Health and Safety Guidance for Team Members Choosing to Return to Work
Dear Central Office Leaders,
Next week, many of our teachers and team members are back from summer break, and while we continue to encourage remote work as we start the school year with remote learning, we realize there may be some staff members wondering what this looks like for central office staff. Please know that at this time no one is required to report to their school or office unless explicitly directed by their supervisor; however, for those who choose to return to their school or office site, we want to make sure we’ve also shared the latest health guidance to protect all team members. At this time, only school personnel and district staff are permitted in buildings, with the exception of children participating in child care starting on Aug. 17.
Please refer to this
one-pager for an at-a-glance reference of the health guidelines outlined in this communication, and please review this important information below.
Note that teachers and other staff members who would like to work from their classroom or school building should please work with their school leaders or supervisor to make those arrangements.
Return to Central Office Buildings
Beginning
Aug. 17, our administration buildings will be open for central support staff who want to return to their worksite. In order to follow the latest health guidelines, protocols have been developed to ensure we don't exceed 50% capacity on any floor, including reserving a seat in the building. Employees will need to complete this
reservation form to let us know you will be coming at
least 24 hours prior to your intended arrival. For more information on scheduling a seat at an administrative building, please email Lea Porter. For more details about returning to central office buildings, please review this
FAQ.
The Senior Leadership Team is currently working in-person at Emily Griffith Campus. The plan for the rest of our central support team to return to in-person work is:
- The Extended Leadership Team will be asked to return in-person one week before schools return to in-person learning, to help prepare for school reopening.
- All other central office team members will be asked to return on an A/B schedule one week after in-person has started.
Looking ahead at our larger return to in-person class and work, a slightly modified scheduling process will be offered for managers to indicate which employees will be in the building on which days, and where they will sit. More information will be shared as its available.
We are working hard to make this return as smooth as possible including planning for thorough cleaning, workstation spacing, HVAC system specifications, and building traffic flow. If you have questions, please contact
DeVita Bruce.
The DPS 5: I Protect You; You Protect Me
As some team members may choose to return to their worksite, please keep in mind these important health guidelines:
1. Complete your pre-work health screening
- Employees returning to a DPS building are required to complete a health screening every day before entering. Any employee entering a building must complete this Employee Health Screening Form from your phone or home computer, including answering a series of questions about your symptoms.
-
Please stay home if you are sick. If you have a fever (temperature of 100.4 or above) or answer “yes” to any of the symptom-screening questions, you cannot enter the building; please notify your supervisor and contact your medical provider, if appropriate. If you have symptoms, but you feel like you can still work, you can make plans with your supervisor to work remotely until you can return to work in person.
- Before Labor Day, we plan to launch an app that will follow a similar questionnaire. More information about that app will be shared soon. Once students return to buildings, students and staff will be required to show successful completion of the health screening app daily in order to enter the building.
2. Wear a mask or face covering.
- Face coverings are required, except when you are alone in your enclosed office or classroom. Please note, face coverings must cover over your nose and mouth, and a face shield is not a substitute for a mask. Learn more.
3. Maintain physical distance.
- Please make all efforts to maintain at least 6 feet distance from other adults. This is especially important in common walkways near other workspaces, and when accessing restrooms and break areas.
4. Meet virtually.
- To maintain safe physical distancing, at this time employees may not hold adult in-person meetings or use communal spaces such as refrigerators, microwaves, faculty lounges, etc. All staff meetings, professional development and other meetings should be conducted virtually.
5. Practice good hygiene.
- Cover coughs and sneezes, and avoid touching your face. Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if handwashing is not possible.
COVID-19 Testing
As we shared Monday, DPS is partnering with Denver-based Gary Community Investments to provide access to free COVID-19 testing and support to all of Team DPS. We strongly encourage employees to get tested, beginning with those who are already reporting on-site and followed by those who will be returning to work in person at a later point. Sign-ups are available
here. Please reach out to your supervisor if you have questions, or email
coronavirusinfo@dpsk12.org.
Warm regards,
Susana
