ARP ESSER Health and Safety Plan Guidance & Template

Section 2001(i)(1) of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act requires each local education agency (LEA) that receives funding under the ARP Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund to develop and make publicly available on the LEA’s website a Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan, hereinafter referred to as a Health and Safety Plan.

Based on ARP requirements, 90 percent of ARP ESSER funds will be distributed to school districts and charter schools based on their relative share of Title I-A funding in FY 2020-2021.
Given Federally required timelines, LEAs eligible to apply for and receive this portion of
	
the ARP ESSER funding must submit a Health and Safety Plan that meets ARP Act
		
requirements to the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) by Friday, July 30,
		
2021, regardless of when the LEA submits its ARP ESSER application.

Each LEA must create a Health and Safety Plan that addresses how it will maintain the health and safety of students, educators, and other staff, and which will serve as local guidelines for all instructional and non-instructional school activities during the period of the LEA’s ARP ESSER grant. The Health and Safety Plan should be tailored to the unique needs of each LEA and its schools and must take into account public comment related to the development of, and subsequent revisions to, the Health and Safety Plan.

The ARP Act and U.S. Department of Education rules require Health and Safety plans include the following components:

1. How the LEA will, to the greatest extent practicable, implement prevention and mitigation policies in line with the most up-to-date guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the reopening and operation of school facilities in order to continuously and safely open and operate schools for in-person learning;

2. How the LEA will ensure continuity of services, including but not limited to services to address the students’ academic needs, and students’ and staff members’ social, emotional, mental health, and other needs, which may include student health and food services;

3. How the LEA will maintain the health and safety of students, educators, and other staff and the extent to which it has adopted policies, and a description of any such policy on each of the following safety recommendations established by the CDC:

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a. Universal and correct wearing of masks;

b. Modifying facilities to allow for physical distancing (e.g., use of cohorts/podding);

c. Handwashing and respiratory etiquette;

d. Cleaning and maintaining healthy facilities, including improving ventilation;

e. Contact tracing in combination with isolation and quarantine, in collaboration with State and local health departments;

f. Diagnostic and screening testing;

g. Efforts to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to school communities;

h. Appropriate accommodations for children with disabilities with respect to health and safety policies; and

i.	Coordination with state and local health officials.

The LEA’s Health and Safety Plan must be approved by its governing body and posted on the LEA’s publicly available website by July 30, 2021.* The ARP Act requires LEAs to post their Health and Safety Plans online in a language that parents/caregivers can understand, or, if it is not practicable to provide written translations to an individual with limited English proficiency, be orally translated. The plan also must be provided in an alternative format accessible, upon request, by a parent who is an individual with a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Each LEA will upload in the eGrants system its updated Health and Safety Plan and webpage URL where the plan is located on the LEA’s publicly available website.

The ARP Act requires LEAs to review their Health and Safety Plans at least every six months during the period of the LEA’s ARP ESSER grant. LEAs also must review and update their plans whenever there are significant changes to the CDC recommendations for K-12 schools. Like the development of the plan, all revisions must be informed by community input and reviewed and approved by the governing body prior to posting on the LEA’s publicly available website.

LEAs may use the template to revise their current Health and Safety Plans to meet ARP requirements and ensure all stakeholders are fully informed of the LEA’s plan to safely resume instructional and non-instructional school activities, including in-person learning, for the current school year. An LEA may use a different plan template or format provided it includes all the elements required by the ARP Act, as listed above.

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* The July 30 deadline applies only to
	school districts and charter schools that received federal
	
Title I-A funds in FY 2020-2021 and intend to apply for and receive ARP ESSER funding.

Additional Resources

LEAs are advised to review the following resources when developing their Health and Safety Plans:

•	CDC K-12 School Operational Strategy

•	PDE Resources for School Communities During COVID-19 •	PDE Roadmap for Education Leaders
•	PDE Accelerated Learning Thorough an Integrated System of Support •	PA Department of Health - COVID-19 in Pennsylvania

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Health and Safety Plan Summary: Farrell Area School District

Initial Effective Date: July 21, 2021

Date of Last Review: July 21, 2021

Date of Last Revision: July 21, 2021

1. How will the LEA, to the greatest extent practicable, support prevention and mitigation policies in line with the most up-to-date guidance from the CDC for the reopening and operation of school facilities in order to continuously and safely open and operate schools for in-person learning?

The Farrell Area School District (FASD) will continue to monitor the recommendations made by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Governor of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Department of Health, and CDC. Those recommendations will be implemented to the greatest extent practicable. The FASD will follow all orders given by the aforementioned authorities. We will continue to implement cleaning, sanitizing, and health and safety protocols in order to allow us to open, remain open, and operate safely. The FASD will also continue to monitor and assist with contact tracing, in response to known positive COVID cases, and in order to mitigate its’ spread.

2. How will the LEA ensure continuity of services, including but not limited to services to address the students’ academic needs, and students’ and staff members’ social, emotional, mental health, and other needs, which may include student health and food services?

As a result of our technology plan, the Farrell Area School District is a one-to-one device school district. Students have Chromebooks or iPads, and each teacher has been equipped with a Chromebook which will allow education to continue to be delivered (remotely) in the event of a school closure. In addition, the FASD has purchased hotspots which can be utilized by students who do not have internet access.

FASD will continue to support students with social emotional, and mental health needs through a variety of means that will include, but may not be limited to: SAP (Student Assistance Program), Guidance Counselors, SCORE, Social Worker (if hired), and Mercer County Behavioral Health. Mercer County Behavioral Health is also available to support staff members.

At the beginning of the pandemic, the FASD was able to establish remote meal sites for student breakfast and lunch distribution. Those sites (or others) will be used again, should the need arise.

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3. Use the table below to explain how the LEA will maintain the health and safety of students, educators, and other staff and the extent to which it has adopted policies, and a description of any such policy on each of the following safety recommendations established by the CDC.

ARP ESSER Requirement	Strategies, Policies, and Procedures
	
a. Universal and correct wearing of masks;
	•	FASD will continue to monitor recommendations from the CDC, Gov. Wolf, and other state authorities. These recommendations may be followed when needed. All mandates and orders will be adhered to.

•	 Signage will be posted throughout the District
	
b. Modifying facilities to allow for physical distancing (e.g., use of cohorts/podding);
	•	FASD will continue to monitor the recommendations from the CDC, PA DOH, and PDE regarding social distancing and make adjustments as necessary.
•	According to current CDC guidelines, class sizes will be arranged to allow for 3 feet social distancing where feasible.
•	Primary classes may continue to eat breakfast and lunch in their classrooms in order to have smaller amounts of students in the cafeteria at any given time.
•	Excess furniture, etc. will remain out of classrooms to allow for proper distancing to be maintained.
	
c. Handwashing and respiratory etiquette;
	•	Hand Sanitizer will be available and use of same encouraged in each classroom, office, and common area throughout the district. Handwashing/sanitizer before breakfast/lunch will be available to each student and encouraged.

•	 Signage will be posted throughout the District
	
d. Cleaning and maintaining healthy facilities, including improving ventilation;
	•     Materials and equipment will be cleaned and disinfected after each

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ARP ESSER Requirement	Strategies, Policies, and Procedures
	
	class, and more frequently if necessary.

•	“Sanitizers” (cleaning personnel) will be designated to work during the school day to clean and disinfect common areas.

•	Areas will be cleaned and disinfected (at least) daily.

•	Regular cleaning/sanitizing of restrooms will occur throughout the day.

•	Newly installed HVAC system provides adequate ventilation throughout the district

•	Water fountains have been converted to hands-free (touchless) water bottle filling stations.
	
e. Contact tracing in combination with isolation and quarantine, in collaboration with the State and local health departments;
	•	Teachers and staff will monitor individuals displaying any type of illness or symptoms, and notify nurse immediately.

•	Students/Staff exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 will meet immediately with FASD Health staff for an individual assessment. They will be isolated within the health suite, if possible/practicable. Those individuals will be separated from building population until deemed ready for re-entry into school.

•	The DOH or applicable agency will be contacted upon FASD learning of regarding positive COVID cases within our district in order to receive direction and guidance regarding contact tracing, and or

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ARP ESSER Requirement	Strategies, Policies, and Procedures
	
	FASD may follow established DOH protocols.

•	Individuals must have an excuse from a health care professional, or okay from the State Department of Health to return, and/or follow protocols established by health professionals.

•	Isolation and quarantine protocols may be followed as set forth by recommendations from any of the following: CDC, PA DOH, PDE, local healthcare professionals. All orders and mandates will be followed to the greatest extent possible.
	
f.	Diagnostic and screening testing;
	•	Teachers and staff will monitor individuals displaying any type of illness or symptoms, and notify nurse immediately.

•	Students/Staff exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 will meet immediately with FASD Health staff for an individual assessment. They will be isolated within the health suite, if possible/practicable. Those individuals will be separated from building population until deemed ready for re-entry into school.

•	 Individuals must have an excuse from a health care professional, or okay from the State Department of Health to return.
	
g. Efforts to provide vaccinations to school communities;
	Earlier this year In 2021, FASD partnered with a local pharmacy, and our city officials to host a vaccination clinic. This may occur again should the need and opportunity arise.
	
h. Appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities with respect to
	
FASD will contact students with known risks to discuss available options for

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ARP ESSER Requirement	Strategies, Policies, and Procedures
	
health and safety policies; and
	education in order to make appropriate accommodations.
	
i.	Coordination with state and local health officials.
	FASD will continue to work with the County safety and health officials, local health care providers, PADOH, CDC and PDE to obtain any recommendations, requests, or orders.

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Health and Safety Plan Governing Body Affirmation Statement

The Board of Directors/Trustees for Farrell Area School District reviewed and approved the Health and Safety Plan on January 10, 2022

The plan was approved by a vote of:

	 Yes

	 No

Affirmed on: January 11, 2022

By:

(Signature* of Board President)

Mr. Terry Harrison

(Print Name of Board President)

*Electronic signatures on this document are acceptable using one of the two methods detailed below.

Option A: The use of actual signatures is encouraged whenever possible. This method requires that the document be printed, signed, scanned, and then submitted.

Option B: If printing and scanning are not possible, add an electronic signature using the resident Microsoft Office product signature option, which is free to everyone, no installation or purchase needed.

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