Eleanor Briggs School Reopening Plans

The Eleanor Briggs School Back-2-School Plans for 2021-2022 are listed below.

Click on the link to download a pdf version of this document.

Eleanor Briggs School Back2School Plans for 2021

Message from the Director

Welcome back to the 2021 – 2022 school year!

What a journey this past year has been. While anxiety provoking at the time, we are very fortunate that we had the opportunity to begin last school year with full in-person learning beginning on September 14, 2020. We had developed comprehensive reopening plans and were committed to reopening the school safely. And that is just what we did! Our students benefitted from in-person learning and demonstrated measurable progress both academically and socially & emotionally. Briggs even graduated it’s highest number of seniors, to date. We graduated 5 high school seniors from 3 different communities!

Most recently, we have just completed our in-person ESY program. Students participated in programming designed to continue to address their academic and social & emotional needs, providing them with a strong foundation to begin the new school year. At the high school level, we successfully worked with 5 students in community based work site opportunities. This was a joint program between The Eleanor Briggs School and The Office of Rehabilitative Services (ORS).

We are prepared, and eager, to begin the next school year. Our goal for the upcoming school year remains the same. To identify the individual needs of our students both academically and socially & emotionally, and then develop and implement a program designed to meet the needs of each of those students.

If anything, the past year has taught us the importance both flexibility and communication. COVID – 19 has taught us all the importance of being open to change and flexible enough to adapt. While we have comprehensive plans in place to continue to operate safely, we understand the importance of being flexible enough to weather whatever changes we need to adapt to. We made every effort last year to maintain open and transparent communication with our families and partners. Many of you commented that you appreciated the level of communication we maintained. We are committed to continuing to maintain open, clear and
transparent communication with you all.

Please review the following Eleanor Briggs School Back2School plan for the 2021 – 2022 school year. As always, I invite you to reach out to me, or any of our staff, with any questions or concerns.

Michael Foley, LMHC
Director

THE ELEANOR BRIGGS SCHOOL
Back2School Plan
2021 - 2022

The Eleanor Briggs School is committed to opening school in the safest manner for both students and staff. We are fortunate in that our small size and classroom design allow us to open at full capacity, even during the most restrictive scenario of Limited In-Person Learning.

We have developed our opening plan using all guidance available from the RI Department of Education, RI Department of Health and The Center for Disease Control, as well as our learned experiences from operating safely and in-person during the entire 20 -21 school year.

The Director of The Eleanor Briggs School, Michael Foley, LMHC (mfoley@briggsschool.org; 401-732-1540), will serve as the representative to work with RIDOH and RIDE regarding COVID-19 related needs. RIDOH and RIDE will be notified immediately if any staff or student tests positive for COVID-19 and all guidance and recommendations for remediation and family notification will be followed.

FULL IN-PERSON LEARNING

Elementary School

While a “stable group” of up to 30 is allowable during Full In-Person Learning, the elementary classroom at The Eleanor Briggs School will maintain a “stable group” of 15 or fewer in the classroom and will use the same classroom each day. Likely census will not exceed 13 including 10 students, 2 special education teachers and 1 behavior specialist/teaching assistant

Staff are expected to maintain 3 - 6 feet of physical distance from each other unless they are part of the same class or “stable group”. Staff who are not assigned to a “stable group” should maintain 3 - 6 feet of physical distance whenever possible and wear face masks. Cloth and/or surgical masks in both adult and child sizes will be available, at no cost, for anyone in need of a mask. Staff and students will be informed of the need to clean their cloth masks between uses or properly dispose of their one-time use masks.

Middle School

While a “stable group” of up to 30 is allowable during Full In-Person Learning, the middle school classroom at The Eleanor Briggs School will maintain a “stable group” of 15 or fewer in the classroom and will use the same classroom each day. Likely census will not exceed 9 including 7 students, 1 special education teacher and 1 behavior specialist.

High School

The Eleanor Briggs School maintains 2 high school classrooms. While a “stable group” of up to 30 is allowable during Full In-Person Learning, each classroom will maintain its own “stable group” of 15 or fewer in the classroom and will use the same classroom each day.. Likely census of each classroom will not exceed 9 including 7 students, 1 special education teacher and 1 behavior specialist.

Staff are expected to maintain 3 - 6 feet of physical distance from each other unless they are part of the same class or “stable group”. Staff who are not assigned to a “stable group” should maintain3 - 6 feet of physical distance whenever possible and wear face masks. Cloth and/or surgical masks in both adult and child sizes will be available, at no cost, for anyone in need of a mask. Staff and students will be informed of the need to clean their cloth masks between uses or properly dispose of their one-time use masks.

**THE ELEANOR BRIGGS SCHOOL WILL COMPLY WITH ALL STATE MANDATES REQUIRING THE USE OF FACE MASKS IN SCHOOL**

CLASSROOM LAYOUTS AND USE OF SCHOOL SPACES

All “stable groups” at The Eleanor Briggs School will use the same classroom every day.
Classroom layout will ensure a 3- 6 foot distance between staff and students. A 6 foot indicator mark will be placed in each classroom to easily identify a physical distance line for staff and students.
Signage regarding the need to use masks and maintain social distancing will be posted in each classroom and throughout the school. Students and staff must wear masks in common areas of the school (i.e hallways).
Students at the High School level will not change classrooms for content lessons, the 2 teachers assigned to each “stable group” will change classrooms.
Each student will be provided with a kit of classroom supplies so that equipment and materials are not shared between students.
1 bathroom will be identified for use by the 2 elementary and middle school classrooms and 1 bathroom will be identified for use by the 2 high school classrooms. Classrooms will advise their partnering classroom of group trips to the bathrooms so that congestion in the hallways can be avoided. All bathrooms at the Eleanor Briggs School are individual use bathrooms and can only accommodate one person at a time.
Students in all classrooms and in all phases will have assigned seating and will sit in the same seats every day. All seats will face the same direction.
All students in all phases will eat their lunches in their classrooms.

CLEANING SURFACES AND SCHOOL AREAS

Each classroom will have its air ventilated through a filter (centralized or portable room unit depending on the location of the classroom).
As much as possible, classroom windows will be open to increase fresh air and will also use fans to exhaust air outdoors.
Frequently touched items (classroom objects, desks surfaces, door knobs..etc) will be cleaned and disinfected following CDC guidelines. Cleaning and disinfecting will be coordinated by classroom staff and students (as age appropriate).
Any objects that may be used by different “stable groups” will be cleaned and disinfected following CDC guidelines prior to and after use by each “stable group”. Cleaning and disinfecting will be coordinated by classroom staff and students (as age appropriate).
The Eleanor Briggs School will ensure that soap and water will be available in all bathrooms at all times. Staff and students will be instructed to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water frequently throughout the day. (Handwashing Guidelines attached).
Hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol will be available in each classroom and throughout the school.
The water fountain will be turned off. Students and staff will be encouraged to use bottled water or may use single-use disposable cups that will be provided.
Bathrooms will be cleaned and disinfected after use by each stable group or after each isolated individual use.

SCREENING STUDENTS AND STAFF (Policy Attached)

Students: Families will screen students at home using a self-attestation form that will be completed and kept on file at school. All students must stay at home if they fail the screening prior to leaving for school. If a student screens positive for any COVID-19 symptoms, the student’s parent/guardian should seek guidance from their healthcare provider and inform the school of the student’s absence.

Vaccinations: All eligible students are highly encouraged to be fully vaccinated. The Eleanor Briggs School is prepared to comply with any State mandate requiring student vaccination for COVID - 19. Parents and guardians of students will be encouraged to opt-in to submission of student vaccine status so that we may inform our mitigation policies.
Testing: Parents/Guardian (or students 18 and older) will be able to opt-in to the COVID-19 testing currently conducted onsite by The Briggs School parent agency Thrive Behavioral Health.

Staff: Staff will screen at home using a self-attestation form that will be completed and kept on file at school. Staff must stay at home if they fail the screening prior to leaving for school. If a staff screens positive for any COVID-19 symptoms, they should seek guidance from their healthcare provider and inform the school of their absence.

Vaccination: All staff of The Eleanor Briggs School are employees of Thrive Behavioral Health, a state licensed community mental health center. As such, all staff are required to be fully vaccinated by October 1, 2021.
Testing: All staff of The Briggs School, as employees of Thrive Behavioral Health, are currently required to participate in on-site weekly (twice weekly if exempt from vaccine) COVID-19 testing.

Visitors: Visitors will be required to complete a COVID-19 self-attestation form and will also receive a temperature check prior to entering the school. The Eleanor Briggs School will maintain a log of all visitors for a minimum of 30 days. The log will include the visitor name, date and arrival/departure times. Visitors who are not parents/guardians of students or known interagency contacts will also need to include their contact phone number. ALL VISITORS MUST WEAR FACE COVERINGS.

SCHOOL SCHEDULES

Drop Off/Pick Up: see attached procedures
- Bus Arrivals: Elementary and Middle School students will enter the school via the front door located near the school office.
- High School students will enter the school via the side-door known as the “Library Door”. Student temperatures will be taken and documented at their designated screening station upon arrival.
- Parent Drop Off: students will enter the school via the front door located near the school office. Student temperatures will be taken and documented at the front office upon arrival.
Meals: To minimize student contact from different “stable groups” in the hallway, lunches will be delivered to each classroom.
Common Areas: No common areas will be occupied by more than one stable group at a time. Common areas will be cleaned and disinfected after each use by a stable group.

DISTANCE LEARNING

The Eleanor Briggs School, after successfully operating full in-person during the 2020 - 2021 school year, is fully prepared to open and operate full in-person for the 2021 - 2022 school year. Should, at any point, Distance Learning be mandated the following plans will be maintained for varying needs of Distance Learning.

Individual Distance Learning: In the event that a student cannot participate in In-Person Instruction (ie: due to need to self-isolate), Distance Learning opportunities will be made available to that student.

Classroom lessons being presented live, in class, will also be live streamed via Google as well. Additionally, classroom lessons will be recorded for viewing or review at varying times.
In addition to the virtual lessons being presented, the student will also receive individual contact daily from the teacher and/or teacher assistant to assess for and then provide additional supports that may be required.
The student and their family will receive regular contact with their Social Worker. The Social Worker will provide motivational support and encouragement but will also assess for and provide for any developing behavioral health needs.

Full DIstance Learning: In the event that schools are required to completely transition to Distance Learning, The Eleanor Briggs School has developed the following plan based on our self-analysis of the first round of Distance Learning this Spring as well as feedback from our students and families:

The Eleanor Briggs School will develop a Distance Learning Schedule for each classroom. Students and their families will be provided this schedule at the beginning of the school year, allowing the school to transition to Distance Learning without notice.
Classrooms will be divided into smaller, more manageable subgroups of students. Each group will spend 60 minutes per day for each academic subject. Students will meet for class in a google video classroom. The first 30 minutes will be spent with the teacher who will present the lesson and the second 30 minutes will be spent with the teacher assistant who will support the group in the completion of their lessons. Additional assignments will be posted to the google classroom platform as indicated and appropriate. This is different from the completely individualized programming that was scheduled during the spring. Our review of the first round of Distance Learning identified the need to better address student engagement, have more rigorous academic instruction, and enhanced opportunities for peer to peer interaction and synergy. It is also designed to maintain relationships and a sense of classroom culture so that reintegration back to In-Person Learning proceeds smoothly.
Each student and their family will receive regular contact with their Social Worker. The Social Worker will provide motivational support and encouragement but will also assess for and provide for any developing behavioral health needs.
Weekly team meetings will be held with school administrators and faculty at the elementary, middle and high school levels. This is a practice that was begun during the initial round of Distance Learning and proved to be very beneficial. Educators, clinicians and administrators will discuss each student's progress each week to ensure that each student is being provided with an appropriate level of academic rigor; that any student in need of additional instructional supports or accomodations is identified and that any behavioral health concerns for the student and/or their family are identified and addressed.
Student attendance will be tracked daily. Grades will be based on attendance and participation in the virtual classrooms, as well as, the completion and quality of the work assigned.
Parents will receive a biweekly notification documenting their students level of participation and progress during episodes of Distance Learning.
Student IEP meetings and reviews were conducted as required or requested during the first round of Distance Learning through the use of Google Video Meetings. This proved itself to be an effective means to conduct IEP meetings and will continue.
In addition to weekly team meetings, a weekly all staff meeting will also be held. This meeting will be essential to maintain clear communication with all staff regarding ever changing needs during episodes of Distance Learning. It will also be a platform for staff to identify and discuss areas in need of professional development. Training that cannot be provided in the staff meeting format will then be planned for on the scheduled Professional Development Days.

Eleanor Brigg School

DROP OFF/PICK UP PROCEDURES

The Eleanor Briggs School is committed to keeping the students safe. Students will be required to limit contact with any other students outside of their classroom. The arrival and dismissal procedures will reflect that commitment.

Arrival Procedure

Bus Arrivals:

Elementary and Middle School students will enter the school via the front door located near the school office. Students are required to wear masks upon entering the school.

High School students will enter the school via the side-door known as the “Library Door”. Students are required to wear masks upon entering the school.

*Parent Drop Off: Students will enter the school via the front door located near the school office. Students are required to wear masks upon entering the school.

Dismissal Procedure

Bus Dismissals:

Elementary and Middle School students will be dismissed from the school via the front door located near the school office. Students will be required to wear masks while exiting the school.

High School students will be dismissed from the school via the side-door known as the “Library Door”. Students will be required to wear masks while exiting the school.

*Parent Pick Up: Students will be dismissed from the school via the front door located near the school office. Students will be required to wear masks while exiting the school.

Eleanor Briggs School

COVID-19 Child Illness Policy

The following illness policy has been developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to meet the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) requirements. Any positive case of COVID-19 must be reported to the RI Department of Health by phone call and the RI Department of Human Services via documentation within 24 hours of notification.

POLICY

Anyone exhibiting any signs or symptoms of COVID-19, per CDC guidelines, that cannot be explained by allergies or other noninfectious disease should NOT attend any school program.

SCREENING

Students and staff of The Eleanor Briggs School will conduct COVID-19 screenings at home in accordance with their signed self-attestation forms on file. School visitors will be required to complete a self attestation form, including temperature check at the time of arrival. Any student, staff or visitor who is observed to have symptoms of COVID-19, as set forth by the CDC, will not be admitted into the program.

MONITORING

The Eleanor Briggs School will monitor all students, staff, and visitors throughout the day. Should any student, staff or visitor develop any signs or symptoms of COVID-19, as set forth by the CDC, they will be isolated in the designated isolation area, sent home, and/or provided medical attention as needed.

The Isolation room is located in the Conference Room. This room is able to be sanitized and has a private bathroom. When a student, staff or visitor is isolated, they will be asked to wear a facial covering if it is safe for them to do so. They will not be left alone. They will be monitored constantly due to the respiratory risk associated with the COVID-19 virus.

Parents/caregivers must be available to pick up a sick child immediately.

If a student, staff or visitor is determined to need medical attention, 911 will be called as well as parent/guardian/emergency contact. Emergency medical attention will be sought if any of the following warning signs are present:

Trouble breathing
Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
New confusion
Inability to wake or stay awake
Bluish lips or face

COVID-19 TESTING

Staff (vaccinated) of the Eleanor Briggs School, as employees of Thrive Behavioral Health are required to complete on-site COVID-19 testing once per week. Staff with medical exemption from being vaccinated are required to complete on-site COVID-19 testing twice per week.

Students will be given the opportunity to opt-in to onsite COVID-19 testing to be administered randomly during times of substantial or high transmission or if symptomatic for COVID-19. Parents, or students if aged 18 or older, will sign an opt-in form consent form that will remain for the duration of the school year.

RETURNING TO SCHOOL AFTER ILLNESS

Any students or staff sent home may not return to school until they (or parent) provides competent evidence demonstrating that:

They were tested negative for COVID -19 or
They tested positive for COVID-19 but they have since met the RIDOH guidelines for ending isolation; or
They can provide a doctor’s note stating they are not contagious.

QUARANTINING AFTER CLOSE CONTACT EXPOSURE

The Eleanor Briggs School will follow all current CDC guidelines for best practice requiring quarantining of student or staff following a close contact exposure to COVID -19.

Eleanor Briggs School

Screening Documentation Policy

Every student and staff member that comes to the school will complete a daily COVID - 19 screening at home, in accordance with the signed self-attestation form on file at the school.

Visitors will need to complete a Visitor log form which includes the screening attestation questions and temperature check. In addition, it includes basic information regarding the nature of the visit as well as the time in and out. The log will be maintained for a minimum of 30 days. Visitors will be required to wear facial coverings while in the building.

Any student, staff or visitor who is observed to have symptoms of COVID-19, as set forth by the CDC, will not be admitted into the program.

Eleanor Briggs School

Handwashing Guidelines

The Eleanor Briggs School believes that hand washing keeps everyone healthy and aids in the prevention of viral and infection spread. The school has always had a practice of handwashing before eating, following bathroom visits and after any outdoor activities. Our handwashing practices will increase as a response to the COVID 19 virus. The guidelines will apply to all students, staff and visitors.

Students and staff will be instructed on the correct way to wash their hands and to use hand sanitizer. We have posted signs on the correct way to wash and sanitize their hands. Students will be taught, coached and monitored in the correct procedures. Staff will also be monitored for adherence to these guidelines by the School Administrators.

Students, Staff and Visitors will wash their hands during these key times:

Before, during and after preparing food
Before eating food- lunch or snack
Before and after providing any First Aid
After using the toilet
After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
After touching garbage
Before entering school after screening
Before entering the bus
Before using any recreation equipment
After cleaning any surface
Before touching face, eyes, nose or mouth

Hand Washing Procedure

The Eleanor Briggs School adheres to the CDC guidelines for proper handwashing. We believe that hand washing with soap and water is the most effective method for cleaning hands. There are several areas for hand washing with soap and water available throughout the school. (Bathrooms and kitchen).

The correct Handwashing procedure is as follows:

Wet hands with clean, running water. Turn off tap and apply soap.
Lather hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between fingers and under nails.
Scrub your hands for 20 seconds.
Rinse hands well under clean, running water.
Dry your hands with a clean paper towel.

The Eleanor Briggs School understands that there will be times when hand sanitizer must be used due to location and less convenient access to hand washing sinks. Only hand sanitizer with 60% alcohol is used. Hand Sanitizer should not be used if hands are visibly dirty or greasy.

The correct Hand Sanitizing procedure is as follows:

Apply the gel product to the palm of one hand.
Rub your hands together.
Rub the gel over all the surfaces of your hands and fingers until your hands are dry. This should take around 20 seconds.