Everyone six months or older is eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine in New Jersey and is encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as possible. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and highly effective at preventing you from getting sick. Most K-12 schools will have a mixed population of fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, and unvaccinated individuals at any given time. This is why the District has provided several layers of protection against the COVID-19 virus. To determine the vaccination status of students and staff, the District will administer periodic surveys in addition to collecting vaccination records as may be required by law. If the District is unable to determine the vaccination status of an individual student or staff member, that individual will be considered not fully vaccinated.

Paterson Public Schools will promote its partnerships to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to staff and students, including its partnerships with the N.J. Department of Health and the Paterson Division of Health.

The District’s supervisor of nursing, the City of Paterson’s health officer, and the City of Paterson’s Department of Health and Human Services will maintain close communication with each other to provide information and share resources on COVID-19 as guided by NJDOH. Communications will include information on transmission, prevention, and control measures for procedures and guidance regarding COVID-19 illness in school settings, the community, and in the region.

This section will be updated with any changes in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance and NJDOE recommendations that are issued before the start of the 2022-2023 school year.

Wearing a mask, while no longer mandated, is an important prevention strategy to help reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus, especially when combined with the other several layers of protection the District is providing in school buildings.

The following information details the proper use, removal, and washing of masks:

• The most effective fabrics for cloth masks are tightly woven such as cotton and cotton blends, breathable, and in two or three fabric layers. Masks with exhalation valves or vents, masks made with loosely woven fabrics, and masks that do not fit properly are not recommended.
• KN95 surgical masks are more effective than cloth masks.
• Reusable masks should be washed every day of use or if it is soiled.
• Disposable masks should be changed daily or when visibly soiled, damp, or damaged.
• Students, teachers, and staff will have access to additional disposable or cloth masks in case a backup mask is needed (e.g., a mask is soiled or lost during the day).
• Clear masks that cover the nose and wrap securely around the face may be used in certain circumstances including for the teaching of students with disabilities, young students learning to read, or English language learners.
• Visitors are not required, but are encouraged, to wear masks.
• Masks will be made available upon request to students, teachers, staff members, and visitors. The requests can be made to any school’s security guard or principal

Classrooms: Classrooms have several layers of protection against the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and are equipped with hand sanitizer, an EPA-approved disinfectant spray, and ionizing air purification devices.

Cafeterias: Cafeterias are equipped with Air Blasters for continuous air purification.

Transportation: Students on school buses have the option of wearing a mask.

Home Instruction: Students who are on home instruction will continue to receive their services virtually.

Frequent hand washing and respiratory protocols will continue to be encouraged as the District moves forward into the 2022-2023 school year. Staff and students will be advised to continue to do the following:

• Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap is not available, hand sanitizer should be used that contains 60 percent alcohol.
• Cover coughs and sneezes if not wearing a mask.
• Maintain adequate supplies in classrooms, including hand sanitizer, paper towels, tissues, and no-touch trash cans.

Hand washing or sanitizing should take place during the following times:

• Upon entering the school building.
• Before and after eating (includes breakfast, lunch, and snacks).
• Before entering the bathroom and after going to the bathroom.
• Before leaving the school building for the day.
• After blowing nose, sneezing, coughing, or touching unclean items.
• When hands are dirty or soiled from touching surfaces. 

District staff should observe young children when hand washing takes place and throw away all used tissues and paper towels.

As students will return to school buildings in September, the District’s Food Services Department will continue its regular distribution of meals to students. 

Grades Pre-K to 8

Breakfast: Meals will be distributed to students in classrooms. Students will eat breakfast in classrooms.   

Lunch: Meals will be distributed in cafeterias for all students, except for pre-K students who will eat in the classrooms. 

Grades 9 to 12

Breakfast: “Grab & Go” meal distribution will be set up for students arriving at school.

Lunch: Meals will be distributed in cafeterias. Students will eat in cafeterias. 

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in cafeterias and other common eating areas, the following measures will be in place:

• Lunch periods will be as regularly scheduled.
• Sharing of food and utensils is prohibited.
• Self-serve food stations will be discontinued until further notice. Food items that students can self-select (i.e., fruit cup, Grab and Go breakfast items) will be completely sealed.
• Tables are cleaned and disinfected between lunch periods with a peroxide solution.

Students on buses have the option of wearing a mask. Open windows to increase airflow in buses and other transportation, if possible. Bus companies will regularly clean high-touch surfaces on school buses before and after each run.

• Students will be encouraged to wash or sanitize their hands after using shared items. Classrooms have hand sanitizer dispensers for students and staff.
• School supply lists will be provided by the principals before the opening of schools via the school website.

• The District will provide regular in-service training of Facilities Department staff and the contracted custodial vendors that will include topics on infection control (use of PPE), District regulations to reduce the spread of COVID-19, symptoms of COVID-19, general hygiene, safe work practices, and the use of products to disinfect and sanitize school buildings.
• High-traffic areas and frequently touched surfaces will be cleaned and disinfected regularly, using only EPA-approved disinfectants.
• A procedure has been established and implemented for disinfecting contaminated areas in the event of on-site COVID-19 exposure.
• Vollara Air and Surface Pro air purifiers have been placed in every occupied space. The units are equipped with ActivePure ionic technology that provides continuous surface decontamination and air purification in real-time, using superoxide molecules and hydro-peroxides that destroy contaminants on surfaces and in the air. The ActivePure Technology has been proven to eliminate over 99.9 percent of many common airborne and surface contaminants including viruses like the SAR-CoV-2 coronavirus, swine flu and bacteria, mold, fungi, volatile organic compounds (VOC), smoke, allergens, and odors.

The Maintenance Department will continue servicing HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning) systems based on manufacturers’ specifications for preventive and routine maintenance. Air filters will be monitored and replaced if required, even ahead of the normal replacement interval. Wherever possible, fresh air circulation will be increased in all occupied spaces by opening windows. The CDC recommends that even a slightly opened window can introduce beneficial outdoor air in rooms. A districtwide standard has been established to have at least two windows open when classrooms and offices are occupied and where it does not create an imminent health/safety hazard.

No one knows a child better than his or her parent. That is why Paterson Public Schools strongly encourages all parents and caregivers to monitor their children for signs of illness every day. The District will continue its outreach to parents to maintain their understanding that students who are sick should not attend school, as well as educate them about the symptoms to look for in their children. This information will be posted on the District’s website and social media platforms. Schools will continue to provide clear and accessible directions to parents, caregivers, and students for reporting symptoms and reasons for absences. Schools will also strictly enforce exclusion criteria for both students and staff.

All students and staff will be required to complete a certification form at the beginning of the school year, acknowledging that they will self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms daily and will not enter any District facility while experiencing symptoms. All others must complete a health screening questionnaire daily upon arrival to any District facility.

Students or staff are not to report to school with COVID-19 symptoms. 

Each school has a designated Medical Sick Room that is away from others and separate from the Nurse’s Office to isolate students and staff members who become ill with COVID-19 symptoms while at school or upon arrival at school. The Medical Sick Room is clearly identified with signage and is equipped with clear partitions, hand sanitizer (60 percent alcohol), disinfectant spray, and paper towels, ionizing air purifiers, and socially distanced desks with chairs. At least two windows in the Medical Sick Room must be open regardless of the weather. Medical Sick Rooms with no windows are equipped with air scrubbers and air purifiers to maintain healthy air quality.

Non-healthcare staff will be assigned to supervise students in the Medical Sick Room. They may be provided PPE that may include a mask, a face shield, gloves, and gowns. School nurses are to be notified of students who are sent to the Medical Sick Room.

Parents should not send students who are sick to school. In compliance with the NJDOH’s recommendations, students with the following symptoms will be promptly isolated from others and excluded from school: 

• At least two of the following symptoms: fever (measure or subjective), chills, rigors (shivers), myalgia (muscle aches), headache, sore throat, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, congestion, or runny nose; OR 
• At least one of the following symptoms: cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, new olfactory (smelling) disorder, or new taste disorder.

For students with chronic illness, only new symptoms or symptoms worse than baseline should be used to fulfill symptom-based exclusion criteria.

Children and staff with COVID-19 symptoms will be separated away from others in the Medical Sick Room (see Section 3.2 Response to Symptomatic Students and Staff) until they can be sent home. If the ill student or staff member has symptoms that make it difficult to wear a mask (e.g., breathing difficulties), other students and staff members must be masked and physically distanced. Schools will then take the following steps.

• The ill student or staff member will be asked to confirm that they are not aware of any potential exposure to COVID-19.
• Individuals will be sent home and referred to a healthcare provider. Staff and students with COVID-19 compatible symptoms are required to undergo COVID-19 testing. A laboratory-confirmed negative test result is required to return to school or work. On-site testing will be available and a referral to an outside testing provider will be made if necessary.

• The District’s nursing supervisor or the designee will notify the Paterson Health Department when:

• there is an increase in the number of persons who are COVID-19 positive.
• the District is notified that a student or staff member tested positive for COVID-19.

The District will seek to provide the following information when consulting with the Paterson Health Department:

• contact information for the ill person.
• the date the ill person developed symptoms, tested positive for COVID-19 (if known), and was last in the building.
• the ill person’s close contacts.
• names, addresses, and telephone numbers for the ill person’s close contacts.
• vaccination status, if known.
• any other information requested to assist with the determination of next steps.

Regardless of vaccination status, if a student or staff member experiences COVID-19 compatible symptoms, the person should be isolated from others and tested for COVID-19.

COVID-19 Exclusion Criteria for Persons Who Have COVID-19 Compatible Symptoms or Who Test Positive for COVID-19: 

• Ill individuals with COVID-19 compatible symptoms who have not been tested are required to stay home for 5 days after the onset of symptoms and at least 24 hours after resolution of fever without fever-reducing medications and improvement in symptoms. Upon returning on day 6 through day 10, persons will be required to wear a well-fitted mask.
• Individuals who tested positive for COVID-19 are required to remain home for 5 days. Those individuals are required to test on day five or after and present a laboratory-confirmed negative COVID-19 test result or medical clearance from a health care provider to return to school or work.
• Persons who test positive for COVID-19 but who are asymptomatic are required to stay home for 5 days and are required to submit a laboratory-confirmed negative COVID-19 test result or medical clearance from a health care provider. Upon returning on day 6 through day 10, persons will be required to wear a well-fitted mask.
• An alternate diagnosis (including a positive strep test or influenza swab) without a negative COVID-19 test is not acceptable for individuals who meet COVID-19 exclusion criteria to return to school or work earlier than the timeframes above. 

CDC and NJDOH exclusion guidance will be used to determine the need for, and the duration of, school exclusion based on the level of COVID-19 community transmission in their region.

Schools will remain open unless public health investigation indicates that closure is warranted.

Remote Instruction/180-Day Requirement

In order for a district to receive state aid, schools must be in session for 180 days. Should Paterson Public Schools be required to close school buildings for more than three consecutive days due to a declared state of emergency, declared public health emergency, or a directive and/or recommendation by the local health agency to institute a health-related closure, days of remote instruction will count towards the District’s 180-day requirement. If a school is required to exclude a student, group of students, a class, or multiple classes as a result of the scenarios above, while the school itself remains open for in-person instruction, the District will be prepared to offer remote instruction to those students in a manner commensurate with in-person instruction to the extent possible.    

Paterson Public Schools has its own personnel to perform contact tracing for the District’s schools. Contact tracing is a strategy used to determine the source of an infection and how it is spreading. Finding people who are close contacts of a person who has tested positive for COVID-19, and are therefore at higher risk of becoming infected themselves, to help prevent further spread of the virus. 

School nurses will identify school-based close contacts of positive COVID-19 cases in the school. As with other communicable disease outbreaks, schools will assist in identifying the close contacts within the school and communicate this information to the Supervisor of Nursing who will notify the City of Paterson’s Department of Health and Human Services. Schools are responsible for notifying parents and staff of the close contact exposure and exclusion requirements while maintaining confidentiality. See Appendix 2 and Appendix 3 at the end of this publication for sample letters notifying parents of COVID-19 cases and close contacts of cases. The Paterson Health and Human Services Department’s contact tracing team will notify and interview the close contacts identified by the school and reinforce the exclusion requirements.

The District will implement testing combined with key prevention strategies to detect new cases, prevent outbreaks, reduce the risk of further transmission, and protect students, teachers, and staff from COVID-19.  On-site testing will be made available to staff and students with insurance through a contracted provider. Those without insurance can get tested by the Paterson Division of Health. Laboratory confirmed COVID-19 tests are always acceptable test results. At-home COVID-19 tests are not acceptable to prove readiness to return to work or school. If a person tests positive with an at-home test, the person is required to obtain a laboratory-confirmed test result. The provider will establish operational procedures, provide licensed healthcare personnel to administer tests, obtain consent from patients, supply FDA-approved PCR saliva tests and necessary personal protective equipment, process tests at CLIA-certified labs, and report results to patients and District representatives.

On-site diagnostic testing will be available to staff and students who are exhibiting symptoms or who were exposed to someone with COVID-19. Testing will be performed by a contracted provider, at locations designated by the District. Test results will be made available to patients and District representatives online within 24 to 48 hours. Testing now requires health insurance. If you do not have health insurance, you can get tested at the Paterson Division of Health.

Students will be able to store books and personal belongings in lockers, although access to lockers may be regulated in order to help maintain safe environments in schools. Students WILL be able to access locker rooms to change clothes for physical education classes.

If and when the CDC, NJDOH, and NJDOE in-person instruction guidance changes, one of the following three options will occur in order to keep the District in compliance:

• Transition To Remote Instruction
• Opening With Remote Instruction
• Hybrid Model

If the District must transition to remote learning after opening with in-person instruction, the District will be prepared according to the following measures: 

• Teachers will have established Google Classrooms and provided the link to the students on the first day of class. This is inclusive of all instructional staff.

• Students and staff will follow the remote learning schedule that was utilized for the 2021-2022 school year.
• Google Meets will take place daily for each instructional period.
• Food distribution sites will reopen.
• Remote COVID-19 forms will be completed as positive test results are reported to the District by staff and students.
• Remote logs will be completed by District employees and submitted to their administrators to verify their workdays.
• Back to School Nights will be held remotely.
• Parent resources will be available online for parents to access should they need help.
• Parent University will support parents in continuing to understand Google Classroom.
• The District will ensure that all students have access to technology, inclusive of a hot spot if necessary.
• The District will maintain parent hotlines.

Classrooms will be in compliance with COVID guidelines.

• Hand sanitizer will be available in every classroom.
• Two windows will be open at all times.
• Air purifiers, air scrubbers, and air blasters will be in all classrooms and large spaces.
• A Medical Sick Room will be identified in each building.
• Temperature scanners will be functional in all buildings.

Students and staff will be required to complete a certification form at the beginning of the school year acknowledging that they will self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms daily and will not enter any District facility while experiencing symptoms. All others must complete a health screening questionnaire daily upon arrival to any District facility.

The following is a sample of the letter that schools will send to parents in the event there is a positive COVID-19 case in school.

Dear Parents/Guardians:

This letter is to inform you that an individual at [school] has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. The District is coordinating closely with public health officials and following CDC, state, and local health department guidance in order to assure the health and safety of our community.

Cleaning and disinfecting of all exposed areas have been completed. The school is also taking precautions to prevent the introduction and spread of viruses and other germs and is cleaning frequently touched surfaces daily. [Insert details on any scheduling changes, if applicable.] The status of this situation is fluid, and we are monitoring it closely.

We understand the level of concern regarding COVID-19. We encourage parents and students to continue the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention promoted safeguards, such as:

• Staying at home when you are sick
• Washing hands often with soap for at least 20 seconds
• Covering coughs and sneezes and properly disposing of tissues
• Limiting close contact with people who are sick and not sharing food, drink, and utensils
• Continuing to monitor your health for symptoms

As always, we appreciate your support and cooperation. You can assist us by remaining vigilant but sensible in your approach to dealing with this health concern. Should you have any questions about this situation, please feel free to contact [principal or school nurse] at [phone and email information]. Below are some resources that might be helpful.

RESOURCES

a. NJDOH COVID-19 webpage: https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/ncov.shtml

b. CDC COVID-19 webpage: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

c. Symptoms of COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html

d. Testing: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/testing/index.html

e. How To Protect Yourself: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html

f. What To Do If You Are Sick: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html

Sincerely,

[Principal’s name]