BACK TOSCHOOL

Returning safely to Shakopee Area Catholic SchoolPolicies and Procedures for Parents and Students

FALL 2020

KEY STRATEGIES FOR SACS

Our detailed Pandemic Preparedness Response Plan, which wil l be wil l be availablemid-August in its entirety on our school website (www.sacsschools.org) , includesdetailed plans to reduce the risk of exposure by:

PAGE 3

Students and employees showing no sign of i l lness wil l be al lowed in the school building. Students wil l have their own desk and classrooms arranged to maximize individual space. Small groups of students stay together as part of a learning "house." Houses wil l not intermix,thus reducing exposure. Middle School wil l adopt a Block Schedule.

PROMOTING BEHAVIORS THAT REDUCE THE SPREAD

Families, students and employees have been informed of and encouraged to self-monitor forsigns and symptoms of COVID-19 through regular health checks. See page 8.Every individual entering the school wil l have his/her temperature scanned.

MAINTAINING HEALTHY FACILITIES

Parents, staff , teachersand students receiveeducation and training onthe health and safetyprocedures for sharedinvolvement andresponsibil ity .

MAINTAINING HEALTHY OPERATIONS

phrase.

COMMUNICATING, TRAINING AND EDUCATING

Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting of classroom surfaces, restrooms, lunchrooms,meeting rooms and drop-off and pickup locations.Modern HVAC system set to maximize air f low throughout the building.

PLANNING FOR OUR RETURN TO SCHOOL PAGE 2

Focused on health and safety: The health and safety of our students and staff are our highest priorities. This includesphysical health and emotional well-being.

Mission-aligned: Protocols are aligned with the mission of Catholic education.

Safeguarding high quality education: Protocols help ensure that Catholic schools provide a high-quality education thatadvances excellence for every student in all areas of their lives.

Responsible: We will follow public health and safety guidelines.

Research-based: We will utilize the Minnesota Department of Health and the CDC COVID-19 guidelines.

Flexible: Protocols are flexible enough to be able to respond to changes in community spread or public health guidanceand the publication of new research.

Fiscally responsible: Protocol implementation is financially viable and reflects responsible stewardship

Our plan for returning to school was developed thoughtfully in collaboration with the Archdiocesan Office for Mission ofCatholic Education, the Catholic School Center of Excellence and a task force of SJA-SACS community members. As educatorsdo, we carefully read and studied the latest research including information from the Center for Disease Control, theMinnesota Department of Health, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and knowledge gained by schools across the world.

We used the following Guiding Principles in the development of our plan:

Our plan includes an investment of resources in:

Technology: new mobile computers for each teacher and an individual chromebook for every K- 8 studentProfessional Development: training for our staff in health and safety practices, technology, and social emotional well-beingSpacing and Exposure Mitigation: each student will have their own desk and classrooms will be arranged to maximizeindividual spaceHealth Protocols and PPE: temporal scanning stations, hand sanitizing stations, PPE for staff, and signage for our school

xt

Shakopee Area Catholic School plans to open for 2020 - 2021 school year on Tuesday, September 8, with in-person, Monday -Friday, education for students. Distance learning options will be offered to students who are at increased risk, quarentinedbecause of exposure to the virus, or who are not ready to return to in-person.

The health and safety of our students and staff are our top priorit ies. School leadershipwil l continue to monitor the situation and make changes to our educational plan asnecessary. We do anticipate students moving in between the models i f they need to stayat home due to i l lness (COVID-19 or other) .

Planning for various scenarios PAGE 4

PREPARING FOR FLEXIBILITY

Current Plan

PLAN A: IN PERSON LEARNINGIn-person, at school learning Monday -FridayNew health protocols, procedures, andclassrooms designed for physical distancingDaily self-screen by employees andstudents before coming to school andagain upon arrivalSmall groups of students stay together anddo not intermix with other groups tominimize exposure No live large group gatherings until furthernoticeOnline learning options aviailable

PLAN B: HYBRID LEARNING PLAN C: ONLINE LEARNINGFROM HOME

Alternative Plans

In-person, at school learning part-time combined with at home onlinelearning part-timeThis plan can be enacted to reducethe number of students in thebuilding at one time

Students remain at home withonline learningThis plan can be enacted forvarying lengths of time if thecommunity spread of the virusincreases or the MN Departmentof Health recommends this optionfor our school

A B C

SHAKOPEE AREA CATHOLIC SCHOOL PAGE 5

AT-A-GLANCE

the school day

Shakopee Area Catholic School is a healthy, safe, positive, and joyfulplace for students to come each day. We are professional educators. We understand that children had different experiences withdistance learning. We understand that al l famil ies and children arehandling these uncertain times in different manners. We are readyto welcome your child and meet his/her needs emotionally , social ly ,spiritually , and academically in the coming year.

MIDDLE SCHOOL7:20 - 7:45 AMELEMENTARY8:45 - 9:05 AM

arrival time

MIDDLE SCHOOL2:25 PM

ELEMENTARY3:40 PM

dismissal time

9.08.20

9.02.20

first day of school

Back To School Night -NEW FORMAT

Sign up for an individual time slot

Information coming soon

At Shakopee Area Catholic School the health and safety of our students and staff are our top priority. Creating andmaintaining a healthy school is essential and will require our community's support and participation. We have along history of working in partnership, and we will draw on that as we work through this school year.

Our Shared Committment to Health and Safety

TEMPERATURESCREENINGS

Screening kioskssupervised by school staff

will be used at eachentrance. 

HAND WASHING

Additional hand sanitizingstations added throughout

the school.

RESPIRATORYETIQUETTE

Educate and encourageproper cough etiquette andmask usage as directed by

Executive Order 20-81

FREQUENTSANITATION

Increased dailydisinfecting throughout

the school.

FULL-TIME SCHOOLNURSE

School Nurse on site daily.

OUR COMMITMENT:

SymptomScreening

Screen your child forsymptoms before sending 

him/her to school each day.Anyone with symptoms

should stay home.

STUDENTS WITHSYMPTOMS

Any person with COVID-19related symptoms or who tests

positive for the virus will berequired to follow quarantine

procedures.

PRAYER

We believe in the powerof prayer and ask you to

pray for our schoolcommunity.

YOUR COMMITMENT:

Together, we can support a healthy school.

PATIENCE ANDCARE

Our caring teachers and staffwill patiently nurture your

child through understandingand following the changes to

school

RESPIRATORYETIQUETTE

Review proper cough etiquettewith your child. Send a clean

face mask to school with yourchild each day.

CHECK-IN

Check in with your childfrequently to talk about

the transition back toschool. Let us know how

we can help.

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EMPATHY

Practice empathy withother parents, other

students, and school staff.

Before and afterschool care provided

by the YMCA as inthe past.

WE HAVE CONSIDERED ALL DETAILS TO KEEP STUDENTS AND STAFF HEALTHY

Each student will havehis/her own desk or table. Classrooms arranged to

maximize space inbetweeen students.

Face masks are required forstudents in K- 8 and all

school staff in accordancewith the MN Executive Order.

Hot lunch  and salad baroption will be available

in pre-packaged containers.

Hand sanitizingstations are now

located throughoutthe building .

Our modern HVACsystem set to maximize

airflow.

The number ofstudents in thecafeteria will be

limited and studentswill be given moreindividual space.

Weekly Wednesdayschool Mass will be

live-streamed toclassroom.

The number of studentsin the hallways will belimiited. Hallways aremarked with direction

arrows and physicaldistancing decals.

Necessary visitors(parents, vendors, etc)

will be allowed byappointment.

Large groupgatherings will bemodified or live-

streamed toclassrooms.

Small groups of studentsstay together as part of a

learning "house."Houses do not intermix

in order to reduceexposure.

Students will haverecess and time

outdoors each day.

Block Scheduling for ourmiddle school students will

decrease the number ofdaily classes and reducethe chance of exposure.

We are waiting to hearfrom Palmer BusCompany abouttransportation.

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Fever of 100 or higher or chillsA new coughShortness of breath

Nausea, vomitting, or diarrheaA new sore throatNew muscle achesNew loss of smell/tasteCongestion/runny nosePurplish fingers or toes

COVID-19 Screening Questions:

Do you have one of the following symptoms?

ORDo you have two of the following symptoms?

If you answered YES to either of the screeningquestions, we advise you to stay home, isolate,and contact your health care provider.

EXPOSURE is defined as having been within 6 feetof an infected person for at least 15 minutes.

For the health and safety of our community, you need to develop a habit of screening your child(ren) each day before school. Teaching your child to monitor his/her own health is an important life skill.

GET THE LATEST INFORMATION

POSITIVECOVID-19

DIAGNOSIS

Health Decision Flow Chart

EXPOSURENO SYMPTOMS

COME TO

SCHOOL

CONTACT SACS(952) 445-3387

EXT 5

CONTACT SACS(952) 445-3387

EXT 5

CONTACT SACS(952) 445-3387

EXT 5

HOME FOR 14DAYS AFTEREXPOSURE

HOME FOR 10DAYS AFTER

POSITIVE TEST

NOSYMPTOMS

HASSYMPTOMS

STAY HOME

STAY HOME

STAY HOME

HOMEUNTIL

10 days after first symptoms and nofever for 3 days (without fever

medication) AND 3days of symptomimprovement (including coughing

and shortness of breathOR

Permiission from a doctor to returnto school

Daily Decision Tree

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Realizing that we are all connected in raising our children is a beautiful andawesome responsibility. In order to open school, we need to work together as acommunity.  We have a long successful history of  working together.  This fallmarks the 50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY of the Catholic Parishes of Shakopee (backwhen there were three separate parishes in Shakopee)  coming together to have aconsolidated school: Shakopee Area Catholic School.  I believe we can be leadersby acting as a unified community and working together with respect andempathy to safely return to school.

As we say each day at SACS, "May Jesus be the way you walk, the truth you followand the life you lead,"

Julie Moran, Principal

Father Erik LundgrenJulie MoranBruce Doyle

Rose LinkCori Benz

Call ie Strop

OUR RE-OPENING LEADERS:

FAITH + FAMILIES TOGETHER

final notes

PAGE 9

Jessica ImholteLaura Rasmussen

Charl ie BoeckenheuerBrian & Jessica Moe

Laura WermerskirchenTrevor Geis

We are committed to sharing currentinformation throughout the school year.

We wil l be adding a section to our weekly@SACS e-newsletter regarding the

Pandemic Preparedness Response Plan.

GET THE LATEST INFORMATION

2700 17th Avenue EastShakopee, MN 55379

WWW.SACSSCHOOLS.ORG | (952) 445-3387 

OUR MISSION STATEMENTShakopee Area Catholic Schools nurtures the body, mind and soul of each child. We develop morally responsible

leaders through rigorous, innovative academics in a welcoming and faith-filled Catholic community.