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Health & Safety Guidelines

Health & Safety Guidelines
Health & Safety Guidelines
In accordance with TEA guidelines, all staff, students and visitors are required to complete a health screener before entering the building to verify the absence of COVID-19 related symptoms and that they have not been in contact with anyone who has tested positive within the last 14 days. Staff, students and visitors can complete the digital health screener or complete a paper copy of the screener in the front office of each campus.
No, we do not take temperatures of students as they enter the building.
Every classroom has had a wall-mounted hand sanitizer station installed. In addition, sanitizer stations are placed at all building entrances and throughout the hallways. Sanitizer use will be supervised at the elementary level to ensure student safety. 
Health screener submissions are checked daily to determine if an individual must be sent home and when they are allowed to return according to criteria established by TEA. In addition, there is specific information delivered to impacted individuals, buildings and general communication to the campus as required by TEA. Information about the number of current open cases on each campus can be found on the District COVID-19 Active Case Dashboard.
Any student who presents with symptoms during the day will be screened by the campus nurse and, if needed, moved to the identified isolation area on campus to wait for parent/guardian pick up. The Comal ISD Case Management Process will be implemented which includes communication to parents about criteria to return to the building as well as communication to the campus community. 
Comal ISD will apply TEA guidelines as part of the COVID-19 Case Management Process. Once a case has been confirmed that impacts the campus, all staff and families will be notified of the case.

Individuals who have had close contact with someone who has a lab-confirmed case may return:
  • 10 days after their date of exposure, if no symptoms have developed
  • Seven (7) days after their date of exposure if they receive a negative test result taken after day five, and no symptoms have developed
  • If symptoms develop at any point during quarantine, individuals will need to remain off campus for 14 days after their date of exposure
 
“Close contact” with an individual who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19 is defined as:
  • being directly exposed to infectious secretions (i.e. being coughed or sneezed on); or
  • being within six feet for a largely uninterrupted period throughout the course of a day totaling approximately 15 minutes. If both individuals are properly masked, they are not considered to be in close contact.
 
Properly Masked includes:
  • both individuals are wearing a medical or non-medical grade disposable or cloth face covering that covers the mouth and nose
  • both individuals are wearing the face covering for the entire duration of the contact time period
  • Face shields (when worn alone) and neck gaiters do not eliminate an individual from being considered a close contact
 
It may be impractical for students to wear face coverings while participating in some activities such as: eating or drinking, actively exercising, or engaging in athletic or other extra-curricular activities. In these situations, anyone within six feet for more than 15 minutes will be considered a close contact.
 
If an individual develops symptoms during that time, they should seek medical attention and inform their doctor of their status as a close contact to a lab-confirmed individual. They will still be required to remain off campus for the duration of the 14-day incubation period as COVID-related symptoms may begin to develop or worsen at any point during that timeframe.
It is possible that dividers may be used in some locations, but we are not planning to place plexiglass between all desks. Classrooms will be set up in way that maximizes the available space in the room to allow for as much distance as possible. If it is not possible to maintain 6 feet of distance, desks will all face the same direction. 
Yes, teachers spray down desks, tables and other commonly touched surfaces with a peroxide-based cleaning solution that dries in five minutes between each class period and at the end of each day. All products used are safe and meet CDC specifications. 
Classrooms are set up in way that maximizes the available space in the room to allow for as much distance as possible. If it is not possible to maintain 6 feet of distance, desks will all face the same direction. 
Each campus has worked at least two scheduled hand washing times into their normal daily schedule. In addition, hands should be washed before and after eating; after exercise, PE or Athletics class; when returning indoors from recess and after restroom use. Hand sanitizer stations are installed in every classroom and will be readily accessible throughout the building and used when moving between classrooms, when entering the building, after using shared classroom items, and when entering or leaving common spaces such as the library or cafeteria.
In addition to having staff actively monitoring hallways, entrances and exits during all transition times, schedules have been adjusted to stagger release into hallways to avoid congestion, social distancing reminders are placed throughout the campus to remind students to maintain 6 feet of separation, and line up areas (cafeteria checkout, library, etc.) are marked in 6-foot increments.
Face Coverings
Face coverings must be worn in accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order:  
 
    • All staff are required to wear a face covering or face shield when distancing measures cannot be maintained. 
    • All students for whom it is developmentally appropriate, regardless of age or grade, are required to wear a face covering when social distancing requirements cannot be maintained.  
    • All visitors must wear a face shield or face covering when social distancing cannot be maintained 
 
As with all our health and safety guidelines, plans are subject to change with any updated state and local requirements that may be issued. 

 

The use of a face covering minimizes the risk of viral spread on campus which reduces the number of positive cases we will see stem from exposure on campus. Face coverings are critical in common areas of the building where an individual may cough or sneeze, and another individual may come in contact with respiratory droplets. When combined with frequent cleaning practices and good hand hygiene practices, face coverings are our best defense in keeping our schools open.
Yes, in accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order, all staff members are required to wear a face covering when social distancing (i.e., 6ft of separation) cannot be maintained. 
A supply of face coverings should be available for staff and students who may forget their coverings at home. But staff and students are encouraged to supply their own. 
We realize that enforcement can be difficult. However, we believe that everyone taking a sense of ownership in and engaging in the wearing of face coverings will allow us to have on-campus instruction consistently. 
In accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order, there are exemptions for medical conditions or disabilities that prevent them from safely wearing a face covering. 
TEA has defined face coverings as any non-medical or medical grade disposable face mask or cloth face covering that covers the mouth and nose. Full-face shields that protect the eyes, nose and mouth and extends below the chin may be use in addition to a cloth face covering, but not as a replacement for the cloth face covering.
As new guidance and orders are provided by the State, Comal ISD will review these and make any adjustments as needed given the current situation. 
Students are allowed to remove face coverings at any time that social distancing can be maintained, when eating or drinking, or when actively exercising.
Face covering and distancing guidelines are dictated by the Texas Education Agency and based on guidance from the Texas Department of State Health Services. School districts are required to comply with these measures until changed or removed by the appropriate state agency.