Below is Developing Minds Written Protocol for Covid-19 Operation.

Developing Minds Preschool and Learning Center

2106 St. James Church Road

Wilmington, DE 19808

(302)995-9611

Arrival and Screening of each student and staff. Absolutely no staff or students will be allowed to enter the facility with any cold symptoms, including a runny nose at this time.

1.The preschool will use the side entrance only to the building for entering and exiting the building.

2.Children are checked in and out at this door. No Parent/Guardians will enter the building for any reason.

3.Developing Minds will stagger drop off and pick up times to avoid congestion.

4.A check in and check out table with protective partition will be used to receive the children to be signed in.

5.A hand sanitizing station will be in place at this location.

6.We would like to put up a temporary barrier outside the Rector’s office from Ceiling to floor to protect the front end of the building. (Thinking a pressure rod with a curtain hanging to create this barrier.

7.We would exclusively use the upstairs bathrooms during school hours only and clean and disinfect after each group use and again at the end of the day. One Classroom teacher will remain behind to sanitize this space.

8.A temporary barrier would be also constructed from ceiling to floor from the tunnel to the playroom downstairs to allow for playground time. Our proposal is that church staff use the downstairs bathrooms extensively during DMP hours.

9.Screening of each staff member will occur by a director before entering the building.

10.Screening of each child will occur by cleared staff before entering the building.

Screening: Screener will sanitize hands and be wearing their face mask and disposable gloves.

•A visual inspection of the child or staff member will be made for signs of illness, which could include flushed cheeks, rapid breathing, difficulty breathing, fatigue, fussiness. Screener will confirm that the child is not coughing or shortness of breath.

•Screener will survey the staff member or parent of the child verbally asking if any signs of illness are present. If feasible screener can ask the child questions.

•Screener will then take the child or staff members temperature with the provided non-contact thermometer. (if no contact was made between temperature checks gloves do not have to be changed.) Thermometer will be cleaned with and alcohol wipe or isopropyl alcohol on a cotton swab between each client. You may use the same wipe if it remains wet.

•Staff or children that do not pass the screening will not enter the building and will be sent home.

•Staff and children will be mandated to stay home if any cold symptoms are present.

•Record screening results on check in paperwork.

•Sanitize hands with hand sanitizer.

•Sanitize pen used to sign in after each use with alcohol wipe.

11.Once the child is cleared, they will be released to transport staff where they will go wash their hands and hang backpack and proceed to classroom. Students will remain with the same caregivers for the duration of their day.

12.Caregivers will create space to play but allow children to socially distance as best they can.

13.All classrooms will eat snack in their classrooms and practice social distancing being placed 6ft apart so they can remove face covering. Once the child is done, they will sanitize their hands and put on their mask.

14.  One designated staff member will sanitize the play area between each use giving at least 15 minutes of time to pass for sanitizing as well as passing in the hallways.

15.Once all children have left the building DMP staff will sanitize rooms, bathrooms, hallways and any surface touched as they leave through the side entrance.

16.No outside individuals will be admitted to the building for any reason. (The only exception I see is Licensing/Fire Marshall/Fire Extinguisher, Electrical Inspection and Sprinkler Inspectors)

Mandated Requirements:

Cloth Face Coverings:

Staff: Cloth face coverings will always be mandatory for all staff upon entering the building until they exit the building. Developing Minds will provide each staff member with 3 cloth coverings. One to wear, One to Wash and one spare. Face coverings will be distributed at the teachers meeting prior to the beginning of school. Developing Minds will keep extra face masks on hand in case of unforeseen mask failures. Any staff member who refuses to wear a mask will not be working for us.

Children: All children that attend Developing Minds must wear a cloth face mask. Parents will be encouraged to practice with their children with the face masks long before school begins. Developing Minds will hold Orientation prior to the start of school with each family and will provide written education in our parent handbook to help educate families on the importance of this practice. Parents and guardians who refuse to wear face masks or to have their child wear one will not be welcome to attend Developing Minds Preschool and Learning Center, Inc.Everyday Preventative Measures:Directors will continue communication with fellow centers, OCCL, St. James and Department of Health to continue education and preventative measures.

Directors will train staff on procedures and follow up throughout the day to assure each teacher is adhering to protocol.

Directors will communicate prior to school during orientation and then daily via our Group Me app communication system to ensure families are practicing preventative measures to assure everyone’s safety.

Parents will be reminded to monitor children for signs of illness and keep them home if sick. Developing Minds has ALWAYS had a strict policy on this.

Signs from the Division of Public Health will be posted at every entrance as well as sent to each family and staff leading up to our start and as needed thereafter.

Plan for staff absences

Staff requirements will be based on enrollment. DMP ratios are well within guidelines and we have an extensive list of certified teachers for substitutes who will be well versed in our protocol. Staff are required to notify directors directly when ill immediately and a substitute teacher will be arranged. Director will document symptoms of illness and absenteeism to identify trends in illness.

Plan for when a child/staff member becomes ill at DMP:

When a child or staff member becomes ill at school a director will be notified immediately. We will isolate the child to the preschool office immediately and call the parents for pick up asap. Staff members who become ill will be sent home immediately and a replacement teacher would be shifted to that classroom. The classroom will be sanitized immediately.

Plan for a positive case of Covid-19

A positive case of Covid-19 would require immediate notification of our Licensing Specialist, Department of Health, St. James Church Millcreek and all staff and parents at our school. Developing Minds would immediately adhere to a mandated operation plan for the required amount of time with guidance from OCCL and DPH. All areas would be sanitized immediately.

Sanitizing

•Developing Minds will clean and sanitize rooms, common areas, bathrooms and toys multiple times throughout the day and after each use.

•Directors will wipe all common surfaces down on their way out of the building and make sure common areas are safe for use by others including doors, knobs and railings.

Developing Minds Preschool and Learning Center, Inc. is committed to a successful return to school and we will take every measure to protect our children, staff and St. James from exposure by diligently adhering to the protocol mandated to us. We will certainly adjust and modify with guidance from OCCL, Delaware Department of Health and St. James, Millcreek request updates in protocol.