COVID period Teaching and Learning Policy

The following expectations and procedures are intended to ensure the health safety and hygiene standards:

Arrivals

• Private cars carrying students are to enter through GATE 1 marked “Entrance for cars only”. Students have to be dropped off at the designated spot. Adults in the car are not allowed to disembark at any point.
• Taxi drop-offs and pedestrians are to use GATE 2 marked “Entrance for pedestrians”. Staff are stationed at the drop off point to ensure social distancing procedures.

• Visitors are not permitted on campus during school hours, 8:00 – 3:30.
• Everyone must wear a face mask/shield to enter or leave the campus. All students and teachers must wear a face mask/shield at all times on the campus.
• Washbasins with running water and liquid soap will be provided at the entrances of the school. Students are to wash their hands before and after entering the campus.
• Temperatures will be taken prior to entering the campus. Access to the school property will be through a single access point to ensure that all persons entering can be screened.
• Thermal scanner cameras are placed strategically at the entrance gates to ensure that all persons entering are screened for temperature checks.
• All movement around and within the building must keep 2 meters distance.
• Students, faculty, and staff are not allowed to be in school if they show any symptoms of illness and must be symptom-free for 48 hours before returning.
• Students are allowed on campus only for the duration of the school day or when they are involved in a scheduled activity.
• Students may not enter the campus before 8:15 am.
• As students arrive, students must obey the social distancing markings on the entrance pathways, steps and side gate, and pathways within the campus.
• Students who enter the facilities will report directly to their classroom.
  Parents must immediately leave the campus after dropping their child to school.
• Students will make their way to their classroom.
• Students must sanitize or wash hands when entering the campus.
• Students must adhere to the 2-meter rule when entering and exiting the campus.
• Students bring only the minimal that is needed and take it all to the classroom.
• Students who arrive late must enter using the main entrance and sign in at the office as usual.
• If a child who is late needs guidance, the School Office can be called and arrangements will be made to pick the child up at the front gate.

Dismissal

End of the school day is staggered and students of different levels are to be accompanied by their Homeroom teacher and Assistant teacher (if applicable) to the designated pick up points at their given specific times. 

Students who are not picked up at the designated time have to gather at specified areas with their teachers-in-charge and strict social distancing rules have to be complied with.

Beginning of the day:

• Students will bring all their belongings with them to the classroom, including extra clothing and bags.
• Before removing any clothing or items from their bags, students must wash their hands for 20 seconds.
• Students must keep their face masks/shields on during the classes at all times.  

During the day:

• Students must wash their hands at least every two hours as well as before meals, after recess, after PE, after using the toilet or any other time they enter the classroom.

End of the day:

• Students sanitize their hands when walking through the main entrance.
• Students are to depart while wearing face masks.

Classrooms and the use of materials

• • Prior to and after class hours, housekeeping will be responsible for sanitizing the classroom.
  • Air flow and ventilation is increased where the climate allows, windows will be open to allow for natural flow of air and air conditioners, closed windows, overdressing, will be avoided whenever possible.
  • During class hours, teachers and teaching assistants will be responsible for sanitizing classroom and materials like markers, teacher’s desk, erasers, active board pens etc.
  • Prior to the start of class, all materials will be sanitized by students while supervised by teachers (computers, books, materials).
  • Disinfectant, hand sanitizer, and paper towels will be provided to each classroom.
  • All personal items must be cleaned twice daily. If they cannot be cleaned they should not be brought to school.
  • All toys and manipulatives will be cleaned after school.
  • All soft toys and pillows/cushions/blankets removed from classrooms.
  • iPads, laptops, mice, phones are allowed, however, they cannot be shared.
  • iPads, laptops, mice, phones need to be wiped before and after use several times daily with tech-friendly cleaning wipes.
  • Class pencils/pens, scissors, glue sticks, rulers will be wiped down after use by the assistant teachers/teachers. These class items cannot be shared. 
  • Other art materials i.e. pastels etc. used, cleaned and then packed away.
  • No playdough/plasticine/clay  will not be allowed in school.

Swimming pool and library:

• The use of the school swimming pool and whole-class use of the library are not allowed during the pandemic period.

• Pre-K to Kindergarten: a small selection of books will be available daily. Once a child has read the book it must be packed away and cleaned at the end of the day.
• Year 2 to 6: students will be assigned books by their teachers. English teachers will assign a book every day. Teachers should follow up with every child if they have read the assigned books. 

FACE MASKS

Learners

• NISA will provide two cotton reusable face masks to each learner.
• Parents/guardians will not be charged for these masks. These facemasks have to be cleaned and disinfected by thoroughly washing with soap and water by parents every week.

Staff

• Staff will be provided with two cotton reusable face masks which have to be cleaned and disinfected thoroughly.
• Face visors (face shields) will be supplied to all staff and learners at NISA to serve as a double layer of PPE(Personal Protection Equipment) in addition to masks.
• All learners and staff must wear face masks at school during recess and breaks. In the classroom, masks may be removed and replaced with face shields.

All movement of students around and within the building is to be supervised by a teacher and adhere to the expected two meters distance. When students are moving around the building, they need to be taught the following expectations. These expectations must then be reinforced consistently by all teachers.

They include:

• Everyone washes hands before moving to another section of the school.
• Move on the right when moving up and down the stairs and through the hallways.
• Stay five steps apart on the stairs.
• Keep hands and bodies to him/herself.
• Students must wash hands after using the toilet.

Lunch and snack procedures

All students will eat snacks and lunch in the lunch area at the designated time.

NISA will use the guidelines below:

• All students and staff wash their hands before and after eating snacks and lunch.
• Students sit 2 meters apart from each other. 
• Cleaning staff will use the provided disinfectant to thoroughly clean the tables after students have eaten.

Outdoor play

 Students are allowed to play only in designated areas during break times:

• Pre- KG and KG will use the KG playground. 
• Years 2, 3 – will be allowed on the lawn with the gazebo. 
• Years 4, 5, 6 – football playground. 
• Years 7, 8, 9 – basketball court.

Student expectations for outdoor play

• Students are expected to adhere to all new procedures so the school can follow the guidelines for health and safety.
• As per the health and safety guidelines, students must play only with their designated group of playmates.
• Students must maintain a two-meter distance when playing.
• Students will be able to play on the playground equipment.
• A washbasin with running water and liquid soap will be provided in the playground. Students must wash their hands before and after using the playground.

• NISA will not be providing school transport for the students during the pandemic period.

COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS

• Prevent stigma relating to COVID-19 by using facts and reminding learners to be considerate of one another. Encourage adherence to healthy practices from the national health and education authorities.
• NISA will provide regular and relevant information and material to address learners’ questions and concerns about the disease appropriately.
• Information pertaining to all children or staff who are suspected of having or have confirmed, after testing, the coronavirus, must be reported to principalnisa@bfi-edu.com, annalyn@bfi-edu.com and niksupervisor@bfi-edu.com . Once test results have been received, please inform the Vice Principal, Ms. Annalyn Mogol and Ms. Naw He Mu Paw in order for us to keep a record of cases in our environment. The following information should be included:

1. Name of learner/staff member/parent or guardian
2. Unconfirmed or confirmed diagnosis
3. When quarantine started

• Alert local health authorities about large increases in learner and staff absenteeism due to respiratory illnesses.
• Keep parents informed about possible further academic calendar changes, particularly in relation to school holidays and examinations.

We are very pleased to offer NISA students blended learning during this pandemic period by having physical classes or face-to-face learning for some subjects and some online classes at home.

For students who cannot attend classes on campus will be able to access similar lessons, activities, homework and assessments as their classmates who are at school.  Teachers will be sending the recorded lesson videos of different subjects and modules that they need to pick –up from school every Monday of the week and to be returned every Friday and vice-versa.

Blended learning will not be similar to virtual learning when the campus was closed. Rather, it will be an opportunity for learning to take place in conjunction with what is happening in the classroom.

Classroom teachers on campus are working with physical classes. Unfortunately, they are not able to coordinate blended learning or work with students who are off-campus. We realize that students at home may be missing their classroom teachers and classmates and this is understandable.

Parents and students will be able to contact the respective homeroom teacher first, then by the respective vice-principal if there are any questions or concerns.

• Secondary teachers will use Google Classroom for all assignments, materials, and communication with the students. Primary teachers will use ClassDojo teaching and learning, and maintaining a positive classroom communication relationship with students and parents. This is followed from the beginning of the school year. 
• Written feedback on the assignments should be provided within 3 working days. Students should have the opportunity to practice learning at home weekly. 
• If classroom size does not accommodate social distancing requirements, the class will be divided into 2 groups. The teacher will teach 2 groups at the same time utilizing the assistant teachers. 
• If a teacher has mild symptoms, the teacher will conduct the class online using a substitute teacher in the classroom.

• Secondary teachers will teach online for the entire duration of the lesson according to the normal timetable. 
• The teachers will attend all the meetings online.
• The documentation will be completed as usual. 
• Students and teachers are to follow a professional dress code. 
• In case, the student misses a class for 2 or more days, the teacher will contact the parents by email (include the respective VP and student’s affair in the email).
• If teacher is  sick and unable to conduct online lessons, regular leave procedures apply. (informing the office staff and the VP to inform, sending a substitution work)

To prepare for COVID period learning and/or possible school closure, homeroom teachers along with co-teachers and subject teachers will create weekly online assignments to be completed at home. These assignments will be given on Fridays or any day as needed and will be posted on Class Dojo.