Summer School | Personal Protection
• Wearing face coverings or masks: All students and school personnel, unless otherwise exempt, must
always use a face mask while on school property or a school bus. Face covering includes cloth face
covering or face masks. This requirement also applies to parents dropping off or picking up children.
Instructions for the use of face masks or coverings are available from the CDC. The following
individuals are exempt from this requirement per CDC guidelines:
– Anyone for whom use of a face mask would be contrary to his or her health or safety because of
a medical condition;
– A child whose parent, guardian or person responsible for the child is unable to remove the face
mask safely on their face.
In addition, educators that can maintain a six-foot distance with students and determine that
removing their face covering is critical for instruction, can consider removing their face covering.
For the safety of themselves and others in the school community, students with special healthcare
needs who may require suctioning, nebulizer treatments, high-flow oxygenation, or conditions that
aerosolize secretions or conditions that create uncontrolled respiratory secretions, must provide
medical and treatment authorizations from their healthcare provider on how to provide their safe
and effective care while in school, including the PPE that must be used by school staff.
• Providing face covering: Schools must provide face covering to any student or staff member who
does not have one. Face covering includes cloth face covering or face masks.
– Face masks. Surgical or procedure masks should be reserved for healthcare professionals (HCP),
such as the school nurse or school medical advisor, or for staff providing direct support to
students with special healthcare needs or disabilities.
– N95 respirators. N95 respirators should be primarily reserved for school nurses who may be
involved in aerosol-generating procedures such as, provision of oxygen via high-flow nasal
cannula, nebulizer treatments, and open suctioning. These masks must be properly fitted to the
wearer to ensure the effectiveness of the mask. Staff not engaged in providing such procedures
may wear cloth face coverings (or procedure mask if available).
– Face Shields. Face shields protect the eyes, nose and mouth from contamination from
respiratory droplets, along with masks or respirators.
– Face shields should be used by staff (such as school nurses) who are involved in aerosol-
generating procedures such as, provision of oxygen via high-flow nasal cannula, nebulizer
treatments, and open suctioning.
– Face shields worn with face masks, may also be used by staff who support students with
special healthcare needs (who are not able to wear masks and who may need assistance
with activities of daily living, such as toileting, eating).
– Face shields may also be worn by students during speech and language exercises when
face coverings/masks are not appropriate for the activity.
• Protecting high-risk educators: In cases where close contact between educators and students is
highly likely (such as when interacting with certain students with disabilities who cannot socially
distance), schools must provide educators with surgical masks and face shields.
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