Guidelines for Face-to-face Classes

IN ACCORDANCE WITH DEPED ORDER NO. 34 (SY 2022-2023)

DepEd Order (DO) General Guidelines

  1. The School Year 2022-2023 shall formally start on August 22, 2022. There shall be a total of 203 days or as may be determined by further issuance/s in case of changes in the school calendar due to unforeseen circumstances.
  2. No inspections, tools, or any additional requirements to re-open schools and to implement 5 days in-person classes shall be required, except for the compliance with the usual pre-pandemic regulatory permits and licenses, as required by law or ordinances.
  3. Classes are immediately suspended during observances of regular and special national holidays as stipulated by the law, as well as, local holidays which have been duly declared by law or Presidential Proclamation.
  4. DepEd Order (DO) No. 34 shall apply regardless of the COVID-19 alert level that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases or the Department of Health (DOH) may impose in the areas where schools are situated.

QCAFI Preparations In-person Classes

  1. Recognizing the COVID-19 pandemic vis-a-vis the need to resume to 5 days in-person classes, the DepEd intends for schools to be given ample time to slowly transition into it. QCAFI will implement the 5 days of in-person classes and full distance learning.

    But the abovementioned options shall only be implemented by the school until October 31, 2022.
  2. Starting November 2, 2022, the school shall have transitioned to 5 days in-person classes. After the said date, the school shall not be allowed to implement purely distance learning or blended learning.
  3. The transition to 5 days in-person classes presents learners with new stressors and challenges. This entails adjustment to the school environment, learning modality, and additional safety protocols, as well as managing the mix of pleasant and difficult feelings. Hence, providing psychosocial support during the first week of the school year is imperative in promoting, protecting, and prioritizing the learners’ socio-emotional well-being, and developing their coping skills for this transition.

Classroom-Based and System Assessments

  1. The Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs) shall continue to apply for SY 2022-2023. However, classroom assessment shall follow DO 8, s. 2015 or the Policy Guidelines on Classroom Assessment for the K to 12 Basic Education Program.
  2. To assure the quality of learning, formative assessments shall be regularly conducted by the teachers.

Curricular and Co-Curricular Activities

  1. Classes are immediately suspended during observances of regular and special national holidays as stipulated by the law, as well as local holidays which have been duly declared by law or through Presidential Proclamation.
  2. The number of school days in the DO shall solely be dedicated to academics and related co-curricular activities. The conduct of extra-curricular activities shall be strictly prohibited.
  3. Virtual activities through different social media platforms which require reactions or sharing may be done for advocacy, awareness, or collaboration purposes, but shall not form part of the learner’s scholastic grade.
  4. Curricular activities shall be conducted during the academic quarter to ensure that learners can seamlessly connect and integrate learning within and across learning areas while providing manageable breaks consistent with Memorandum OUCI-2O20-3O7 entitled ‘Suggested Measures to Foster Academic Ease during the COVID-19 Pandemic.’ On the other hand, co-curricular activities shall be conducted after the quarter examinations to avoid disruption of classes.
  5. Pursuant to the objectives of Sulong Edukalidad, schools shall strictly devote ten (1O) weeks of every academic quarter to actual classroom teaching. The eleventh week of each quarter may be used for the conduct of co-curricular activities.
  6. Celebrations/observances provided for by law will be integrated into curricular activities as they deem reasonable and appropriate, so long as the total of number of school days shall not be compromised.

Career Guidance Activities
Career guidance activities which may be conducted in-person or hybrid, whichever is applicable, shall be conducted between August and December to guide junior high school learners in making informed choices on their preferred senior high school track, as well as senior high school learners in pursuing subsequent curriculum exits or tertiary education.

Parenting Sessions and Cards Distribution
Parenting sessions/conferences and report cards distribution shall be held not earlier than the second Sunday following the end of every quarter. Specifically, the parent-teacher conferences are intended to apprise the parents of the progress and performance of their children and to ensure parental involvement in school activities.

Schedule of Classes
Grade 7 & Grade 9 – Morning Session, 6AM – 11:50AM
Grade 8 & Grade 10 – Afternoon Session, 11:50/12:40 – 6:30PM
Grade 11 – Morning Session, 6:00AM – 12:40 PM, Sat – PEH
Grade 12 – Afternoon Session, 12:40 – 6:30 PM, Sat – PEH

Guidelines on the Prevention of COVID-19 and other Infectious Diseases   

  1. Face masks shall be mandatory in the re-opening of classes. A face shield maybe used in lieu of a face mask for activities requiring the entire face of an individual to be visible.
  2. Physical distancing shall be observed whenever possible.
  3. Classroom doors and windows shall be opened for ventilation or classrooms shall be airconditioned with air purifier as recommended by the DOH. The maximum number of students per class is 28.
  4. Students, teaching, and non-teaching personnel are strictly prohibited from eating together while facing one another. If there is a lack of space in the classroom or school premises to allow distancing during meals, eating shall be done in a manner where all individuals face in one direction and do not talk while their masks are off.
  5. The school shall coordinate with the DOH for counselling on the benefits of COVID-l9 vaccination of the family of an unvaccinated learner and implement mobile vaccinations for those who sign a written consent to be vaccinated.
  6. The school shall seek the support of and partner with mental health associations or psychiatry societies in their respective areas to assist in ensuring the mental wellness of students, teachers, and non-teaching personnel during the transition period.
  7. Learners who exhibit symptoms of COVID-l9 shall be immediately excused from in-person classes and shall shift to modular learning. This shall only be required of those who feel well enough to answer modules but are in the home or facility isolation. This provision excludes learners who are admitted to hospitals. To prevent learners with symptoms similar to COVID- 19 from going to school, parents are highly encouraged to monitor and report the health status of their children to the school, through the class adviser, and appropriate authorities.
  8. The school shall not be held liable should any learner or personnel turn COVID- 19 positive. There is no need for parents or guardians to sign a waiver for this item. Likewise, no parent’s or guardian’s consent shall be required for a learner to resume 5 days in-person classes.
  9. The school shall have an infection control plan and containment strategy.  

QCAFI Infection Control Plan and Containment Strategy
A. Traffic Management
The school shall set up clear and easy-to-understand signages. This is to strengthen the observance of health protocols and protective measures.

  1. The school shall establish safe entrance, exit, crowd management measures, and contact tracing procedures for all those entering school premises (Learners, teachers, parents/ guardians, school personnel, etc.)

    For those with service vehicles, the drop-off and pick-up points shall be at the Nueva Ecija St. The entrance will be the at the south gate (Nueva Ecija St.) and the exit will be at the west gate (EDSA). The school shall be assisted by the MMDA during entrance and exit of students.
  2. There will be signages/visual cues in the following:
    • School map at the lobby indicating the location of the classrooms (this may also be used as a guide for points of exit/ evacuation during emergencies)
    • Instructions for entrance and exit (for the school gate and classrooms)
    • Designated waiting area for parents/ guardians/ chaperones with observation of physical distancing at all times.
    • Areas where physical capacity may be limited (e.g., restroom, library)
    • All visitors shall be required to follow health protocols and screening, provide a copy of identification to school administrators, and fill out a form (indicating their name, contact details, address, date and time of visit, and purpose.)

B. The school shall ensure that the school nurse or designated “clinic staff” is physically present at the school clinic during school days.

Clinic Confinement 

  1. A student detected with fever at the gate entrance or during classes will be assisted to the clinic.
  2. The school doctor or the school nurse/staff may recommend confinement/stay in the clinic after evaluation of the student. Clinic confinement is limited to one to two hours only. 
  3. Those who need to stay longer may be sent home upon the discretion of the school nurse or clinic staff. Once the ailing student left the room, the clinic will be disinfected.
  4. The school nurse or clinic staff will inform the parents or guardian of the student’s health status as well as update the school physician, the current teacher or the section adviser, and the School Principal of the student’s condition. 
  5. The school suggests that the ailing student be tested.

Note: Other school rules and regulations are stipulated in the QCAFI Student Manual SY 2022-2023

References:
DepEd Order No. 34 SCHOOL CALENDAR AND ACTIVITIES FOR THE SY 2022-2023, July 11, 2022
DepEd Order No. 17 GUIDELINES ON THE PROGRESSIVE EXPANSION OF FACE TO FACE CLASSES, April 6, 2022