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Parents within the School District of Lee County received a message on New Year’s Eve that the district would use protocols and procedures for the "high community transmission level," which began the first day back from winter break on Jan. 3.
The district, along with health leaders, worked on putting together a plan for implementing protocols based on a tiered mitigation strategy matrix that defines what health and safety measures are put into place at low, moderate, substantial and high community transmission levels.
The high community transmission level includes 20 protocols that were put into place Monday. Those include:
• Face coverings strongly recommended indoors;
• No visitors on campus during school hours;
• All contracted personnel and volunteers must sign a health screening form upon arrival at office, as well as retaining information of their location and student interaction;
• Grab and Go meals to provide more spacing and only water bottle filling stations available;
• All desks facing forward and cohort of two to four students allowed with physical distancing when instruction warrants;
• No use of hallway lockers;
• Large indoor staff gatherings and student gatherings during school hours must be held virtually;
• All field trips cancelled;
• Limit attendance capacity at indoor extracurricular events, such as sports and performances;
• More buses available for athletic events to provide more space;
• Wipe down secondary classroom desks before each class change;
• Playground, recess equipment sanitized between each class use;
• Fogging of areas where an individual has been with 24 hours of testing positive;
• Transportation vehicles cleaned and disinfected between each run in the morning and afternoon and windows opened while the bus is in motion to help increase air circulation.
The protocols, according to the message, will "change based on health conditions, guidance from medical professionals and any government mandate."
Student and teachers should remain home when awaiting a COVID-19 test result, as well as if they are having symptoms of illness, or are sick.
The district also provided an update of COVID-19 vaccination clinics, as they are partnering with Golisano Children’s Hospital to provide the optional Pfizer vaccine. The clinics are for students ages 5 to 17 years old, as well as parents, and employees.
The clinics include:
• Lehigh Elementary School, 200 Schoolside Court, Lehigh Acres, from 4 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 5
• Buckingham Exceptional Center, 3291 Buckingham Rd., Fort Myers, from 3 to 5 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 6
• Grace Place, 4300 21st Ave SW, Naples, from 2 to 6 p.m., Friday, Jan. 7
• Lee Physicians Group Page Field Pediatrics, 4751 S. Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 8.