Distance Learning 7-12

Students in grades 7-12 will follow their typical class schedule in a remote learning environment. Doing so will ensure consistency and continuity of instruction, eliminate conflicts, and build natural breaks (lunch) into the day for students. This also retains planning time for teachers. Class periods will be adjusted to allow for a “screen time break” and transition time between classes. A combination of synchronous large group instruction, synchronous small group instruction, and asynchronous learning will be provided to students each week.

Hybrid Model 7-12

Week 1 / Week 2: Students come to school four days a week to receive face to face learning. Students will be split into Group A or Group B to provide 50% occupancy and groupings will include grade level, courses, and cohorts. Direct instruction will be delivered to students in small groups within their classroom while maintaining health and safety measures outlined by CDC guidelines. Note: Parent Preference to Distance Learning: students will work 100% remotely and will not come to the building for instruction. Parents need to contact the school as soon as possible to indicate distance learning is preferred.

Hybrid Model for Specialized Instruction Programs 7-12

• Students with Disabilities that receive their instruction in a specialized program will attend school for in person instruction on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
• Parent Preference to Distance Learning: students will work 100% remotely and will not come to the building for instruction. 

• Information regarding the hybrid schedule and transportation will be communicated, in multiple languages, with families in August 2020.
• Weekly/Monthly school updates will be shared with families through School Website, Facebook, Twitter, Class Dojo, Robo Calls, and Newsletters.
• Virtual PTO/Parent Meetings will be held to discuss Re-Opening Procedures and Policies prior to the Re-Opening of School

Social Distancing

The classrooms will have no more than 12 desks per room, spaced 6-feet apart and facing the same direction. Science labs, art and music rooms will have one student per table and each table is arranged to allow for students to sit 6-feet apart. PE classes will be split into two classes if needed or utilize the big gym and plan activities that student can do individually. A teaching assistant can assist with supervision of one of the groups.

Face Covers:

Face covers will be mandatory in the building, especially when it is impossible to socially distance. If a person comes to the building without a face cover, the school currently has a least 500 facemasks to give out as needed. This will be the responsibly of the SSO taking the temperature at arrival. When students are in class, he must were his face mask, unless academic talk is occurring (questions & answers). Classroom teachers will teach the “one mic” protocol to discourage noisy classrooms and reduce instances of microscopic vapor entering the classroom from mouths. Students and staff must wear coverings when walking in the halls. In PE, students may or may not wear a mask during activity that results in heavy breathing. But the mask must be worn around the student’s neck. The PE teacher may remove his mask to give instructions and replace it when observing students. Hey may pull it down to give instructions.

Face Cover Location(s):

Face coverings will be located at the staff and students entrances. Additional face coverings will be stored in the School Based Health office and in the main office.

Face Cover Breaks:

Staff will not need to wear a face mask when in his/her classroom, with no students, or in a room when staff can self-distance. Students may pull the face cover down to allow breathing from nose while seated in class.

Staff Movement

• All staff will enter the building at either Exit 10 or Exit 7 and should go directly to their classroom.
• Staff will need to wear face covering in the elevator and copy room and when traveling in the hall.
• Staff will be allowed to check mailboxes as follows:
  • Last name A-L (in the AM, before school)
  • Last name K-Z (in the PM, after school)
• If staff need assistance from the main office he/she needs to email request or call the extension.
• Staff will need to make an appointment to meet with those housed in the main office

Social Distancing Classroom Plans:

The classrooms will have between 9 and 12 and student desks, one table, one teacher’s desk. Each classroom will have a sanitizing station that will include a bottle of school safe sanitizing spray and disposable cleaning cloths.

Science Room – 12 student, 1 student per table

Science Room – 12 student, 1 student per table

Cohorts:

The self-contained classes will remain together. The CORE teachers of self-contained classes will rotate to the classroom. The TA’s will assisting in providing student walk break. All other classes will rotate to their classes, following a traffic pattern that will eliminate the use of all stairwells. Instead, a new traffic pattern will be created with direction signs and unused stairwells blocked off and monitored.

Special Area Teachers:

Electives will occur in the identified class. The hybrid model will allow space enough space to socially distance. PE will utilize both gym rooms to socially distance.

Shared Spaces:

While our building will not have shared space, each classroom will have spray bottles with district approved sanitizing spray and disposable cleaning cloths. Each teacher will be asked to spray down furniture and anything that students may have touched during the class before.

Designated Pick-up and Drop-off Location for Deliveries:

With the exception of the large custodial orders that usually go the loading dock, all deliveries, including food orders, will come to Exit 1. The SSO will contact the receptor of the delivery. Staff who have food delivered will need to have PREPAID. No cash will be exchanged.

Screening & Visitor Log

The Lead SSO will maintain a log of visitors entering the building at Exit 1. The log will document the visitor’s name, the name of the student (if visitor is a parent or guardian), the purpose of visit, the time of entry and the visitor’s temperature at the time of arrival. There will be COVID-19 signage posted outside of Exit 1 to indicate that all visitors must sign in and have temperature checked.

Student Screening:

Students will enter Exit 1 for scanning and temperature checks.

Student Screening Locations:

Exit 1, only. There will be markings at the entrance, on the floor and front steps to socially distance while waiting.

Identify Screening Team:

The team will be SSO’s, TAs, Health Aid

Staff Screening & Locations:

• Staff will enter the building at Exits 7 & 10
• An SSO will be at each entrance to take temperature and provide a facemask if needed.
• ALL staff must swipe their badge to enter through the Exit 9 doors
• ALL staff will be temperature checked before entering the building by a School Safety Officer and or nurse.
• Staff Screening Time: 7:45 a.m.
• No staff member should hold the door open for other staff.
• Staff will complete an online screening questionnaire daily (electronically) before reporting to work.
• Screening questionnaire determines whether the individuals has:
  • Knowingly been in close or proximate contact in the past 14 days with anyone who has tested positive through a diagnostic test for COVID-19 or who has or had symptoms of COVID-19
  • Tested positive through a diagnostic test for COVID-19 in the past 14 days.
  • Has experienced any symptoms of COVID-19, including a temperature of greater than 100 degrees in the past 14 days.
  • Has traveled internationally or from a state with widespread community transmission of COVID-19 per the NYS Travel Advisory in the past 14 days.

Visitor Movement in the Building:

If possible, appointments with school staff should be scheduled ahead of time. After being screened, visitors may proceed to the main office. The Clerk II will greet them and see about their needs. Should a visitor need an administrator or counselor, a radio call will be made. All administrators, support staff, counselors and SSO’s will have a radio.

Positive Screening:

If a student or staff’s temperature results in a higher than “normal” temperature, the person will be treated as a “positive screen”. The situation will immediately be communicated to the School Chief immediately and be handled by the school nurse. The person will be asked to remain at the entrance until the school nurse or nurse’s aide can escort him/her to the Health Office. A room in the Nurse’s suite will be prepared, in advance, to isolate the ill person. The Nurse will refer to contact lists to arrange to have him/her picked up as soon as possible. The arrival area will be cleaned and sanitized, led by the head custodian and the Lead SSO will monitor the entry to make sure any visitors “let in”, manually and safely for the rest of the day. The school counselor will make sure that the ill student’s teachers are aware that he went home and communicate next steps regarding academics. The counselor will also remain in communication with the student until he is cleared come back to school. Should the ill person be a staff member the Head Secretary will maintain contact with that staff until he/she is able to return to work. The COVID-19 mitigation team will meet with all administrators before the end of the school day and the principal will send an email communication to school staff.

Isolation Room Location: School Based Health Office - Room 6

Safety Drills: The expectations of drills will be communicated in the updated staff and student handbooks.

Evacuation Drills:

If there are only staff in the building, evacuation drills will occur 4 times in September. Staff will utilize the emergency traffic patterns as if they had their full classes. They will need to wear their masks and asked to not congregate when outside, but be at least 6 feet apart.

With students in the building, the necessary number of drills will be scheduled as normal. When the drill begins, all students and staff must wear masks and walk single file out of the building at the exits indicated in the fire drill folder and posted in their classrooms. The students will be taught to not touch each other each as they walk and must remain quiet for the duration of the drill. Because of the difficulty to remain 6 feet during an evacuation, the masking will protect everyone. Drills will not be prolonged.

Lockdown Drills: The lock down drills will occur as normal. With students in the building, and needing to move away from the door, with lights off, students will be taught and expected to wear his mask and remain quiet out of the vision of the window of the door. The dill will not be prolonged.

Daily Supply Inspection:

The principal and head secretary will meet with the head custodian, every other day, to ensure that classrooms have sanitizing bottles filled and disposable wipes, the sanitation stations are filled, the bathroom soap dispenser in student and staff bathrooms are filled. The nurse will provide a list of need that the custodial staff may need to pay close attention to and maintain on a daily basis. The daily check-list should be provided by the District’s Facility and Maintenance department for schools to customize. The head custodian and Head secretary will coordinate, weekly, the request of sanitizing supplies before they run low.