Vermont AOE Guidance Winter Sports Programs for the 2020-2021 School Year  

Vermont Pricipal's Association Winter Sports Guidance

Indoor sports, especially those involving intermittent and sustained contact, pose a significantly greater risk of COVID-19 transmission than outdoor sports.  School staff, students, and their families must be aware of this increased risk and cooperate fully with all mitigation strategies outlined by teh AOE & VPA including:

• Daily health screenings
• Proper use of facial coverings
• Physical distancing of at least 6 feet whenever possible
• Hand Hygiene before and after training/competition
• No spectators at indoor events
• No in-person team based social gatherings

Blue Mountain Union School winter sports programs will initiate coach-led practice sessions (e.g., skills and drills work) and inter-squad scrimmages no earlier than December 26, 2020. 

1. High school sports will begin once approved by the Governor's Task Force. High school practices will be posted online the Friday preceding for the following week. 
2. Middle school sports will begin up to one week proceeding the approval by the Governor's Task Force and will run no more than four days a week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday). Events will only be allowed on days where in person learning is taking place with the exception of possibly cross country. Practices will be posted online the Friday preceding for the following week. 
3. Youth sports will begin on TBD and will run no more than two days a week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday). Events will only be allowed on days where in person learning is taking place.  Practices will be posted online the Friday preceding for the following week.
4. If student athletes and/or coaches leave the facility they will be required to be screened just as anyone arriving for the first time before every practice/game. See (1a) Health Screenings - BMU Procedure
5. Coaches are to conduct training as prescribed by the school and wear a mask throughout the entire training session at all times and when possible keep physical distance of six feet consistently maintained. Coaches and student-athletes should bring at least two masks to every practice. Masks should be washed after every practice.
6. As prescribed by the state all there will be no entrance of our facility to spectators during practices or games.
7. Eligibility will be determined by the Principal & Athletic Director per school policy.
8. The VPA has waived the required Well Exam for participation in interscholastic sports for the 2020-21 season

Winter sports programs may initiate interscholastic games, meets and competitions among Vermont schools no earlier than January 11, 2021, as long as the school is operating under Step III of the Agency of Education’s Strong and Healthy Start guidance.:

1. Facial coverings are required to be worn by all players, coaches, officials, staff and other personnel at all times.
2. Consistent with the Agency of Education’s Strong and Healthy Start guidance, and to limit unnecessary exposure, only “key personnel” – players, coaches, officials, time and scorekeepers, and person(s) providing a live video stream – will be allowed to attend school-sponsored Winter Sports Programs for the 2020-2021 School Year. This requirement is in effect regardless of whether the venue is owned or controlled by the school.
3. All coaches, players, officials, and other personnel will be screened with a temperature check, Covid-19 related questions, contact tracing information and mandatory wearing of a mask while practicing social distancing throughout the entire event. 
4. Blue Mountain student athletes taking school transportation to all away contests will be screened before they get on the bus. Anyone utilizing bus transport is required to wear facial coverings on the bus and comply with all other relevant guidelines in the most current health guidance published by the Agency of Education related to bussing and transportation.
5. The away buses will not be stopping for snacks therefore players should bring snacks to eat on the bus. 
6. Return to Play After Illness - If diagnosed with COVID-19 infection, regardless of symptom severity, may not return to play until asymptomatic for at least 14 days and cleared by their primary care physician.

Specific Sport Information as it Stands:

Cheerleading squads may hold practice sessions and competitions. Stunt groups should be kept together in their cohort; refrain from mixing and matching bases and tops from different groups. Six feet of physical distance should be maintained between individual stunt groups when possible (i.e., when not building pyramids). Modifications to skills (i.e., stunting and lifts) should be considered to ensure participant safety while wearing face coverings, such as limiting inversions, twisting, and tosses. Because of the increased risk of transmission associated with vocalization, cheerleading squads may not perform vocal routines in practice sessions or competitions during the Winter 2020-21 season.

Basketball programs may hold team practice sessions, inter-squad scrimmages and interscholastic competitions. Teams must implement measures to ensure six feet of physical distance is maintained between players not actively involved in game play.

Indoor sports teams engaged in interscholastic competition in sports that involve close proximity or moderate contact are limited to no more than two games in any seven-day period and allow a minimum of at least three days between competitions.

The spectator plan is based on the current guidelines set forth by the Vermont Principals Association, Agency of Education, and the Governor’s office. Should you have any questions please email Todd Powers at todd.powers@oesu.org

The decision to move from Steps will be made with the help of the VT Department of Health and the VT Agency of Education based on latest trends and epidemiological evidence. When schools are operating under Step I of the Agency of Education’s Strong and Healthy Start guidance or if a decision is made by the local superintendent to restrict or eliminate in-person instruction as a result of confirmed COVID-19 illness in student(s) or staff, all school-based athletic activities shall cease until at least such time as the decision to resume instruction under Step II of the Agency of Education guidance for academic instruction is made by the local superintendent after consultation with the Department of Health.