Revised back to school plan adopted

By Aila Boyd

aboyd@mainstreetnewspapers.com

The Botetourt County School Board held a special meeting yesterday. Among the topics discussed was the division’s revised back to school plan for the upcoming fall semester.

“Botetourt County Public Schools (BCPS) is committed to following the phase guidance for Virginia schools. The return to school plan options are designed based on the Phase III programmatic recommendations and include health, safety, and social distancing recommendations,” the division said. “BCPS recognizes that the return to school plan must include a structure for fully implementing remote learning in the event that mandatory school closure is required.”

New recommendations include:

• Begin school on August 24 and end on May 28. The new school calendar was unanimously approved.
• Required face masks for students K-12 when physical distancing requirements cannot be met.
• All students return to in-person learning in the second semester if permitted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Virginia Department of Health, the Virginia Department of Education.
• Students may opt to participate in 100 percent remote learning at any time.
• Students will only be able to transition from 100 percent remote learning to the hybrid schedule at the beginning of the second semester.

The decision to shift the start of school date was primarily attributed to the need to give teachers more time to prepare. Professional development will be provided to teachers and staff in the near future in order to help them with online instructional delivery.

Michelle Crook, chair of the School Board, said that new Chromebooks are expected to arrive around the end of August, which she noted the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors paid for using CARES Act funds.

Three options were presented to the School Board. Out of those, the third option was unanimously approved.

Option Three:

• Preschool through second grade receives four days of in-person instruction and remote learning one day (Wednesday).
• Grades 3-12 receive in-person instruction two days per week and remote learning three days per week. The schedule presented in option two will be followed. All students are scheduled for in-person learning on Monday and Thursday or Tuesday and Friday. Remote learning will occur on the other three days of a student’s schedule.
• Preschool through second grade receives five days of in-person instruction beginning on the first day of the second marked period (October 19).
• Beginning on the first Wednesday of the second marking period (October 21), grades 3-12 will continue with the hybrid schedule and alternate Wednesdays in-person as designated on A/B calendar.
• Receive in-person instruction three days per week and remote learning two days per week, Group A and Group B Transportation is provided; however, parents are asked to transport students to the greatest extent possible.

In addition to the October 21 (Wednesday in-person learning begins on an A/B schedule) date, January 5 (full in-person learning begins) will be another transition date. The division said that it “will transition to in-person learning on Wednesdays in October and full in-person learning in January, if permitted by the Centers for Disease Control, the Virginia Department of Health, and the Virginia Department of Education.”

The division broke down school schedules into the following options:

Hybrid

• Students receive instruction and learn in-person and remotely.
• Group A (Monday/Thursday) and Group B (Tuesday/Friday).
• Internet access is not required.

Remote

• Students receive instruction and learning outside of the school building.
• Internet access is strongly recommended.

Family Cohorts

• Students in the same household will be scheduled in the same cohort (group).

Schedule Changes

• Students may participate in 100 percent remote learning at any time.
• Students will only be able to transition from 100 percent remote learning to the hybrid schedule at the beginning of the second semester.

The division provided a breakdown on the use of technology:

Virtual Virginia

• A learning management system platform (Canvas)
• Digital course content K-12 (lesson, assignment, learning resource)

Chromebooks

• Distribute to students in grades 5-12.
• Check-out available for students in grades 3-4 who do not have a device at home.

Technology Fee

• Revision recommended for Policy JN-BR3 to include all schools for those students who will receive a Chromebook ($25 insurance fee).

Internet Access

• Available at any BCPS school
• A list of community locations providing Internet access will be available on the division website.

The division provided a breakdown of processes and systems:

Grading

• BCPS will provided new instruction to students in-person and remotely during the 2020-2021 academic school year.
• All assignments will be evaluated using the BCPS grading scale.

Attendance

• Student attendance will be taken on in-person learning days.
• Students will be marked present on remote learning days.

Physical Distancing

• Six-foot separation will be maintained to the greatest extent possible.
• Mixing classes/groups of students will be minimized.
• Gathering limits will be no more than 250 with physical distancing.

Face Coverings

• Cloth face coverings will be required of K-12 staff and students when at least six feet physical distancing cannot be maintained.
• Students not abiding by policy may be required to learn remotely.

Daily Health Screenings

• All BCPS staff and students will be required to monitor and self-screen for symptoms of COVID-19 before reporting to school or worksite each day.
• Temperature checks of students will be conducted at each school daily.

Hygiene

• It is expected that staff and students frequently wash their hands and use hand sanitizer, follow coughing and sneezing etiquette, and respect physical distancing requirements.

Sick Policy

• Any staff or student who answers “yes” to any of the questions on the BCPS Daily Screening for COVID-19 log must stay at home and follow absence reporting procedures.

COVID-19 Exposure

• Staff/students who exhibit COVID-19 symptoms will not be permitted to stay on school property and may have to report to their healthcare provider.
• Consultation with the local health department will occur to determine the appropriate action steps required.

Meal Service

• Meals may be served in the cafeteria or in the classroom following standards set forth by the Virginia Department of Education School Nutrition Program.
• Physical distancing of six feet is required in the serving line, while seated at the tables in the cafeteria, or in the classroom.

Meal Service and Remote Learners

• Students who elect 100 percent remote learning and qualify for free or reduced lunch will be provided the opportunity to order meals each week using the online system.

Crook described herself as a “numbers person.” She said that she sat and counted the number of comments that she received and found that they were largely split between fully reopening and a more measured approach.

Dr. Janet Womack, assistant superintendent, said that the division is working to use standard language across the division in order to prevent confusion. She also said that parents should expect regular communication going forward.