ABINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Feasibility Planning for a Reopening Plan and Process

July 21, 2020

1

Abington schools prior to March 13, 2020

APS Foundational Elements for School Reopening

■ Safety is most important. The DESE guidelines provide the minimum standards. We want to maximize every opportunity to provide the safest environment for our students and staff.

■ Emotional and Mental Well-being are the next most important things. We need to get each other and Abington through a worldwide pandemic. Taking the time to listen and being patient and flexible are critical. We want to be the masters of the things we can control and let go of the rest. This is truly what we have been called upon to do.

■ Academics, Athletics, and the Arts are third on the list. They are important; however, we all need to recognize we will not be able to design or deliver our instruction the way we know is best for students, until this event ends. Academics, athletics and the arts are part of how we create safe, productive, emotionally, and mentally stable experiences.

3

Initial Fall School Reopening Planfrom the Department of Elementary and Secondary

Education (DESE)

On June 25, 2020, the Massachusetts Commissioner of Education, Jeffrey Riley provided the Department of Education Initial Fall School Reopening Plan. http://www.doe.mass.edu/covid19/return-to-school/

– The guidance set-forth the following purpose (p. 2):

• The safe return of as many students as possible to in-person school settings, to maximize learning and address our students’ holistic needs.

• Provide a clear set of health and safety requirements for in-person learning this fall, grounded in the most up-to-date scientific literature and discussions with expert medical advisors.

• Require districts and schools to prepare a reopening plan that addresses three possible learning models for this fall

– In-person

– Hybrid of in-person and remote learning

– Remote learning

On July 10, 2020, the Commissioner of Education announced that all plans would be due to DESE by July 31, 2020.

4

Additional Information and Resources

▪ July 17, 2020- Protocols for Responding to COVID-19 Scenarios

http://www.doe.mass.edu/covid19/on-desktop.html

▪ July 15, 2020- Two-Step Process for District Fall Reopening Plans

▪ http://www.doe.mass.edu/covid19/on-desktop.html

▪ July 13, 2020- MTA/AFT/BTU Public School Reopening Proposals to DESE

https://massteacher.org/-/media/massteacher/files/news/proposaldese.pdf

▪ July 10, 2020- SPED State Resource: Comprehensive Special Education Guidance for the 2020-2021 School Year Memo

http://www.doe.mass.edu/covid19/sped.html#state-resources

▪ July 10, 2020- On the Desktop: Additional Guidance on Fall Reopening Plans

http://www.doe.mass.edu/covid19/on-desktop.html

▪ July 9, 2020- On the Desktop: Comprehensive Special Education Guidance for the 2020-2021 School Year

http://www.doe.mass.edu/covid19/on-desktop.html

5

Some of the conditions that have made the development of these plans extremely challenging:

– New/additional/updated guidelines

– Lack of comprehensive transportation guidelines

– Limited time for planning

– Still unknown federal and state funding for FY21

– The need to negotiate changes to working conditions with the unions

– The unknown of how many families will send their students back into the school buildings.

– Guidance on electives, co-curricular activities, and athletics.

Challenges in Developing Plans

6

Health and Safety Requirements for Reopening

Mask/face coverings:

– Students in grade 2 and above are required to wear a mask/face covering that covers their nose and mouth.

– Students in kindergarten and grade 1 should be encouraged to wear a mask/face covering. Face shields may be an option for those students with medical, behavioral, or other challenges who are unable to wear masks/face coverings.

– Adults, including educators and staff, are required to wear mask/face coverings.

– Mask breaks should occur.

– Masks/face coverings should be provided by the student/family.

– Mask/face coverings are required to be worn by everyone on the bus during school bus transportation.

(p.8)

7

Physical distancing:

– “We encourage districts and schools to aim for six feet of distancing between individuals where feasible. At the same time, a minimum physical distance of three feet has been established when combined with the other measures outlined in this list of safety requirements.”

– Classroom and facility configuration:

• “To the extent possible, desks should be spaced six feet apart (but no fewer than three feet apart) and facing the same direction.”

• Alternative spaces in the school such as the cafeteria, library, auditorium should be repurposed to increase the amount of available space. (p. 9)

Student groups:

– “…to the extent feasible, elementary schools should aim to keep students in the same group throughout the day and middle and high schools are encouraged to minimize mixing student groups to the extent feasible.” (p.10)

• Cohorts: “Schools should divide students into small groups that remain with each other throughout the day, with smaller cohort sizes preferred. Schools should look for ways to isolate cohorts of students and prevent inter-group contact to the extent feasible.”

• Capacity: “There are no required maximums on cohort or group sizes, so long as they adhere to the physical distancing requirements.”

Health and Safety Requirements for Reopening (Continued)

8

APS Schools PK-12

9

Full In-person and Hybrid ModelWhat will school look like (PK-12)?

• Full In-Person: Student desks will be arranged in rows with chair edges at least 3 feet apart all facing the whiteboard.

• Hybrid: Student desks will be arranged in rows with chair edges between 3 and 6 feet apart all facing the whiteboard.

• Additional critical classroom furniture will be arranged around the perimeter of the classroom.

• Extraneous furniture (additional bookshelves, small group tables, round tables, easels) will be removed and placed in storage.

• Classroom rugs will be removed and placed in storage.

• Classroom “book nooks” or “calming stations” will be removed.

• At the elementary level, most Art, Music, Health and Technology classes will be held in the classrooms.

• PE will be held outside or in classrooms. Gyms will most likely be used to accommodate for breakfast and lunch.

• Windows in classrooms to be kept open as much as possible.

• Hallways will be designated one-way where feasible and/or strict right side of the hallway travel.

• All water fountains and bottle filling stations will be out of use.

10

What will be lost instructionally compared to a Pre-COVID school?

• At the elementary level, Science and Social Studies instruction will be limited due to the hand-on nature of instruction.

• Ability to provide differentiated instruction to small groups of students will be limited.

• Ability to coach alongside students during independent work will be limited.

• Phonics and literacy instruction will be challenging while teachers are wearing masks.

• Learning stations will only be able to support 1 student at a time with materials/surfaces being disinfected after each use.

• Dramatic play stations will be removed from classrooms.

• Class meetings will lose effectiveness as they cannot take place on the rug in a circle (students would be at desks).

• Peer relationships and socialization will be limited.

• Social and emotional development of students will be limited.

• Students will not be able to work collaboratively (i.e., partner reading, math & literacy games, learning centers, etc. will not be possible).

• All instruction will be delivered whole class with students at desks and teachers at the whiteboard.

• Small group instruction and student collaboration will be limited due to social distancing guidelines.

• Middle School: With students in cohorts, groupings would need to be more homogeneous to maintain Advanced

Math, Chorus, Band, and Co-Taught sections.

Full In-person and Hybrid Models (Continued)

11

BBES and WES

classrooms at 3-foot

distance between

desks

WES at 6-foot distancing between

desks

Classroom Layout 3 feet vs. 6 feet

12

What Does a Hybrid Model Mean?

• While the exact model has yet to be determined, regardless of the model, approximately half the class/school will be learning in person and the other half will be learning remotely.

• Students with IEPs and EL services will receive services on the days their cohort is in school, whenever possible. Additionally services may also be provided remotely.

• A small number of students may be identified to receive in-school instruction daily.

13

Possible Hybrid Models

• Students are separated into A-groups and B-groups:

• Model 1:

Group A in-person instruction Monday and Tuesday, remote Wednesday-Friday

Group B in-person instruction Thursday and Friday, remote Monday-Wednesday.

• Model 2:

Week One: Group A in-person instruction M-Th- Group B is remote.

Week Two Group A is remote Group B in-person instruction M-Th.

All students engage in remote learning on Fridays.

• Model 3:

Group A in-person instruction Monday and Wednesday, remote Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Groups B in-person instruction Tuesday and Thursday, remote Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

All students engaged in remote learning on Wednesdays.

14

Comparison of Full In-Person and HybridFull In-Person Model Hybrid Model

All students (25+ students per class, on average) attend

school in-person each day.

Half of the class/school attends school in-person, while

the other half is participating in remote learning at home.

There is a social-emotional benefit to all students

attending school at the same time. However, operating at

full student capacity will make facilitating Social-

Emotional education difficult (coping with anxieties,

communicating feelings, adapting to and coping with

whole-scale change, etc.). It will be more challenging for

staff to effectively monitor individual students’ social

emotional needs.

With a reduced student capacity, staff will be able to

more effectively facilitate Social-Emotional education

(coping with anxieties, communicating feelings, adapting

to and coping with whole-scale change, etc.).

Additionally, with a smaller student population, staff will

be able to more effectively monitor individual students’

social emotional needs.

Staff will deliver instruction to all students in attendance. In-School Days: Staff will deliver instruction to students

in attendance. To maximize the in-school

opportunity, topic overview, modeling, and guided

practice will be employed while in attendance.

Remote Days: Staff will develop opportunities for

independent application and/or project-based learning

and assign these for days in which students are not in

attendance.15

Comparison of Full In-Person and Hybrid (Continued)

Full In-Person Model Hybrid Model

It is anticipated that arrival and dismissal will take

upwards of 45 minutes in the AM and PM and will

impact instructional time.

With half the student population present each day, it is

anticipated that the length of arrival and dismissal times

will be similar years past.

Lunch will be “Grab and Go” and students will be

assigned to either in their classroom or various areas

throughout the building to allow for a minimum of 6 feet

between students.

Lunch will be “Grab and Go” and students will be

assigned to either the cafeteria or various areas

throughout the building to allow for a minimum of 6 feet

between students. Lunch will not need to be eaten in the

classrooms.

16

Full In-Person Model Hybrid Model

Full classes:

• Desks, in most classrooms, will be separated by no

more than 3 feet.

• Spacing requirements provide challenges for both

personalization of instruction and differentiation for

students

• Challenges monitoring and managing Social-Emotional

needs

• Movement through each building will need to be

continually monitored by school staff to ensure

compliance.

• Significant organization, logistics, parental support,

student support and additional staff will be needed to

provide a safe, socially-distanced school environment.

• Bathroom/hallway monitors will be requested for each

floor/hallway, in each building (8-10 monitors).

• Additional lunch monitors will be requested for each

building (8-10 monitors).

Smaller Class Sizes:

• Ability to provide greater than 3 feet between desks

(most desks will be between 4 and 6 feet apart).

• Greater ability to personalize instruction, provide

feedback, and gauge specific student needs.

• Opportunities for staff to more closely monitor the

Social-Emotional well-being of students present in

the school.

• Increased ability to building peer-to-peer and

student-staff relationships while socially distanced

and wearing masks

• Due to fewer students, management of movement

throughout the building will require less compliance

monitoring.

• Reduces the need for significant changes to school

logistics and additional personnel.

Comparison of Full In-Person and Hybrid (Continued)

17

Specific High School Programming Challenges

Full Return to School at the High School

✓ With 3 ft of distance between chairs, the maximum classroom space is 25 desks.

✓ To plan for a full return to school, the 2020-2021 Master Schedule was run with a cap of 28 students to the classroom (this is typical in a normal year). This run resulted in 53 sections that had 26+ students assigned to the section.

✓ In order to the meet the needs of a maximum of 25 students in any given section, we would need to address the following:

✓ Loss of or reduction to student selected core and elective courses from the Program of Studies

✓ Potential reduction in student course schedule or credit loads to accommodate safety and spacing requirements.

Hybrid Return to School at the High School

The hybrid model allows for students to maintain their 2020-2021 Program of Studies course selections, but with fewer in person meetings (combination of in person and remote).

Regardless of how we return to school, students will be enrolled in, at a minimum, the courses necessary to move on to post secondary options (college, career, military, etc).

18

Remote Learning

• Teachers will teach new material and content.

• Increased synchronous or “live” instruction, students will be required to attend.

• Student work will “count” and be graded, where applicable. Feedback will be provided for all completed assignments.

• Assessments will be used to determine what students know and are able to do and will “count.”

• Students will be provided with a schedule that they will be expected to follow during typical school hours and attendance will be taken, when appropriate.

• Frequent interactions with teachers and/or staff members, which may include video conferencing.

19

Special Education ImplicationsIn all formats, students with disabilities will receive all of the services documented on their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).

In-Person Format:

• Students with disabilities will receive all documented IEP services in-person.

• Students with disabilities will be educated among non-disabled peers in a manner consistent with their IEPs.

• When staff need to provide direct physical support, they will make use of necessary protective equipment.

Hybrid Format:

• Preschool-aged students with disabilities and students with complex disabilities will be prioritized for in-person instruction and receive as much in-person services as feasible.

• Students with disabilities will receive their Special Education services in-person as feasible.

• Remote Special Education services will emphasize structured learning time, consistent scheduling, video conferencing, and frequent interaction with staff.

Remote Format:

• Preschool-aged students with disabilities and students with complex disabilities will continue to be prioritized for in-person instruction and receive as much in-person services as feasible.

• Remote Special Education services will emphasize structured learning time, consistent scheduling, video conferencing, and frequent interaction with staff.

20

Protocols for responding to COVID-19 Scenarios(July 17, 2020 DESE Guidance)

From the DESE July 17, 2020 Guidance:

• Each school shall designate a COVID-19 school lead. This person shall assist in all proper notifications of families, staff and contracted services. Additionally, this person shall assist in contract tracing within the school/bus.

• It is not one mitigation strategy but a combination of all these strategies taken together that will substantially reduce the risk of transmission.

• Staff must monitor themselves for symptoms daily and students, with the assistance of families, must also be monitored daily for symptoms. Staff and students must stay home if feeling unwell.

• Masks are among the most important single measures to contain the spread of COVID-19… masks must adequately cover both the mouth and nose.

• Hand hygiene is critical.

• Physical distance greatly reduces the risk of transmission.

• Cohorts/assigned seats.

21

Protocols (Continued)• If staff or students have any COVID-19 symptoms, they must get a test for active COVID-19 infection

prior to returning to school.

• Protocols for possible COVID-19 scenarios

• While specific protocols vary, there are some common elements for each possible COVID19 scenario:

✓ Evaluate symptoms

✓ Separate from others

✓ Clean and disinfect spaces visited by the person

✓ Test for COVID-19 and stay at home while awaiting results

✓ If test is positive:

- Remain at home at least 10 days and until at least 3 days have passed with no fever and improvement in other symptoms

- Monitor symptoms

- Notify the school and personal close contacts

- Answer the call from local board of health or Massachusetts Community Tracing Collaborative to help identify close contacts to help them prevent transmission

- Secure release from contact tracers (local board of health or Community Tracing Collaborative) for return to school

22

Protocols (Continued)

Testing Result Quarantine

Individual tests negative Return to school once asymptomatic for 24 hours

Individual tests positive Remain home (except to get medical

care), monitor symptoms, notify the

school, notify personal close

contacts, assist the school in contact

tracing efforts, and answer the call

from local board of health or MA

Community Tracing Collaborative.

Most people who have relatively

mild illness will need to stay in self isolation for at least 10

days and

until at least 3 days have passed with

no fever and improvement in other

symptoms.

Individual is not tested Remain home in self-quarantine for

14 days from exposure.

23

Protocols (Continued)

If a student or staff member tests positive:

Determine whether the student or staff member was on the premises during the time frame that started two days prior to symptom onset (or testing positive if not symptomatic) until the time of isolation.

a. If so, promptly close off areas visited by the COVID-19 positive individual until such areas can be cleaned and disinfected, if they have not been cleaned and disinfected already.

b. Promptly clean and disinfect the student’s or staff member’s classroom and any other facilities (e.g., extracurricular facilities) visited by the individual, if that has not been done already.

c. Promptly clean and disinfect the bus(es) the student or staff member was on, if any, and if not already done.

24

Protocols (Continued)ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (e.g., student has self-contained classroom throughout the day):

• Identify “close contacts”- those that may have been within 6 feet of the person with a positive test. In cases where the student may have been in close contact with others outside their cohort, having assigned seating and keeping up-to-date seating charts will help identify who should be instructed to be tested: specifically, those who were sitting next to the student, plus any others who also had close contact with the student.

• Those designated as close contacts should isolate prior to their test and while waiting for the results. In general, as the highest yield test will be a few days after the exposure, ideally, the test should occur no sooner than day 4 or 5 after the last exposure.

• If close contacts choose not to get tested, the student or staff member should remain home in self-quarantine for 14 days.

If the school is notified during the school days, make sure all students in the class are wearing a mask, including kindergarten and first grade. Enforce strict physical distancing. Require students to wash their hands.

• Students in the class or other close contacts shall be contacted and students should be picked up. Identified students may not ride the school bus.

As feasible, to assist with contact tracing, make a list including phone number and email of any other close contacts the student or staff member had, beginning two days before the onset of symptoms (or positive test if asymptomatic) until individual was isolated. Instruct those students and/or staff members to get tested according to the same protocol as the student’s cohort above.

25

Protocols (Continued)MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL (e.g., no single self-contained classroom):

• The school should identify the student’s or staff member’s possible “close contacts” based on the assigned seating charts.

• The lookback period should begin two days before symptoms appeared (or two days prior to the date of the positive test if there were no symptoms) and include up until the time the student was isolated.

• Consider students and staff members who were within 6 feet of the individual for 10-15 minutes in class, on the school bus, or at extracurricular activities.

IF NO OTHERS IN THE SCHOOL TEST POSITIVE:

• Close contacts can return to school immediately if they test negative and do not have symptoms; however, strict mask wearing covering the nose and mouth must be maintained at all times. The wearing of masks includes K-1 students for this 14-day period.

• If they have symptoms but test negative regardless, they should wait until they are asymptomatic for 24 hours before returning to school.

Any area of the school visited by the COVID-19 positive individual must be closed off and/or cleaned and disinfected. The area can be used 12 hours after cleaning/disinfecting has occurred.

26

Protocols (Continued)

PRESENCE OF MULTIPLE CASES IN THE SCHOOL OR DISTRICT:

1. If there is more than one confirmed COVID-19 case (students or staff) in the school at one time, or if there is a series of single cases in a short time span, school leaders and the superintendent should work with the local board of health to determine if it is likely that there is transmission happening in school.

2. For each individual case, FOLLOW STEPS UNDER: “Protocol: Student or staff tests positive for COVID-19.” Note that when there is one isolated case, the student’s close contacts will need to stay home and be tested, not the whole school.

3. When there is suspected in-school transmission beyond one cohort or a small number of cohorts, school and district leaders must consult with the local board of health as to proposed next steps. These steps could include, for example, making a decision to a) close part of the school or the entire school for a short time (e.g. 1-3 days) for an extensive cleaning or otherfacility mitigation, or b) close the school partially or fully for the longer duration of a 14-day quarantine period.

4. Should there be circumstances where there are multiple cases in multiple schools, school and district leaders must consult with the local board of health as to proposed next steps. These steps could include, for example, making a decision to a) shut down the district for a short time (e.g. 1-3 days) for an extensive cleaning or other facility mitigation, or b) shut down the district for the longer duration of a 14-day quarantine period.

5. Before a final decision is made on a school or district closure, the superintendent must consult with DESE for further guidance.

27

Protocols (Continued)

PRESENCE OF SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF NEW CASES IN A MUNICIPALITY

1. In the case of significant municipal outbreak, as determined by the local board of health or DPH, the superintendent and school leaders must consult with the local board of health to determine whether it is appropriate to close a specific school,schools, or an entire district.

2. Before a final decision is made on a school or district closure, the superintendent must consult with DESE for further guidance.

DESE has indicated that the CDC may be releasing additional protocols in the coming weeks and the DESE guidelines may be updated.

28

Additional Staff Anticipated for Reopening

• Additional custodial support

• Bathroom/hall monitors

• Additional lunch monitors

• Additional substitute teachers

29

Anticipated use of CARES COVID-19 Relief Funds via Plymouth County

• Additional student laptops (do not anticipate receiving until late September)

• PPE including masks, gowns, face shields, eye protection, hand sanitizer, etc.

• Software to support both hybrid and remote learning

• Cleaning supplies & equipment

• Student desks to replace tables in classrooms to allow for physical distancing

30

PARENT AND TEACHER RE-ENTRY FEEDBACK

(SURVEY JULY 14, 2020)

31

Fall Return to School

Full Time Return to School

■ Pros:

– Socialization

– Normalcy/Structure

– Student Engagement/Motivation

■ Cons:

– Safety

– Wearing masks

– Won’t return without a vaccine

Hybrid Return to School

■ Pros:

– Parents more involved in learning

– Flexibility

– Safety First

– In/out of school routines

■ Cons:

– Parent working schedules

– Parents are not teachers

– Safety

Preference for Returning to School Parents (826) Teachers (195)

Return Full-Time in-person 60% 36%

Hybrid (in-person/remote) 26% 29%

Full Remote Learning 13% 28%

Homeschool 1.5% N/A

32

Fall Return to School

Other Comments:

Reiteration of the above choices

None of the above

Full Rotation: easier for parent work schedules

Split Week: more frequent face-to-face time with teachers

Overall: Consistency in schedule preferred

If we use a hybrid or staggered model in

the fall, which plan do you prefer? Parents Teachers

Full Week Rotation (one week on, one week

remote )40% 39%

Split Week Rotation Every Other Day

(M/W/F or T/TH )32% 26%

Split Week Rotation by Half Week (M/T/W

and W/TH/F )14% 19%

Other 13% 15%

33

Fall Return to School: Transportation

Would you feel comfortable having your

child/children take the bus to school in the

fall with safeguards in place? Parents

Yes 47%

No 21%

My child/children does/do not ride the bus 32%

34

Back to School: Teaching

Do you feel comfortable going to school

in the fall with safeguards in place? Teacher

Yes 53%

No 47%

35

Overall Feedback: Themes that Emerged from Parents

■ Safety/Vaccine

■ Parent Work Schedules are a challenge

■ Student Engagement and Motivation

■ Need for Socialization and Normalcy for Students

■ Consistency in learning platform and schedules/routines for hybrid or remote learning

■ Technology: no printer at home or inconsistent WiFi for remote learning

36

Still unknown:

• The FY21 State budget and the impact on Abington

• The status of physical education, music, band and choral instruction

• Transportation guidance and if we will require additional bus runs

• Status of co-curricular activities, including athletics

37

Next Steps

• Community input regarding the three models developed.

• By July 31, we must complete and submit a preliminary reopening plan summary to

DESE.

• By August 10, we must finalize a comprehensive plan document, submit to DESE, and

release publicly to the community.

“This additional time will provide districts with an opportunity to

incorporate any desired changes based on additional guidance DESE may

release later in July, such as guidance on transportation and athletics.” (DESE)

38

For information visit:

www.abingtonps.org

All updates will be sent out via Constant Contact

sign-up on our website.

39