On September 8th, the Lafayette Parish School System (LPSS) will reopen its public schools, and in this case, Ossun Elementary. What the students are going to find are new health and safety measures, measures aimed at minimizing contact and controlling flow.
Before we hit our Ossun Elementary tour know this—each school will have to make some rules conform to their respective physical layouts but rest assured that all schools are working to follow the same rules. “We’re very proud of what we’ve done and our accomplishments,” begins Ossun principal Kelli Clause, “and I will take you around and definitely show you some of the things we’ve put into place, for safety of our children as well as staff members.”
Students will be dropped off, then walked in either to pick up breakfast in one direction or to go straight to the classrooms in another. In the classrooms, they will be temperature-checked--- the first of two for the day; if that temperature is 100.3 or below, the students will go about their days.
Regardless of the classroom, students will sit---socially distanced, naturally—in the same spot, next to the same people. Again, that’s in EVERY classroom. That way, if someone tests positive for Covid, those with whom they’ve had immediate contact can be easily traced and controlled.
Now, if a student’s temperature at is `100.4 or above, he or she is re-tested. If It’s still at or above 100.4, the student is taken to the isolation room, where in this case, school nurse Maudry Durand will take a closer look, and determine if the student should be sent home; if that happens, there is an easy access door in that room so the students can easily meet their parents.
Safe hydration is key--- Water fountains will be cleaned every hour on the hour. Speaking of cleaning—Each member of Ossun’s custodial staff will now be assigned to a particular part of the complex-- specific rooms-- so as to minimize cross contamination should that ever occur.
The lunchroom table maze will simultaneously allow for more students in the cafeteria and keep them socially distanced.
Again, temperature checks twice a day, and hand-sanitizing stations throughout all in the name of safety for the 76 staff members, and 360 or so students on the campus. Sidenote: 173 others will start the year virtual.
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