Services will be provided to students in each of our EC BOCES member districts according to their published school calendars. Since East Central BOCES (EC BOCES) does not operate a school, our Specialized Service Providers will follow all guidelines stated in our member EC BOCESs’ Safe Return to School Plans. EC BOCES employees working in our center-based programs will follow the guidelines in the Safe Return to School Plans of the district in which the program is housed (Strasburg, Limon, Burlington). Updates to these plans will be communicated at a minimum at our monthly Superintendents Advisory Council meetings.
The EC BOCES strongly believes that students benefit from face-to-face instruction and related special education services in a traditional setting, and that isolation and quarantines are mentally unhealthy for students and families.
Commitments:
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EC BOCES is committed to the safety and well-being of its students, teachers, and staff. All decisions will be made with this leading commitment as a contributing factor and be at the forefront of the decision-making process.
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EC BOCES is committed to providing as normal of a school year as possible.
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EC BOCES recognizes the diversity of perspectives on the COVID-19 pandemic and will do our best to balance those perspectives while delivering a high- quality educational services to our member districts’ staff and students.
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EC BOCES is committed to working and communicating with all of our partners regarding decisions that could be impacted by COVID-19.
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EC BOCES understands that conditions and expectations are constantly changing, and our practices and safety measures will be reviewed, updated, and communicated to our partners (students, staff and parents) as frequently as possible to ensure the safety and well-being of our students and staff.
Safety Measures:
Masks
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There is no longer a state mandate requiring masks. All EC BOCES employees have been supplied with masks and are allowed to wear masks purchased with personal funds.
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Individuals who are not fully vaccinated are strongly encouraged to wear a mask.
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The EC BOCES will honor the right of parents to have their child wear a mask at any time.
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The EC BOCES will honor the right of teachers to wear a mask at any time.
Sanitation:
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EC BOCES commits to expanding sanitation practices so that the cleanliness of the school is everyone’s responsibility, not just local district staff. EC BOCES employees have been supplied with sanitizing supplies and are asked to clean their work spaces between student(s) receiving services.
Quarantine and Social Distancing:
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EC BOCES employees will follow the guidelines contained in our member district Safe Return to School Plans as well as guidance from county health departments and personal medical providers.
Screening and Health Safety;
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EC BOCES believes that the first point of screening staff is at home, and we will work with parents and staff to ensure that they are aware of the best screening practices.
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Hand washing will be encouraged.
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Symptoms of illness may include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea.
Instructional Time and Student Attendance:
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The school year will begin as any other year. All services will be provided in person, according to the EC BOCES calendar which coincides with those of our member districts.
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In the unexpected event that the EC BOCES must use remote learning for a short period of time, the EC BOCES will utilize the same remote model as used in the 2020-2021 school year.
Protocol for remote learning (short-term only):
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Should EC BOCES member districts/schools move to remote learning, our service providers will provide remote options to all students being served through and Individualized Education Plan.
Funding:
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All strategies described will be accomplished with funds to implement prevention and mitigation strategies; and are in line with the most recent CDC guidance in order to continuously and safely provide services for in-person learning.
Resources:
Colorado Department of Education COVID-19 toolkit. CDE Safe School Toolkit (CDE).
Colorado State Government Colorado COVID Guide