Fall 2020 Reopening Plan
A Note from the Executive Director Dear NHCS Families, As I explained in my August 4th letter, we have made the difficult decision to begin the 2020-2021 school year remotely. While I know this news is hard for many, please know that all of us at NHCS are committed to creating a rigorous learning environment for our students in which they feel safe, known, challenged , and loved . We can and will do this even as we operate remotely. NHCS will operate remotely for at least “Chapter 1” , which will run from the start of the school year through October 16th. During this period of time, we hope to bring students to our campuses for small group, outdoor community building activities if possible. For Chapter 2 (October 19th through November 25th), we expect to continue in our remote model. We hope during this time to be able to bring a very limited number of students into our buildings for a “supervised remote learning” program. We will provide information about Chapter 2 no later than October 5th. Thank you for your trust and partnership in ensuring the safety, academic growth, and social-emotional development of our children. While school will look different this fall than it did before COVID-19, it will also look different than it did in the spring. Please continue reading to learn more. With Gratitude, Kate Scott, Executive Director Neighborhood House Charter School • thenhcs.org 2
Overview A Note from the Executive Director 2 Recovery from Trauma and Loss 4 Feedback from Our Community 5 Reopening Plan: Core Principles 6 Safety 7 Equity 8 Engagement 9 Connection 10 Student Supports 11 Attendance and Progress 12 Technology 13 Meals 14 Health and Safety Protocols 15 School Specific Information 16 Lower School (K1 – 4 th ) Middle School (5 th – 7 th ) 20 High School (8 th – 12 th ) 22 Neighborhood House Charter School • thenhcs.org 3
Recovery from Trauma and Loss This is an unprecedented time and one that is causing many to experience trauma and loss, especially our children. The global pandemic and its fallout have led to tremendous hardship. Closing school buildings in the spring and making a quick pivot to online schooling resulted in learning loss for all. Many in our community have experienced job instability and financial challenges. Some have experienced the illness or loss of loved ones. Communities of Color, such as Neighborhood House, have been disproportionately impacted. At the same time, we are grappling with our nation’s pervasive history of systemic racism. Against this backdrop, it is critically important that we use culturally responsive and trauma sensitive practices to help our students and our community reckon, recover, restore, and thrive. Our children need to learn and they need to heal . Our work, this year more than ever, must ensure that all our students feel safe, known, challenged, and loved . Neighborhood House Charter School • thenhcs.org 4
Feedback from Our Community NHCS surveyed families and staff throughout the summer to learn what you were thinking. Over 450 families and 120 staff weighed in. We also hosted three optional virtual sessions with families and two with staff. Here is what we heard: Percentage of Staff Favoring Percentage of Families Favoring Remote Learning Remote Learning 80% 80% 60% 60% 40% 40% 20% 20% 0% 0% mid June mid July mid June mid July late July Survey data shows that the closer we have gotten to the start of school, the more our community has favored a remote learning model . Neighborhood House Charter School • thenhcs.org 5
Core Principles We are committed to ensuring all our children feel safe, known, challenged, and loved . That led to these core principles : SAFETY ENGAGEMENT EQUITY CONNECTION Neighborhood House Charter School • thenhcs.org 6
Safety NHCS will begin the year with a fully remote learning model and gradually bring more students to campus as it is safe to do so. We will deliver a quality educational program for the 2020-2021 school year that ensures the health and safety of our community of students, families, and staff. This means beginning classes remotely, at least for Chapter 1 (through Oct 16 th ), and then re-evaluating based on the public health landscape and the confidence of our families and staff. As the year progresses, if we can safely begin to bring students and staff into our buildings we will do so. In any return to campus, we will prioritize our highest need students and we will implement the safety measures outlined on slide 15. Neighborhood House Charter School • thenhcs.org 7
Equity NHCS will ensure access to technology and will provide the consistency, stability, and individual supports that each student needs to be successful. We will work with families to ensure that all students have a device for remote learning and have internet access. For more about our technology program see slide 13. Students with disabilities, English language learners, and other students who need extra support will receive remote services from qualified personnel, including 1:1 and small groups. Slide 11 provides more information. If it becomes safe to do so, we plan to invite a small number of students to do their remote learning in our buildings under the supervision of a caring adult. We will start with the highest need students, including students who have been fully disengaged with remote learning due to housing instability or other reasons, or whose families are unable to safely monitor or support them at home. Neighborhood House Charter School • thenhcs.org 8
Engagement The school day will be more like a regular school day than in the spring and will engage students through rich, rigorous, and culturally responsive learning experiences. For K2 – 12 th grade, the typical day will run from approximately 9am to 3pm including core subjects plus art, music, and other classes as well as breaks. K1 students will have a shorter school day. We are working hard to select the best technology and to creatively adapt lessons to engage and challenge our students. Teachers will blend synchronous (real time) and asynchronous (on your own time) instruction in consistent and predictable ways to support all students, no matter their age or learning style. Our goal is that all students will be able to access their virtual classrooms independently and engage as productive members of their learning community. Neighborhood House Charter School • thenhcs.org 9
Connection At our core, we know that students need to have a strong sense of belonging in order to thrive, whether virtually or in person. Developing meaningful relationships with students and creating inclusive classroom communities is central to what makes NHCS special. This is more necessary than ever while we are socially distanced. We are exploring the possibility of bringing small groups of students together using outdoor spaces on our campuses, especially during the first few weeks of school, to help students develop relationships with their teachers and peers. In addition, our teachers know that positive relationships are critical for successful learning and they will ensure that connection is a central part of the virtual classroom experience. Neighborhood House Charter School • thenhcs.org 10
Student Supports Students with disabilities, English Language Learners, and other students in need of additional support will receive services to meet their needs. • Students who receive services through an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) will continue to receive remote services in accordance with their plan. Our Special Education staff will work closely with families to update plans as appropriate. • English Language Learners will receive appropriate Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) and, where applicable, English Language Development (ELD) classes. • Our Student Support team will work will students, staff, and families to individualize supports for students who are disengaged or struggling with remote learning. Neighborhood House Charter School • thenhcs.org 11
Attendance and Progress We are committed to ensuring strong school/family partnerships through open lines of communication. • Families will receive automated notices if their student is absent from a class and weekly reports on attendance and work completion. • Lower school families will have teacher conferences (by phone or video conference) at the beginning of the year and mid-way through the 1 st trimester. • Middle and high school families will receive progress reports every three weeks and will also have access to PowerSchool to view their student’s graded assignments and class averages. • In addition to the above, teachers and families will be in contact via phone and email on an as-needed basis in support of individual student success. Neighborhood House Charter School • thenhcs.org 12
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