Parents and Visitors
No visitors, including parents, will be allowed past the receptionist vestibule while the threat of community spread exists, with some limited exceptions. Exceptions must be granted by the principal or director and may include IEP meetings, limited teacher conferences, etc. The meetings will be scheduled and held in an area near the front entry to limit access to the rest of the building. Parents / guardians will be given the option of holding meetings virtually. It is also possible certain staff members will choose to attend meetings virtually. There will be times when volunteers may be allowed to enter the building, but their access will be limited to areas used by
adults only.
All visitors, including parents, will be required to wear a face covering while in the building. First-day procedures at all school sites will be adjusted, including the limitation on parents walking elementary children to the classroom.
Parents will not be allowed to walk their child to a classroom or other areas within the school.
Libraries, Computers and Other Shared Materials
Each site will be able to establish protocols to limit the sharing of materials and to restrict shared use if effective disinfecting procedures are not feasible. All shared equipment, materials, etc. will either be disinfected after every use or will be placed in quarantine for 72 hours prior to the next use. This does not apply to playground equipment, water fountain handles, toilets, sinks, etc., which cannot be disinfected after every use.
Union Public Schools Operations Department has been working all summer to help find ways to keep the District safe when school returns in person. See the extra precautions that are being taken and the new technology that is being used to help them accomplish their most important task, keeping students and staff safe!
School Calendar / School Hours
The district calendar and school hours have been amended, which will result in the following changes:
Transportation
Union plans to resume traditional transportation at the beginning of the new school year. Until the threat of COVID spread is considered minimal, students will be required to wear a face covering while boarding, riding, and exiting the bus. Only exceptions approved by the principal will be allowed. Alternate transportation may be required if compliance is not possible. Students in grades 9 through 12 will not be allowed to board a bus without a face covering in place. Students in grades K-8 may be provided a face covering if they forget to bring one, but there will be a limited number of times a face covering will be provided to students.
If a student fails to have an appropriate face covering or fails to keep it on, he/she may be refused transportation and/or receive other disciplinary action. Whenever possible, windows will be lowered to increase airflow inside the bus. The first two rows of the bus may be left open to provide adequate social distancing from the driver. Buses will be wiped down with disinfectant in between each route and will be fully sanitized at the end of each day.
Students will be asked to load the bus beginning with the back seat, with students working their way towards the front as seats fill. Every effort will be made to socially distance on the bus, but this may not always be possible. Windows will be left open, when possible, for better ventilation. When unloading, students will exit the bus beginning with those in the front seats. Routes will be readjusted after the first few weeks to accommodate better spacing of students.
Whenever possible, additional buses will be provided for activity trips to allow for more social distancing on the bus. The availability of buses and/or drivers may limit our ability to provide additional buses.
Please know there may be times when the district is unable to provide bus service for all students due to driver shortages, etc., so routes may be cancelled with little advance notice. In the event routes need to be cancelled, the cancellation of routes will start with grades 10 through 12, then 9th grade, then 8th grade, etc. The cancellation of routes will not impact special education routes unless specifically noted.
Breakfast and Lunch
Union cafeterias will remain open and provide healthy meals to Union students. Students will be required to wear a face covering on their way to and from the cafeteria. Food offerings may be limited and self-serve options will be eliminated, including salad bars, drink stations (except for water), condiments, etc. Disposable paper cups will be provided at water fountains for student use.
Every effort will be made to allow enough space for social distancing while students eat their meal, including the following options:
Union High School will allow all students, grades 10-12, to have open campus options during lunch. Students will be asked to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer prior to returning to
class. Elementary sites may implement additional policies based on the availability of space and student supervision.
Athletics, Fine Arts & Other Extracurricular Activities
Depending on the level of community spread, all athletics, electives, and fine arts classes will continue as planned with extra measures taken to ensure the safety of students and staff. There may be limitations placed on the number of events, the number of people allowed to attend an event, limited access to the performing areas, or other safety measures as warranted.
FAQ for Parents of In-Person Band Class Learning
See Athletics Plan as well as Event Guidelines
Extended Day Program & After-School Programming
The district will continue to offer the Extended Day Program (EDP) program to the families of Union students. The district is also working with community partners to offer after-school opportunities for our students.
Please know there is an increased risk of exposure to COVID-19 due to an increase in the number of people the students will interact with in the EDP program and during after-school programming. Safety protocols, such as face-coverings, will be required in EDP and after-school programming.
Return to School / Reentry Plan for Students, Parents & Teachers
Download Plan in English or Spanish for reference. See FAQ / Spanish FAQ