The health and safety of our school community is our highest priority, and we are committed to maintaining a healthy and safe learning environment for our students and staff.
Visit the Health page to contact a school nurse, to learn about required immunizations and health screenings, or to check if your sick child should be kept home from school.
School safety is an underlying theme in everything we do, and we want to remind our school community about the importance we place on student and staff safety every day. Learn more about school safety in our district.
Ongoing Health and Safety Precautions
Importance of Staying Home When Sick
People who have symptoms of respiratory or gastrointestinal infections, such as cough, fever, sore throat, vomiting, or diarrhea, should stay home.
Individuals with COVID-19 should follow CDC guidance to avoid transmitting it to others, including isolating for 5 days after the onset of symptoms, as well as masking.
Cleaning and Disinfecting
- High-touch surfaces will be cleaned at least once a day and classroom spaces will be regularly disinfected.
- High-contact surfaces on school buses will be cleaned between each run. All buses will be disinfected once each day.
- If a facility has had a sick person or someone who tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 24 hours, the space will be cleaned and disinfected.
Facial Coverings
Masks and face coverings are optional, and we continue to respect the decisions by students and staff on whether they choose to wear a mask or not.
- The NYS Department of Health recommends that individuals should wear a mask during days 6-10 after testing positive for COVID-19.
Healthy Hygiene
Hand washing: Students and staff are recommended to exercise hand hygiene (handwashing or sanitizing) upon arrival to school, before eating, and before dismissal. Handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is the best practice. However, hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol should be substituted when handwashing is not available.
Respiratory etiquette: The COVID-19 virus spreads from person to person in droplets produced by coughs and sneezes. Therefore, it is important that students and staff cover their mouths or noses with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and dispose of the tissue appropriately. If no tissue is available, using the inside of the elbow (or shirtsleeve) to cover the mouth or nose is preferable to using the hands. Always perform hand hygiene after sneezing, coughing, and handling dirty tissues or other soiled material.
Ventilation
The SSCSD Facilities department will ensure that all HVAC systems are set to maximize ventilation and bring in as much outdoor air as a system will safely allow. If safe to do so, open windows and doors. Even just cracking open a window or door helps increase outdoor airflow, which helps reduce the potential concentration of virus particles in the air.
During transportation, open or crack windows in buses and other forms of transportation, if doing so does not pose a safety risk. Keeping windows open a few inches will improve air circulation.
Vaccinations
The CDC recommends that all teachers, staff, and eligible students be vaccinated.
Transportation
- Regular bus cleaning and disinfection measures will take place.
- Windows open for improved ventilation (above 45°F).