Health and Safety Plan 2021-22_Brd_Approved

Pace School
Health and Safety Plan for
School Closure, Recovery and Safe Return

2021-2022

Approved Private School Pace School
Address 2432 Greensburg Pike, Pittsburgh, PA 15221
Chief Executive Officer Karen Shepherd
Email [email protected]
Phone 412-244-1900 ext. 4362
Fax 412-244-0100
Website www.paceschool.org
Last reviewed/updated Board Approved – August 16, 2021

Pandemic Coordinator: Karen Shepherd – Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Pandemic Team responsible for Health and Safety Plan development and Pandemic Crisis
Response
James Mele – Chief Financial Officer
Jeff Sistek – Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds
Nathan Leeman – Principal
Stephanie DiCroce – Human Resources Manager
Becky Reynolds – Nurse
Robert Mickolay – Technology Manager

Input has been gathered from stakeholders through a variety of methods such as surveys and
focus groups.

Pace School will offer 100% in-person instruction for the 2021-2022 school year. Transitioning
to a remote learning model will occur, as needed, due to quarantine requirements and/or
County, State of Federal mandates.

1) How will the Local Education Agency (LEA), to the greatest extent practicable, support
prevention and mitigation policies in line with the most up-to-date guidance from the CDC
for the reopening and operation of school facilities in order to continuously and safely
open and operate schools for in-person learning?

Pace will continue to monitor the recommendations from PDE, CDC and the Governor of
Pennsylvania. Recommendations will be implemented to the greatest extent possible.

Cleaning/disinfecting (per CDC recommendations), physical distancing (per CDC
recommendations), situational use of face coverings/masks and increased personal hygiene
practices will continue to be implemented to keep our school open and operating safely. Pace
will continue to assist County and State Departments of Health with contact tracing within the
school should there be a positive COVID-19 case within the building.

2) How will the LEA ensure continuity of services, including but not limited to services to
address the students’ academic needs, and students’ and staff members’ social,
emotional, mental health, and other needs, which may include student health and
food services?

Pace School is committed to the physical, mental and emotional health and well-being of our
staff and our students. We will continue to follow recommended practice when planning for
staff and students to return to school for the 2021-2022 school year.

These best practices will include, but not be limited to:
• Maintaining physical distance of at least three feet
• Providing the supplies necessary for daily routine cleaning and disinfecting
• Utilizing and providing safety equipment access including face coverings and gloves
• Encouraging daily self-health checks for symptoms related to COVID-19
• Students or staff who are ill, or exhibiting symptoms as indicated in the CDC guidance
will stay home.
• Maintaining medical privacy while following CDC guidelines for pandemics
• Providing professional development for staff and opportunities for staff, students and
families to express and discuss their fears and anxieties about returning to in-person
instruction
• Social work and mental health services are available to students, onsite daily, and an on-
call number is provided for after-hours support in the event of a mental health crises.
• Employees, and members of their households, have 24/7 access to support through the
School’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Providing staff and students with technology and online instructional materials allowing
for intermittent closures or responses necessary due to COVID 19
• Visitors to the building will be limited to individuals conducting Pace business or
maintaining facilities/operations, parents/guardians, agency personnel and other
individuals providing services to students.
• All staff and students have individual technology devices assigned to them in the event
of a temporary transition to remote instruction is necessary.

**In accordance with HR Policy #305 (Equal Opportunity Employment), Pace is committed to
complying with the Americans Disability Act, as amended (ADAAA), and with other applicable
federal, state or local laws. Pace is committed to providing job modification/reasonable
accommodations so that qualified persons with disabilities enjoy equal employment
opportunities, unless to do so would cause undue hardship.

Health and Safety Plan Inspection
In order to ensure compliance with the Health and Safety Plan steps below, Pace’s Pandemic
Team will conduct Health and Safety Plan Inspections once every six months, or as indicated by
County, State or Federal mandates/orders.

The Pandemic Team will use the inspection reports to support and ensure that Pace, to the
greatest extent practicable, is implementing prevention and mitigation policies in line with the
most up-to-date guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the
reopening and operation of school facilities.

3) How the LEA will maintain the health and safety of students, educators, and other
staff and the extent to which it has adopted policies, and a description of any such
policy on each of the following safety recommendations established by the CDC?

1. Universal and correct wearing of face coverings – Masks and face shields are available
for staff, student and visitor use. Individuals may use their own personal masks if
desired.
a. Transportation: Students and staff are required to wear a mask or face shield
while riding on a bus, van or other vehicle provided by the students’ public
school or by Pace School.
b. Indoors: All individuals (e.g., staff, students and visitor) regardless of vaccination
status, must wear a face covering in the building, except while eating or drinking
or when in an enclosed private office space.
c. Outdoors: Face coverings are not required when outdoors. However, mask use is
recommended for people who are not fully vaccinated including students,
teachers, and staff.
d. As a reminder, wearing a face covering is not a signal of vaccination status. Some
people will continue to wear a mask regardless of vaccination status as a matter
of individual preference and comfort. Please have patience for yourself and for
others as we navigate these changes.

2. Physical Distancing/Use of Cohorts
a. A physical distancing of at least three (3) feet will be maintained in classrooms,
hallways and other common areas within the school as is practicable. At times,
three feet distancing cannot be maintained (e.g., hand-over-hand support,
assistance with activities of daily living).
b. Students will remain in self-contained classrooms (cohorts) with a maximum
enrollment of 12 students. These students will travel together to activities
outside of the classroom (e.g., lunch, special area classes).
c. Breakfast and lunch schedules and routines have been modified to allow for
three (3) feet of physical distancing and use of cohorts, as is practicable.
d. There will be no contact sports played either during physical education class or
during recess.

3. Handwashing and Respiratory Etiquette
a. Students and staff will adopt the policy of “washing in and washing out” when
entering/leaving a space.
b. Each classroom is equipped with a sink, soap and paper towels to allow for
frequent handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
c. Hand sanitizer is provided in areas that do not have a sink.
d. Handwashing and/or hand sanitizing is expected:
1. Before, during, and after preparing food
2. Before and after eating food
3. Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or
diarrhea
4. Before and after treating a cut or wound
5. After using the toilet
6. After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet
7. After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
8. After touching garbage
9. Before and after touching frequently touched surfaces or shared items
(e.g., door handles, tables, keyboards, sports equipment)
e. Single use gloves are available for staff, student and visitor use

4. Cleaning and Maintaining a Healthy Facility, Including Improving Ventilation
a. In accordance with CDC recommendations, when no individual with confirmed or
suspected COVID-19 are known to have been in a space, cleaning once a day is
usually enough to sufficiently remove virus that may be on surfaces and help
maintain a healthy facility.
1. Classrooms will be equipped with a cleaning/disinfecting spay and paper
towels to clean high touched surfaces as needed.
2. Custodial staff will clean all classrooms, offices, and common areas
nightly with a cleaning and disinfecting cleaner including high-touch
surfaces such as, tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, stair rails,
elevator buttons, desks, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
3. Classroom staff will ensure that keyboards, two-way radios, UKERU pads
and shared materials (e.g., pens, shared instructional materials, fidgets,
etc.) are cleaned daily with soap and water or the cleaning and
disinfecting spray.
4. Cafeteria tables will be cleaned with a cleaning/disinfecting spray after
each use.
5. Conference tables will be cleaned and disinfected after each use.
b. All staff and students will be trained on proper use of cleaning (and disinfecting,
if applicable) products.
c. All classrooms have operable windows allowing for outdoor air flow when safe
and practical.

d. Pace School is air conditioned. All air conditioning units have been equipped with
air filters consistent with CDC recommendations

e. HVAC systems are set to bring in as much outdoor air as the system will safely
allow.

5. Contact Tracing/ Isolation/and Quarantine

In accordance with CDC recommendations, Pace School has adopted the following
definitions/expectations:

a. Staff and students/guardians are to notify Pace when they are experiencing
symptoms or have tested positive for COVID-19. Staff contact the Human
Resources Manager and students/guardians contact the Nurse.

b. Suspected case of COVID-19 on school grounds:
1. A student experiencing symptoms will:
i. be isolated, parents/guardians notified and sent home
ii. If a staff member must enter or remain in the isolation room with
the students the staff member will don full PPE including gown,
gloves and mask and/or face shield.
2. A staff member experiencing symptoms will notify their supervisor and
leave the building/grounds as soon as they begin to experience
symptoms.
3. All individuals experiencing symptoms are encouraged to contact their
health care provider.

c. The following will occur in accordance with CDC guidance:
Quarantine if an individual has been in close contact (within 6 feet of someone
for a total of 15 minutes or more) with someone who has COVID-19, unless the
individual has been fully vaccinated. To quarantine means to:
1. Stay home for 10 days after the last contact with a person who has
COVID-19. Or after 7 days after receiving a negative test (test must occur
on day 5 or later)
2. Watch for fever (100◦F), cough, shortness of breath, or other
symptoms of COVID-19.
3. If possible, stay away from people you live with, especially people who
are at higher risk for getting very sick from COVID-19.
Note: People who are fully vaccinated do NOT need to quarantine after contact
with someone who had COVID-19 unless they have symptoms.
Isolate when an individual has been infected with the virus, even if you don’t
have symptoms.
1. People who are in isolation should stay home until it’s safe for them to be
around others. At home, anyone sick or infected should separate from
others, stay in a specific “sick room” or area, and use a separate
bathroom (if available).

d. Return to school/work after testing positive for COVID-19 will be as follows, or
as directed by the individual’s health care provider and/or the Allegheny County
and/or PA Departments of Health.
1. Tested positive for COVID-19 without symptoms: an individual may
return to school/work 10 days after the positive viral test for COVID-19
2. Tested Positive for COVID-19 with symptoms:
i. 10 days since symptoms first appeared and
ii. 24 hours with no fever without the use of fever-reducing
medications and
iii. Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving

e. Confirmed Case of COVID-19 in the building
1. Pace staff will consult with the Allegheny or PA Departments of Health for
guidance regarding contact tracing and the need, if any, for individuals to
quarantine.
2. In the case where an entire classroom must quarantine, instruction will
continue through an online format.

6. Diagnostic/Screening Tests
a. Staff and students are encouraged to complete a daily self-health check for
symptoms related to COVID-19 and stay home if they are experiencing the
following:

1 or more of the following 2 or more of the following
symptoms symptoms

Fever (at or above 100OF) Fever (at or above 100OF)
Cough Chills
Shortness of breath Rigors
Difficulty breathing Myalgia
New olfactory disorder Headache
New taste disorder Sore throat
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
Fatigue
Congestion or runny nose

b. Students and/or staff that exhibit symptoms of COVID-19 (as indicated above)
will be excluded from school in accordance with CDC guidelines

c. Pace School is not currently testing students or staff

7. Vaccinations to School Communities

a. Pace School will continue to collaborate with local Intermediate Units,
pharmacies and other health care providers to inform staff and
students/guardians of the availability of vaccinations.

b. Pace School is not offering vaccination clinics.

8. Appropriate Accommodations for Children with Disabilities with Respect to Health
and Safety Policies
a. Pace School has established policies and practices related to Health and Safety
that are sensitive to the needs of staff and students with medical issues.
b. The school conducts IEP meeting, in collaboration with the student’s home
public school district, to address specific and/or unique needs that a student
might have related to a safety requirement or mitigation protocol for COVID-19.
c. Any necessary accommodations identified for students or staff will be in made
accordance with State and Federal laws.

9. Coordination with State and Local Health Officials
Pace School will continue to collaborate with the Allegheny County and PA Departments
of Health to monitor and coordinate responses to COVID-19.