COVID-19 Protocols

Guidance and Requirements

These protocols incorporate and adhere to current Erie County Department of Health, New York State Education Department, New York State Department of Health, New York Governor’s Office, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requirements and guidance.

All protocols related to student sports and recreation reflects Erie County Department of Health Youth Sports Guidance as well as New York State Department of Health Interim Guidance for Sports and Recreation During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.

Key points:

• All students age 12+ are strongly encouraged to be fully vaccinated to protect themselves, other students, prevent school closures, and allow BuffSci to continue to provide in-person instruction
• All BuffSci staff are required to be fully vaccinated or tested weekly
• Entryway daily body scans will continue
• Daily entry screening questionnaires will continue
• Universal masking and social distancing is required
• Parents/guardians must follow any COVID-19 instruction provided due to exposures, close contact, quarantines, and/or school closures
• All students, drivers, and bus staff are required to wear a mask on school buses, school transportation, and public transportation regardless of vaccination status
• BuffSci will implement a  COVID-19 testing program  on-school-site by an external provider with quarantine protocols followed for those who test positive
• All unvaccinated student athletes participating in high-risk sports (see Section H) must be tested twice weekly and within 24 hours of games, competitions, and tournaments

For student athletics, families must review, discuss, and agree to adhere to BuffSci protocols as well as league COVID-19 policies for youth sports and discuss with their children prior to them signing up for or participating in BuffSci athletics.

Any necessary reversion to school by remote means due to number of exposures and/or Erie County Department of Health, New York State Department of Health, or New York Governor’s Office proclamations may be instituted on short notice. Parents/guardians should have family or child care plans to enable their child’s full participation in remote instruction should that happen.

Monitoring Community COVID-19 Transmission

BuffSci, as with all New York public schools, must stay up-to-date and well informed on Erie County COVID-19 transmission levels (low, moderate, substantial, or high*) in order to keep students, staff, and visitors protected from COVID-19 at the highest levels. Staying in close contact and coordinating with the Erie County Department of Health allows BuffSci to respond immediately to risks and dangers, implement guidance and recommendations as quickly as possible, and connect COVID-19-positive individuals rapidly.

BuffSci COVID-19 Coordinator Contact:                

• Ginger Ragland, ginger@bascs.org

School COVID-19 Contacts:

• BuffSci Elementary School Contact: Ashley piazza, piazza@bascs.org
• BuffSci Middle School Contact: Kelly Wilczak, wilczak@bascs.org
• BuffSci High School Contact: Giray Gebes, gebes@bascs.org
• BuffSci2 Contact: Brianna Lanoye, lanoye@bascs.org

BuffSci Executive Director: Dr. Joseph Polat, (716) 854-2490 X 1111, polat@bascs.org

Coordination with Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH): BuffSci is required to cooperate with Erie County Department of Health contact tracers who are responsible to contact parents, school staff, and school visitors who are considered to be contacts exposed to a COVID-19 case.

Erie County Levels of COVID-19: As in the 2020-21 school year, BuffSci must close schools when Erie County rates of COVID-19 transmission are high. BuffSci implemented a hybrid model of school in 2020-21 that included remote instruction for all students and in-person and socially distanced instruction for students in need of specialized instruction and/or therapy. BuffSci is capable of reverting to this model immediately upon ECDOH notification.

NOTES:

• The use of the term “teacher” includes classroom teachers, substitute teachers, specials teachers, instructional specialists and coaches, Master Teachers, therapists, counselors, social workers, nurses, and other certificated personnel
• The use of the term “staff” includes non-certificated personnel as well as school and district administrators

*County-level data tracker: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view (Select New York and Erie County)

Table of Contents

Section A Masking5

Universal Indoor Masking5

Outdoor Masking5

Busing and School Transportation5

Mask Breaks5

Exceptions6

Section B Social Distancing6

Social Distance Requirements6

Seating Charts and Assigned Areas6

Student Cohorting6

Close Contacts7

Adult Social Distancing7

Quarantine7

Band, Chorus, and Orchestra8

Busing and Transportation8

Section C Handwashing8

Section D Health Monitoring8

School Entry Screening8

Questionnaire Screening9

Developing Illness at School9

Section E Returning to School Following Illness10

Returning to School Following COVID-19-Like Illness10

COVID-19 Positive Case10

Section F Notice of a COVID-19 Positive Case11

Section G Quarantine11

Quarantine11

Fully-Vaccinated Individuals11

Unvaccinated / Not-Fully-Vaccinated Individuals11

Seating Charts12

Section H Youth Sports and Recreation Activities12

All Sports and Recreation12

Sports Classification: Lower-, Moderate-, and High-Risk Youth Sports and Recreation13

Types of Play Spectrum14

Screening14

Masking for All Types of Play14

Moderate- and High-Risk Youth Sports15

Positive COVID-19 Cases15

School Shift to Full Remote/Virtual Learning Due to COVID-1915

Indoor Facility Capacity15

Outdoor Facility Capacity16

Travel for Games and Competition16

Section I COVID-19 Vaccination16

Section J COVID-19 Screening Testing16

Section K Cleaning and Disinfection17

Section L Ventilation17

School Ventilation17

Bus and Student Transportation Ventilation18

Applicable and Cited Requirements and Guidelines19

A. Masking

Universal Indoor Masking

• Required for all students, staff, and school visitors regardless of vaccination status
• Masks must be worn at all times in all classrooms and non-classroom settings
• Students may remove their masks during meals as long as they sit 3 feet apart and per BuffSci meal seating charts
• Masks must be two layers of material(s) and be cloth-based or surgical masks that cover both the mouth and nose
• Bandanas, gators, and clear face shields are not acceptable masks
• BuffSci has sufficient masking for students that meet requirements
• Masks must be worn during indoor school activities and events

Outdoor Masking

• Masks are not required to be worn outdoors, however, social distancing must be maintained.
• If attending and/or participating in outdoor events or activities, social distancing (a minimum of 3 feet/vaccinated or 6 feet/nonvaccinated or following school signs) must be maintained in order to not wear a mask outdoors.
• For larger/more crowded outdoor activities, masks are required for non-vaccinated students and for vaccinated students with family member/home residents who are immunocompromised. Social distancing still applies regardless of vaccination status—follow school directions or signs.
• Mask requirements are required for athletic activities and participation. See Section H.

Buses and School Transportation

• Regardless of the method for getting to school and returning home, masks must be worn at all times. This includes school buses/First Student buses, public transportation/Buffalo Metro, BuffSci vans or vehicles, field trip transportation, parent carpooling, etc.
• Drivers, including carpool drivers, and bus staff must also wear masks
• This applies to transportation to/from school events and activities for all students, staff, volunteers, parents, bus drivers, and bus staff regardless of vaccination status.

Mask Breaks

• Student mask breaks can be taken once every hour for no more than 5 minutes
• Teachers will identify mask breaks in their classroom or setting
• Teachers may stagger mask breaks with identified student cohorts in order to limit exposure
• Mask breaks must adhere to social distancing requirements. Students must remain seated and be still at their desks—this may include during class work time.

Exceptions

The COVID-19  Coordinator contact has worked with/is working with each school to identify students and staff who cannot safely wear a mask because of a disability or medical condition and has worked/communicated with parents/guardians and/or staff to determine appropriate masking accommodations.

If this has not occurred for eligible students, parents/guardians should contact BuffSci COVID-19 Coordinator Contact at phone or email to ensure an appropriate accommodation. Eligible staff should contact their school COVID-19 contact.

• Written documentation of a medical or physical condition must be provided by a physician or licensed medical provider before an exception is provided

B. Social Distancing

Social Distance Requirements

Applies to all settings and rooms in each school including common areas of lunchrooms, breakfast and lunch lines to access meals, gyms, libraries, hallways, bathrooms, auditoriums, entryways, etc.

• At least 3 feet of physical distance between students, combined with mask wearing, regardless of vaccination status
• At least 6 feet of physical distance between teachers and students combined with mask wearing

Seating Charts and Assigned Areas

• Teachers, instructional specialists, and specials teachers must establish seating charts (assigned areas for gym) for all of their students, regardless of vaccination status in a cohort fashion to lessen exposure
• Students will sit/stay with their cohort as much as possible throughout the day including lunch and specials
• Along with masking requirements, students must adhere to social distancing established by the school, teachers, and staff regardless of vaccination status
  

Student Cohorting

Cohorting means keeping students together in a small group and having each group stay together throughout an entire day—this limits the spread of COVID-19 between groups.

• Students must stay with their assigned cohort throughout the day including lunch and specials
• Classrooms, instructional settings, gyms, libraries, auditoriums, counseling activities, and lunchrooms must be set up to accommodate social distancing requirements in a way that prevents intermingling between cohorts
• Efforts must be made to ensure cohorts are fixed (containing the same students)
• Teachers must maintain seating charts and attendance for each cohort—needed to quickly identify close contact(s) in the case of exposure to positive COVID-19
• Teachers may instruct more than one cohort as long as appropriate social distancing is maintained

Close Contacts

• Any student within 3 feet or any teachers/staff within 6 feet of a positive COVID-19 positive case for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period during the time the case was infectious regardless of whether masks were worn
• Each school must maintain  a list of close contacts by classroom, instructional setting, gym, library, lunchroom, counseling groups, bus, sports, and extracurricular activities so that Erie County Department of Health can identify close contacts for COVID-19 testing and/or quarantine.

Adult Social Distancing

• Teachers/staff must adhere to social distance and masking requirements at all times including at school meetings, teacher breaks, planning sessions, collaboration meetings/discussions, and school assignment meetings
• At least 6 feet of physical distance must be maintained
• School visitors, parents/guardians, volunteers, contractors, and vendors must maintain 6 feet of physical distance with masks at all times
• As much as possible, schools will use virtual staff/faculty meetings and planning

Quarantine: For Those in Close Contact to COVID-19 Exposure

• Unvaccinated students within 3 feet of the positive case for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period must quarantine regardless if masks were worn
• Unvaccinated teachers/staff within 6 feet of the positive case for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period must quarantine regardless if masks were worn
• Fully vaccinated individuals identified as close contacts of a positive case are not subject to quarantine
• Affected students in quarantine will participate in school by virtual means—please follow school remote sign-in, attendance, and instructional participation procedures used in 2020-21

NOTE: All BuffSci teachers and staff must be fully vaccinated unless an exception has been made by BuffSci Executive Director.

Band, Chorus, and Orchestra

Projecting the voice (singing) or playing a wind instrument

• All individuals must be 6 feet apart during practice and lessons and must wear a mask when not singing or playing
• All individuals must be 6 feet apart during performances and must wear a mask when not singing or playing
• At least 6 feet of physical distance between the performers and audience, without exception, must be maintained during all performances

Busing and Transportation

• Daily, activities, field trip, and/or event seating and attendance chart will be maintained
• Students from the same household must sit in the same seats
• Students from different households should not share seats
• Buses will be loaded from back to front

C. Handwashing

• All students, staff, and school visitors must frequently wash their hands for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer to reduce exposures
• Handwashing must occur after:

• Touching eyes, nose, or mouth
• Touching mask
• Touching an item or surface that may be frequently touched by other people
• After using the toilet

• Handwashing is with soap and water for at least 20 seconds each time

D. Health Monitoring

School Entry Screening

School entry body scans will continue. All staff, students, parents/guardians, visitors, contractors, and vendors must use school designated entryways set up with body scanners.

• Daily health screenings, including temperature and a COVID-19 symptom questionnaire, will occur upon entry into each school
• If any individual has a temperature greater than 100°F or reports one or more COVID-19 symptom, regardless of vaccination status, they must be denied entry into the school/facility and sent directly to the school’s isolation room prior to being picked up or sent home

COVID-19 symptoms include the following:

• Fever
• Chills
• Rigors
• Muscle aches
• Headache
• Back pain
• Fatigue
• Runny nose
• Congestion
• Sore throat
• Loss of smell
• Loss of taste
• Shortness of breath
• Difficulty breathing
• Wheezing
• Chest pain
• Cough
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Dehydration
• Altered mental status/confusion
• Seizures

Questionnaire Screening

• Daily digital screening questionnaires will continue for students, teachers/staff, student teachers, scheduled volunteers, and any visitor (including parents/guardians) arriving at the school

• If COVID-19 temperature or symptoms are identified, the student must go to the school’s isolation room and follow isolation room protocols in BuffSci reopening plan
• When/if COVID-19 screenings are positive, BuffSci COVID-Coordinator contact will forward to the Erie County Department of Health for follow-up
• Students screening positive will attend school by remote means and follow school log-in, attendance, and participation protocols used in 2020-21 school year

Developing Illness at School

• Any student or staff member who develops COVID-19 symptoms while at school, regardless of vaccination status, must be immediately placed in the school’s isolation room and picked up by a parent/guardian if a student or sent home if a staff member
• Any student or staff showing or relaying COVID-19 signs will be assessed by BuffSci’s Registered Nurse (Lynn Lent) in the isolation room prior to being picked up or going home
• BuffSci’s Registered Nurse will provide instructions for parents/guardians and staff for next steps including immediately taking the child/going to the individual’s doctor or medical provider
• Immediate follow-up by parents/guardians and staff must occur

School isolation rooms will be staffed by each school’s nurse who will monitor and oversee the isolation room as well as maintain daily logs of activity. Daily logs will be available for Erie County Department of Health information, review, and determining close contacts.

E. Returning to School Following Illness

Returning to School Following COVID-19-Like Illness

Erie County Department of Health requires that in order for students and/or staff to return to school following a COVID-19-like illness, regardless of vaccination status, one of the three following criteria must be met:

• Documentation of a negative COVID-19 test is provided to the school receptionist who maintains for school COVID contact (provide daily report to BuffSci COVID-19 Coordinator contact)
• Note from the student/staff’s medical provider with an alternative diagnosis is provided
• There has been at least 10 calendar days since the onset of COVID-19 symptoms

At-home negative COVID-19 test results will not be accepted to return a student to school or a staff to work.

Erie County Department of Health provides free COVID-19 testing to those with COVID-19 symptoms as well as close contacts of confirmed cases. Find a location by zip code at https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/find-test-site-near-you

COVID-19 Positive Case

Students and/or staff after testing positive for COVID-19 must meet all of the following criteria in order to return to school:

• At least 10 days after COVID-19 symptom onset or 10 days from their first positive test if without COVID-19 symptoms AND
• Fever-free for at least 24 consecutive hours without the use of fever-reducing medications AND
• COVID-19 symptoms are improving

If students are well enough to participate in remote schooling, they must follow school login procedures to be counted as in attendance for each day.

If students are sick enough to not attend remote school on any given day, parents/guardians must report them absent due to sickness per regular school procedures/student handbook.

F. Notice of a COVID-19 Positive Case

When the School Receives Notice of a COVID-19 Positive Case

• Erie County Department of Health COVID-19 School Team must be immediately notified and directions followed. School COVID-19 Contact will immediately report to BuffSci COVID-19 Coordinator who will immediately contact ECDOD.
• The school’s close contact list must be available and provided to Erie County Department of Health COVID-19 School Team
• Parents/guardians must adhere to close contact quarantine protocols (See Section D and Section G)

G. Quarantine

Quarantine

NOTE: Students under quarantine will attend school by remote means and must sign-in, attend, and participate following BuffSci school procedures used in the 2020-21 school year

Fully-Vaccinated Individuals:

Fully vaccinated means individuals who are vaccinated for COVID-19 2 weeks or more after they have received the second dose in a 2-dose series vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) or 2 weeks or more after receiving a single dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson[J&J]/Janssen).

• Fully-vaccinated individuals who have a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 symptoms must be tested 3-5 days after the known exposure and they must also monitor for COVID-19 symptoms
• Fully-vaccinated individuals who are identified as close contacts are not subject to quarantine
• However, they should take a COVID-19 test 3-5 days after an exposure and wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result
• If fully-vaccinated individuals begin to experience COVID-19 symptoms, the “Returning to School Following Illness” protocol identified in Section E must be followed

Unvaccinated / Not-Fully-Vaccinated Individuals

Unvaccinated or have not received both doses of the 2-dose vaccination

• Unvaccinated or not-fully vaccinated students within 3 feet or unvaccinated or not-fully vaccinated teachers/staff with 6 feet of the positive COVID-19 case for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period during the time the case was infectious, regardless of whether masks were worn, is considered a close contact
• All close contacts of positive COVID-19 case must quarantine for 10 days from the last day of exposure to the positive COVID-19 case
• Unvaccinated/not-fully vaccinated individuals must be tested immediately after being identified as a close contact AND, if negative, tested again in 5-7 days after last exposure
• If COVID-19 symptoms develop in unvaccinated/not-fully vaccinated individuals during quarantine, they must immediately be tested again

Seating Charts

• Seating charts must be maintained for all settings as described in the “Seating Chart and Assigned Areas” in Section B
• If there is no seating chart in the class/setting, all unvaccinated individuals in the class/setting are considered unvaccinated close contacts and must be quarantined for 10 days from the last day of exposure to the positive COVID-19 case
• In addition, if there are 2 or more cases in a classroom during a 10-day period, all unvaccinated individuals in the class must quarantine for 10 days from their last exposure to the positive COVID-19 case regardless of whether masks were worn

H. Youth Sports and Recreation Activities

All Sports and Recreation

NOTE: Youth sports and recreation increases the risk of COVID-19 exposure and contact. Student athletes, prior to signing up for or participating in, must agree to restrict their activity away from sports to best protect fellow student athletes.

• All individuals must follow BuffSci COVID-19 masking, handwashing, and social distancing signage and protocols at all times
• Coaching and coaching staff must establish cohort or small-group practice pods without mixing student athletes
• Student athletes are not allowed to share food and drink
• Students must always use their own water/drink bottles
• Coaching staff must limit use of shared equipment and communal spaces (e.g., locker rooms) and should follow BuffSci Director of Athletics and BuffSci COVID-19 Coordinator contact directions for the use of shared equipment and communal spaces
• BuffSci ventilation requirements must be adhered to including use of fans and/or the opening of doors and windows
• If windows or doors are opened during team activities, the coach must do a post-activity walkthrough to ensure all windows and doors have been closed and locked after students have left and email the school’s janitor and BuffSci Chief of Operations prior to leaving the facility that closing and locking has occurred for all windows/doors opened
• Coaching staff must include a designated person to clean and disinfect frequently touched areas on the field, court, and/or play surface, drinking fountains, and shared equipment while students are present
• Drinking fountains must be disinfected several times during each activity
• Janitorial staff must clean and disinfect all areas used by athletics on a daily basis

Sports Classification: Lower-, Moderate-, and High-Risk Youth Sports and Recreation

Types of Play Spectrum

Screening

• All athletes, coaches, coaching staff, trainers, and other team individuals, regardless of vaccination status, must be screened or enter via body scan entryway for every team event including practice, scrimmage, games, or tournaments
• COVID-19 screening questionnaires by these same individuals must be conducted at the same time as screening
• Any individual with negative screening must report to either the school’s or facility’s isolation room prior to being picked up or going home
• Contact tracing, COVID-19 testing, quarantine, and return to school requirements in other sections of this protocol must be followed
• Any individual who was exposed to a COVID-19 case or tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 10 days are not allowed to participate in the sport/recreation or to join spectators
• All unvaccinated/not-fully vaccinated student athletes, coaches, coaching staff, trainers, and others involved in BuffSci sports must be tested for COVID-19 24 hours prior to games, competitions, and tournaments via school on-site testing—anyone showing symptoms or receiving positive results of COVID-19 cannot participate in the related activity and must follow quarantine/returning to school requirements in Sections E and G.

Masking for All Types of Play

• Athletes must wear acceptable masks at all times when not playing or practicing
• Athletes are strongly encouraged to wear masks during play and/or practice unless they have an approved exception
• Coaches, coaching staff, trainers, and other individuals who are not directly engaged in physical activity must wear masks at all times

Moderate- and High-Risk Youth Sports

• All students participating in moderate- and/or high-risk sports must wear a mask whenever not actively participating in game play or practice unless exceptions have been approved
• Students, regardless of vaccination status, must wear masks while not engaged in game play or practice
• All coaches, coaching staff, trainers, and other involved staff must wear a mask during youth sports activities while not engaged in physical activity
• Coaches, coaching staff, trainers, and other staff must be fully vaccinated
• All fully-vaccinated and/or unvaccinated individuals who are not engaging in physical activity (e.g., sitting on the bench or sidelines) must maintain a physical distance of at least 3 feet from anyone else

Positive COVID-19 Cases

• All COVID-19 positive cases reported by coaches, coaching staff, students, and/or parents/guardians must be immediately reported to school COVID-19 contact who will immediately report to BuffSci COVID-19 Coordinator.
• BuffSci COVID-19 Coordinator must immediately contact Erie County Department of Health COVID-19 School Team

If there is 1 COVID-19 case(s) on a team that is present while infectious:

• All unvaccinated/not-fully vaccinated individuals must pause for 10 days from the last exposure
• All vaccinated individuals may continue game play and team activities during team pauses

NOTE: Pause means no practice, games, or team activities for the affected team. Fully-vaccinated players and coaches/staff identified as close contacts are able to go to work and school.

If there are 2 or more players or coaches/staff who test positive during a 10-day period:

• All team activities must pause for 10 days from the last date of exposure
• All unvaccinated/not-fully vaccinated players and coaches/staff must quarantine for 10 days from their last date of exposure
• Vaccinated players and coaches/staff can still go to work and school

School Shift to Full Remote/Virtual Learning Due to COVID-19

• All youth sports associated with the school must stop for the duration of the virtual learning period

Indoor Facility Capacity

• Must be limited to no more than 50% occupancy
• Spectator capacity is no more than 2 spectators per player
• Social distancing must be set up, established, and maintained
• All spectators must wear a mask regardless of vaccination status
• Disinfection protocols must be adhered to

Outdoor Facility Capacity

• Spectator capacity is no more than 2 spectators per player
• Social distancing must be set up, established, and maintained
• Disinfection protocols must be adhered to

Travel for Games and Competitions

• Permission must be attained prior to scheduling games and competitions outside of Western New York from the BuffSci COVID-19 Coordinator contact
• All current New York State Travel Advisory guidance for quarantine applies to athletes, coaches, coaching staff, trainers, other team individuals, and family members who choose to travel to contiguous states

I. COVID-19 Vaccination

COVID-19 Vaccination

• All BuffSci employees must be fully vaccinated
• All BuffSci coaches, coaching staff, trainers, and other sports/recreation staff must be fully vaccinated
• If/when exceptions exist, medical documentation must be provided to BuffSci COVID-19 Coordinator to receive approval
• BuffSci strongly recommends that all eligible students (age 12+) be fully vaccinated to ensure their safety, other students’ safety, and fewer restrictions in BuffSci sports and recreation activities

J. COVID-19 Screening Testing

When Erie County reaches moderate, substantial, or high COVID-19 transmission rates, all non-vaccinated students and staff (including exceptions) will be tested once a week by on-site testing at each school. Should positive results be found, quarantine and close contacts protocols must be followed. Results will be shared with Erie County Department of Health.

Unvaccinated/not-fully vaccinated student athletes:

• Will participate in weekly on-site testing
• Will be tested twice weekly if involved in high-risk athletics games (see Section H)
• Will be tested for COVID-19 24 hours prior to games, competitions, and tournaments—quarantine protocols must be followed for any positive results
• Erie County Department of Health will conduct contact tracing for others close to exposure

Up-to-date transmissions levels are located at: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view. This site is updated daily by 8 pm Eastern time.

K. Cleaning and Disinfection

• All BuffSci facilities will be cleaned, disinfected, and sanitized daily by BuffSci janitorial staff following Erie County Department of Health requirements
• Deep cleaning will occur each weekend by janitorial staff and/or licensed contractors
• When a school/facility has had a sick person or someone who tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 24 hours the entire school/facility will be cleaned and disinfected following Erie County Department of Health requirements on the day of reported sickness/exposure
• Teachers and instructional teachers/staff will frequently disinfect student-used materials, equipment, and surfaces frequently throughout the day
• Daily janitorial cleaning will include disinfecting student desks and chairs, tables, dividers, and shared-use items

L. Ventilation

School Ventilation

All classrooms and instructional settings have openable windows and doors in each BuffSci/BuffSci 2 schools to provide fresh air in the room and cross-ventilation across rooms and hallways. BuffSci Middle School has a new HVAC system which is able to be adjusted to provide more outside air. BuffSci is currently working to add additional ventilation at BuffSci Elementary, BuffSci High School, and BuffSci 2.

• Students and/or school visitors should not open windows
• Should any teacher or staff open windows, they must be sure to close and lock each window  prior to leaving the classroom for another classroom/assignment and prior to leaving the building for the day and document that they have closed the windows (e.g., digital exit checklist) before leaving
• In addition, if teachers or staff change rooms during the day, they will close and lock any opened windows before changing rooms and assure that this has been done (e.g., text to secretary, hand-held device checklist)
• School principals should do a school walkthrough each day prior to leaving to check all windows have been closed and locked
• After students and teachers/staff have left the building, school janitors will immediately conduct a school walkthrough to ensure each window is closed, locked, and secure
• At the end of shift, janitor digital checklists will be completed each day and submitted to BuffSci Chief of Operations (Mr. Murat Kucukdugenci)
• Janitor window closing and locking must be documented/checked each day
• Janitors will contact the Chief of Operations before leaving the building or by email/phone/text if anything is in need of repair and that will be arranged for/done immediately
• The Chief of Operations will review janitor checklists each evening. If anything is out of the ordinary, it will be immediately addressed and corrected.
• Each school principal will review teacher/staff checklists each evening. If there are windows unaccounted for or concerns identified, the principal will immediately contact the Chief of Operations.
• The BuffSci COVID-19 Coordinator contact will check on appropriate window opening and closing protocols as well as teacher and janitor checklists during weekly walkthroughs. They will also discuss a summary of teacher and janitor checklists weekly by Zoom with each school principal and the Chief of Operations.
• The Buffalo Police Department regularly patrols BuffSci schools—they will specifically include review of all windows, external doors, and any other observations
• BuffSci has campus security cameras which are frequently viewed by security staff and administrators. Any and all concerns will be immediately reported to the police for their observation/action—normal BuffSci policies will be followed.

Bus and Student Transportation Ventilation

• With driver permission, windows may be opened or cracked on student transportation to improve air circulation

Applicable and Cited Requirements and Guidance

BuffSci protocols adhere to:

• Erie County Department of Health Guidance for PK-12 Schools, 2021-2022 (August 2021)
• New York State Education Department Health and Safety Guide for the 2021-22 School Year (August 2021)
• New York State Department of Health Interim Guidance for In-Person Instruction at Pre-K to Grade 12 Schools During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (April 2021)
• New York Governor’s Office / New York State Department of Health Interim NYSDOH Guidance for Classroom Instruction in P-12 Schools During the 2021-2022 Academic Year (September 2021)
• New York Governor’s Office / New York State Department of Health Commissioner’s Determination on COVID-19 Testing Pursuant to 10 NYCRR 2.62 (September 2021)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention is K-12 Schools (August 2021)
• American Academy of Pediatrics’ COVID-19 Guidance for Safe Schools (July 2021)
• Erie County Department of Health Resuming Higher-Risk Sports in Erie County (January 2021)
• New York State Department of Health Interim Guidance for Sports and Recreation During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (January 2021)