Good Shepherd Lutheran School is following the guidance, and adhering to the regulations set forth by the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health, California Department of Education and Department of Social Services. Our state licensed early childhood education center (Preschool and Kindergarten) is serving small cohorts of up to 12 students from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Parents and children 2 years of age and older must wear a face covering that covers both nose and mouth. All students are required to wear face coverings at all times except while eating, drinking, napping or engaging in solitary strenuous outdoor activities. All classrooms and restrooms are equipped with handwashing stations, and are limited to one person at a time. The designated sign in station for each cohort is located outside the classroom door, equipped with hand sanitizer, and each child must be screened and have their temperature taken prior to entering the classroom. Pens for sign in are not to be shared and are in clearly labeled jars "sanitized" and "used."  All persons must remain at least 6 feet apart from others that do not live in the same household. For the safety of our students, families and staff, no one may enter the facility if they have symptoms of COVID-19, or have come in contact with anyone suspected of having COVID-19, within the previous 14 days. 

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Elementary and Middle School students began learning remotely on March 13, 2020. As of September 21, 2020 we began serving 10% of our highest risk elementary learners (one cohort) from 8:30 am to 2:45 pm on campus. As of November 16, 2020 we began serving 25% of our highest risk elementary learners (two cohorts) on campus. The second cohort attends 8:45 - 3:15 pm. The remainder of students in grades K-4 were given the option to return to on-campus instruction on March 01 2021, and grades 6-8 on March 22, 2021 from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm. Students in grade 5 will have the option of returning on April 12, 2021. Those wishing to wait, will continue to learn remotely.  A designated staff member is stationed in the parking lot to screen arriving students for COVID-19 symptoms and assure safe entry onto campus. Each student goes directly to the classroom assigned to their cohort, through a designated entrance, where desks are equipped plexiglass or plastic shields. In order to avoid mixing students from different groups, we are not offering extracurricular activities, or before or after school childcare at this time.

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The COVID-19 Checklist and CPP are located on this page to the left and below. In addition, a copy of the Reopening  Protocols for K-12 Schools: Appenxdix T1, updated 3/223/2021, is located on this page to the left, by the entrance in the front office, and outside by the CDC sign in station.  Visits to the school by individuals other than staff and students are avoided whenever feasible. Visitors are by appointment only and enter through the front office entrance on Garvanza Street, located in the church. For safety and contact tracing purposes, all visitors are required to include a phone number and email address in the visitor's log. All persons over the age of 2 who enter the campus property must wear a face covering that covers both the nose and mouth, and remain 6 feet apart from anyone not living in the same household. Hand sanitizer is located in the front office, all classrooms and the CDC sign in area.  Adults may only use the restroom located in the church and must notify the principal or staff, so it can be sanitized after use. 

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Any staff, student or parent who becomes infected or exposed to COVID-19 is required to contact the school principal at (323) 255-2786 or by email principalmichelle.gs@gmail.com. 

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We thank you for following the guidance and regulations to keep us safe, while we continue to serve God's children.

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COVID-19 Prevention Program (CPP) for Good Shepherd         Lutheran Church and School.

This CPP is designed to control exposures to the SARS-CoV-2 virus that may occur in our workplace.

Date: January 25, 2021

Authority and Responsibility

Michelle Goetsch, Principal has overall authority and responsibility for implementing the provisions of this CPP in our workplace. In addition, Irma Luna, Office Administrator, Aydee Quintana, CDC Director and Pastor Jennifer Burgos, Pastor is responsible for implementing and maintaining the CPP in their assigned work areas and for ensuring employees receive answers to questions about the program in a language they understand.

All employees are responsible for using safe work practices, following all directives, policies and procedures, and assisting in maintaining a safe work environment.

Identification and Evaluation of COVID-19 Hazards

We will implement the following in our workplace:

• Conduct workplace-specific evaluations using the Appendix A: Identification of COVID-19 Hazards form.

• Evaluate employees’ potential workplace exposures to all persons at, or who may enter, our workplace.

• Review applicable orders and general and industry-specific guidance from the State of California, Cal/OSHA, and the local health department related to COVID-19 hazards and prevention.

• Evaluate existing COVID-19 prevention controls in our workplace and the need for different or additional controls.

• Conduct periodic inspections using the Appendix B: COVID-19 Inspections form as needed to identify unhealthy conditions, work practices, and work procedures related to COVID-19 and to ensure compliance with our COVID-19 policies and procedures.

Employee participation

Employees and their authorized employees’ representatives are encouraged to participate in the identification and evaluation of COVID-19 hazards by: reporting any issue with maintaining social distancing, wearing face masks properly, sanitizing surfaces between use or hand washing, and anyone who develops symptoms to the Principal or office administrator immediately. Any identification of hazard, i/e empty soap dispenser shall be reported to a campus supervisor and the Principal or Office Administrator immediately.

Employee screening

We screen our employees by: directly screening employees when they come to work, ensuring that face coverings are used during screening by both screeners and employees, and using  non-contact thermometers.

Correction of COVID-19 Hazards

Unsafe or unhealthy work conditions, practices or procedures will be documented on the Appendix B: COVID-19 Inspections form, and corrected in a timely manner based on the severity of the hazards, as follows:

The severity of the hazard will be assessed and correction time frames assigned, accordingly by the principal and office administrator.

The church council or school board officers will be responsible for approving and providing timely correction for anything that costs more than $500.00.

The principal will re-evaluate and coordinate with the board officers to ensure timely correction.

Control of COVID-19 Hazards

Physical Distancing

Where possible, we ensure at least six feet of physical distancing at all times in our workplace by:

• Eliminating the need for all workers to be in the workplace – e.g., remote instruction if/when needed

• Reducing the number of persons in an area of campus at one time, including visitors.

• No non-essential visitors allowed

• Only one cohort allowed in a classroom

• Only staff and students allowed inside school building

• Visual cues such as signs and floor markings to indicate where employees and others should be located or path of travel.

• Staggered arrival, departure, work, and break times.

Individuals will be kept as far apart as possible when there are situations where six feet of physical distancing cannot be achieved. Students will have desk shields.

Face Coverings

In addition to employees' and students' own masks, we will provide/make available clean, undamaged face coverings and ensure they are properly worn by over the nose and mouth when indoors, and when outdoors and less than six feet away from another person, including non-employees, and where required by orders from the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) or local health department.  Both adult and child Masks will be available in the front office.

The following are exceptions to the use of face coverings in our workplace:

• When an employee is alone in a room.

• While eating and drinking at the workplace, provided employees are at least six feet apart and outside air supply to the area, if indoors, has been maximized to the extent possible.

• Employees who cannot wear face coverings due to a medical or mental health condition or disability, or who are hearing-impaired or communicating with a hearing-impaired person. Alternatives will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Any employee not wearing a face covering, face shield with a drape or other effective alternative, or respiratory protection, for any reason, shall be at least six feet apart from all other persons.

Engineering controls

We implement the following measures for situations where we cannot maintain at least six feet between individuals: desk shields, teacher face shields, outside ventilation.

We maximize, to the extent feasible, the quantity of outside air for our buildings with mechanical or natural ventilation systems by:

 

• Using as much outside ventilation as possible, via open doors, windows and individual wall A/C units

• Using air purifiers when circumstances exist where the amount of outside air needs to be minimized due to other hazards, such as heat and wildfire smoke.

• Limiting use of A/C in the area with shared central air, and maintaining clean Merv-13 filters.

• Increase filtration efficiency to the highest level compatible with the existing ventilation system.

Cleaning and disinfecting

We implement the following cleaning and disinfection measures for frequently touched surfaces:

• Ensuring adequate supplies and adequate time for it to be done properly.

• Informing the employees and authorized employee representatives of the frequency and scope of cleaning and disinfection.

• Sanitizing sinks and restrooms after every use.

Should we have a COVID-19 case in our workplace, we will implement the following procedures: Our contracted outside cleaning/disinfecting crew will thoroughly clean and disinfect all areas, materials, and equipment used by a COVID-19 case during the high-risk exposure period. Any exposure will be asked to quarantine.

Shared tools, equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE)

PPE must not be shared, e.g., gloves, goggles and face shields.

Items that employees come in regular physical contact with, such as desks, keyboards, writing materials, instruments and tools must also not be shared, to the extent feasible. Where there must be sharing, the items will be disinfected between uses by: each employee will have access to a spray bottle with alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or ammonium chloride disinfectant.

Hand sanitizing

In order to implement effective hand sanitizing procedures, we:

• Evaluated and/or repaired all classroom and restroom sinks

• Determined the need and added portable handwashing stations to the Middle School and Kindergarten.

• Encourage and allow time for employee handwashing.

• Provide employees with an effective hand sanitizer, and prohibit hand sanitizers that contain methanol (i.e. methyl alcohol).

• Encouraging employees and students to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds each time.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) used to control employees’ exposure to COVID-19

We evaluate the need for PPE (such as gloves, goggles, and face shields) as required by CCR Title 8, section 3380, and provide such PPE as needed.

When it comes to respiratory protection, we evaluate the need in accordance with CCR Title 8 section 5144 when the physical distancing requirements are not feasible or maintained. In addition to masks, face shields and air purifiers, all K-5 classrooms have a door to the outside that may be opened for additional ventilation. Office employees who may need to supervise a child with symptoms awaiting pick up will wear a medical grade mask.

Investigating and Responding to COVID-19 Cases

This will be accomplished by using the Appendix C: Investigating COVID-19 Cases form.

Employees who had potential COVID-19 exposure in our workplace will be:

• Offered COVID-19 testing at no cost during their working hours.

• The information on benefits described in Training and Instruction, and Exclusion of COVID-19 Cases, below, will be provided to them.

 System for Communicating

Our goal is to ensure that we have effective two-way communication with our employees, in a form they can readily understand, and that it includes the following information:

• Employees should report COVID-19 symptoms and possible hazards to the Principal both verbally and by email @ principalmichelle.gs@gmail.com.

• Employees can report symptoms and hazards without fear of reprisal.

• Our procedures or policies for accommodating employees with medical or other conditions that put them at increased risk of severe COVID-19 illness.

• Help employees access COVID-19 testing by determining what options are available for employees to obtain voluntary testing, be it available through health plans or local testing centers.

• In the event we are required to provide testing because of a workplace exposure or outbreak, we will communicate the plan for providing testing and inform affected employees of the reason for the testing and the possible consequences of a positive test.

• Information about COVID-19 hazards that employees (including other individuals in contact with our workplace) may be exposed to, what is being done to control those hazards, and our COVID-19 policies and procedures.

Training and Instruction

We will provide effective training and instruction that includes:

• Our COVID-19 policies and procedures to protect employees from COVID-19 hazards.

• LADPH  T-1 Protocol for Reopening Schools posted at both entrances to campus

• Information regarding COVID-19-related benefits to which the employee may be entitled under applicable federal, state, or local laws.

• The fact that:

• COVID-19 is an infectious disease that can be spread through the air.

• COVID-19 may be transmitted when a person touches a contaminated object and then touches their eyes, nose, or mouth.

• An infectious person may have no symptoms.

• Methods of physical distancing of at least six feet and the importance of combining physical distancing with the wearing of face coverings.

• The fact that particles containing the virus can travel more than six feet, especially indoors, so physical distancing must be combined with other controls, including face coverings and hand hygiene, to be effective.

• The importance of frequent hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and using hand sanitizer when employees do not have immediate access to a sink or hand washing facility, and that hand sanitizer does not work if the hands are soiled. Every classroom will be equipped with a working handwashing station.

• Proper use of face coverings and the fact that face coverings are not respiratory protective equipment - face coverings are intended to primarily protect other individuals from the wearer of the face covering.

• COVID-19 symptoms, and the importance of obtaining a COVID-19 test and not coming to work if the employee has COVID-19 symptoms.

• The protocol for sanitizing the employee restroom, door handles and any shared object after use.

Appendix D: COVID-19 Training Roster will be used to document this training.

Exclusion of COVID-19 Cases

Where we have a COVID-19 case in our workplace, we will limit transmission by:

• Ensuring that COVID-19 cases are excluded from the workplace until the LADPH and our return-to-work requirements are met.

• Excluding employees with COVID-19 exposure from the workplace for 14 days after the last known COVID-19 exposure to a COVID-19 case.

• Continuing and maintaining an employee’s earnings, seniority, and all other employee rights and benefits whenever we’ve demonstrated that the COVID-19 exposure is work related. This will be accomplished by employer-provided employee sick leave benefits, payments from public sources or other means of maintaining earnings, rights and benefits, where permitted by law and when not covered by workers’ compensation.

• Providing employees at the time of exclusion with information on available benefits.

Reporting, Recordkeeping, and Access

It is our policy to:

• Report information about COVID-19 cases at our workplace to the local health department whenever required by law, and provide any related information requested by the local health department.

• Report immediately to Cal/OSHA any COVID-19-related serious illnesses or death, as defined under CCR Title 8 section 330(h), of an employee occurring in our place of employment or in connection with any employment.

• Maintain records of the steps taken to implement our written COVID-19 Prevention Program in accordance with CCR Title 8 section 3203(b).

• Make our written COVID-19 Prevention Program available at the workplace to employees, authorized employee representatives, and to representatives of Cal/OSHA immediately upon request.

• Use the Appendix C: Investigating COVID-19 Cases form to keep a record of and track all COVID-19 cases. The information will be made available to employees, authorized employee representatives, or as otherwise required by law, with personal identifying information removed.

• Maintain a list of any student with a COVID-19 case in the household, even if they have not been on campus to avoid possible exposure to family members.

Return-to-Work Criteria

• COVID-19 cases with COVID-19 symptoms will not return to work until all the following have occurred:

• At least 24 hours have passed since a fever of 100.4 or higher has resolved without the use of fever-reducing medications.

• COVID-19 symptoms have improved.

• At least 10 days have passed since COVID-19 symptoms first appeared or tested positive.

• COVID-19 cases who tested positive but never developed COVID-19 symptoms will not return to work until a minimum of 10 days have passed since the date of specimen collection of their first positive COVID-19 test.

• A negative COVID-19 test will not be required for an employee to return to work, unless required by the local health department.

• If an order to isolate or quarantine an employee is issued by a local or state health official, the employee will not return to work until the period of isolation or quarantine is completed or the order is lifted. If no period was specified, then the period will be 10 days from the time the order to isolate was effective, or 14 days from the time the order to quarantine was effective.

 

 

Michelle Goetsch, Principal

 

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