Fort Edward Union Free School District COVID-19 Reopening Plan Grades PK-12 The safety and health of our students, our faculty, and our staff is paramount and has been at the forefront of our planning. Our planning is designed to bring the most students back to face-to-face educa on as possible, while providing addi onal opportuni es and improving upon the distance learning systems that we adopted this past spring. To allow our school district to safely reopen, there are a number of features, con ngencies, and safety protocols that we must plan for, and we have a empted to outline this throughout our plan. We understand that the situa on around COVID-19 is ever-evolving, and as a result, our plan will be forced to evolve with it. We, as a school district, cannot an cipate the way that the disease will develop, nor can we fully an cipate the way that it will affect our region, but through careful planning, hard work, and resilience, we have put together a plan that allows our schools to have the flexibility to address these concerns. This plan has been developed over months through the input of a vast number of stakeholders, including building and district administrators, teachers, school nurse, school support staff, buildings and grounds staff, students, parents, our local BOCES and department of health. Their me, efforts, and dedica on have been inspiring and have provided the backbone for our return this fall. Also, employees have been surveyed by respec ve associa on leadership and the following survey has been u lized as a means to gather further informa on: - Parent and Community Return to School Survey: h ps://docs.google.com/forms/d/1sOj89gU0Mt3vNwiKvjEJfQ0kQMTHss1pXIE5 AbRns/edit?us p=sharing Guiding Safety and Health Principles Any and all discussions about how to safely and effec vely reopen our schools requires us to understand the how of safely reopening. For us to safely reopen, there are four major areas that need to be considered – face coverings, social distancing, hygiene, and screening – all of which will be covered throughout the course of this planning document. As a baseline, we as a school district are required to maintain six feet of distancing in most scenarios; wear appropriate face coverings and PPE while in transit and when we cannot appropriately socially distance; we must maintain proper hand hygiene; and adhere to the CDC’s and Department of Health’s guidance as they relate to the cleaning and disinfec on of our classrooms. We will perform screening of all staff, students, and faculty members as they enter, or prior to their entry into the building. In order for us to safely reopen, we need to be able to achieve and 1 Fort Edward Union Free School District maintain these requirements, and throughout the course of this document we will explain and explore the process through which we will accomplish these requirements. The school district has designated Daniel Ward, Superintendent, as their COVID-19 Safety Coordinator. This individual shall be responsible for the con nuous compliance with all aspects of the school’s reopening plan, as well as any phased-in reopening ac vi es necessary to allow for opera onal issues to be resolved before ac vi es return to normal or “new normal” levels. The school district has designated the School Nurse, as the primary point of contact upon the iden fica on of a posi ve COVID-19 case and to be responsible for subsequent communica ons. This person shall be responsible for answering ques ons from students, faculty, staff, and parents or legal guardians regarding the COVID-19 public health emergency and the plans being implemented in the school. ● Daily health screenings will take place for all staff and students ● Parents will be asked to take their child’s temperature every day before coming to school and complete an affirma on of a temperature of 100.0 degrees or less as part of the health screening. Staff will need to complete the temperature affirma on process as well. ● Students or staff who have a fever must stay home or will be sent home. ● Contact tracing will take place in coordina on with the NYS and Washington County Departments of Health. ● Staff will have daily cleaning, and disinfec on protocols will be in place for all commonly touched surfaces. ● Shared school supplies will be minimized as much as possible. Materials that must be shared will be sani zed prior or allowed to sit unused for three days, as per CDC guidance. ● School visitors will be health screened and restricted to the greatest extent prac cal. ● Students and staff will be trained on proper hygiene prac ces. ● Age-appropriate signage will be prominently placed in school buildings to facilitate one-way traffic flow in halls, social distancing, and hand washing reminders. 2 Fort Edward Union Free School District Educa onal Philosophy During the course of our discussions with stakeholder groups, a number of different educa onal models were explored and the feasibility of each model was considered based on the resources available to us, our regional health metrics, and the guidance that we received from the New York State Department of Health and New York State Educa on Department. As a result of these different factors, we will be focusing on a that will provide Grades PK-5, Daily face-to-face educa on for all students Grades K-12 Self-Contained Special Educa on Students, Daily face-to-face educa on for all students Grades 6-12, Hybrid Model with face-to-face educa on at least twice per week with virtual instruc on through synchronous classroom streaming on non face to face instruc on days. Specifically students in grades 6-12 will a end in person on an A-day/B-day schedule. A-days will occur on Mondays and Thursdays and B-days will occur on Tuesday and Fridays. Wednesdays will be used to provide addi onal face to face services to students iden fied as at risk as well as specific live stream instruc on for larger groups. Based on the social distancing requirements put forth by New York State, our school district is capable of having a maximum capacity of 260 for the elementary school building and 200 for the MS/HS with a total capacity of 460, which directly affects the amount of students that we can provide face-to-face learning to at any given me. This maximum capacity is impacted by the available staff within each building as well as staffing available district-wide. In order to promote safety, our planning will also cohort students together to the extent that is prac cable in order to limit the poten al spread of the disease should anyone become infected. Given the highly contagious and opportunis c nature of COVID-19, our school district will provide accommoda ons to individuals who are at a high risk or who live with a person who is at a high risk of complica ons as a result of COVID-19. Each case will be approached uniquely depending on the individual situa on, but poten al solu ons for these vulnerable popula ons includes remote learning or telework, modified educa onal and work se ngs, or by providing addi onal PPE to individuals with underlying health condi ons. In addi on to this, we understand that certain student and staff popula ons may require modifica ons to social distancing or PPE based on hearing loss or impairment; receipt of language services, or because they are a young student in an early educa on program. In these scenarios, we may u lize specialized clear face coverings/face shields/increased distancing when possible, and we will explore any other poten al measures that may provide assistance, and ensure that any modifica ons would minimize COVID-19 exposure risk for students, faulty, and staff to the greatest extent possible. 3 Fort Edward Union Free School District The school district has given special considera on to the way that we will perform safety and emergency drills throughout the course of the school year while we are required to socially distance. We will s ll complete our eight evacua on drills and four lockdown drills, but the way that we conduct our drills shall be modified for the upcoming school year. Due to the hybrid nature of our school schedule, we will need to ensure all of our students receive instruc on in emergency procedures and par cipate in drills. In order to ensure the safety of our evacua on drills, we may conduct our drills on a “staggered” schedule by having classrooms evacuate separately rather than all at once to ensure appropriate distancing. To ensure the safety of our lockdown drills we may conduct them in several different ways to enforce social distancing – whether this be through the use of a “staggered” schedule with smaller numbers of students which allows us to maintain social distancing or by conduc ng a lockdown drill through verbal and visual instruc on and providing students an opportunity to ask ques ons and receive answers about lockdowns. Safety and Health Procedures Face Coverings Prior to entering the school district, a school facility, or school grounds, staff, faculty, students, and visitors agree to wear a face covering in all required areas. The school district will remind staff, faculty, students, and visitors of this process through training, signage, verbal communica on, and other means throughout the school year. During the school day, individuals will be required to wear a face covering while on the school bus, when they are entering or exi ng the school building, while they are moving through the hallways or their classroom, at any me that they cannot maintain adequate and appropriate social distancing, and any other me as dictated by administra on. Individuals may not be required to wear a face covering while they are maintaining social distancing, including when they are seated in a classroom. The school district shall train all students, faculty, and staff on how to adequately put on, take off, clean, and discard PPE. This training will include an explana on of what is considered appropriate PPE and will be supplemented by signage, con nued educa on, verbal instruc on, and short videos. While the school district will encourage all staff, students, and faculty to provide their own face coverings, the school district will con nue to maintain an adequate stock of disposable PPE for their emergency use or by request. In order to ensure that stock is maintained, Karen Jones, Elementary Principal, and Samuel Ra , MS/HS Principal, will be responsible for performing periodic checks of supplies and working with Craig Masten, Head of Buildings and Grounds, to order more as the need dictates. The school district has worked throughout the spring and summer to supplement the stock of PPE for the upcoming school year and will con nue to do so throughout the school year. The school district will also maintain a supply of disposable face coverings on each of the school buses for students who have forgo en, broken, or soiled their face coverings. Bus drivers will check PPE supplies prior to 4 Fort Edward Union Free School District each of the bus runs and obtain appropriate supplies before driving off school property. The school district will also encourage students, staff, and faculty to keep a replacement mask(s) at the school district in case their ini al mask fails or becomes soiled throughout the school day. Social Distancing For our school district to maintain safe opera ons, we must a empt to maintain social distancing to protect against the transmission of the COVID-19 virus while on school grounds and in school facili es. To facilitate this, our school district has redesigned our classroom spaces, common areas, and other rooms throughout the buildings for appropriate social distancing. Specifically, appropriate social distancing means six feet of space in all direc ons between individuals or the use of suitable physical barriers between individuals that do not adversely affect air flow, hea ng, cooling, ven la on, or otherwise present a health or safety risk. The only me where social distancing requirements may be relaxed in the school district is when the safety of an ac vity or the core ac vity requires a shorter distance or individuals are of the same household. To promote this type of behavior, the school district has ins tuted measures such as: ● placing six-foot distance markers around the school district ● placing signage reinforcing the “6 foot rule” ● changing traffic flow pa erns to reduce bi-direc onal foot traffic ● staggering the school schedule to reduce the amount of students in the hallway at any given me ● Passing mes may be increased or adjusted, when appropriate, to stagger class changes ● designa ng certain stairwells as “up-only” or “down-only” to prevent close contact ● locker rooms will be closed Furthermore, the school district has evaluated smaller spaces in the school building, such as elevators, break rooms, and faculty offices, and will be limi ng the use of these spaces. These iden fied spaces will require the use of face coverings and occupancy should not exceed 50% of the maximum, unless the space is designed for use by a single occupant. In addi on to the above noted changes, our school district has evaluated the feasibility of modifying exis ng areas of mass assembly, such as auditoriums, gymnasiums, and cafeterias, to provide addi onal learning spaces for students that are more easily appropriately socially distanced. 5 Fort Edward Union Free School District Parent Drop Off Students Parent drop off for all students shall occur on Case Street. Students in grades PK-5 shall enter through the main entrance and students in grades 6-12 shall enter through the high school door. In order to enter the building each day students will need to produce a parent a esta on sta ng that the child has been screened at home and does not have a temperature over 100. School personnel with appropriate PPE will meet the students to collect and review the a esta on and/or perform temperature checks for those students that do not have a parent signed a esta on. Students that do not pass the screening will be sent home with his/her parent/s. Walking Students Walking students shall enter the building in the following manner, students in grades PK-5 shall enter through the main entrance and students in grades 6-12 shall enter through the high school door. In order to enter the building each day students will need to produce a parent a esta on staging that the child has been screened at home and does not have a temperature over 100. School personnel with appropriate PPE will meet the students to collect and review the a esta on and/or perform temperature checks for those students that do not have a parent signed a esta on. Students that do not pass the screening will be directed to the designated isola on room un l such me as a parent can be contacted and the student can be picked up, or parental permission for the student to walk home can be secured by school personnel. Bus Students Bus Students shall enter the building through the Case Street entrance. In order to enter the building each day students will need to produce a parent a esta on staging that the child has been screened at home and does not have a temperature over 100. School personnel with appropriate PPE will meet the students to collect and review the a esta on and/or perform temperature checks for those students that do not have a parent signed a esta on. Students that do not pass the screening will be directed to the designated isola on room un l such me as a parent can be contacted and the student can be picked up, or parental permission for the student to walk home can be secured by school personnel. Faculty and Staff Arrival All faculty and staff must complete their health screening online or in wri ng in advance of their arrival to work. In the event of a failure to do so in advance, staff will need to be screened by school personnel before entering the building. All faculty and staff that have completed screening at home may enter through the entrance closest to his/her classroom that is equipped with a card reader. All others must enter through the Main Entrance and be screened. 6 Fort Edward Union Free School District Screening To ensure that sick or ill students, staff, and faculty are not allowed on campus, the school district will be adop ng a strict screening policy which includes temperature checks for students, faculty, and staff, daily screening ques onnaires for faculty and staff, and periodic screening ques onnaires for students. The school district will also require screenings for contractors, vendors, and visitors who will be entering the school building. We will encourage all screenings to occur before individuals reach the school building or enter any school facility and that should an individual fail the screening or feel ill, then they should remain home. Furthermore, we ask that parents and guardians remain vigilant in observing their students for signs of illness and to keep them home when they are ill. To facilitate this, the school district will be providing each family with paper slips to document home screening and submit to the district. If an individual wants to enter a school building or facility, but has not been screened prior to entry, they will be required to complete an in-person screening with authorized, and trained, school personnel who will be provided with all required PPE which, at a minimum will include an acceptable face covering and may include gloves, a gown, and/or a face shield to ensure their safety and well-being. Our district’s screening process will meet all of the requirements as set forth by the state, where a temperature at or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit or a failure of the screening will result in that individual not gaining entry into the school. If the individual who fails a screening is a staff member, faculty member, or outside visitor, then they will be instructed to leave the school facility and see their health care provider. If the individual who fails a screening is a student, then they shall be taken to that building’s isola on room to be assessed by the school nurse and await a parent, guardian, or emergency contact who can bring them to a health care provider for further evalua on. The isola on room shall require appropriate social distancing to be maintained, an increased cleaning and disinfec on schedule from the school district’s buildings and grounds staff, and constant visual supervision. We will provide all required PPE to the individual(s) who will be supervising the isola on room to ensure their safety. When an individual’s parent, guardian, or emergency contact arrives at the school district to pick up their student, we will once again remind them that their student is required to be seen by a health care provider in regards to the failed screening. The school district will also instruct staff and faculty members to observe for signs of illness in others and require that symptoma c persons be sent to the school nurse or isola on room for a check-up. The school district has worked with and remained in communica on with the Washington County Department of Health to determine the specific return requirements of individuals who fail a screening, test posi ve for COVID-19 through a diagnos c test, or have come in close contact with or have been exposed to somebody who tests posi ve for the COVID-19 virus. A er a failed screening, the school district will require, at a minimum, documenta on from a health care provider of a nega ve COVID-19 diagnos c test result and symptom resolu on. If, a er a failed screening, that individual tests posi ve 7 Fort Edward Union Free School District for COVID-19 from a diagnos c test, then the school district will work with the Washington County Department of Health to determine their minimum standards for return to the school district. In addi on, the school district shall work with the Washington County Department of Health to determine the process for the provision or referral of diagnos c tes ng for students, faculty, and staff, should that become necessary. The school district has also worked with the department of health to determine what metrics will serve as early warning signs that COVID-19 cases may be increasing beyond an acceptable level, both within our schools or within the larger local community. Local Health Departments an cipate using data from the regional "control rooms" for this purpose as well as regular communica ons with the district. Should a district experience any type of increase in absentee rates or in the amount of individuals who have tested posi ve, the school district's liaison should contact the County’s COVID-19 liaison to review that data. Should it be warranted, the County Health Department and the Superintendent of Schools will make a determina on if the school should be closed and for how long. Should mul ple cases be discovered in an area or school within the district, the district's COVID-19 liaison will contact the County liaison and should ac on be warranted, the County Health Department and the Superintendent of Schools will make a determina on if a por on of the school, or a par cular school shall be closed. The County Health Departments will monitor this informa on in the regional control room. Should the County Health Department determine that there is a shortage of hospital capacity due to COVID-19, the County Health Department may contact the Superintendent of Schools to determine how many students and staff should be allowed on site and to determine if the school district’s reopening plan should be altered. The school district has iden fied the School Nurse as the individual(s) who will serve as the central point of contact and who is responsible for receiving and a es ng to having reviewed all screening ac vi es on a daily basis. This individual shall also be iden fied as the contact for individuals to no fy if they later experience COVID-19 related symptoms during the day or have COVID-19 exposure, as noted on their ques onnaire. The District's COVID-19 liaison will no fy the County Health Department’s COVID-19 liaison (or coun es should the individual live in a different county than the loca on of the school) should they become aware of a posi ve test for COVID-19 and/or any other disease reportable under public health law. Upon request, districts will be asked to provide informa on on the past loca ons of students and staff who are involved in the contract tracing program, including, but not limited to room loca ons, who was in the room and informa on on transporta on. Districts will need to maintain adequate records to 8 Fort Edward Union Free School District answer ques ons. Should this informa on be needed, the County Liaison will contact the School District's Liaison to obtain the needed informa on in a mely manner. Mental Health, Behavioral and Emo onal Support Returning to a different in-person learning environment may present challenges for everyone. The Fort Edward School District shall make every effort to provide and address the mental health, behavioral, and emo onal needs of students, faculty, and staff when school reopens for in-person instruc on. Throughout the school year, we will iden fy and support students who are having difficulty transi oning back into the school se ng by u lizing our counseling services composed of a school psychologist, school counselors, and appropriate agencies. School counselors and the school psychologist will engage students in social-emo onal learning by delivering direct instruc on on problem-solving, and various coping strategies to handle a plethora of situa ons. Interven ons are targeted through the Mul -Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) to promote the development and growth of social-emo onal learning. The District will also provide periodic training for faculty and staff on how to support students during and a er the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency. We will also provide informa on on developing coping and resilience skills for students, faculty, and staff during training or through wri en and online materials. Members of our counseling team will support both in-person and remote learners by coaching teachers, directly delivering social-emo onal learning lessons, and individually suppor ng students as determined by building level team decision making. A focus will be placed on suppor ng a posi ve climate and culture that acknowledges universal trauma care strategies for students. Best prac ce guidelines will be followed for students who may need more support. Hygiene, Cleaning, and Disinfec on Our school district has ins tuted, trained on, and follows the CDC and NYDOH guidelines on the hygiene, cleaning, and disinfec on of school buildings and materials. We have developed extensive procedures and protocols for school-wide cleaning and the disinfec on of classrooms, restrooms, cafeterias, libraries, playgrounds, school buses, and all other school facili es based on the CDC guidance. We have also iden fied the areas of buildings that will require addi onal cleaning and disinfec on, such as bathrooms. Throughout the course of the year, our district will maintain cleaning and disinfec on logs which iden fy the date, me, and scope of cleaning and disinfec on for those areas. We have also developed and maintained a list of commonly touched surfaces throughout the school district, with a cleaning and disinfec on schedule assigned to individuals and posi ons for these surfaces. (Appendix A provides more detail on the commonly touched surfaces and the schedule for cleaning and disinfec on 9 Fort Edward Union Free School District schedule.) We will also be increasing ven la on with outdoor air to the greatest extent possible based on the outdoor air temperature and the capabili es of our HVAC system. Lastly, the school district shall con nue to conduct or complete the process of performing its required Lead-in-Water tes ng as required by NYS DOH regula on 67-4. Our school district also understands that for us to maintain a safe and healthful school environment, we need to promote and encourage proper hand hygiene throughout the day. In order to achieve this goal, we will be installing hand hygiene sta ons throughout common areas of the building so that students may sani ze their hands while they are in transi on and at mes where they may not be able to clean their hands with soap and water throughout the school day. We will also be training students, faculty, and staff on proper hand hygiene throughout the school year and provide con nued educa on for individuals through proper signage at all levels of the school district. Throughout the course of the school day, we will also require students, staff, and faculty to wash or sani ze their hands before and a er ea ng and upon arriving in a new classroom. Transporta on We recognize that transporta on will present its own unique set of challenges for this upcoming school year and as a school district we are commi ng ourselves to providing a safe and healthful school environment at all phases and stages of the school day. In order for us to maintain this safety, face coverings will be required while students are entering the bus, exi ng the bus, and are seated on the bus, unless a student is not physically able to wear a face covering. We will also maintain social distancing to the greatest extent possible while on the bus unless individuals are from the same household. If a student tries to enter the bus without a proper face covering they will not be denied service or entry – instead they shall be provided with a disposable face covering that is kept on the bus. Furthermore, transporta on will not be denied to students with disabili es that would prevent them from wearing a mask nor will they be forced to do so during transporta on. The school district shall commit to ensuring that all buses that are used during the day are cleaned and disinfected at least daily and that all high-contact points shall be wiped down a er each run. While we acknowledge that school buses cannot be equipped with hand sani zer due to its combus ble nature, and we will advise individuals to not bring personal hand sani zer containers with them on the bus, we will ensure that hand sani zing or hand washing sta ons are provided for all staff in transporta on loca ons such as dispatch offices, employee lunch/breaks rooms, and bus garages. Furthermore, we will provide all required PPE for transporta on department staff and require the use of a face covering. Should a driver, monitor, or a endant be required to have direct physical contact with a child, they will be required to wear gloves, which the school district shall provide to ensure their safety and healthfulness. These employees will also be required to complete the daily self-health screening prior to arriving at work to help ensure the safety and healthfulness of their fellow employees. 10 Fort Edward Union Free School District If our school district is in remote session or otherwise, we will con nue to maintain transporta on services to nonpublic, parochial, private, charter schools, or students whose Individualized Educa on Program has placed them out of district to schools who are mee ng and conduc ng in-person session educa on when/if the district is not. The Fort Edward School District through ac on of the Board of educa on shall only transport students as required by IEP or Federal or NYS Law. The majority of students reside closer to the school than the minimum distance limit at which schools are required to transport students to school. Those students are expected to walk to and from school or be dropped off and picked up by a parent or designee of the parent. Extracurricular Ac vi es ● All field trips will be postponed and virtual trips will be encouraged. ● Locker rooms will be closed un l condi ons permit reopening. ● Extracurricular ac vi es will be evaluated on a case by case basis. In circumstances where an ac vity can proceed effec vely in a remote manner, it will be encouraged. In-person extracurricular ac vi es will not be able to take place. ● The district will be closed two hours a er student dismissal to facilitate cleaning and disinfec on. ● The bus garage and maintenance areas are closed to the public. To the greatest extent possible, outside visitors, presenters and parents access to the school facility will be limited. ● When allowed all health and safety requirements will need to be met. We will encourage virtual mee ngs and presenta ons as much as is prac cal. ● Due to the availability of cleaners, all school athle c facili es and playgrounds will remain closed to the public. ● Building use will not be open to the public under the current plan. Food Service Regardless of the educa onal model chosen by our school district and the dynamic nature with which that can change, our school district shall con nue to provide school breakfast and lunch to all students who were previously receiving school meals – both on-site and remotely. While on-site, we will maintain social distancing during the course of our meals and provide food service in the classroom, cafeteria, and gymnasium. Sharing food or beverages will be strongly discouraged, and “class par es” where food is 11 Fort Edward Union Free School District brought into the school to share, will be postponed un l further no ce. Students that are in a remote se ng, will be provided meals if requested. Meals will be able to be picked up at a predetermined me and loca on. All students will be required to wash their hands prior to entering the designated food service area and the cleaning staff will disinfect the area a er each serving. Students with specific food allergies, or in the case of elementary students, the parent of the student with food allergies, should contact the building principal to schedule a mee ng with the cafeteria manager to discuss alternate meal choices. In the case that the student’s allergies preclude them from being in the same room with any specific food items an alterna ve ea ng arrangement will be provided. Communica on Our school district affirms and a ests that we have reviewed and understand all state-issued industry guidelines and will submit our plans for reopening to them. In addi on to this, we will post copies of our finished plan on the school website, in conspicuous areas across school buildings and facili es, and printed copies of the plan will be available in all school offices as well as the transporta on and facili es office. Throughout the course of this process, we will also develop consistent communica on plans to ensure that members of the school community are kept up-to-date with all developments and changes to our plan. This process will be managed through verbal instruc on, posted signage that is consistent with DOH COVID-19 signage, the maintenance of a COVID-19 page on our school website, robo calls, video conferences, social media, and tradi onal print media. We will also develop communica ons for students and families about how to prepare for the upcoming school year, including specific informa on on the social distancing requirements, how to properly wear a face covering, and proper hand and respiratory hygiene. Throughout the course of the school year, we will con nue to train students, faculty, and staff on how to follow any new COVID-19 protocols safely and correctly, including hand hygiene, proper face covering wearing, social distancing, and respiratory hygiene. Educa on Grading and A endance ● Grading protocols will be reviewed and will be shared with all stakeholders at the start of the school year. ● The District will issue report cards based on the scheduled cycle as per the district calendar. ● Grading will be consistent and follow our tradi onal format for in-person or virtual instruc on. Numerical grades will be used at the secondary level. 12 Fort Edward Union Free School District ● The district will follow the Board of Educa on A endance Policy. Student a endance will be taken daily and impact student progress and academics in both the remote and in-person sessions Connec vity All students district wide are provided, as needed, with a Chromebook or i-Pad for the support of the district learning objec ves. Access to a device for instruc on is not an issue that would interfere with the acquisi on of learning. The district has completed online surveys and made calls to all families K-12 to determine if they have access to consistent and high-quality internet access. Those students who do not have access to high enough quality internet in their homes to par cipate in the online learning por on of the curriculum for the day will be provided with a personal mifi or other resource can be secured to alleviate this obstacle to remote learning. All staff are provided access, on an as needed basis, to a district chrome book or i-Pad. All staff have been surveyed and have reported that they have adequate internet connec vity in their homes if remote instruc on is required. Addi onally, staff members should inform the district if their internet access becomes unreliable so that a personal mifi or other resource can be secured to alleviate this obstacle to remote instruc on. Learning Plans In Person Everyday Model Students in UPK through Grade 5, and K-12 self contained special educa on students are presently planned for daily, onsite, in-person instruc on with the following accommoda ons: ● Due to social distancing requirements, class size will be reduced if deemed necessary, through the use of available support staff. Students will be assigned to classrooms and specific overflow areas that are properly supervised. ● Instructors will come to the students to provide content. ● The tradi onal instruc onal program will be modified with students learning from classroom teachers and at other mes supervised by school personnel during mes of independent or remote/live-stream instruc on from within the school building. ● Students will, as needed have breakfast/lunch delivered to a designated ea ng loca on. 13 Fort Edward Union Free School District ● Breaks will be provided to go outside for fresh air and exercise as needed. Students will remain with their class group. ● Period-by period student a endance will be taken daily. Hybrid Model Students in grades 6-12 will follow a modified hybrid schedule. One half of the popula on will come to school on A days, which will be Monday and Thursday, the other half of the popula on will come to school on B days, which will be Tuesday and Friday. On the days that the students do NOT have in-person instruc on, they will be expected to connect to the classroom live-stream. Wednesdays will be used to provide addi onal face to face services to students iden fied as at risk as well as specific live stream instruc on for larger groups. The in-person instruc on for both groups will have the following accommoda ons: ● To the extent possible, transi ons between classes will be reduced ● The tradi onal instruc onal program will be modified with students learning from classroom teachers and at other mes supervised by school personnel during mes of independent or remote/livestream instruc on from within the school building. ● Students will have breakfast/lunch delivered to a designated ea ng loca on. ● Breaks will be provided to go outside for fresh air and exercise as needed. Students will remain with their class group. ● Poten al staggered student arrival is under considera on to accommodate for poten al increased traffic at school due to parent drop-offs. ● Period-by period student a endance will be taken daily. Full Virtual Model In the event that the district is required to close, the school will con nue to provide a con nuity of learning. While the con nuity of learning plan is subject to change, we would follow the following principles: ● Students in Grades K-12 will follow their in-person school schedule while at home. 14 Fort Edward Union Free School District ● Teachers will broadcast out to students either from home or school. ● Time spent on instruc on will vary by grade level; however, students will engage with learning daily. ● Students will be required to log on during scheduled mes. ● Period-by period student a endance will be taken daily. New York State Standards The New York State Educa on Department is responsible for se ng student learning standards for what all students should know and be able to do as a result of skilled instruc on. Our district intends to provide curricula that are based on these established standards in all areas. The delivery of such a curriculum will be mixed, with some delivery of instruc on to be in person, some to be live remote, and some to be accessed online by families suppor ng learners at home. Academic Progress and Communica on The Fort Edward School District is commi ed to ensuring that the parent-to-school and school-to-parent lines of communica on are ac ve and that our parents are engaged stakeholders in their child’s educa on. This communica on will be completed through a variety of methods which may include op ons such as telephone calls, the use of electronic apps (i.e. class dojo), parent-teacher conferences, emails, and newsle ers. Addi onally, parents can sign up to access the parent portal through our student management system which will allow them to monitor student grades in all courses. Parents can also be added to Google Classrooms for each course their secondary student is enrolled in. This allows parents to receive periodic updates about work that is due. English Language Learners At present, our district does not have students enrolled who are considered ELL or MLL. However, should this change, our district will coordinate with the Office of Bilingual Educa on and World Languages to make certain we are providing appropriate support to students whose home languages are other than English. We will con nue to use the Home Language Ques onnaire as part of our enrollment process for all students. This survey, as well as an informal interview during registra on, helps to iden fy families where languages other than English may be used in the home. All parent communica ons would then be provided to families 15 Fort Edward Union Free School District in their preferred language and/or mode of communica on. Interpreters would be used for parent conferences, where needed. The Fort Edward School District intends to follow SED guidance; each qualifying school and/or district reopening plan which reopens using in-person or hybrid instruc on must complete the ELL iden fica on process within 30 school days of the start of the school year for all students who enrolled during COVID-19 school closures in 2019-2020, as well as all students who enroll during summer of 2020 and during the first 20 school days of the 2020-2021 school year. A er this 20 day flexibility period, iden fica on of ELLs must resume for all students within the required ten school days of ini al enrollment (as required by Commissioner’s Regula ons Part 154). The school district will provide the required instruc onal Units of Study to all ELL’s based on their most recently measured English-language proficiency level during in-person or hybrid instruc on. These services will be provided through a mix of face to face and online live support. Special Educa on Students The Fort Edward School District CSE office will work in tandem with all building principals and out of district special educa on programs to ensure that students with disabili es are s ll provided all provisions under FAPE. All in-district full-day, self-contained programs will be offered on-site with arrangements made for social distancing. Parents will be no fied in wri ng and also have access to the CSE Chairperson for specific details as to how the provision of services will meet the requirements of IDEA. A endance will be monitored daily and case managers will reach out to students and parents to ensure ac ve par cipa on. Students in integrated se ngs in grades K-6 will receive all programs and related services, accommoda ons, modifica ons , and supplementary aides on site. Students in grades 7-12, will receive a mix of onsite services and remote, live virtual (teletherapy-like) related services. Parents of students with IEPs and Sec on 504 plans will receive wri en communica on from case managers at the start of the school year about how all services, accommoda ons, and modifica ons will be provided. If the student will be receiving related services through teletherapy, the family should be informed that they will be sent a consent form and that to receive the teletherapy related services. That consent form may be completed and returned electronically. Contact logs for all 16 Fort Edward Union Free School District students will be maintained. All students will be provided with the necessary technology needed for teletherapy and remote learning. CSE and CPSE Mee ngs will con nue to use Google Meet or the Webex video conferencing pla orm if socially distancing measures do not allow for an in-person mee ng. Each student with an IEP or Sec on 504 plan is assigned a case manager. This case manager facilitates collabora on between the CSE/CPSE teams, the student’s family, and the student’s teachers. Student performance is monitored on an ongoing basis and requested review mee ngs are held any me there is a concern about an IEP, or its implementa on. Student progress is communicated to parents at least quarterly, and with each student’s report card. All goals require progress monitoring data collec on, and this data is reviewed periodically by the building principals and school counselors. The informa on is also shared with parents at annual reviews to show progress and growth for the year and to be used to write goals for IEPs. Communica on with parents is provided in the parents’ preferred language or mode of communica on. Our students with disabili es will have the same access to ac vi es as their non-disabled peers while they par cipate in their learning while prac cing social distancing. Evalua on Our school district’s plan ensures that all teachers and principals will be evaluated pursuant to our currently approved APPR plan, including any variance applica ons approved by the Department. All teachers in our school district shall hold valid and appropriate cer ficates for their teaching assignments, except where otherwise allowable under the Commissioner’s regula ons (e.g., incidental teaching) or Educa on Law. Approved By: ______________________________________________ Date: _____________________ 17 Fort Edward Union Free School District APPENDIX A List of Commonly Touched Surfaces Type of Surface Location of Surface What is Surface Material? What Product is Needed to Disinfect? Frequency of Disinfection door handles all schools zinc alloy 256 Quat Disinfectant Multi times daily in heavy use areas doors all buildings wood 256 Quat Disinfectant once daily door frames all buildings metal 256 Quat Disinfectant once daily panic bars exterior doors zinc /aluminum 256 Quat Disinfectant Multi times daily in heavy use areas windows doors glass ecolab-12 glass cleaner when dirty /daily window sills all exterior windows, all buildings Marble/Wood Neutral Disinfectant weekly or when dirty walls hallways Tile/blocks/ sheetrock 256 Quat Disinfectant daily handrails stairways /ramps metal /wood 256 Quat Disinfectant Multi times daily in heavy use areas 18 Fort Edward Union Free School District drinking fountains halls /classrooms plastic / plated brass Neutral Disinfectant Multi times daily in heavy use areas light switches classrooms / offices plastic/metal covers 256 Quat Disinfectant daily soap dispensers baths metal/plastic 256 Quat Disinfectant Multi times daily in heavy use areas sanitizer dispensers baths metal/plastic 256 Quat Disinfectant Multi times daily in heavy use areas lockers halls/locker rooms metal 256 Quat Disinfectant daily Library tables Library wood Neutral Disinfectant before and after use class tables classrooms wood/laminate Neutral Disinfectant daily desks classrooms poly-resin Neutral Disinfectant daily bleacher seats Gyms plastic E-23/Quat mist before and after use chairs all buildings poly resin plastic E-23/Quat mist daily counters Offices /classrooms laminate Neutral Disinfectant daily 19 Fort Edward Union Free School District gym pads gyms vinyl Neutral Disinfectant daily sink faucets baths zinc/alloy Neutral Disinfectant daily buses / seats bus garage vinyl 256 Quat Disinfectant after every use pencil sharpeners classrooms metal 256 Quat Disinfectant daily plastic polymer Neutral Disinfectant twice daily playgrounds Elementary Building bathrooms all buildings polymer / porcelain 256 Quat Disinfectant daily computers all buildings plastic polymer Neutral Disinfectant As needed chromebooks all buildings plastic polymer Neutral Disinfectant As needed floors all buildings carpet/vct / vinyl 256 Quat Disinfectant mopped and swept daily 20