Board Approved 8/11/2020
The Putnam County Schools, Educational Service Center, and Putnam County Health Department have
shared general guidelines. This document discusses specific guidelines for Continental Local students,
staff, families, and the community.
If we want our students to return to school, these are the sacrifices that we must make. Many people have
different beliefs about our current national situation. Still, in consultation with the Putnam County Health
Department, we believe these guidelines give us the best chance to start our school year as regularly as
possible.
Continental Local General Guiding Principles
● Continental Local will implement safety protocols tailored to fit our district, family, and community. We will
continuously work with the Putnam County Health Department (PCHD) to promote safety in each school
building.
● Continental Local will be transparent with all stakeholders that some level of risk will always be present
when children and school district employees occupy school district facilities.
● Continental Local acknowledges the need for consistency in areas of operations while also recognizing
that individual differences in classroom spaces, school facilities, and overall building operations may lead
to some inconsistencies.
● Continental Local plans to maintain their previously-approved school calendars with some potential
adjustments due to staff training and preparedness.
Continental Local Daily Health Assessments
● School-wide temperature checks will take place daily. If a student or staff displays any symptoms during
the school day, he/she will be isolated and will be required to go home and follow Health Department
Guidelines.
● Employees and students must stay home if any of the following conditions exist that cannot be
diagnosed as a non-COVID condition (i.e. seasonal allergies, etc.)
– A temperature of 100+ degrees Fahrenheit
– Fever or chills
– Cough
– Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
– Fatigue
– Muscle or body aches
– Headache
– Loss of taste or smell
– Sore throat
– Congestion or runny nose
– Nausea or vomiting
– Diarrhea
Communications when a Student/Staff Member is diagnosed COVID-19 Positive
● Continental Local will follow the protocol set forth by the PCHD and the District will cooperate with PCHD in
following contact tracing and quarantine procedures.
● Communication to impacted individuals will be relayed through the PCHD.
Continental Local District Face Covering Guidelines
● Face coverings are required for students and staff in Grades K-12 at all times except under certain
circumstances such as mask breaks, outdoor activities, and other acceptable situations.
● You are not required to use the mask we provide. You are welcome to use a mask that best fits your child
and your child’s needs; however, all students must have a mask. Continental Local will provide each student
with one mask at the start of the year. Additional ones may be available for purchase (due to high demand
quantity is limited).
● Any requirement may be waived for individual students or staff with medical conditions that prohibit them
from wearing a face covering. Proper medical documentation must be provided to the district.
Classrooms
● Safety protocols for all learning spaces will be in place. Classroom layouts will be modified to facilitate social
distancing.
● Water fountains will be turned off; students are permitted to bring their own water bottle and refill it during
the day using the classroom sinks if available. Water will also be provided in the office for students and staff.
● No outside food is allowed in the classrooms.
Food Service/Cafeteria Use
● Continental Local will offer food service in compliance with the PCHD.
● Additionally, the following measures will be implemented:
○ No self-service (buffet style) of any kind
○ Individual condiment packages will be distributed.
○ Socially-distanced seating in the cafeteria and adjacent eating spaces
○ Encouragement for students to wash/sanitize their hands before and after eating lunch
○ Sanitization of the cafeteria and adjacent eating spaces between each lunch cycle.
Transportation
● Strict loading/unloading procedures will be developed, and instruction given to students by the drivers.
● Drivers will create specific seating arrangements for each bus route that students must follow.
● Face coverings are required for all drivers and riders to and from the school building.
○ If a student forgets their mask, the driver will provide one.
○ Hand sanitizer will be provided for use as students enter and exit the school bus.
○ The safety of the driver and riders is still priority #1.
● In the event state policies require school districts to use alternative schedules, districts may adopt minimum
requirements for transportation to reduce the number of students who are eligible for school district
transportation.
● Parents who are uncomfortable regarding the ability of the district to successfully maintain a safe and
healthy setting on the school bus are encouraged to personally transport their son(s) and/or daughter(s) to
and from school. If you can make this commitment to transport your child, please contact Danny Kissell or
Joyce Howell at 419-596-3671, or you may email us at: Piratetransportation@continentalpirates.org.
Playground/Recess
● Continental Local will make every effort to maintain consistency with other safety procedures including
sanitizing and handwashing and will be flexible with recess scheduling to limit the number of students on the
playground area(s) at the same time.
● Recess will be a mask free zone for those who want to remove them.
● Jump ropes, balls, and other shared equipment should be wiped down before returning to the classroom.
Start of Day/End of Day
● Social distancing protocols and masks will be implemented at the beginning and the end of the day to
ensure safety of students and prevent congregating.
● Student temperatures will be checked upon entering the building each day by staff members.
● The buildings will open at 7:50 am. The buildings will close promptly after school and students are expected
to leave the buildings right after school, unless they are going directly to a practice or game.
● All parents must drop their children at the entrance. There will be no walking your child to class.
Visitors/Volunteers
● Visitors and volunteers to any district building can include any number of reasons. Continental Local School
District will make decisions to allow visitors based on a case-by-case basis and visitors are generally
discouraged from being inside the building during the school day.
● Safety protocols, such as a temperature screening upon arrival and wearing a mask will be required before
granting entry into the building.
Cleaning and Sanitation Procedures
● Classrooms and other rooms will be cleaned and sanitized multiple times per day.
● Bathrooms, cafeteria and other common spaces will be properly sanitized on a frequent and regular basis
each day.
Co-Curricular and Extra-Curricular Programs
● Athletics will follow the guidance of the OHSAA, ODH and the PCHD.
● Co-curricular and nonathletic extra-curricular programs will follow the guidance of the school and PCHD.
Risk-Level Guidelines as per Governor DeWine’s Orders from July 2, 2020
The state has created a color-coded system of guidelines to assess the amount of spread of COVID-19 per county
(Yellow, Orange, Red, and Purple). School officials will regularly collaborate with the PCHD to review Putnam
County’s rating and determine what adjustments, if any, need to be made to daily school operations throughout the
school year.
Therefore, we strongly urge parents, students, and staff members to practice the ongoing and strongly
recommended safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 further:
– Physical and social distancing
– Wearing a face covering
– Good hand hygiene
The practices we engage in now and over the next month will determine whether Putnam County school districts
can allow our children to go back to school in late August, which is where we all know they need to be.
Thank you to the Continental teachers, bus drivers, custodians, cooks, and administrators for your assistance in
putting this plan together. As a community, we must continue to pull together, or we will be pulled apart. As you
read through this plan, please take the opportunity to share your thoughts,concerns, and ideas with me at
d.kissell@continentalpirates.org. #GoPirates, #ProudtobeaPirate
