Schools Reopen Sept. 10 With Hybrid Plan
GUILFORD, CT — Schools superintendent Dr. Paul Freeman made clear in his message to families that the district's schools reopening plan is one that is a "safe and supportive" one for students, families and school staff.
With school set to begin Sept. 10, the hybrid model chosen by the Guilford Board of Education, and as embraced by Freeman, has half of every class physically attending school on Mondays and Tuesdays while the second half attends on Thursdays and Fridays and three days of every week, all students will be supported in a distance learning platform by their classroom teachers.
The model, Freeman says, "reduces the population of the schools, and class sizes, to 50 percent of fully opened numbers."
"This plan allows for a slow, controlled and phased reopening that is both safe and supportive of the children, families and staff members involved. We believe this plan meets the health, emotional and academic needs of our children," Freeman said in his letter this week.
The plan has a target date of Oct. 19 for a full, in-person return to classes, contingent on the COVID-19 transmission rate.
"We assure you that we will continue to monitor the ground truth of COVID-19 in Connecticut, that we will continue to communicate regularly with you at home, and that we will make any changes or adjustments to our plan as needed in time," Freeman said.
What families need to know now
Saying the plan gives, "All our students both the space and the time they need to transition successfully into an environment with new expectations, new rules and new practices," it also gives "teachers the time they need to practice modified classroom instructional strategies with smaller, in person, class sizes. "
So, from Sept. 10 to Sept. 15: in-person transition and orientation activities only. And on Sept. 16 and 17, schools will "begin adding the three days per week of blended, distance instruction to student expectations."
Freeman said the plan is to "target a full return to school, five days per week, for all students on October 19."
For the first month school is open, administrators and educators will "monitor the key metrics of the coronavirus nationally and within Connecticut specifically before populating our schools to full capacity. Should there be a negative change in the Connecticut metrics or in the guidance we receive from the State or from local health authorities, then the timeframe for hybrid learning may be extended."
In school with COVID-19 safety guidelines
Students with underlying medical conditions may consider distance learning.
Buses will run at full capacity with face coverings/masks in place during transit and controlled loading/unloading of riders.
Face coverings/masks will be required for students and staff while inside school buildings.
Sick students/staff will be isolated. Should there be a confirmed case of COVID-19 in a person who has been present in our schools, the Guilford Health Department will assess the risk of further transmission in our schools and take appropriate action ranging from contact tracing and cleaning to a potential short term school closure.
Cohorting of students will be maintained in grades K-8, and group activities will be restricted.
Spacing of seating will be maximized as feasible.
Increased cleaning and sanitization protocols will continue
Read Freeman's full letter here:
Guilford Public Schools Reo... by Ellyn Santiago on Scribd
This article originally appeared on the Guilford Patch
