Superintendent's Weekly Update---October 23, 2020

Newsletter Highlights Include:

Calendar Change

Snow Days

Close Contact Definition

COVID Travel Order

Phases of learning

DPS Weekly COVID Dashboard

Substitute teachers

Important Documents

Hello,

I hope everyone had a good week. It was great to re-welcome back everyone at the Elementary School this week. It was good to see life back in the school after being away for two weeks. Thank you to everyone for your patience with this. A portion of our PD day today was dedicated to finding solutions to some of the known issues with the hybrid model. Last week we heard from many families, this week we will spend time with teachers and get their feedback. As I stated next week, we are well aware of the issues and will shortly share out some solutions. 

Calendar Change:

At the School Committee meeting this week, parent teacher conferences were moved from November 19 and 20 to November 16 and 17. This was done to create a better balance between the amount of time Cohort A and Cohort B students are in school. Principals will send out more information on this shortly.

 

Snow Days:

DESE released the following statement on snow days. For this year only they are allowing for schools to use remote lesson plans during snow days. The decision to cancel remote learning for snow or loss of power will remain a local decision. If this is done, these days will need to be made up in June. Below is the press release from DESE:

The Department has received inquiries from school districts about possible snow days this school year.  Districts have asked whether it is permissible to schedule students for a remote learning day in the event that schools are closed because of inclement weather or other emergency, instead of closing school and making up that time later in the school year. 

For the 2020-2021 school year, because of the pandemic, each district has created a plan that includes a remote learning model. As set out in DESE’s regulations (603 CMR 27.00), remote learning may include synchronous or asynchronous components, provided that students have opportunities to regularly interact with teachers, such as through feedback, office hours, and other regularly scheduled individual student interactions.  Remote learning models must include the following components:

1. procedures for all students to participate in remote learning, including a system for tracking attendance and participation;

2. remote academic work shall be aligned to state standards;

3. a policy for issuing grades for students' remote academic work; and

4. teachers and administrators shall regularly communicate with students and their parents and guardians, including providing interpretation and translation services to limited English proficient parents and guardians.

The Commissioner has determined that for this school year only (2020-2021), if there are days when schools must close because of inclement weather or other emergency, districts may choose whether to treat those days as “snow days” to be made up later or provide all students with remote learning on those days in a manner that is consistent with the regulatory requirements listed above.  This decision will be made at the local level.

Change in “Close Contact” Definition:

The CDC has changed how they define a close contact. Please see the “new” definition:

The CDC had previously defined a “close contact” as someone who spent at least 15 consecutive minutes within six feet of a confirmed coronavirus case. The updated guidance, which health departments rely on to conduct contact tracing, now defines a close contact as someone who was within six feet of an infected individual for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, according to a CDC statement Wednesday.

COVID Travel Order:

Currently, all visitors and returning residents of Massachusetts must follow travel orders, which are outlined here on the mass.gov website. Unless you are returning to Massachusetts from a “low-risk” state and/or classify for an exemption, you are required to quarantine for 14 days or produce a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72 hours prior to your arrival in Massachusetts. As of October 6, the low-risk states are New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, New York, and the District of Columbia.

Exemptions to the order for those traveling from high-risk states include people commuting for work or school, patients receiving medical treatment, and military personnel.

Visit the mass.gov website for full details on the out-of-state travel order.

These requirements are in addition to Massachusetts requirements for wearing a mask or other face covering in both indoor and outdoor settings, any time you cannot socially distance and remain 6 feet from other people.

This week's data show:

Douglas's Average Daily Case Rate: 3.8  per 100,000 

Douglas's 14 Day Percent Positivity Rate: .94%

MA  Positivity Rate - 1.3%

Last week's data show:

Douglas's Average Daily Case Rate: 5 per 100,000 

Douglas's 14 Day Percent Positivity Rate: .94%

MA  Positivity Rate - 1.3%

Link To COVID Dashboard

Important Documents

Here are links to 3 documents. The first document provides information to families on what to do if your student is sick. The second is a link to our mask protocol along our guidelines for when we will change models.

guidance for families

Mask and Change in model guidance