NTI Resources & Covid-19 Information

In-Person Instruction

Classroom Instruction:

Pitt Academy Staff will create conducive learning environments for our students while adhering to the following:

Arrange furniture/seating to create more personal space
Utilize clear portable desk sneeze shields
Minimize sharing of supplies
Create a daily schedule that allows for movement breaks
Open windows and/or doorways as feasible to increase the circulation of fresh air

School Sanitation:

As always we are extremely diligent in keeping the school clean and sanitizing all surfaces. As you are aware, classroom supplies and work spaces will not be shared this year. Barriers have been installed on desks/tables and classroom resources (manipulative’s, fidgets, teaching tools) will be sanitized and individually stored for student use.
Hand washing will be required throughout the day. Additional hand sanitizer will be available in all classrooms and common areas.
There are scheduled breaks during the day for the staff to sanitize the classrooms (while the students are outside or on a movement break, etc.)
Additionally, we have installed iWave air purifying devices on all of our air conditioning units that have been proven to reduce a wide variety of pathogens in the breathing zone and on hard non-porous surfaces including the Coronavirus (see attached).
- iWave is an air-purifying device that installs in any duct air conditioning system. When air passes over the iWave, ions produced by the device reduce pathogens, allergens, particles, smoke and odors in the air, creating a healthy environment without producing any harmful byproducts.
- iWave uses patented technology, called needle-point bi-polar ionization, to create equal amounts of positive and negative ions. When these ions are injected into the air stream, they break down passing pollutants and gases into harmless compounds like oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and water vapor (see illustration below).
- When the ions come in contact with viruses, bacteria or mold, they remove the hydrogen molecules – without them, the pathogens have no source of energy and will die. The ions also attach to allergens like pollen and other particles, causing them to band together until they are large enough to be caught by your ventilation system’s air filter.
- iWave’s technology generates the same ions that nature creates with lightening, waterfalls, ocean waves, etc. Nature uses energy and shear to break apart molecules, naturally cleaning the air and producing a healthy environment. The only difference between the iWave’s technology and nature is that the iWave does it without developing harmful ozone.

When to stay home:

Students should have their temperature checked every morning before leaving for school as a safety check. Please do not give your child any fever-reducing medication before bringing them to school. If you have any doubts, please err on the side of caution and keep your child home. We offer online learning to keep them from getting behind with schoolwork. Keep your child home if they show any of the following:

temperature over 99.9 degrees (Temperatures must be less than 100 and not elevating (if your student is elevated to 99.5 you will be asked to park and the temperature will be rechecked in two 10 minute intervals to ensure it is not still increasing))
cough
vomiting/diarrhea
new rash
chills
fatigue/body aches
sore throat
congestion (non-allergy)
runny nose (non-allergy)
new loss of taste or smell
shortness of breath
possible COVID-19 exposure

If a Student Becomes Sick during the day:

Per the CDC guidelines we now have an isolation room to be used for any student exhibiting any signs of illness listed above. If a student becomes sick during the day we will isolate the student and contact the parent/guardian immediately. The following is the protocol to be able to return to school:

At least 24 hours with no fever without fever-reducing medication and
Symptoms have significantly improved or are non-existent without fever-reducing or other medication.
Parents may be asked to take their child to their Primary Care Physician for an evaluation prior to returning to school.

Have you been traveling?:

Public health officials have recommended that those traveling to states with high rates of COVID infection and positive test results should self-quarantine for at least 14 days. In-person instruction at Pitt Academy begins on Wednesday, August 19. If you have traveled to the states with high COVID infection rates or you have been exposed to someone that has tested positive, we REQUIRE that you self-quarantine for the safety of all involved. Please responsibly follow this rule. If this applies to your student let us know and they can join us for the start of school via NTI during that time.

Visitors/Volunteers/Shadowing/Therapist:

Until further notice, non-essential visitors will not be allowed at school.
Essential visitors, such as contractors making repairs, are required to schedule an appointment and wear a mask while in the building.

Lunch:

Our kitchen will remain open to order lunch. There will be two lunch sessions to decrease the number of students in the cafeteria at one time. Sanitation will occur between the two sessions. Some classes will eat their lunch in their classrooms as well.

ESS/Afterschool Care:

Will be in operation, but we will have a mandatory advanced sign-up to ensure we are able to meet all guidelines and requirements, as well as staffing measures.

Face Mask:

Students and staff are required to have a mask with them at all times. There will be situations when masks are required (during arrival and dismissal, in hallways and restrooms, transitioning to classes or lunch, during classroom activities where social distancing is not an option, etc.)

Wash or sanitize your hands before putting on your face covering
Wash your mask to help eliminate germs
Put it over your nose and mouth
Have students name on mask
Send a bag/breakaway lanyard that can hold their mask

Below are the current guidelines for the Face Mask Dress Code Policy:

solid colors with no writing or logos
color pattern or print with multiple colors (animal print, stripes, geometric) with no writing or logos
a kid-friendly cartoon or movie character (think Disney movies) with no writing or logos
college and professional sports teams with only the team’s official logo
any color (solid or patterned) with Pitt Academy Logo
NO EXCEPTIONS

RESOURCES:

https://education.ky.gov/comm/Documents/Safety%20Expectations_FINAL%20DOC.pdf