ECS Plans for Fall 2020
August 6, 2020
Greetings ECS Family
Our mission as a school is to partner with Christian parents in the education and discipleship of young people as they grow in grace and in the knowledge of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This means by teaching and example we provoke one another to love and good works toward each other and our community.
We believe that our students and staff being in-person in the classroom with one another during the school day gives us the best possibility for accomplishing this purpose. Your child’s safety as well as the safety of your family is therefore a high priority for us and vital to accomplishing our mission.
With that objective in mind, we have sought to answer questions that have been asked about how we will function in the coming school year in light of the current pandemic of COVID-19. We trust these answers will help to set your mind at ease as we all continue to work through these matters on a daily basis. We continue to make every preparation feasible and depend on our safety coming from the Lord.
With that objective in mind, we have sought to answer questions that have been asked about how we will function in the coming school year in light of the current pandemic of COVID-19. We trust these answers will help to set your mind at ease as we all continue to work through these matters on a daily basis. We continue to make every preparation feasible and depend on our safety coming from the Lord.
Will you be providing in-person instruction this fall?
Will you be providing in-person instruction this fall?
YES! We are firmly committed to five days per week in-person instruction, with normal start and end times to the school day, from the published start date to the published end date of the school year. This is what our parents want, what our teachers want, and what numerous medical and educational professionals are urging.
What resources/research have you consulted to prepare for school in the fall?
We regularly consult CDC guidelines and data as well as DHEC information on COVID in South Carolina and our local area as well as guidance provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics (COVID-19 Planning Considerations: Guidance for School Re-entry). We also consult other reputable sources for current research on the virus and recommendations for how to mitigate its spread in schools, including local health professionals. We have tried to avoid reacting to headlines or be caught up in social media debate or politicization of the virus.
What steps are you taking to keep children safe during the COVID-19 pandemic?
• Physical distancing will be observed throughout the day (keeping students between 3-6 feet apart whenever feasible and limiting times when they will be less than 3-6 feet apart to fewer than 15 minutes). Strategic locker scheduling, maintaining distance when in the hallways, assigned seating in larger spaces such as cafeteria and chapel, and regular reminders to students are all creative ways we plan to help students stay physically distant while still enjoying the important benefits of social interaction.
• We will limit unnecessary crossover of various student groups to one another during the day within the scope of our resources and what is feasible in our setting.
• We will increase instruction, opportunities, and reminders for students to properly wash or sanitize their hands, as well as proper hygiene for covering coughs and sneezes.
• We have increased sanitizing and cleaning efforts throughout the building.
• We will limit unnecessary crossover of various student groups to one another during the day within the scope of our resources and what is feasible in our setting.
• We will increase instruction, opportunities, and reminders for students to properly wash or sanitize their hands, as well as proper hygiene for covering coughs and sneezes.
• We have increased sanitizing and cleaning efforts throughout the building.
• We will be limiting access to the building for non-school personnel and students.
What happens if a student shows symptoms of COVID-19?
Parents are the first line of defense against an outbreak in our school. The best possible action parents can take to love and serve other parents and staff is to keep children home if they show symptoms of being sick. If your child has a fever, dry cough, lack of taste/smell, or other known COVID symptoms, you need to keep your child home until tested negative for the virus or symptom free for 72 hours. If a child shows symptoms at school, staff will take the child’s temperature using a touchless thermometer, and if fever or other COVID symptoms are present, the child will be isolated with staff supervision and parents will be notified to pick up their child as quickly as possible.
What happens if a student or staff member is diagnosed with COVID-19?
What happens if a student or staff member is diagnosed with COVID-19?
Will the school shut down? Will quarantine measures be taken? If someone on our campus is diagnosed with COVID-19, that student or staff member will be required to quarantine at home until symptom free for 72 hours (or only 24 hours if a COVID-19 test is negative). Parents of the sick student’s classmates will be notified (without divulging identity), but those students will not be quarantined from campus. In-person instruction will continue for all students. We do not plan to close campus or switch to online instruction for the entire student body or even for particular grades if we have a COVID diagnosis within the student body or staff.
How will my child catch up on school work if he is absent due to sickness or COVID-19?
How will my child catch up on school work if he is absent due to sickness or COVID-19?
As we’ve always done with sick students who must be absent from school for a time, faculty will creatively help those students catch up with school work when they feel up to it. Communication between parent, teacher, and student will be key.
What if there is a COVID-19 outbreak on campus?
What if there is a COVID-19 outbreak on campus?
The best possible way to prevent an outbreak starts at home, with families taking precautions to monitor children for symptoms and keep sick children at home. We hope never to see an outbreak of COVID-19 on our campus, but if it happens, we will strategically consult CDC and DHEC guidelines and make the best decision for our constituency. The numerous precautions we will be taking on campus, including distancing and reducing group exposure to one another should also help limit COVID-19 carriers to smaller groups of people. In an outbreak situation, we may take a break from school, “days of rest” (similar to snow days), in order for people to get well and stop the spread. In this situation, we would not plan to attempt educating from a distance (if people are sick, they need to recover and not try to keep up with school work). Days of rest would be limited, and in-person instruction would resume immediately after the brief respite.
Will my child be required to wear a mask on campus?
Will my child be required to wear a mask on campus?
No, we are leaving this decision up to parents. Some families will require their children to wear face coverings; some won’t. This will be a personal decision on the part of each family, and we want all students to feel comfortable with the decision their family makes. Faculty will also be allowed to choose whether or not to wear a mask or face shield during the school day.
Will student/staff temperatures be taken upon arrival to school each day?
Will student/staff temperatures be taken upon arrival to school each day?
No, parents are the first line of defense when it comes to preventing COVID from coming to campus. Parents are strongly encouraged to daily check for temperatures and other COVID symptoms BEFORE bringing children to school. Children should never be medicated to mask fever or other symptoms prior to coming to school. Please care for yourself and others by taking precautions at home. We reserve the right to randomly check temperatures in a class or group and monitor for symptoms throughout the day, but we are counting on you to be responsible for your child.
Will drop-off and pick-up be any different?
Will drop-off and pick-up be any different?
Will you still provide early stay and late stay? Drop off in the morning will essentially be the same. Early stay will still be provided for those who need it. After school pick-up procedures will utilize the gym and/or other areas for holding to allow for more physical distance between students until parents arrive. Late stay will still be provided, and students will be physically distanced as feasible. Parents are strongly encouraged pick up their children in a timely manner.
What about high touch areas on campus?
What about high touch areas on campus?
We will continue to sanitize high touch areas including water fountains, door knobs and door plates, lockers, etc. with disinfectants and cleaners on a more frequent basis throughout the day. Desktops in the junior and senior high classes will be wiped at the change of class. We would encourage parents to send a water bottle to school with their child for hydration throughout the day in order to decrease the traffic to the water fountains.
Where and how will students eat lunch?
Where and how will students eat lunch?
Hot lunches will still be provided for purchase by all students, or students are welcome to bring lunches from home. Students will observe physical distancing as they go through the lunch line and sit in the cafeteria. Lunch times will continue to be strategically designed to minimize crossover with other groups. Kitchen staff will take appropriate food safety measures when preparing and serving hot lunches.
Will students still have recess and PE?
Will students still have recess and PE?
Yes, physical activity is an important part of the students’ day. Students will get to enjoy the opportunity for exercise both indoors and outdoors at recess. PE classes will creatively utilize physical distancing as much as possible while still accomplishing their objectives.
What about transitions between classes and lockers in jr/sr high school?
What about transitions between classes and lockers in jr/sr high school?
We will be utilizing creative scheduling between classes and strategic locker placement so as to prevent grouping of students in the hallways between classes.
What will chapels be like?
What will chapels be like?
Chapel is a key time for spiritual development and encouragement. We’re planning to continue with regular chapel times but we may utilize other locations such as the church auditorium where classes and students will be able to be more physically distant.
What about choir and music lessons?
What about choir and music lessons?
We plan to utilize larger spaces in order to encourage distancing for our choir times. We also plan to continue with our individual music lessons and will maintain distancing as much as possible.
What about ECS athletics?
What about ECS athletics?
At this time, our varsity athletic association SCACS continues with plans for fall sports as normal, and our teams are working out even now preparing to compete. We are very optimistic that we will continue with a regular fall sports season. We look forward to welcoming spectators into our newly air-conditioned gym with physical distancing being observed in the stands.
Can parents visit campus?
Can parents visit campus?
Can parents eat lunch with their children? At this time, we’re limiting access to school buildings to only students and school personnel. Parents are always welcome to drop by the office for assistance, but they won’t be allowed to enter classroom areas or eat lunch with their children on campus for the time being.
What about fall events like Grandparents’ Day, Fall Festival, and Christmas program?
What about fall events like Grandparents’ Day, Fall Festival, and Christmas program?
Because of additional vulnerability, we will likely do Grandparents’ Day as a live stream event rather than in-person. For other events, we will continue to update you, but in some cases it’s just too early for a decision on these programs that we look forward to each year.
What about field trips and athletic team travel on buses?
What about field trips and athletic team travel on buses?
We’ll continue with field trips as we are able but with added precautions for busing. Athletic travel will continue to use school busing for away games but with as much distancing and fresh air circulation as possible.
** These measures are based on the best information available at the time of publishing and we will continue to review as we move through the school year. **
** These measures are based on the best information available at the time of publishing and we will continue to review as we move through the school year. **