Your guide to keeping your educational institution safe

In the spring of 2020, COVID-19 disrupted the education industry. Schools of all types and sizes across every state went from bustling hubs of academics, sports and extracurricular activities to empty classrooms, stadiums and dorms. School leaders and their teams continue to face the critical challenge of how to provide students a well-rounded educational experience while maintaining the safety of the entire school community during an ever-evolving pandemic.

Strategies to help keep your organization safe

Guidance on best practices is being provided at the federal, state and local level, but given the diversity of educational institutions throughout the country, there is no effective one-size-fits-all solution. Each institution will need to tailor their own unique plan.

On this page, you will find numerous strategies to consider for a variety of topics around COVID-19 as your team continues to navigate down the road of the “new normal.”

Communication

• Be the first source for information and address rumors in real time
• Provide facts or reliable sources for where to find more information if you don’t have the facts
• Assign a point person to review all internal and external communications prior to delivery to ensure consistent messaging
• Produce internal communications first to allow employees to support messages to other parties
• Communicate early, often and in multiple mediums, to all members of the school community their responsibility in maintaining a safe environment
• Utilize “pulse” surveys on a regular basis with each group of school stakeholders to gain feedback and acknowledge feedback and action items to address
• Maintain continuous communication with local health agencies, state regulators, etc. to stay up-to-date on guidance and regulations
• Be empathetic to those who are not happy with your message

Vaccines, testing and screening

• Provide information about COVID-19 vaccination and where to access it
• Provide regular individual or pool testing for employees and students not vaccinated
• Implement strategies for screening of employees, students and any visitors to campus
• Monitor local levels of community transmission
• Provide training for employees, students and parents on the signs and symptoms of COVID-19
• Identify accommodations for employees and students in high-risk health categories
• Collaborate with state and local health departments, to the extent allowable by privacy laws and other applicable laws, to create policies and procedures for isolating individuals identified with COVID-19; notification to campus community; contact tracing; and expectations for returning to campus after COVID-19

Social distancing

• When applicable, provide options for distance learning and work from home
• Reduce the number of users in congested common areas such as dining halls, conference rooms, offices, dorms
• Layout classroom seating assignments to ensure safe social distancing
• Minimize foot traffic by altering work/class schedules or staggering arrival/dismissal times
• Utilize protective barriers in areas where it is hard to distance such as reception, food service, school store, dorm rooms, bathrooms
• Utilize cohorts that stay together during the day in classrooms, sports, meals or other groups
• Restrict attendance on special events, sports and other social activities per physical distancing guidance

Cleaning and disinfecting

• Maintain a comprehensive list of areas and items that need to be cleaned and/or disinfected
• Document a cleaning and disinfecting schedule including how often, best method and most appropriate product for each area/item
• Implement enhanced cleaning protocols for your facilities if someone is identified with COVID-19
• Use disinfectants on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency COVID-19 list
• Maintain the safety of staff carrying out cleaning and disinfecting by providing training, PPE and supervision
• Follow CDC guidance for cleaning on any buildings that have been closed for more than seven days

Ventilation

• Check, inspect, clean and maintain buildings’ HVAC system on a regularly scheduled basis
• Use HVAC system in accordance with the HVAC manufacturer’s instructions and design specifications
• Set HVAC system to maximize the amount of fresh outdoor air that is supplied to the system within the system’s capabilities
• Ensure HVAC outdoor air intakes are clean, are in good working order and are clear of obstructions
• Maintain and change all air filters in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions for proper HVAC system function
• Ensure all air supply diffusers and return air grilles are open, clean and operating properly
• Ensure all existing AIIRs are maintained in accordance with design and construction criteria
• Open windows and doors when ambient air quality and temperature allow, and if doing so would not pose other health or safety risks
• Operate HVAC systems at least two hours before people arrive and at least two hours after everyone has left in order to help flush the building

Hygiene and PPE

• Provide training and signage on the importance and process of proper handwashing and personal hygiene techniques
• Provide sanitation stations in high-traffic areas such as entrances, exits, reception areas, lobbies, classrooms and dining halls
• Provide hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol
• Implement protocols and provide adequate supplies to mitigate sharing items such as staplers, pencils/pens, tape dispensers and computers
• Communicate your policy on exactly what level of PPE is expected for each employee, student or visitor based on role and activity
• Maintain excess inventory of PPE and sanitation products

Resident dorms

• House students who are not fully vaccinated in single rooms instead of shared rooms, when feasible
• Establishing cohorts, such as groups of dorm rooms or dorm floors that do not mix with other cohorts
• Close or limit the capacity of communal use shared spaces such as dining areas, game rooms, exercise rooms and lounges
• Limit building access by non-residents, including outside guests and non-essential visitors, to dorms and residence halls
• Provide residents with training and supplies for proper cleaning and disinfecting

Cyber security

• Equip student and employee computers or devices with the latest anti-virus software that regularly updates itself
• Complete a thorough review and update of data security policies to ensure they are compatible with a remote work/learning setup
• Train all users on data security policies
• Ensure cybersecurity platforms have the required hardware and bandwidth to protect devices accessing the internet in remote locations
• Develop protocols restricting employee access to confidential and protected information on a role-specific basis
• Train students and employees on recognizing phishing scams, the importance of being diligent in their review of emails prior to opening links or attachments, and how to report them
• Train employees and students on how to back up files and the best format to use
• Utilize videoconferencing software with security features, including access by invitation, locking meetings once initiated, disabling screen sharing when practical and using a virtual waiting room before the host joins

Athletics

• Complete individual risk assessments on each sport to determine if/when it can be safely initiated and at what level (e.g., practices, scrimmages, competition, etc.)
• Develop a phase system for initiating practices, scrimmages, competition, or other group activities
• Initiate protocols for social distancing, hygiene, cleaning and disinfecting for each sport
• Implement guidelines for screening and testing of athletes including type, how often, under what conditions
• Develop guidelines for screening visiting athletes, coaches, trainers or others who may come in contact with the team
• Develop social distancing protocols for spectators at athletic events
• Utilize consequences should athletes or spectators not adhere to safety protocols

Students with disabilities

• Document any changes to a student’s individual education plan (IEP) as a result of distance learning
• Identify IEP action steps not implemented during distance learning, why, and what was done to address it
• Complete evaluations to gauge students’ progress or regression due to distance learning
• Identify any new social-emotional health issues a student may have as a result of COVID-19 and implement strategies and resources to meet the new needs
• Utilize virtual and in-person meeting options to ensure completion of annual conference reviews and case conference meetings to develop, revise and evaluate IEPs
• Develop virtual meeting and signature capabilities
• Ensure families have remote access and equipment
• Ensure access to services for students with disabilities when developing cohorts
• Develop strategies for physical distancing and wearing masks for students with sensory or cognitive issues
• Develop safety precautions should services and testing need to be provided in the home of a student with high-risk health conditions
• Collaborate with parents to develop a list of strategies to support students’ academic progress should they need to continue distance learning

Coping and resilience

• Encourage employees and students to take breaks from watching, reading or listening to news stories, including social media if they are feeling overwhelmed or distressed
• Promote eating healthy, exercise, sleep and time to unwind for employees and students
• Encourage employees and students to talk with people they trust about their concerns and how they are feeling
• Communicate with faculty, staff and students about mental health support services available
• Offer an employee assistance program (EAP) through which faculty and staff can get counseling
• Share facts about COVID-19 regularly with students, faculty and staff through trusted sources of information to counter the spread of misinformation reduce stigma and fear
• Ensure continuity of mental health services, such as offering remote counseling

Employment practices

• Have an attorney review your protocols for furloughs, layoffs and how to bring employees back
• Include employees and union members in discussions on the need for any changes in benefits, policies, protocols, job descriptions, schedules, etc. as a result of COVID-19
• Update and disseminate policy manuals with any temporary or long-term changes as a result of COVID-19
• Document and communicate with employees the health screening and tracing plan including reasoning, processes, expectations and confidentiality
• Collaborate with high-risk employees on potential safety precautions or accommodations
• Provide employees with multiple avenues to communicate health and safety concerns
• Develop guidelines on events or conditions which will lead to scaling back operations including return to hybrid or total distance learning

This material is provided for informational purposes only and does not provide any coverage or guarantee loss prevention. The examples in this material are provided as hypothetical and for illustration purposes only. The Hanover Insurance Company and its affiliates and subsidiaries (“The Hanover”) specifically disclaim any warranty or representation that acceptance of any recommendations contained herein will make any premises, or operation safe or in compliance with any law or regulation. By providing this information to you. The Hanover does not assume (and specifically disclaims) any duty, undertaking or responsibility to you. The decision to accept or implement any recommendation(s) or advice contained in this material must be made by you.

LC 2021-417