School Re-Opening Plan for the Fall

July 1, 2020
I know that our teachers have worked so hard for the last few months to provide a meaningful experience to keep kids engaged during the distance learning during the COVID quarantine.  Thank you to all of the teachers, para-educators, assistants, administrators  and support staff for all of your efforts to make this successful!

Earlier this week the Connecticut State Department of Education released the full  comprehensive 50 page plan, that you can read here. This plan is just a roadmap for districts and school districts will craft individual plans for how they will handle the Fall semester.

One of my top priorities is to ensure that all of our students are kept safe while maintaining a high-quality educational experience.

The following guidelines will help protect the health of our students, teachers, and other school employees.  Additional guidance will be forthcoming and I will share those as they are released. I know that our districts will be reviewing over the coming weeks as they look how the student’s experiences will be in the fall.
Cohorting
School districts should emphasize grouping a teacher with the same class or group of students into a cohort that functions independently as much as possible. 

Placing students in cohorts is strongly encouraged for grades K-8, and encouraged where possible for grades 9-12.

Social Distancing and Facilities
Classrooms, auditoriums, and other rooms on campus should be reconfigured to maximize social distancing.

Transportation 
Districts should plan for buses to run close to capacity with heightened health and safety protocols, including requiring all students and operators to wear face coverings. Districts must also develop a plan to increase social distancing measures in case of an emergency.

Face Coverings
All staff and students will be expected to wear protective face coverings or face masks that completely cover the nose and mouth when inside the school building. However, there are exceptions, such as when teachers provide instruction.

Click here to learn more.