In order to maintain the health and safety of staff and children during the coronavirus pandemic, the following practices have been put in place. These practices work in conjunction with the policies and procedures of Big Lake Schools Facility Use Agreements. These practices were created under the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Minnesota Department of Health. 

Facility Rental and Instructor Requirements: 

All facility rental permit holders and instructors are required to submit plans to the Big Lake Community Education Office at least 7 days prior to their activity on how to proceed safely with their rental/program/class. All participants are expected to follow renter/instructor guidelines as well as those of Big Lake Schools. Program plans must include: 

• Specific ways you will ensure all guidelines are followed for your specific program.
• Program dates, times, and locations including specific group times.
• A sample plan is available on page 8 of this document. 

Screening Requirements: 

Big Lake Schools requires that all staff and visitors to school facilities complete a self assessment before leaving home. Staff and visitors must remain home if they are ill. Parents/Guardians need to be on the alert for signs of illness in their children and keep them home when they are sick.

• Staff/Visitors must be healthy and symptom free for the last 10 days and have a temperature under 100 degrees fahrenheit. 
• Symptoms of COVID-19 may include fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, congestion or runny nose, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. 
• Staff/Visitors who have been in close contact with someone who was diagnosed or suspected to have COVID-19 within the last 14 days cannot attend events on school facilities. 
• Staff/Visitors who appear ill will be asked to leave school facilities. 
• Be aware that we reserve the right to conduct additional screenings at our discretion. 

Handwashing Etiquette: 

Basic infection prevention measures are being implemented at our facilities.

• All staff/visitors to the facility will be required to sanitize their hands prior to or immediately upon entering the facility by one of the following methods: 
• Use the nearest restroom to wash hands immediately after entering. 
• Use hand sanitizer when available upon entry or bring their own alcohol based hand sanitizer to use while in the building. 
• All staff/visitors are instructed to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water or use an alcohol based hand sanitizer frequently while on site. 

Respiratory Etiquette

All individuals are required to wear a manufactured or cloth face mask while in the facility. 

• All individuals are instructed to cover their mouth and nose with their sleeve or a tissue when coughing or sneezing and to avoid touching their face, in particular their mouth, nose and eyes, with their hands. Disposal of tissues or other non-reusable items should be discarded immediately and individuals should wash or sanitize their hands immediately afterwards. 
• Cover your Cough signs will be posted throughout Big Lake Schools’ buildings. 

Social Distancing:

Strategies to maintain social distancing are being implemented in school facilities in the following ways: 

• Building and ground use, beginning June 8, is only permitted through approval and coordination with the Community Education and Activities Offices. 
• The total number of groups using the building will be limited depending on the facilities requested and the group size. 
• Group sizes will be limited to the maximum number of people that a room can accommodate while maintaining 6 feet of distance between people without exceeding the maximum gathering size designated by state or local governments. Group sizes include staff, coaches, participants, and volunteers. 
• Groups/organizations must provide their expected maximum attendance at the time they submit a facility use request. 
• Activity start and end times will be staggered to minimize the number of people entering the building at the same time and to allow time for cleaning between users as needed. Groups may be assigned staggered entry times to reduce the number of participants arriving at the same time. 
• Users will be notified which door to enter and exit through. Different doors may be used for entering and exiting the facility. 
• Signage is posted throughout the facility to remind people to maintain social distance of 6 feet whenever possible. Prominent areas where signs may be posted are building entrances, restrooms, classrooms, gymnasiums, and other areas where people generally gather. 
• Participants may not use locker rooms except for restroom use. All participants are expected to arrive and leave in the clothes needed for that activity. 
• Participants should keep all personal items separate from others. 

Facility group size limitations are guided by the Minnesota Department of Health. Space limitations include: 

• Basketball/Volleyball Courts 1 pod of 25
• Baseball Softball Field 3 pods of 10 or 1 pod of 25
• Soccer/Football Field 4 pods of 10 or 2 pods of 25
• Tennis Courts 4 people per court
• Gymnastics 1 pod of 10
• Classrooms 1 pod of 10
• Pool 1 pod of 10 in the swim area. 

Cleaning and Disinfection 

Regular cleaning practices are being implemented, including routine cleaning and disinfecting of work surfaces, equipment, and areas in the work environment, including restrooms, breakrooms, lunch rooms, and meeting rooms. High-touch areas will be cleaned and disinfected regularly. Staff will be provided all necessary cleaning supplies, personal protective equipment, and will be trained in cleaning and disinfecting procedures. 

• Facility users are required to provide their own hand sanitizing supplies for before and after practice for participants.
• Facility users are required to provide their own first aid kits. 
• Facility users may not use areas that are not listed on their rental permit without prior authorization. 
• Use of water fountains is discouraged. Participants in activities should bring their own filled water bottles labeled clearly with their names. 
• Rooms, door handles, and other high-touch areas will be cleaned and disinfected between users. 

Personal Equipment 

Facility users may bring in personal equipment for their own use provided they get approval from the Community Education or Activities office prior to their event. Big Lake Schools reserves the right to refuse the use of personal equipment if we deem it to be a safety or health hazard. Users are expected to sanitize all equipment before bringing it into the facility and immediately before they leave the facility it was used in. 

Illness Tracking 

Organization/group leaders are required to keep rosters, take attendance and keep attendance records at all activities should the information be needed by the Minnesota Department of Health for tracking purposes. 

Returning to Facilities After Illness 

Individuals experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or with a lab-confirmed case of COVID-19 must not return to Big Lake Schools’ facilities until these three (3) things have occurred: 

1. Fever free for at least 72 hours without the use of fever reducing medication.
2. Other symptoms have improved.
3. At least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. 

Individuals who have been in close contact with a person with a lab-confirmed case of COVID-19 or a person experiencing COVID-10 symptoms should stay home for 14 days and monitor symptoms. 

Help Keep Our Community Healthy 

• Shared/communal food and/or drink is not permitted on school property (buildings and grounds).
• Users are encouraged to share safety concerns with district staff.
• Non-compliant groups will be asked to leave the premises and may be prohibited from reserving district facilities in the future.
• Organizations/groups requesting use of district facilities must provide Big Lake Schools with their COVID-19 preparedness plan prior to facility use. 

Communications and Training

This Preparedness Plan was communicated via email to all district staff. Required training was provided to necessary staff. This plan will be updated as necessary. Communication and training will be ongoing. 

This plan is available to the public on the Big Lake Schools website and relevant information will be communicated to program participants upon program registration or facility rental. 

COVID-19 Preparedness Plan - Coach/Instructor/Organization

Organization/Activity Name: _____________________________________________

Please state specific procedures you will follow to ensure compliance to protocols in the following areas: 

Additional Resources and Guidance: 

MN Dept of Health Youth Sports

https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/schools/socialdistance.pdf

MN Dept of Health Youth Sports

https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/schools/youthsports.pdf

CDC Youth Sports

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/youth-sports.html

MSHSL

https://sites.google.com/view/mshsllead/home