JULY 2, 2020 - ATHLETICS SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING
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Athletics Subcommittee Meeting
July 2, 2020Zoom Meeting Takeaways:
- Maintain existing protocols presently established and required (masks, 6 foot, large gathering protocols, proper hygiene, etc.)
- Some members are not in support of using pool for Festa PE due to required locker use.
- Rental groups must abide by all mandates (large groups not permitted, participants must prove COVID free).
- 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.
- All athletes must be tested to prove they are not COVID positive before being permitted on a team.
- District should look to purchase more equipment so that students/athletes have individual equipment
- District should look to purchase Local Live cameras for turf fields to prevent large crowd gatherings.
- Scheduling should be designed to ensure small groups during PE, recess, athletics.
- Proper communication must be maintained so that the community has accurate information.
- 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