Report on Back-to-School Planning Efforts School Committee Meeting - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Report on Back-to-School Planning Efforts School Committee Meeting July 22, 2020 Agenda Current School Reopening Guidance from DESE Survey Data Guiding Principles for Our Planning Efforts Draft Frameworks In-Person
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From DESE Commissioner, July 10: “At this time, given the current low transmission rates of COVID-19 in the state, and pursuant to emergency regulations recently passed by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, we are asking districts and schools to prioritize in-person instruction. Specifically, we have asked districts to focus on assessing the feasibility
districts now.”
○ Schools do not appear to have played a major role in COVID-19 transmission. ○ In general, rates of COVID-19 infection are lower for children than for adults. ○ If exposed, children may be less likely to infect others with COVID-19. ○ If infected, it appears children may be less likely to infect others with COVID-19.
○ “Encourage districts to aim for six feet of distance between individuals when feasible”. ○ “A minimum physical distance of three feet has been established when combined with other safety measures.”
○ Required for students in Grade 2 and above. Encouraged for students in Kindergarten and Grade 1. ○ Adults are required to wear a mask at all times. ○ Exceptions may be made for medical conditions, disability impact, or other health or safety factors. ○ Mask breaks should occur during the day
○ Desks facing in the same direction. ○ Alternative spaces in the school (e.g cafe, gym, library, etc.) should be repurposed to increase available space.
○ “To the extent possible, elementary students should aim to keep students in the same group throughout the day, and middle and high schools are encouraged to minimize student groups to the extent feasible”
○ DESE’s medical advisors are still supporting an in-person return. ○ Many organizations, most notably the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA), have come out against an in-person return, citing safety concerns. ○ Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) authored an op-ed piece yesterday titled “The plan to reopen Mass. schools compromises too much and provides too little”.
○ July 2 ■ More comprehensive. Feedback on a variety of topics, such as communication, or experience with remote learning, etc. ■ 1039 responses, or 66% of all DPS families ○ July 10 ■ Three Questions ■ 1210 responses, or 77% of all DPS families
Families
Assuming appropriate safety measures are in place, what is your personal preference for how your child will return to school in the fall?
Faculty and Staff
Assuming appropriate safety measures are in place, what is your preference for returning to school in the fall?
Families
If in-person learning resumes in the fall, how comfortable are you having your child return to the school building?
Faculty and Staff
If in-person learning resumes in the fall, how comfortable are you returning to school?
If we have to operate in a Hybrid Model (one that combines in-person and remote learning), what schedule works best for your family? Please note that the examples provided are still in development and are subject to change.
At this time, the State is asking school districts to prioritize an In-Person return to school this Fall. For planning purposes, it is essential that we have an accurate count
In-Person model this Fall......
○ Little movement in classrooms; students sitting all day. ○ Pre-set classroom furniture configuration eliminates small-group instruction. ○ Limited student collaboration/interaction. ○ Possible that we would have to stagger drop off times - less time on learning. ○ No shared manipulatives/supplies. ○ Limited lab experiments due to sanitizing requirements.
○ Faculty and staff exposed to large groups of students. ○ Practical questions to be answered, such as do teachers simply “stand and deliver” to avoid contact with students?
○ Allows for some in-person learning. ○ Approximately 50% of the student population would be in attendance at any one time, which allows for adherence to 6-foot social distancing guideline in most cases.
○ Optimized schedule for student engagement and continuity of learning. ○ Addresses social-emotional learning needs of students (e.g. connectedness to peers, teachers, etc.). ○ Students benefit from direct teacher instruction and are able to apply skills learned in school independently on remote learning days. ○ Frequency of in-person contact with students makes it easier to assess progress, fill in learning gaps, assign grades, etc.
○ Maximized student, staff, and family safety. ○ Allows all students to participate in our Duxbury curriculum. ○ Summer planning and teacher training allowed for a more robust remote learning model.
○ Clear and set daily schedule. ○ Secondary students will follow a modified bell schedule. ○ Blend of synchronous and asynchronous learning opportunities. ○ Attendance, virtual meetings, and assignments will be mandatory. ○ Elementary students will be issued a school-issued device. ○ Allows us to build off our experience from last Spring.
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decisions about what reopening will look like for the fall in your district until early August. While preparations for the fall must move forward, we are still waiting for key information that will directly impact the best fit reopening model for each community. This includes more information about financial resources that may be available, including the possibility of a second federal stimulus package, and any change in local COVID-19 transmission rates.”