New York State is requesting that school districts highlight three sections of their reopening plans prominently on their websites. These sections are Remote Instruction; Testing; and Contact Tracing.
Remote/Hybrid Instruction
Given the possibility that communities may experience spikes in COVID-19 cases at any point during the school year, which may prompt short or long-term school closures, the District has developed a hybrid/blended learning model and schedule that can continue as is in a fully remote environment.
Instruction will not only focus on “core” subject areas to the exclusion of elective courses. Consideration has been given to prioritizing hands-on and lab-based activities while students are onsite in school buildings. All instruction will continue to be aligned to the New York State Learning Standards.
As noted previously, student schedules will remain the same whether instruction is in person or remote so that students do not encounter conflicts wherein synchronous lessons for different subjects are offered simultaneously.
Remote learning opportunities for secondary students will include a greater emphasis on synchronous instruction, with teachers finding ways to provide live instruction and lessons to students. While recording of live lessons is still essential for students unable to attend at a scheduled time, teachers will ensure that their students are directly engaged with them and their class peers in experiential learning on a regular basis.
To ensure high-quality remote learning experiences, the District will standardize the use of a single online learning platform, to the extent possible, and develop a common, coordinated set of guidelines for teachers to follow when using the platform with students.
Grading practices will follow a standards-based framework designed to provide direct feedback regarding students’ mastery of course content.
For information on school schedules, visit the District’s re-opening website. https://www.schoharieschools.org/school-reopening/
- Students and teachers will follow the in-person learning schedule during remote/hybrid instruction using the previously mentioned learning platforms.
- Teachers will conduct virtual class meetings, utilize recorded video lessons, and engage in a blended model of learning in order to ensure high-quality instruction.
- In addition to the instruction aligned with state standards, teachers will hold routinely scheduled “office hours”, along with individual and small group conferences for remediation.
For information about how remote/hybrid instruction information will be communicated to students and families, visit the District’s re-opening website. https://www.schoharieschools.org/school-reopening/
COVID-19 Testing
In the event that a large-scale testing will need to be conducted at the school, the district administration will work with the following providers:
Schoharie County Department of Health (518-295-8365)
District Medical Director- Dr. Joseph Luz (518-295-8521)
Contact Tracing
The district will notify the state and local health department immediately upon being informed of any positive COVID-19 diagnostic test result by an individual within school facilities or on school grounds, including students, faculty, staff, and visitors of the district.
To assist the local health department with tracing the transmission of COVID-19, the district has developed and maintained a plan to trace all contacts of exposed individuals in accordance with protocols, training, and tools provided through the New York State Contact Tracing Program.
Districts may assist with contact tracing by:
- Keeping accurate attendance records of students and staff members
- Ensuring student schedules are up to date
- Keeping a log of any visitor which includes date and time, and where in the school they visited
- Assisting the local health departments in tracing all contacts of the individual in accordance with the protocol, training, and tools provided through the NYS Contact Tracing Program
If/when COVID-19 cases are discovered in the school, in consultation with the local health department, the District will do the following:
- Follow all County, State, and CDC guidance regarding the closing of classroom(s)
- Utilize maintenance staff and our Clorox 360 machine to ensure impacted rooms are sanitized
- Follow all County, State, and CDC guidance regarding contact tracing, and impacted individuals
Confidentiality must be maintained as required by federal and state laws and regulations. School staff should not try to determine who is to be excluded from school based on contact without guidance and direction from the local health department.
For more information about how COVID-19 containment efforts will be communicated to students, families and staff members, visit the District’s reopening plan website. https://www.schoharieschools.org/school-reopening/