COVID-19 School Health and Safety for Staff and Students
As we welcome our students and staff back to our buildings, we want to do so in the safest way possible and to provide reassurance about our health and safety practices. We are committed to sharing information and being responsive, while remaining fully in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
SAFETY PROCEDURES FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES Click on the following links to be redirected to sections of interest.
Daily Symptom Checks Facial Coverings Hand Hygiene Social Distancing Reusable Water Bottles Transportation Mental Health and Wellbeing
Daily Symptom Home Checklist (PDF)
Our business operations and facilities teams are delivering on all of the health and safety guidelines recommended by state and local health officials, and we have many precautions in place for the safety of our staff and students.
GAHANNA-JEFFERSON PUBLIC SCHOOLS DISTRICTWIDE HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS Click on the following links to be redirected to sections of interest.
Personal Protective Equipment Classroom and Facility Safety Measures Cleaning and Disinfecting our School Buildings Breakfast and Lunch Visitors Clinic Visits Covid-19 Case Information
An important part of decreasing the spread of the virus in our schools will involve daily symptom checks by our families. School staff will monitor students regularly throughout the school day; however, it is critical that students stay home if they are experiencing symptoms.
It is important to note that students must have all symptoms resolved and be fever free for 24 hours without medication prior to returning to school.
Daily checks should include looking for these symptoms. Students should stay home with one or more of the following symptoms:
Students should stay home with two or more of the following symptoms:
Families must check each student’s temperature every day and follow these guidelines regarding symptoms, testing and keeping your student home from school. This Daily Symptom Home Checklist can be downloaded and printed to use as a daily reminder.
*As part of licensing requirements, preschool students will have their temperature taken before entering the school building daily.
According to Nationwide Children's Hospital and local health departments, staff or students exhibiting the symptoms above should seek a COVID-19 test and should stay home under the following conditions:
AND SIBLINGS/HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS...
Individuals do not need to stay home or complete a 10-day quarantine if they had COVID-19 illness within the previous three months, have recovered and remain without symptoms.
A close contact is anyone who was:
Related Information from the CDC: When to Quarantine
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SCHOOL NURSE OR BUILDING ADMINISTRATOR.
All students and staff in grades K-12 are required to wear masks while on the bus and in the school buildings. Students in Preschool are recommended to wear masks but not required. All students, teachers and staff will be required to wear masks at all times when:
Students are required to bring their own mask but classrooms will have extras if a student forgets their mask. Per guidance from Franklin County Public Health, gaiters are not permitted as a stand alone face covering. The masks will return home each night for laundering so multiple face masks for your child are recommended.
Students may remove their masks:
Face coverings should:
For more information, you can access our GJPS Face Covering Policy. The following videos will help your child learn more about how to wear a mask correctly.
Masked Heroes (PreK- 2)
How to Wear a Mask at School (Grades 3-5)
How to Wear Your Mask (Middle School)
Know How to Wear Your Mask Correctly (High School)
Viruses such as COVID-19 are almost exclusively spread by respiratory droplets. As a result, routine and frequent handwashing is critical to limit transmission.
Age appropriate signage is placed in visible places throughout classrooms and restrooms to remind students to wash their hands frequently. Hand sanitizer is in each classroom to supplement hand washing.
What is effective handwashing?
Students and staff should cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or the bend of your elbow. Throw the used tissue in the trash and wash hands immediately with soap and water for 20 seconds.
The following videos can help your child better understand how to wash their hands thoroughly.
Wash Your Hands (PreK-2)
Hand Washing (Grades 3-5)
Fight Germs, Wash Your Hands (Middle School)
5 Steps of Hand Washing (High School)
Social distancing is a simple yet effective way to prevent potential infection. Physical distancing will be required in all GJPS schools and buildings with all staff and students remaining six feet apart whenever possible. No-touch greeting instead of handshakes and hugs are encouraged.
To the extent possible, furniture is arranged to leave a six foot distance between students during instruction time. Plexiglass dividers are used in offices and small group tables where necessary. Physical distancing signage and floor markers are installed throughout the schools as a reminder to maintain a safe distance. One way traffic patterns are set up in buildings where possible to avoid congestion in hallways.
Socially distancing with 6 feet away from others applies to all areas including but not limited to:
Most of the school buildings have been fitted with water bottle filler stations to use instead of shared drinking fountains. Students are asked to bring a reusable water bottle to fill up and use throughout the day. Bottles should be brought home each night for cleaning. In buildings where water bottle fillers have not yet been installed, bottles of water will be provided for staff and students.
With health and safety as our ultimate goal, we have a few updated policies and procedures in place to protect our bus drivers and riders. Based on guidelines from Franklin County Public Health (FCPH), when possible we will assign one student per seat; however, the maximum will be two students per seat.
GJPS Transportation Protocols
Student Transportation Procedures
Please check Transfinder for your bus schedule and route. If you have any questions regarding our updated policies and procedures or concerns about your transportation schedule after consulting Transfinder, please contact the transportation department at (614) 751-7581.
Student Drop Off and Pick Up by Car Drivers must stay in their vehicle while dropping off or picking up students before or after school.
In the event you must pick your child up midday, please follow these procedures:
We know that this is a difficult time for our students socially and emotionally. Paying attention to our students' mental health right now is just as important as monitoring their physical health. Symptoms of a child's mental health being negatively impacted can be much more difficult to recognize than physical symptoms.
Here is an article we put together last year as a resource for parents detailing red flags parents can look for to help determine if their child is struggling emotionally. Remember, you know your child best, if you feel like he or she needs help or you just want to talk through what you are observing at home please do not hesitate to reach out to your School Counselor.
Our team stands ready and willing to help you and your child during this difficult time.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) has been fully stocked in all buildings and classroom spaces in the district.
Each classroom has the following items that will be replenished as needed throughout the year.
Additional PPE available in every building:
In addition, plexiglass dividers are available for small group tables, office spaces and on student tables as needed.
Hand Sanitizers Every classroom is supplied with hand sanitizer bottles.
During our hybrid learning plan, GJPS will maximize social distancing to the greatest extent possible in all areas of the school building by maintaining at least six feet between individuals. Classroom Safety Measures
Building Safety Measures
YWCA will follow safety guidelines outlined specifically for after school use and will inform the building principal and school nurse of any confirmed cases at their building site
All district cleaning products are Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved disinfectants and meet Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations. Additional cleaning products are available to staff upon request.
High Traffic Areas are cleaned by custodians a minimum of two times throughout the school day including, but not limited to:
Each night, custodians conduct a deep clean and disinfect each building.
In classrooms where student desks/tables/chairs are used by different groups of students, surfaces are cleaned in between class periods.
Cafeteria cleaning process: During the school day tables are cleaned after each lunch group with soap and water. After school, chairs and tables are cleaned with a disinfectant and floors will be swept and mopped.
Additional Information
The GJPS Child Nutrition Department will continue to provide Grab & Go Meals for our distance learners and hybrid learners while they are learning remotely on their at-home days.
Breakfast Each building will share with families the procedure used for breakfast. Lunch The school cafeterias is used for K-12 lunch periods in all buildings. Open lunch is discontinued, and all high school students eat lunch on campus. In some buildings, additional table space is set up in alternate locations to help accommodate space needs (ex. gymnasiums, hallways, library, etc.). Assigned seats are utilized in cafeteria spaces to help with contract tracing and may be adjusted periodically by the administration. Lunch periods are adjusted to allow for a single group/grade level to start and complete their lunch before another group comes in and traffic patterns are created to reduce the likelihood of large groups of students congregating in one area. Disposable trays are used for lunch and all utensils and condiments are distributed in individual packages. No common, self-serve utensils or condiment stations are available. Masks Students will:
Payment for Meals Online, prepayment for meals is encouraged on MyPaymentPlus. CASH WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Students do not enter their PIN into the keypad.
Sanitization and Cleaning
Buildings limit all non-essential visitors, volunteers and activities involving other groups (e.g. parents, mentors, vendors, family visits for breakfast & lunch with students, etc.).
All essential visitors to the buildings are required to wear a face covering and maintain a six foot social distance.
Student Drop Off and Pick Up Drivers must stay in their vehicle while dropping off or picking up students before or after school.
In the event parents must pick a child up midday, please follow these procedures:
In order to minimize the transmission of COVID-19, schools have a clinic isolation room available for students displaying COVID-19 symptoms while at school. In the event a student has a temperature or exhibits the following COVID-19 symptoms, that student will be isolated from others and a guardian will be called to pick up the student immediately. Students are NOT be allowed to ride the bus home.
Students will be isolated and sent home with ONE or more of the following symptoms:
Students will be isolated and sent home with TWO or more of the following symptoms:
The district has identified a COVID-19 Coordinator who will monitor and support all COVID related screening, documentation and reporting in collaboration with each building school nurse. Parents/staff should notify the school office/nurse AND Franklin County Public Health (FCPH) within 24 hours if someone in their family has tested positive or received a clinical diagnosis for COVID-19. Within 24 hours of receiving notification of a confirmed case, the district will notify building parents/guardians in writing with information about the positive case (no protected health information will be shared). The District will also provide notification and reported data on confirmed COVID-19 cases within the district on a weekly basis which can be found on our website under Health Services and a link on our COVID-19 Information page. FCPH will work with the district to notify and implement quarantine protocols as appropriate.