Communication/Family and Community Engagement
Effective communication and ensuring the following methods are utilized are particularly important during this time. The following sections will outline the ways in which correspondence will occur with stakeholders, parents/guardians, students, faculty and staff in order to keep informed of the most recent protocols. Means of communication will include but are not limited to: phone calls, emails, text messages, social media outlets, agency’s webpage, news outlets, emergency messaging system, and US postal mail. A variety of methods will be used to communicate information to key stakeholders, based off of the individual’s preference.
Communication with Stakeholders/Community Members
The E. John Gavras Center views the key local stakeholders of the education program to include: Gavras Center Board of Directors, School District CPSE/CSE Chairpersons, Auburn Enlarged City School Superintendent, representatives from the Cayuga County Department of Health, parents/guardians with children in the program, staff and members of the Gavras Center Leadership Team.
Since the current educational environment is constantly changing, it will be critical to ensure open and honest communication with each of these key stakeholder groups. Specific information relevant to each community/program member will be disseminated in a variety of methods, as outlined above. Decisions will be made by the E. John Gavras Center’s leadership team as to who will communicate with each group, based on the information to be distributed.
Parent/Guardian Communications
The classroom teacher will perform frequent outreach to students, and their families, to ensure necessary supports are in place for academic success. The means of communication will be through phone calls, which will be documented on an Agency form, text messages, emails, video conferencing, social media posts, mailed letters/newsletters, and/or any combination of these methods, depending on the family’s preference. Parents/guardians will be provided contact information for staff working with their child, including teachers, therapists, and program administration to further strengthen open lines of communication. Families will be encouraged to communicate with their child’s education team as often as possible, but most importantly when any question, or concern arises.
Additional measures to keep families engaged and informed, include:
Google Classroom
E. John Gavras has utilized the Google Classroom for its previous virtual learning platform. Gavras staff will also stay current with any updates or available applications that will enhance the learning component as well as any correspondence applications. Staff will ensure that the platform is optimal for the majority of their classroom for the instructional content, assignments, and curricular activities.
Call-multiplier Notification System
During a time when it is necessary to disseminate information which is time sensitive to a large group of parents/guardians and faculty/staff, then a mass notification system is in place. Call-multiplier is a notification system that will be used to send routine or emergency messages to groups via an automated text message system.
Parents/guardians will be given a form to opt into the service, and will provide a primary phone number which will receive the notifications. Parents will receive all notifications that are sent out through this method. Any routine notifications are messages that do not deal with the safety of students and staff members. This may include but are not limited to:
Reminders related to drop off and pick up
Information on upcoming events
Cancellations of a school event
School closings or delays
Any emergency notifications are messages would occur during a critical incident in which a child’s or staff member’s safety may be in immediate risk. This may include but are not limited to:
Lockdowns
Evacuations
Relocations
Call-multiplier will be the primary method used to communicate necessary information to parents/guardians and staff. Since not all stakeholders will opt into this method of communication, additional options will be utilized.
Non-tech Communication Option
Some families do not have access to technology, or will decline the use of technology, despite the efforts of provision with the home school district. Non-tech communication options will be used, such as; mailed letters, and/or materials will be sent through the US Postal Service, and/or placed in student’s backpacks.
Social Media and News Outlets
The E. John Gavras Center may choose to disseminate information to families via social media platforms including but not limited to: Facebook, and Youtube. Family participation in this format will be optional. Participation in this format will be considered as the family’s consent to receive information via social media applications.
When necessary, the creation of a private group, or subgroups, through media channels may help streamline announcements specific to a particular program. If and when parents/guardians choose to accept an “invitation” to a group, or the parent requests access to a group, E. John Gavras Center will consider this as consent to proceed with communications through the appropriate platform.
Correspondences through social media may include:
Announcements about events or delay/closures
Information about, or seeking feedback, on health and safety procedures
Guidelines from Department of Health and/or CDC
Resources for families regarding mental and physical health supports
It is recognized that not all families will have access to social media platforms so this will not be a primary method of communication, rather, it will be used as a supplemental to other forms.
Program information that pertains to closures and delays will continue to be reported to the local news outlets, which can be accessed through radio, television, and web-based connections.
Agency’s Website
The E. John Gavras Center’s website may be utilized for mass communications. The agency’s website may be used to post general guidance about health and safety procedures from the CDC, and Department of Health, as well as any adjustments to the program model.
As this method relies on families checking the website for information updates, this will not be a primary method of communication, rather, this will be used as a supplemental to the other communication methods.
Translation/Interpreting Services
In the situation of parents/guardians needing information translated or interpreting services, the E. John Gavras Center will work collaboratively with the family’s home school district to provide such measures. This will ensure parents are informed of the educational services provided.
Staff and Visitors
Staff Communication and Training
The E. John Gavras Center’s staff have an agency email account that can be accessed at any time, and any location that offers internet connection. This will be the main form of communication to provide information to staff in the education program, which will be checked daily, Monday through Friday, by staff. Faculty and staff have been instructed to send any COVID-19 related questions, comments, concerns to the Principal of Educational Services, where this information will be answered by the appropriate department (administration, maintenance, nursing, etc.)
Staff members will also participate in the call-multiplier system by opting into receiving the text messages of routine or emergency notifications. All users may opt out of this communication at any time.
Announcements may be done using the PA system when staff members are on site. Printed materials may be handed out to staff when in-person, or mailed out to their home if needed.
A Learning Management System (LMS) will be utilized to provide online trainings related to relevant information for staff regarding the health and safety procedures that will promote the safety of everyone attending the agency. As trainings are developed, these are assigned to specific groups of staff. The completion of trainings will be monitored and program administration will follow up with any staff that fails to complete the assigned trainings.
Visitors
The E. John Gavras Center will limit the number of visitors, dependent on the nature of the visit, allowed into the school building. Every attempt will be made to schedule visits in advance when there are no students in the building. For situations when a visit must occur during hours of student attendance, all efforts will be made to prevent, or minimize, the possibility of interaction of the visitor and students. A staggered visitation schedule may be developed, if necessary, to reduce the total number of individuals in the building at any particular time. All visits, or work to be performed in-person, which cannot be done through technology or remote method will be subject to the following guidelines:
* Single point of entry, visitors may only enter the building through the “B” entrance door with a health screening and temperature check.
* Visitors will be required to supply basic contact information to aid in contact tracing efforts.
* All visitors will be required to wear a mask during their entire stay within the building. If the visitor does not have a mask, then one will be provided.
* Social distancing protocols will be in effect at all times.
* Hand sanitizer will be available throughout the facility and expected to be utilized.
When visitors, or vendors, are in the building, they will be reminded of these expectations verbally during the screening, through signage posted throughout the building, and will receive further guidance by building staff, if necessary. Any change that occurs to the school’s status while visitors are on site may be verbally transmitted from school staff to the visitors, or through the PA system, which can be heard throughout the school grounds.
Visual Reminders for CDC and DOH Guidance
Visual reminders from the CDC and DOH guidelines will be strategically posted at building entrances, health check points, and vestibules for reference for students, staff and visitors during the screening process upon entry of the building. Signage is posted that pertains to social distancing, proper mask application/removal, healthy hygiene protocols, and the importance of self-monitoring for any signs/symptoms of COVID-19.
Communication Considerations
As previously mentioned, multiple methods of communication will be used to maintain communication with families of enrolled students. Emails, phone calls, teleconferencing, and social media platforms all extend opportunities for two-way communication and feedback submissions. Regular contact with the education and therapeutic staff is imperative for student engagement and success.
All forms of communication will contain the most updated information if and when schedules, guidelines, or safety measures are adjusted.
Resources and measures will be implemented through collaboration with the home school district to grant technology access to all families based on available resources. However, it should be noted in the event the family declines technology usage, and/or a lack of resources occurs, and/or internet is not available in the area, non-tech solutions will be utilized and provided.
COVID-19 Protocols & Safety for Students
Students enrolled in the E. John Gavras Center’s program have complex needs that may make it difficult for them to fully understand and/or fully comply with established COVID-19 safety protocols. As such, staff will need to provide frequent reminders of the established protocols, and will need to create opportunities for the students to practice and develop the necessary skills. All students will be encouraged to wear a cloth face mask provided by their parent/guardian. The E. John Gavras Center will provide masks to students who arrive at school without their own mask. All students will have multiple opportunities to practice hand washing, sanitizing personal items, and social distancing from other students and staff members. Visual cues will be provided to indicate appropriate distance within the classrooms and when transitioning in the hallways. For students requiring a more individualized approach for tolerating wearing a face mask, the therapists and classroom staff will work together to assess and teach toleration skills.
Hand Washing
To ensure students follow the steps to thoroughly wash their hands throughout the day, individualized teaching procedures will be developed in collaboration with the therapeutic department. These procedures will be taught utilizing prompt fading that is specific to the student and may include visual charts, social stories, etc.
Face Mask Wearing
The classroom staff and therapists will first consult with the nurse to ensure the students can demonstrate the pre-requisite skills for mask wearing, including independently removing the mask and the ability to communicate difficulty breathing or distress. Following the assessment of these pre-requisite skills, individualized teaching procedures will be developed for wearing a face mask, increasing the amount of time that a mask is tolerated, and wearing the mask for extended periods of time.
Students with a medical concern that should not wear a mask, nor work on toleration skills towards wearing a mask should obtain a note from their healthcare provider detailing why the student cannot wear a mask.
Teaching face mask wearing skills may be broken down into small segmented parts to develop age appropriate abilities. While teaching these skills, the students will be provided with multiple opportunities to make a choice, including what mask they would like to wear, how they would like to wear it, choices of preferred items to utilize to cope while wearing the mask, and whether or not they want to participate in the mask wearing lesson.