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Adapt, Advance, Achieve: Connecticut’s Plan to Learn and Grow Together
• For facilities with central ventilation systems, increase ventilation rates and increase
the percentage of outdoor air that circulates into the system where possible. For
facilities where a central ventilation system is not used, window air conditioning units
should be adjusted to maximize fresh air intake into the system, blower fans should
be set on low speed and pointed away from room occupants to the extent possible.
• Ceiling fans should be adjusted so that fins are rotating in a direction that draws
air up toward the ceiling rather than down onto occupants. Window fans should be
turned to exhaust air out of the window in the direction of the outdoors. Window fans
that blow air into a room or free-standing fans that only serve to circulate existing air
around a room should not be used.
No-Touch Usage
Guidance
• Enable no-touch usage of items such as doors, trashcans, and bathroom fixtures,
where possible.
• Where no touch technologies are not available, prop open doors in accordance with
fire and safety codes, and remove trash lids.
Training Related to Facilities
Requirements
• Identify the training needs of staff related to health and safety protocols; perform
such training prior to the first day of classes.
• For consistency and to facilitate refresher trainings, consider designating 1-2 people
in each building to serve as trainers.
• Plan an in-person or online training that includes: social distancing; cleaning
protocols; and hygiene practices. Require attendance by all students and staff, and
make available to families who are interested. Consider repeating this training during
the first months that school reopens, and as needed.
• Ensure training is provided to substitutes or others who may enter the school outside
of the first day or typical calendar start.
Guidance
• Consider having training days and days to practice new protocols with staff only prior
to having students enter the building.
Bathroom Protocols
Requirements
• Comply with DPH guidance for cleaning and disinfecting of schools during COVID-19.
• Maximize use of disposable towels in lieu of hand dryers, due to ventilation
considerations. Turn off and avoid use of hand dryers.
Guidance
• Review the school floorplan and consider ahead of time the best way to use, assign,
and access bathrooms.
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Identify at least one separate bathroom near the isolation room, preferably
single stall, that would be used in conjunction with any individual who began
experiencing symptoms while at school.
Plan and communicate ways to maximize social distancing in multi-stall shared
bathrooms.
Assess ways specific bathrooms should be assigned to student cohorts, if
possible.