Friday, March 13, 2020 is a day that will be permanently etched into our collective memories. It represents the very last day of “normal” school where my friends and I actually drove to campus, parked in the student lot, went out to lunch, and then said our traditional Friday afternoon goodbyes as the bell sounded off at 3:00 PM. We thought that Monday morning would come all too quickly. Sadly, we are still waiting for that Monday morning to arrive. Ten months have rolled by and the Trojan student body is anxiously awaiting the call back to campus from our trusted principal, Mrs. Green. Mrs. Green and the entire administrative team have been working non-stop during our pandemic. The first crisis was how to get a comprehensive distance learning program up and running. Mission accomplished. The next major project was getting the school ready for hybrid learning which was scheduled to begin on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. However, our start date is totally dependent on our counties status on the Blueprint for a Safer Economy. If San Joaquin County stays in the purple tier (which we are currently in), schools will not re-open for in-person learning as approved by our school board. Our county must be in the red tier to open, and our school district will be in communication with the proper health officials.

I was able to interview Mrs. Green and the following information is being provided to The Lincolnian, so that the Trojan student body can educate themselves on the safety and educational plans that have been put in place. I could feel Mrs. Green’s excitement when she said, “I look forward to having all of our students back on campus. As we wait for the metrics and Public Health officials to okay our return, we will continue to prepare bringing students and staff back in the safest manner possible.”

What will it take to get students safely back on campus and learning inside a classroom?

We have been given approval to re-open schools for in-person learning for all students and we are prepared to open our school in a safe manner for all. The Blueprint for a Safer Economy, California’s tiered system, will govern the details of reopening. Once our county is in red tier status, we will be implanting our plan. The district has developed a document to provide information and assistance to staff, students, and families as we navigate the next phase of learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. We will be following guidance received and regularly updated by the San Joaquin County Public Health Services, the San Joaquin County Office of Education, the California Department of Health, and Cal/OSHA

When the Trojans do step back on campus, what COVID improvements will the students immediately notice?

• Classrooms that had student tables now have individual student desks and all of the desks have been fitted with a 3-sided guard.
• Signage is posted in high visibility areas to remind students and staff of proper techniques for handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes and other prevention measures.
• All classrooms are equipped with either a sink and liquid hand soap and touchless paper towel dispensers or wall mounted hand sanitizer pumps.
• All restrooms have been equipped with liquid hand soap and touchless paper towel dispensers.
• Additional hand washing stations have been provided throughout campus and are located to minimize congregation of staff or students. An inventory of supplies is one hand and will be closely monitored to assure ready access. All HVAC units have been set to the “economizer” setting to maximize the flow of outdoor air.
• Air filters have been upgraded to MERV 13 and are in the process of being installed.
• Air filters and filtration systems will be replaced and checked on a regular schedule to ensure optimal air quality.
• Air purifiers will be added to each classroom and office to further reduce risk and improve air quality. Additional shade structures have been purchased and will be installed.

What cautionary steps will be taken to keep students separated on campus?

• Classrooms that had student tables now have individual student desks and all of the desks have been fitted with a 3-sided guard.
• Direct face-to-face contact with students will be avoided.
• Movement in and around the classroom will be minimized.
• Students will be taught routines to support physical distancing in the classroom environment.
• Outdoor spaces for learning are recommended where practicable and weather permits.
• Teachers will implement procedures for turning in work that minimizes contact

What additional environmental measures have been taken to keep staff and students safe?

• Efforts will be made to limit the number of contacts between multiple groups of students and adults during the day.
• Students will be requested to eat lunch with the same group of students in the same location.
• Teacher work stations inside of classrooms will be stationed six feet away from students.
• Both teachers and students will be provided with plexiglass safety barriers.
• Additional outdoor tables have been purchased to support outdoor eating and classroom activities.

What protocols have been established for students who have already tested positive for COVID-19?

• Daily self-screening measures will be implemented for all students and staff.
• All families are to self-screen their students daily before allowing them to attend school or ride a bus.
• Screening protocols will be shared with the school community via Parent Square, the school website, and social media. This information is also posted throughout campus.
• Anyone who has been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in the past 14 days or has COVID-19 symptoms must not go to school.

How many students do you think can be on campus at one time?

We will have two cohorts (A-L and M-Z) when we return to campus and it will be in a hybrid learning model. The A-L cohort will attend school on Monday’s and Tuesday’s. The campus will be deep cleaned every Wednesday. The M-Z cohort will attend school Thursday’s and Friday’s. This will allow us to have 50% of the student population on campus on live instruction days. On days when your cohort is not on campus, the students will participate in distance learning with their respective teachers.

What will the COVID-19 protocols look like for students while on campus?

PRIOR TO COMING TO SCHOOL

• All students will self-check using the COVID symptom check questions
• If the answer to any question is “Yes” then the students must stay home and the parents need to call the attendance office to clear the absence.

ARRIVAL ON CAMPUS

• All juniors and seniors will use the main parking lot.
• All freshman and sophomores will use Stanton Way. (Drivers dropping off students must stay in the car.)
• It is the requirement that all students regardless of age will wear a face covering while at school and when traveling on a school bus, except when eating or drinking or engaging in physical activity or outdoor recreation (only when they can be distanced by six feet).
• When a cloth face covering is removed, it should be placed in a clean paper bag, marked with the student’s name until it needs to be put on again.
• Students need to be dropped off no more than 15 minutes prior to their first class
• A Grab-N-Go breakfast will be available
• Students must eat socially distanced from peers
• Students must re-mask as soon as breakfast has been eaten
• Late students will check in at the Attendance Office to receive a tardy slip
• Students will enter the classroom and follow proper cleaning procedures for their work area (hand sanitizer, wiping down area around desk).

CLASSROOM ENTRY

• Students will enter the room masked and in an organized fashion will maintaining social distance, take a squirt of hand sanitizer, take a disinfectant wipe from the container and head to his/her desk to wipe clean the workspace and chair, dispose of the disinfectant wipe, and sit in the chair facing forward ready to learn.

DURING CLASS

• Students will remain masked, facing forward, and remain in their designated work space, unless given specific permission from the teacher prior to moving.

PASSING PERIODS

• Students will remain masked, maintain social distance for class dismissal and exit, maintain social distance when walking from one class to another, walk to the right to maintain common foot traffic flow, and avoid congregating in groups.

LUNCH

• Students will remain on campus for lunch.
• A Grab N Go lunch will be available from lunch carts for students eating a school lunch
• Lunch will be eaten in the same general location each day.
• Students will unmask to eat, eat lunch, the re-mask as soon as they are done eating.
• Maintain social distance and sit side-by-side (not face-to-face) while eating.

DEPARTURE

• All juniors and seniors will be picked up from the main parking lot.
•  All freshman and sophomores will be picked up on Stanton Way.
• All student-athletes remaining on campus for athletic participation on campus will stay masked and stay socially distanced in areas designated by their specific coaches.