For many parents, the return to school is a welcome, important and serious step that must be measured and planned carefully. The pandemic is still ongoing, and school principals and parents alike can’t take their guard down. Make sure your kids are safe if they return to school. Here in this blog, we list some of the essential preventive measures you can advocate for as a parent. 

Research the school’s preventive actions

Schools must be able to make in-person learning safe. First of all, the facility must have enough space and classrooms to ensure social distancing and appropriately scatter staff and students. School principals and districts must also present a detailed plan for administering extracurricular classes, food services, health, and other topics. Some other preventive measures are the following:

Staggering lunch and class schedules

Reducing the number of students in one place is the best way to avoid the virus spreading. Creating different schedules for segments of each group can be one way to do it.

Moving classes to the outdoors

If your kids’ school has the resources and spaces to move classes to different spots, this might be a crucial advantage in the fight against COVID. The virus doesn’t spread so freely outdoors, and changing from place to place will give the cleaning staff time to disinfect.

Putting signs to reduce crowding

Hallways, corridors, or stairs can be major crowding points where students and personnel can avoid being near other people. The school must provide a well-planned strategy to manage traffic circulation, directions, and put signs on the walls to guide students.

Validate transportation.

On your side, you have to evaluate if it’s better to use public or private transportation, like the school’s bus, or your car to take your children to school. Undoubtedly, the safest way is to make them yourself, but this won’t always be possible.

Be prepared for a return to online classes.

The pandemic isn’t over, and classes might go online again in the following months, depending on the number of new cases in your community. The best return-to-school plan has to consider this. Be prepared to have your kids all day again. Talk to your boss, your school principals, listen to the authorities and have a plan b to adapt quickly.

Check your child’s medical condition.

Although kids aren’t as susceptible to serious complications from COVID-19 as adults, they can be part of the high-risk population if they have underlying medical conditions. Be sure to have your child’s medical condition checked. Talk to your pediatrician, and clear all your doubts. Also, consider:

Update immunizations

All students (and the school’s staff) must be up to date with their flu shots., especially considering that flu season will come soon during fall and winter.

Ensure emotional support

Children can be affected by stress during this pandemic, the same as adults. Schools have to provide reliable mental health support to their students and recognize the signs of this affection. If you have noticed some anxiety in your child, search for support, and decide if returning to school is a good idea.

Months before we were asking when do kids return to school? Now, we are preparing for this change of routine, as safe as it can. Please take care and follow the preventive guidelines. Remember that Illinois Valley Clean Team is offering cleaning and disinfecting services to help our clients prevent COVID-19 and feel calmer in their homes. Book your service on our website.