• Any student may wear a face shield in place of a mask or gaiter if desired.
• We are continuing to evaluate studies in regards to face shields, but as of right now, TEA guidelines allow them. The TEA recommendation is found here: https://tea.texas.gov/sites/default/files/covid/Covid-19-SY-20-21-Public-Health-Guidance.pdf. “Health and Hygiene Practices: Masks 1. For the purposes of this document, masks include non-medical grade disposable face masks, cloth face coverings (over the nose and mouth), or full-face shields to protect eyes, nose, and mouth. Face shields may be superior to cloth face coverings in many circumstances, given improved ability to see mouth movements and improved air circulation.”

• Cleaning agent with a lasting residual antimicrobial barrier; Goldshield residual antimicrobial fogged nightly
• Hand Sanitizer Touchless Stands at the building entrance door
• UV-C Air Sanitizer for G5 Cottage common area
• Airdog Air Purifier for all Cottage rooms
• In all buildings, MERV 13 Air Filters, which are the highest level filtration
• LR Restroom doors will have hands free, foot pulls
• Tents for outdoor eating on Grammar and L/R campus
• Desks and circle time spots will be distanced as much as possible

• At this time we are not planning to install desk shields.

• We will immediately separate any student who shows COVID-19 symptoms while at school until the student can be picked up by a parent or guardian, clean the areas used by the individual who shows COVID-19 symptoms while at school (student, teacher, or staff) as soon as is feasible, and no one will use that space until sanitized. Students who report feeling feverish will be given an immediate temperature check and screening to determine if they are symptomatic for COVID-19. They will be sent home immediately. If the student lab confirmed positive for COVID-19 then all members of the school community will be notified.

• Any individuals who experience the symptoms of COVID-19 must stay at home throughout the infection period, and cannot return to campus until we screen the individual to determine if the below conditions for campus re-entry have been met:
• (1) at least 24 hours have passed since resolution of fever without the use of fever-reducing medications; and
• (2) the student has improvement in symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath); and
• (3) at least ten days ​since ​symptoms first appeared.

• If the individual has symptoms that could be COVID-19 and wants to return to school before completing the above stay at home period, the student must either (a) obtain a medical professional’s note clearing the individual for return based on an alternative diagnosis or (b) receive two separate confirmations at least 24 hours apart that they are free of COVID via acute infection tests at an approved COVID-19 testing location found at https://tdem.texas.gov/covid-19/.

• Yes, it is possible that a whole class could be sent home. According to the guidelines above about close contact, that is unlikely. But if several students in one class came down with COVID-19, that is a possibility. The whole school closing also does not seem likely, but if the health department advised us to do so if there is a significant outbreak among students, then we would follow that advice. 

• For clarity, close contact is defined by TEA as:
• (a) being directly exposed to infectious secretions (e.g., being coughed on while not wearing a mask or face shield); or
• (b) being within 6 feet for a cumulative duration of 15 minutes, while not wearing a mask or face shield;
• If either occurred at any time in the last 14 days at the same time the infected individual was infectious, that individual must stay at home through the 14-day incubation period. We will screen individuals after the incubation period has concluded, and if the individual did not experience COVID-19 symptoms during that period, the individual can be allowed back on campus. If the individual experienced symptoms, they must stay at home until the conditions outlined above have been met for those assumed positive. 

• We will send out a list of needed volunteer work closer to school opening, but please be considering whether you would be willing to substitute teach, or volunteer any hours as an aide to support teachers as they run dual in-person and online classrooms. Also please be working with your student to practice wearing a mask, touching the face as little as possible when taking on and off; washing hands for 20 seconds; and recognizing 6 feet of distance from another individual. Lastly, help your child develop flexibility and joy in the midst of much change. Children will take their cue, in terms of attitude, from the adults in their lives. 

• A teacher would follow the same TEA guidelines as listed for students in close contact, but all teachers are wearing face shields to avoid this very scenario. You may have seen our request for parents to help sub this year. We will need the help! We are reaching out to other sources for quality substitute teachers. If a teacher is out for an extended time, a student may go to online learning rather than stay on campus if the family prefers.

• We would not assume a child has COVID-19 just based on a fever, and siblings would not need to stay home unless they meet the criteria for close contact with someone with COVID-19. If the student displays multiple symptoms of COVID-19, that student and siblings should stay home until there is a negative lab confirmation and symptoms have subsided for at least 24 hours.

• We will be promoting and expecting a community of mutual care for one another by being vigilant with illness. It will be both the parent’s and school’s responsibility to communicate honestly about when a child became free of symptoms and is able to return to school, and of course, we'll check temperatures daily of all students as well as using a weekly screener to be completed by all families. 

• It will not be possible for a child receiving online learning to only receive instruction from his or her core teacher. We are asking an enormous load of our teachers. We are doing things to mitigate that, but one huge help to them is sharing the planning and posting of online lessons. We have confidence in the abilities of all our teachers to teach well. We recognize that not having as much of a relationship with the other teacher makes things more challenging, but we embrace that as a challenge we have to handle in this crazy time.

• We felt that the purpose behind wearing a uniform (fewer distractions, a sense of formality about school, strengthening a sense of unity among students) would be diminished by a room full of varying mask colors/patterns. Fridays have always been our casual dress day with more choice, hence the free choice masks on that day.

• We will have electives, including choir. Students in choir will be distanced in a large room facing one direction. They will be wearing masks (G1 and up) unless they go outside and distance outside. Grammar Choirs are no longer meeting as a whole grade; they are meeting only by class section. JK and K will not be singing in music class during the first two weeks of school.

• Live Oak staff will monitor activities to preserve six feet of distance between students and, if necessary, instruct students to increase their distance if they come within six feet of each other. Students will not be required to wear masks while physically active. Students who are inactive and in close proximity to one another (i.e. talking on the bleachers during recess) will be required to wear masks.

• Yes, G4-6 will still have PE three times a week, and will attend as a whole grade, though students will be spread out and often divided into indoor and outdoor groups. G4-6 students will come to school in PE clothes and remain in them all day on MWF.

• Students will be eating in classrooms or outside under tents; Grammar Students will eat with their class section. There will not be Koinonia snacks to purchase for L/R, so students should pack their own snacks. Some Grammar grades will still have a group snack bucket but will ask for individually wrapped snacks or else an adult will pass out snacks using sterile gloves. Hot lunches will be individually packaged items rather than buffet style servings.

• Students at home will need to complete the full curriculum rather than a pared down list of subjects. They will need to come in from time to time for assessments, and you may be asked to come in periodically to pick up or drop off assignments. Teachers will not be as available for real time support, as they will be teaching live classrooms. However, teachers will be available at appointed times. Students at home will watch a mix of live and recorded lessons.