Covid-19 Response and Additional Resources

Managing through and building resilience during the COVID-19 outbreak.

We’re working to keep people safe and informed about the recent outbreak of COVID-19. We know that as members of our community you may also be experiencing unexpected challenges, and we’re committed to providing as much support as possible.

RCS Health and Safety Guidelines

View Full Document

RCS Health and Safety Guidelines

  • Resources

    Oregon Conference of Education -> Pause App
    Decision Tree for Provision of In Person Learning
    Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

  • Supporting Your Child During COVID-19

    With so many decisions and adjustments being made to protect our communities from Covid-19, we do not want to overlook the emotional toll this can take on a child. Children will react and follow the verbal and nonverbal reactions of the adults closest to them. Because elementary, middle-school, and high-school students do not process information in the same way as adults, they are filtering these emotions and reactions much differently. This can lead to internalizing fears or stress overload. It is important to limit your child’s inputs to true information appropriate for their age-level and to provide positive, reassuring support.

    Links to support your child:
    https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/here-we-are/202003/the-dos-and-donts-parentingyour- Child-through-covid-19

    https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climatesafety-and-crisis/health-crisis-resources/talking-to-children-about-covid-19-(coronavirus)-aparent-resource

    Elementary Age-appropriate explanation of Covid-19:

    https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/02/28/809580453/just-for-kids-a-comicexploring-the-new-coronavirus

    Exercises to Support an Anxious Child:

    • Take a walk outside together, see if you can match the inhale and exhale of your breathing with your steps.
    • Sing together, especially songs that are filled with gratitude and hope.
    • Square Breath
      • Breathe in, to the count of four.
      • Hold the breath for four seconds.
      • Breathe out to the count of four.
      • Wait for four seconds before taking in your next breath.
      • To help your child keep track, show them how to draw a square in the air with their finger, taking four seconds on each side (Roman, n.d.).
    • Balancing on One Foot
      • Tell your child to focus her gaze slightly below eye level.
      • Tell her to stand on one leg and keep her gaze fixed on that focal point.
      • Challenge her to see how long she can stand on one leg like this.
      • Tell her to try the other leg.
      • Challenge her to stay focused while you engage her in conversation, ask her to sing a song, or tell her to close her eyes.
    • Use meal time to practice the five senses, focus on sense at a time
    • Read comforting Bible verses together
    • Pray together
    • Check out this app for providing pauses during the day to reconnect with our creator: https://www.pauseapp.com 

    • https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/sissy-goff-anxiety-kids-coronavirus

    • We are standing with schools all over the Washington and Oregon who are responding to the current Pandemic! If you have questions about our e-learning programs we are here to help you grow!

    Keep your learning on track!

    Feel free to reach out to us with any comments or questions! Contact Us

    Oregon Conference Health & Safety Guidelines

    Overview

    The following plan for in-person learning has been developed based on guidelines and
    requirements provided by the Oregon Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
    Education Department.

    The Education Department guidelines are based on the best and most current
    health information known as of the latest version date of this document. These
    guidelines follow the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and American Academy
    of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendations. As new guidance and practices become
    available, updates will be communicated to parents.

    Any future decision in regard to discontinuing on-site instruction at Riverside
    Christian School will be made based on the Clark County Health
    Department Public Health Directives and guidance from the Oregon Conference
    Education Department.

    Contents

    Updates may happen as recommendations
    change.

    Attendance

    Absences due to illness will be recorded per the usual process.

    Your child SHOULD
    come to school if they:

    Have a temperature below
    100.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

    Have no new symptoms of
    COVID-19 in the past 14 days.

    Symptoms may include:
    – Fever or chills
    – Cough
    – Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
    – Fatigue
    – Muscle or body aches
    – Headache
    – Loss of taste or smell
    – Sore throat
    – Congestion or runny nose
    – Nausea or vomiting
    – Diarrhea

    Are not taking fever or symptom-reducing medicine such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Motril, Advil), or cough syrup.

    Your child should STAY
    AT HOME and will be
    sent home if they:

    Appear or complain of feeling
    unwell or they have a
    suspected communicable
    disease.

    Have a fever of 100.4 or
    higher, or other COVID-19
    symptoms.
    – Students with a fever or other
    symptoms at school will be isolated
    until they can be picked up by their
    parent or guardian.

    Have had close contact with
    someone who has COVID-19
    – The CDC defines close
    contact as being within 6 feet of the
    person for more than 15 minutes
    starting from 2 days before illness
    onset or, for people without
    symptoms, 2 days before the
    positive specimen collection.

    Your child should RETURN to school when:

    They bring a doctor’s note
    with permission to return.
    – Return to school notes may
    be presented in-person at the time
    of return or emailed to
    admin@rcscamas.org before
    returning.
    – Refer to CDC criteria for
    discontinuing home isolation when
    COVID-19 is known or suspected.
    – Consult with your doctor to
    determine when this will be met.

    AND

    Symptoms are gone or
    improving.

    They have been fever-free for
    72 hours.

    They are not taking fever-
    reducing medicine such as

    acetaminophen (Tylenol) or
    ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil).

    *In order to have an absence excused due to illness, parents must report the absence and reason to
    the front office each morning. Teachers will work with parents and students to ensure learning continues
    during a student’s extended absence.

    Screening

    Pre-Screening at Home

    Parents are highly encouraged to screen their child or children for a fever before leaving for school to ensure temperature is below 100.4. Parents should also check for other COVID-19 symptoms outlined by public health officials. If the child has a fever or symptoms, or if they have had close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19 in the previous 14 days, they should remain at home and follow the guidelines for return to school.

    Pre-Screening at Home

    For everyone’s safety, all staff, visitors and students will be screened for a fever and symptoms of illness upon entering campus. Students’ temperature will be taken and parents will be asked a short series of questions about students’ symptoms. In order to limit visitors on campus, parents and guardians will not be permitted to walk students to their classroom at this time.

    Please note: If a student is symptomatic when entering the campus or during the school day, he/she will be separated from others until picked up by their parent or guardian.

    Parents, Guardians and Visitors: Access to campus will be limited. There will be temperature checks and symptom screening in order to access the rest of the campus. Face coverings that cover both the nose and mouth are required while on campus.

    Physical Distancing

    For the safety of our students, families, teachers, and staff: expectations for social distancing, masking and hand hygiene will be communicated and reinforced throughout the school.

    Arrival and Departure

    To limit lines for screening, we will be staggering arrival and departure times. If you have students in multiple classes we
    recommend that you drop your children off at the earliest student’s class time, and pick up at the latest pick up time.

     

    During School

    Non-Classroom Spaces & Activities

    Playground

     

    Lunch

    Arrival and Dismissal

    Chapel, Field Trips, and Social Gatherings

    After School Programs

    Health & Safety

    Face Coverings

    Faculty and Staff

    Faculty and staff will be wearing masks or face shields.

    Students

    Hygiene

    Personal hygiene procedures will be taught and reinforced.

     

    Drinking Fountains

    Cleaning Procedures

    Plan if Another Stay at Home Order is Implemented

    Riverside Christian School teachers and administration will set up and communicate procedures to ensure that any mandated transition to distance learning happens smoothly and effectively.

    These transition plans include the consistent use of online platforms to communicate and provide tools for learning. In addition, a daily schedule for direct online instruction will be provided. In order to support a seamless transition, the same online platform will be used to communicate throughout the regular school year. Parents and students will be trained to use the online platform at the beginning of the year. New Chromebooks have been purchased for every student in order to ensure every student has equal access to technology.

    To ensure uninterrupted instruction, in the event that RCS needs to transition to distance learning, the daily schedule
    for all grades will include synchronous and asynchronous instruction with students being connected and interacting with their teacher. This will be a combination of screen time, breaks, and off-screen activities.

    Contact Information

    Tymi Wright, Principal

    twright@rcscamas.org

     

    Kalie Waldeck
    Kwaldeck@rcscamas.org