Safety 2020-2021

At Home Health Screening

September 22, 2020

Dear Parents and Guardians,

 As per the NYC  DOE and DOH protocol, beginning Tuesday, September 29th, 2020, all families must screen each child before coming to school by completing an online screening questionnaire or by filling out a paper questionnaire. Temperature checks need to be done at home prior to entering the school.  Families will be required to show their clearance to the designated personnel by displaying it on their smartphone or by providing a filled out paper.

For your convenience, we encourage you to download the Health Screening Tool on your phone.

In addition to at-home daily health screenings, random temperature checks will be done at the school upon entry using hand-held, non-touch thermometers. 

Students, staff and visitors can complete the health screening in 2 ways:

  1. Use the online health screening tool - Download the APP on your phone  OR
  2. Print and Fill Out the paper version each day and bring it to school. 

A printable version of the health screening questionnaire can be found at

https://healthscreening.schools.nyc/docs/DOE_Health_Screening_Questionnaire_090420.pdf

Please NOTE:

BUS children: 

Families must complete the screening and fill out the paper questionnaire prior to boarding the bus. Bus personnel will not be conducting screenings. Upon arrival at the school, staff check for clearance and collect the forms.

Morning DROP-AND-GO students who are brought to school by car:

Families  must complete the health screening prior to dropping off their children at the school.

Should you have any questions or want additional information please go to https://www.schools.nyc.gov/

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS TAKEN BY OUR SCHOOL

In addition to asking everyone to wear masks, wash hands, and maintain social distancing, our school has taken several steps to improve the safety of our staff and students. These steps have been recommended by local health authorities to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 and other illnesses. 

  • Changes in class sizes: We've reduced the average class size from 25-31 to about 8 for in-person instruction.

  • Improvements in ventilation: In an effort to maximize air circulation, we are opening windows whenever possible and have added industrial fans to high-traffic areas.

  • Increases in cleaning frequency: Our custodial team is committed to cleaning all classrooms twice daily, once before the school day and once in the afternoon. In addition, all classroom teachers have been provided with sanitizing wipes to wipe down surfaces and shared resources on an as-needed basis throughout the school day. 

  • Hand sanitation: All bathrooms have been stocked with extra soap for frequent hand washing. In addition, we have provided teachers with hand sanitizer for the classroom and added hand sanitizer stations in common areas. 

Sanitize

  • Please sanitize your hands when you enter the school building for safety

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES WHILE IN THE BUILDING

We have put safety procedures in place to keep our students and staff healthy. 

  • Masks: Masks must be worn at all times by all adults (teachers, staff, and visitors) and by students in grade 2 and up while in the building. If your child is unable to wear a mask for medical reasons, they must have an excuse signed by a doctor on file in the office.
  • Handwashing: Students and staff are expected to wash hands thoroughly before and after eating, after using the bathroom, if exposed to body fluids (like saliva or a sneeze), and at other times necessary throughout the day.  
  • Drop-off and pickup procedures: Please maintain social distancing between families during drop-off and pickup. Parents are not allowed to enter the building with their child unless arrangements have been made in advance with the office. Please move through the drop-off and pickup line as quickly as possible to make room for families behind you. 
  • Visiting our school: We are limiting visitors to the school during this time. Parent and community volunteer and in-person tutoring have been suspended until further notice. Most parent-teacher conferences and other meetings can be held virtually. All visits must be pre-approved and scheduled with the office. 
  • While in the building: When you enter the building, please check in at the front desk. During check-in, you will be given a name tag and reminded to wear your mask at all times.
  • Traffic flow in hallways and common areas: Hallways are marked with arrows. Please keep at least 3 ft. distance between yourself and others.
  • Illness: Students and staff exhibiting signs of illness or having a fever of greater than 99.9°F must stay home. If you or someone you know has COVID-19 (or shows symptoms of COVID-19 such as coughing or fever), it is required that you stay home or at a designated care facility for a minimum of 14 days. Please contact us via phone or email as soon as possible.
  • Directions for local COVID testing: Please visit the NYS Coronavirus Find a Test Site page to find a test site closest to you.

CORRECT WAY TO WEAR MASK

  • Correct way to wear a mask, it must cover nose and mouth according to the CDC guidelines.

Wear a Mask at all Times

  • Please keep your face masks on at all times, to protect yourself and others, thank you for your cooperation

How we can help keep everyone safe!

In our effort to keep everyone safe and healthy, we are starting some new procedures at PS 38. Please follow all safety precautions and CDC guidelines to keep yourself and others safe. We thank you for your cooperation and your ongoing support.