Proactively Planning for Reopening Survey: Parent Selection of Learning Model for Student(s)

Good Morning,

 

As I shared with you all on Friday, 3/19, the CDC announced that under certain conditions, schools will be permitted to socially distance students three feet apart with universal masking, rather than at the previous guideline of six feet. At this juncture, we now await response from New York State. Our local County Administrator and leaders from across our region are seeking explicit and immediate guidance. While disappointed that there were no announcements from Albany about reopening over the weekend, we anticipate and remain hopeful that we will have more information soon.

In the event that NYSDOH and NYSED relax social distancing and our region meets established metrics for reopening, we are seeking information from our families surrounding intent to have students return to 100% in person learning. Please note the following caveats outlined in guidance documents around reopening with relaxed social distancing:

• The CDC guidance for relaxed social distancing includes provisions for universal masking.
• In classrooms, social distancing of at least three feet between individuals would be maintained.
• In other settings (cafeteria, bus), students will likely be "podded," which ultimately means that students may have assigned seats to mitigate risk of exposure and to support contact tracing efforts.
• Schools may be required to utilize rapid COVID testing in all zones as an additional safety measure.

Please complete the survey pushed out via ParentSquare by Friday, 3/26, for each of your children. In the event that NYSDOH and NYSED allow for relaxed social distancing provisions in the school setting, this information will be utilized to plan for classroom configurations, transportation routes, cafeteria seating, et al for the remainder of the school year. 

 

Notes:
1) In the event of reopening, the elementary model of teaching and learning remains "as is."
2) In the event of reopening, the secondary model of teaching and learning toggles from mixed hybrid model to choice of 100% in person or 100% remote learning for the remainder of the school year. Students who elect to participate in the 100% remote model will be required to participate synchronously each day with their 100% in person peers. This is a shift from the hybrid model.

3) The default selection for this survey will be 100% in person learning.