Appleton City R-2 School District is excited to see students return to the buildings on August 24th, 2021. They have experienced first-hand that in-person access to school is the best approach for students to be educated, have equitable and effective access to educational opportunities, access necessary support and nutrition, as well as engage in activities which promote social and emotional wellness. Appleton City School would like families to feel comfortable and confident in sending all children back to in-person learning and we are prepared to keep our schools safe. The Appleton City R-2 School District plans to operate with full in-person schooling for the 2021- 2022 school year.
To keep our students, faculty, staff and patrons safe, we will deploy layers of mitigation strategies (mask-wearing, social distancing, hand-washing) as required or needed, depending upon COVID-19 circumstances as we return this year. The Appleton City School District’s primary objective for the 2021-2022 school year is to resume normal school operations. The Appleton City School District reaffirms its commitment to continue to ensure high-quality, in-person instruction for our students during the 2021-2022 school year.
Procedures may or can be modified at any time. It is impossible to plan for every scenario and situation. ACR2 works with the St. Clair County Health Department, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Governor’s Office, and Center for Disease Control. Please continue to have a plan for the possibility of school closure or in the event of a quarantine. There are many things that they cannot predict and plan for. A one-size-fits-all solution is not possible. Blanket policies and procedures do not take into consideration an individual’s needs, concerns, challenges, and situation.
This plan attempts to give students and families the best choices for their situation. There must be a balance between what is doable, what is reasonable, and what is in the best interest of not only students but also staff, the community, families, and the Appleton City School district.
Appleton City R2 will make every effort to minimize contact to COVID-19 and other communicable diseases; however, attending school will inherently introduce a greater risk of exposure. A communicable disease is any pathogen identified by public health authorities as highly contagious and constitutes a threat. The district will implement the following safety measures. If a health agency such as St. Clair County or the State of Missouri require additional or stricter measures, Appleton City R2 will enforce those plans. As an example, Appleton City R2 does not require students or staff to wear masks but St. Clair County does, we would enforce mandatory masks to be worn. The Communicable Disease Response Team is empowered by the Appleton City R-2 Board of Education to exercise any and all options included in this plan.
Safety and Protocols for Face-Face School
❖ Enhanced Safety Procedures for all Buildings – (not all encompassing)
➢ Training for all custodial staff and staff members specific to COVID-19 will be completed
➢ Scheduled continuous training for custodial staff when available for updated procedures and best practices for cleaning and disinfecting with the help of cleaning products from a reputable Chemical Supplier .
➢ Higher emphasis and levels of disinfection on high touch surface areas
➢ Products that are CDC certified to kill COVID-19 and other communicable diseases will be used
➢ Social distancing will be in place where appropriate.
➢ Classroom desks will be spread out using as much room as possible.
➢ Students will be spread out anytime they are in line, in the halls or areas where gathering could be an issue.
➢ Students in grades K through 12 may be required to wear masks when social distancing of 3 feet is not possible and other COVID barriers are not available. Masking must meet district appropriate apparel requirements. Exceptions made for masking requirements with a medical physician excused diagnosis (see green, yellow, and red sections for more information). Masking on buses is required by federal law.
➢ Large gatherings will not occur.
➢ Students will have assigned seats in any area they are seated.
➢ Parents/visitors will not be allowed in the building during school hours. If a parent needs to pick up or drop off a child or deliver supplies, they will need to call the appropriate school office and a staff member will meet them at the door.
➢ Students will need a water bottle to fill at the water bottle filling station. Bottles will need to be taken home regularly to be cleaned.
➢ Hand sanitizing stations will be available in every classroom.
➢ Students will report directly to their classroom each day.
➢ Students sharing equipment will be limited and eliminated if possible.
➢ Options for food service may include eating in classrooms, socially distancing in the cafeteria, or a combination of both.
Sanitation/Cleaning for all levels will be done more frequently and with appropriate disinfectants. Hot spots such as water fountains (push button will not be used, only use is the bottle filling station), doorknobs, light switches, lockers, sinks and faucet handles will be cleaned as often as 3 possible. Appleton City R2 must minimize the use of shared equipment and sanitize these types of equipment often. Buses will be sprayed before bus trips and after bus trips. Sanitation is everyone’s responsibility this school year. Social distancing and the secondary concerns that will result from this are everyone’s responsibility.
