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Committed to your child's academic and spiritual growth.
ECA reopened on August 31 for five-day-a-week on campus instruction for the 2020-2021 school year.
 

2020 CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR SCHOOL REOPEN

THIS PAGE INCLUDES:
 
ECA POSITION REGARDING COVID-19
ECA PRIMARY STEPS TO MITIGATE SPREAD OF COVID-19
COVID-19 SCHOOL OPERATION CONTINGENCY PLANS BY COLOR CODED PROTOCOLS
COVID-19 ATTENDANCE POLICY
COVID-19 RELATED POLICIES

ECA POSITION REGARDING COVID-19

Eden Christian Academy will comply with all local and state regulatory agency policies that have jurisdiction over ECA. 

ECA reserves the right to make decisions about moving between protocols independent of government entities that do not have jurisdiction over non-public schools in Pennsylvania, but for consistency ECA's color coded protocols have been designed to correspond with the state system of colored protocols.

ECA PRIMARY STEPS TO MITIGATE SPREAD OF COVID-19
These are standard measures taken.

  • Hand washing and sanitizing
  • Feasible physical distancing
  • Use of multi-layered masks in green, yellow, and orange protocols
  • Elimination of large gatherings that do not provide adequate physical distancing
  • Health monitoring measures (temperature and symptoms)
  • Revised attendance policies for students and employees
  • Enhanced cleaning protocols

COVID-19 SCHOOL OPERATION CONTINGENCY PLANS BY COLOR CODED PROTOCOLS

Blue protocol is characterized by minimal modifications to pre-COVID routines with additional cleaning and sanitization measures to avoid falling back to the Green protocol.

How does ECA achieve Blue?

The state government has lifted all orders related to COVID-19 and/or the ECA board and administration determine that transmission and severity within the local and Eden communities are negligible.

Blue protocols will characterize normal routines and procedures and pre-COVID cleaning measures.
 
Blue cleaning and sanitation routines include:
  • Additional disinfectant wiping of high touch surfaces throughout the day (door handles and push bars, sink handles, toilet and urinal flush valve handles, shared surfaces such as countertops and tables)
  • Hand sanitizer stations at entries, exits, beside heavily used doors and common areas such as cafeteria
  • Teach and reinforce hand washing with soap and water (at least 20 seconds); increase monitoring
  • Use 60% alcohol or higher hand sanitizer when washing isn’t possible
  • Teach and monitor coughing and sneezing hygiene (covering properly); throw used tissues in the trash immediately, followed by hand washing or sanitizing
Blue Attendance Policy

Sick students/staff must be fever and symptom free for 24 hours to return to school unless COVID-related; then follow COVID-19 attendance policy.


Green protocol is characterized by more significant changes to our daily routines to proactively prevent community spread and to avoid fall back to Yellow, Orange, and Red protocols. It presents moderate changes to our routines but allows us to largely carry on all programing with some modifications.

How does ECA achieve Green?

State government action and/or the ECA board and administration determine that transmission and severity within the local and Eden communities are sufficiently low.

How does ECA fall back to Green?

State government action or the ECA board and administration determine that transmission and severity within the local and Eden communities has moved from low to moderate.

Primary mitigation steps taken in Green protocol (see full details below)
  • Additional cleaning measures outlined below
  • Temperature and symptom check upon arrival to campus
  • Classroom furniture arrangements designed to minimize shared airspace
  • Multi-layered masks required at all times for adults and children in grades PS-12, except when eating and drinking or participating in outdoor recess and outdoor physical education class. Employees may work without face coverings when physically distanced in spaces where there are no students present.
  • Limited mixing of student groups/classes as much as is feasible
  • Large gatherings such as chapel redesigned but not eliminated

Masks will not be required for outdoor elementary recess.

Green protocol details
 
Green will characterize modest modification to operations.
 
A COVID-19 coordinator will be appointed for each campus.
 
Green cleaning and sanitation measures will include all Blue protocol routines plus enhanced cleaning measures:
  • Daily cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched shared surfaces such as countertops, tables, door handles, push bars and plates, sink handles, toilet handles, urinal flush valve handles, and water bottle fillers (use instead of water fountains)
  • Increase air circulation and ventilation as much as possible
  • Avoid shared classroom supplies as much as possible and clean shared supplies after use
  • Plexiglass installed in serving lines and at service counters
  • All food service is plated/individually wrapped; use of disposable dishes and utensils
  • Fully equip each classroom and communal space with cleaning supplies
  • Shared surfaces cleaned between classes/sessions
Green adjustments to programs and routines include Blue protocol intentional and regular hygiene and etiquette education plus:
  • Temperature and symptom check for all students, staff, parents, and visitors upon arrival to building
  • Utilization of sick room for isolation of symptomatic students and staff
  • Multi-layered masks required at all times for adults and children in grades PS-12, except when eating and drinking or participating in outdoor recess and outdoor physical education class. Employees may work without face coverings when physically distanced in spaces where there are no students present.
  • All guests on campus will wear a multi-layered mask as directed by school staff
  • Modeling and supervising of appropriate physical distancing and prominently posted educational posters to remind and reinforce physical distancing practices
  • Water fountains closed to drinking; only water bottle filling allowed at drinking fountains
  • Reduce class size as much as feasible
  • Implement feasible schedule adjustments to promote physical distancing
  • Modification of band, choir, and worship practices and performances to allow for physical distancing and ample ventilation
  • Smaller group chapels
  • Lunch room/cafeteria use for small, physically distanced groups only on a rotating schedule and combined with groups having lunch in classrooms as needed
  • Modified school events to control number of people on campus, and educate, post, and publish safety guidelines before and during events
  • Special seating and arrival/dismissal modifications for vulnerable students and families
  • Seating arrangements and classroom procedures designed to keep students appropriately spaced and facing in the same direction
  • Modified seating and scheduling for large group gatherings
Green Attendance Policy
 

Sick students and staff must be fever and symptom free for 24 hours and submit a doctor’s note or pass an interview with the campus COVID-19 coordinator in order to return to school unless COVID-related; then follow COVID-19 attendance policy.


Yellow protocol is designed to prevent a COVID-19 outbreak on ECA campuses. Yellow requires that all feasible physical distancing is implemented on campus and that frequent deep cleaning and sanitizing are necessary. Daily routines in the Yellow protocol are significantly impacted, but programs largely go on in alternative formats.

How does ECA achieve Yellow?

State government action. If Allegheny County is already Yellow but Eden has multiple COVID-19 cases in a critical number of classes or cohorts of students, Eden will move to Yellow after two weeks in self-imposed Red and decontamination of building. Affected families and staff may only return to campus according to the COVID-19 attendance policy.

How does ECA fall back to Yellow?

State government action or the ECA board and administration determine that there is significant risk for spread of COVID-19 among Eden students and staff.

Primary additional mitigation steps taken in Yellow protocol (see full details below)
  • Additional efforts to eliminate mixing of groups of students to the fullest extent possible.
  • Additional efforts to make groups smaller for lunch and for non-contact play at recess.
Yellow protocol details
 
Yellow results in significant modifications to operations.
 
A COVID-19 coordinator will be appointed for each campus.
 
Yellow cleaning and sanitation measures include Blue and Green protocols plus enhanced cleaning measures:
  • Commonly touched surfaces such as handles and knobs wiped down four times per school day 
Yellow adjustments to programs and routines include Blue and Green protocols plus:
  • Remote learning for vulnerable students and families
  • Small groups utilized to the fullest extent possible (mixing of groups avoided as much as possible)
  • Smaller and closed circuit chapel in classrooms
  • Lunch room/cafeteria use for small, physically distanced groups only on a rotating schedule and combined with groups having lunch in classrooms
  • Non-contact play at recess
  • Modification of schedule to eliminate mixing of student cohorts as much as possible
  • Modifications to or cancellation of extracurriculars that do not permit adequate physical distancing
  • Classroom routines modified to eliminate activities that do not keep students physically distanced
  • Faculty, parent, and student preparation for Orange protocol and hybrid learning
Yellow Attendance Policy
 

Sick students and staff must be fever and symptom free for 24 hours and submit a doctor’s note or pass an interview with the campus COVID-19 coordinator in order to return to school unless COVID-related; then follow COVID-19 attendance policy.


Orange protocol is designed to prevent an uncontrolled COVID-19 outbreak on ECA campuses. Orange implements a hybrid learning model in which fewer students attend school each day and combines both online and on-campus delivery of education. It preserves the best aspects of on-campus socialization and learning experiences while providing maximum mitigation efforts and protection so that fully remote learning can remain unnecessary.

How does ECA achieve Orange?

State government action. Eden will move back to Orange or Yellow from Red after at least two weeks in fully-remote learning and decontamination of building if conditions in Allegheny County permit. Affected families and staff may only return to campus according to the COVID-19 attendance policy.

How does ECA fall back to Orange?

ECA board and administration determine that there is significant risk for spread of COVID-19 among Eden students and staff measured by state government action, high rate of infection in Allegheny County, or Eden has COVID-19 cases in multiple cohorts of students.

Orange results in all MITIGATION measures taken in Yellow plus the implementation of hybrid learning to reduce the number of people on campus and to maximize physical distancing while retaining the benefits of on-campus education and socialization. (see full details below)

 

ORANGE protocol details
 
Orange results in a hybrid model of education.
 
A COVID-19 coordinator will be appointed for each campus.
 
Orange cleaning and sanitation measures are identical to Yellow.
 
Orange adjustments to programs and routines include those in Yellow plus:
  • On-campus learning will be at 50% or lower capacity class sizes
  • Educational programming will still be offered five (5) days per week, but only 50% of students will be in attendance each day, while the other 50% will participate remotely
  • Fully remote learning for vulnerable students and families
  • Extracurriculars will be highly modified or canceled
  • Teachers and students will prepare for the potential of fully remote learning
Orange Attendance Policy
 

Sick students and staff must be fever and symptom free for 24 hours and submit a doctor’s note or pass an interview with the campus COVID-19 coordinator in order to return to school unless COVID-related; then follow COVID-19 attendance policy.


Red protocol is designed to flatten the curve of COVID-19 spread in our community. It is characterized by remote learning and remote participation in school life and extracurriculars.

How does ECA fall back to Red?
 

State government action, multiple COVID-19 cases in a critical number of classes or cohorts of students on ECA's campuses, or the ECA board and administration determine that there is significant risk for spread of COVID-19 among Eden students and staff.

Red results in extreme modifications to school operations.
  • Campuses closed to all but essential staff
  • Campuses decontaminated
  • Full-time remote learning begins in preschool, elementary, and upper school. The remote learning handbook is implemented to guide remote learning.
  • For preschool students, credits will be posted to parent accounts for campus closures in excess of two weeks.

REGULAR ATTENDANCE PROTOCOL, COVID-19 SYMPTOMS, DEFINITION OF COVID-19 EXPOSURE, AND COVID-19 ATTENDANCE POLICY

REGULAR ATTENDANCE PROTOCOL AND COVID-19 SYMPTOMS DEFINED
 

Regular attendance protocols regarding health and school attendance are still in effect. Students with a fever (100.4 or higher), vomiting, diarrhea, or diagnosed contagious illnesses must stay home and will be sent home if symptoms present during the school day.

Additionally, students and staff will be placed under the COVID-19 attendance policy if they exhibit one (1) or more of the symptoms in group A OR two (2) or more of the symptoms in group B.

Group A symptoms (1 or more):

  • Persistent, dry cough
  • Shortness of breath
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Loss of or limited sense of smell
  • Loss of or modified sense of taste

Group B symptoms (2 or more):

  • Fever defined as 100.4 or higher (measured or subjective)
  • Chills
  • Rigors   
  • Muscle aches/soreness
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Fatigue
  • Congestion or runny nose

Isolation on Campus

Students in attendance on campus who exhibit one or more symptoms in group A above OR two or more symptoms from group B will be placed under care in a designated isolation room on campus until a parent or guardian can come to school to pick them up.

The isolated student and the care giver will both wear both a mask and a shield during care and the space will be disinfected following care.

DEFINITION OF COVID-19 EXPOSURE

Any student or employee who:

  • was within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more
  • provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19
  • had direct close physical contact with a person with COVID-19 (such as hugging or kissing)
  • shared eating or drinking utensils with a person with COVID-19
  • was sneezed upon, coughed upon, or somehow got respiratory droplets on them from a person with COVID-19
 
COVID-19 ATTENDANCE POLICY
Administration and staff will actively educate and enforce stay-at-home policies and return-to-school policies.
  • ECA will provide additional paid leave to employees who experience extended COVID-19 absences due to required self-isolation or contraction of COVID-19 until such time as extended absences are no longer necessary.
  • ECA will implement remote educational services to students who experience extended absences due to self-isolation/quarantine of students sick with or exposed to COVID-19.
The affected individual may return to school only after:
  • 3 days with no fever AND
  • Symptoms improve AND
  • 10 days since symptoms first appeared OR if an MD or DO provides a note confirming an alternative diagnosis of the symptoms and clearance to return to school OR if tested, when they have no fever for 24 hours, symptoms improve, and they have a negative test.
If the student or employee has tested positive (with or without symptoms) they can return to school only after:
  • 10 days have passed since the test OR
  • If tested, they can return to school after a negative test and 24 hours without fever.
If a student or employee is exposed to someone with COVID-19, they can return to school after:
  • 14 days at home (from the date of exposure)
  • If symptoms develop or if they test positive, see guidelines above.

In Green, Yellow, and Orange Protocol, visitors to campus and parents must be held to the same attendance policy as students and employees.

COVID-19 RELATED POLICIES

Multi-layered Masks

Wearing multi-layered masks is a key part of Eden’s mitigation efforts and education regarding washing and disposal of masks will be important.

Each student will need their own multi-layered mask for bus transportation, arrival, and dismissal. ECA will keep extra masks in stock at all times.

Mask Breaks

Mask breaks will be provided throughout the day. Mask breaks will under 5 minutes in duration when taken indoors, and all individuals taking the break must be 6 feet or more from others. Mask breaks when socially distanced outdoors have no time limits.

Mask Exemptions

Any employee or student who has medical issues that prevent them from wearing a mask as directed must provide a doctor’s note stating that mask wearing is detrimental to his/her health. Face shields that extend below the chin and around to the ears on both sides will be required for those with documented medical exemptions. Employees with exemptions may be reassigned to other duties if deemed necessary by the administration.

Essential Mask Hygiene
  • Disposable masks should only be used once and then discarded properly.
  • Cloth masks must be washed daily in a washing machine and dried on the highest dryer setting (or in direct sunlight) or soaked at least 5 minutes in a bleach designed to disinfect. (4 tsp per quart of room temperature water or 1/3 cup per gallon).

While students, faculty, and staff will be encouraged to provide their own PPE, the school will also keep PPE in stock for anyone on campus.

Arrival Screenings in Green, Yellow, and Orange
  • Temperature screenings will be utilized. Employees and students with a temperature of 100.4 or higher will be sent home.
  • Staff, parents, students, and visitors will be asked about symptoms: fever, shortness of breath, or cough since yesterday.
  • Designated screening personnel will ask about signs of potential illness in the child, parent, visitor, or employee such as flushed cheeks, rapid breathing or difficulty breathing (without recent exertion), fatigue, or extreme fussiness (in children).
Creating a Healthy Environment

If COVID-19 symptoms present themselves in a person while on campus, any space and surfaces used by that person should be off-limits until it can be disinfected. When feasible, staff should wait 24 hours before cleaning or as close to 24 hours as is possible (to let any vaporized particles settle).

Notifications When Cases Arise

The principal at each campus will notify Mr. Fisher and Mr. Smullin whenever a COVID-19 case is confirmed. The principal will notify families and the head of school immediately while maintaining confidentiality to the fullest extent possible.

The COVID-19 coordinator at each campus will inform those who have had close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19 to stay home and self-monitor for symptoms and to follow Eden’s attendance policies for COVID-19 as outlined in this document. The coordinator should confirm with the campus principal in writing which individuals were in close contact and that the notifications have been completed.

Extracurricular Policies

Policies for athletics are governed by both PIAA and ECA and are posted on the athletics webpage.