Reopening California: SF preschool lays out steps they'll take to keep kids safe
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- There are expectations that schools will reopen in the fall with in-person learning. At least that's what many parents are hoping for. How will they look like? We toured a preschool which will reopen on Monday.
Last Friday, Phoebe Hearst Preschool in San Francisco got the green light to resume operations.
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In less than a week, they were able to comply with all the requirements for a safe reopening this coming Monday.
The director, Irene Byrne, showed us how staff will operate.
"Children will line up with their parents and then they will walk toward the front door. A teacher will stand inside the door. She will have a thermometer, take the child's temperature to make sure it's within the limits. Parents will leave, they will sign in and leave completely. The child will come right inside at that point," explained Byrne.
This is what awaits them inside: a hula-hoop to encourage physical distancing, a box with their own supplies and a tray they will carry around, all sanitized at the end of the day.
We took a tour of one of the modified classrooms.
RELATED: How some CA school districts are planning to reopen, according to State Superintendent Tony Thurmond
"This will be only half the group, so we've taken out a lot of furniture, we spread things out, the children in the classroom have their own boxes and their trays. There could be no more than 10 children," added Byrne.
The rest of the classroom will be in a different room. Partitions arrived Wednesday that will be used to separate the yoga room and the overflow of more desks.
The playground will also be divided to keep children contained.
Everyone's temperature will be taken two more times during the day.
Children are not required to wear masks, but adults are. We were curious, if small kids love to hug a lot how's that going to work?
"Well some of the teachers have already been addressing that on Zoom with the children and talking about social distancing and Andy who is the lead teacher, and Tina who also teaches this classroom have told the children that they can spread out their arms and if you can touch someone, you're a little too close," said Byrne.
Parents must also sign a new agreement promising to support the school with its new requirements and new way of teaching.
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