Reopening campus and attending school in person during the pandemic is not without risk for both students and staff and while we are eager to bring our community together, we also know that this crisis remains dynamic requiring that we proceed with great caution and care in support of all involved. The San Francisco Department of Health has developed a Risk Acknowledgement Form that must be completed by students, parents and guardians prior to the student returning to campus. Forms will be distributed through our Finalsite platform, families will fill them out electronically, and they will be tracked and filed by the COVID Information Coordinator.

UHS will follow the guidelines of the San Francisco Department of Health to prepare the campus facilities for in-person use.

All school spaces have been set up and clearly marked to ensure proper physical distancing, according to the SFDPH Social Distancing Protocol. This will be done through a combination of removal, physical placement, clear marking of furniture not to be used, as well as physical barriers such as plexiglass shields. Access and use of restrooms will be managed to provide physical separation.

University High School has a third-party facilities agreement with Sodexo, an international provider of Facilities services. Sodexo best practice policy and procedures are utilized at UHS and facilities personnel are trained in regular, enhanced and reactionary cleaning. We utilize Maximo, a software program that tracks work orders and maintenance schedules. The advantage of this software is that it not only tracks the work that has been completed but also identifies and schedules the work that needs to be performed (e.g., change schedule for MERV 13 rated filters, HVAC maintenance, plumbing system flushes, etc.).

Sodexo has provided significant support and information related to creating the safest possible environment in this time of COVID. Additional training for COVID response has been performed for all personnel within the last two months. The facilities team meets weekly to discuss safety issue and concerns and are updated on new cleaning protocols. In addition to the normal daily cleaning, additional COVID-related cleaning procedures have also been implemented.

Daily Procedures

• Electrostatic cleaning is performed at least twice daily in all spaces utilized during the day.
  • Electrostatic cleaning involves spraying a mist over the entire hallway, classroom, office, etc. using VitalOxide, a disinfectant that is safe and dries quickly.

• All high touch surfaces: desks, tables, etc. will be wiped down at least twice daily using Hydrogen Peroxide.
• While students and Faculty and Staff are present, facilities personnel will be continually walking through campus disinfecting doors, door handles, light switches, etc.
• All bathrooms will be cleaned at least three times per day.
• One final cleaning will occur each day, and the door will be sealed with a sticker and the cleaning will be logged as complete.
• Each classroom has a sanitation station that includes disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer, face masks and tissues. Upon entering a classroom, a student/teacher will use the hand sanitizer and take a disinfectant wipe to wipe down the chair and desk they are using. At the end of class, the student/teacher will wipe down the chair and desk they used.

Our student body consists of 16 cohorts and, in our minimum attendance model, four cohorts will be on campus one day per week according to our schedule. Two mentor groups (clusters) from each grade level (26 students per grade (x 4) = 104) will form a cohort, labeled with an element name.

Should the pandemic be under sufficient control to allow limited on-campus, in-person learning (Level 2), students from the ‘Earth’ element (for example) will be permitted to come to school on Mondays; students from the ‘Water’ element on Tuesdays and so on. This allows for tiny in-person cohorts and limited cross-cohort mixing - the average class size will be 4 students, and students will mix with typically just 12 other students per quarter. Students not on campus will still participate online. If a family doesn’t think it is safe to send their child to school during their cohort day that student is welcome to learn from home. Cohorts will be reconfigured at the quarter to allow for broader socialization. Cohorts can be increased in size if pandemic conditions permit (Level 1) - for example, a student would come Monday & Tuesday, but not Thursday & Friday. 

Outdoor spaces will be utilized for instruction to the extent possible but are more suited to activities such as lunch and small-group meetings. Our upper and lower courtyards as well as the roof-top on Middle Campus provide those open spaces on our otherwise urban campus. Well ventilated indoor classrooms are better suited to our program that relies heavily on technology and are currently set up to maintain at least a 6’ distance between all persons.

 Students, faculty and staff will enter and exit campus through one of four designated entrances to provide adult-supervised, sufficient points of access to have their health screen checked and to ensure hand sanitation upon entry. All other entrances will not be accessible, except for emergency purposes or for facilities use. 

• Washington Street Entrance to Middle Campus
• Washington Street Entrance to Lower Campus
• South Campus Entrance
• Jackson Street Entrance

All students, faculty and staff must carry their entry card/school ID, which will be color coded for the day your cohort is on campus. Signage regarding traffic flow and physical distancing are posted throughout our campus buildings.

All classroom/student spaces and offices will have PPE and safety supplies including hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, protective masks and gloves. Face Shields will be provided to each student and adult on campus, which will be used indoors in addition to masks when 6’ physical distancing is not possible or when students are moving around a classroom (especially studios and laboratories). Plexiglass and other plastic barriers have been set up in spaces where students are eating/studying indoors.

Hand sanitizer dispensers are placed in every entrance, hallway, stairwell and public space.

Additional hand washing stations are set up in key places on campus. Signage is throughout campus reminding everyone of handwashing protocols.

Our Partnership with One Medical

We are enrolling all faculty, staff, and students (covered in our current fee structure) in One Medical to provide our students, faculty and staff with a seamless screening, COVID-19 testing and comprehensive healthcare experience through its advanced primary care model.

• UHS faculty, staff, students and their dependents are enrolled in One Medical’s membership program, inclusive of its digital health services, in person care and testing services.
• Membership includes One Medical’s return-to-school/work features such as COVID app-based screening, specimen collection, testing facilitation, test reporting, and patient care follow up through virtual and in-office care as needed.
• One Medical provides specimen collection and integrated testing services at existing testing sites and will work closely with UHS to assess testing frequency and modalities as things continue to emerge.
• One Medical membership includes mental health support such as virtual and in-person group visits billed under standard commercial insurance programs. Additional behavioral health coaching and therapy services are available for an additional fee. 

SYMPTOM SCREENING
All students, faculty and staff are required to use the UHS-approved symptom screening app whose screening checklists are consistent with public health guidance. If a student/employee has active allergy symptoms, they are permitted to medicate for confirmed allergy symptoms, but not for fever reduction. 

Entry to the campus will be allowed only with a blue (COVID-19 risk factors are low) badge on the student/employee’s device or a printed copy of the pdf form generated by the app. We are partnering with One Medical to provide support and administration of these systems. Students must fill out the screening with a parent or guardian before leaving home. 

All employees working on campus will be tested at one of the 37 One Medical sites in the Bay Area every two-months on a rotating basis. The school will monitor the testing dates and has allocated staffing to keep track of testing dates to remind adults of upcoming testing dates, and to ensure that no adult is on campus without a test within that time frame.
 
Students (and the families) have membership and access to the same One Medical testing sites and are strongly encouraged to get tested three days before we return to campus especially if they have engaged in any travel to high-infection areas, or been involved in activities without masks or social distancing protocols, after the following breaks: Thanksgiving break, Winter break, February break and April Break. We will be revisiting student and employee testing protocols as the guidance from SFDPH and rapid testing evolves.

Testing through One Medical is currently providing results in fewer than 72 hours.

The Administrative Assistant to the Deans and COVID Information Coordinator Carol Coles will serve as our primary contact with SFDPH to support data collection efforts to measure and monitor COVID-19 transmission. We will monitor infections/ transmissions using this Google document/COVID tracker.  

To evaluate the effectiveness of infection prevention and control measures we will note when a confirmed case is identified and how any other individuals in our community test positive. If any other positive cases surface, we will re-evaluate our mitigation strategies and make any necessary adjustments. We will prepare a report every other week summarizing the number of new cases identified within the school community and noting any suspected transmissions within a cohort. This report will incorporate the number of new cases, identify the number of individuals per cohort who may have been exposed, the number per cohort who have completed testing, and the number who tested positive. This report will be available to anyone in the school community upon request. 

Carol Coles is also responsible for documenting student absences and any required follow-up. Our staff absences are tracked through our Paylocity human resources portal. Any staff or student who is absent will receive a call to identify if the child/staff or anyone in the household is being tested for COVID-19, or to recommend testing if indicated. Our COVID Information coordinator and Director of Human Resources will make any follow-up recommendations indicated by the SFDPH guidance on suspecting and confirming cases when someone has suspected or confirmed COVID-19. We will document all test results and determine if return-to-work/school rules have been followed.

If a child or staff has a confirmed case, our staff will ensure the SFDPH protocol is followed, including closing that cohort for 10 days and urging students (and requiring adults) any close contacts, particularly those with symptoms, to get tested. All impacted students and staff will get tested and shift to our online learning platform during the quarantine period.  

If a family doesn’t think it is safe to send their child to school during their cohort day, if a student has symptoms that require quarantine, or if we have to isolate a cohort,  that student is welcome to learn from home. Our remote platform is highly effective and has received positive reviews from students, faculty and parents.

When determining to physically close the campus with a full return to remote learning, we will take into consideration the following:

• Relevant counties have returned to the purple tier according to the Blueprint county data chart
• Multiple positive cases in more than one cohort
• More than five percent of on-campus community test positive within a two-week period
• SFDPH determines school closure (e.g. results from public health investigation or other local epidemiological data)
• The school’s inability to enforce guidelines as set out in this document

In public health, the patient’s privacy is a mandate. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, the identity of the person with COVID-19 will not be shared. However, the School will notify the community if there is a confirmed case on campus through our e-notify system and our text alert system, School Messenger.

Signage has been placed throughout campus to inform students and adults of safety protocols to include:

• Physical distancing
• Regular handwashing
• COVID-19 Symptoms
• Maximum Occupancy of classrooms, restrooms, elevators, offices
• Directions for traffic flow throughout hallways and public spaces

• Limited pre-packaged food will be available for purchase.
• Physical distancing (6’) will be required for food pick up and purchase.
• Indoor spaces have been reconfigured for safe distancing and protection during lunchtime
• Weather permitting, students will eat meals in an outdoor space (additional outdoor seating has been added) by mentor-group. Sufficient indoor spaces are available for eating indoors in groups no larger than 14.
• Lunch schedule is staggered to reduce numbers in indoor and outdoor spaces

Classroom, office and public spaces at UHS are held in four buildings throughout our Urban Campus.

• All Upper Campus classrooms will have two portable HEPA air purifiers that remove 99.97% of all contaminants. Classroom windows will remain open at all times to provide natural ventilation and will be supplemented by the use of portable fans.
• The library level of UHS Middle Campus will have portable HEPA air purifiers that remove 99.97% of all contaminants. Windows will remain open at all times to provide natural ventilation and will be supplemented by the use of portable fans. The remaining levels of Middle Campus have an HVAC system that utilizes MERV13 filters, which exceeds code requirements and provides an enhanced level of capture of small particles. These systems will also bring fresh air into the building. UHS is in the process of adding UV light systems in each HVAC system that is very effective at killing viruses, mold and bacteria (completed by Dec. 31, 2020).
• UHS Lower Campus has an HVAC system that utilizes MERV13 filters, which exceeds code requirements and provides an enhanced level of capture of small particles. These systems will also bring fresh air into the building. UHS is in the process of adding UV light systems in each HVAC system that is very effective at killing viruses, mold and bacteria (completed by Dec. 31, 2020). All lower level classrooms on Lower Campus will have two portable HEPA air purifiers that remove 99.97% of all contaminants.
• UHS South Campus has an HVAC system that utilizes MERV13 filters, which exceeds code requirements and provides an enhanced level of capture of small particles. These systems will also bring fresh air into the building. UHS is in the process of adding UV light systems in each HVAC system that is very effective at killing viruses, mold and bacteria (completed by Dec. 31, 2020). The top floor also has natural ventilation.
• UHS has approximately 50 True HEPA air purifiers available for use on campus as needed.
• While inside the building, windows will be open during all hours of operation to permit maximal natural ventilation. In Aug., we tested outside air rates to confirm that the outside air exchange being delivered to all classrooms exceeds code and best practice standards.
• HVAC systems will be run at all times during the school day and filters will be changed at a minimum of once per month.
  • Where possible, windows will remain open to allow for fresh air.
  • Portable air filters will be utilized as needed.

Our Head of School Julia Russell Eells, and Administrative Assistant to Deans Carol Coles are our designated employees for SFDPH to contact about COVID-19. Carol Coles (COVID-19 Information Coordinator) will be responsible for record keeping, notification of exposed persons, and partnering with SFDPH with contact tracing.

Our COVID-19 Information Coordinator has completed training through the Johns Hopkins University on-line Coursera course. We will keep track of and document close contact information through our confidential outbreak tacking document.

If a staff member or student tests positive for COVID-19​, in partnership with the SFDPH, the school community will be notified. Our Administration has prepared draft letters so that we can easily customize and send to various constituents if and when need be. All staff and students within the cohort will quarantine for 10 days and the School will recommend testing for everyone in that cohort. During the quarantine period, students who are healthy enough to do so will attend school remotely​. 

If a household member of a staff or student tests positive​ that staff member will be required, and the student will be strongly urged to test for COVID-19 at the beginning and completion of a 10-day home quarantine period. The 10-day quarantine must be completed for both students and staff. The School will notify the student/staff’s cohort who will continue to attend school on campus.

Per the Quick Guide for School​s,​ SFDPH Home Isolation and Quarantine Guideline​s and the​ California DPH Guidelines on School Re-opening we have developed the following testing and quarantine protocols: 

STUDENTS

• Student has symptoms
  • Notify the school. 
  • Do not come to campus.
  • Consult One Medical
  • CHOICE OF:
    • Quarantine at home for 10 days OR 
    • Take a COVID test
      • Positive result: see ‘Student tests positive’ below
      • Negative result: isolate at home until feeling better. Once 24 hours have passed without fever (and without taking any fever reducing medication), student may return to campus.

• Student tests positive
  • Notify the school. 
  • Do not come to campus.
  • Consult One Medical
  • If symptomatic: do not return for 10 days since initial symptoms and 24 hours without fever (and without taking any fever reducing medication)
  • If not symptomatic: do not return to campus for 10 days following the initial positive test. 
•  

• Close contact or in a household with person with positive test
  • Notify the school.
  • Do not come to campus.
  • Quarantine at home for 10 days from last exposure to a person with a positive test.

• Is in a cohort with students who have tested positive
  • School will notify the cohort.
  • Students will be asked to stay at home for 10 days. 

• Travels outside of the Bay Area
  • If you travel outside the Bay Area, you are strongly encouraged to quarantine for 10 days if you engaged any of the following activities that place you at a higher risk of contracting the virus that causes COVID-19:
    • you interacted for more than 15 minutes within six feet of someone—either with or without a Face Covering—who was experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or who began to experience symptoms of COVID-19 within 48 hours of your interaction with them.
    • you were indoors, including on a plane, train or bus, and either you or those around you were not wearing face coverings at all times;
    • you interacted for more than 15 minutes within six feet of someone—either with or without a Face Covering—who was experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or who began to experience symptoms of COVID-19 within 48 hours of your interaction with them.

EMPLOYEES

• Employee has symptoms
  • Notify the school. 
  • Do not come to campus.
  • Consult One Medical
  • Take a COVID test
    • Positive result: see ‘Employee tests positive’ below
    • Negative result: isolate at home until feeling better. Once 24 hours have passed without fever (and without taking any fever reducing medication), employee may return to campus.

• Employee tests positive 
  • Notify the school. 
  • Do not come to campus.
  • Consult One Medical
  • If symptomatic: do not return for 10 days since initial symptoms and 24 hours without fever (and without taking any fever reducing medication)
  • If not symptomatic: do not return to campus for 10 days following the initial positive test. 

• Close contact or in a household with person with positive test
  • Notify the school.
  • Do not come to campus.
  • Quarantine at home for 10 days from last exposure to a person with a positive test.

• Is in a cohort with students who have tested positive
  • School will notify the cohort.
  • Employee will be asked to take a COVID test and to stay at home for 10 days. 

• Travels outside of the Bay Area
  • If you travel outside the Bay Area, you are strongly encouraged to quarantine for 10 days if you engaged any of the following activities that place you at a higher risk of contracting the virus that causes COVID-19:
    • you interacted for more than 15 minutes within six feet of someone outside your household when you or the other people around you were not wearing a Face Covering at all times;
    • you were indoors, including on a plane, train or bus, and either you or those around you were not wearing face coverings at all times;
    • you interacted for more than 15 minutes within six feet of someone—either with or without a Face Covering—who was experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or who began to experience symptoms of COVID-19 within 48 hours of your interaction with them.

Students or employees who develop symptoms of illness while at school will be isolated in the Health Office in Upper Campus. The Health Office is staffed during school hours and our Health Office/Student Safety Coordinator has developed protocols and a schedule for coverage.

Upon arrival, staff will make the student/staff member comfortable. In the Health Office students and staff will have access to a telenurse through our partner, One Medical to discuss symptoms, guiding our employees, students and their parents and guardians with considerations for isolation, care and testing.

Students and employees will remain in isolation with continued supervision by a Health and Student Safety Monitor until they can be transported home or to a healthcare facility. Students and employees must be picked up by a designated parent/guardian through the Jackson Street entrance. Students may return to the facility when they meet the criteria set forth in SFDPH guidance on COVID-19 Health Checks at Schools, Childcares, and Programs for Children and Youth,

Our healthy school ecosystem relies on students, families and faculty/staff adhering to health guidelines outside of school as well as when on campus. We expect that everyone in our community will continue handwashing, physical distancing, mask wearing and that you avoid large crowds. If we do not practice these safety measures, it will add to the necessity to close our campus. All parents and students are required to review together, sign, and submit (both parents & students) the UHS Pledge of Mutual Responsibility.

We devoted the October 28 faculty/staff meeting (required) for all employees to review and learn about the health and safety features/requirements of our Reopening Plan. Because the majority of our teachers will not return to campus until January 8, we will conduct a refresher at our opening semester meetings.

Students will participate in orientations to the newly configured campus during the week of November 9, attended a virtual All School Meeting to review the Health and Safety Plan, and have had mentor meetings dedicated to training on our One Medical screening app and the discussion of our Pledge of Mutual Responsibility.

We have scheduled a Parent meeting on November 18 to review our reopening plan, key health and safety principles, our Pledge of Mutual Responsibility and Risk Acknowledgement form, as well as information for families about health and safety practices in out-of-school situations.

We will continue to update families through our Sunday on-line bulletin as well as other regular forums for family education. 

On July 20th, The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) announced the postponement of the fall interscholastic season into the winter with a plan to commence in December 2020.  In November, the CIF will be announcing the possibility of restarting athletics December 7 with a modified fall interscholastic season.
 
The UHS athletic and PE department is developing a robust physical education program to meet the needs of all of our students during the first two quarters We will continue to offer remote programming while providing in-person opportunity for physical fitness in adherence to the SFDPH guidelines and stated school protocols.
 
All students will be receiving updated information about the introduction of interscholastic athletics once the CIF has in athletics and physical education from the UHS Athletic and PE Department.

We are committed to the health and well-being of our students and will provide additional staffing to augment our current counseling services. Individuals, affinity groups, and special interest clubs will have access to this additional resource when their needs intersect with the topic of or need for mental and emotional health support. 

We have always made decisions, delivered our programming and supported our students and staff with the guidance of both our Equity and Community Statement as well as our Community Agreements.

We are aware and empathetic to the educational inequities that have been highlighted and exacerbated by COVID-19. Since we first closed school in March, we surveyed every family to determine internet and technology needs and we have supported all families requesting support with hardware, academic software and broadband. Throughout the spring and fall, we continued supporting students on subsidized lunch programs through dispersal of grocery gift cards. We have also made space at school available to a handful of students (practicing all health and safety protocols) for whom learning at home has been a hardship as well as those experiencing power outages. We have provided safe transportation for these students as needed.

Incorporating the experiences from remote learning last spring, UHS transitioned to a modified quarter/semester system for the 2020–21 school year. This system has assisted all students in their learning and has made room for them to attend to myriad family needs and pressures during this time. 

We prioritize the equity and inclusion of all community members, ensuring their health and safety first and foremost, and remaining mindful of the essential staff who are working hard to deliver a safe and excellent academic and extra-curricular program.

Although we are having to shift a significant portion of our program to an at-home, online format, the cost of delivering a UHS education has not changed. Ensuring that we remain in a strong position regarding compensation of our faculty and staff, cleaning and maintaining our campus, and supporting the necessary technology and administrative functions of the school, requires that we continue to charge the tuition that was published for the 2020-21 school year. 

To respond to the anticipated increase in requests for financial assistance, the Board of Trustees and administration increased the tuition assistance budget by 10% this year. We want all of our students and their families to be able to afford a UHS education in these trying times. Please direct all inquiries to Director of Admission and Financial Aid Nate Lundy at: Nate.lundy@sfuhs.org.

We will be assessing the status of additional fees and the possibility of rebates once we determine which fee-based activities will not be taking place. We will be communicating to our families regarding fees at the end of the first two quarters.

• Head of School (Department of Public Health Liaison #1), Julia Russell Eells: Julia.Eells@sfuhs.org
   
• COVID-19 Information Coordinator (Department of Public Health Liaison #2), Carol Coles, staff member: Carol.Coles@sfuhs.org
   
• Dean of Faculty, Assist. Head of School, Nasif Iskander: Nasif.Iskander@sfuhs.org
   
• Chief Financial Officer, Michael Novak: Michael.Novak@sfuhs.org
   
• Dean of Teaching & Learning, Byron Philhour: Byron.Philhour@sfuhs.org
   
• Dean of Students, Alexandra Simmons: Alexandra.Simmons@sfuhs.org
   
• Director of Communications, Jenn Soult: Jenn.Soult@sfuhs.org
   
• Health Office/Student Safety Coordinator - Elizabeth Schaffernoth, staff member: Elizabeth.Schaffernoth@sfuhs.org