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Health and Safety

Face coverings and PPE

  • All employees, visitors, and students are required to wear appropriate face coverings per CDC/DOH recommendations. This requirement will be posted on all entry doors to the buildings. 
  • Masks will not be required for outdoor activities during the school day. 
  • The Mayfield Central School District will continue to review any regulations provided by the state and act in accordance with these requirements as needed.
  • Disposable masks will be available to students and staff to use if needed. 
  • Face shields are not acceptable as the sole means for face coverings. Face shields worn without other face coverings are not considered adequate protection or source control against COVID-19 and should not be used alone.
  • Gloves will be provided to employees who will be in high-intensity contact with students. 
  • Mask breaks will be provided throughout the day at the teachers’ discretion.

Education of students and staff

  • Mayfield Central School District’s COVID-19’s Safety Coordinator will be Jennifer Sanford, whose responsibilities include continuous compliance with all aspects of the District’s reopening plan, as well as any phased-in reopening activities necessary to allow for operational issues to be resolved before activities return to normal or “new normal” levels.
  • Flyers are posted throughout the school on hand-washing and respiratory hygiene, and students will be reminded to wash their hands frequently and to maintain physical distance.  

Testing Protocols/Exposure

  • If a student or employee is symptomatic (fever, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea), they will be sent home immediately. Students will have to isolate themselves in the school building until they can be picked up from school.

  • The student or employee must then seek medical attention and must have a note from a medical provider or a negative COVID-19 test, and a resolution of symptoms before returning to school.

  • In the event that large-scale testing may need to be conducted at the school, the district administration will consult with the school physician or the county health department in conjunction with the New York State Department of Health to identify potential provider(s) to develop testing protocols and/or procedures.

  • In accordance with DOH guidelines, a student or employee who tests positive for COVID-19 will be isolated for a minimum of 10 days from the start of symptoms. The student or employee must be three days without a fever, without use of antipyretic (Tylenol or Ibuprofen) and have progressive improvement in symptoms before returning.

  • In the case of a positive COVID-19 test, the local health department will contact the student, parent or employee to perform the case investigation and contact tracing.

 Contact tracing

  • In the event of a positive case in the school community, Mayfield CSD will follow all directives from the Fulton County Health Department.
  • The county health department will conduct case investigations of individuals with confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19. Contact tracing follows case investigations and is a process to identify, monitor and support individuals who may have been exposed to a person with COVID-19.  
  • If a COVID-19 case is identified, the county health department will contact the school and request assistance from the school to identify potential contacts. The school district will do its part in contact tracing by providing attendance records and schedules of students and staff members. The main  offices at both the elementary school and the junior/senior high school will keep a log of any visitors which includes date, time and location visited. In addition, the Mayfield Central School District Office will keep a log of any visitors which includes date, time and location visited.
  • The district will protect private information of staff and students while assisting and cooperating with any contact tracing efforts.
  • Contact tracing begins 48 hours prior to the start of symptoms or 48 hours prior to the positive test for an asymptomatic person. 
  • The local health department will notify the school for collaboration with contract tracing. Those who came in contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19 will be referred to local testing sites and can return to school after the 10-day quarantine period. 
  • According to Fulton County Public Health, close contacts of a COVID-19 positive individual are:
    • All persons within 3 feet of a positive case for more than 20 minutes cumulatively over a 24 hour period (indoors or outdoors)
    • Teachers and staff within 3-6 feet of a case for more than 20 minutes cumulatively over a 24 hour period (indoors or outdoors)
    • Students within 3-6 feet of a case for more than 20 minutes cumulatively over a 24 hour period UNLESS masks were worn correctly by all throughout the entire time of exposure. Therefore, mask breaks during the time of exposure would mean the students were contacts. (indoors or outdoors)
  • A negative COVID test or a release of quarantine will need to be presented. According to the CDC, people who are fully vaccinated do NOT need to quarantine after contact with someone who had COVID-19 unless they have symptoms. However, fully vaccinated people should get tested 3-5 days after their exposure, even if they do not have symptoms, and wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until their test result is negative.

Management of ill persons 

Students and staff who are feeling ill will be assessed by the school nurse for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and will be sent home for the following: a temperature greater than 100.0 F (thermal scan) with referral to their medical provider; for complaint of shortness of breath, cough, and oxygen saturation of 90% or below, and will be referred to seek further medical evaluation.  

Students exhibiting signs or symptoms of COVID-19 will be sent directly to the designated isolation area while awaiting transportation home. 

At the Elementary School: Students who display COVID-19 symptoms will remain in an isolation room, adjacent to the school nurse’s office, until his or her parent/guardian arrives to pick up the student. They will then exit the building from the closest exit, from the adjacent room, limiting exposure to other students or staff. The person picking the child up will wait in their vehicle, on the side of the school, in the bus loop and a staff member will walk the student out. Students and staff will be required to follow appropriate CDC guidelines of those returning to education, after the exhibition of COVID symptoms. Appropriate documentation/clearance from the Department of Health or physician must exist for the student or staff to return to school.

At the Junior-Senior High School: Students who display COVID-19 symptoms will remain in an isolated section of the school nurse’s office, until his or her parent/guardian arrives to pick up the student. They will then exit the building from the nurses office, when the office and hallway are clear, limiting exposure to other students and staff.  Parents will wait in their vehicle in front of the school. Students and staff will be required to follow appropriate CDC guidelines of those returning to education, after the exhibition of COVID symptoms. Appropriate documentation/clearance from the Department of Health or physician must exist for the student or staff to return to school.