CLEANING/DISINFECTING/SANITIZING PROCEDURES

CLEANING AND DISINFECTING

St. Joseph School will maintain our standard, rigorous cleaning procedures for each school building every night. These are sufficient to kill bacteria and viruses.

By definition, disinfecting means killing the germs on a surface, using a chemical that must remain on surfaces for a minimum amount of time (usually 10 minutes). The chemicals must be rinsed or removed from the surface in many cases, such as cafeteria tables. Our disinfecting procedures, for the most, will take place when students are not present in the building. 

In addition, extra cleaning measures will be taken to ensure all areas disinfected daily. All touch surfaces - including desks, countertops, doorknobs, and door "push bars," keyboards, phone receivers, and hand sanitizer dispensers - will be wiped down and disinfected.

Every school will be "fogged" nightly with an electrostatic fogging machine. Custodians will use foggers throughout the building - in classrooms, restrooms, offices, common areas, etc. This spray a disinfectant mist on all surfaces that, when allowed to dry undisturbed for ten minutes, has a 30-day "kill claim" on all virus particles, including those associated with COVID-19.

Each teacher will also be equipped with a spray bottle to disinfect for spot cleaning.

SANITIZING

By definition, sanitizing means lowering the number of germs on a surface to make things safer. Sanitizing will not kill all the viruses and bacteria, but it will help lower the risk. SJS will continually sanitize surfaces and areas throughout each school each day.

Throughout the school day, faculty and staff will do additional cleaning/wiping down of frequently-touched surfaces throughout each school.

St. Joseph School will sanitize classrooms while students are not present (ex. students at lunch, activity period, etc.) when there are opportunities to do so.

Cafeteria tables will be sanitized between lunch groups.

Hand sanitizer dispensers are located in every classroom.

Teachers will teach and encourage students to use proper hand washing hygiene.