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COVID Plan Details for Middle School

Dear Parents of Middle School Students:

The following information provides the Middle School details of our previously announced COVID Plan.

Thank you for your support and prayers for the year ahead of us. We look forward to seeing your children and partnering with you in their education. Our ultimate goal is the safety and well-being of our students, faculty and staff as we return to campus.

This webpage will be updated if additions or changes to procedures are needed. If you have questions please feel free to contact me by email.

Barb Standish, Middle School Principal
barb.standish@heritagechristian.net


Arrival

  • The bell rings at 8:00 a.m. to start the first period.
  • Parents should drop off students at the drop-off location on either side of the drive along the north side of the elementary gym and walk on the sidewalk along the Fine Arts building and walk to the designated Middle School doors.
  • A second option is to drop-off the student in the Intermediate School drop-off line. If a student has an Intermediate School sibling, the student can be dropped off in the car line and walk to the designated Middle School doors.
  • Only the student will be allowed to enter the building.
    • Door #3-2 for 7th grade students
    • Door #3-3 for 8th grade students
  • Students can enter the building at 7:15 a.m. and sit/stand on designated sit spots in the halls until they can enter the classroom at 7:30 a.m. If a teacher is not present in the classroom, students should remain in the hall.
  • Morning HUB is no longer available. Students can enter the building at 7:15 a.m.
  • Students enter the building wearing masks and will keep the mask on until they enter the classroom.


Dismissal

  • Students should exit the building when the parent is in line to pick-up the student.
    • Seventh-grade students exit door 3-2
    • Eighth-grade students exit door 3-3
  • Students will be picked up at the Middle School doors along the side of the FA’s building
  • Students should stand on the sit spot in the halls while waiting on parents to pick them up and maintain 6-feet of distancing.
  • Parents will not enter the building during dismissal to keep the traffic flowing smoothly.
  • Parents should have their parent IDs with them for dismissal and after-school pick-up.
  • Dismissal time for Middle School students follow the schedule below:
    • 3:05- 3:30
      • Eagle Care (Former HUB) will begin at 3:30 in the assigned room
      • Students must pre-register for Eagle Care through the parent portal (refer to Eagle Care policy below)


Lunch

  • A boxed lunch will be served to classrooms
    • Families will pre-order lunches online through the parent portal
    • No sharing food/drink
    • Students can continue bringing their lunches from home
  • Resource period is now linked with lunch
  • A “nut-free” classroom will be designated to accommodate those students with allergies


Chapel

  • For the beginning of the school year, most students will participate in chapel via livestream in a classroom.
  • The Discipleship team is continuing to pursue creative options for chapel during this time when we are in smaller groups in classrooms.


Nurses' Office

  • Our staff of six registered nurses (four on duty at all time) operate two clinics and are prepared to assist ill and well students in separate designated areas.
  • We will be reducing number of student visits by addressing minor complaints of well children outside of the nursing office
  • All students will be required to wear a mask in the nursing office.
  • Ill students going home must be picked up within the hour
  • Suspension of nebulized aerosol treatments in the school setting - only metered dose inhalers (MDI’s) will be used until further notice.
  • Parents will no longer be allowed to drop off medication in the nurse’s offices. Contact Health Services to set up medication drop off.


Student Appointments

  • If students need to be picked up early for an appointment, enter the information into the MyHCS parent portal on Veracross indicating the time of pick-up (please communicate early pick-up 24 hours in advance)
  • Early pick-ups should take place prior to 2:00 p.m. to not interfere with the regular dismissal schedule
  • Please call the Middle School office and inform Monica Furrow that you are there to pick-up your child. She will alert the classroom teacher so your child is ready to be picked up at the designated Middle School doors (3-2 and 3-3)
  • Students will sign-out prior to leaving the building in the Middle School office


Volunteers Policy

  • Parents volunteers are of great value to us, but at this time we cannot permit volunteers into the building.


Educational Support Services

  • ESS programs will continue and proper safety precautions will be taken to ensure a safe environment.


Safety Protocols

  • Class sizes have been reduced to maintain physical distancing
  • Spaces that were previously not classrooms (meeting rooms, lunch rooms, music and art rooms, club rooms, community areas) fully converted to classrooms.
  • Many of our teachers will teach additional sections each day to reduce classroom sizes. Additional teachers hired.
  • Decluttering of classrooms, including the removal of built-in counters so desks can be spaced out.
  • Converted classrooms back from alternative seating to forward-facing desks.
  • Students will be encouraged to wash hands regularly and use hand sanitizer when entering and exiting the classroom. Hand sanitizer stations are located around the school.
  • Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle from home each day or a refillable water bottle. The water fountains will be used to refill water bottles.
  • Hand sanitizing stations installed in all classrooms.
  • Hired three additional cleaning staff members to increase cleaning of high touch areas during the day, and provide nightly disinfecting of teacher and student work areas.
  • Purchased electrostatic sprayers to disinfect playgrounds, buses, and athletic equipment between usage.
  • Supplied each classroom with sanitation kits to clean desks and high touch surfaces during transition periods.
  • Faculty and staff must wear a mask or face shield at all times unless working in a room by themselves, eating and drinking, or outdoors where six feet of social distancing is maintained.


Masks

  • Students will be required to wear masks in the hallways and when physical distancing of 6 feet can not be maintained. When seated in the classroom and physical distance can be maintained, students will be permitted to remove masks.
  • Students must wear a mask while seated in the classroom. Mask breaks of no more than 10 minutes per hour may be granted by the teacher.
  • All students will wear a mask when working in small groups or one-on-one situations when distancing is difficult to maintain in the classroom.
  • Students will wear masks during passing periods.
  • Students will wear a mask when entering the building and exiting the building.
  • Masks need to be minimum 2-ply in solid-color, or with a pattern, but may not include words.
  • Masks are not required when eating, but must be worn when throwing away trash or out of the seat.
  • General exceptions to wearing a mask are for medical conditions, exercise, and eating and drinking.


Eagle Care

  • We welcome Mrs. Jordan Waplington as our new Eagle Care Director. Mrs. Waplington is transitioning from teaching third-grade to this new position.
  • Eagle Care Information and procedures can be found on our website: Eagle Care
  • There will be a separate Eagle Care for students in grades seven and eight.
  • All students should report to Eagle Care at 3:30 p.m.


Additional Information

  • Athletics will continue under the guidelines provided by the Indiana Department of Education and the IHSAA. The number of spectators allowed may be restricted to accommodate physical distancing.
  • Fine Arts will continue with modifications that meet Indiana Department of Education guidelines and align with physical distancing protocols for athletics and other event restrictions.
  • Clubs will continue as they are able to maintain the appropriate health safety protocols.
  • Class field trips are not possible at this time.


We are excited to return back to school! Our new protocols have been thoughtfully prepared to ensure a safe return. We will continue to update the document to keep you well-informed.