Reopening our P-12 schools:
Introduction
On Monday, July 13, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that school districts in New York can follow plans
to reopen for in-person schooling in September if COVID-19 infection rates stay at 5% or lower in a given
region.
Determinations will be made by region about opening and closing schools as the COVID-19 pandemic
continues. If a region is in Phase 4 and has a daily infection rate of 5% or lower over a 14-day average,
schools in that region could hold in-person instruction. If daily infection rates exceed 9% over a sevenday average, however, schools in that region would not reopen. Similarly, should a region see such an
average after reopening, schools in that region would also be directed to close.
While districts have been instructed to prioritize efforts to return all students to in-person instruction,
the district is also planning for remote/distance learning as well as a for a hybrid model that combines
in-person instruction and remote learning. At the time of this writing, HFCSD is working with our
Teacher’s Association and our BOCES in developing a plan for a virtual academy allowing students who
cannot return to participate fully in the educational program.
The plan outlined here is for the reopening of schools in the Hudson Falls Central School District (HFCSD)
for the 2020-21 school year, following the building closure related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This plan
includes procedures that will be followed in the following schools:
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HFCSD Kindergarten Center
HFCSD Primary School
HFCSD Intermediate School
HFCSD Middle School
HFCSD High School

The health and safety of our students, our staff and their families is our top priority. We want students
and employees to feel comfortable and safe returning to school campuses. Our reopening plan
incorporates recommendations and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and the New York State Education
Department (NYSED).
It is possible that we may need to alternate between in-person and remote learning throughout the year
due to recommendations and guidance from our partnering agencies, and stay-at-home orders from the
Governor. The level of infection, the spread of the virus and response to the disease in our community
will be at the forefront of our decision making as we move to open our schools.
Interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jon Hunter will serve as the district’s COVID-19 Coordinator. Dr.
Hunter will work closely with our local health department and will be responsible for [adjust the job title
and job description as necessary. He will serve as a central contact for schools and stakeholders,
families, staff and other school community members and will ensure the district is in compliance and
following the best practices per state and federal guidelines. As Interim Superintendent of Schools, Dr.

 Hunter can be reached by email, phone. He serves as the main point of contact in all district
communications

Content Outline
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Communication/Family and Community Engagement
Health & Safety
o Health checks
o Social distancing, face coverings & PPE
o Infection control strategies
o Management of ill persons, contact tracing and monitoring
o Health hygiene
o Cleaning and disinfecting
o Vulnerable populations/accommodations
o Visitors on campus
o School safety drills
Facilities
Child Nutrition
o Meals onsite
o Meals offsite/remote
Transportation
Social Emotional Well-Being
School Schedules
School Activities
o Extracurriculars
o Childcare
Attendance and Chronic Absenteeism
Technology and Connectivity
Teaching and Learning
o In-person Instruction
o Remote/Hybrid Instruction
Special Education
Bilingual Education and World Languages
Staff
o Teacher and Principal Evaluation System
o Certification, Incidental Teaching and Substitute Teaching

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Communication/Family and Community Engagement
To help inform our reopening plan, the district has sought feedback and input from stakeholders,
including administrators, faculty, staff, students, parents/guardians of students, local health department
officials and health care providers, and employee unions. Engagement efforts included online surveys,

 virtual forums/meetings and one-on-one conversations. We have asked our community to participate in
an online survey to gather their initial thoughts. We regularly update the community via our website and
our social media channels, through which we also solicit feedback. We will be holding a town hall-type
event as well. Both the administrative and teachers union have been excellent partners as this plan has
developed.
The district remains committed to communicating all elements of this reopening plan to students,
parents and guardians, staff and visitors. The plan is available to all stakeholders via the district website,
and will be updated throughout the school year, as necessary, to respond to local circumstances. The
link to the plan appears on the website homepage, was discussed publicly at our recent Board of
Education meeting, and shared widely via our social media channels [describe how it is linked from
school homepages, as applicable. Every effort has been made to ensure that the plan is accessible to all
individuals in accordance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level A/AA. The
plan can also be translated into other languages, via the G-Translate feature available on the district
website.
As part of its planning for the reopening of schools and the new academic year, the district has
developed a plan for communicating all necessary information to district staff, students,
parents/guardians, visitors and education partners and vendors. The district will use its existing
communication channels – including our Auto-Dialer, our student and family emails, our website, and
our social media channels– as well as appropriate signage and training opportunities to support the
dissemination of consistent messaging regarding new protocols and procedures, expectations,
requirements and options related to school operations throughout the pandemic. The plan can also be
translated into other languages, via the G-Translate feature available on the district website.
Additionally, we are fortunate to have our own ESL teacher on staff who can make direct family contact
to our families who need translation.
The district is committed to establishing and maintaining regular channels of communication and has
reviewed and determined which methods have proven to be the most effective in communications with
our school community. The district will rely on our auto-dialer, our website, traditional mail, Facebook,
Twitter, and Instagram to communicate news, requirements and updates related to reopening and inperson instruction, including social distancing requirements, proper wearing of face coverings and
proper hand and respiratory hygiene. The information that we will share will be based on state guidance
and our building teams, our administrative teams, our our Head Nurse, our District Medical Director,
and CapRegion BOCES Safety Service.
In support of remote learning, the district will make computer devices available to students and
teachers who need them. From grades 1-12 we are a 1-1 Chromebook district. Every student and
teacher across these grades has their own device. As well, should an IEP of 504 Plan call for additional
devise we make those available. The district will provide students and their families with multiple ways
to contact schools and teachers during remote learning, including traditional phone, email, and via our
student learning platforms like Google Classroom or GoGuardian.
The district will use existing internal and external communications channels to notify staff, students and
families/caregivers about in-person, remote and hybrid school schedules with as much advance notice
as possible. This will be done by traditional mail, email directly to students, our Auto-Dialer, our website,

 and by way of our social media channels. This will happen in an on-going manner to give our community
as much notice as possible to the format of school for their students.
The district will follow its existing engagement and communication protocols with parents regarding the
provision of special education services for their child.
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Interpreters are provided when needed (Google Meets, phone call)
Snail mail, email and phone calls are utilized to communicate with families
Written consent has been obtained to communicate electronically with parents
Master list of emails has been created
Students have been provided Chromebooks with communication extensions and apps

In addition, the district will make every effort to ensure that communication to parents/legal guardians
is in their preferred language and mode of communication. The plan can also be translated into other
languages, via the G-Translate feature available on the district website. Additionally, we are fortunate to
have our own ESL teacher on staff who can make direct family contact to our families who need
translation.
The district is committed to ensuring that all of its students and their families are taught and re-taught
new expectations related to all public health policies and protocols. As part of this continuous training,
the district will assess the best approach to communicating the information for each students’ age group
and will provide frequent opportunities for students to review these policies and protocols. This
targeted education will help ensure that all students and their families know what is expected of them
as they successfully return to the school setting. These trainings will cover:
Hand hygiene:
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Students and staff must carry out the following hand hygiene practices.
Wash hands routinely with soap (any kind) and water for at least 20 seconds.
Dry hands completely after washing. Use paper towels to dry hands if available instead of a hand
dryer if they are available.
If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that is at least 60%
alcohol. Hand sanitizer should be rubbed on the hands until it is completely absorbed. DO NOT
dry hands if sanitizer is used.

Hand washing should occur:
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Before and after eating (e.g. snacks and lunch).
After going to the restroom or after assisting a student with toileting. After using a tissue.
Before and after using shared materials.
Before and after putting on or taking off face masks. After coming in from the outdoors.
Anytime hands are visibly soiled.
Training methods to be used will be videos, posters, social media educational post and in
person demonstration as needed.

 Proper face covering procedures:
Wear your Face Covering Correctly
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Wash your hands before putting on your face covering
Put it over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin
Try to fit it snugly against the sides of your face
Make sure you can breathe easily

Removal of Face Covering
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Untie the strings behind your head or stretch the ear loops
Handle only by the ear loops or ties
Fold outside corners together
Place cloth face covering in the washing machine, dispose of disposable face covering in the
trash.
Be careful not to touch your eyes, nose, and mouth when removing and wash hands
immediately after removing.
Students, staff, vendors and visitors will be required to wear face coverings on campus when
social distancing is not possible. Students shall wear these face coverings during extracurricular
activities, as well as on school buses. Students wearing face coverings from home must be
school appropriate and shall not interfere with the district’s dress code policy.
Masks provided: If a staff member or student forgets or loses their mask, a disposable one will
be provided for the day.
Enforcement: School administration or staff will be stationed at entry points throughout each
campus to remind students to wear face coverings prior to entering campus. Each school will
have a COVID Safety Person to work on compliance issues at the school level.
Common areas and classrooms: Students must wear face coverings in each area where social
distancing is not possible. This includes a classroom if desks are not spaced at least six feet
apart, as well as cafeterias, hallways and other shared spaces. Teachers can work with students
to provide designated “mask breaks” during which time students will be socially distanced.
Exemptions: Students or staff must have a medical issue for which a face covering would cause
an impairment.
Social distancing: Students will practice social distancing from the arrival on campus through
departure. Students will load on school buses from back to front, increasing social distancing
and limiting exposure to others. Meals will be eaten in classrooms in order to deter students
from congregating in the lunchroom. Staggered release schedules may be utilized in an effort to
decrease crowding
Training methods to be used will be videos, posters, social media educational post and in person
demonstration as needed

Respiratory hygiene:
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The COVID-19 virus spreads from person to person in droplets produced by coughs and sneezes.
Therefore, the district will emphasize the importance of respiratory hygiene. Students and staff
must carry out the following respiratory hygiene practices.

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Cover a cough or sneeze using a tissue. If a tissue is used, it should be thrown away
immediately.
If you don’t have a tissue when sneezing or coughing, sneeze into your elbow.
Wash your hands after sneezing or coughing.
Face coverings are protective. Wearing a face covering will keep the respiratory droplets and
aerosols from being widely dispersed into the air.
Training methods to be used will be videos, posters, social media educational post and in person
demonstration as needed.

The district will create and deploy signage throughout the district to address public health protections
surrounding COVID-19. Signage will address protocols and recommendations in the following areas:
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Proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
Acceptable face coverings and requirements related to their wear
Hand washing
Adherence to social distancing instructions
Symptoms/prevention of COVID-19

Identifying Symptoms
Conduct symptom screening for any person entering the school building. This includes staff, students,
family members, and any other visitors physically entering the school building. Parents/Guardians will
be asked to screen students prior to school. Students and staff will asked to remain home if they have
any of the following symptoms:
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Fever or chills temperature over 100
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea

Parents/guardians and staff will be reminded to conduct daily Covid - 19 screenings through a push
notification from the Pinpoint app.
Staff and students will be encouraged to self-monitor symptoms throughout the day. Staff or students
who develop symptoms during the school day must notify school health services or another identified
point of contact in the school building immediately.
Ill students that will need to be picked up from school will be contacted by a nurse. Upon arrival to
school please do not exit your vehicle, instead please call the phone number provided to inform them
you have arrived and a staff member will escort your child out of the building to your vehicle.

 Training methods to be used will be videos, posters, social media educational post and in person
demonstration as needed.
The district is committed to creating a learning environment that protects student and staff health,
safety and privacy. Our district will operate under a standard procedure for addressing situations in
which an individual has tested positive for COVID-19 or appears symptomatic. These procedures are
outlined in the Health & Safety section of our reopening plan [provide link].
In the event that a student or staff member is sick or symptomatic, notification to exposed individuals
will occur pursuant to the state’s contact tracing protocols as implemented by the local health
department. The district will not notify the wider community unless specifically directed to do so by
local health officials.

School Closures
The district is preparing for situations in which one or more school buildings need to close due to a
significant number of students or staff testing positive for COVID-19 or a considerable regional increase
in COVID-19 cases.
HFCSD will collaborate with the Washington County Department of Health and Washington County
Public Safety as needed. Our consultation and collaboration includes Patricia Hunt, Director of Public
Health, Kathy Jo McIntyre, Assistant Director of Public Health, Glen Gosnell, Director of Public Safety,
and Tim Hardy, Deputy Director of Public Safety.
The district may choose to modify operations in one or more schools prior to closing to help mitigate a
rise in cases. The district will consult its medical director, Dr. Robert Nielson, as well as those contacts
listed above when making such decisions.
School building and district administrators will communicate with each other regularly and, if needed,
will consider closing school if absentee rates impact the ability of the school to operate safely. Decisions
around school and district closures will happen on a case by case basis in collaboration with the above
parties, following their guidance and their contact tracing efforts.
Should any type of closure be necessary, all communications will be driven by the HFCSD district office.
We will employ our Auto-Dialer, our email lists, our website, as well as our social media channels.
Should any type of closure be necessary, faculty and students are ready to switch to fully remote
learning and our Nutrition Services will continue to feed all students in the district twice a day.

Health & Safety
The health and safety of our students, our staff and their families is our top priority. We want students
and employees to feel comfortable and safe returning to school campuses. Our reopening plan
incorporates recommendations and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC), the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and the New York State Education
Department (NYSED).
The following protocols and procedures will be in place in all district for the 2020-21 school year should
in-person schooling resume. Anyone with questions or concerns should contact our COVID-19 safety
coordinator at jhunter@hfcsd.org or (518)747-2121.

 For more information about how health and safety protocols and trainings will be communicated to
students, families and staff members, visit the Communication/Family and Community Engagement
section of our reopening plan.

Health Checks
The district has developed resources to educate parents/guardians and staff members regarding the
careful observation of symptoms of COVID-19 and health screening measures that must be conducted
each morning before coming to school. The resources include the requirement for any student or staff
member with a fever of 100°F or greater and/or symptoms of possible COVID-19 virus infection to not
come to school. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) list of Coronavirus symptoms was
used to develop these resources.
The Hudson Falls Central School District will implement the following practices to conduct mandated
health screening.
1. Through the use of a digital app, all staff and students will be asked to complete the CDC
questionnaire prior to coming to our campuses.
2. A report will be generated prior to arrival listing those staff and students who have not
completed the daily temperature check and questionnaire.
3. Those who have not completed the digital screener, and all visitors, will be screened in person
upon arrival.
4. We will only collect “cleared/not cleared” data and will maintain this data for a minimum of two
weeks.
5. Should an adult individual have a temperature of 100°F or higher, that individual will be
dismissed immediately.
6. Should a student arrive at school with a temperature of 100°F or higher, that student will be
isolated in our additional health space until a parent/guardian can pick him/her up.
7. These arrival stations will be staffed by nurses, teachers, or other school-related personnel,
depending on the quantity of traffic.
8. Those with symptoms will be given the direct contact of the building nurse for later
communication.
9. Reminders of the temperature check and health screener will be daily.
In-School Temperature Screening Protocols
1. As this will be done upon arrival, the staff members will vary. Teachers, TAs, aides, and monitors
are available at different times for supervision of students.
2. Students will continue to wear masks and/or maintain six feet of social distance while waiting
for a screening. Where possible, the ground will be marked indicating six foot spaces.
3. Any staff doing screenings will be trained by our nursing staff on proper procedures.
4. PPE, masks, tissues, and sanitizer will all be on-hand at the screening stations.

Social distancing, face coverings & PPE
The district has developed a plan with policies and procedures for maintaining social distancing of all
students, faculty, and staff when on school facilities, grounds and transportation.

 If social distancing of 6 feet cannot be maintained, proper face coverings must be worn in common
areas such as hallways or school buses. For those medically unable to wear face coverings, barriers or six
feet of separation will be maintained. Additionally, more PPE like shields, gowns, or gloves will be
provided for those who need to work in close proximity to students who are unable to wear face
coverings.
Students, staff and visitors to our schools will be expected to wear face coverings indoors and outside,
including on the school bus, when six-foot physical distancing is not possible. Students will be allowed to
remove face coverings during meals, instruction, and for short breaks so long as they maintain
appropriate social distance. Students who are unable to medically tolerate a face covering will not be
required to wear one.
Because students and staff will need to be prepared to wear a face covering if another person
unexpectedly cannot socially distance, they will be required to wear a face covering in all common areas
(e.g., entrances and exits) and when traveling around the school.
Face coverings will be provided to students and staff, if needed, at no cost. Acceptable face coverings for
COVID-19 include, but are not limited to, cloth-based coverings and surgical masks that cover both the
mouth and nose.
An employee is allowed to wear their own acceptable face covering if they choose. Employees with
healthcare provider documentation stating they are not medically able to tolerate face covering will not
be required to do so.
Face coverings may be challenging for students (especially younger students) to wear in all-day settings
such as school, so there may be periods of time when masks are not worn.
Face coverings will not be placed on:
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Children younger than 2 years old
Students where such covering would impair their health or mental health, or where such
covering would present a challenge, distraction, or obstruction to education services and
instruction
Anyone who has trouble breathing or is unconscious
Anyone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cloth face covering without
assistance

The district will instruct students, parents/guardians and staff, contractors and vendors on:
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The proper way to wear face coverings
Washing hands before putting on and after removing their face covering
Proper way to discard disposable face coverings

 Training methods to be used will be videos, posters, social media educational post and in person
demonstration as needed.

Infection control strategies
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Alcohol-based hand sanitizer stations will be located throughout the buildings in areas of
congregation, as well as additional PPE like masks, gloves, and tissues.
Polycarbonate barriers will be placed in all areas of congregations like central offices, nurses,
offices, cafeterias, and kichens when social distancing cannot be maintained. All barriers will be
approved by the district’s architect.
High traffic and high touch areas and fixtures will be cleaned and sanitized multiple times a day.
Cleaning and sanitizing will occur at times in the day when the area is unoccupied.
Class size will be reduced with student seating maintaining the six-foot social distance. In a few
instances, barriers are also present. Any time a barrier or social distance is not possible, students
and staff will be required to wear a mask.
In the few instances when a barrier is present, it will meet the NYS Uniform Fire Prevention and
Building Code and the State Energy Conservation Code.
There are no proposed changes to our occupancy.

Facility Alterations and Acquisition
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Alterations to the configuration of existing classrooms or spaces or the introduction of
temporary and/or movable partitions, changes will be approved by the HFCSD architect and will
be submitted to OFP, the local municipality and/or code enforcement officials for review.
Proper means of egress, fire alarms systems, ventilation and lighting require no changes.
Any floor plan of rooms being repurposed as learning spaces will have the entire room showing
the furniture layout with egress aisles submitted to OFP for approval. Lighting, ventilation,
means of egress, and fire alarm coverage will be indicated.

Space Expansion
Based on our current facilities, our average classrooms can seat up to 12 students while maintaining
social distancing. Since our normal class section is higher than that, we may be spreading out our grades
into classrooms normally used by other grades. For example our nine Kindergarten classrooms may
become 13 classrooms and would therefore use four of our 1st grade classrooms. This is true up the
grades so that our 5th grade classrooms are in our Middle School and our 8th grade will be moved to the
high school. In a hybrid model our 6th-12th grades will attend in-person on a rotating basis. None of this
will require building additions, adding transportable classroom units, or tents. None of this changes our
occupancy, or changes our plumbing, ventilation, or fixture needs.

Management of ill persons, contact tracing and monitoring
The district requires students, faculty, or staff members who develop COVID-19 symptoms during the
school day to report to the nurse’s office. If there are several students waiting to see the school nurse,
students must wait at least 6 feet apart. The district has designated areas to separate individuals with
symptoms of COVID- 19 from others until they can go home or to a healthcare facility, depending on
severity of illness. One area will be used to treat injuries, provide medications or nursing treatments,

 and the other area will be used for assessing and caring for ill students and staff. Both areas will be
supervised by an adult and have easy access to a bathroom and sink with hand hygiene supplies.
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At the Kindergarten Center, there is an attached, unoccupied room very near the Health Office
that will be utilized as the isolation area.
At the Primary School, there is a conference room very near the Health Office that will be
repurposed as the isolation area.
At the Intermediate School, there is a counseling office very near the Health Office that will be
repurposed as the isolation area.
At the Middle School, there is a conference room very near the Health Office that will be
repurposed as the isolation area.
At the High School, there is a Security Office very near the Health Office that will be repurposed
as the isolation area.

PPE requirements for school health office staff caring for sick individuals includes both standard and
transmission-based precautions. In areas with moderate to substantial community transmission, eye
protection (e.g., goggles or face shield) should be added. When caring for a suspect or confirmed
individual with COVID-19, gloves, a gown, eye protection, and a fit-tested N-95 respirator will be used, if
available. If an N-95 respirator is not available, a surgical face mask and face shield will be used.
School health office cleaning will occur after each use of cots, bathrooms, and health office equipment
(e.g., blood pressure cuffs, otoscopes, stethoscopes). Health office equipment will be cleaned following
manufacturer’s directions.
Disposable items will be used as much as possible (e.g., disposable pillow protectors, disposable
thermometers, disposable thermometer sheaths or probes, disposable otoscope specula).

Aerosol Generating Procedures
Respiratory treatments administered by nurses generally result in aerosolization of respiratory
secretions. These aerosol generating procedures (AGPs) potentially put healthcare personnel and others
at an increased risk for pathogen exposure and infection. The district requires the following PPE to be
worn during AGPs: gloves, N-95 or a surgical mask with face shield, eye protection and a gown. PPE will
be used when: suctioning, administering nebulizer treatments, or using peak flow meters with students
who have respiratory conditions.
Treatments such as nebulized medication treatments and oral or tracheostomy suctioning will be
conducted in a room separate from others with nursing personnel wearing appropriate PPE. For
nebulizer treatments, if developmentally appropriate, the nurse will leave the room and return when
the nebulizer treatment is finished.
Cleaning of the room will occur between use and cleaning of the equipment should be done following
manufacturer’s instructions after each use.

If Students or Staff become Ill with Symptoms of COVID-19 at School
The district requires students or staff with a temperature, signs of illness, and/or a positive response to
the questionnaire to be sent directly to a dedicated isolation area where students are supervised, prior
to being picked up or otherwise sent home. Students will be supervised in the isolation area while

 awaiting transport home and will be separated by at least 6 feet. Students will be escorted from the
isolation area to their parent/guardian. Students or staff will be referred to a healthcare provider and
provided resources on COVID-19 testing.

Return to School after Illness
The district has established protocols and procedures, in consultation with the local health
department(s), about the requirements for determining when individuals, particularly students, who
screened positive for COVID-19 symptoms can return to the in-person learning environment at school.
This protocol includes:
1. Documentation from a health care provider following evaluation
2. Negative COVID-19 diagnostic test result
3. Symptom resolution, or if COVID-19 positive, release from isolation
The district will refer to DOH’s “Interim Guidance for Public and Private Employees Returning to Work
Following COVID-19 Infection or Exposure” regarding protocols and policies for faculty and staff seeking
to return to work after a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 or after the faculty or staff member
had close or proximate contact with a person with COVID-19.
The district requires that individuals who were exposed to the COVID-19 virus complete quarantine and
have not developed symptoms before returning to in-person learning. The discharge of an individual
from quarantine and return to school will be conducted in coordination with the local health
department.

COVID-19 Testing
In the event that a large-scale testing will need to be conducted at the school, the district administration
will work with the following providers:
Patricia Hunt

Director of Public Health

Kathy Jo
McIntyre

Assistant Director of Public
Health

Glen Gosnell

Director of Public Safety

Tim Hardy
Dr. Robert
Nielson

Deputy Director of Public
Safety
HFCSD Medical Director

Contact Tracing
The district will notify the state and local health department immediately upon being informed of any
positive COVID-19 diagnostic test result by an individual within school facilities or on school grounds,
including students, faculty, staff, and visitors of the district.
To assist the local health department with tracing the transmission of COVID-19, the district has
developed and maintained a plan to trace all contacts of exposed individuals in accordance with
protocols, training, and tools provided through the New York State Contact Tracing Program.
Districts may assist with contact tracing by:

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2.
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Keeping accurate attendance records of students and staff members
Ensuring student schedules are up to date
Keeping a log of any visitor which includes date and time, and where in the school they visited
Assisting the local health departments in tracing all contacts of the individual in accordance with
the protocol, training, and tools provided through the NYS Contact Tracing Program

If COVID-19 cases are discovered in school, the school and district will consult with the above listed
entities and follow their guidance in any needed partial or full closures of our buildings and district.
Confidentiality must be maintained as required by federal and state laws and regulations. School staff
will not try to determine who is to be excluded from school based on contact without guidance and
direction from the local health department.
For more information about how COVID-19 containment efforts will be communicated to students,
families and staff members, visit the Communication/Family and Community Engagement section of our
reopening plan.

School Closures
A closure refers to contingency plans, protocols, and procedures for decreasing the scale or scope of inperson education and/or closing the school. The district will collaborate with the local health
department to determine the parameters, conditions or metrics (e.g., increased absenteeism or
increased illness in school community) that will serve as early warning signs that positive COVID-19 cases
may be increasing beyond an acceptable level.
At a minimum, the plan will incorporate the following:
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Schools will close if the regional infection rate rises over 9% after Aug. 1. Schools will close if the
7-day rolling average of the infection rate is above 9%.
Schools in regions in Phase 4 can reopen if the daily infection rate remains below 5 percent
using a 14-day average, unless otherwise directed from the LOCAL (insert county) health
department.
If the infection rate rises above 9%, schools must wait until the 14-day average is below 5%
Once schools open at Phase IV below 5% for a 14-day rolling average, schools can remain open
even if the rate continues to rise about 5% until it reaches 9% for the 7-day average.
School will be notified by Linda Hunt from the Washington County Department of Health on the
situation.
School administrators will consider closing school if absentee rates impact the ability of the
school to operate safely.
Schools may choose to modify operations prior to closing to help mitigate a rise in cases. If
infection rates are rising above 5%; consider modifying school operations for medically
vulnerable students and staff if they are participating in in-person activities.
HFCSD will consult their medical director and/or the local department of health when making
such decisions.
Should HFCSD be required to close due to a rising number of cases or rising absentee rate, all inperson activities will cease in the building or district. Should this happen, there will be a

 continuity of learning by switching to our Remote Learning options which vary by grade and
building.
For more information about how school closure information will be communicated to students, families
and staff members, visit the Communication/Family and Community Engagement section of our
reopening plan.

Health hygiene
The district will emphasize healthy hygiene practices for students and staff by providing initial and
refresher education in hand and respiratory hygiene, along with providing adequate supplies and time
for frequent hand hygiene. Signs will be posted throughout the school (e.g., entrances, restrooms,
cafeteria, classrooms, administrative offices, auditorium, custodial staff areas) and regular messaging
will be shared with the school community. Signage will be used to remind individuals to:
1. Stay home if they feel sick.
2. Cover their nose and mouth with an acceptable face covering when unable to maintain social
distance from others or in accordance with any stricter policy implemented by the school.
3. Properly store and, when necessary, discard PPE.
4. Adhere to social distancing instructions.
5. Report symptoms of, or exposure to, COVID-19.
6. Follow hand hygiene, and cleaning and disinfection guidelines.
7. Follow respiratory hygiene and cough etiquette.

Hand Hygiene
Students and staff must carry out the following hand hygiene practices.
•
•
•

Wash hands routinely with soap (any kind) and water for at least 20 seconds.
Dry hands completely after washing. Use paper towels to dry hands if available instead of a hand
dryer if they are available.
If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that is at least 60%
alcohol. Hand sanitizer should be rubbed on the hands until it is completely absorbed. DO NOT
dry hands if sanitizer is used.

Hand washing should occur:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Before and after eating (e.g. snacks and lunch).
After going to the restroom or after assisting a student with toileting.
After using a tissue.
Before and after using shared materials.
Before and after putting on or taking off face masks.
After coming in from the outdoors.
Anytime hands are visibly soiled.

Respiratory Hygiene
The COVID-19 virus spreads from person to person in droplets produced by coughs and sneezes.
Therefore, the district will emphasize the importance of respiratory hygiene.

 Students and staff must carry out the following respiratory hygiene practices.
•
•
•
•

Cover a cough or sneeze using a tissue. If a tissue is used, it should be thrown away immediately.
If you don’t have a tissue when sneezing or coughing, sneeze into your elbow.
Wash your hands after sneezing or coughing.
Face coverings are protective. Wearing a face covering will keep the respiratory droplets and
aerosols from being widely dispersed into the air.

For more information about how hygiene information will be communicated to students, families and
staff members, visit the Communication/Family and Community Engagement section of our reopening
plan.

Cleaning and disinfecting
The district will ensure adherence to hygiene and cleaning and disinfection requirements as advised by
the CDC and DOH, including “Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfection of Public and Private Facilities for
COVID-19,” and the “STOP THE SPREAD” poster, as applicable. Cleaning and disinfection logs will be
maintained that include the date, time, and scope of cleaning and disinfection.
Examples of facility types where cleaning and disinfection frequency will be distinguished include
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Bathrooms
Athletic training rooms, locker rooms
Health offices, isolation rooms
Administrative offices (main office, reception area)
Frequently touched surfaces in common areas (door handles, elevator buttons, copy machine
keypads, etc.)
Breakrooms
Cafeterias/Kitchens
Computer labs
Science labs
Classrooms
Maintenance offices and work areas
Bus Garage
Buses, school vehicles
Libraries
Large meeting areas (auditoriums, gymnasiums, music rooms)
Playgrounds (cleaning only)
Outdoor seating areas (plastic or metal)

Students, faculty, and staff will be trained on proper hand and respiratory hygiene, and such information
will be provided to parents and/or legal guardians on ways to reinforce this at home.
The district will provide and maintain hand hygiene stations around the school, as follows:
•
•

For handwashing: soap, running warm water, and disposable paper towels.
For hand sanitizing: an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol for areas
where handwashing facilities may not be available or practical.

 •

Accommodations for students who cannot use hand sanitizer will be made.

Regular cleaning and disinfection of the facilities will occur, including more frequent cleaning and
disinfection for high-risk and frequently touched surfaces. This will include desks and cafeteria tables,
which should be cleaned and disinfected between each individual’s use. Cleaning and disinfection will be
rigorous and ongoing and will occur at least daily, or more frequently as needed.
The district will ensure regular cleaning and disinfection of restrooms. Restrooms should be cleaned and
disinfected more often depending on frequency of use.
For more information about how cleaning and disinfection information will be communicated to
students, families and staff members, visit the Communication/Family and Community Engagement
section of our reopening plan.

Vulnerable populations/accommodations
We recognize that some students and staff members are at an increased risk for severe COVID-19
illness, live with a person who is at an increased risk, or simply do not feel comfortable returning to an
in-person educational environment. It is our goal that these individuals are able to safely participate in
educational activities. At the time of this writing, HFCSD is working with our Teacher’s Association and
our BOCES in developing a plan for a virtual academy allowing students who cannot return to participate
fully in the educational program.

Visitors on campus
No outside visitors or volunteers will be allowed on school campuses, except for the safety and wellbeing of students. Parents/guardians will report to the front office and not go beyond unless it is for the
safety or well-being of their child. Essential visitors to facilities will be required to wear face coverings
and will be restricted in their access to our school buildings.
Visitors must follow all safety protocols as listed above.

School safety drills
The district will conduct fire (evacuation) drills and lockdown drills as required by education law and
regulation and the fire code without, exceptions. Schools must continue to conduct mandatory fire and
lockdown drills according to the existing statutory schedule. Drills will be conducted in a manner that
maintains social distancing at exits and gathering points outside the building, while still preparing
students to respond in emergencies.
Month

Type of
Drill

Groups Included

Reqs Met

COVID Related Mods

January

Evacuation

Office staff before School

IFC

6ft distancing/masks and
PPE used

February

Evacuation

2nd shift custodians immediately after IFC
lunch

6ft distancing/masks and
PPE used

March

Evacuation

1st shift custodians at beginning of
their shift before anyone else arrives

6ft distancing/masks and
PPE used

IFC

 Lockdown

Entire building

SED

Classes will hold
lockdown drills without
congregating in “hiding”
places, while instruction is
given as to where the
students would hide in a
live lockdown scenario

April

Evacuation

Office staff during April break

IFC

6ft distancing/masks and
PPE used

May

Evacuation
with
blocked exit

Entire building

IFC

Staggered evacuations of
classrooms per egress
location, classes will
congregate in locations
assigned in order to
remain 6ft from other
groups while masked

Evacuation
with
blocked exit

Entire building

Lockdown

Entire building

SED

Classes will hold
lockdown drills without
congregating in “hiding”
places, while instruction is
given as to where the
students would hide in a
live lockdown scenario

Evacuation

Entire building

IFC

Staggered evacuations of
classrooms per egress
location, classes will
congregate in locations
assigned in order to

June

July

SED

IFC
SED

SED – if
there is
summer
school

Staggered evacuations of
classrooms per egress
location, classes will
congregate in locations
assigned in order to
remain 6ft from other
groups while masked

 remain 6ft from other
groups while masked
August

Evacuation

Entire building

IFC
SED – if
there is
summer
school

September

Evacuation

Entire building

IFC
SED

October

Staggered evacuations of
classrooms per egress
location, classes will
congregate in locations
assigned in order to
remain 6ft from other
groups while masked
Staggered evacuations of
classrooms per egress
location, classes will
congregate in locations
assigned in order to
remain 6ft from other
groups while masked

Evacuation
with
blocked exit

Entire building

SED

Staggered evacuations of
classrooms per egress
location, classes will
congregate in locations
assigned in order to
remain 6ft from other
groups while masked

Evacuation

Entire building

SED

Staggered evacuations of
classrooms per egress
location, classes will
congregate in locations
assigned in order to
remain 6ft from other
groups while masked

Lockdown

Entire building

SED

Classes will hold
lockdown drills without
congregating in “hiding”
places, while instruction is
given as to where the
students would hide in a
live lockdown scenario

Evacuation
with
blocked exit

Entire building

IFC

Staggered evacuations of
classrooms per egress
location, classes will
congregate in locations
assigned in order to

SED

 remain 6ft from other
groups while masked

November

Evacuation

Entire building

SED

Staggered evacuations of
classrooms per egress
location, classes will
congregate in locations
assigned in order to
remain 6ft from other
groups while masked

Evacuation

Entire building

IFC

Staggered evacuations of
classrooms per egress
location, classes will
congregate in locations
assigned in order to
remain 6ft from other
groups while masked

SED

December

Evacuation

Office staff during Xmas Break

IFC

6ft distancing/masks and
PPE used

Lockdown

Entire building

SED

Classes will hold
lockdown drills without
congregating in “hiding”
places, while instruction is
given as to where the
students would hide in a
live lockdown scenario

Facilities
In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection in the district, facilities operations will be geared
toward meeting social distancing requirements and cleaning frequently touched spaces regularly. In
carrying out projects or tasks supporting infection control, requirements will be met for changes
associated with building spaces. Plans for changes or additions to facilities that require review by the
Office of Facilities Planning (OFP), will be submitted to comply with the requirements of the 2020 New
York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (BC) and the State Energy Conservation Code.
The function, position and operation of stairs and corridor doors, which have closers with automatic
hold opens (and are automatically released by the fire alarm system), will remain unchanged.
The district plans to meet the deadline for submission of Building Condition Survey or Visual Inspections
on time. In addition, lead in water sampling will be carried out upon the reopening of school under
conditions consistent with when the building is “normally occupied.”
Upon reopening, the district plans to increase ventilation, to the greatest extent possible. Water
systems will be flushed in buildings that have been unoccupied.

 Building Reopening Plan
•
•
•
•

HFCSD has worked with the architect to review current HVAC filtration system to ensure
maximum air exchange throughout the buildings.
HFCSD meets the minimum number of toilet fixtures and bathroom requirements and all district
bathrooms will be opened.
HFCSD will meet the minimum requirements of (at least) one drinking fountain for each 100
occupants.
All code required ventilation will be adequate and maintained.

--------------------------------------------------

Child Nutrition
For information about how meal information will be communicated, visit the Communication/Family
and Community Engagement section of our reopening plan.

Meals onsite
For students onsite, meals will be provided while maintaining appropriate social distancing between
students. Students do not need to wear face coverings when seated and eating so long as they are
appropriately socially distanced.
The district will ensure social distancing between individuals while eating in the school cafeteria. If not
feasible, meals may be served in alternate areas (e.g., classrooms) or in staggered meal periods to
ensure social distancing and proper cleaning and disinfection between students.
The sharing of food and beverages (e.g., buffet style meals, snacks) is prohibited, unless individuals are
members of the same household. Adequate space will be reserved for students, faculty, and staff to
observe social distancing while eating meals.
Breakfasts will be served in one of two ways, depending on the building. Students may pass through the
cafeteria lines while properly socially distanced and proceed back to a classroom to eat. Or students may
have meals delivered to them from the cafeteria to the classroom. Which system is used depends on
whether it is breakfast or lunch and whether it is our younger or older students. Regardless of the
system used, all health, safety, hygiene, cleaning, disinfecting, and Child Nutrition protocols and
requirements will be used.

Meals offsite/remote
•

•
•
•

School meals will continue to be available to all students, including those attending school inperson and those learning remotely.
Meals will be available for students who are learning remotely daily Monday-Friday from 11am12:30pm
Meals will be available at the front of each school building as the student or
representative arrives to pick up a meal to go.
A grab and go meal will be provided for Lunch that day and Breakfast the next morning if the
student or representative so wishes.
Meals will be tracked and handed out according to enlisted HFCSD student roster, and if an
allergen is noted arrangements will be made to accommodate.

 •

Menu option of the days meal is will be posted on the schools web page

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Transportation
The district will conduct transportation activities that are consistent with state-issued public transit
guidance and NYSED School Reopening guidelines. Students and school staff must wear acceptable face
coverings at all times on school buses (e.g., entering, exiting, and seated) and should maintain
appropriate social distancing to the extent practicable.
Students who are able will be required to wear masks and social distance on the bus to the extent
practicable; however, students whose physical or mental health would be impaired are not required to
wear a face covering, but must be appropriately socially distanced. Members of the same household
may be seated within 6 feet of each other. Parents and legal guardians are encouraged to drop off or
walk students to school to reduce density on buses.
All buses that are used every day by districts and contract carriers will be cleaned/ disinfected once a
day. High contact spots will be wiped down after the morning (AM) and afternoon (PM) run depending
upon the disinfection schedule.
School buses shall not be equipped with hand sanitizer due to its combustible composition and potential
liability to the carrier or district. School bus drivers, monitors and attendants must not carry personal
bottles of hand sanitizer with them on school buses.
Wheelchair school buses will configure wheelchair placement to ensure social distancing of 6 feet.
Whether school is in session remotely or otherwise, pupil transportation will be provided to nonpublic,
parochial, private, charter schools or students whose Individualized Education Plans have placed them
out of district whose schools are meeting in in-person sessions.
All students are entitled to transportation by the district to the extent required by law. Transportation
departments do not have the ability or the right to deny transportation for children who are in foster
care, homeless or attend private or charter schools. Parents who may have missed the due date to
request out of district transportation due to a reasonable excuse may file a 310 appeal with the
Commissioner of Education.

School Bus Staff
School bus drivers, monitors, attendants and mechanics are required perform a self-health assessment
for symptoms of COVID-19 before arriving to work. If personnel are experiencing any of the symptoms
of COVID-19, they will notify their employer as per the reporting policies and seek medical attention.
School bus drivers, monitors, attendants and mechanics must wear a face covering along with an
optional face shield.
Transportation staff (drivers, monitors, attendants, mechanics and cleaners) will be trained and
provided periodic refreshers on the proper use of personal protective equipment and the signs and
symptoms of COVID-19.

 Transportation departments/carriers will need to provide Personal Protective Equipment such as masks
and gloves for drivers, monitors and attendants in buses as well as hand sanitizer for all staff in their
transportation locations such as dispatch offices, employee lunch/break rooms and/or bus garages.
Drivers, monitors and attendants who must have direct physical contact with a child must wear gloves.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

We expect student health screenings to be completed prior to boarding the bus in the morning.
Our buses will run at reduced capacity to ensure six feet of space or barriers between students
are maintained.
All students who are able will be required to wear face coverings. Should the student not have a
face covering, one will be provided before boarding.
Children from the same family will be allowed to sit together when we can ensure six feet of
space or barriers between students.
Buses will be loaded from back to front to reduce another layer of proximity. Buses will be
unloaded from front to back to for the same reason.
Families are encouraged to drop off and pick up students themselves. The busing requirements
for students will be shared with students during the first week of August.
For those buildings to which it is safe to walk or ride a bike and students are old enough,
students will be encouraged to do so.
Buses will be cleaned in between AM and PM runs. Buses will be disinfected daily after the PM
runs.
When the weather allows (>45 degrees) windows and/or roof hatches will be opened slightly to
provide air flow.

Protocols for bus drivers, monitors and attendants including:
•
•

The driver, monitor, and attendant may wear gloves if they choose to do so but are not required
unless they must be in physical contact with students.
Transportation staff should be encouraged to wash their hands with soap and water before and
after am and pm runs to keep healthy and prevent the spread of respiratory and diarrheal
infections from one person to the next. Germs can spread from other people or surfaces when
you:
o touch your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands
o touch a contaminated surface or objects
o blow your nose, cough, or sneeze into hands and then touch other people’s hands or
common objects

Protocols of how students will disembark from transportation vehicles:
•

•

When students embark and disembark the bus, they will follow social distancing protocols. This
will increase the time required to load and unload buses at schools in the morning and
afternoon.
Various entries and exits will be used to further separate our students. This will allow students
to mix even less by keeping each hallway as separate as possible. It will also decrease the load at
the front entry, reduce crowding at entry and dismissal.

 •
•

More time will be built into the daily schedule to account for the additional time to load and
unload buses.
Although hand sanitizer is not permitted on the buses, it will be available at each entry way for
students and adults.

Routing Procedures
•
•
•
•
•

The district has sent out a transportation survey to all eligible families to establish accurate
ridership numbers and to ensure all students transportation needs are accounted for.
District transportation runs will be established by using one student per seat.
District transportation runs will be designed prioritizing the shortest trip possible for students.
Non-public transportation runs will be designed in conjunction with HFCSD start and end times.
HFCSD does not participate in mass transit.

For more information about training protocol for students and staff and how transportation
information will be communicated, visit the Communication/Family and Community Engagement
section of our reopening plan.

Social Emotional Well-Being
We recognize that the social emotional well-being of our students and staff during these challenging
times is critically important. The district has made available resources and referrals to address mental
health, behavioral, and emotional needs of students, faculty, and staff when school reopens for inperson instructions. This has done this by:
Focusing on the five core components of SEL (defined by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and
Emotional Learning, CASEL) for all stakeholders, which are:
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Self-Awareness
Self-Management
Social Awareness
Relationship Skills
Responsible Decision Making

The district will identify students and families in need of additional support during the re-opening of
school through utilizing a referral form and SEL weekly check-ins during instruction. Resources are
available to address mental, behavioral and emotional needs of our students and will be available to
assist in SEL instructional and social practices at all grade levels. Also, referrals to outside services and
support can be made by the school counselors, school psychologists, and/or school social workers and
associates. The school district has a Resource Guide developed by our communication specialist, which
is available to staff and the school community.
The district has established an advisory council (our SEL Reboot Team that will merge into our existing
Mental Health Task Force) that involves shared decision-making and is comprised of families, students,

 members of the board of education, school building and/or district/charter leaders, community-based
service providers, teachers, certified school counselors, and other pupil personnel service providers. The
advisory council will inform the comprehensive developmental school counseling program plan. This
program plan has been reviewed and updated to meet current needs.
The district addresses professional development opportunities for faculty and staff on how to talk with
and support students during and after the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, as well as
provide support for developing coping and resilience skills for students, faculty, and staff. This is
addressed by:
Using information derived from a school-based needs assessment, decisions to address community
support will be discussed and planned. Participants involved in this process are intended to represent
all stakeholders in the school community, and work in alignment with the school counseling program
plan K-12.
Addressing Professional Development Opportunities for Faculty and Staff:
●
●

Prior to the reopening of schools, all staff will participate in an on-line introduction for mental
health self-awareness and student mental health
Superintendent Conference Days (number TBD) will have providers available for in-person
trainings, depending on DOH guidelines, to determine capacity per training

Providing On-Going Support for Students:
●
●

Through a variety of communications, students will be able to access support staff as needed,
for check-ins and/or request for assistance
Weekly check-ins for all students is strongly encouraged, with an SEL form to be provided for
instructional staff, K-12

Providing On-Going Support for Faculty/Staff:
●
●

Utilize the already established character education calendar of themes for pacing of content to
develop/share with staff
The district SEL staff will use a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) to help determine and
provide services for students, including three-tiers of social-emotional support for student
needs

School Schedules
HFCSD greatly looks forward to a post-pandemic era where we get to have all of our students back inperson in all of our buildings. Until then, pandemic safety, health, and hygiene requirements limit us to
either hybrid or fully remote learning plans. Our goal always remains to bring as many students back
safely as possible.

 Hybrid
We intend to bring back as many students on a regular basis as is safely possible. Our priority is to start
with our youngest learners and work our way up the grades to bring students back on a daily or near
daily basis. There are dynamic factors that make this a moving target, including but not limited to
quantity of available personnel to staff the additional classrooms, ensuring that the staff are
certified/qualified teachers, allowing for a robust learning experience at all grade levels, available
technology, contractual commitments, and transportation.
Our hybrid model will bring back as many students as safely as positive, prioritizing the youngest
learners first. As students get older we will switch to a model where students are in-person on a more
limited basis, combined with a portion of the week that is remote learning. Some courses that can be
will be fully remote, when it minimally impacts student graduation requirements.
Our current hybrid model is as follows:
•
•

•

Grades UPK-5 will return to school Monday through Thursday, with Friday being a remote
learning day.
Grades 6-12 will be split into two groups. One half of the students will return on Mondays and
Tuesday, with Wednesday through Friday being remote learning days. The other half of the
students will return to school on Wednesday and Thursday with Monday, Thursday, and Friday
being remote learning days.
Self-contained special education classes at all levels will return Monday through Thursday, with
Friday being a remote learning day.

We have also planned for contingencies. Should there be a shortage of staff and substitutes, due in part
or whole to the pandemic, we would flex our model adding a grade at a time to the hybrid secondary
model, and reducing the number of in-person elementary grades. Separately, should we have extra staff
due in part or whole to the number of students attending during the pandemic, we would flex our
model adding a grade at a time to the in-person elementary model, and reducing the number of hybrid
secondary grades.
Remote
Should our schools be forced to close again on an emergency basis, we are prepared for asynchronous
remote learning via our Chromebooks in grades 1-12. For UPK and K, we will relaunch our
parent/guardian-oriented Google Classrooms and implement a paper-based packet pick up and drop off
system for our youngest learners.
For information about how school schedule information will be communicated to students, families and
staff members, visit the Communication/Family and Community Engagement section of our reopening
plan.

 School Activities
Extracurriculars
At the time of this writing, we are not hosting extracurricular activities. Assemblies will only occur in a
staggered format so that room capacity and social distancing can be maintained. This also applies to
large gatherings of employees as well.
Sports will only begin with proper clearance from NYSPHSAA, Section II Athletics, our local Department
of Health and our own medical director.
We look forward to a return to normal regarding all of these activities, as extracurriculars are often the
drivers of attendance, academic achievement, and social-emotional well-being.

Childcare
HFCSD does not run before or aftercare programs. With the limitations of staffing, contracts, space
available, busing and social distancing required, these will not be hosted.
During our emergency closing in spring of 2019, we connected our families with available child care
locally and through the BOCES. Since BOCES programs are returning in-person as well, we will continue
to connect our families with our local/regional child care network by way of a survey link on our
website.

Attendance and Chronic Absenteeism
All students UPK-5 will be present in our buildings on a daily basis Monday through Thursday. On Fridays
they will receive instruction in our special area classes (art, music, technology, PE, health, etc.).
Students in grade 6-12 will be present in the buildings two out of five days. On the other three days
there will be asynchronous work to complete ensuring attendance to the learning. We will also maintain
a rotation of adult-student connections beyond the classrooms. For example, the middle school will
utilize their team structure to divide the students into smaller sets assigned to adults in order to foster
connections and engagement.
Students absent and/or disengaged are tracked so that no student is overlooked by the school. Teachers
are the first line of connection. Should a student be disconnecting, the student is referred to a master
list for follow up maintained by the counselors, support professionals (counselors, social workers,
psychologists), and the Assistant Principals. Following this, building principals are brought into the
process for further outreach, family contact, and/or home visits.

Technology and Connectivity
This spring, HFSD surveyed its community to better understand the level of connectivity and device
ownership. There is some variability in our district affected by socio-economic factors and the rural
nature of parts of the district. Based on these variables, our at-home connectivity is in the area of 85%
connected. We also know that approximately half of our students have their own devices at home.

 HFCSD has implemented a one to one model of one chromebook per student in grades 1-12 with 36 devices per classroom in our UPK and K classrooms. Students in our UPK and K programs that require
a device for Special Education services are also eligible to receive a district chromebook for at home
use. In school, students have access to high-speed internet throughout the district. If a family is unable
to provide internet access at their residency, we are able to offer 4G Verizon hotspots for home
use. Students and families may contact our Help Desk at help@hfcsd.org or by phone at 518-681-4357
to request a hotspot. If a family does not have Verizon coverage accessible in their area, we will offer
designated locations in district at each of our buildings and provide available hours for these locations.

Teaching and Learning
The school calendar typically includes one or more staff-only days before students arrive at school.
Acknowledging the challenges that our teachers and staff have faced this spring delivering remote
instruction under stressful circumstances, the district will focus these in-service days on providing
support to staff in the areas of social-emotional health and technology integration.
As we enter the new school year, teachers will be encouraged to spend time building relationships,
supporting students with the transition back to school, and teaching social distancing etiquette at
developmentally appropriate levels.
When a remote or hybrid learning model is necessary, certain groups of students will be prioritized for
in-person learning to the greatest extent possible. This includes, but is not limited to, UPK-5 students,
special education students, and English language learners.
Assessing student learning gaps or areas of need will be critical. Formative assessment before a unit of
instruction to assess student understanding of pre-requisite skills will be common practice.
Acknowledging that the typical content in a given grade level or course may need to be adjusted,
content will be prioritized to ensure that students receive instruction for the prioritized learning
standards, key understandings, and skills necessary for students’ success in future study.
Since May, teams of HFCSD professionals have been working on our Reboot Learning Plans to do just
this. Taking into account time lost since March and a condensed period of time across the 2020-21 SY,
revised curriculum plans have been built. Additionally, these academic Reboot Teams were supported
by our Equity and Access Reboot Teams, ensuring to the greatest extent possible that all students have
access to the learning.
Grading practices in K-5 will follow a standards-based framework designed to provide direct feedback
regarding students’ mastery of course content. We will return to pre-pandemic grading practices in 612.
For information relating to teaching and learning in BOCES special education and Career and Technical
Education programs, please see the BOCES website.
At the time of this writing, HFCSD is working with our Teacher’s Association and our BOCES in
developing a plan for a virtual academy allowing students who cannot return to participate fully in the
educational program.

 In-person Instruction
Upon reopening, the number of students in each of our classrooms will be reduced to adhere to CDC
guidance regarding proper social distancing. Class size will reflect the need to ensure that students’
desks/seats are positioned no less than six feet apart. In general, our classrooms can safely hold 12
students. Classes that cannot be reduced to this number (eg- SwD Co-Teach) will use larger rooms in ech
building like the libraries, gyms, and cafeterias.
Current staffing levels may be insufficient to accommodate the expanded number of classrooms needed
to ensure social distancing. This will require AIS, Reading, and special area teachers to be in classrooms
with students. Our learning plans take this into account so that primary instruction will always occur
with the classroom teacher, and special classes will occur on Fridays.
All instruction will continue to be aligned to the New York State Learning Standards.
Our schools will minimize the movement of students. Alternate entrances and exits will be used to limit
passing and mixing of students in the hallways. Students eat lunch in their classroom instead of the
cafeteria. Until further notice we will eliminate assemblies, field trips and other large-group activities
when we cannot both accommodate all students and safely do so. Special-area subjects (e.g., art, music,
physical education) will be pushed into the classroom and into at-home activities. Whenever possible
students will utilize outside space for physical education instruction. We will adhere to 12 feet between
students when engaging in physical activity.
To the extent possible, students will remain in small cohorts if/when leaving the classroom, such as for
recess or any necessary transition, so as to reduce their exposure to additional students. Additionally,
where possible, we will use separate exits and entrances to further limit exposure to additional staff and
students.
For information on school schedules, visit the School Schedules section of our reopening plan.
With required safety, health, social distancing, and hygiene measures taking a greater portion of our
school day than normal, the time dedicated to classroom instruction will look different as well.
For our students in grades UPK-5, a substantial portion of the day will be in the areas of literacy and
numeracy. ELA, math, and at the lower grades, phonics will be non-negotiable. As referenced earlier, our
HFCSD Reboot Teams have been working since May to make this work in a way that focuses on the
highest priority learning, remains aligned to state standards, and provides opportunity for academic and
personal growth.
For our students in grades 6-12, teachers will see these students in person two days a week, with
asynchronous learning for the remainder of the week. During the days when students are not in-person,
substantive interactions between students and teachers are needed. All students will have an
adult/adults who makes contact on those remote days so that the connection and engagement
continues. For example, in the middle school this would be through the team structure. In the high
school it would be through the homeroom (9-12) structure.

 Remote/Hybrid Instruction
Given the possibility that communities may experience spikes in COVID-19 cases at any point during the
school year, which may prompt short or long-term school closures, our district has developed a
hybrid/blended learning model and schedule that can continue as is in a fully remote environment.
Instruction will not only focus on “core” subject areas to the exclusion of elective courses. Consideration
has been given to prioritizing hands-on and lab-based activities while students are onsite in school
buildings. All instruction will continue to be aligned to the New York State Learning Standards.
Student schedules will remain the same when instruction is in person or hybrid. Should HFCSD have to
return to a fully remote model, schedules are built so that students do not encounter conflicts wherein
synchronous lessons for different subjects are offered simultaneously.
Remote learning opportunities for secondary students will include a greater emphasis on asynchronous
pre-recorded mini-lessons for instruction. This runs parallel with teachers finding ways to provide live
support, office hours, and individualized/personalized help. While recording of live lessons is still
essential for students unable to attend at a scheduled time, teachers will ensure that their students are
directly engaged with them and their class peers in experiential learning on a regular basis.
To ensure high-quality remote learning experiences, we will standardize the use of a single online
learning platform, to the extent possible, and develop a common, coordinated set of guidelines for
teachers to follow when using the platform with students.
Grading practices in K-5 will follow a standards-based framework designed to provide direct feedback
regarding students’ mastery of course content. We will return to pre-pandemic grading practices in 612.
For information on school schedules, visit the School Schedules section of our reopening plan.

Special Education
In-person learning has been prioritized for our Students with Disabilities. This allows us to implement
IEPs, including all accommodations, modifications, supplementary aids, and assistive technology as
legally required, as well as provide in-person related services as well like counseling, occupational
therapy, physical therapy, and speech services.

Bilingual Education and World Languages
As we reopen with in-person/hybrid scenarios, we will complete the ELL identification process within 30
days of welcoming students back to school. This will also be complete for any ELL students who may
have enrolled in HFCSD during the 2019-2020 school year since March 13th, 2020.
Units of study for ELL students will be provided based on their most recently measured English language
proficiency.

 Staff
Teacher and Principal Evaluation System
All teachers and principals will continue to be evaluated pursuant to the district’s approved APPR plan.

Certification, Incidental Teaching and Substitute Teaching
All teachers will hold valid and appropriate certificates for teaching assignment, except where otherwise
allowable under the Commissioner’s regulations (e.g., incidental teaching) or education law.

Key References
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State Education Department Issues Guidance to Reopen New York State Schools (July 16,
2020)
State Education Department Presents Framework of Guidance to Reopen New York State
Schools (July 13, 2020)
Interim Guidance for In-Person Instruction at Pre-K to Grade 12 Schools During the COVID-19
Public Health Emergency, NYS Department of Health (July 13, 2020)

Additional References
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Interim Guidance for Sports and Recreation During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
(June 26, 2020)
Interim Guidance for Food Services during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.
(June 26, 2020)
Interim Guidance for Office-Based Work during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.
(June 26, 2020)
Interim Guidance for Public Transportation Activities during the COVID-19 Public Health
Emergency. (June 26, 2020)
New York State Department of Health Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New York State Education Department Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Occupational Safety and Health Administration COVID-19 Website