Dahlonegah School has updated it’s “Return to School’ Plan” for 2021-22 in response to declining Covid-19 infections and a growing number of vaccinated people. This plan will be presented to Dahlonegah’s Board of Education. The plan will be reviewed semi-annually while COVID-19 health concerns remain and as required by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP). Parents, teachers, students, and members of the public are invited to read the updated plans and email any comments/suggestions cyeager@dahlonegah.k12.ok.us, scain@dahlonegah.k12.ok.us, or jtlimore@dahlonegah.k12.ok.us Thank you Dahlonegah School 2021-2022 Return to Learn COVID-19 Guidelines Dahlonegah School will follow the Oklahoma Department of Health (ODH) Guidelines and Return to Learn Oklahoma Framework provided by the Oklahoma State Department of Education in planning for reopening in the fall. We hope that the following information helps answer many of the questions you may have about our reopening. Our goal will be to provide as safe as possible experience which will include a rich educational experience, with opportunities for social interaction and extracurricular while adhering to guidelines provided by the Oklahoma Department of Health. Dahlonegah School will coordinate with State and local health officials as well as collaborate through contact tracing with State, local, and Tribal health departments. Dahlonegah will also support our school community by providing vaccination support and resources. What is the first day of school for students? School will begin on August 11. 2021. Dahlonegah will stay in close contact with state and local health officials to make sure we are following the latest information available. Who will be required to wear face coverings? Currently, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Oklahoma Department of Health (ODH) is not recommending that all individuals wear face coverings. If this changes and we are instructed to go back to wearing face coverings, Dahlonegah will review proper mask wearing policies and procedures with students and staff. In the event we are required to enforce a mask policy, masks will be provided to all students, staff, and visitors before entrance into school facilities. Do we need to provide masks for our students or will one be provided? If the CDC goes back to recommending face coverings, students will be provided with a mask upon arrival to school grounds if they do not already have one on. Will bus transportation be provided? Yes, the district will provide bus transportation for all students. We are planning no changes to bus schedules or bus stops. How normal will the school day be for a student? As always, our goal is to have as normal a school day as possible for our students. We will still provide transportation, and have sanitation stations at entrances and hand sanitizer available in classrooms. The school nurse will review best practices for cleanliness and sanitation for all students on the first day of school. Will students at Dahlonegah still have extra classes like PE, art, music, guidance and library? Yes, students will participate in all activities. Will my Dahlonegah student have recess? Yes, all students will play outdoors and on playground equipment at recess time. If weather prevents outdoor activities, indoor activities will be done as an alternative. Will social distancing guidelines be observed? Dahlonegah will continue to keep desks in classrooms at a 3 ft. distance. Class changes will be done in a staggering method to reduce overcrowding in halls. Will classrooms be arranged differently? Dahlonegah will follow CDC guidelines of minimum of 3 ft. distance for each desk/table. Will students attend school every day or will some type of alternative be available? It is our goal to have every student present at school each day, however, we understand that certain students may have health concerns that require special accommodations. Should this be the case, students will have the option to attend classes virtually. What will happen if an individual tests positive for Covid-19? In the event an individual tests positive, we will follow the latest guidance from ODH. That is to isolate the student until the parent can pick up the child and follow proper contact tracing guidelines. Will students and adults be screened daily? Daily screening will be done through temperature checks and student observance, according to CDC guidelines. What are my options, if I do not want my child to return to the traditional classroom? Dahlonegah will offer virtual learning with Edmentum, which is a curriculum provided by the State Department of Education, and other online resources as determined by each student’s teacher. Parents and students are required to commit to virtual education before the school year begins. Daily attendance and grades will be gathered each day virtually. If students choose to do full time virtual, will they be able to participate in extracurricular activities? Yes, students participating in full time virtual learning will be able to participate in extracurricular activities under the conditions that they are meeting virtual attendance and academic standards. Will Dahlonegah have an open house? Yes, an open house will be held in August. Will students be able to participate in extracurricular activities and sports in the fall? Yes, Dahlonegah will have all activities in the fall Will students eat lunch in their classrooms? No, meals will be in the cafeteria. CDC social distancing guidelines of 3 ft. will be followed and grade levels will stagger lunch times to reduce overcrowding in lunch areas and halls. What special precautions will be implemented in regards to cleaning and sanitizing? Dahlonegah school will continue to adhere to a strict cleaning schedule What will happen if a student comes to school sick? Students will be screened if they exhibit symptoms and if fever is found then parents will be notified and advised to come pick up their student. We will follow the guidelines set by the CDC at the time school begins. We plan to isolate the student and call their parents to come pick them up. The student can return to school once they have quarantined for the appropriate amount of time, according to CDC guidelines. How will you help fill any gaps my student has from the previous school year? A rigorous summer school program was completed. Also, our curriculum teams, including a reading specialist, have worked to ensure essential standards are met for any student that missed skills from the previous school year. Each student will be evaluated on an individual basis at the beginning of the school year. What happens if we have school closures again? If schools close again, a plan for at home digital learning has been developed and Dahlonegah will implement that program should closures happen again. Will our students have the same arrival and dismissal times? Yes In the event of a temporary closure, how will the district serve special needs students (special education, 504, dyslexia, etc)? In the event of a school closure, students will participate in live instruction with a scheduled Zoom session and virtual education by using Edmentum programs and/or other programs identified by each classroom teacher. Students will receive all accommodations as listed on their IEP through virtual instruction.