COVID-19 Reopen Plan

Fall 2020 Return-to-Campus Plan

Updated 7-26-20.

From the Headmaster:

Dear OBA Community, 

OBA leadership has worked tirelessly this summer to develop a Campus Reopen plan that balances community health and student learning. As we look to reopen school this fall, there are a number of difficult questions and scenarios to work through.  As a Christian school community, we seek to walk by faith while exercising wisdom.

As headmaster, it is my job to make sure that we’ve done everything in our power to create a safe learning and teaching environment for our students, teachers, and staff. Our number one goal this fall is to try to make sure that we can have learning on campus. In order to make that possible, we are choosing to err on the side of reasonable caution for maximum campus participation. While the policies we have set forth might seem like “overkill” to some, I know that for others it will seem we did not mitigate enough.

While many people who contract COVID-19 show mild or few symptoms, we know that for others it can have a serious outcome. Several of our teachers are in the “high risk” category and could become very ill if infected. OBA teachers are the beloved, frontline workers that instill Christian values and deliver academic excellence to our students.  As a small school with limited resources, losing a teacher for two or more weeks will have a big impact on our ability to deliver learning services for our students. Therefore, it is critical that we do all that we can to keep our teachers healthy. 

I know there will be lots of questions – and maybe even some frustration – about some of the policies and procedures we’ve outlined below. I ask that you remember that they were written from a place of concern and love. I want life to go back to “normal.” But even more than that, I want our students, teachers, staff, and families on campus. 

OBA leadership is carefully monitoring information and developments related to COVID-19. We will continue to modify plans as the situation develops. Updated version of any released mitigation plans will be available on the OBA website at oklahomabible.com/fall-2020-COVID-19

Need extra help? We love your kids and want to help make this year work!

We recognize that some families will have extenuating circumstances that present challenges for a return to campus. We are here to help you and your family work through these challenges! If you need additional support, please contact the OBA office to schedule a meeting with the OBA administration to collaborate on a solution for your student’s learning needs

In Christ,

Andy Wilkins

Donations for COVID-19 Mitigation Supplies:

Getting through the school year safely is going to take a lot of hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies! If you would like to donate supplies, please contact the school office to arrange for drop-off. Want to help but don’t want to drive around looking for Purell? We get it! Any cash donations made for COVID-19 response will be applied to our account at Jenkins & Price.

Tours for parents to walk-thru reopen plans:  

On Tuesday, August 4th, we will hold a 45-minute COVID-19 Re-Open wall-thru for parents who are interested in seeing what mitigation strategies will look like on campus. Tours will be offered 10am, Noon, 2pm, 4pm, and 6pm.  (Face coverings will be needed depending on tour-group size.) 

Campus Re-Open Plan:

Mitigation Priorities: 

  1. Stay home when sick!
  2. Hand Hygiene 
  3. Social Distancing
  4. Wear Face coverings when social distancing isn’t feasible. 

Whole-School:

  • CDC Signage encouraging good hand hygiene, social distancing, and mask wearing will be placed in each classroom, in hallways, and in the bathrooms.
  • Temperature screenings will be performed for all students, faculty, and staff arriving at school. Temperature check stations will be set up at the main entrance. Teachers who enter at an alternative door will be expected to come to the office for a temperature check before the school day starts. Teacher and staff temp checks will be logged at the office. Students who register a temperature at or above 100.0 F will not be allowed to enter the school building. We encourage parents to take their students’ temperatures before they leave for school in order to avoid having to take them back home!
  • Hand sanitizer stations will be placed inside the entrances of each exterior door, in hallways, and in each classroom.
  • Students will be expected to have their face covering with them at all times. OBA will issue a face covering for each student, but students are welcome to wear whatever face covering they wish as long as it adequately covers their nose and mouth. (*All will be subject to approval by administration.) 
  • There will be no school-sponsored overnight trips or events.

Classrooms:

  • All classrooms will be arranged in a way that allows for social distancing. Desks will be spaced 6 feet apart.
  •  In situations where social distancing is not possible, or for learning experiences where students need to be within 6 feet of one another (example: science labs), students will be expected to wear a face covering. 
  • Compliance with face-covering expectations will be treated as dress code policies.
  • Teacher desks will be equipped with plexiglass barriers. 
  • Desks and chairs will be wiped down with a disinfectant between each period. 

Hallways:

  • Students will be expected to wear a face covering at all times when they are in the hallway during passing periods and in the administrative offices. This applies to before and after school. 

Cafeteria & Lunch:

  • Total number of students at each table will be limited.
  • Students will have the option to eat outside. The school is adding “patio dining” – we have ordered 15 new picnic tables so students will be able to eat outside. We are exploring alternative spaces for bad weather days.
  • Lunches will be “grab and go” – there will be no self-serve. 

Bathrooms:

  • All school bathrooms have been updated with touchless sink faucets, soap dispensers, paper towel dispensers, and door openers.

Chapel:

  • Social distancing will be maintained.
  • Students will be issued a Chapel Scripture Journal so that we can maintain chapel continuity should we need to toggle to distance or split-schedule learning.
  • On days when chapel is held indoors, there will not be singing.

 Guests, Parents & Visitors

  • Parents and visitors who enter the building will have a temperature check and will be expected to wear a face covering while in the building.

Illness: 

  • Please do not send your student to school with fever, symptoms or complaints of symptoms, or before a mandated quarantine is complete. While we know that it is common practice to give kids who aren’t feeling well some Tylenol or Advil and send them to school, this is not the year to “suck it up!” This is the year to stay home and stay safe! 
  • If a student shows or complains of signs of illness, or has a fever, they will be sent to a room where they can self-isolate while they wait for parents to pick them up.
  • Students who themselves test positive for COVID-19, or who have a household member who tests positive for COVID-19, are asked to report that information to the school so that school administrators can assess the need for contact tracing. Contact tracing and quarantining will be carried out based on the Garfield County Health Department recommendations. 
  • If a student or member of a student’s family tests positive for COVID-19, the student and any students in their household will be expected to self-quarantine at home for 10 days or until both the student and infected household members has a negative test issued by the Health Department.
  • Similarly, if a teacher or member of a teacher’s household tests positive for COVID-19, the teacher and any students in their household will be expected to self-quarantine at home for 10 days. 

Instructional Toggling:

  • Online instruction will be available for students who miss class due to illness or COVID-19 exposure quarantine.
  • Teachers will keep learning materials uploaded through Google Classroom & Renweb so that students who are unable to attend in person will not have gaps in instruction. 
  • We realize that some families may have extenuating circumstances that make a return to campus difficult. We will work with these families and students on a case-by-case basis  to collaborate on their student’s specific learning needs. 

Athletics Transportation:

  • Athletics will not transport students unless social distancing is possible. (Van: Max 7 students + driver; Busses will run at ⅓ capacity.)
  • When traveling, kids will be expected to socially distance and wear a face covering. 
  • If parents feel more comfortable driving their own kid, they will always be allowed to.
  • If parents do not feel comfortable with their student participating in any athletic event, they are able to opt their student out. There will not be any repercussions for students who sit out an athletic event.
  • If transportation is unavailable, parents will be responsible for transporting kids to and from athletic events.