Back-to-school checklist for parents: Planning for in-person classes

Check in with your children each morning for signs of illness using the  system recommended by your school and school board. 

• Be familiar with your local CMC’s procedures in the event you or your children develop symptoms.  
• Be familiar with how your school will make water available during the day.  Consider packing a water bottle in your child’s bag. 
• Make sure your child is up-to-date with all recommended vaccines, including for flu.  
• Review and practice proper hand washing techniques at home with your  children, especially before and after eating, sneezing, coughing, and  adjusting your cloth face coverings or masks. Make hand-washing fun and  explain to your children why it’s important. 
• Develop daily routines before and after school—for example, things to  pack for school in the morning (hand sanitizer and an additional cloth face  covering or mask) and things to do when you return home (washing  hands immediately and washing the cloth face coverings they wore). 
• Talk to your child about precautions to take at school. Children may be  advised to: 
• Wash and sanitize their hands more often. 
• Keep physical distance from students that are not in your class. Wear a cloth face covering when recommended. 
• Avoid sharing water bottles and food. 
• Plan for possible school closures or periods of self-isolation. If  transmission of COVID-19 is increasing in your community, the school  might close. Similarly, if a close contact of your child (within or outside of  school) tests positive for COVID-19, your child may need to stay home. You  may need to consider the possibility of teleworking, taking leave from  work or identifying someone who can supervise your child in the event of  school building closures or self-isolation. 
• Try limiting your child’s in-person, out-of-school interactions only to  children in the same class. You may also encourage them to participate in  activities where physical distancing can be maintained. 

November 26, 2020