B I S H O P L O U I SR E I C H E R C A T H O L I C

S C H O O L

F A L L 2 0 2 0 R E T U R N T O S C H O O L A N D R E A D I N E S S P L A N

Start Date

The Texas Attorney General issued a letter regarding the operation of religiously affiliatedprivate schools in response to several county and city orders mandating restrictions on theseschools. As a result of this clarification, Bishop Louis Reicher Catholic School has the legal rightto achieve our goal of opening campus and giving our parents a choice of choosing in-personlearning or distance learning for their child. Therefore, we are excited to announce that BishopLouis Reicher Catholic School will be starting in person and distance learning classes onWednesday, August 19, 2020.

Learning Options

The faculty and staff are looking forward to seeing your children’s bright and shining faces eachmorning, whether that be in-person or via distance learning. We recognize that this is a challengingtime for our families and that each family is affected in different ways by these new realities. Theseuncertain times call for us to offer our families several quality options as they prepare for thebeginning of the 2020–2021 school year. We hope that providing you with a choice will allow you toaddress your specific family’s needs while ensuring that your child continues to receive a qualityCatholic education.

First Option:The first option is to return to campus for in-person instruction. Families selecting this first optionfor their children should recognize that students and faculty will be required to practice safetyprotocols including self-screening, social distancing, wearing protective face masks, using handsanitizer, and frequently washing their hands. We will need the cooperation of everyone in order todo the things that are within our control to limit the spread of the Coronavirus within the school. 

Second Option:Our second option that parents might choose for their children is to enroll their child in our distancelearning program. The distance learning option will be structured differently at different gradelevels. At the Lower Campus, distance learning will involve multi-age groups of students engagingwith our new integrated humanities curriculum. There will be a Bishop Louis Reicher Catholic Schoolfaculty member whose primary responsibility is to ensure that their group of assigned distancelearning students are having their needs met. Our new curriculum will allow us to personalize eachstudent’s needs within these groups. The distance learning option at the Lower Campus will beavailable to students in Kindergarten through the 8th grade. We are still working on the schedulingof class times for Lower Campus distance learning, but you should anticipate this meeting at leastthe minimum Diocese of Austin requirement of four hours of instruction and engaged activity perday. Students will have daily contact with their teachers via Google Meets or Zoom. 

On the high school campus distance learning will involve students taking their courses via GoogleMeets or Zoom at the same time that their colleagues on campus are taking classes. Families whochoose the distance learning option should know that their children will need to be present for theirassigned classes, in their school uniform, with their cameras turned on. Students will also beexpected to complete assignments in the manner and according to the schedule described by theirteacher.

We are working diligently to serve all of our families by making these options available to you. All ofour families experienced our distance learning last semester and many of you indicated that, giventhe circumstances, you were pleased with the way it was implemented. This new version of distancelearning has been further refined and enhanced. There will be increased interaction betweenteachers and students. Likewise, teachers will be providing more feedback to students regarding thework they complete.

Readiness Plan

Procedures to help ensure our community is healthy prior to visiting our campus;Procedures to help keep our community healthy while on campus; andProcedures to follow when a member of our community is presumed or confirmed to haveCOVID019.

With the goal of returning to campus, we want to be very clear that the Fall 2020 On-CampusReadiness Plan is intended to reduce, not eliminate, risk. The American Academy ofPediatrics (AA) states, "No single action or set of actions will completely eliminate the risk ofSARS-CoV-2 transmission, but implementation of several coordinated interventions can greatlyreduce that risk." With the goals of prevention and mitigation in mind, we are also committedto maintaining a learning environment that is as close as possible to a normal Bishop Reicherexperience for our children.

The guidelines set out in this plan were crafted around the following intentions:

Definitions

Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degreesFahrenheitLoss of taste or smellCoughDifficulty breathingShortness of breathFatigueHeadacheChillsSore throatCongestion or runny noseShaking or exaggerated shiveringSignificant muscle pain or acheDiarrheaNausea or vomiting

being directly exposed to infectious secretions (e.g., being coughed on; orbeing within six (6) feet for a cumulative duration of 15 minutes, while not wearing a maskor face shield;

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)Equipment used to both stop the spread of COVID-19 and keep people safe. Examples, aremasks, shields, tissues, hand sanitizer, wipes and other disinfectants.

COVID-19 SymptomsIn evaluating whether an individual has symptoms consistent with COVID-19, the followingquestion and list, as published by the CDC, will be considered:

Has a student or staff member recently begun experiencing any of the following symptoms ina way that it not normal for them?

Close ContactThis document refers to "close contact" with an individual who is lab-confirmed to haveCOVID-19. Close contact is determined by an appropriate public health agency. For clarity,close contact is defined as:

if either occurred at any time in the last 14 days at the same time, the infected individual wasinfectious.

Individual are presumed infectious at least two (2) days prior to symptom onset or, in the caseof asymptomatic individuals who are lab-confirmed with COVID-19, two (2) days prior to theconfirming lab test.

Keeping Sick Students HomeKeeping sick students home is the first line of defense and is essential tokeeping our community healthy. In keeping with our partnership withparents, the school will rely on families to keep symptomatic children athome. Students who are sick or quarantining will be able to participate indistance learning while absent. Specifics on transitioning to distance learningwill be provided by the teacher.

ScreeningFirst Line of Screening - Self ScreeningThe first line of screening happens at home. It is each family's responsibilityto screen children before each school day and to keep symptomatic childrenat home, especially children with temperatures at or over 100.0 degrees.Bishop Reicher will provide regular reminders to the community about theneed to be vigilant in screening at home.

Second Line of Screen - On Campus Temperature ScreenStudents arriving on campus for the first time each day will be screened atthe entrance of their school buildings with a contactless infraredthermometer before being welcomed inside the school.

Any student who registers a temperature of 100.0 degrees or higher must goto the Nurse's office immediately for an additional assessment.

Faculty and staff will follow the same lines of screening set forth for thestudents. Parents and visitors will undergo a verbal screening questionnaireincluding a temperature screening during their check-in process at the frontdesk when they visit the school. No biomedical data or answers to screeningquestionnaires will be kept on file.

Physical DistancingBishop Reicher will conduct educational activities that allow for as muchphysical distancing as possible, especially when indoors. The school willattempt to keep six (6) feet of physical distance between students when theyare stationary, but no less than three (3) feet if six (6) feet is not possible(unless wearing a face covering (please see Face Coverings section)). Facultywill configure their classrooms to maximize spacing between desks.

Health, Safety and Prevention

Arriving on campus and prior to screeningDeparting campus at the end of school dayPhysical distancing is not possible indoors, including but not limited tohallways, bathrooms, lockers and specific classroom situations wherephysical distancing is not possible

Seated at a desk or properly physically distancedOutdoors, except at specific times of day including morning arrival andafternoon departureEating

Face CoveringsIn prioritizing our student's and staff's health and safety to minimize thespread of COVID-19 and in compliance with Governor Abbott's Executiveorder (July 6), the use of face masks for anyone over the age of 10 is required.

Face shields or face masks are required for adults and students in Grades 1st-12th and optional for students in PreK-3-Kindergarten, when entering thebuilding, exiting the building and during travel times (ex: class transitions,restroom use, etc.) when social distancing may not be possible. In class, maskrequirements will be used at times when social distance cannot bemaintained.

Administration and faculty will determine which face coverings faculty willwear that will be most effective for teaching.

Student face coverings should be considered part of the student uniform andbe handled under the school's uniform policy. Students are expected toprovide their own face masks daily. If an individual arrives on campuswithout a face covering, masks will be provided in the Nurse's office and inthe front office.

"Mask Up" - Face coverings will be worn when:

"Mask Down" - Face coverings may be removed when:

Temperature ChecksDaily temperature checks will be conducted prior to students and staffentering the facility at the start of each school day. All visitors will have theirtemperature taken prior to entering the school as well.

Health, Safety and Prevention

Hand Sanitizing and WashingBishop Reicher will have hand sanitizer stations at each building entrance andthroughout the school including the cafeteria. Hand sanitizer also will beavailable in every classroom.

Bishop Reicher will encourage all students to engage in hand sanitation uponentering and leaving a classroom, with additional opportunities throughoutthe day. Students will be encouraged to wash hands after using the restroomand before eating.

Large Group Gatherings Common AreasFace coverings will be required in all indoor common areas when physicaldistancing cannot be accomplished. Table and seating will be arranged toencourage physical distancing. Face coverings will be required to be work inthe hallways, bathrooms, and around student lockers.

LunchIndoor seating in the cafeteria will be limited to allow for physical distancing. When possible, faculty and students will eat at their desks in theirclassrooms. Lunches will still be available for purchase at both campuses.

Physical Education and RecessAs much as possible, PE will take place in our gyms and, when weatherpermits, outside with social distancing being practiced as much as possiblewith activities being designed to meet physical distancing guidelines, or facecoverings will be worn.

Large Group Gathering and Special EventsIndoor large group gatherings will be eliminated when possible. Alternativesinclude meeting outdoors and virtual meetings. Athletics and Fine Art eventswill be required to meet all TAPPS guidelines. Screening, face covering, andphysical distancing protocols will be followed.

Health, Safety and Prevention

General ProceduresCleaning and disinfection of the campuses will continue to be a top priority.Classrooms will be disinfected daily and bathrooms, in particular, will receivemore frequent cleanings. Procedures to disinfect shared desk and materialswill be developed. For example, a teacher may instruct her students to cleantheir desks and supplies at the end of each class.

Hand sanitizer stations will be available throughout each campus including allclassrooms, bathroom, and cafeterias. Younger students will be instructed towash their hands or use hand sanitizer several times a day. Students willreceive instruction on personal hygiene.

Cleaning and Disinfecting

ScreeningEach school day, all parents/guardians are expected to self-screen theirstudents for COVID-19 symptoms prior to sending their students to school.

As per the handbook policy, parents should notify school administratorsregarding a student's absence.

If a Health Screening question is answered with a "yes" or the temperature isrecorded at 100.0 degrees or greater, the student will be sent to a campusadministrator. Parents/guardians must ensure they do not send a student toschool or campus if the child has COVID-19 symptoms or is lab-confirmedwith COVID-19, and instead should opt to participate in distance learning untilthe conditions for re-entry are met.

Parents/guardians of quarantined students, that is, students who have beenin close contact with a lab-confirmed COVID-19 individual, should notify theschool and are encouraged to participate in distance learning until thefourteen (14) day incubation period has passed.

IsolationStudents or staff who are ill will be separated from the staff and otherstudents (with face mask on) and should be picked up as soon as possible.

Students or staff who report feeling feverish should be given an immediatetemperature check to determine if they are symptomatic for COVID-19. Otherstudents will be removed from the classroom and taken to an alternatelocation on campus so that the classroom can be disinfected and cleaned.

Areas that were heavily used by the individual must be closed off until thenon-porous surfaces can be disinfected, unless more than several days havealready passed since the person was on campus.

Those who have been directly exposed to infectious secretions (e.g., beingcoughed on) or being within six (6) feet of the individual for a cumulativeduration of fifteen (15) minutes, while not wearing a facial covering withinforty-eight (48) hours before the individual's onset of symptoms will becontacted. Those individuals will be required to self-quarantine for fourteen(14) days from their last exposure to that individual. These students will takepart in distance learning during that time period. A single case would notnecessarily close the entire class or school unless it is determined necessaryin conjunction with guidance form the local health department.

Screening and Isolation

At least one (1) day (24 hours) have passed since recovery (resolution offever without the use of fever-reducing medications);The individual has improvements in symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness ofbreath); andAt least ten(10) days have passed since symptoms first appeared.

Any students or staff who either: (A) are lab-confirmed to have COVID-19 or(B) in direct contact with someone lab-confirmed; or (C) experience thesymptoms of COVID-19 must stay at home throughout the infection periodand must notify the school administration. These individuals cannotreturn to campus until the school system has been notified and has reviewedthe individual case to determine any of the below conditions for campus re-entry have been met.

In the case of an individual who was diagnosed with COVID-19, the individualmay return to school when all three of the following criteria are met:

In the case of an individual who has symptoms that could be COVID-19 andwho is not evaluated by a medical professional or tested for COVID-19, suchindividual is assumed to have COVID-19, and the individual may not return tothe campus until the individual has completed the same three-step set ofcriteria listed above.

If the individual has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and wants to return toschool before completing the above stay at home period, the individual musteither (A) obtain a medical professional's note clearing the individual forreturn based on an alternative diagnosis or (B) obtain an acute infection testsat an approved COVID-19 testing location that comes back negative forCOVID-19.

Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19 Case

Intermittent School to Home

Should there be a need to temporarily close a class or school due to COVID-19, teachers will offer instruction via distance learning, pending the return toclass/campus. Home internet and device access are required for distancelearning. Also, extracurricular and student program will be temporarilyunavailable during a campus closure. This information will also be sent toparents and staff via email.

If an individual has been on a campus and lab-confirmed to have COVID-19,the school will notify the Diocese and local health department, in accordancewith applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations.

Schools must close off areas that are heavily used by the individual with thelab-confirmed case (student, teacher, or staff) until the non-porous surfacesin those areas can be disinfected, unless more than seven (7) days havealready passed since that person was on campus.

Bishop Reicher School will notify all teachers, staff, and families of all BishopReicher students if a lab-confirmed COVID-19 case is identified amongstudents, teachers or staff who participate on any on-campus activities.

We anticipate our students will experience some measure of apprehension oranxiety as we return to school in the fall. We are committed to creating anenvironment that will address the needs of students' physical, emotional andmental safety needs during this unprecedented time.

We encourage you to make time to discuss returning to school with yourchildren and to learn and explore their specific apprehensions. Thinkingthrough and discussing their specific apprehensions, such as going to therestroom, or eating lunch, will give your family an opportunity to addressthese concerns before they occur. Practice using masks at home in theirnaturally safe environment, as you discuss returning to school, to eliminateany worries regarding mask wearing.

We will monitor and respond to signs of stress in your children an prioritizeself-car, empathy, and patience with yours and your children's circumstances.

We encourage you to notify teachers and/or the school counselor for bothcampuses Mrs. Jackie Conners with any apprehensions anxieties or issuesrelated to your children, as we want to work in partnership with you to createan environment that is both supportive of their needs and conducive tolearning.

Notifications

Student Well-Being

School reopening guidelines from health and education authoritiesrecommend limiting parents and visitor on campus. Parental involvement isa vital part of the Bishop Reicher experience, and parents will be welcomedon our campuses by appointment or invitation. As stated previously, parentswill go though the screening process and will need to follow face covering andphysical distance protocols.

Bishop Reicher School will notify all teachers, staff, and families of all BishopReicher students if a lab-confirmed COVID-19 case is identified amongstudents, teachers or staff who participate on any on-campus activities.

Students will attend Mass on Wednesdays while observing safety proceduresfrom the church and school. Grade levels will have assigned seating to assuresocial distancing. Visitors are not allowed to sit among the students.

Parents on Campus

Mass

All off-campus trips will be suspended or postponed until further notice.

Field Trips

Letty Martinez, Administrative Assistant - Lower Campus - 254.754.2041Tessa Flaquer, Administrative Assistant - High School Campus -254.752.8349

Gayle Zucha, Assistant Principal - Lower Campus - 254.754.2041Rob Whitworth, Principal - High School Campus - 254.752.8349

If your child is going to be absent from school:

COVID-19 related concerns:

Resource

Who to Contact

Stay Connected

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