COVID-19 Safety Plan
Benson Hill Co-op Preschool was started over 50 years ago by parents who wanted to provide a safe space for families to come together to support one another. Our goal is to safely continue this mission during these unprecedented times.
With COVID-19 updates happening daily in King County, we know our school will need to look a bit different for the 2020-2021 school year. As the school waits for more guidance and policy support from our insurance provider, the BHCP Board has started to plan for changes based on the CDC and Washington State's Department of Health's guidelines for opening schools. These include:
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Smaller class sizes
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Starting Eagles at two days a week
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Staggering the start/end of class times when two classes are in session to reduce numbers of families at school at one time
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Restructuring how drop-off and pick-up works to include temperature checks and social distancing
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Pausing the Explorers program until later in the year
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Stopping field trips until deemed safe
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Requiring face masks or shields for all adults
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Face masks are highly encouraged for all children, mandatory for 5 year olds and up and mandatory during circle time
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Placing fewer chairs at tables/interest centers
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Offering individual playdough and sensory boxes
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Limiting the number of items out for play
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Taking out soft and other hard to clean items from the classroom
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Opening the windows whenever possible
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Playing outside for large motor, rain or shine
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Sanitizing frequently touched playground equipment before class daily
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Requiring pre-packaged snack items and using paper products to serve food
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Storing personal items in plastic bins instead of on hooks
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Adding in extra hand-washing and sanitizing to routines, on top of our already rigorous health standards/cleaning requirements
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Holding large meetings (example: Orientation) virtually; offering multiple in-person training that require being in the classroom to keep numbers small
During times of heightened stress and uncertainty, community becomes even more important for families to lean into and grow with. BHCP is proud to be a part of your community and looks forward to working through these challenges together.
What Would Help You Feel Safe?
We want your family to feel safe when you come to school each day. If you have ideas for policies and procedure change or updates, please email the Board. Or, be a part of the decision making process by joining other parent volunteers on the BHCP Board. More information on Board jobs and current needs can be found here.