per the CDC COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools in California, classroom spaces are designed for at least 2 feet of distance between students and 2 feet of distance between any student and the teacher. Scaffolded scheduling and designated class areas for outdoor learning have also been implemented.

FACE COVERINGS

As per the CDPH COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools in California, 2021-22 School Year, released on July 12, 2021, the following are the face mask requirements for school settings:

• All K-12 students and adults are required to mask indoors, with exemptions per CDPH face mask guidance, regardless of vaccination status.
• Masks are optional outdoors for all.
• AHS will provide a face mask to students, personnel, and visitors who fail to bring a face covering to school.
• Persons exempted from wearing a face mask due to a medical condition, must wear a non-restrictive alternative, such as a face shield with a drape on the bottom edge, as long as their condition permits it.
• In limited situations where a face covering cannot be used for pedagogical or developmental reasons, (e.g., communicating or assisting young children or those with special needs) a face shield with a drape (per CDPH guidelines) can be used instead of a face covering while in the classroom as long as the wearer maintains physical distance from others. Staff must return to wearing a face covering outside of the classroom.
• CDPH will continue to assess conditions on an ongoing basis, and will determine no later than November 1, 2021, whether to update mask requirements or recommendations.

AHS will:

• Educate students on the rationale and proper use of face coverings.
• Post signage in high visibility areas to remind students and staff of when and where face coverings are required, and the appropriate use of face coverings.
• Communicate with all staff and families regarding expectations for use of face coverings at school and how to wash face coverings.

Best Mask Practices:

• Make sure your mask fits snugly against your face because gaps can let air with respiratory droplets leak in and out around the edges of the mask.
• Pick a mask with several layers to stop more respiratory droplets from passing through your mask.
• Choose a mask with a nose wire, a metal strip along the top of the mask that prevents air from leaking out of the top of the mask. Bend the nose wire over your nose to fit close to your face.
• Use a mask fitter or brace over a disposable mask or a cloth mask to prevent air from leaking around the edges of the mask.
• Check that your mask fits snugly over your nose, mouth, and chin by cupping your hands around the outside edges of the mask. Make sure no air is flowing in or out from the area near your eyes or from the sides of the mask. If the mask has a good fit, you will feel warm air come through the front of the mask and may be able to see the mask material move in and out with each breath.
• Add layers of material by using a cloth mask that has multiple layers of fabric, or by wearing a disposable mask underneath a cloth mask. The cloth mask should push the edges of the disposable mask against your face.
• Make sure you can see and breathe easily.
• When using a 3-ply mask, knot the ear loops where they join the edge of the mask, then fold and tuck the unneeded material under the edges.
• Do not combine two disposable masks. Disposable masks are not designed to fit tightly and wearing more than one will not improve fit.
• Do not combine a KN95 mask with any other mask. Only use one KN95 mask at a time.

Mask Requirements:

• All adults picking up or dropping off students must wear face coverings.
• Anyone over the age of 2 must wear a face covering at all times.
• All visitors must wear face coverings at all times.

Face Covering Exemptions:

• children under 2 years of age
• anyone who has trouble breathing or is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the covering without assistance
• students with special needs who are unable to tolerate a face covering
• any individual who a healthcare professional has advised should not wear a face covering because they have a medical condition that would make wearing a face covering dangerous
• anyone during the time that they are eating, drinking, or addressing another biological need that requires the removal of a face covering
• communicating by or with someone who is hearing impaired
• activities during which wearing a face covering may pose a danger.

VENTILATION

AHS will increase indoor ventilation by increasing the circulation of outdoor air (e.g., by opening any operable windows and/or doors), unless doing so would pose a health or safety risk to individuals using the facility (e.g., allowing in pollen or smoke or exacerbating asthma symptoms).

SNACK AND LUNCH

AHS will maximize physical distance between individuals as much as possible while eating (especially indoors) and arrange for eating outdoors as much as feasible.

Students will practice proper hand washing before and after eating.

No individuals are allowed to share food.

AHS staff will clean and sanitize frequently touched surfaces and surfaces that come in contact with food before and after meals.

LIMITATIONS ON VISITORS AND EVENTS

AHS will limit nonessential visitors, volunteers, and activities involving external groups or organizations with people who are not fully vaccinated, particularly when there is moderate-to-high COVID-19 community transmission. Anyone with symptoms of infectious illness, such as flu or COVID-19, must stay home and seek testing and care.

HEALTH SCREENINGS

AHS has posted signs at entrances instructing students, staff and others not to enter if they have any COVID-19 symptoms, including fever of 100.0℉ or more, chills, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, confusion, recent loss of taste or smell, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

AHS will not allow entry to any staff, student, parent, or visitor if they test positive for COVID-19 or have any COVID-19 symptom.

AHS personnel will conduct visual wellness checks upon arrival and will monitor students throughout the day for any signs of illness.

Anyone exhibiting symptoms will immediately be required to wear a face covering if not wearing one already, and wait in the isolation area until they can be transported home or to a healthcare facility. For serious illness, 9-1-1 will be called without delay.

TESTING REGIME AND CONTACT TRACING FOR SCHOOL CAMPUS EXPOSURES

Symptomatic Individuals:

Students and personnel must get tested as soon as possible after they develop one or more COVID-19 symptoms, or following international or national travel.

Staff members and students with symptoms of COVID-19 infection may not return for in-person instruction until they have met CDPH criteria to return to school:

1. At least 24 hours have passed since resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications; AND
2. Other symptoms have improved; AND
3. One of the following: they tested negative for SARS-CoV-2, OR a healthcare provider has provided documentation that the symptoms are typical of their underlying chronic condition (e.g., allergies or asthma) OR a healthcare provider has confirmed an alternative named diagnosis (e.g., Streptococcal pharyngitis, Coxsackie virus), OR at least 10 days have passed since symptom onset.

Case Reporting, Contact Tracing, and Investigation:

Per AB 86 (2021) and California Code Title 17, section 2500, schools are required to report COVID- 19 cases to the local public health department and appoint a COVID-19 liaison to assist the local health department with contact tracing and investigation. Heba Kalander is AHS’s COVID-19 designee/liaison and Principal Reem Bilbiesi is AHS’s COVID-19 backup designee.

Quarantine Recommendations for Vaccinated Close Contacts:

According to the CDPH Guidance for Fully Vaccinated People, quarantine is not required following close contact to someone with COVID-19 if ALL the conditions listed below are met:

• Fully vaccinated - This means 2 or more weeks have passed after the person has received the second dose in a 2-dose vaccine series, or 2 or more weeks have passed after the person has received one dose of a single-dose vaccine.
• No symptoms of COVID-19 since the current exposure - If the person has COVID-19 symptoms, they must isolate and get tested immediately.

Anyone who does not meet the above criteria should follow current County quarantine guidance after exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

Quarantine Recommendations for Unvaccinated Students for Exposures When Both Parties Were Wearing a Mask:

When both parties were wearing a mask, unvaccinated students who are close contacts (more than 15 minutes over a 24-hour period within 0-6 feet indoors) may undergo a modified 10-day quarantine as follows. They may continue to attend school for in-person instruction if they fulfill all of the following:

• Are asymptomatic;
• Continue to appropriately mask, as required;
• Undergo at least twice weekly testing during the 10-day quarantine; and
• Continue to quarantine for all extracurricular activities, including sports, and activities within the community.

Quarantine Recommendations for Unvaccinated Students After Close Contacts Not Wearing Masks or For Whom the Infected Individual Was Not Wearing a Mask During Indoor Exposure:

For those who have NOT had any symptoms, they may discontinue self-quarantine under the following conditions:

• Quarantine can end after Day 7 if a diagnostic specimen is collected after Day 5 from the date of last exposure and tests negative.
• Quarantine can end after Day 10 from the date of last exposure without testing. To discontinue quarantine, asymptomatic close contacts must:
  1. continue daily self-monitoring for symptoms AND
  2. follow all recommended non-pharmaceutical interventions (e.g., wearing a mask when around others, hand washing, avoiding crowds)
  3. If any symptoms develop, the exposed person must immediately isolate, get tested and contact their healthcare provider.

Isolation Recommendations:

For both vaccinated and unvaccinated persons, follow the CDPH Isolation Guidance: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Guidance-on-Isolation-and-Quarantine-for-COVID-19-Contact-Tracing.aspx

VACCINATION

The CDC has strongly encouraged vaccination as one of the most important tools to end the COVID- 19 pandemic. The vaccine is free to all. No insurance is required. The vaccine is available to everyone age 12 and up—regardless of immigration or insurance status. Stay healthy, protect others, and help us end the pandemic. Find a walk-in clinic or make an appointment today by going to https://myturn.ca.gov/.

AHS REOPENING STATUS REPORTING

In accordance with the January 14, 2021 CDPH Guidance for COVID-19 School Reopening Status Reporting Order, beginning January 25, 2021, AHS must complete surveys bi-monthly for the California Department of Public Health until the directive is modified or rescinded.

HEALTHY HYGIENE PRACTICES

We encourage all to use respiratory etiquette (covering coughs and sneezes), proper and frequent handwashing (or hand sanitizer use), and properly dispose of items such as used tissues, paper, paper towels, etc.

WORKSPACE ARRANGEMENTS

We arranged layout and movement flow procedures to ensure proper physical distancing in the workplace (such as one-way flow for entering and exiting the facilities, and arranging students to ensure 6 feet of distance).

CLEANING AND DISINFECTING

Surfaces, equipment, gathering areas, and other elements of the work environment, are cleaned and disinfected daily, especially high-touch areas. Cleaning procedures are compliant with EPA and child safety standards.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)

AHS will provide hand sanitizer, face masks and face shields as needed. Classroom cleaning supplies for everyday enhanced cleaning are provided to our janitorial team.

STUDENT ACCOMMODATIONS VIA DISTANCE LEARNING

All students have individually assigned chromebooks for home use so that any student with symptoms of illness can fulfill the requirement to stay at home and attend their classes remotely until the criteria for returning are met (see criteria listed in “Testing Regime” section above).

Students who are sick will have excused absences and be allowed to complete required work during the summer if necessary.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Please visit the County Public Health Department’s website at www.sccgov.org/coronavirus for up-to-date information regarding the coronavirus and schools.

For specific questions related to school operations, please send your emails to the Santa Clara County of Education: schools@eoc.sccgov.org

For additional information and resources for schools, please see:

• CDPH COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools in California, 2021-22 School Year
• CDPH Guidance for the Use of Face Coverings
• American Academy of Pediatrics COVID-19 Guidance for Safe Schools
• CDPH K-12 School-Based COVID-19 Testing Strategies for School Year 2021-22
• State of California Safe Schools for All Hub
• CDC Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools
• CDPH Guidance for Child Care Providers and Programs
• Ohlone College Preparations for COVID-19