July 17, 2020
Good Afternoon Belmont-Redwood Shores Community,
I hope this message finds your family well. In this update is information on the following:
- SchoolForce Success!
- Information about our District survey
- A selection of frequently asked questions
I would like to start this week’s message by expressing our gratitude to SchoolForce and more importantly to our community for helping SchoolForce achieve their goal of raising $2.8M to support our schools. With the goal of “Every student, Every grade, Every School” these dollars support specialized staff, innovation, literacy, the arts, technology and so much more. Thank you SchoolForce for supporting our students in these meaningful ways!
There has been increased state dialogue regarding the reopening of schools especially in light of some increases in COVID 19 cases. You may have watched Governor Newsom’s press conference this afternoon or read a summary of established criteria. We are in the process of evaluating this criteria as San Mateo County is not on the watch list. Rest assured, we continue to monitor State and local guidance and will continue to follow recommendations of health officials, only reopening schools when it is safe to do so.
Last week, we announced a timeline for a survey that would inform our planning. We are continuing to follow this timeline because planning for a dual pathway model (a hybrid in-person A/B schedule or a full A/B distance learning platform) is logistically the most difficult. By planning in this manner, we will be able to
scale up
should conditions change and increase the amount of in-person instruction more closely mirroring a traditional school day or
scale back
and transition to a 100% distance learning environment. Planning in this manner allows us to be responsive. We will adapt and modify as conditions require.
To move our efforts forward, you will receive a personalized survey link later this evening to record your preferences. We’re thinking outside of the box and doing our best to more closely match family preferences. Please understand that while we are collecting several data points we will not be able to honor all preferences. We appreciate your understanding in advance.
Preferably, we ask families to complete the survey by Tuesday, July 21
, but the survey will remain open until Friday, July 24 at 3pm.
Early responses will not receive priority scheduling. We must begin scheduling so that we are able to notify families
of their “A” or “B” designation by August 7th.
Some families have expressed their concern that changing conditions, safety protocols and generalized model descriptions make this decision difficult. We understand and commit to continued communication.
Last week we shared several frequently asked questions about model and design (again included). This week we’ve designed additional FAQs around student safety and protocols.
District leadership and our Board of Trustees are working diligently to balance all of the elements, concerns and challenges that come with safely reopening school in August. We sincerely appreciate your patience, understanding and trust.
Sincerely,
Dan Deguara
Superintendent
Student and Staff Safety FAQs
What happens if staff or a student tests positive for COVID-19?
The District has and will continue to work closely with the San Mateo County Health Officer to monitor the threat, promote strategies to prevent disease transmission, and prepare for the potential spread within the community.
Both staff and students will be expected to undergo a temperature screening prior to entering campus. Anyone who is exhibiting symptoms will be asked to leave campus. Each campus will have a designated quarantine area.
Students or staff who suspect they may have COVID-19 (symptomatic or exposure) will not be able to enter campus and are encouraged to seek medical attention / testing as soon as possible. In the event of a confirmed positive case, the District will work closely with the County Office of Education and Public Health on notifications, quarantines, contact tracing, and/or cohort or school closures.
Today, while more information is still to be determined, the State set the following guidance for school and districts as follows:
- A school site will close a classroom if they have a 5% positivity rate of COVID-19 of students and teachers, with 14 days of quarantine
- A school site will close when it experiences a 5% positivity rate of COVID-19 of students and teachers, with 14 days of quarantine
- When 25% of school sites test positive, the school district will shut down completely
What will recess and lunch look like?
Exact procedures and protocols will be determined by our school leaders with District office support. The San Mateo County four pillars which include social distancing are to be in place at all times. Schedules will be created and expectations set with students. It is unlikely students will be able to utilize the playground or shared equipment.
How will face coverings and social distancing be enforced at school?
We will follow all State and local guidelines for wearing face coverings. Currently, the San Mateo Pandemic Recovery Framework recommends graduated requirements for wearing masks with all staff and students in grade 3 and higher wearing face coverings for the entire school day. While there will be some discretion for children in TK- grade 2 face coverings will be encouraged. This guidance was affirmed in the Governor’s direction announced today.
What type of coordination is there between the district and childcare providers?
As part of the survey, you will see a question about on-site child care providers. Child care providers follow separate, but very similar, requirements. We are collecting data so that we can work closely with our providers to increase cohort consistency.
What type of sanitizing procedures will the district utilize?
The District will follow best practice guidelines for sanitization including the use of disinfectant that the EPA has certified as an approved substance for treating COVID-19 on surfaces, and is based in asthma-safe, “allergen friendly” ingredients.
How can I learn more about the steps BRSSD is taking to promote the safety of students and staff?
Program Model FAQs (as shared on 7/10/20)
Will a full distance learning model be more robust than an in-person model?
BRSSD is committed to providing a choice to our families. The at-home distance learning model and the in-person at school model will follow similar “A” or “B” designations. Based on our experiences in the spring, we believe that students are best served on-line in smaller groups. Ensuring that we have staff available to meet the desires of our community will require that both models follow similar schedules.
How will an A/B schedule work?
Students opting for the in person format will receive alternating days of in-person learning and independent study. One day will be spent in the classroom with a stable cohort of students. Assignments will be provided for independent study for the following day. Students will also receive their “specials” where appropriate. Specials are classes such as Science, Music, and PE as determined by grade level.
“A” days are designated as Monday and Thursday. “B” days are designated as Tuesday and Friday. Students in the “A” group will attend school on Wednesday when there is a Monday holiday, and students in the “B” group will attend school on Wednesday when there is a Friday holiday.
Wednesdays will be distributed to ensure both groups receive 90 days of in-person instruction
. All students will attend in-person 90 days regardless of their designated schedule. The instructional calendar will be adjusted so that both the “A” and “B” group receive the same amount of instructional minutes.
We are continuing to evaluate the schedule for Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten. It is possible that transitional kindergarten and kindergarten students will participate in a split day with the “A” group attending in-person in the morning and “B” group attending in-person in the afternoon.
How will you ensure consistency among teachers for distance learning?
The California legislature recognized inconsistencies across the state of California as educators transitioned their practice from traditional models of instruction to distance learning. While we are continuing to work with staff to promote consistency, Senate Bill 98 provides guidance that we must follow. Some key points of SB 98 are as follows:
- Content must be aligned to grade level standards and provided at a level that is substantially equivalent to in-person instruction
- Districts must provide students with daily live interaction with teachers and peers for purposes of instruction, progress monitoring, and maintaining school connectedness.
- Districts must provide academic and other supports for students who are not performing at grade level or need additional student services, like mental health services.
- Special education and related services must be provided with any accommodations necessary to ensure a student’s individualized education program (IEP) can be implemented in a distance learning environment.
- Districts must provide designated and integrated instruction in English language for English learners, including the assessment of English language proficiency and the ability to reclassify as fully English proficient.
- Districts must provide the minimum school day to be between 3-4 hours depending on grade.
My child receives special services. How will students with special needs be accommodated?
Students receiving special services will receive a combination of in-person and remote services. Some services will only be delivered remotely in order to reduce the potential risk of seeing students from different cohorts. Specialists will work closely with general education teachers to ensure that accommodations are in place for both in-person and remote learning.
If I choose distance learning, and then half way through the year the health official lifts the regulations, can my child return back to school?
We are working to develop a system that is flexible and responsive to the changing conditions that we will experience during the school year. We will not be able to accommodate mid-year preference changes within the A/B schedule or between in-person and distance learning. Should health conditions allow a full return on a traditional schedule, we will schedule all students to return.
If we go back to pre-Covid classrooms the following school year 2021-2022, and I choose distance learning for 2020-2021, will my child lose their spot in the school for the new school year?
No. A student’s school assignment will not change.
Suvarna Bhopale | Amy Koo | Samuel Leinbach | Jim Howard | Rahila Passi | Board of Trustees
