Superintendent's Weekly Update 7/30/2020
Newsletter Highlights Include:
Update guidance from DESE
Two proposed back to school models
Town Hall Forum and Zoom Links
Student Forum
Hello,
This week I hosted both staff and community forums. In these 4 zoom sessions I had over 200 participate, offer feedback, and have the ability to ask questions. I thank all of those that attended, asked questions, and sent me emails. Your voice matters and is being heard. Many of your suggestions and feedback have been discussed with our administrative team and we have modified some of our thinking and planning as a result of it. THANK YOU. I have sent out in different emails and social media platforms some of the changes and new guidance that we have received from DESE this past week. Below are some highlights:
Transportation:
Masks: All staff and students on the bus, regardless of age, are required to wear masks at all times.
Distance: Students should be seated no more than one student per bench, alternating sides for each row, which allows students to maintain approximately 3 feet of physical distance. Children from the same household may sit together and in closer proximity e.g., two students per bench).
Ventilation: Keep windows open at all times during operation, unless not possible due to extreme weather conditions.
Seat assignments: Students should be assigned to a single bus and a particular seat.
Course Safety Guidelines:
The following courses have guidance that all schools must follow: Chorus, band, theater, dance, and visual arts and Physical Education. DESE strongly encourages these courses and activities to be held fully or partially online if possible. If they are held in person, they strongly encourage – and at times require – these activities to occur outdoors. Safety requirements for these activities are as follows:
For chorus, singing, musical theater, and using brass or woodwind instruments: If outdoors, with masks encouraged if possible, these activities can occur with at least 10 feet of distance between individuals. At this time, these activities are not permitted indoors.
For physical education activities and dance:
• If outdoors, without masks, these activities can occur with 10 feet of distance between individuals.
• If outdoors, with masks required, these activities can occur with 6 feet of distance between individuals.
• If indoors, with masks required, these activities can occur with 6 feet of distance between individuals.
Note: These activities cannot occur indoors without a mask.
Course Safety Highlights (Sharing Equipment)
Minimize and modify shared equipment usage:
Consider lesson plans that minimize the use of shared equipment.
If feasible, procure additional pieces of equipment in order to limit sharing.
Assign specific students to specific pieces of equipment or workstations
If there is not enough equipment for each student to have their own, consider
creating cohorts, e.g., having students work in pairs or small groups and keeping those groups the same.
Equipment that touches the eyes or mouth (e.g., cameras) can be shared if a disposable protective cover is added
Instruments that do not come into contact with the mouth (e.g., piano) can be shared if cleaned by students or custodial staff between uses.
Do not share equipment or objects that are hard to clean and disinfect
Increase shared equipment cleaning
Shared equipment should be wiped down before and after each use
Additionally, shared equipment should be cleaned and disinfected at least daily
School Year Calendar:
The 180 day rule for total days in school has been changed to 170 days in order for schools to be able to offer professional development to teachers to help ensure success in one of the two proposed models. Schools must open no later than September 16 without DESE approval. We just received word on Monday of this change and we are looking at our calendar to select a new start date.
Hybrid and Remote Models
At this time we are looking and examining which one of these options is the most educationally sound, safest, and most effective model to return to school. In a hybrid model half of the students would be in school on Monday and Tuesday, all students would be remote on Wednesday, and the other half of students would be in school on Thursday and Friday. When students are not in school they will engage in a blend of asynchronous and synchronous learning. Unlike last year, the expectation is that students are in school for a “full school day” regardless of if they are in school or remote. As of today, schools need to have their final plan into DESE by August 10th. I want to give families as much time as possible to plan, once I know you will know.
Town Hall Forum:
On Monday at 1PM and 6PM I will host a Community Town Hall Forum to answer questions that you submit to me through this format. We have one hour and I will try my best to answer as many questions as possible. The questions are divided into several categories in order to maintain some level of order and sequencing. This is anonymous and I hope this format provides people with another way to get information and have their questions answered. Below is a link to the survey and the Zoom Links
https://forms.gle/BKmJXCN2g1ENeVTaA
Topic: Community Town Hall
Time: Aug 3, 2020 01:00 PM
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84399527219?pwd=TS9TZ0ZnN3VsekJGNDIrWGg5Vm1IQT09
Meeting ID: 843 9952 7219
Passcode: wVq2M4
Topic: Community Town Hall
Time: Aug 3, 2020 06:00 PM
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83898450457?pwd=Vjl4clB3ak9vNEZ2c3JlVjJvb1FnUT09
Meeting ID: 838 9845 0457
Passcode: aKCy4L
Student Forum:
I want the opportunity to be able to present the multiple options to our students, answer their questions, and be able to listen to their concerns. I am scheduling a middle school and high school forum for next week. Mr. Delany and Mr. Romano have already emailed them this information, but I have included it below.
Topic: Meet with Middle School Students
Time: Aug 4, 2020 10:00 AM
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85100523098?pwd=NmdlRU9kRlJpcWp1RG40S0kwNVBLZz09
Meeting ID: 851 0052 3098
Passcode: 9Z5gRA
Topic: High School Meeting
Time: Aug 5, 2020 01:30 PM
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85346940634?pwd=VDRrZHNLNGFoMjRXc1hrVTlrdjVyUT09
Meeting ID: 853 4694 0634
Passcode: DtP8kp
Thank you again for your continued support; it has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated. As I get more information I will continue to share it out with you. I look forward to the day when I can see kids safely in the halls and be emailing you about all the great things I am seeing in classrooms.
Best,
Paul Vieira
Superintendent of Schools
How do you expect parents to do this??
ReplyDeleteI have to be home 3 days per week?? This doesn't work. And, FYI, children don't get covid.
That's not true, children can get them. They just don't get as severe as adults. Remote learning please, I will do whatever it takes to protect my child.
ReplyDeleteWhat is more of a bigger concern is that they could be a carrier and give it to adults or other children that are high risk. I will do remote learning to protect my family from this virus.
ReplyDeleteHow are parents supposed to do this. Especially since daycares are already say that remote learning is not up to them to help with! I have to work to pay my bills and I am considered essential so I'm working 40+ hours a week! And my oldest has special learning needs. I'm not trained to teach him the way he needs.
ReplyDeleteThey are your responsibility.
Delete