Platte County School District

Based on guidance provided by the CDC and local health authorities, the District will approach the reopening of school by planning three primary academic scenarios. These learning scenarios will assist schools and departments as they plan activities based on the public health concerns present at the time. The District recognizes that the pandemic response is a fluid situation that may require movement in any direction between learning scenarios as the public health crisis evolves.

When we surveyed our parents, most indicated they preferred in-person learning while some wanted a remote option for their students. A remote learning (virtual platform) will be provided for students in any scenario so that family choice will be available for students. The District recognizes that families may need a choice between in-person and remote learning for a variety of reasons, such as the level of health risk, concerns about exposure, concerns about the mitigation strategies utilized, and/or a variety of other reasons.

A declaration period will allow families to opt out of in-person learning (in-person scenarios include both full in-person or alternating schedule) and select remote learning for a complete semester, which will allow the District to adjust accordingly.  Special Education services will be addressed by Individual Education Plan (IEP) teams according to the academic option chosen by the family and team, but all IEPs will contain a virtual service component, to be used if required due to closure.

Return to School Scenarios

When the 2020-21 school year started on September 8, our in-person students began the year in a hybrid situation, with PreK through 5th grade and Northland Career Center students attending in person daily, and 6th through 12th grades attending in person on an alternating schedule. However, we are also preparing for a complete alternating schedule scenario and a full remote learning scenario which may be necessary due to changing circumstances and in cooperation with health officials. It may be necessary to transition from one scenario to another. Each Return to School Scenario is described below.

Full In-Person Learning (Remote Learning Option Available)

Students will learn in a traditional, at-school learning experience with additional safety measures implemented based on guidance from health authorities. Parents are able to opt-out their students from full in-person learning for a full remote learning experience. PCR-3 families who choose this option will remain in remote learning for the entire semester. Families will need to opt-out for first semester in-person learning by August 10, 2020 via e-form on Parent Portal. PreK through 5th grade and Northland Career Center students will begin the 2020-21 school year with Full In-Person Learning.

Students who choose full in-person learning for the 2020-21 school year will return to his/her home school in the fall, following the health and safety precautions described in this plan. If we need to close down a classroom, a school, or the entire district at the direction of local health authorities or governmental mandate, our in-person students and teachers would move together to remote learning utilizing Google Classroom or Canvas (PCHS and NCC) as the primary learning management system. PCR-3 has developed an instructional plan for remote learning after receiving valuable feedback from our stakeholders from our experience in the spring.

Students and staff are expected to wear protective face coverings when attending in-person learning. Face coverings are required on the bus and during all transitions such as, entering or exiting the building, passing periods, traveling to the lunchroom, lunch lines, nurse's office, etc. Any time social distancing is not possible, students and staff should wear face coverings. Face coverings may only be removed when seated alone at your desk and guided by the teacher, once appropriate distancing has been established and can be maintained. Refer to CDC guidance for use of cloth face cover.

What will teaching and learning look like in this scenario?

• Normal daily instruction will occur for in-person core classrooms.
• Elective classes such as art, family and consumer science, physical education, instrumental and vocal music, library, theatre, career and technical classes will make the following adjustments to their classroom routines:
• These classes might be held in their regular classroom, or move to larger spaces within the building or outdoor when weather permits to provide better physical distancing if their current classroom is too small
• Commonly touched objects will be disinfected routinely, and teachers will attempt to minimize the amount of times students touch similar objects
• Equipment, books, supplies, or materials will be disinfected before recirculation as much as possible
• Clear routines for entering and exiting classrooms will be established to reduce number of students entering and leaving at a given time
• Physical arrangements and school routines will be established so that physical distancing will be maintained in all settings to the extent possible (physical distancing will be much easier to accomplish with less building capacity in attendance at any given time).
• Stable groups of students will be maintained as much as possible with school routines established to minimize the intermingling of different student groups.
• Large group gatherings will be limited, and routines will be staggered so that smaller groups can rotate through school day activities.
• In the event public health management requires program changes, staff members and resources may be repurposed, and program delivery may be restructured to provide essential instruction to students.
• We recognize field trips can provide a meaningful student experience. Schools will work to provide virtual field trip opportunities as an extension of the classroom until further notice.
• Classroom teachers will utilize a learning management system, such as Google Classroom or Canvas, to enhance and monitor the student learning experience.
• A remote learning platform will be provided and accessible for students any time they are physically absent from school to include direct instruction, grading, attendance, and accountability.

Alternating Schedule (50% In-Person Return to School on Rotating Schedule)

In the event the community spread elevates to a higher level of public health risk or other factors dictate, students will rotate attendance so that approximately half of the student enrollment will learn in-person and half will learn remotely on any given day. PCR-3 families are not able to choose this option. This scenario will be initiated based on guidance from local health authorities and considering other factors. Students in grades 6-12 will begin the 2020-21 school year in the Alternating Schedule scenario. Additional details on this schedule will be sent to families soon.

This scenario will incorporate all the strategies listed in the In-Person Learning scenario above. A remote learning platform will be provided for students who are not physically in attendance. Additional protocols may be implemented based on local guidance from local health authorities.

What will teaching and learning look like in this scenario?

The Alternating Schedule scenario will operate with a schedule where students rotate attendance so that approximately 50% of the student enrollment will be in attendance on any given day. The schedule would be as follows:

• "A" Day: Approximately 50% of students in physical attendance by letter of alphabet last name to also include those living in same household, other 50% engaged in learning off-campus
• "B" Day: Rotate so that the groups alternate between on-campus and off-campus learning
• A hybrid alternating schedule scenario could be implemented that lowers the percentage of students in physical attendance and/or limits attendance to specific buildings.

To start the school year, students in 6th-12th grades will be in the A Group if the oldest student in the household has a last name that begins with A-K. Students in 6th-12th grades will be in the B Group if the oldest student in their household has a last name that starts with L-Z. During on-campus learning, students will follow their traditional schedule and will engage face-to-face with teachers and classmates in meaningful learning experiences that also prepare them for the following day of off-campus learning. During off-campus learning, students will prepare for the next on-campus day, or use the day as an extension of the previous on-campus day. Students will not need to log on at designated times, but rather, can work at their own pace during an off-campus day. Daily, teachers will conduct on-campus learning including preparing students for extensions of the learning during off-campus days.

What will the alternating schedule look like?

The alternating schedule will begin on Tuesday, September 8, with 6th-12th grade students in the A Group (last names A-K) attending on-campus and 6th-12th grade students in the B Group (last names L-Z) participating in off-campus learning. The alternating schedule will continue to rotate on-campus/off-campus daily when students are in attendance. The schedule will pick up where it left off after any NO SCHOOL days. When implementing our Inclement Weather Virtual Learning plans, the alternating schedule will continue. Monthly calendars showing the alternating schedule can be found on our calendar page.

Students and staff are expected to wear protective face coverings when attending in-person learning. Face coverings are required on the bus and during all transitions such as, entering or exiting the building, passing periods, traveling to the lunchroom, lunch lines, nurse's office, etc. Any time social distancing is not possible, students and staff should wear face coverings. Face coverings may only be removed when seated alone at your desk and guided by the teacher, once appropriate distancing has been established and can be maintained. Refer to CDC guidance for use of cloth face cover.

Full Remote Learning

Students will engage in classes and conduct learning remotely. Learning will include both direct teacher instruction and independent student work, with a combination of virtual meetings, interactive class sessions, and pre-recorded videos. This scenario will be initiated based on guidance from local health authorities or governmental mandate. If PCR-3 begins the semester with full in-person learning or alternating schedule scenarios, PCR-3 families are able to opt-in to full remote learning for a complete semester.

If in-person learning (full in-person or alternating schedule) is the scenario we are in at the start of school, families will be able to opt out of in-person learning and select remote learning for a complete semester (by July 31, 2020 for the first semester, via e-form on Parent Portal), which will allow the District to adjust accordingly. Students will not be able to switch back to in-person learning until the following semester.

What will teaching and learning look like in this scenario?

• Remote learning will include both direct teacher instruction and independent student work, with a combination of virtual meetings, interactive class sessions, and pre-recorded videos. These students will not be on campus during the school day for special events.
• All students will need to complete daily assignments in each subject/course. Elementary students may need help from a family member or caregiver to complete their work. Each student will need a different amount of time to do their daily coursework.
• Elementary and middle school students will be placed in courses based on their grade levels. High school students will be enrolled in courses required for graduation. However, because high school course requests and teacher availability will vary during this COVID-19 pandemic, we will have limited options and students might not be assigned to their preferred courses.
• Families of students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) will work with your child's case manager and the rest of the IEP team to determine whether full remote learning is the best fit for your child's needs. IEPs will be amended as necessary to support your child.
• Students receiving English Learner (EL) services will discuss learning options with their EL teacher if interested in remote learning.
• Students enrolled in full remote learning will be able to participate in before and after school activities, such as athletics, band, and choir in accordance with the rules from the Missouri State High School Activities Association, or MSHSAA. Families must provide transportation for their children in these cases.
• Students enrolled in full remote learning will not be able to participate in special events during the school day.
• In addition to class/course specific assessments, students participating in full remote learning will also take state assessments.
• The District has partnered with an online course provider that may be utilized in specific situations where required courses cannot be provided with District staff.
• Chromebooks will be issued to all full remote learning students. The District will assist families who need internet access.
• Parents will receive regular communication from teachers via email, and parents may schedule meetings with teachers and service providers as needed. We will have virtual parent-teacher conferences once each semester.
• Consistent with full in-person learning, PCR-3 remote learning teachers will assess students throughout the semester and will utilize the established grading procedures. Elementary students will receive quarterly grades, and middle- and high-school students will receive grades each semester. Teachers will record grades in Parent Portal SIS K-12. High-school and middle-school students will see these grades reflected in their overall grade point average.

Within this scenario, the District will:

• Continue to provide strategies to accommodate the needs of staff, students, and families at high risk such as the need for basic support (food, shelter, access to resources), mental health support, equitable access to technology, and learning resources.
• Recognize family choice. PCR-3 families who desire the Remote Learning scenario will need to declare this option by August 10, 2020, so that staff can plan for attendance in both in-person and remote learning scenarios. Choosing this option means the following: Student(s) will remain engaged in Remote Learning for the entire first semester, and any decision to continue Remote Learning will be granted for a semester at a time.
• Assist with student meals. The District is exploring options to provide meal service for remote learning students, which may include drive-through pick up for free, reduced or full pay students. The Treasure Chest will continue to provide family-style groceries and basic necessities for families who qualify, regardless of the option a family may choose.