Incarnation School will follow all mandates from the State of Ohio, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, and Public Health Dayton and Montgomery County. Therefore, the mask requirements may change. We will communicate changes as they happen and use the most current mandates for our August 18th opening. Please remember that this is an ever-changing situation, and we are being flexible in our plans to allow for updates.
As always, please know that you are all in my prayers. I ask that you keep all teachers, students, and families in your prayers. We are all working to create a better tomorrow for our children and prayer must be at the heart of our endeavors.
- Familiarize yourself with COVID-19 symptoms and remain at home if exhibiting symptoms.
- Take temperature at home each morning – if temperature is above 100.0°, remain at home
- Bring mask to wear when working in close proximity with students.
- Familiarize yourself with COVID-19 symptoms and remain at home if exhibiting symptoms.
- Temperature should be taken at home each morning – if temperature is above 100.0°, remain at home.
- Students riding the bus:
- Early Fives, K, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th-grade students must enter the doors at the end of the 5th/6th grade hall and proceed to class.
- Prek 4, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th grade students must enter the doors at the end of the 3rd/4th grade hall and proceed to class.
- Students being dropped off:
- Enter the school through the front doors of the school and proceed to class.
- Students who walk:
- Enter through the correct grade-level doors in the bus lot and proceed to class.
- It is recommended that all students have two masks, should one become soiled or lost.
- Movement around the building is restricted. Students must report directly to their hallway and classroom/locker in the morning.
- Students are recommended to wear face masks. Please remember that this may change pending mandates from the state, county, or archdiocese.
- Students will be provided with either a fanny-pack or lanyard to store face masks.
- The school has additional disposable face masks for students who lose their mask or who forget their mask. This is not an endless resource, so please remember a mask and label all masks with student name.
- Students must frequently wash and/or sanitize hands.
- Students will maintain distance between peers.
- Students must follow coughing and sneezing etiquette.
- Visit the CDC to familiarize yourself with COVID symptoms.
- Students must stay home if:
- Temperature is over 100°.
There is shortness of breath, persistent cough, or difficulty breathing.
There is nausea and/or vomiting within the last 24 hours.
There has been close and prolonged exposure to COVID in the past 10 days.
There is a pending COVID test or has a positive COVID test result.
- Temperature is over 100°.
- Families must notify the school nurse if there is a suspected or confirmed COVID diagnosis in household.
- Staff and students who display concerning symptoms during the school day will report to the clinic for further assessment and will be placed in the quarantine area if needed.
- Individuals sent home due to suspected COVID illness will follow protocols established by Public Health Dayton and Montgomery County.
- The school will follow the protocols established by Public Health Dayton and Montgomery County if a positive COVID case is identified.
- COVID positive individuals may return to school once ALL three parameters are met:
- They are fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication.
- Other symptoms have improved.
- Ten days have passed since symptoms first appeared.
- Grade levels will have assigned times to play on the playground throughout the day.
- All students will have opportunities to play outside (weather permitting), regardless of age/grade, each day.
- Teachers will use green-space around the property for recess if the playground is not available.
- As always, we are working closely with the school resource officer to ensure safety of students when outside the building.
- Students will either eat in the classroom or the cafeteria (50% of the time in each).
- If in the Café:
- All students will have distanced, assigned seats.
- Full food-service with personnel in PPE will be offered.
- Sanitizing tables and seats will be completed by adults.
- If in the classroom:
- Desks will be sanitized prior to lunch and paper placemats will be provided for barrier between desk and food. Students will picnic outside, if weather permits.
- Lunch service will be delivered to the classroom; a la carte items will not be available.
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It is the school’s plan to have all students back into the cafeteria full-time by October 4th . This will be dependent upon any current mandates from Ohio Department of Health, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, and/or Public Health Dayton & Montgomery County. The current overall ‘health’ of the school will also factor into the successful return to the cafeteria.
- Visitors and volunteers will be strictly limited in the buildings.
- Any visitors to Incarnation School that will be interacting with staff or students will be required to wear a mask and have assessment screening including temperature check before entry.
- The school will determine whether meetings and conferences are in-person, following social distancing guidelines, or via Zoom.
- No visitors for lunch time in the cafeteria, classrooms or common areas.
- It is the school’s plan to have volunteers return to the building at some point this year. This will be dependent upon any current mandates from Ohio Department of Health, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, and/or Public Health Dayton & Montgomery County. The current overall ‘health’ of the school will also factor into the successful return for volunteers. This will be monitored and assessed quarterly.
- Seating charts will be made and submitted to the administration to be used for contact tracing purposes. Administration must be provided a new seating chart if changes are made. While current guidance does not require tracing, these seating charts will be used to help track cases in classrooms, should they arise.
- Desks will be distanced to best ability of the teacher.
- All desks should be arranged so that students face the same direction.
- Teachers will sanitize desks, chairs, and shared materials throughout the day.
- Prek 4-4th grades will sanitize at the end of each day.
5-8 grades will sanitize after each class.
Specials teachers will sanitize between classes.
- Prek 4-4th grades will sanitize at the end of each day.
- Students will have their own labeled supplies and they will not be shared.
- Should there be a situation where supplies are shared (manipulatives), a strict cleaning protocol will be adhered to for sanitizing.
- The drinking fountains will not be useable, but there are water bottle filling stations throughout the school. Students are required to bring water bottles to school in all grades and will be able to keep them at their desks.
- Please send a full water bottle to begin the day to avoid immediate need for refilling.
- Students are only permitted to have water in their water bottles, rather than juice, coffee, tea, soda, etc.
- We ask that spill-proof, reusable water bottles be sent with children. We do understand that a disposable water bottle may occasionally be necessary but appreciate the effort to send the other types most often.
- Bottled water will be available for purchase in the cafeteria should a child forget his/herpersonal water bottle.
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- While field trips are still being planned, we will not be attending at the beginning of the year. We are watching the situation closely and will cancel or participate as time passes.
- Deep cleaning and sanitizing will occur each evening and specialized anti-microbial cleaning will occur three times per week, unless a positive case arises, and then the school will be treated overnight.
- Bathrooms will be cleaned frequently throughout the school day, and common surfaces like: handles, rails, hard surfaces will be sanitized multiple times each day.
- Hand-washing and sanitizing will be reinforced and encouraged, and additional hand sanitizing units will be placed strategically around the school.
- HVAC filters will be changed prior to the start of school and will be run longer each day to improve ventilation.
- An area of the clinic has been partitioned for individuals who display concerning symptoms – they can privately wait in this area until they are picked up from school.
- A cleaning protocol has been established for the clinic if an individual with COVID-19 symptoms is in the quarantine space.
- A Medical Advisory Board has been established to assist with protocols and decisions.
- Social distancing is required during class transitions.
- Restrooms will have an increase in scheduled cleaning and disinfecting
- Students will be reminded to wash their hands (20 seconds or more) after using the restroom.
- Two grades (1st-8th) will attend Mass on Friday at 9am.
- Students who attend Mass in the church will be distanced from each other.
- Mass will be streamed for students who remain in the school.
- Communion will not be available for students who are in the school, but will be available for students who are in the church.
- As the school year progresses, we hope to add more grades to the Friday Masses in the church. This will be dependent upon any current mandates from Ohio Department of Health, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, and/or Public Health Dayton & Montgomery County. The current overall ‘health’ of the school will also factor into the successful return to fully attended church Masses.
- Determinations will be made on a club by club basis as the clubs begin to meet and form. Determinations will include: how clubs meet, if they may meet, etc. These decisions will comply with Incarnation School’s Reopening Plan.
- Please remember that CYO and Scouts are independent groups and will set their own policies. These policies must be compliant with Incarnation School’s plan.
- Transportation is determined by the public school districts.
- Masks will be required on the buses.
- Bus Riders:
- Dismissal to buses will be staggered. Students will exit through the door they are directed to and board their designated bus.
- Walk Up Door:
- Parents will line up from the exterior of the main/northern lobby and curve along the exterior front of the 3rd/4th grade wing.
- Parents must have a sign with their family’s last name (provided by the school).
- Names will be announced and children will exit the building.
- Early Childhood children will wait in the cafeteria in distanced lines. 1st – 8th grade students will wait in their classrooms.
- Families are asked to go directly to their cars following pick-up.
- Car Line Door:
- Cars will line up in front of the main/south lobby, facing north, and the line will wind through the Parish Activity Center parking lot.
- Family name signs (provided by the school) will be displayed in the car window.
- Students will wait inside, in distanced lines, until their family name is called.
- Cars will be loaded and will pull forward.
- Daily live teaching will not be provided through this option. Teachers will check-in with students/families periodically and will be available via email for questions.
- Incarnation School will provide all materials and technology for students.
- Incarnation teachers will provide daily lessons and assignments to be accessed through SeeSaw or Teams.
- Parents are responsible for instruction of students.
- Distance learning will not be reflective of classroom learning. The pacing and activities may be different.
- Letter grades will be earned for completed work.
- Tests and quizzes will be administered via scheduled Zoom meetings, subject to grade level.
- The conduct, academic, and behavior policies in the Incarnation Parent/Student Handbook are in effect for families who are completing the distance learning option.
- Teachers will check in with students a minimum of once per week via Zoom or Teams meetings.
- Teachers will be available via email and will respond within one school day.
- Assignments will be graded in a timely manner and feedback will be provided.
- Classroom work and assignments will be posted regularly to SeeSaw and/or Teams and support resources will be provided, as needed.
- Work will be completed and turned in by the due dates set by the teacher.
- Students will communicate with the teacher if there are questions regarding the assignments.
- Students will connect with the teacher for the weekly check-in.
- Parents must establish a good workspace at home with limited distractions, organization, and needed supplies.
- Parents will organize and direct instruction for distance learning option.
- Parents will monitor student progress and ensure that assignments are being completed and turned in by due dates.
- Parents will assist students in advocating for themselves when assistance is needed from the teacher.
- School owned devices (iPads for K-4th and laptops for 5th-8th) will be sent home with students.
- SeeSaw and Teams will be used to facilitate virtual/distance learning.
- The conduct, academic, and behavior policies in the Incarnation Parent/Student Handbook are in effect when the school is in a remote learning situation.
- A remote learning platform will not mirror a typical school day. There are times built into the school day for transitions, brain breaks, silent reading, activities, class discussions, recess, specials, and much more.
- Incarnation School developed a distance learning plan during the 2020-2021 school year and this plan will be implemented should a closure happen during the 21-22 school year.
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- Remote lessons and activities will be developed for students.
- Live teaching and/or videos will be posted daily.
- Teachers will respond to questions and support the students at home.
- Clear directions and assignments will be provided.
- Submitted work will be graded and feedback provided.
- Students will attend class daily and attendance will be taken.
- Assignments will be completed with best effort and submitted by the due date.
- Students will ask questions and advocate for assistance, as needed.
- Students will respect the school owned devices and follow the Incarnation School Device Usage Agreement agreed to at the beginning of the year.
- Students will earn grades for completed work.
- Behavior expectations for virtual classrooms are the same as typical classrooms.
- Appropriate language
- Respect for teacher and peers
- General appearance
- Students must work in an environment that does not distract themselves and their peers (if on Zoom or Teams).
- Parents will support their children and teacher.
- Parents will create an environment at home conducive to learning.
- Parents will help student advocate for him/herself, as needed.
- Communication from school and the teachers should be reviewed often.
- Be sure to encourage time for physical activity and/or exercise.
I know there are likely more questions that haven’t been answered. Please remember that current plans are fluid and may change based upon breaking data or guidelines. I will work hard to keep you apprised of changes if they happen.
Please remember the best defense against the spread of the virus is the commitment we ask of every student, employee and family member to practice safe social distancing, good hygiene and self-care — and wear a face covering — until a vaccine and/or treatment for COVID-19 is available. We care deeply about our students, our employees and our families, and our actions will reflect that.
I was recently sent the following: Remember, you help determine your child’ attitude. Be angry or sad in private. Discuss your frustrations away from the kids. Set them up for success by teaching them to make the best of it. Be a sounding board for their worries and disappointments. Stay positive and model perseverance. May God bless you and keep you healthy and safe as we move into the fall season. We are a strong family and will persevere these unchartered waters.