Pandemic Health/Safety Plan Policy
The Pennsylvania State Board of Private Academic Schools enacts the following pandemic policy for all private schools licensed by the Board for the 2020-2021 school year.
Prior to returning students to school buildings and offering in-person instruction, all private academic schools licensed by Pennsylvania State Board of Private Academic Schools shall create and implement a Pandemic Health and Safety Plan based on the on-going guidance from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Pennsylvania Department of Education (see Preliminary Guidance for Phased Reopening of Pre-K to 12 Schools), and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Each school should create a Health and Safety Plan which will serve as the local guidelines for all school reopening activities. As with school emergency plans, the Health and Safety Plan should be tailored to the unique needs of the school community and license category and should be created in consultation with local health agencies, if possible. Schools should consider public health best practices for social distancing, face coverings, hand hygiene, and cleaning and disinfecting.
The Health and Safety Plan shall contain, at minimum, the following elements for re-opening in person schooling:
- Plans for sanitizing prior to opening.
- Plans for on-going sanitizing once school is in operation.
- Plans for flushing the water system and ventilating the building prior to use if the building has been sitting idle.
- Plans for training all staff on the Health and Safety Plan.
- Plans for communicating the guidelines to students and families.
- Plans for safely transporting students, if applicable.
- Guidelines for handwashing.
- Guidelines for face coverings for staff, family members, and students of different age groups
- Guidelines for social distancing in classroom and common spaces.
- Guidelines for limiting outside visitors to the school.
- Guidelines for limiting interactions between groups.
- Guidelines for restricting spaces that multiple groups use, such as gyms and cafeterias.
- Guidelines for all outdoor activities, including playground use of equipment and sports activities.
- Guidelines for monitoring and isolating sick children.
- Guidelines for protection of students, staff, and family members at high-risk of severe illness.
- Plans for implementing remote learning to accomplish social distancing if necessary and if schools are required to close.
Licensed Private Academic Schools shall keep a copy of their Pandemic Health and Safety Plan on file at the school and available to Pennsylvania Department of Education staff upon request.