Principal Newsletter January 15, 2021

• I appreciate the quick feedback that the survey sent out today required permission to access.  The issue has been fixed, so please try completing again by Tuesday, January 19.

• I am attaching at the bottom of this newsletter Sheffield’s Hybrid Reopening plan.  Please access the district website for more information about the ventilation reports, COVID protocols, etc.

• There is NO school on Monday, January 18 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

• There is a virtual FOS meeting on Wednesday, January 20 from 4:45-5:30.  If you’d like a meeting link invitation, please let Lesley Cogswell lescogs@gmail.com or myself know so one can be sent to you.

• Just a reminder that Turn Around Day has been moved to Friday, January 29th.  There will be no school for students that day.  It is a teacher work day.

• I shared with students this morning in my daily announcements that starting next Friday I will share out with the whole school the grade who had the most time completing i-Ready reading and math lessons.  I will also share the classroom who had the most minutes engaged in instruction.  This will be celebrated and posted in my newsletter as well as on the Sheffield Elementary Facebook page.  This tool for both reading and math is individualized and instructs where the child is at, and has daily recommendations for students to engage with to assist in their reading and math progress.

With Sheffield Pride,

Melissa Pitrat

SHEFFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 

HYBRID & REMOTE  LEARNING PLAN

Sheffield Elementary Hybrid Plan 

Revised January  2021

Summary Statement: 

The Sheffield Elementary school hybrid safety and educational plan has been written in compliance with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education guidelines.  This plan incorporates health and safety measures that allows for two cohorts of students at each grade level.  One cohort will be learning in-person while the other cohort is learning remotely. To reduce the potential risks of exposure and spread of Covid-19, routines and schedules have been added and in some cases altered to allow proper distancing among students and staff.  Dismissal and pick up procedures, recess locations, classroom configurations and new routines are embedded within this plan.  Overall, the hybrid plan ensures students have equal access to educational opportunities while maintaining a healthy school environment.

• If Sheffield experiences a lack of staff, the hybrid model will have to account for flexibility with staff/teacher assignments, with special consideration for high needs populations. 

• Whenever possible, student groupings will be created to support family units.  

TEACHING AND LEARNING IN THE HYBRID MODEL

Student Cohorts

This model allows for in-person face-to-face instruction two days a week and three remote live teaching days a week. In this model, students will alternate between in-person and remote live learning; but they will attend each class every day.  Students will be assigned by the school to be a member of Cohort A or Cohort B. Cohort A students will attend in person on Mondays and Tuesdays and then remote the rest of the week. Cohort B Students will be remote for the beginning of the week and attend in person on Thursdays and Fridays.

 If a student has been identified as high needs, they might be in Cohort A & B; attending classes Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. (A remote only cohort option must be approved by the Superintendent’s office.  This cohort will be attending all classes remotely Monday through Friday.  Cohort groups will be identified and information will be distributed with the welcome back letter and individual student schedule in early September. The remote only students would be attending all classes remotely Mondays through Fridays.) 

Note that on Wednesdays, no students will be in person which allows for a deep cleaning throughout the entire school. Students organized in cohorts help mitigate transmission of the virus.

All students will attend a virtual Morning Meeting and engage in an SEL lesson and activity resulting in a shortened half day.

Transportation:

We strongly encourage families to drop children off or walk with their child to reduce possible exposure on buses, traffic congestion, and carbon emissions. If a student lives in close proximity to the school, we encourage the family to walk or bike to school. For those who must arrive by car, families must use the rolling drop-off routine. 

As students enter the bus, they must sanitize their hands (if in winter, they can keep on gloves instead). All staff and students on the bus, regardless of age, are required to wear masks at all times. Students will be seated one student per bench, alternating sides each row, which allows students to maintain recommended physical distance. Children from the same household may sit together and in closer proximity (e.g., two students per bench). Distancing requirements apply both while waiting at bus stops and while in transit. Students should face forward at all times and refrain from eating, shouting, singing, or sharing items while in transit.

All windows will remain open at all times during operation for ventilation, unless not possible due to extreme weather conditions. Students will be assigned to a single bus and a particular seat.

As students board the bus, they will occupy seats starting from the rear of the bus and fill sequentially to the front. Upon arrival at school, the bus will be unloaded in a controlled manner, starting from the front of the bus and emptying sequentially to the back.  

All students riding the bus will adhere to the transportation procedures developed by F.M. Kuzmeskus. Seat assignments and distancing guidelines will be reviewed and shared with students and families prior to the start of the school year. Students will be released slowly to allow proper distancing upon arrival. Staff will be assigned to greet children, check to make sure students are distanced and wearing masks when exiting the bus. Dismissal will follow similar procedures. 

Entering the Building: 

The school day for students will begin at 8:30 am. Buses will hold students until 8:25 am. Students arriving by drop off may not enter the building until 8:25 am. Parents may not drop off students prior to 8:25 am and need to wait to see a  designated school employee outside before dropping off. If a parent arrives with their child prior to 8:25 am, the child must remain in the vehicle until 8:25 am. If a parent needs to walk their child to the door they need to wear a mask. The parent drop off line route will be to enter the parking lot and follow the cones, wear a mask, do not get out of the vehicle, and pull up as far as you can. 

Arrival/Breakfast:

• Busses will drop off on Crocker Ave right in front of school.  Unload/Enter facing forward at all times. 

• There will be sidewalk chalk paint that will mark 6 foot lines to assist with social distancing.

• Students will all enter the front of the building in two lines: second and third grade  on the right and fourth and fifth in the left, follow 6 ft physical distancing guidelines, walk to classroom in a one-way direction.  A breakfast cart will be in the hallway lobby so students can be handed a breakfast to bring to their classroom.

• Students will be greeted by their teacher and invited to enter the classroom.  Teacher will send the first student to the far left of the cubbie row to stow items and the second student will go to the middle of the cubbie row, the next group will follow the same sequence moving everyone to the right.  In the event a classroom does not have a cubby, backpacks and coats will be stored on the student’s chair.

• Students will go to their desk, sanitize their hands and eat their breakfast. 

• Classroom teacher will spray a nontoxic, 99% virus killing, citrus cleaner to the desk after students have eaten.  Students will use a paper towel to clean their desk.

• Students will sanitize their hands again after eating.

• We encourage students to bring a water bottle daily as water fountains will be off limits to the public until further notice.  We encourage water bottles with built in straws if possible.

Dismissal:

• Students will be called 2 at a time, collect personal items from cubies the same as arrival  and leave the classroom.

• Each grade will exit per instruction while maintaining physical distancing.

  • Bus students will exit first when picked up by adult

  • Walkers will be second and will exit out the front doors like in the morning.

  • Second and third grade will stay on side sidewalk and fourth and fifth grade will go out the front and on Crocker Ave.

ATTENDANCE

Daily attendance will be taken whether a student is in person or remote. Consistent with 603 CMR 27.08(3)(b), districts must have a daily attendance policy and system for remote learning that can be reported into the state Student Information and Management System (SIMS). Students will need to be physically visible, no avatars, in order to be considered present if in remote learning. Parents/caregivers are responsible for ensuring their child attends school every day, whether for in-person or remote learning.  Schools and districts must continue to investigate extended absences and to make and document reasonable efforts to locate the student and determine the reason for nonattendance. The school will work directly with families to identify barriers to student attendance and to support families in alleviating these challenges.

In the Remote Model, attendance will be taken each morning and tracked throughout the school day.  It is the responsibility of families and caregivers to ensure their students’ daily attendance and participation in lessons and assignments.

CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION 

Curriculum and instruction are central to the mission of education. The alignment of the written, taught, and tested curriculum is key to a well functioning educational system and critical in ensuring that all learners in a school receive equitable access to the intended learning outcomes of the district. Teachers are responsible to teach all state standards, within their subject area and/or grade level, this school year. Consistent with 603 CMR 27.08(3)(b), all students - whether learning in-person or remotely - must have access to grade-level instruction in all content areas included in the Massachusetts’ curriculum frameworks. All students in grades 3-5 will be required to take the MCAS tests in spring 2021.

Technology is a critical component for both hybrid and remote learning therefore every child is required to have a device to access their classes. This year all students will be offered a ChromeBook and charger to take home and bring back to school, fully charged. Each student and family will also be required to sign a Chromebook Agreement form.

An integrated Google Classroom and PlusPortals online resource will be provided to all teachers as their learning management software. Training and workshops to adapt these applications to the hybrid and remote plans will be provided.  It is expected that teachers will adapt instruction to provide scaffolded support for students with diverse learning needs.  This could include scaffolded instruction, use of tiered vocabulary, utilization of assisted technology features (word prediction software, closed captioning, read aloud, or speech to text) as may be required to accommodate student learning needs. 

Daily Schedule for In-Person learning: 8:30 am - 3:15 pm

Students will enter the building and report to classroom assignment at 8:30 am. Students will remain in classrooms for their instructional time. Within their instructional day, students will also have scheduled mask breaks and when deemed necessary by the assigned teacher. Recess and opportunities to be outside will be embedded within the daily schedule. 

Instruction During In-Person Learning

During in-person learning the primary focus will be the overall health and well-being of our students. Structured routines will be created so students and staff  feel safe physically, socially, and emotionally. Emphasis will be placed on building and rebuilding school routines while promoting healthy socialization.  Academic instruction will align with grade-level standards, established curriculum guidelines and the district’s Fundamental Instructional Practices.

Instruction During Remote Learning

In grade two, remote learning in the Hybrid Plan will be primarily asynchronous. In this case, asynchronous learning involves a balance of on-line learning, (for example, i-Ready,) and off-screen assignments.  For remote learning, there will be some required synchronous participation in activities such as daily morning meeting and whole group mini-lessons, related arts, and other activities at teacher discretion. 

Please see grade level schedules included in the Remote Learning Plan for more details.

In grades 3 through 5 remote learning in the Hybrid Plan will be primarily synchronous for four days Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, with occasional asynchronous activities when needed. Wednesday mornings will look like they have in remote learning.

Wednesdays afternoons will be asynchronous for grades 2 - 5.  

Example structure for students

TYPES OF ASSIGNMENTS

• Based on the grade level standards

• Using current instructional approaches:  Bridges Math (2 - 5), Fundations (2 - 3),  Writing Workshop (Grades 2 - 5), Heggerty and Guided Reading

• Using agreed upon software and platforms: i-Ready, Seesaw, Bridges, EPIC, RAZ Kids Plus

MODES OF INSTRUCTION

• Live daily teaching via Google Classroom in both whole group and small group formats

• On-line learning via i-Ready, Seesaw and Google Classroom

Teachers may create assignments, tasks, or projects that students complete on or off the computer. However, assignments will be posted electronically and student responses will be sent electronically. Google Classroom and PlusPortals are the district’s supported platforms for remote teaching and will be used by all teachers. Teachers will also provide learning materials for off screen assignments. 

FEEDBACK/GRADING 

Feedback on student work will be provided through Google Classroom (and Seesaw in grades 2- 3) on an ongoing basis. This should be both individual - on each student’s work, and collective - to the whole class. 

Expectations of Behaviors/Grades

Each teacher may establish their own classroom norms in addition to the following school recommendations for online learning; as well as all behavior expectations stated in the Student Handbook.

• each student will keep their camera on themselves or their school work at all times

• if a student wants to make a comment, a student can raise their hand; unless the teacher has instructed to do otherwise

• a student will remain muted unless a teacher unmutes them

• a student should be respectful of how much time they talk during class, so others can also share their ideas

• students need to follow all in-school dress rules and class behavioral expectations

• students should be in an appropriate place conducive to learning within their house

One significant difference between the learning in the spring and now the fall is that percentage grades will be given. The expectation is that students complete all assignments given to them by their teachers. If a student chooses not to complete an assignment, or part of an assignment, an appropriate grade will be given. As before, all grades will be able to be accessed by both students and parents on PlusPortals.

FREQUENCY OF COMMUNICATION

• Teachers and students will communicate daily via Morning Meeting and small group instruction

• Additional live communication will be available as needed.

SPECIAL POPULATIONS

• Special Education Students -- will have additional live sessions to meet grid services

• EL Students -- will have additional live sessions to provide services

HYGIENE

Students will all be taught to ask themselves the following four questions each time they enter a new space:

1. Is my work surface clean?

2. Are my hands clean?

3. Is my mask on?

4. Am I six feet away from the person next to me?

These questions will be posted in writing and with visual cues in all learning spaces. 

All student learning spaces (desks, etc.) will be cleaned and disinfected at the end of each day. Students will be assigned one desk in each classroom. Students will not share desks. If for some reason, a student must use a different desk/learning space or change desks/learning spaces, all spaces will be cleaned prior to another student utilizing the space. 

Hand Hygiene Protocol

Handwashing teaching and practice will be implemented at the start of the school year and continue throughout. Hand sanitizer may be used in between hand-washing and/or when soap and water is not convenient, and will be available in all classrooms/offices/spaces.

Students will be required to clean hands upon entering the classroom each morning. Students will be required to wash hands after bathroom breaks, before and after meals, after recess/physical education, or using electronic devices or other shared equipment, before boarding buses, and any other time deemed appropriate by supervising staff. If a child is sneezing or coughing, they will wash their hands and they will be escorted to the school nurse.   

Masks

Students in grades 2-5 must wear a mask at all times unless otherwise directed by faculty or staff. Families will provide their child/ren with a clean mask daily.  In the event that a student removes their mask or does not wear their mask without permission, a teacher or staff will conference with the student and encourage the student to comply with the expectation. If the student continues to refuse wearing a mask, the teacher will call the office to request assistance from counselor, nurse and/or the principal. When a student continues to not comply, the parent will be called to pick up their child.  The student will attend school remotely until it has been determined that they will comply with all safety protocols. 

Mask Breaks 

• Students, faculty and staff will be required to wear masks within the school building. 

• During recess or during other classes held outdoors, when physical distancing permits it, masks may be removed for a mask break.

•  Additionally, mask breaks will occur during breakfast, snack and lunch to allow students to eat-they need to be seated at their desk and not walking around.

•  Within a classroom if students need a mask break and they are six feet or more apart, teachers may allow students to take a mask break in a designated space within the classroom.

•  Where this is not possible and a break is needed, teachers may take their class outside for a brief mask break. Students must be supervised at all times during a mask break.

Ventilation

 Upgrades and repairs to the ventilation system have been completed.  These include making adjustments to existing equipment to increase fan speeds,replacing the defective fan for the main classrooms exhaust, repairing dampers so they function correctly, and installing new pneumatic thermostats in the classrooms that needed them. 

Air changes that were tested after the upgrades/repairs were made, with the goal to achieve a minimum of 2 fresh air changes per hour and all classrooms meet that goal.

School Supplies

Necessary school supplies will be provided to each student in individual kits.  Students should not bring school supplies from home.

HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS

Health Office and Medical Waiting Room

All students should remain home if at any time they are exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms. 

Protocols for Sending Students to the Nurse

When a student requests a visit to the nurse’s office, school staff will identify the reason for their request and call the nurse to make the request. If the student is exhibiting non-COVID symptoms (ie. sprained ankle, etc) the nurse may opt to have the student move to the nurse’s office on their own or with an escort. 

The Health Office will be reserved for non-COVID 19 health concerns and for medication administration. 

If the student is demonstrating symptoms of COVID-19 the nurse, or a designee, will come to the classroom to retrieve the student and follow the COVID-19 protocols.

Covid 19-Protocols

The nurse will pick up the student exhibiting possible symptoms, conduct an initial assessment, and determine whether the student goes directly to the COVID-space, or to the Triage area of the Health Office for further assessment (small room within the health office). 

Medical Waiting Room

A separate COVID-19 space will be provided for students who are demonstrating relevant symptoms. This space will be the former small conference room located within the Health Office. Both doors to the hall will remain locked and signage will be displayed identifying the bathroom and room and Covid-19 spaces only. The spaces may not be used for any other use. 

Suspected cases will be escorted to this room through the back hallway, not via the main office. Students awaiting pickup by a parent will be checked on by the nurse frequently. When it is time for pick up, students will exit through the small hallway adjacent to the health office. The room will then go through cleaning and disinfecting according to protocol. Consider use of signage on the outside of doors to indicate rooms that require cleaning.

 Comforting Children:  Children can experience separation anxiety, sadness, anger and hurt.  While hugs and holding children should be limited as much as possible, there will be times when educators will need to tend to children and provide comfort and aid.  The CDC guidance for interacting with young students states:  “It is important to comfort crying, sad, and/or anxious young students, and they often need to be held.  To the extent possible, when washing and feeding, or holding young children, care providers can protect themselves by wearing an over-large button-down, long sleeved shirt and by wearing long hair up off the collar in a ponytail or updo.”

Restraints: In the event that staff need to prevent a student from harm to his/herself, or others, the staff person should ideally have full PPE donned.  The definition of full PPE is a surgical mask, a gown, a face shield and gloves. Getting geared up can be somewhat time consuming and may not be possible in its entirety given the spontaneous evolution of an escalating behavior episode.  In this case, per CPI protocol, the staff person will call for help and put on a face shield or goggles.  As soon as help arrives (wearing full PPE), the second person will don full PPE and switch out with the first person so that the first can also don full PPE.

Duration and frequency of refusal or non-compliance to distancing and/or masking must be documented and if a threshold of too much or too many (as defined by the team) is reached, the parent/guardian will be notified and the student will be asked to leave the school campus and alternative education modes will be explored.

Related Services:

• Students who receive: counseling services, therapeutic services, resource room suite services, Speech, OT, PT, Special education, EL services, or Reading Intervention can be served in class or in a pull-out as needed as written in 504 or IEP plans.

Passing/ Transition Time

• Students will remain in the classroom until a designated time for transitions such as leaving classroom, recess, services and dismissal. 

• They will put on masks, and leave the classroom in single file order and remain on the right side of the hallway, following the guiding arrows and floor decals that represent appropriate distancing.  

Student Belongings

Belongings from home should be limited to only necessary outerwear, water bottles and lunch (for those not eating school lunch).  Coat hooks and cubbies will be assigned to provide adequate distance between students.

Lunch

All meals and snacks will be eaten in the classroom. Students will remove masks when eating.  We encourage students to bring a water bottle daily as water fountains will be off limits to the public until further notice.

• Lunch monitor will be masked and gloved and will deliver lunches to the classroom.

• Lunches will be placed on a table and monitor will exit classroom.

• Adult will call one student at a time to collect their lunch and return to their desk.

• All food/containers will be placed in trash.

• Adult will spray citrus disinfecting spray to the desk, and students will wipe the desk after eating.

• Students will sanitize hands after eating lunch.

See district plan for additional Food Services Information.

Bathroom Breaks 

• Only one student is to leave the room at a time.

• Students must wear a mask to leave the room.

• Student will take the red tag from the classroom and begin to walk to the bathroom.

  •   If they see a red tag hanging, they will immediately return to the classroom. 

  •  If they do not see the red tag near the bathroom, they can continue walking to the bathroom. 

  •  Once there, they must hang their red tag then enter the bathroom. 

  •  If they see another student (because the student forgot their red tag from class, they are to go back to their classroom immediately. 

  •  If the bathroom is empty, they can continue using the bathroom.

• Students must wash and dry their hands before leaving the restroom.

• Students must take the red tag back to their classroom.

• While in the hallway, students must follow the guidelines for passing.

Visitors

During a hybrid model, we will be limiting our acceptance of visitors into our buildings for the safety of staff and students.  

Classroom Size and Location

Size and Assignment 

In this hybrid model, class sizes will be decreased to provide 6 feet of social distancing  in all classrooms.

In order to accommodate for larger classes, additional spaces may be utilized and a paraprofessional may assist with supervision as needed.

Room assignments are as followed:

After School Activities: 

21st CCLC funded schools/sites must continue to meet the federal programming requirements of the grant and are required to provide appropriate academically enriching opportunities within the framework of the district/school reopening plans.

• Schools that will be offering an in person or hybrid model must also provide in person

academically enriching 21CCLC ELT and/or OST programming within the context of the

funded /partnering school selected model. Grantees will be provided additional information

and an opportunity to request possible flexibilities as part of the continuation grant.

• 21 CCLC Issued Guidance field trips as well as transporting students to offsite locations for 21 CCLC funded programming will not be an allowable use of grant funds during the Fall and Winter months. We will continue to revisit this as the environment dictates.