Published August 12, 2020
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Three members of the Emergency Management Team gave an overview of the protocols all four schools will be using in order to keep students and staff safe this fall.
Superintendent Kristen Vogel said during the School Committee’s Aug. 7 meeting that the proposed hybrid return to instruction plan will enable all four schools to follow the Centers for Disease Control’s six-foot social distancing guidelines as we continue living with a pandemic. She said each school will have signage in order to make sure students and staff follow the rules.
“The safety of our students and our staff is a priority for us,” said Vogel.
The School Department will be hiring three additional nurses. Vogel said the high school and middle school will each add an additional nurse, while the third nurse will float between the two elementary schools. There is currently one nurse at each school.
Vogel also said the School Department will be hiring a school liaison to the Emergency Management Team, which was recommended by Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director Glenn Davis. She said the liaison will communicate with her, the Emergency Management Team and school nurses if there is a suspected COVID-19 virus case in one of the schools.
“A school nurse would contact the school liaison, who would then contact me,” said Vogel. “We would alert the Emergency Management Team and the school liaison would begin the process of interviewing to collect information and data.”
Vogel recalled that the town has entered into an agreement with Quadrant Health in Beverly, which will give the schools access to a physician if the need arises.
“We can share data with the doctor, and he can help us respond to a suspected case,” said Vogel.
Davis said the physician was very helpful and supportive after three firefighters were diagnosed with COVID-19 earlier this year.
Vogel said the School Department will be following CDC, Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) guidelines if a student or staff member tests positive for the COVID-19 virus.
Davis noted Health Director Kristen McRae is in charge of monitoring positive COVID-19 cases in town. He said there have been a total of 106 positive cases in town, and the town was monitoring 20 active cases as of Aug. 7. Eleven residents have died from the virus.
In response to a question from School Committee Chairman Jamie Hayman, Vogel said each school will have an isolation room if a student gets sick during the day.
Davis said the state is not requiring officials and educators to administer temperature checks while students are entering schools. He said parents need to closely monitor their children’s health, and will have to take “temperature checks at home.”
“Don’t send a sick child to school,” said Davis.
Students in grades 2-12 will be required to wear masks. Children in kindergarten and first grade will be strongly recommended to wear masks, but that will not be required. Mask breaks will be built into the day.
Vogel said the HVAC systems at all four schools will be inspected before the academic year begins. She also said the DPW will be adjusting its school custodian schedule in order to have an additional custodian in each school during the day. She said custodians will be focusing on cleaning “high touch surfaces” such as doorknobs, push bars and stair railings in addition to cleaning other areas such as restrooms.
“All cleaning solutions and disinfectants are EPA approved,” said Vogel.
DPW Director John Tomasz said the town has purchased personal-protective equipment, which will be available for both students and staff. In addition to purchasing face masks and gloves, he has also purchased face shields, desk shields, hand sanitizer and other types of PPE.
“I think we have done everything we can to make the teachers feel comfortable,” said Tomasz.
Tomasz said the DPW will be utilizing a checklist in order to make sure custodians are thoroughly cleaning the schools.
Hayman and School Committee Vice Chairman Rich Sjoberg both thanked Davis, Tomasz, school custodians and the DPW for working diligently to make sure the schools will be ready once students and teachers return.
Vogel said the School Department purchased canopies for Community Schools’ Summer of Fun Activities (SOFA) program this year. She said teachers will be using the canopies in order to “conduct classrooms outside as much as possible.” She also said classrooms in the buildings will have windows open frequently.
Hayman recalled that the town has been prioritizing school security over the last several years. He requested that Police Chief David Breen attend a future meeting in order to weigh in on how the proposed reopening changes would impact school security.
With summer heading into the final stretch, Hayman urged families to be careful while going on late vacations while COVID-19 cases continue to rise.
“The numbers will determine what we are doing,” said Hayman. “The community plea I would have as we head toward the end of summer is as you plan trips and vacations, please be mindful of the states that are on the required quarantine list. It includes Rhode Island now. We are counting on parents to be truthful and honest. If you have been away and have been in one of those states, inform us. We work accordingly with you to make sure your child is getting the right materials and the right information.”
