Attendance

Students, teachers, and staff are expected to stay home if they do not feel well. The district’s fever policy will continue to be enforced, and individuals with a temperature above 100.0 will not be permitted at school. Additionally, a virtual attendance policy will be in place for remote learning, as required by the Oklahoma State Department of Education. School principals will work with families under the guidance of our Directors, Assistant Superintendents, and Superintendent of Shawnee Public Schools to ensure appropriate attendance codes are used for absences related to COVID-19.

Classrooms

Classroom desks and common seating areas (including tables) may be rearranged to maximize space between students. Assigned seating may be implemented when possible. School administrators and teachers will further work to balance teacher assignments and class sizes to the best of their ability.

Enhanced Sanitation

Enhanced cleaning and sanitization practices will occur with increased frequency and include the use of equipment commonly used in hospitals to disinfect classrooms and common areas. In addition to common, EPA-approved cleaning agents, electrostatic sprayers and other sanitizing equipment will be used.

Extracurricular Activities

All practices are closed to the public and only SPS staff members are permitted to attend. Additional information regarding events (including scrimmages, games, performances, etc.) and extracurricular activities will be provided on the SPS website when it becomes available.

Face Coverings

Shawnee Public Schools is operating according to recommendations provided by the CDC in accordance with Oklahoma state law. Face coverings are welcomed and encouraged in areas where social distancing is not feasible or where individuals feel they are necessary. The district will continue to offer opportunities for vaccinations in partnership with health authorities for those individuals who wish to receive them. We will continue to offer on-site testing.

Facilities

Access to school facilities by community members and external groups may not be allowed when school programs are in process or during continued community spread. To inquire about the use of the Shawnee Public Schools’ facilities, contact the assistant superintendent of operations or the athletic director.

Hallways

Every effort will be made for passing periods to be staggered to reduce the number of students in hallways at any given time. Visual aids will be used when possible to illustrate traffic flow and appropriate spacing to support physical distancing measures. Additional details about hallways and passing periods will be provided by your student’s specific school.

Hand Hygiene

Frequent handwashing and sanitizing will be accommodated and encouraged. Students will be asked to wash and/or sanitize their hands before and after meals and outdoor play. Classrooms will be equipped with hand hygiene products, and additional hand sanitizer stations will be placed throughout the buildings.

Meals

Our goal is for students to continue to eat meals in cafeterias, as we know this is important to many families. However, to decrease the number of individuals in the cafeteria at any given time, mealtimes may be staggered or students may follow a rotating schedule that allows them to eat in the cafeteria, a classroom or outdoors when weather permits. Hand hygiene practices will be in place before and after mealtimes, and common surfaces will be cleaned and disinfected between student groups. Additionally, steps are being taken to minimize lines and wait times when students receive school meals. High school students in grades 10- 12 will continue to have open-campus lunch. At all sites, outside food deliveries after the school day begins will not be allowed in order to limit the number of guests in our front offices and help us protect our employees. Family members and outside guests will not be allowed to dine in our cafeterias with their children or other students. Additional details about meal schedules will be provided by your child’s specific school.

Recess

Students' ability to participate in unstructured play is an important component for children to develop physical, mental and social skills. Recess schedules may be staggered and the number of children on the playground may be limited at any given time to accommodate physical distancing guidelines. Additional details about recess procedures will be provided by your child’s specific school.

Respiratory Hygiene/Cough Etiquette

CDC guidelines for respiratory etiquette (hand hygiene/cough) recommend the following measures to contain respiratory secretions and decrease the spread of respiratory infections:

Teach and reinforce handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and increase monitoring to ensure adherence among students and staff.
If soap and water are not readily available, hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol can be used for staff and older students who can safely use hand sanitizer.
Encourage staff and students to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue. Used tissues should be thrown in the trash and hands washed immediately with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Post signs in highly visible locations that promote protective measures and describe how to stop the spread of germs such as proper handwashing and covering your cough.

School Libraries

Honoring the importance of reading and research, the school media centers will remain open for student use. There may be changes in routine, scheduling, spacing, and sanitation.

Social/Emotional Support

Students cannot learn if they do not feel safe. The social and emotional wellbeing of children is important and makes a difference in students’ ability to learn and grow. Our traumainformed teachers and administrators are well-versed in what it takes to help students achieve their full potential and understand all students have now been through a certain amount of trauma during the coronavirus pandemic. Our school counseling and trauma teams are prepared to support students and are also poised to provide resources and referrals to families in need.

Transportation

Transportation vehicles will be frequently cleaned and disinfected. Capacity has been systematically reviewed and evaluated with the goal of creating as much space between riders as possible, recognizing that it is not always feasible to have three feet of physical distancing. Considering the size of our current fleet, we have reduced capacity or added routes, when possible, to allow for more physical space between riders.

Vaccinations

Shawnee Public Schools' partnership with Team Clinics allows the district to provide onsite vaccinations at Jefferson Elementary School. The vaccinations will include required school vaccinations for students as well as COVID-19 and flu vaccinations during school hours. The district will host wellness clinics to provide vaccinations for staff.

Wellness Screenings

Families are expected to screen children for fever and/or other symptoms associated with COVID-19 prior to students’ arrival at school each day. Additionally, all students will have access to our on-site health clinics for screening at any time throughout the day. Staff members are expected to screen for fever and/or other symptoms associated with COVID-19 prior to arrival at school each day.