Protecting One Another by Preferring One Another New York Cov i d-19 Pl an / Fa l l 2020
WELCOME FROM ROGER Dear Parents and Students, For over a year we have been praying for your children, the students attending WOLBI for the 2020-2021 school year. When COVID-19 became a pandemic, we began to earnestly ask the Lord to go before us. We are thanking God for his faithfulness, and we are pleased to share at this time we are approved, planning and prepared to open our campuses in New York and Florida. It is with much excitement that we share our overall plan and response to COVID-19. This website and documentation is highly focused on our New York campus. As we have further details concerning our Florida campus, that information will be released. Our approach has been and will continue to be one of responsibility and reasonableness throughout this planning and implementation process. Ephesians 4:1-2 has served as a guiding passage for us during this time, “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love”. During this time and beyond, we can live in way that glorifies God, serve one another in humility, patience, and caring and prefer one another in love. As a faculty, staff and student body we have the opportunity to make much of Jesus even with our response to COVID-19.
Our plan supports and implements the policies set forth by the New York State Higher Education Guidelines and the local Department of Health. Responsibility to the government is a biblical mandate and we fully intend to honor and respect our authorities. We have also sought to be reasonable in our approach. For non-mandated policies (recommendations), we have taken the approach of implementing the recommendations in a safe and reasonable manner– strengthening our position of protecting one another by preferring one another. As you prepare to send your student to study in the Schroon Lake area of upstate New York, I want to assure you that I cannot think of a safer location. The combination of our rural setting and the outstanding health network in our area provide for a high quality of life and safety. As we practice social distancing, frequent washing of hands, face-coverings and good citizenship, we will see our area remain a safe location. Upon arrival, every student will be provided with a COVID-19 Preparedness Kit, which will include a water bottle to use at our filling stations, facemasks, hand sanitizers and a few other surprises. This is one of the ways we plan to help and encourage students to maintain good hygiene practices.
The theme of our COVID-19 Response Plan is “Protecting One Another by Preferring One Another”.
Understanding this has been a challenging time in our nation and world, Word of Life Bible Institute is pleased
Protecting One Another by Preferring One Another
to introduce the WOLBI CARES scholarship. It is our desire to provide a way to help every student who attends Word of Life Bible Institute. I hope you find our COVID-19 response plan helpful and encouraging. Your health and safety are a priority to us. While we are here together, we have a responsibility to one another. This year will no doubt look different, but I am convinced this is the year God has for us! I am praying this year is one of life-change for every faculty, staff and student as we look to walk worthy.
As always, we are here to serve you and your student.
Serving those who serve,
Roger L. Peace, Jr. President
COMMITMENT TO COMMUNICATION Communication is of the utmost importance during this time. We are resolved to be transparent, timely and effective in our communication with students and parents. We have developed multiple channels and tools for you to be connected in communication.
STUDENT COMMUNICATION
Email: Every student is assigned an official @wordoflife.edu email account. Students should plan to check their email daily for announcements and important information. Canvas: Every student is assigned an official account with our Leaning Management System, Canvas. Canvas is a powerful interactive tool for academics, but it is also extremely helpful for sharing campus information. Text Messages: Every student is required to sign up for a text alert system. This allows for real time communication of important updates. Campus Announcement Displays: All over campus, we have large display screens that continually run important announcements and information. Meetings: In the classroom and during chapels, we make announcements that are vital for the days and weeks ahead. Social Media: WOLBI utilizes various social media platforms to share updates and general announcements. You can follow our various social media accounts here:
@wordoflifeedu
Protecting One Another by Preferring One Another
PARENT COMMUNICATION
Please be sure to sign up for the regularly scheduled and official Word of Life Bible Institute email, The Bridge, which will be full of helpful information for you as we navigate these uncertain times. You can sign up for The Bridge here: The Bridge – From Our Campus to Your Home Also, make sure to regularly check this website for further communication and plans related to the Word of Life Bible Institute COVID-19 Response Plan.
COMMITMENT TO PROTECTION AND CARE
COUNSELING CARE – CENTER FOR BIBLICAL COUNSELING Throughout this plan you will read much about our operational and program plan. As a team we are committed to the spiritual care of each staff and student as well. COVID-19 has been unprecedented in the toll it has taken on students concerning, fear, anxiety and many other matters. It is our deepest desire that every student find the resources needed to receive counseling care as well. Our Center for Biblical Counseling is prepared and resourced to serve students counseling needs during this year. On opening weekend we will share with the students on how they can make an appointment in a secure and confidential way with our Center for Biblical Counseling.
We strongly believe that every student is created by God in His image and are inherently loved and cared for by Him. Understanding the love and care God has for His children, we must strive to love and care for them in the same way. With this as a guiding principle, we are committed to the protection and care of each and every student. We will endeavor to be faithful to the careful implementation and accountability of our COVID-19 Response Plan as a team. We will also faithfully challenge our students to carefully implement our COVID-19 Plan.
Protecting One Another by Preferring One Another
NEW YORK STATE TRAVEL
RESTRICTION PLAN Most of our student population comes from outside of New York State. Our facilities will be prepared to accommodate students and satisfy the New York State 14-day quarantine requirements if they are traveling from an area with widespread community transmission of COVID-19 (as defined by the Governor’s Executive Orders). Your Admission Counselor will be in communication with you about your arrival date if you reside in a travel restricted state. Word of Life Bible Institute will provide students with housing, meals and care at no additional cost in an effort to serve you better. For more information on the Governor’s order and current states on the list, please refer to this website: coronavirus.health.ny.gov/ covid-19-travel-advisory .
REGISTRATION DATES AND OPENING WEEKEND SCHEDULE FRIDAY, AUGUST 21 Student Leadership from states with NY State travel restrictions
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 Student Leadership from states with no NY State travel restrictions 1:00 – 5:00 PM Health Screening and Registration Fair for Student Leaders traveling from states NOT designated by NYS as areas with widespread community transmission of COVID-19. * At Wyrtzen Center Parking Lot and Huskies Health and Athletic Center 1:00 – 5:00 PM Move into temporary housing and commence Student Leadership training schedule
1:00 – 5:00 PM Health Screening and Registration Fair for Student Leaders traveling from states designated by NYS as areas with widespread community transmission of COVID-19. * At Wyrtzen Center Parking Lot and Huskies Health and Athletic Center 1:00 – 5:00 PM Move into designated quarantine housing
FRIDAY, AUGUST 28 All Students from states with NY State travel restrictions
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 All Students from states with no NY State travel restrictions
1:00 – 5:00 PM Health Screening and Registration Fair for students traveling from states designated by NYS as areas with widespread community transmission of COVID-19. * At Wyrtzen Center Parking Lot and Huskies Health and Athletic Center 1:00 – 5:00 PM Move into designated quarantine housing
1:00 – 5:00 PM Health Screening and Registration Fair for
students traveling from states NOT designated by NYS as areas with widespread community transmission of COVID-19. * At Wyrtzen Center Parking Lot and Huskies Health and Athletic Center
* The updated list of states under travel advisory can be found here: coronavirus.health.ny.gov/covid-19-travel-advisory
Protecting One Another by Preferring One Another
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 (CONTINUED)
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
6:30 – 7:15 PM All Students – Welcome Meeting at Wyrtzen Center 12:00 AM In Dorms
9:00 – 10:00 AM Worship Service at Wyrtzen Center 10:30 – 11:30 AM First Year Academic Orientation at Wyrtzen Center 11:45 – 12:45 PM Second Year Academic and Student Life Orientation at Wyrtzen Center 12:00 AM In Dorms
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
9:00 – 10:30 AM All Students - Health and Safety Orientation at Wyrtzen Center 10:45 – 12:30 PM First Year Student Life Orientation at Wyrtzen Center 1:30 – 2:30 PM International Student Orientation at Huskies Den and Recreation Center 2:30 – 3:30 PM Second Year Students Teaching Site Orientation at Council Hall 3:30 – 5:00 PM Late Registration and Health Screening at Huskies Health and Athletic Center 12:00 AM In Dorms
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
9:00 – 10:00 AM
Student Life Orientation • Men at Council Hall • Women at Wyrtzen Center
10:30 – 11:15 AM All Students – Ministries and Service Assignment Orientation at Wyrtzen Center 11:30 – 12:30 PM Second Year Missions Reality Orientation at Wyrtzen 7:00 – 10:00 PM Student Activity 10:30 PM In Dorms
ACADEMICS A core value held at Word of Life Bible Institute is the importance of quality teaching in the classroom and the creation of an excellent academic experience. We will be adjusting our class schedule to accommodate the various mandates and recommendations set forth by New York State Higher Education Guidelines. Protecting one another by preferring one another will be of utmost importance in our classroom experience, due to the very nature of the student body gathering together. Our plan consists of the following: Classroom Seating In the classroom, students will sit in groups with their roommates. Between these groups, there will be six feet of spacing. Where six feet of spacing is not possible (in Council Hall for Sophomores), there will be plexiglass barriers between groups.
Classroom Schedule We have adjusted the teaching schedule so we can meet the safety guidelines of our dining room and social distancing protocol. For highly attended meals (such as lunch), the dining room will be open longer, and there will be two seating timeslots in order to comply with social distancing protocol. To accommodate the need for two lunch timeslots, second-year students will have a few classes on Monday with our resident professors. First- year students will follow our normal academic schedule, with classes on Tuesday – Friday, with the last class finished by 1:00 PM. A typical week will look like the schedule below:
Fall Semester 2020 Time
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Fresh.
Soph.
Fresh.
Soph.
Fresh.
Soph.
Fresh.
Soph.
Fresh. Soph.
EXAM EXAM 1 YR 2 YR
2 YR 1 YR 2 YR
8:00 - 8:50 AM
1 YR 2 YR 1 YR 2 YR 1 YR 2 YR 1 YR 2 YR
9:00 - 9:50 AM
2 YR 1 YR 2 YR 1 YR 2 YR 1 YR 2 YR 1 YR 2 YR
10:00 - 10:50 AM
2 YR 1 YR 2 YR Chapel
1 YR 2 YR Chapel
11:00 - 11:50 AM
2 YR 1 YR
1 YR
1 YR
1 YR
12:00 - 12:50 PM
Please Note: This schedule is subject to change.
Protecting One Another by Preferring One Another
WOLBI CARES SCHOLARSHIP Word of Life Bible Institute understands that these unprecedented times have had a profound financial impact on many families. To assist families who have known financial need due to COVID-19, we are expanding our Supplemental Assistance Program to include a new scholarship, the WOLBI Cares Scholarship. Students must meet the current criteria for the Supplemental Assistance Program and then be reviewed for an additional $500 - $1,000 WOLBI Cares Scholarship. The Financial Aid Office will reevaluate all students who have received a Financial Aid Package for these funds and will continue to evaluate students until we have expended these new scholarship dollars. Please review our Supplement Assistance Program on our website wordoflife.edu/admissions/financial- aid-scholarships/scholarships .
To learn more about scholarships, visit wol.is/financial
STUDENT LIFE Dorm Cleaning and Lounge Occupancy
travel to locations designated by NYS with widespread community transmission of COVID-19.
Keeping students healthy is our top priority, so we are putting together a cleaning plan for each room/hall to accomplish daily. That cleaning plan will include wip- ing down surfaces in the dorm room and sanitizing the shared bathrooms two times daily. We are requiring face coverings for students when leaving their personal rooms to visit other students. We are also limiting the number of students in dorm lounges (50% of occupan- cy) to meet the current guidelines. We are working with our Resident Directors and Healthcare Team to make sure the dorm is a safe living environment, whilst inten- tionally maintaining the community dynamic that makes the Bible Institute unique. Discipleship We are excited to continue in our discipleship efforts! Part of the unique WOLBI experience is that every student is connected in relationship with at least one staff member. However, this endeavor will look a lot different during the 2020-2021 school year. We are working and planning to make sure that our promise to disciple students is not hindered by our circumstances, but we are absolutely dedicated to the health and safety of our students and staff. Special Permissions to Leave During the entirety of the pandemic, we will be requiring students to submit special permission requests through the Student Life Department in order to travel out of state. Student Life will not grant special permission to
Dorm Life Because students in the same dormitory rooms are considered “members of the same household” per New York State Higher Education guidelines, we will be housing students according to their class year. Members of the same household are not required to follow physical distancing and face covering mandates. First- year students will be housed with first-year students, and second-year students will be housed with second- year students. This will allow us to more effectively operate the Academic Program while complying with New York State Higher Education Guidelines. Campus Visitors Campus visitors are to be invited guests only and are required to follow all health and safety protocols on campus. Each invited campus visitor must complete an online health screening form prior to arriving on campus. This form can be found at wol.to/c19screen . International Student Arrivals International students whose arrival date is impacted by delays in Student Visa processing caused by the COVID-19 pandemic will (with certain exceptions) be permitted to arrive up to a maximum of four weeks beyond the start of classes. Your Admissions Counselor will provide you with further details regarding this special arrangement. Any applicable quarantine requirements will be accommodated on campus.
Protecting One Another by Preferring One Another
International Students Late Arrival Policy The following policy will be in effect for the fall 2020 semester and will only apply in cases where an international students’ arrival is delayed due to delays in visa processing caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Students will be permitted to arrive up to a maximum of four weeks beyond the start of classes. The latest arrival dates will be Monday, September 28 in Florida and Monday, October 12 in New York. • Students will NOT be officially enrolled in the program prior to obtaining a student visa. They also will not have access to Logos Bible Software or the Canvas Learning Management System prior to this point. • Once classes begin, students will be required to audit them online (either live or by recording for those in different time zones) prior to their arrival and enrollment as students. They will be provided with course notes, but assignments cannot be submitted, and exams cannot be written prior to their arrival and official enrollment. Classes begin in Florida on Monday, August 31 and in New York on Tuesday, September 15. • Upon arrival, students will meet with the Academic Office to set up a schedule for watching any classes that were missed due to travel days and to determine appropriate deadlines for the submission of assignments and the writing of any missed exams. All course requirements will need to be completed as soon
as practicable and no later than the beginning of the Christmas break. • Students are required to acknowledge their agreement to these expectations as a condition to being granted permission to arrive late. • Students will be advised of their option to move their enrollment from the fall to the spring semester or to transfer from the Florida to the New York campus if so desired in order to avoid a late arrival.
HEALTH AND SAFETY PLAN Oversight
is very passionate about serving our students’ health needs. We operate under the Medical Directorship of the Hudson Headwaters Health Network.
Word of Life Bible Institute has been working with the local Department of Health, NY State Government Leaders, and our Medical Director (Hudson Headwaters Health Network) to ensure that our re-opening plans prioritize the health of our students and staff while conducting the program at the highest level. Health Screening We are implementing health screening protocols for all students and staff. Each staff member conducts an online health screening each day prior to arriving in their ministry areas. For students, we will be requiring them to maintain 14 days of temperature checks prior to their arrival on campus. This will be done electronically at wol.to/c19nyss . In addition to this, each student will go through health screening as a part of the registration process to start the year. Periodic health checks will be conducted on students to ensure compliance with the Department of Health.
Telemedicine Each enrolled student has access to Telemedicine (United Concierge Medical). This service gives students 24/7 access to consultative and prescriptive care from medical professionals. We have seen great utilization of this service by students through the years. We also have an arrangement with our local pharmacy, Adirondack Apothecary, where students can have their prescription medications delivered right to campus at our Health Center. CULINARY SERVICES Our Food Service Department is prepared to serve our students with delicious and nutritious food offerings while minimizing the potential for the spread of illness. We will be moving to a combination of cafeteria style and grab and go meal options for our students. This eliminates the touching of shared surfaces (I.e. serving utensils, drink dispensers). We are blessed with a large dining facility and will easily be able to follow physical distancing protocols in the Bollback Student Life Center. The dining room and food service area will be cleaned and sanitized before and after every meal. All our team members who serve in food service are ServSafe certified and maintain the highest level of food safety for the health of our students.
Health Services The Word of Life Bible Institute Health Services
Department will open this fall semester in the brand- new Huskies Health and Athletic Center. This 51,000 square foot facility was created to meet the health and recreational needs of our students. The Health Center has three quarantine rooms, two exam rooms, and other facilities to support our health operations. We are also thankful to have a Physician’s Assistant on our staff who
Protecting One Another by Preferring One Another
ASSESS YOUR PERSONAL HEALTH
Conduct a personal wellness check. If you are feeling sick, self-isolate, inform your RA and follow all Word of Life/CDC guidelines to prevent the spread of disease
Practice Good Social Distancing When possible, maintain at least six feet of distance between persons
Wear a Mask When in public spaces or areas where it is impossible to maintain six feet of social distance, wear a mask that covers both your nose and mouth
Practice Good Hygiene Wash your hands frequently, use hand sanitizer at provided stations, and avoid touching your face
Sanitize Your Area Be sure to sanitize and clean the spaces you use regularly (desk in classroom, dorm room, and/or office space, etc.)
IN CASE OF ILLNESS During the student orientation, we have multiple sessions on what to do when you are not feeling well. All our processes and resources will be explained in great detail during orientation.
In the event of becoming sick the student should respond the following way.
• Do not go to class or any events – please stay in your room and isolate yourself immediately. • Please contact our Health Services Office for further instructions. • Please contact your Resident Director immediately. • You will be provided next steps from our Health Services Office.
RESPONDING TO A POSITIVE CASE If a student tests positive to COVID-19, we are committed to the following:
• Care: Our priority will be providing the best health care possible for the student who has tested positive for COVID-19. • Coordination: We will begin the process of coordination with our local Department of Health, our Health Services Provider and appropriate Word of Life Bible Institute team members. • Communication: We will begin the process of communication with the student and other necessary parties. • Contact Tracing: We will begin the process of contact tracing to limit the exposure of COVID-19 to other students. Appropriate confidentiality will be maintained. • Collaboration: We will always check to be sure all policies and protocols have been followed during an after-action review. This is done to be assured we are meeting the needs of staff and students with care.
Protecting One Another by Preferring One Another
HANDWASHING AND HAND SANITIZER All staff and students are encouraged to regularly wash their hands. Hand sanitizer stations will also be available throughout the property. In all public restrooms, we are encouraging handwashing with a purpose. See below
FACE COVERINGS
WEAR YOUR FACE COVERING CORRECTLY
• Wash your hands before putting on your face covering • Put it over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin • Try to fit it snugle against the sides of your face • Make sure you can breathe easily • Do not place a mask on a child younger than 2
Our staff and student body must strive to protect one another by use of appropriate face coverings when physical distancing is not possible. All public indoor spaces when not seated and properly socially distanced will mandate the use of a face covering. Students and staff must have a face covering on their person at all times. For more information on how to properly wear a mask: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent- getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html
Protecting One Another by Preferring One Another
Transmission Probability High
Covid-19 Carrier (without mask)
Healthy Person (without mask)
Transmission Probability
Moderately High
Covid-19 Carrier (without mask)
Healthy Person (with mask)
Transmission Probability
Covid-19 Carrier (with mask)
Healthy Person (without mask)
Low
Transmission Probability
Very Low
Covid-19 Carrier (with mask)
Healthy Person (with mask)
This graphic, adapted from Bryan Health chart “Wearing a mask is not only important, it’s life-saving”, illustrates how masks decrease the likelihood of spreading COVID-19.
FACILITIES PREPAREDNESS To be sure we have proper social distancing and per- sonal space protection procedures in place, all buildings are being modified and equipped to ensure protection of all staff and students. All public spaces will be adjusted for 50% occupancy with clearly marked social distanc- ing signs. Service desks will have plexiglass protection walls with clearly marked social distancing signs. All public buildings will have clearly marked social distancing posters, our COVID-19 plans displayed and encouraging signs to participate completely with the plan.
SANITATION AND CLEANING PLAN Public Space Cleaning God has blessed us with incredible facilities! It is our joy to maintain clean and safe spaces for our students to study God’s Word in a distraction free environment. We are highly focused on hygiene and cleaning to prevent the spread of illness. Our housekeeping team is cleaning public spaces and bathrooms multiple times per day in accordance with Centers for Disease Control guidelines and the NY State Department of Health. Training Our staff and students will undergo regular training regarding cleaning, hand hygiene, appropriate face coverings, physical distancing, and policies/procedures. Occupancy Reductions All our public spaces and student lounges will operate at a reduced capacity to meet physical distancing guidelines and will be equipped with hand sanitizing stations.
Protecting One Another by Preferring One Another
ATHLETICS In conjunction with the Hudson Valley Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as well as various other colleges and institutions in our area, we have decided to postpone our fall sports season, including Men’s and Women’s Soccer and Women’s Volleyball. We are working with the conference and other non-league opponents to move these sports to a spring season. Specifics on this spring season are still being worked on and will be released when they are available. No athletes will need to arrive to school early and can instead plan on arriving on the regular student leadership or opening weekend dates. At this point, we are still hoping to have Men’s and Women’s Basketball seasons and Women’s Softball operate on schedule; however, we will continue to evaluate the situation and adjust as needed. The health and safety or our student athletes, fans, staff and community is our highest priority, and we will continue to make adjustments to our athletics program as needed. MINISTRIES PLAN Our ministries this fall are still being evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Many of the local churches that we work with are still meeting primarily online. Many events that we typically partner with have already been cancelled, while others are waiting to see how the situation continues to develop. We will be evaluating the safety and viability of all events as they grow closer and announcing changes as applicable. We are in the middle of re-imagining what student ministry will look like, with many of these live events and church partnerships put on hold this fall. Several opportunities have already
become available for things like online counseling and evangelism in partnership with Groundwire and Dare to Share. We are also in the process of retooling our training and ministry plans to place a focus on students sharing their testimonies on social media, podcasting, and local service opportunities in areas that we can be confident are safe to operate in. CAMPUS ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS Our Campus Events Team is looking forward to an incredible year. As we continue to navigate and make plans while staying in compliance with current guidelines on gathering sizes, social distancing, etc., you can be confident that our Creative Events Team will be taking full advantage of having students on campus more often for the fall! Even with social distancing protocol, our team is planning activities, intramural sports, pop- up parties, and some new opportunities to engage our students with a focus on smaller group events.
CLOSURE OF CAMPUS If New York State requires a mandatory closure of higher education facilities, Word of Life Bible Insititute has developed and will implement a detailed closure plan. While closure is the last thing we would like to see, we are prepared to submit to our authorities and serve students. We would like to assure you that communication plans have been developed, plans for packing and travel have been developed, and essential student services are planned. Word of Life Bible Institute is fully equipped and ready to offer all courses online in the event of closure. We do not want anyone to be unable to finish their life-changing year at Word of Life Bible Institute! UNDERSTANDING THE RISK We are asking each student to become familiar with this information and understand that by attending Word of Life Bible Institute, you are being asked to follow the guidelines set within this COVID-19 Response Plan. Please understand that by attending Word of Life Bible Institute and participating in related activities, students voluntarily assume all risks associated with COVID-19.
Protecting One Another by Preferring One Another
PROTECTING ONE ANOTHER BY PREFERRING ONE ANOTHER: WORK GROUP Word of Life Crisis Management Team – Multiple Team Members President – Roger L. Peace, Jr. Executive Dean of Student and Guest Experiences – Eric Messer Dean of Students – Josh Ely Dean of Ministries – Jason Headlee Academic Dean – Dr. Paul Weaver Executive Dean of Global Teaching Sites – Mark Strout Health and Security Office – Caleb White and Health Services Team Facilities Maintenance Manager – Peter LaBarr Housekeeping Coordinator – Evelyn LaBarr Director of Culinary Services – Daryl Jackson Director of Information Systems and Technology – Jason Skeffington Athletic Director – Matt Layton Director of Enrollment – Brian Tanedo Business Manager – Christopher Tompkins Deans Office – Karen Smith and Justin Cousins
Director of Marketing – John Yarosh Director of Financial Aid – Tim Hunt Content Writer – Bree Hayden
4200 Glendale Rd Pottersville, NY 12860
1.800.331.9673
wordoflife.edu
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