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IHSD announces shift to 'Plan A' effective September 14
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The Indian Hill School District will make a shift into Plan A effective Monday, September 14. This means all students currently enrolled in the face-to-face learning model will begin to attend in-person class five days a week (details below). 

This decision was made, in part, as a result of the current COVID-19 guidance being communicated by the Hamilton County Health Department. Right now, Hamilton County is in alert level “Orange” which is considered a Level Two emergency. Within the four-level tiered system, this is on the lower end of concern. The Hamilton County Health Alert System Levels are updated every Thursday with 7 days’ worth of trailing data.
 
How does the District assess a shift from one plan to another?

The District has shared the following information:

• The District will study trend data at two week intervals.
• The County alert system has multiple (7) indicators we are watching weekly.
• We are watching the weekly reproductive number, (under 1.0 is good).
• We are looking at demographic data by age and zip code available on the Hamilton Health Commission website.
• We are using contiguous district data, and discuss regularly with colleagues from neighboring districts.
• We are analyzing both anecdotal and informal input and feedback from questions posed to our County Health Commissioner and Medical Doctor on regular weekly calls.
• We are following local and state health orders.
• We are following our own internal record keeping on suspected cases, and we use the COVID-19 case flow chart we shared online.

Safety Precautions
In Plan A, safety precautions will continue to be utilized in each of our facilities.

SOCIAL DISTANCING
Students will maintain social distancing of 3-4 feet within the school facilities. Please note that this is a reduction of social distance expectation from Plan B in order to accommodate a larger number of students reporting to our school facilities at the same time.
MASKS 
We protect each other by wearing masks. Wearing masks is our No. 1 weapon to fight this virus and keep school open. Students and staff are required to wear a mask at all times and will have teacher-facilitated mask breaks throughout the day.
DIVIDED CLINIC LOCATIONS 
There will be an area for students displaying symptoms who are waiting to be picked up and other areas for medication distribution, etc.
COHORT ASSIGNMENTS 
Students at the Primary School and Elementary School will be assigned to cohort groupings, meaning that they remain with the same group of students in the same classroom all day to reduce mobility and potential contact with illness. Students at the Middle School will remain in cohort groupings for the core classes of English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies with Encore classes, such as world language and performing arts, populated by student course selection rather than cohort.
SEATING CHARTS 
Seating charts will be required on buses, in classrooms, and in the cafeteria. Siblings will be seated together on buses.
HAND WASHING 
Hand washing will be required throughout the day. Additional hand sanitizer will be available in each classroom.
WATER BOTTLES 
Students will be allowed to carry water bottles. All water fountains will be used only for the purpose of filling water bottles.
NO OUTSIDE FOOD DELIVERIES 
Food deliveries will not be permitted into schools for students or staff during the school day.
STAY HOME IF SICK 
Families must continue to screen their children and keep them home if ill. Sick children will be directed immediately upon arrival to the nurse who will require him/her to be picked up if exhibiting symptoms.  
   
Plan A Schedule
In Plan A, all students enrolled in the in-person model will report to school five days per week.  Students will no longer be assigned to Team 1 and Team 2.  Principals from each school will communicate any additional changes to schedules based on a shift to Plan A.
 
Brave Virtual Academy
Students in Brave Virtual Academy will remain within this program with no changes to their educational programming.  If a family determines that that the in-person model will be better suited for the student, a change can be made at the end of quarter, October 23. More information about a change to the in-person model will be communicated to families from the Brave Virtual Academy teachers and supervisor. 

Transportation
District transportation will be provided to/from school by Indian Hill Schools Transportation Department.  Parents can receive updated information about bus route details, including approximate time for bus arrival and dismissal, through the Transportation Department’s Bus Route Information website; this website will be updated within 24 hours following shift announcement plans. Click here to access that site for the latest updates to your students route which may have shifted to accommodate a bus route that includes all students, rather than 50% of the population which was a part of Plan B. New seating assignments will be made and will include two students per seat.  Siblings will be assigned to the same seat if possible.
 
Should you have any questions, please contact your building principal.

In service to our children,

Kirk Koennecke
Superintendent
Indian Hill School District