We are excited to begin welcoming students back into our buildings in a safe and healthy manner! Maintaining a safe and healthy school environment requires all of us to do our part. As we continue to navigate a global health pandemic, students will return to a different school environment than the ones they left in March 2020. This page is designed to provide information on:

  • Student Requirements
  • School Day Protocols
  • Facilities Protocols
  • Response Protocols

We will continue to provide updates on this page as questions emerge and we learn of more efficient and effective ways to keep students and staff safe. Some information will be site specific if it is related to a specific building layout, but the vast majority of processes and protocols are consistent across schools.

Student Requirements

 

School Day Protocols

Facilities Protocols

Response Protocols

STUDENT REQUIREMENTS
Face Coverings
  • All students, staff and visitors are required to wear masks at all FPS district facilities. This includes buses.
  • Students and staff may remove face coverings to eat and drink.
  • If students, staff, or visitors forget to bring a mask one will be provided.
  • Students and staff who wish to be exempt from wearing a mask due to a medical condition will be assessed by FPS COVID Supervisors on a case-by-case basis. In rare circumstances, some students and staff may be cleared to wear a clear face covering or a face shield in consultation by FPS COVID Supervisors.
Social Distancing
  • All students and staff are required to adhere to 6-foot social distancing guidelines.
  • District facilities (hallways, classrooms, cafeterias, etc.) will be designed to facilitate 6-foot social distancing.
  • In many cases, there will be assigned seating and structured movements to reduce congregating and the need for additional sanitization.
Health Screening
  • All students and staff will monitor symptoms carefully.
    • Fever (100.4) or chills
    • Cough
    • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
    • Fatigue
    • Headache
    • Recent loss of taste or smell
    • Sore throat
    • Congestion or runny note
    • Nausea or vomiting
    • Diarrhea
  • All students, staff and visitors must complete daily health attestations to confirm the status of their health and potential COVID-19 exposure. Please click here for detailed information regarding daily attestations.
    • If you or someone in the immediate family has tested positive, awaiting test results or has been in close contact with a positive case …Report It.
    • Employees should notify their Supervisor or a COVID-19 Manager immediately.
    • Students and families should notify the school nurse or school administrator immediately. 
  • Visitors are welcome in facilities by appointment only and will be required to fill out a health attestation form. Visitors should plan to call ahead to ask about COVID-19 protocols and hours of operation.
Hygiene and Sanitization
  • The sharing of supplies and materials will be limited to reduce spread and minimize required sanitizing
  • Students will receive multiple opportunities throughout the day to incorporate handwashing for the recommended time of 20 seconds
  • Students and staff will be required to practice hygiene techniques including covering cough and sneezes
 
SCHOOL DAY PROTOCOLS
Transportation Guidelines
  • Masks are required for students and driver.
    • Drivers are required to always wear a mask when not alone on the bus.
    • Students are required to always wear a mask (unless medical exemption)
    • Students under 5 are required to wear mask with adult supervision.
    • Additional masks will be available on each bus.
  • Seating
    • Siblings/Households can sit together.
    • Students will enter the bus with a face mask and sit in a designated seat with sibling.
    • All siblings are required to sit together based on youngest student.  Ex. If there is a kindergarten student, then the 5th grade sibling will need to ride up front with the kindergarten student.
    • Upon arrival at school, students will remain seated and wait for instructions from driver for dismissal. Driver will coordinate dismissal with school staff.
    • Students will be social distanced as space allows.
  • Windows will be lowered to allow for ventilation as weather allows.
    • Students are encouraged to dress for the weather.  Driver may open the windows for ventilation and/or turn up the heat if necessary.
  • Cleaning of high touch surfaces will be done after each AM and PM route.
    • In between schools, and only if time permits – Drivers will wipe down high touch areas. Handrails, driver compartment, etc.  
    • After each AM and PM route drivers will wipe down all high touch areas.
Arrival and Departure
  • During student pickup and dropoff, parents and guardians will be required to remain in their vehicle.
  • Students will not be allowed to enter school facilities more than 10 minutes prior to the start of the school day.
  • Each school will have designated staff members to direct students to/from their classroom to/from the bus and family transport locations.
Breakfast and Lunch
  • Breakfast
    • Breakfast will be sent home with students each day to be eaten the following morning.
    • A breakfast for each student not riding the bus will be delivered to each classroom and handed out to students at the end of the day.
    • Students riding a bus will be dismissed to these areas when classes go to buses.
  • Lunch
    • Students will be eating lunch in their classroom. When this is not possible, students will eat in a cafeteria and must be  social distanced and facing the same direction as the current guidance recommends.
    • Sharing of food is not allowed. 
    • Students will be allowed to remove mask when eating.
    • Hand washing will occur before and after meals.
    • No payment is required for breakfast or lunch.
Recess Guidelines
  • Masks are required.
  • Social Distancing is required.
  • During recess, schools will use different forms of social distancing for students, including staggering recess times to reduce the number of students outside at once and assigning classes to a certain playground zone.
  • Students will be required to wash hands after recess. 
  • Play items (balls, jump ropes, etc.) will be wiped down between student groups.
  • Play structures will be routinely wiped down with soap and water.
 
FACILITIES PROTOCOLS
Facilities Changes
  • Ventilation has been increased per Washington State Department of Health guidance. The Franklin Pierce Maintenance Team has increased the amount of outdoor air coming into each facility to the extent permissible to maintain thermal comfort.  The Franklin Pierce Maintenance Team has replaced filters with the standard MERV 10 designation. MERV 13 filters are on order and will be installed when they are received.
  • We have restricted the use of water fountains. Staff and Students are encouraged to use refillable water bottles or the provided paper cups. Where the student can re-fill water bottles will be determined by the school.   
  • School hallways will be taped with markers to indicate six feet of distance for travel through the buildings. Some hallways are marked with directional arrows to limit contact. When middle school and high school students return to school, they will be encouraged to maintain six feet separation during brief passing periods between classes.
  • Restrooms will be taped with markers to indicate six feet of distance, and some stalls are closed off entirely. In very small restrooms, capacity will be limited to one person at a time.
  • During recess, schools may use different forms of social distancing for students, including staggering recess times to reduce the number of students outside at once and assigning classes to a certain playground zone.
Cleaning and Disinfecting
  • High touch surfaces will be cleaned routinely throughout the day using soap and water. These surfaces include door handles, light switches, etc.
  • Cleaning during COVID-19 will be a team effort.  Teachers and students will be assisting with cleaning desks and chairs between classroom activities.
  • Nightly disinfection process involves wiping desks, chairs, and other common touch points with Vindicator.
  • Franklin Pierce School District is using products approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.
  • Franklin Pierce School District has sought input from Washington State Department of Health and Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department on cleaning procedures.

RESPONSE PROTOCOLS
Student Response Protocols
 
Student exhibiting signs/symptoms of COVID-19 prior to coming to school
All students and staff will monitor symptoms noted on the health screening closely. Students and staff exhibiting signs or symptoms should indicate this on the attestation form and not report to the school building.
 
Student exhibiting signs/symptoms of COVID-19 at School
  • COVID-19 Site Supervisor will ensure student is isolated. 
  • COVID-19 Site Supervisor will facilitate notifying the parent or guardian.
  • COVID-19 Site Supervisors will notify COVID-19 District Managers. 
  • COVID-19 District Managers will contact the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department for guidance on closing/cleaning of building and notifications.
  • COVID-19 District Managers under guidance from Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department will initiate the building response team to isolate, increase PPE, and disinfect surfaces.
Student tested for COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Site Supervisor notifies COVID-19 District Managers immediately.
  • Human Resources or COVID-19 District Mangers will find out why staff was tested?
    • Contact
    • Symptomatic
    • Other (pre-procedure, random, required… etc.)
  • COVID-19 District Managers will work with COVID-19 Site Supervisors to follow appropriate steps for a positive or negative test result. 
Student receives positive COVID-19 result
  • COVID-19 Site Supervisor will gather the needed information and provide that information to the COVID-19 District Managers.
  • COVID-19 District Managers contacts the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
  • Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department conducts a case investigation: Notify contact list to arrange testing and monitoring for quarantine. Ongoing communication with COVID-19 District Managers. If advised by Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, COVID-19 District Managers will facilitate notifying close contacts of potential exposure.
Student Quarantine Protocols
Quarantine Students:
  • Stay home.
  • Monitor symptoms.
  • Contact a health care provider.
  • Continue distance learning if feeling well enough to do so. 
Franklin Pierce School District will follow required health department contact tracing and quarantine measures in the event of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. This could result in students and some staff moving in and out of on-campus and distance learning environments as we are directed by the health department.
 
School Classrooms: As required by the health department, when a student receives a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, a close contact investigation will be initiated. Parents of students determined to be in close contact will be notified by phone and students will be required to quarantine for 14 days.
 
School closure will only occur if advised by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
 
Staff Response Protocols
Staff exhibiting signs/symptoms of COVID-19 prior to coming to school
All students and staff will monitor symptoms noted on the health screening closely. Students and staff exhibiting signs or symptoms should indicate this on the attestation form and not report to the school building.
 
Staff exhibiting signs/symptoms of COVID-19 at work
  • Employee should notify their supervisor.  Staff should be sent home; Supervisor will notify the COVID-19 Site Supervisor.
  • COVID-19 Site Supervisor will notify Human Resources or COVID-19 District Managers. 
  • COVID-19 District Managers will contact the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department for guidance on closing/cleaning of building and notifications.
  • COVID-19 District Managers under guidance from Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department will initiate the building response team to isolate, increase PPE, and disinfect surfaces.
Staff tested for COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Site Supervisor notifies HR 253-298-3085 or COVID-19 District Managers immediately.
  • Human Resources or COVID-19 District Mangers will find out why staff was tested?
    • Contact
    • Symptomatic
    • Other (pre-procedure, random, required… etc.)
  • COVID-19 District Managers will work with COVID-19 Site Supervisors to follow appropriate steps for a positive or negative test result. 
Staff receives positive COVID-19 result
  • COVID-19 Site Supervisor notifies HR 253-298-3085 or COVID-19 District Managers immediately.
  • Human Resources or COVID-19 District Managers will gather the needed information to notify the health department.
  • Human Resources or COVID-19 District Managers contacts the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.
  • Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department conducts a case investigation: contacts contact list to arrange testing and monitoring for quarantine. Ongoing communication with COVID-19 District Managers.
Staff Quarantine Protocols
Quarantine Staff:
  • Do not report to District Facilities.
  • Monitor symptoms.
  • Contact a health care provided if needed.
  • Use appropriate leave.
  • Contact Human Resources with questions or accommodation.
Franklin Pierce School District will follow required health department contact tracing and quarantine measures in the event of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis. This could result in students and some staff moving in and out of on-campus and distance learning environments as we are directed by the health department.
 
School Classrooms: As required by the health department, when a student receives a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, a close contact investigation will be initiated. Parents of students determined to be in close contact will be notified by phone and students will be required to quarantine for 14 days.
 
School closure will only occur if advised by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.