BASA AdminiScope, May 2020

Readying Your School's Infrastructure for Re-Opening Like many of you, we have spent the last several weeks educating ourselves on the subject of Coronavirus (COVID-19). This public health emergency continues to evolve requiring numerous changes in how we conduct our lives. There is no doubt that the entire world will return to what can only be described as a new normal. All of Ohio’s school districts have been closed since mid-March. Assuming that school will resume in late August, this makes almost five months that our water systems, HVAC systems and buses have been idle. The lack of use of these critical pieces of infrastructure could potentially cause damage when they are required to function the first time. There are steps that districts can take now to make reopening our schools a smooth transition. Water Systems Water supply systems that have had little to no use over an extended period of time allow water to become stag- nant in distribution lines and fixtures. Stagnant water can contribute to bacterial growth and other water quality issues should the system be suddenly restarted and water ingested. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agen - cy recommends flushing water systems experiencing low usage as a result of our current stay at home order. Flushing should be concentrated on hot and cold distribution lines, storage devices like water heaters and tanks, and any mist-forming device like dehumidifiers and cooling towers. Little to no water use also has the potential to damage critical seals and unions in the drainage systems. The materials used to seal and join drainage systems are specifically designed for saturated environments. Lack of saturation can dry out these materials allowing them to shrink and potentially cause leaks when water returns. Periodically running water through all fixtures will help reduce bacterial and other contaminate sources and keep critical seals and joints saturated. HVAC systems The effects of poor indoor air quality have been identified by the EPA as a credible threat to our overall health. Modern HVAC systems have been designed to filter and constantly change indoor air environments based on feedback of temperature and humidity. The logic units that monitor temperature and humidity also have the ability to introduce outdoor or “fresh” air. The American Society for Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers recommends that all schools assess their HVAC system control settings to allow for maximum in - troduction of outdoor air in response to COVID-19. The introduction of outdoor air provides a dilution factor for potentially contaminated indoor air. The use of outdoor air is not the most cost effective operation of your system, but will allow for maximum dilution of indoor air. There is no filter media that has been proven to eliminate COVID-19 from the indoor air. While filters by them - selves won’t stop the spread of the virus inside your buildings, they can help with overall system efficiency. Filter media are rated for their ability to capture airborne particulates. The higher the Minimum Efficiency Rating Value (MERV) the better the indoor air quality. Districts should consider increasing the MERV rating of its filters. These filters are more expensive and will need changed more often, but may provide a better control of the spread of the virus. Buses School buses, like other large vehicles on the road, use mechanical friction braking systems. When the buses are parked, the rear brakes engage temporarily placing the metal surface of the brake to the metal surface of the wheel. The longer the two metal surfaces are allowed to remain in contact in the elements, the more likely they will fuse together through corrosion. The fused bond is typically broken and the surfaces cleaned when the bus moves and brakes are applied again. Sitting idle for 5 months may require more than simple actuation of the brakes to restore the function.

Planning for the 2020-2021 School Year in Uncertain Times

In support of schools across Ohio, Gallagher is providing free preparedness resources:

As the school year draws to a close, districts are turning their attention to preparing for next year. But what will next year look like? While Governor DeWine has indicated a goal of returning to in-person instruction in the fall, it is also clear that, when school resumes, it will look very different. To date, there is no definitive guidance from the Ohio Department of Health or the Ohio De - partment of Education (ODE) regarding re-opening. However, based on ODE’s “Reset and Restart Education Planning Guide,” which is still in draft form, it appears that daily health screenings, physical distancing, enhanced cleaning and masks will be the norm. Some issues to consider include: • Implementation of physical distancing in classrooms • Implementation of physical distancing on transportation • Use and cleaning of shared spaces (e.g., gym, cafeteria) • Additional sanitizing protocols for high traffic/touch areas • Acquisition of necessary cleaning supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) • Strategies for limiting student movement in buildings to reduce exposure (e.g., teachers travel, students do not) • Establishing policies/protocols for returning to school/ work and identifying potential illness • Employment issues related to staff members who cannot return to work due to risk factors • Instructional issues for students who cannot return to school due to risk factors • Readiness to move to a remote-learning model if an out - break forces the closure of the district or one or more buildings Additionally, districts must develop an academic plan that ac- counts for instruction missed during the school building closures. This will include assessing students to identify gaps and making adjustments to curriculum. Schools could consider an early start or “jump start” to the school year or providing a “boot camp” for students, but they must consult with their local health department prior to moving forward with these plans. Christina Peer is chair of the Education Law Group at Walter | Haverfield. She can be reached at cpeer@walterhav.com or at 216-928-2918.

ajg.com/pandemic

For more information, contact: Cyndie Schepis, Unit Lead - Ohio Public Sector Cyndie_Schepis@ajg.com 216.702.0906

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Buses should be started and moved every 4 to 6 weeks to minimize brake damage. Starting and moving them periodically will also help to maintain the battery charge and allow critical fluids and lubricants through the engine and drivetrain. Like the buildings water system, critical drivetrain fluids can become stagnant and allow contaminants to build. Periodically cycling them through the various filtration devices in the drivetrain may prolong the useful life of the fluids and drivetrain systems.

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