Update of Reopening Plans Dr. Glenn B n Brand nd Superintendent of Schools August 26, 2020
Update on Reopening Planning ● Work has continued with regard to scheduling and assignment of students but delayed until next week ● Additional guidance continues to flow from DESE ● Negotiations continue with the Wilmington Teacher’s Association (WTA) ● The presentation this evening is intended to provide an update for our educational community on the many moving parts associated with our re-opening ○ Family Learning Model Survey Results ○ Special Education & High Needs Student Information ○ Department of Public Health & DESE Safety Requirements ○ Interscholastic Sports Guidance ○ Student Transportation ○ Overview of Cleaning & Disinfecting School Facilities ○ Planning for Staff Training and Professional Development ○ Next Steps
2020-21 FAMILY LEARNING MODEL SURVEY SELECTION BY SCHOOL
SPECIAL EDUCATION AND HIGH NEED STUDENT INFORMATION Per DESE Guidance on July 9, 2020 students with complex and significant needs include: Students already identified as “high needs” through the IEP process on the IEP form entitled “Primary Disability/Level of Need-PL3.” ● Such students must meet at least two of these criteria: ○ Services provided outside of the general education classroom; ○ Service providers are special education teachers and related service providers; ○ Special education services constitute more than 75% of the student’s school day; Students who cannot engage in remote learning due to their disability-related needs; ● Students who primarily use aided and augmentative communication; ● Students who are homeless ● Students in foster care or congregate care; and/or ● Students dually identified as English Learners. ●
SPECIAL EDUCATION AND HIGH NEED STUDENT INFORMATION In response to this guidance we have reviewed all student IEP and PL-3 placements to assist in identifying “high needs” students. It is the District’s plan to support the following: ● Students identified as High Needs and whose placement is in a substantially separate program will attend in-person 5 days per week. ● Students identified by DESE criteria as having “complex and significant needs” will attend 4 in person days per week (two with their hybrid and two engaging in remote learning supported from within the school), and will complete Wednesday as a remote learning day from home. ● Low/Moderate level of need students with Full or Partial Inclusion IEPs who do not meet any other DESE criteria will be Hybrid-receiving services through a combination of in-person and remote services. ● By Friday, August 28, 2020 families will receive a letter by email notifying them of their child’s in-person schedule (Hybrid, 4 in-person days, 5 in-person days).
SPECIAL EDUCATION AND HIGH NEED STUDENT INFORMATION ● IEP meetings will continue to be held virtually to ensure compliance with DPH guidelines and reduce visitors to our schools ● Students on a hybrid schedule will continue to receive special education services both in-person and remotely ● Parents will receive a “Special Education Learning Plan” (SELP) within the first few weeks of school from their liaison, outlining how services will be delivered. This replaces the previous “Remote Learning Plan”. SELP not provided if your child attends 5 days per week. ● IEPs will continue to be written as if we are traditionally in school.
DESE/DPH Health and Safety Requirements for Schools Besides the Flu vaccine requirement, here are some highlights from the DESE/DPH Memo to clarify key health & safety requirements for schools & important information regarding physical exams & health screenings: ● Close Contact – only those who have been within 6 feet of distance of the individual for at least fifteen minutes, while the person was infectious ● Self-Quarantine of Close Contacts - All close contacts should be tested but must self-quarantine for 14 days after the last exposure to the person who tested positive, regardless of test result. ● Return to School after COVID-19 Symptoms - If a student or staff member has COVID-19-like symptoms, they may return to school after they have tested negative for COVID-19, have improvement in symptoms, and have been without fever for at least 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications; If a student or staff member presents COVID-19-like symptoms and chooses not to be tested, they may return to school 10 days from start of symptoms, as long as their symptoms have improved and they have been without fever for at least 24 hours prior to their return to school without the use of fever reducing medication ● COVID-19 Related Fever - the threshold for a COVID-19 related fever by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been updated from great er than 100.4˚F to greater than 100.0˚F. As a result, going forward, a fever as a COVID -19 symptom will be defined as 100.0˚F or higher. ● Students Wearing Masks - Whenever possible, students in pre-kindergarten through grade 1 who can safely and appropriately wear, remove, and handle masks should do so. Even if students are spaced six feet apart in classrooms, the use of masks is still required unless students are eating lunch or taking a mask break. ● Physical Distancing Guidelines - DESE recommends that districts aim for 6 feet of distance where feasible. When 6 feet is not feasible, 3 feet is an acceptable minimum as long as staff and students wear masks covering the nose and mouth at all times. ● School Immunization Requirements – maintaining school immunization requirements is required for all students who are enrolled in remote or hybrid learning. ● Physical Exams - For students entering school for the first time (typically pre-kindergarten or kindergarten), an in-person physical exam should be conducted one year before or within 90 days of school start; for elementary and high school students (typically, 4th and 10th grade), the exam may be conducted up to two years before or within 120 days of school start; for middle school students (typically, 7th grade), the exam should be conducted one year before or within 120 days of school start. ● Vision/Hearing & Heights/Weights - At this time, requirements for health screenings pursuant to 105 CMR 200.400 and 105 CMR 200.500 remain suspended
Current Status of Wilmington Information as of August 19, 2020 https://www.mass.gov/info-details/community- level-covid-19-data-reporting
MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOL IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS 2020-2021 - GRADES 7-12
INTERSCHOLASTIC SPORTS On Tuesday August 18th, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) announced a joint recommendation for a four season athletic calendar. This guidance was based on the Youth and Adult Amateur Sports Guidance recently provided by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA). On Wednesday August, 19th, the MIAA Board of Directors approved the following proposed athletic calendar for the 2020-2021 school year: FALL WINTER FLOATING SEASON SPRING 9/18/20-11/20/20 11/3020-2/21/21 2/22/21-4/25/21 4/26/21-7/3/21 Boys Golf Boys & Girls Indoor Track Football Baseball Boys & Girls Cross Country Swim & Dive Cheer Softball Field Hockey Cheer Unified Basketball Girls & Boys Tennis Girls & Boys Soccer Girls & Boys Hockey Boys & Girls Track and Field **Sports unable to play in earlier Girls Volleyball Girls & Boys Basketball Girls & Boys Lacrosse seasons. Schools that offer only remote Swim & Dive Wrestling Boys Volleyball learning in early fall may use this season for play that was missed during remote Dance Gymnastics Girls Golf schedules. Football Practice** Alpine/Nordic Ski Boys & Girls Rugby Cheer Practice** Dance Sailing & Crew Unified Track and Field **Those sports in bolded font are the sports currently offered at Wilmington High School
INTERSCHOLASTIC SPORTS What is the goal for Wilmington Public Schools and more specifically the WHS Athletic Department in the Fall of 2020 (and potentially longer depending on the impact of COVID-19)? a. Option 1: Full participation (for the outlined MIAA/DESE approved sports) in interscholastic competition at all levels . Fall offerings: Boys and Girls Soccer, Field Hockey, Golf, Girls Volleyball, Boys & Girls Cross Country. At this time it seems Cheer and Football are deemed high risk contact sports and will not be possible this fall (based on guidelines by Mass Gov.). i. Please note, it is under each individual school district’s discretion to move certain sports to “Floating Season”. b. Option 2 : Modified Interscholastic competition. This would be to limit travel, numbers on buses, number of total participants, number of teams, and interactions with student-athletes from other towns and potential exposure. c. OPTION 3: No interscholastic athletics. The goal only to safely return to school and only offer potential intramural options to students who are interested (i.e. running club, strength and conditioning program, fitness class after school and outside). Option for skills and practice for teams .
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