Needham Public Schools Visitor Protocol During COVID-19 (draft Aug 31, 2020)
In order to maintain the health and safety of the Needham Public Schools Community during COVID-19, the following Visitor Protocol has been developed:
The following visitors and consultants are considered to be essential and may enter schools:
- Special education contract providers, if there is no remote option for their service.
- Service people for elevators/HVAC/immovable objects (by appointment only)
- Emergency Services Mental Health Providers doing urgent evaluations
- DCF only for emergencies
- Fire Department Personnel
- Police Department Personnel
- NEDP personnel
- EMS
The following visitors are not considered to be essential and may NOT enter schools at this time:
- College reps/ military recruiters
- Parents or other volunteers
- Community volunteers
- Outside program personnel (during and after school hours)
- Service workers who pick up shredding barrels- should be picked up from the outside of the building
- Service workers who can pick-up items requiring service/repair outside of the buildings
- Community Education and sports groups who rent space in our buildings
- Private lesson music program, if can’t be done virtually, then by appointment only in a designated space
- Delivery workers-need to meet school personnel outside of building or have drop box
- Elderly walkers
- Instrument rental/repair worker-Instruments should be picked up/dropped off at the Main Office, pre-arranged through the school secretary.
Health Protocols for Essential Visitors
All visitors deemed “essential” must complete the following measures in order to enter Needham Public Schools Buildings:
- Must make an appointment with the school secretary prior to entrance to schools; school secretary will maintain log and share entrance requirements with visitors.
- Anyone who does not have an appointment will not be allowed to enter buildings.
- Must complete an Attestation Survey at home prior to coming to NPS.
- Must wear a face mask/cloth face covering at all times upon entering and throughout
Visit.
- Face mask/cloth face covering must be self-provided; replacement masks will be available in the Main Office for those essential visitors who have forgotten their mask
- Must wash/sanitize hands upon entering building and if/when changing locations in building.
- Must check in at Main Office.
- Must provide list of people visitor will be coming in contact with; if confidentiality is an issue, must have list available in case student/visitor/staff becomes ill with COVID-19 and must disclose locations of building(s) visited.
- Must maintain physical distancing of at least 3 feet, preferably 6 feet, and must maintain proper personal protective equipment (PPE) including face shields and masks if unable to maintain physical distancing requirements.
- Must travel directly to where the business is, and leave immediately after.
- Must bring own supplies when feasible to minimize sharing of materials.
- If transportation drivers need to use the bathrooms at Newman, they should park their vehicle outside of the cafeteria, enter through the cafeteria and use those restrooms.
- Must notify school and stay home if experiencing any symptoms of any illness
- If visitor becomes ill after having entered NPS building, must call Director of School Health Services immediately at: (781)455-0416 x 55382.
For parents who are dropping off items that have been forgotten
- There should be a bin/box outside of the door, if building has foyer, entranceway, or right inside the door for parent/guardian to drop off forgotten item.
- Parent/Guardian must call secretary ahead of time with a description of the items that are to be dropped off and a time for drop off.
- Secretary will notify student to retrieve item.
The list of essential visitors, and the ability to enter school buildings may change according to COVID-19 trends.
8/2020