Staff FAQs

KCPS plans that all students will start school in the Distance Learning model.

As the school year progresses, KCPS will continue to follow up-to-the-minute public health and safety information from the KCHD, CDC, City of Kansas City, MO, and other trusted partners to guide decisions as to when it is safe for KCPS to shift to an In-Person or Blended model for students.

Staff members who have concerns about returning to work due to a medical condition, should consult with their physician and then connect with Human Resources/ Employee Relations to request an accommodation. Contact Employee Relations staff members Emma Gray at egray@kcpublicschools.org or 816-418-7706 or Marilyn Overton at moverton@kcpublicschools.org or 816-418-7732 to begin the interactive process and determine appropriate next steps for the employee.

All staff are encouraged to review the guidance from the CDC pertaining to high-risk populations at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/index.html

There is a great likelihood some students and/or staff will continue in a Virtual Model while most other students/staff will return in the Blended Model.

The bottom line is up-to-the-minute public health and safety information from the KCHD, CDC, and City of Kansas City, MO Orders will inform which Reentry Model is implemented on the start dates for staff and students.

At this time, a family member's health condition is not a disability that qualifies for workplace accommodation under the ADA. If an employee has a family member living in their home who is presumed positive or tested positive for COVID-19, please contact Emma Gray at egray@kcpublicschools.org or 816-418-7706 or Marilyn Overton at moverton@kcpublicschools.org or 816-418-7732.

Yes. KCPS offers the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through our provider, New Directions. Every employee is entitled to up to six (6) complimentary counseling sessions that may be shared with household family members. It is a free resource for staff and their household family members to speak confidentially with a care provider. You can call 24/7, including weekends and holidays, at 1 (800) 624-5544 or log on to www.ndbh.com for instructions and a link for live chat and confidential email.

KCPS will also provide confidential in-house support through the professionals in the Office of Student Support Services. Employees may access our professional staff by calling the COVID-Care Line at 1-816-723-1355.

COVID-Care Lines are also established at each school site for students and their families. The COVID-Care Line gives families access to confidential counseling support during this time.

Staff members who have concerns regarding mental health should consult with their physician and then contact the Human Resources Employee Relations team: Emma Gray at egray@kcpublicschools.org or 816-418-7706, or Marilyn Overton at moverton@kcpublicschools.org or 816-418-7732 to discuss eligibility for accommodations or leave options.

KCPS will undertake all efforts to disinfect and sanitize all school/work site areas following recommended Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other applicable guidelines. If something at your school/work site is in need of attention (i.e., out of hand sanitizer, paper towels, hot water, soap, need area cleaned, need tissue, need personal protective equipment), immediately email your supervisor so that your need may be addressed. If your concerns persist please contact Sara Williams, KCPS HR COVID-19 Coordinator, at covidcoordinator@kcpublicschools.org or 816-418-7536 for assistance.

If an employee suspects exposure to COVID-19 and/or is exhibiting COVID-like symptoms, please do the following. If you are:

Working Remotely

• Notify your supervisor (by email or phone)
• Notify Human Resources. Your HR contacts are Emma Gray at egray@kcpublicschools.org and Marilyn Overton at moverton@kcpublicschools.org.
• Consult a professional healthcare provider.
• If you are not positive for COVID-19, you will continue to work remotely.
• If you are unable to work remotely due to positive COVID-19 test, you are eligible for up to 80 hours of emergency paid leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

Working on-site

• Notify your supervisor (by email or phone)
• Leave the worksite
• Notify Human Resources. Your HR contacts are Emma Gray at egray@kcpublicschools.org and Marilyn Overton at moverton@kcpublicschools.org.
• Consult a professional healthcare provider.
• The staff member is prohibited from reporting to work for 14 calendar days. To return to work, you must provide Employee Relations/Human Resources a documented COVID-19 clearance from a professional healthcare provider. For assistance, please contact Emma Gray at egray@kcpublicschools.org or Marilyn Overton at moverton@kcpublicschools.org.
• Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act employees are eligible for up to 80 hours of emergency paid sick leave.

Emergency Family Medical Leave (EFMLA) under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and/or FMLA and/or Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSLA) is available for you or to care for qualified family member(s) due to a COVID-19 event.

If a staff member has a confirmed or presumed case of COVID-19, the staff member needs to complete the COVID-19 Form. The COVID-19 Form is located on the Human Resources on the district website or can be accessed by clicking the button below.

COVID-19 Exposure Form

This information is held confidentially and will be sent directly to the Human Resources staff in charge of monitoring and tracking COVID-19 activity within the KCPS employee group. The designated HR staff member will follow up with the impacted employee to advise as to next steps.

Exposure is anyone who has come in close contact with a person who has COVID-19. According to the most recent guidance from the CDC and the Kansas City Health Department, exposure occurs when someone has been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19.

Close Contact is:

• You were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for at least 15 minutes; and/or
• You provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19; and/or
• You had direct physical contact with the person (touched, hugged, or kissed them), and/or
• You shared eating or drinking utensils; and/or
• They sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on you.

This guidance applies to everyone, including individuals who have previously had COVID-19 and individuals who have taken a serologic (antibody) test and have antibodies to the virus.

In the event that there is a confirmed COVID-19 case, the Human Resources Department will notify affected staff, and school nurses will notify students/families by directly reaching out to those who were in close contact. The staff/students who were potentially exposed will be required to work from home/engage in Distance Learning for 14 calendar days or until clearance from a professional healthcare provider is provided. This will help ensure KCPS is doing all that is possible to limit staff/students/families’ exposure to/transmission of COVID-19.

f a staff member observes other staff members not following the outlined safety procedures, they should contact Sara Williams, KCPS HR COVID-19 Coordinator, via email at covidcoordinator@kcpublicschools.org or phone at 816-418-7536, Emma Gray at egray@kcpublicschools.org or 816-418-7706, or Marilyn Overton at moverton@kcpublicschools.org or 816-418-7732 to report.

It is highly recommended that all interpersonal communications, notifications to the supervisor and Human Resources should be done via email or over-the-phone to alleviate close contact between staff members.

Supervisors should monitor staff attendance and apprise the KCPS HR COVID-19 Coordinator, Sara Williams, at covidcoordinator@kcpublicschools.org of an unusual increase in staff absences.

Yes. Staff must always wear a proper facemask while at district school/work sites. KCPS will provide facemasks or you may provide your own. It is recommended that cloth masks be cleaned after use or before reusing. If you cannot wear a mask due to a medical condition or cannot remove your mask without assistance, please contact Emma Gray at egray@kcpublicschools.org or 816-418-7706, or Marilyn Overton at moverton@kcpublicschools.org or 816-418-7732 for information on accommodation/leave options which may be available to you.

Best practice is for employees to wear a facemask at all times. When outside, facemasks continue to be strongly recommended, but may be removed at those times when a minimum of 6 feet of social distancing can be consistently achieved and maintained.

Generally, no. Visitors to school/work sites are limited at this time. Visitation to school/work sites should rarely occur and when it does, all safety precautions will be shared with the visitor(s) prior to the visit and practiced by all parties during the visit. PPE will be provided to the visitor(s) in the case a visitor does not bring their own. The front office/desk/reception staff must be notified in advance if a visitor is expected, or a visitor may be denied entrance.

Pre-Re-entry Preparation:

• Building/office/classroom spaces are being thoroughly sanitized prior to staff return (carpets, desks, chairs, countertops, doorknobs, etc.)
• An ample stock of personal protective equipment (PPE) and sanitization materials are being supplied by KCPS and are available at all school/work sites for all staff. Upon Re-entry to school/work sites, PPE will be distributed to each school/work site/department based on the number of staff at the school/work site
  • Facemasks - cloth masks, surgical masks and KN95 masks are available for staff use upon return to school/work sites. The district will provide facemasks or you may provide your own. All cloth masks should be cleaned after use for reuse. Disposable masks must be properly disposed of after use and a new one used each day.
  • Gloves are recommended for tasks such as removing trash, opening mail, cleaning an area, using the copier or other shared tools or devices, but may be removed upon completion of that task. Gloves should be properly discarded when task is completed. When gloves are not worn, hand-washing/hand sanitizing must occur before/after these activities.
  • Hand Sanitizer for every office/work area/classroom/communal areas
  • Sanitation wipes for office/work/classroom/communal areas
  • Boxes of tissue for office/work/classroom/communal areas
  • Digital temperature scanners: Will be located at the primary entrances of schools and office buildings. These devices are able to read the body temperature of staff in a non-intrusive manner. The devices use a powerful thermal camera and industrial grade binocular wide dynamic camera with artificial intelligence to determine if someone is running a fever. To take a temperature the student or staff member will simply need to stand in front of the device and the cameras will scan and determine their temperature.
  • Infrared thermometers will also be available when and if necessary
  • Air purification retrofitting will be utilized in order to increase air exchange in schools/work sites, as determined
  • Sanitation stations will be provided where appropriate

Pre-Screen:

• Regular Monitoring: Upon return to school/work sites, staff are to perform a daily self-check for temperature and/or symptoms prior to leaving home. Recommended daily questions are below.
  • Do I have any current potential symptoms of COVID-19 (fever [100 degrees F] or chills; cough; shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; fatigue; muscle or body aches; headache; new loss of taste or smell; sore throat; congestion or runny nose; nausea or vomiting; diarrhea)?
  • Have I come into close contact (within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more) of someone diagnosed with COVID-19 within the last 2 weeks?
    • If so, stay home; call you supervisor; call your health care provider and follow their guidance
• Temperature and Symptom check upon report to School/Work Site: On site temperature checks for all staff/students will be conducted at entry to school/work site.

It is critical to everyone’s health and safety that staff/students must stay home if ill, exhibiting symptoms, has had close contact with someone with COVID-19, or has themselves tested positive for COVID-19.

Daily Procedures and Practices

PPE (Face Masks and Gloves) and Sanitary Practices:

• Each staff member will wear a facemask upon arrival and for the duration of their time at the school/work site. This is especially critical if 6-feet social distancing cannot be achieved.
• Gloves are recommended for tasks such as removing trash, opening mail, cleaning an area, using the copier or other shared tools or devices, but may be removed upon completion of that task. Gloves should be properly disposed of when task is completed. When gloves are not worn, handwashing/hand sanitizing must occur before/after these activities.
• Handwashing (preferable) or hand sanitizing (if soap and water not immediately available) should ALWAYS occur:
  • After blowing one’s nose, coughing, or sneezing
  • After using the restroom
  • Before and after eating or preparing food
  • After touching a surface in a communal area, handling mail or other shared documents, materials and/or other office materials (i.e. copy machine, pen, stapler, calculator)
• Use hand sanitizer frequently when not wearing gloves and at times you are unable to access soap and water.
• Cough and/or sneeze into tissue when available
  • Throw used tissues in the trash
  • If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow, not your hands
• Do not share headsets or other objects
• Keep hands off face (eyes, nose and mouth)
• Staff and students are encouraged to bring their own water, clearly marked and labeled

Disinfect and Clean Work/Classroom spaces:

• Cleanliness of the school/work site is the responsibility of all staff
• Custodial staff will clean and disinfect all areas such as classrooms, offices, bathrooms, common areas, commonly touched surfaces, and shared office and other equipment routinely and frequently
• Each staff member will clean and sanitize their personal office/work area upon arrival and prior to departure each day
• Employees will clean and sanitize communal areas after use when necessary
• Teachers/Paraprofessionals/Classroom Staff will ensure a clean classroom environment for themselves and their students

Social Distance of 6 Feet (aka 3 Feet Radius “Bubble”):Staff are to maintain a 3 feet radius (“bubble”) of social distance around themselves at the school/work site, whenever feasible. If everyone maintains their 3 foot radius “bubble”, that gives us all 6 feet social distance. KCPS strongly encourages everyone to maintain a 3 feet radius “bubble” at all times. However, if there are times it cannot be maintained, all staff must wear facemasks, whether indoors or outside.

• Interactions/communications between staff should primarily be conducted via email, over the phone, or on Teams to promote social distancing
• Staff should socially distance when taking lunch and breaks. Stagger breaks and don’t congregate in restrooms, break rooms, classrooms, or the cafeteria
• Staff should avoid sharing food and utensils. Communal food is not permissible at this time.
• No more than 2 people in a break room at a time (3ft radius “bubble”)
• No more than 8 people in large congregational spaces (3ft radius “bubble” between persons) at a time
• No more than 2 staff persons in a restroom at a time, depending upon restroom configuration. Capacity for restrooms will be listed on each restroom facility
• No more than 1 person in an elevator at a time. Staff who have accommodation and/or staff facilitating a student with an accommodation by utilizing elevators at school sites must do so while maintaining as much social distancing as permitted on the elevator, while keeping a student appropriately supervised. For example, a student may not ride alone in an elevator, but it is required that a staff member and student wear masks in the elevator, if medically permitted.

Contact Tracing:

• Contact tracing protects everyone. KCPS will undertake contact tracing of KCPS staff/students who are exposed to COVID-19 at school/work sites. Staff are required to update their contact information in Alio as soon as possible prior to the start of the 2020-2021 School Year. You may do so by logging into the Alio Staff Portal from the KCPS Staff Intranet at kcpublicschools.org. This updated information is vital to ensure you are contacted should KCPS be made aware you have possibly come into contact with COVID-19 at KCPS.

Traveling Employees:

The CDC provides guidance (see below) for both travel within the United States and internationally. Note: Work related travel for KCPS will be restricted through the end of 2020-2021 School Year. You will be notified when that restriction is lifted.

According to the Center for Disease Control, all international travelers arriving into the U.S. should stay home for 14 days after their arrival or return to the U.S. At home, they are expected to monitor their health and practice social distancing. To protect the health of others, these travelers should not report to work on-site for 14 days but are expected to work remotely during that time.

You may return to work as usual following domestic travel for personal reasons. You will need to monitor for symptoms including fever, chills, cough, shortness of air, runny nose/congestion, sore throat or muscle aches. Do not report to work at your school/work site if you develop any of these symptoms. Non-essential travel is discouraged and will not be funded with district resources.

The KCPS Board of Education Re-entry Plan details all information specific to these concerns listed in the above FAQs. It can be found on the website at www.kcpublicschools.org/reopening-kcps.

The KCPS Schools Re-entry Plan details all information specific to the safe opening and operations of schools. It can be found on the website at www.kcpublicschools.org/reopening-kcps.