The 2020 – 2021 school year for Washington County NB&PW Club, Inc. Head Start/Georgia Pre-K has tentatively been set for September 8 for all sites.
“Due to the resurgence and increase in confirmed cases of COVID-19, we have decided to delay the opening of classes by one month,” said Executive Director Susie D. Wilcher. She added, “Hopefully, the virus will have subsided by our opening date; if not, we will have to reschedule re-entry to ensure students and staff are safe and centers are free from hazard or contamination.”
In addition, a hybrid instructional learning model was developed for Head Start. Wilcher stated that the hybrid model has been approved by Bright From the Start: Department of Early Care and Learning and the Office of Head Start.
Parents will receive a letter in the mail with information about this model; the letter will also serve as notification for the child’s learning group – Group A or Group B. The group determines the days of the week that a child attends classes. The letter will also include the child’s teacher and the center of attendance.
According to Executive Director Wilcher, protocols for re-entry have been established; those protocols include:
Masks are always to be worn, by staff and students, to mitigate the risk of contracting COVID 19. Masks will not be required for individuals with breathing problems. WACO NB&PW Club Head Start/GA Pre-K states their understandings that social distancing is not easy to achieve for 3 and 4-year-old children.
Students will attend face to face instructional learning days twice per week. Each classroom will consist of 10 students per day for Pre-K and 8 students per day for Head Start. The purpose of the hybrid model is to reduce class size, to practice social distancing, and maintain the recommended distance of 6 feet per student. The teacher and teacher assistant will have more control of keeping childen safe with a reduction of class size. They also hope to have a third individual in the classroom to assist with placing objects/materials/supplies in a bin for sanitizing and disinfecting after children have touched these items. They will be placed in a ZONO machine for the purpose of disinfecting and implementing the mitigation protocols.
No one will be allowed in the classroom other than the teaching staff, an instructional individual, and the students. The same individuals will occupy the classrooms each day .
All meals will be served in the classroom. This action is to maintain the mitigation barrier. Students and teachers will remain in the classrooms for meals; again, to reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure/outbreak.
The Hybrid Learning Schedule is as follows: Group A: attends classes on Mondays and Tuesday. Wednesday will be reserved for the deep cleaning of classrooms and other facility areas. Group A: will receive “At Home Learning Activities” for Wednesday – Friday. Packets will be provided on the first day of class. Group A: will receive meals provided by the program during a “drive through” system Wednesday – Friday. A schedule will be provided on the first day of class. Group B: attends class on Thursdays and Fridays. Deep cleaning will be completed on Saturday. Group B: will receive “At Home Learning Activities” for Monday – Wednesday. Packets will be provided on the first day of class. Group B: will receive meals provided by the program during a “drive through” system Monday – Wednesday. A schedule will be provided on the first day of class.
Transportation: Masks/face coverings will be worn while riding on the bus. WACO NB&PW Club Head Start/GA Pre-K will reduce the occupancy of buses to ensure mitigation of COVID-19. One child per seat, sitting alternately on the window seat and aisle seat. Students who occupy the same households may sit three (3) to a seat. Students will have seat restraints, as well. Buses will have normal designated stops. Parents and children are asked to stand back from the bus and to practice social distancing (staff will assist with the proper protocol.) Staff will also ask certain questions as described in the Entrance section below. A “no contact” temperature check will be conducted on each child. If a temperature of more than 99° is observed, the child will not be allowed on the bus. Parents/guardians will be provided instructions by staff as to when the child can return for transportation and entrance to class. If an individual does not observe the procedures and precautions for mitigation of COVID-19, the bus will vacate the premise and return to the center. As many students as possible will be provided transportation; however, parents/guardians are urged to transport their children to school and pick up them in the afternoon for mitigation purposes.
Entrance to the Centers: There will be only one (1) entrance to the facilities. Staff will be on site to greet parents and children. There will be markings on the sidewalk for adhering to social distancing. Parents and guardians will walk children to on-duty staff then stop at the indicated marking and answer questions recommended by the CDC and State Department of Public Health. After answering questions, a no contact temperature check will be conducted on the child. If his/her temperature is less than 99°, the child will then be escorted to the classroom and the parent may leave. If the temperature exceeds 99°, the child will not be allowed in the center. Instructions will be provided to the parent for reentry.
Visitors: Parents/visitors are not allowed inside the centers to maintain mitigation protocols and the safety and health of childen and staff.
Cleaning and Disinfecting: Centers and buses will be fogged daily. Frequently touched surfaces will be wiped down continuously throughout the day. WACO NB&PW Club Head Start/GA Pre-K will be cleaning shared surfaces multiple times per day. Wednesdays and Saturdays are set for deep cleaning.
A handwashing/sanitizing regiment is being instituted in each classroom.
Staff and students will also be subject to screening measures and temperature checks several times throughout the day.
Parent Orientation/Open House: The Center Manager will contact parents/guardians with details regarding Open House. Due to COVID 19, Open House will be held differently than in previous years and is required. WACO NB&PW Club Head Start/GA Pre-K will inform individuals of changes in detail at the Open House. WACO NB&PW Club Head Start/GA Pre-K also asks parents to be aware of the Agency’s expectations of parents and guardians during the participation and enrollment of the child in WACO NB&PW Club Head Start/GA Pre-K. Open House will be filmed by means of Pano Vision and placed online at nbpw.org. Parents will receive a notification when the video is posted for review.
“We are providing the safest, most hazard free environment for your child while he/she is enrolled in Head Start/Georgia Pre-K during these unprecedented times” said Executive Director Susie Wilcher.
According to Wilcher, if there is a significant decline in confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths, the agency is prepared to offer additional on-site classroom days.