Name

EPPSP Group 38
Butler University

The Experiential Program for Preparing School Principals

STANDARD:
25: Develop/participate in an in-service program dealing with health, safety, and
emergency procedures. Become aware of all safety procedures required for heart attacks,
epileptic seizures, fires, tornadoes, child abuse, choking, and other related emergencies.

Summary:

Every year we spend a portion of our beginning of the year staff training discussing health and
safety protocol. This year, Covid-19 took center stage as we met throughout the month of
August to ensure that all teachers and staff members were on the same page.

As the school year began, we were all briefed on the information necessary to teach students in
person during this pandemic. Our nurse took the lead in these meetings and led with knowledge
and grace.

She first took us through the symptoms that would send students to her clinic as a Covid
precaution. She provided us with various resources that were clear, concise, and user friendly,
such as a flow chart that teachers could use to analyze students symptoms and their severity
and information we could share with parents to ensure they are on the same page about the
restrictions of their child.

Later, we went through guidance on masks, hand sanitizer, lunch and recess procedures, and
beyond. The nurse concluded our session by answering teachers’ questions and attempting to
ease some of their worries about the restrictions and uncertainties that were to come.

Since I did not lead this in-service training, I am not able to reflect upon how things went.
Instead, I will use the Reflection section to analyze what our nurse did in this instance to make
her a strong leader during this training and throughout this tumultuous time in general.

Reflection:

As stated in the summary, I have watched our nurse lead with knowledge and grace, while
providing teachers and staff members with clear and concise information.

This school year I was able to be a part of our school’s leadership team that began meeting
about two weeks before the school year began. Even at our first meeting, when things were still
spiraling in uncertainty and changes, our nurse was well-educated on the protocol that were in
place in other schools and those that we would be using in our school. She had information for
all of us that we could relay to our respective teams. She set the bar at this initial leadership
meeting that she was going to lead the Covid-19 response at our school in a calm and educated
way.

Fast forward to our first meeting with the entire staff, she had the aforementioned flowcharts and
pieces of written information ready for all teachers to use and share with families. Not only did
she provide us with these resources, she walked us through them and how to discuss them with
families, should an issue arise.

This streamlining of bringing information to families is something that I am finding to be truly

critical of school leaders, especially in crisis. Thinking specifically about the example of Covid-
19, the information that is being shared is constantly changing. News outlets are reporting
information that varies from one report to the next, and people have a tendency, rightfully so, to
believe the one that they hear. This can send a slew of questions into a school leader’s office
and cause panic among families and teachers if leaders are not careful. When dealing with a
crisis, I believe that a school leader should attempt, to the best of their ability in the given
situation, to anticipate some of the questions and concerns that may arise, and give their staff a
set of standard answers they can provide families, so that the school is not yet another source
of varying information.

Additionally, in the sense of Covid-19, our nurse provided the given resources to teachers to
use in school and share with families. These resources were provided in multiple languages, so
they were accessible to more families. While it is not always possible to provide families with a
translation of every document, I believe that when the school, principal, or office staff put out a
communication that is critical for all families, it should be truly accessible to as many families as
possible. Small details like these can go a long way in troubleshooting situations for leaders
down the line. More importantly; however, is the fact that a small detail like this can be the
difference between a family feeling comfortable or overwhelmed in a time that could potentially
be very stressful or confusing for them. Their child’s school should not be a source of more fear
and worry because they are not able to read the meant-to-be-helpful documents.

Overall, our school nurse has exemplified multiple characteristics of strong leadership that I will
try to embody as I move forward on my leadership journey. Planning ahead to meet the needs
of staff, students, and families is such a valuable skill for a school leader to possess, and I will
certainly attempt to embody some of the successful pieces I have seen throughout this
tumultuous period of time.
Artifacts:

COVID-19 Planning for S c hoo ls and Loc al He alth De partme nts :

Fre que ntly As ked Que s tio ns

Contac t Trac ing /Te s ting/Soc ial Dis tanc ing/Quarantine /

Re turn to S c ho o l

Just ONE symptom from the list of common signs/symptoms of COVID-19 warrants further
evaluation and conversation. If student or staff member is sent home, quarantine with testing
strongly recommended. A positive test then initiates contact tracing. Nursing assessment,
student health history, etc., play a part in how every student is managed and how they are
triaged during the school day. For example, if a staff member or student has symptoms of a
runny nose or nasal congestion without a fever and a history of allergies, they will need written
documentation from their provider with a non-COVID diagnosis or stay in quarantine for 10 days
if they don't go to a provider. See the Return to School guidance for more information.

Added 8.15.20
S hould pe ople quarantine while they are waiting for a te s t res ult?
Yes, because this would minimize the potential for the spread of infection if the test is positive.
This is another reason masks are so important.

What s hould be s tate d in the phys ic ian’s no te when returning early from is olation due to
a diffe re ntial diagnos is ?
The note should say “Student may return to school on [date] and his/her illness was not related
to COVID-19.” This is not a HIPAA violation.

We have providers writing no tes for s tude nts who are in a quarantine due to be ing a
clos e contac t a “may return to s cho ol” note.
If a student or staff member is a close contact, he or she must complete the 14-day quarantine,
even a test is negative. We recommend testing for anyone who has COVID-like symptoms, but
a negative test for a close contact or someone with symptoms does not mean the staff or
student can return to school. That requires an alternate “not COVID-19 related” diagnosis from a
provider.

How s hould I res pond when que s tione d about clos e c ontacts having to quarantine 14
days and a pos itive cas e only quarantines 10 days if not s ymptomatic?
Isolation is for a positive case and is related how long someone with COVID-19 continues to
shed the virus. Quarantine is for those being observed for COVID symptoms and is related to
days the virus can show symptoms in a person, which is 14.

If a s tude nt in a c las s room is pos itive and the c los e contac ts in the clas s have be en
notifie d and is olate d, do the s iblings of the clos e c ontacts do not ne ed to be is olated if
they we re ne ver in co ntac t with the pos itive c as e?
No, close contacts of a close contact do not need to quarantine.