Returning to school during the COVID-19 pandemic may seem extraordinarily difficult. But having safety plans – and making sure you and your family stick to them – can allow everyone to navigate the educational challenges of the new school year. When things seem daunting, keep these plans in mind.
Public schools will be observing social distancing guidelines so limit any potential virus spread. This might also mean more outdoor classes, an increased awareness of personal space, face masks on everybody, and put a better emphasis on hand hygiene.
All the more reason why sick children will need to be kept out of the school. Because the coronavirus symptoms still largely resemble symptoms associated with allergies and viral infections, it will be imperative to remove any sick children from the classroom and get them tested/treated as soon as possible.
This step will present a large challenge to families with working parents and a lack of care options, but it will be imperative to find a solution.
To limit the possibility of spreading the virus through contact, parents should consider sending children to school equipped with all the school supplies they need. Don’t rely on classroom inventory to make up the difference, either; make sure the kids go to school with all the pencils, notebooks, highlighters, and pens they’ll need.
This will also be a huge aid to the teachers, many of whom have to purchase their own in-class supplies for use by their students. As such, purchasing and packing a child’s supplies will give the teachers one less thing to worry about while helping to limit the child’s potential exposure to the virus.
And don’t just limit yourself to the traditional school supplies, either. Pack hand sanitizer and face masks to make sure your child will have access to them as needed.
Now would be a good time to make sure your child’s immunizations have been kept up to date. This will ensure they have all the protection they need to maintain their health and provide the parents one less thing to worry about during the school year.
In fact, parents should also make an appointment to make sure their immunizations have been kept up to date. Healthy families are happy families.
This one covers two different situations. In the immediate, have a procedure in place for when the kids come home from school every day. They should be ready to wash or sanitize their hands upon arriving home, change clothes and keep dirty ones in a separate area, and get the shoes off and out of the way for disinfecting.
In the event a school has to close down due to infections, have a plan ready for virtual learning or home schooling.
Yes, the situation may seem daunting. Yes, the factors may be changing constantly. But it’s important to maintain a healthy attitude during this challenge. Stay healthy, and keep moving forward.