Athletics Subcommittee Meeting
July 2, 2020

Zoom Meeting Takeaways: 

1. Maintain existing protocols presently established and required (masks, 6 foot, large gathering protocols, proper hygiene, etc.)
2.  Some members are not in support of using pool for Festa PE due to required locker use. 
3. Rental groups must abide by all mandates (large groups not permitted, participants must prove COVID free).
4. No use of lockers for PE purposes and students should dress appropriately on days they have PE.  Students should bring/have extra clothes available in the event they get dirty/sweaty. 
5. All athletes must be tested to prove they are not COVID positive before being permitted on a team.
6. District should look to purchase more equipment so that students/athletes have individual equipment
7. District should look to purchase Local Live cameras for turf fields to prevent large crowd gatherings.
8.  Scheduling should be designed to ensure small groups during PE, recess, athletics.
9. Proper communication must be maintained so that the community has accurate information.
10. Aside from aforementioned, all other comments were present in existing Draft Re-Entry Proposal. 

Introductions

Review of resources

Survey responses by area: What do we need?

Athletics

Testing (covid nasal swab most accurate, Education of coaches, athletes, parents (same page) Temperature screening is a snapshot of a moment in time (students take aspirin will not be forthcoming about how they feel) If athletics starts it should be by county. Has to be a policy in place social distancing and masks. Coaches have to step it up to be a real role model, washing hands etc. Small groups of 10 limiting the number of people

BOE: Require student athletes to be tested both teams, concern about temperature screening being unreliable. Agree with coaches leading by example. Students not following protocol asked to leave

Parent: Students are getting used to testing. It is also a snapshot nothing is foolproof. Described her children’s experience with working. Testing at Anthony Wayne, temperature checks.

Student: Agree with splitting practices (ex: offense only, specific positions only)

BOE: Need to buy more equipment. Designated areas for sanitizing. Cloth gloves?

Teacher: Need sanitizing agents available at all times. There will be backorders. Gloves make things worse. Masks are most important 

Parent: Gloves make them worse

Nurse: Own personal equipment not shared, taken home, cleaned by athletes before, during and after practice. Change ball after each play

Parent: Athletes used to that. If you have it you must use it

Nurse: Low income athletes may not have them

Director: SED possible models: Reversing seasons high risk sports delayed examples football vs cross country move high risk to spring large crowds

Nurse: follow the pros, no spectators, gradual allowance over time

Director: Local live?

Nurse: absolutely, eventually 2 spectators per athlete

BOE: Baseball?

Director: Yes $300 per event

Teacher How does that work at SHS?

Director: explains process

Teacher: Facemasks cause heat illness, change times earlier or later in day

Parent: Is it required

Teacher: Not during high intensity activity but in between put them on 

Parent: More athletic favorable masks are being created

BOE: Are they serious about switching seasons Can we stay local in sections?

Parent: On the website

Director: 4 options for seasons. Yes we can play locals 

 PE

Nurse: Classes outside as much as possible, limit use of equipment, aerobic activities, decrease use of locker rooms, no changing of uniforms, handwashing before and after class

Director: Minimize use of lockers no changing, issue at FFMS aquatics will need locker room

BOE: do we have to keep swimming?

Director: choice, kids look forward to it, some don’t like it, hate to see it go personally

BOE: hate to see it go but logistics, maybe bring back in spring

Parent: agree postpone it

Director: changing at FFMS?

BOE: Come to school prepared for PE

Parent: Come prepared with change of clothes if needed (get muddy outside) in athletic clothing

Director: need kids to be active, issue at FFMS changing bodies

Teacher: emphasis on hygiene (shower deodorant)

Director: Forgo purchase of uniforms

Director: Recess equipment avoid sharing

Parent: open playgrounds in county; rotate stations (soccer, basketball, swings etc.) recess and PE so important

Director: implemented 6 minute physical activity in classroom, may implement for recess, small gyms (L Tor) 

Parent: staffing?

Parent: any guidance on lunch? Will cafeteria area be available?

Parent: Virtual classroom for PE?

Director: adjust activities to not share equipment

BOE: take half classes: PE and classroom teacher split the class?

Director: Teacher prep time

Parent: difficult to modify teacher prep time based on contract

BOE: use recess time for PE?

Director: State guidelines for free time. Would require commissioner change

BOE: Surprised at lack of loopholes

Director: have not heard yet

Aquatics

Director: Pool safe environment. Rental?

BOE: They come all over building

Parent: No spectators, live streaming, higher cost for rentals for cleaning, no locker room, except emergency bathrooms, use porta potties

Director Board of Health Requires running water

Teacher: testing before they come in?

BOE: They should

Teacher: just need one person to cause issue

BOE: community swim?

Director: small group is manageable, senior group most concerned about, they are going to be at Germonds

Parent: what level is swimming?

Director: low risk

Teacher: contact tracing course at John Hopkins- person to person contact most concerning-risk from surface is much less than originally thought-person to person interactions are what we need to be most concerned about

Director: Foggers?

Teacher: I don’t know- I have wipes and sprays. Foggers have to dry (1-2 hours)

Parents: Plastic surfaces retain not cardboard

Closure:

Director: will tweak and share plan based on information

BOE: need to communicate to community. Workshop on July 15th