The following back-to-school information is from the Ada school website and is subject to change.
Introduction: This plan reflects what our plan is today, under today’s conditions, and is subject to change at any time to adapt to changes to the COVID-19 crisis.
(Icon note: For example, on Aug. 5, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced that the Ohio Department of Health will issue a health order requiring that K-12 children wear face coverings while in school. Click here to read that story.
The entire plan can be found here. The district reminds families that attending school, participating in extracurriculars and sports, and riding the bus carry with them an inherent risk that cannot be fully eliminated.
What are the “changes” the school is making to operations as a result of COVID-19?
Details of each of these changes is available in the full Ada Restart Plan document. Click here to view the restart plan document.
The school will offer in-school learning and a home learning option for those who medically can not return to school due to underlying conditions or concerns about contracting COVID.
School will start August 24th. There will be no fall, teacher professional development day, nor early release professional development days from August to November (the district will release a revised calendar).
Parents are encouraged to transport their children; however, bussing will be provided if needed.
The school will enact a robust cleaning schedule to address COVID-19 concerns.
The school will follow safety and health guidelines as provided by the local and state health departments and the Ohio Department of Education, such as physical distancing, to the highest degree possible.
The school will adhere to a strict 8:15 a.m. opening of doors. Students should not arrive before 8:15 a.m.
The school has adopted a student masking plan that is based on county health warning levels and/or statewide masking mandates.
Students grades 6-12 will have reduced access to lockers during the day, but MAY carry a backpack from class to class.
Visitors will be required to call the school to make an appointment to visit. There will be very limited access to the building by visitors.
The cafeteria will offer breakfast and lunch to students, and will eat in the cafeteria with certain safety protocols in place.
Staff and students will monitor their temperatures and possible COVID symptoms daily. Staff will take student temperatures in the morning.
The district will cooperate fully with the Health Department should any cases, presumptive or possible, and/or significant exposures be discovered.
No traditional Open House will be held before the school year begins.
Kindergarten parents will have the opportunity to schedule face-to-face appointments for kindergarten orientation during the week of August 17.
Students who typically have scheduled recesses will continue to have recess.
School parties, assemblies, and field trips are temporarily suspended.
Athletics will follow state guidance and regulations (which have not been fully unveiled by governing agencies at the time of publication of this plan).
What will the staff face covering policy be?
Full details can be found in the Ada Restart Plan.
All school staff members and support staff must wear masks or face shields (page 13 of the COVID-19 Health and Prevention Guidance for Ohio K-12 Schools published by the Ohio Department of Health).
Exceptions as allowed by order and law will be made.
When instructing students at a distance, teachers may choose to use a face shield to improve student learning, articulation, reading facial expression, etc. This will be done at the teachers’ discretion.
School nurses or staff who care for individuals with COVID-19 symptoms must use the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with OSHA standards. Exceptions will be made in accordance with the COVID-19 Health and Prevention Guidance for Ohio K-12 Schools.
What will the student face covering be?
Full details can be found in the Ada Restart Plan.
All students K-12 should acquire at least two washable, cloth masks as part of their school supplies for the school year, to allow for rotation of use and frequent washing of masks.
All students riding a bus are required to wear a mask.
Exceptions as allowed by order and/or law will be made. Requests should be made in writing for a student exception to the appropriate building administrator. Documentation may be required.
Facial coverings (masks) will be provided to any student upon request or when a mask is forgotten, lost, or damaged.
Mask usage will be determined by the emergency level of the county as follows:
At a Hardin County Level One (Yellow) COVID Emergency Level
At a level one warning in Hardin County, the classroom teacher will suggest times students may choose to wear the mask, such as when distancing is impractical or impossible (i.e. walking in hall to a special or to lunch, or getting help from the teacher in close proximity), taking into account the conditions, the age and/or developmental level of the students, and the nature of the activity in which they are participating.
Teachers with an underlying condition that increases their risk factors related to COVID-19, and/or those in demographics who are more vulnerable may require students to wear a mask during class or portions of class, or when providing one-on-one assistance to a student in close proximity.
In circumstances where close proximity to other students and/or sharing of materials is unavoidable (i.e., STEM, Robotics, science labs), teachers reserve the right to require students to wear masks in order to participate in those activities.
In a circumstance where a student in a classroom falls ill with possible COVID, a teacher may temporarily advise his/her students to wear a mask until students can be relocated and the space decontaminated.
At a Hardin County Level Two (Orange) COVID Emergency Level
In addition to the above scenarios in which masks may be required, students 3-12 will wear masks when entering and exiting the building, and in hallways when physical distancing is impractical or impossible.
Students K-2 are strongly encouraged to wear a mask during times 3-12 are required.
At a Hardin County Level Three (Red) COVID Emergency Level
Students grades 3-12 will be required to wear masks, taking into account the age and/or developmental level of the students, and the nature of the activity in which they are participating, and allowing for some opportunities for breaks (having a “safe space” in classroom, going outside, physically distancing, and getting some fresh air, etc.).
Students K-2 are strongly encouraged to wear a mask, and should have masks available to wear in case of a classmate becoming ill while at school, until students can be relocated and the classroom decontaminated, or in other situations where student safety needs protected
What are my child’s educational options for the fall? What if my child cannot attend because of an underlying medical condition and/or due to concern about contracting COVID?
Details can be found in the Ada Restart Plan.
The district will continue to offer an in-school option.
The current plan will be to have students who choose the in-school option attend five days a week (there is a possibility that this could be reduced to four days, should the numbers for home instruction require that district teachers need the fifth day to work with home instruction students).
District teachers will provide a remote option should the school be shut down.
District teachers will work closely with students who must temporarily quarantine due to illness or exposure.
The district will offer a home learning option for students with an underlying and/or chronic medical condition or due to concerns about contracting COVID.
If a student needs to utilize the home learning option, the parent/guardian should fill out the home-instruction form, by the to be determined deadline, with the name and grade of each student who will be taking advantage of this learning option. Students must be registered by the date given to ensure a spot in the program.
Students who enroll via this method, must remain on this educational plan until the end of the semester. Then, parents may re-enroll students in the home-learning for the second semester or enroll back to in-person learning.
The online, alternative education plan will be high quality, with time comparable to in-person instruction. Students will be required to attain all attendance requirements to meet district and state standards.
The home-instruction option students may be supervised by a district, county, or vendor instructor.
How will district transportation be handled?
Details can be found in the Ada Restart Plan.
Parents who utilize school transportation must understand there exists some inherent risk.
All students who ride the bus, grades K-12 are required to wear masks on the bus ride, with the exceptions delineated earlier in this document.
Parents are encouraged to transport their bus riding children if possible. The district will send a survey to determine who will be riding the bus.
Parents should establish back up plans for transporting students in the event transportation must be adjusted (such as if the county’s emergency ranking rises) or cancelled. This could happen with little warning.
Bus routes, pick up and drop off times may need adjustment to accommodate a smaller number of riders, and to ensure that students are not dropped off before 8:15 a.m.
Seat sharing may be necessary, depending on the number of students whose parents secure alternative transportation arrangements.
The district will attempt to seat siblings together.
Disinfection of surfaces will be completed after each bus route.
