WPS Fall 2020 Reopening Planning Glenn B Brand Superintendent of Schools July 22, 2020
THE DIRECTION FORWARD Initial fall guidance by the Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (DESE) is the safe return of as many students as possible to in-person school settings DESE guidance is based on an extensive review of current medical literature & advice and relies upon a combination of strategies taken together that will reduce the risk of transmission as well as allow for the reopening of schools Each school district is faced with the challenge of working with this guidance to develop a reopening plan that can be established within their own local context – there is no one uniform approach or plan that DESE has put forth for schools and districts to use Working on behalf of Wilmington over the last four weeks is a extensive advisory group that includes community members, teachers (inclusive of representatives of the WTA) and administrators who have been focused on developing recommendations to help guide our safe reopening and operations in WPS
UPDATE ON DESE GUIDANCE
DESE GUIDANCE The following informational documents have been released to districts by DESE for the 2020-21 school year thus far: Initial Fall School Reopening Guidance – released June 25 Comprehensive Special Education Guidance – released July 9 Additional Guidance on Fall Reopening Plans – released July 10 Two-Step Process and Online Form/Template for Fall Reopening – released July 15 Protocols for Responding to COVID-19 Scenarios – released July 17 The following guidance is still expected: Transportation Athletics/Extra-curricular Final Fall School Reopening Guidance
An Overview of DESE Guidance Health & Safety Requirements Reopening Plans Upcoming DESE Guidance Upcoming DESE Guidance Key policies, including academic Key policies, including academic Prerequisites for in Prerequisites for in-person Remote learning resources Remote learning resources calendar c considerations reopening Process for handling a COVID-19 Process for handling a COVID 19 Comprehensive guidance Comprehensive guidance positive case i in t the s scho hool Special programs and populations Special programs and populations com omin ing in in July commu mmunity Athletics, extracurriculars, and Athletics, extracurriculars, and Facilities and operations Facilities and operations Transportation Transportation elec el ectives 5
THE REQUIRED PATH BY DESE TOWARDS REOPENING June 25 - DESE released initial guidance for school reopening which prioritized getting students and staff back safely to school in person Schools/districts are required to create a plan that includes three learning models: o In-person learning with new safety requirements o Hybrid of in-person and remote learning o Remote learning July 15 - DESE released additional documentation that provides an overview of the two-step process for district reopening plan submissions Step 1 : By July 31 – districts must complete and submit a preliminary reopening plan summary to DESE Step 2 : By August 10 – districts must finalize their comprehensive plan documents and submit to DESE and release them publicly to their communities.
SUPPORTING HAVING STUDENTS RETURN DESE guidance is built upon extensive collaborations with advisors in the medical community The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has also issued planning considerations to support education, public health, local leadership and pediatricians collaborating with schools around reopening plans The AAP strongly advocates that “…all policy considerations for the coming school year should start with a goal of having students physically present in school.” The Massachusetts Chapter of the AAP has endorsed the DESE guidelines and “…shares the goal of bringing most students in the Commonwealth back to in-person learning this fall while minimizing the risk to them, the school staff, and their families. “
Comparison of Learning Models Hybrid Learning Model Remote Learning Model In-Person Learning Model Students receiving in-person Students will alternate between Remote learning is the default instruction full time in school in-person learning with safety mode of instruction for students environments that have been requirements and remote DESE has indicated that appropriately modified to learning Structured Learning Time address health and safety In this model some High Needs requirements apply to remote requirements issued by DESE students may still participate in learning In this model district may still full-time in-person instruction have a subset of students whose and some families may still families have decided to continue decide to keep their children learning remotely full time in remote learning while the rest of the school return in-person
REQUIREMENTS -STEP 1 PLAN SUBMISSIONS TO DESE BY JULY 31 Part I – Key findings from the district’s feasibility study on in-person learning as well as the district’s preliminary thinking about which of the three reopening models it may use to open school in the fall Part II – A brief description of each of the three reopening models and include support for High Needs students (defined as students with disabilities, current or former English learners and/or economically disadvantaged students)
STEP 2: EXPECTATIONS FOR FINAL DISTRICT REOPENING PLANS DUE BY AUGUST 10 Executive summary Letter from the Superintendent to the Wilmington community, which includes the district’s selection for the reopening model it will use to begin the school year Detailed Description of Approach for Learning Models
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS FOR DESE OF LEARNING MODELS In-Person Learning – districts should include in their plan submission information about how student learning, scheduling, protocols and/or facilities use may look different than traditional in-person learning with no restrictions Hybrid Learning – plan submissions should define how student learning will change across the two learning environments (in-person and remote) and provide sample schedules showing how students will rotate per grade level and student group Remote Learning – the plan submission must include the following requirements per DESE regulations: Procedures for all students to participate System for tracking student attendance and participation Alignment of remote academic work to state standards Policy for issuing grades for students’ remote academic work Method for teachers and administrators to regularly communicate with students’ parents and guardians Information about the technology platforms, staffing model and instructional materials they will employ
ESSENTIAL SAFETY PLANNING
ESSENTIAL SAFETY PLANNING – MASKS/FACE COVERINGS DESE provided guidance that requires students in Grade 2-12 and all staff to wear masks/face coverings that cover their nose and mouth at all times except for designated breaks through the day Local discussions with our school physician, Board of Health and WPS Coordinator of Health Services supports extending the requirement of masks/face covering also in Grade 1 DESE guidance for students in Pre-K and K is strongly recommended In Pre-K and K classrooms desks will be arranged at six (6) feet distance given that masks will not be required of students
ESSENTIAL SAFETY PLANNING – MASKS/FACE COVERINGS While final DESE guidance has not been issued as of yet for student bus transportation, it is understood that all riders, regardless of age, will be required to wear a mask/face-covering while on the bus Masks breaks must be scheduled frequently throughout the day
UPDATE ON PPE PURCHASES Recommendations from DESE in June urged districts to acquire approximately three (3) months supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Pediatric Masks Adult Masks Clear Masks N95/KN95 Masks 18,ooo 50,000 900 100 Nitrile Gloves Barrier Gowns Safety Googles Face Shields 3,500 400 80 560 Wipes Sanitization Hand Sanitizer 1,000 Station Pumps 600 500
ESSENTIAL SAFETY PLANNING – PHYSICAL DISTANCE Current guidance from DESE encouraged districts to arrange classrooms with six (6) feet distance measured from the “edge of seat” to “edge of seat” but with no less than three (3) feet The distinction between 3 feet and 6 feet is significant given that in most of our ‘traditional’ sized classrooms it makes the difference of fitting essentially all desks in a classroom to accommodate the full class of students (i.e. at 3 feet) vs. only half the number of students scheduled for a class (i.e. at 6 feet) Based upon conversations with local health officials we plan to support the DESE guidance and will strive for six (6) feet distance where possible but no less than three (3) feet distance
ESSENTIAL SAFETY PLANNING – PHYSICAL DISTANCE CON’T To establish classrooms at the elementary level with 3 feet distance requires the removal of most other materials, furnishings etc. including such things as carpets for class meetings, tables for group work, flexible seating for students to spread out etc. It also requires straight rows with students all needing to face one direction In many situations we will also have to purchase additional furnishings as we have a number of tables at the elementary level that can’t be used in allowing for 6 feet distance
BUILDING & FACILITY CONSTRAINTS
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