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Odyssey Charter School Fall 2021 Reopening School Plan

Revised June 2021 (to be revised at least every six months)

Odyssey Charter School

This plan is subject to change based on recommendations from the CDC, Southern Nevada Health Department, and the Nevada Department of Education.

COMMUNICATION

COMMUNICATION

  • Parent and Student Virtual Orientations – August 2 through August 6
  • How will we communicate important information to families about the Fall 2021 Reopening School Plan?
  • OneCall
  • Website
  • Social media posts
  • Direct letter in our summer mailer
  • Direct Email to our families.  
  • Communication to include:
  • Plan details
  • Training on checking students at home to rule out fever and/or signs of illness - parent training
  • Mask requirements – Current Guidelines Subject to Change: staff and students must wear masks if they are unvaccinated. In addition, all students in Grade 4 and 5 must wear a mask even if they are 9 years old. This requirement is subject to change based on guidance from the CDC and the Southern Nevada Health Department. Changes will be communicated as they are known.
  • Arrival and departure protocol
  • Time
  • In and out of cars and building - designated entrances and exits
  • Student’s belongings brought to campus? Yes, but keep with them at all times.  Water bottles okay.
  • Social distancing while at school - classroom furniture and computers arranged in the classroom three feet apart. This requirement is subject to change based on guidance from the CDC and the Southern Nevada Health Department. Changes will be communicated as they are known.
  • Content filters on all Odyssey loaner computers - communicated on loaner form Odyssey uses.
  • Cleaning protocols on campus
  • Possible contingency plans based on public health conditions
  • Emotional health support options - social workers and counselors  
  • The Superintendent will share consistent and up-to-date information with our governing body at each scheduled public board meeting.
  • Parents will receive general updates as new information is available
  • ES - teachers are communicating weekly with parents directly.
  • MS and HS - weekly Moodle messages and emails.
  • One Call
  • Provide assistance and advice to parents/families so they can support students participating in distance education.
  • Orientation
  • Experienced teachers
  • Parent Handbooks
  • Technology assistance
  • School-Wide Intervention Programs
  • Counselors and Social Workers assist in removing social and academic barriers

REOPENING SCHOOL BUILDINGS

REOPENING APPROACH

  • Reopening School Buildings to the public - All 12 month K-12 office staff, support staff, and administrative staff reporting on-site every day. The offices are open to the public as of June 1, 2021.
  • Start Date:  Odyssey will not request a calendar adjustment.  Odyssey Charter Schools will start classes on Monday, August 9, 2021.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  • All staff will receive professional development on health and safety requirements related to preventing the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses at our opening professional development meeting on August 2, 2021. This training will include cleaning protocol, hand washing, hand sanitizing, and arrival at work/school health screening, staying home or going home if not feeling well, staff entrance/exit procedures, social distancing, mask guidelines for staff and students, personal areas, no sharing supplies, health monitoring, and other expectations for a safe and healthy work environment.
  • All employees will be reminded that all environments they are working in are clean and sanitized. Keeping them safe will require everyone’s constant and consistent efforts. All individuals should be reminded that employee safety is related to a common approach where everyone is responsible to protect themselves and their fellow employees.
  • In addition to the above reminders, workplace specific situations will be covered. These include items such as:
  • When possible, staff will enter in through the main door, but exit out through the side doors.  Staff will stay six feet apart and will not congregate in groups.
  • Staff will take breaks and eat lunch observing social distancing.  They will eat primarily at their individual workstations or outside.  Chairs will be removed in the break room and rearranged so they are three feet apart.
  • Procedures on how to conduct all business in compliance with social distancing, including any potential visitors, is discussed in this Plan below. Employees should be encouraged to ask any and all questions they have concerning procedures in the work environment.
  • All employees should be made aware that the guidance related to reopening may change and they should monitor email. The COVID-19 virus and our response has been an evolving situation and it is incumbent upon all employees to stay abreast of all developments and communications.
  • Other PD required for teachers prior to the start of school
  • Google Meets – Reminders and updates
  • Google Voice – Reminders and updates
  • Attendance
  • Updated Intervention Plans
  • Special education and Section 504 delivery
  • EL delivery
  • Orientation
  • Health and Safety Protocols for staff
  • Health and Safety Protocol for students
  • School Emergency Operations Plan

REOPENING ACADEMIC PLAN - BRIEF OVERVIEW - SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS

  • Odyssey will be starting school on August 9 with two options available to parents.
  • Option 1: Odyssey will resume our normal delivery model. Odyssey has always been a school of blended (hybrid) learning. All of our curriculum is available in the on-line environment and students receive most of their academic instruction in that setting. In addition, at least one day per week, students come to Odyssey’s campus on an assigned day and time to receive face-to-face instruction from their content area teachers.
  • Option 2: All our curriculum is available in the on-line environment and students will receive all of their academic instruction in that setting. Students will attend scheduled, synchronous Google Meet classes with content area teachers to receive virtual instruction from their teachers.
  • Any students who require greater levels of support and intervention, including students at-risk, students with IEPs, students who are English Learners, students in AP and Dual Credit classes, and any other student who is struggling, not engaged, or requiring assistance, will have the choice to come on campus or schedule individualized virtual meetings with their teachers.
  • Additional support will be provided through face-to-face on-campus and scheduled virtual Google Meet open-lab sessions. Students may attend the open-lab format of their choosing.

TRANSITION BETWEEN MODELS - CONTINGENCY PLAN OVERVIEW - SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS

  • New information, circumstances, and scenarios presented to us from the following may warrant a change to our approach:
  • CDC
  • Southern Nevada Health District
  • NDE
  • Governor directives for the State of Nevada
  • Reported illness within the school
  • If a change in approach is warranted, it will be communicated via the communication methods discussed above.  See below for our Academic Contingency Plans.

GOVERNING BODY AND SCHOOL LEADERSHIP ROLE

  • The Superintendent will share consistent and up-to-date information with our governing body at each scheduled public board meeting.

HEALTH AND SAFETY OF STUDENTS AND STAFF

Odyssey will maintain the health and safety of students, educators, and other school and LEA staff. The description of these procedures is listed below, but is subject to change to match the CDC and the Southern Nevada Health Department’s current recommendations.

MASKS

  • Face masks are required for unvaccinated visitors who wish to visit the Odyssey Charter School Campus, including all parents and guardians and all vendors.
  • Staff - All unvaccinated employees must cover their face with a mask from the time of arrival, until they reach their personal workspace/office. If unvaccinated employees can properly social distance in their personal workspace/office, they may remove their face covering. Those unvaccinated employees working in the lobby or entrance area of all work locations MUST wear a face covering at all times. Any travel between offices, including breakrooms, hallways, parking location, restrooms, etc. REQUIRES a face covering if staff is unvaccinated. We are all responsible for each other’s health and safety. Compliance with these expectations is not optional. Masks must be worn while at work by all unvaccinated staff:
  • When interacting in-person with members of the public.
  • When in any space visited by the general public, even if no one else is present.
  • When in any space where food is prepared or packaged, for sale, or generally distributed to others, including break rooms and lunchrooms.
  • When walking through common areas, such as hallways and parking facilities.
  • In any room or enclosed area where other people (except for members of the person’s own household or residence) are present when unable to physically distance, including the restrooms.
  • Odyssey will provide reusable, cloth face-coverings for staff.

  • Students - Require face masks for all unvaccinated students and students in the 4th and 5th grades.  Masks will not be worn by anyone with trouble breathing or who is unconscious, and/or anyone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cloth face covering without assistance.
  • Odyssey will provide cloth face-masks for each student
  • Disposable masks will be on hand as needed

SOCIAL DISTANCING

  • Social distancing, based on current CDC and SNHD guidelines, will be observed at all times by staff and students as they enter and move throughout the building
  • Students -
  • Have staggered start and end times
  • Enter the school and exit the school through different doors
  • Stay in cohorts to limit mixing between groups of staff and students
  • Classrooms rearranged and furniture removed to ensure and maintain social distancing
  • Classrooms will accommodate two thirds the population rotating through the building and social distancing protocols will be in place including maintaining 3 feet of distance between each student.  
  • All students will have the opportunity to receive additional support by scheduling time in a support lab on campus or attending the scheduled virtual lab.  The Support Lab will also accommodate two thirds of its intended population and will maintain 3 feet of spacing between students according to current social distance protocol.

PHYSICAL HYGIENE - Hand Washing and Respiratory Etiquette

  • Students will follow all instructions related to personal preventive measures, including wearing a mask if unvaccinated or if in the 4th or 5th grade.
  • Measures will be implemented to train staff and students on appropriate respiratory etiquette
  • Signs will be posted at entrances asking individuals to:
  • Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing
  • Use tissues and throw them away
  • Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer every time you touch your mouth or nose
  • Tissues and no-touch receptacles for their disposal will be provided
  • Signs will be posted in the restrooms to give instruction for performing proper hand washing and hand hygiene
  • Hand sanitizer will be made available in each classroom and office
  • Sanitizer wipes will be made available for students who wish to clean their own personal work areas.

PHYSICAL HEALTH SCREENING

  • Procedures for Staff
  • Staff will be given PD on screening their own health.
  • If showing symptoms, stay home
  • If directly exposed to a COVID positive person, call HR.
  • If you have tested positive, staff MUST report this to the Director of Human Resources.
  • Temperature readings - Staff will self-screen every day when coming onto campus. If their temperature is 100.5 or above, staff will immediately return to their car and call HR from their car before they leave campus.
  • Staff will use a self-screening questionnaire daily upon arrival at campus with instructions on what to do if they answer any of the questions in the affirmative.
  • All non-immunized staff must wear masks at all times when in any public location on campus, even if another person is not present at the time.

  • Procedures for Students -
  • Parents/guardians will check students at home to rule out fever and/or signs or symptoms of illness prior to departure from home. Odyssey will provide questions and training to parents.
  • Before entering the building, students will use hand sanitizer.  
  • Emphasize to parents that they must be available and prepared to pick their child up from Odyssey’s campus, if needed, at any time their child is on-campus.
  • Every school has its own satellite health office for kids who have a temperature.  
  • Staff will refer any student with obvious signs or symptoms of illness to the Satellite Health Office. Odyssey will have a Well Health Office and a Satellite Health Office for students who are sick.

  • Procedures for Visitors -
  • On-campus appointments should only be arranged when the business to be conducted cannot take place on the phone or online.
  • There will be no walk-in appointments. Visitors requiring access to our building, offices and facilities must do so only with a scheduled, pre-arranged appointment.  
  • All buildings must have proper signage and social distancing materials placed in visible and appropriate locations to ensure safety of employees and visitors.  
  • No walk-in appointments. Please call to schedule an appointment.
  • Social distancing
  • Face masks required for unvaccinated individuals
  • Self-screening and hand sanitizer will be required
  • No public restrooms available on campus
  • All OCS supervisors must examine their public reception spaces where appointments could gather to ensure appropriate physical distancing (6ft). Estimates for the number of people present in these locations at any one time should be extremely conservative. These numbers should be stringently monitored for compliance.
  • Any additional furniture/seating that would support more than that number of visitors will be removed.
  • Appointments will be scheduled by the administrative assistants to ensure no number greater than those established for visitors will be exceeded.
  • Visitor self-screening and hand sanitizer will be done at the time of appointment.
  • Arranging an Appointment - All Visitors requesting an appointment must be explicitly informed of the following requirements.
  • Visitors must be informed of visitation requirements for social distancing, the use of hand sanitizer, and the requirement to use a mask if unvaccinated.
  • Visitors must be explicitly informed they will have to answer a Visitor Health Questionnaire about their health prior to or immediately upon entering the building or office location.
  • Visitors must be explicitly informed that they are expected to be on time for the scheduled appointment.  If the visitor is more than 5 minutes late for the appointment, then the appointment may be rescheduled for another date and time.
  • Visitors must be explicitly informed that access to the facility will be denied if they fail to answer the Visitor Health Questionnaire questions, feel sick, or fail to use sanitizer.

  • Following the Appointment
  • All visitor and scheduled appointment information for each day must be collected and preserved in case the information is needed by the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) at a later time for contact tracing.
  • If a visitor self-reports illness after their visit, report that information to the appropriate administrator. In turn, the information will be sent to SNHD health contacts to confirm and determine next steps as required by the health district.

EFFORTS TO PROVIDE VACCINATIONS TO SCHOOL COMMUNITY

  • Information about where parents, students, and staff can go to receive COVID-19 vaccinations will be provided to the school community on an ongoing basis.

LOGISTICS

HEALTHY FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

  • Adjustments made to the facility to support building reopening and to minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19
  • Floor dots/markers for social distancing in offices
  • Plexiglass barriers in all offices
  • Signage for offices and exterior doors and in staff and student restrooms
  • Set classroom work stations up three feet apart
  • Remove extra furniture in offices and teacher lunch/break areas to support social distancing
  • Restrooms -
  • Post signage within restroom on proper hygiene practices
  • Use paper towels in restrooms instead of hand dryers
  • Cleaning frequency - after AM session, after PM session
  • Arrangement of classrooms -  Computers and chairs three feet apart
  • Health office - separate rooms for healthy vs. sick students for isolation and quarantine
  • Doorbells on all front offices

PROTOCOLS TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF SPREADING COVID-19

  • Cleaning protocols
  • Daily - The custodial staff will work daily during each school day to support the learning environment.  All classroom cleaning kits will be provided to each teaching team. Touchpoints, including computer keyboards, mouse, countertops and tables, and doorknobs will be cleaned between each session. An EPA registered product effective for coronavirus will be used.
  • Enhanced Cleaning - Every night, custodial staff will clean and disinfect all high-touch surfaces throughout the school. An EPA registered product effective for coronavirus will be used.
  • Intensive Disinfectant Cleaning - Every weekend, using an electrostatic sprayer, a different area of the school will be disinfected on a schedule of rotation so each area is disinfected at least once per month. In addition, in the event of a COVID-19 confirmed positive, the custodial team will initiate an electrostatic spray cleaning of the impacted area of the school.  

  • Building Ventilation
  • All air handler thermostats with Fan On instead of Fan Auto
  • Ensure air filters changed on the recommended schedule
  • High Quality HEPA Air purifiers for lobbies, classrooms, and offices

  • Other Measures
  • Contact Tracing - Keep students only in contact with their “cohort” - limited mixing between groups of staff and students
  • No sharing of headphones - ask students to bring their own headphones for using during educational activities.  We will have single-user headphones available as needed.
  • Plexiglass barriers in offices and available upon request for use in one-on-one or small group settings.
  • Face shields and cloth face coverings available for staff use

TRANSPORTATION/ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL

  • To minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19 at arrival and dismissal
  • Arrival and dismissal times for groups of students will be staggered
  • Entrance and exit locations - As possible, students will enter the building through front entrances and exit through side exits to prevent any crossing of arriving and leaving students
  • Drop-off points - in front of each separate building

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

  • Chromebooks loaner program - Odyssey has an established Chromebook Loaner Program.  Odyssey currently has sufficient loaner Chromebooks for each household in need to have one.  
  • Content filtering is on all Odyssey loaner Chromebooks.  Odyssey uses Umbrella Open DNS security for all loaner computers. OpenDNS filters Web content for all devices on the network (Assigned to student email accounts) and reports on sites visited and blocked.
  • Single-User headsets purchased so no sharing between students
  • Odyssey has always been a Blended Learning model school.  As such, internet connectivity has always been an issue we work to address so it is not a barrier to our students and families. Here is how we currently address internet connectivity.  We will continue to strive to find additional ways to address this need:
  • Odyssey provides Labs where students can come use our internet connectivity.  This will continue under this modified model as described in our Academic Plan.
  • Drive-up connectivity - Odyssey will keep Odyssey’s WiFi open all of the time, with password protection and filtering.  
  • Odyssey will provide our community with a list of Community Access Points to assist them in finding free internet hotspots in their communities.
  • Odyssey provides our families with information on low-cost home internet private sector provider programs

HUMAN RESOURCES

STAFF RETURN TO WORK

  • Reopening School Buildings to the public - All 12-month K-12 office staff, support staff, and administrative staff are already reporting to campus daily. Offices reopened to the public on June 1, 2021.
  • Start Date:  Odyssey will not request a calendar adjustment. Odyssey Charter Schools will start classes on August 9, 2021.
  • Most licensed employees will work on-campus daily. Some licensed staff will work on-campus some days each week and from their homes the remainder of days each week. Administrative and support staff will work on-campus five (5) days a week.  Teachers will be expected to be available to students, families, and the organization from 8:00 AM to 3:15 PM on all scheduled school days. Teachers are expected to be reasonably responsive to communications such as email, text messages, phone calls, and other forms of communication during this time. If a teacher is unavailable during the identified work hours, it is expected that the employee will use the appropriate allocation of time off for the situation.
  • The needs of our vulnerable population will continue to be managed utilizing leave options or ADA accommodations.
  • We will address staff identified as “vulnerable populations” through ADA accommodations on a one-on-one basis with HR. Each staff member will work individually with HR to resolve needed accommodations.
  • Child care - Odyssey will be flexible, as needed, to schedule our teachers’ days on campus to help accommodate for child care needs, if possible.
  • Odyssey will prepare for the possibility of increased staff absences due to illness and ensure that staff who are sick are able to stay home the following ways: Teachers can continue to support on-line teaching from home. In HS, there are several staff members built-in to substitute for each other. In MS, Odyssey can share staff as needed or temporarily move into the online space only, if necessary. In ES, there are two teachers per grade level.  If both teachers are out at the same time, other staff are available to temporarily provide support or programming can move into the online space temporarily. There is an additional staff member who can step in to provide additional support as needed.
  • All employees must continue to monitor their health and stay home when sick.
  • How do we handle when staff report they are exposed?
  • If there is direct exposure between one of our unvaccinated staff and a person who is laboratory-confirmed positive for COVID-19, the staff member will be required to stay off campus and may work from home for 14 days from the date of exposure. They will work with the Director of Human Resources to determine the days they must remain off campus and to be cleared to return to campus. All vaccinated staff will not be required to quarantine if exposed to a laboratory-confirmed positive COVID-19 person.
  • For staff that have been laboratory-confirmed positive for COVID-19, they may only return to work after the employee has been symptom free for at least 3 days or 72 hours or 10 days after recovery, whichever is longer. The Director of Human Resources will work with the employee to ensure that they have been cleared to return to work by a health care professional prior to the employee returning to work.
  • In the event the employee is suffering from flu-like symptoms, the employee must stay home for a minimum of 72 hours after the symptoms resolve.
  • HR will monitor staff absences to help identify possible illnesses.

WELLNESS AND RECOVERY

SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL-MENTAL HEALTH – TIERS 1-3 - STUDENTS

  • Education - social workers prepared a class on social-emotional health, prevention, self-care, and how to get help and support, if needed.
  • Social Workers have put together a community Resource Guide
  • Accessible support services for students, including school counselors and social workers
  • PD for staff on suicide prevention and social/emotional awareness
  • Provide virtual and in-person social events
  • Weekly Crisis/Intervention team meetings to proactively provide support to students who show signs of mental health concerns and other risk factors.
  • Provide targeted intervention, additional support, parent involvement, and community referrals for those who need more intensive support.

SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL-MENTAL HEALTH - STAFF

  • Staff can access mental health services through their employer-provided health insurance
  • Staff can use accrued time-off to access services and supports as needed
  • Odyssey has a procedure in place for staff to request additional time, if needed, that exceeds accrued time-off.
  • Staff have access to Odyssey’s social workers and guidance counselors, as needed.

ACADEMICS – Teaching and Learning

Odyssey Charter School has approval by the Nevada Department of Education to operate as a school of distance education. Odyssey has always been a blended learning school since its inception in 1999. Almost 100% of Odyssey’s instruction has historically taken place in the online environment. Odyssey’s on-campus, blended portion of our program has been designed to support student learning, provide face-to-face access to teachers, promote accessibility to all students, mediate gaps in learning, provide intervention for at-risk and struggling learners, and to promote a healthy school bond and student-teacher relationships and interactions. The on-campus portion of our blended program has been required. Odyssey wishes to preserve as much of this design as is possible while complying with the CDC and Nevada’s Phase Requirements.  

Based on the NDE’s Guidance Memorandum 21-02 Guidance for 2021-22 School Year Reopening, because Odyssey already operates under a program of distance education approved by the Nevada Department of Education in accordance with Nevada Administrative Code (NAC) 388.830 and because Odyssey’s model does provide distance education to 100% of enrolled students, Odyssey will not be required to submit a Path Forward Program of Distance Education Plan.  However, Odyssey is providing two (2) different academic options so we are prepared to respond to any new guidance due to the extraordinary circumstances we are experiencing.

In both academic options, the following is true:

  • Student and Parent Orientation will take place virtually rather than on-campus.
  • Orientation will occur the week prior to the first day of school - August 2-6.
  • Orientation will be in Moodle and Jot Form. Log-in and Password information will be sent home in the summer letter. Any required hand-outs and fliers that would normally be distributed in the face-to-face orientation will also be in the summer mailer. We will continue our practice of an Orientation Required Response in each class to record orientation attendance and be sure students and parents know how to access each class. Parents will electronically sign when they complete the orientation presentation. Parents will fill out a form giving them an opportunity to ask questions and to provide evaluation feedback for the purpose of student/parent handbook acknowledgement, Title I HOPE, and Title I funds.
  • All orientations will have a section discussing student health and safety requirements related to preventing the spread of COVID-19 and other illness while on campus.  
  • Transition between Odyssey’s Standard Blended Learning Plan and Full-Time Distance Education will be made as necessitated by public health conditions and following the recommendations of the CDC, the Southern Nevada Health Department, and the Nevada Department of Education.
  • All staff will be provided with professional development in health and safety requirements related to preventing the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses and high quality instruction and course design in the online environment.  
  • Odyssey has an ongoing, one-on-one, individualized staff professional development program designed to instruct and support high quality course design and instruction in the online environment. This program operates throughout the entire school year, and it will continue this school year.

ACADEMICS – Option 1 - Blended Learning - Odyssey’s Traditional Blended Learning Model adjusted for Social Distancing

INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH - HIGH SCHOOL

  • This instructional model is Odyssey’s regular model, with adjustments made for social distancing. In this model, Odyssey High School will deliver all instruction asynchronously in the online space with student attendance on-campus being mandatory. Exceptions will be made to the mandatory on-campus attendance for students who are quarantined on the advice of local public health officials and vulnerable populations (and for students who are on Option 2)
  • Students will be scheduled to come to school once a week.  Sessions will be provided Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.  The sessions will be approximately 3 hours in length.
  • Classrooms will accommodate half the population rotating through the building and social distancing protocols will be in place including maintaining 3 feet of distance between each student, wearing face masks as required, and facilitating regular hygiene maintenance through hand washing and sanitizing surfaces.  
  • All students will have the opportunity to receive additional support by scheduling time in a support lab on campus or attending the scheduled virtual lab. The Support Lab will also accommodate two thirds of its intended population and will maintain 3 feet of spacing between students according to social distance protocol.
  • EL students, SPED students and students identified as needing literacy support will receive services on campus in our normal delivery model.
  • Strategists, Counselors, Social Workers, Facilitators, Aides, Technologists, and other specialized personnel will be scheduled to be on campus during regular work hours.
  • Office personnel will be scheduled to be on campus during regular work hours.
  • Administrators will be on campus, or otherwise performing the duties of their job, during work hours.

INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH - MIDDLE SCHOOL

  • This instructional model is Odyssey’s regular model, with adjustments made for social distancing. In this model, Odyssey Middle School will deliver instruction asynchronously in the online space with student attendance on-campus being mandatory. Teacher instructional office hours will be available for additional support. Exceptions will be made to the mandatory on-campus attendance for students who are quarantined on the advice of local public health officials and vulnerable populations.
  • Students will be scheduled to come to school once per week. Sessions will be provided M - Th AM and PM and Friday AM.  The schedule will consist of students coming on campus approximately 3 hours each week that they attend school.
  • Classrooms can accommodate between 15 - 21 students in a configuration that allows a minimum of 3 feet between each student. The classroom can accommodate additional students when the 3 feet requirement is lifted.  
  • Social distancing protocols will be in place including facilitating regular hygiene maintenance through hand washing and sanitizing surfaces.  
  • All students will have the opportunity to receive additional support by scheduling time in a support lab on campus or online.  
  • The Support Lab will accommodate students maintaining 3 feet of spacing, while the online lab will accommodate students across multiple virtual classrooms.  
  • Special Education students will receive instruction either in the classroom during their day on campus or synchronously in small groups in a weekly Google Meet class.
  • EL students, students and students identified as needing literacy support will be scheduled into a group for a minimum of twice per month and will attend either on campus or online.
  • Strategists, Counselors, Social Workers, Facilitators, Aides, Technologists, and other specialized personnel will be scheduled to be on campus during regular work hours.
  • Office personnel will be scheduled to be on campus during regular work hours.
  • Administrators will be on campus, or otherwise performing the duties of their job, during work hours.

INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH - ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

  • This instructional model is Odyssey’s regular model, with adjustments made for social distancing. In this model, Odyssey Elementary School will deliver instruction asynchronously in the online space with student attendance on-campus being mandatory. Exceptions will be made to the mandatory on-campus attendance for students who are quarantined on the advice of local public health officials and vulnerable populations.
  • Tier 1 instruction will occur asynchronously in the online environment with weekly face-to-face meetings between teacher, student, and family. These weekly meetings occur in small groups and therefore it is feasible to enforce the appropriate safety measures and social distancing measures that are appropriate for the situation.
  • Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention and support will be available face-to-face on campus.
  • While on campus, appropriate safety measures will be taken including the wearing of face masks, limiting the number of people in a shared space, social distancing, and following cleanliness protocols.
  • Students/families will be required to participate in required interventions face-to-face unless there is a documented disability or health concern.
  • Teachers will be assigned a room on campus and will be expected to be on campus, or in their scheduled meeting locations off campus, during their scheduled face-to-face time with students. Since space on campus is limited, teachers may work from another location during the remaining work hours.
  • Special Education teachers will be assigned to work on campus to meet the needs of their caseload. Special Education teachers will meet with their students regularly and face-to-face in accordance with the student’s IEP.
  • English Learner students will meet face-to-face with the EL Strategist each week to address their academic and social-emotional needs.
  • Strategists, Counselors, Social Workers, Facilitators, Aides, Technologists, and other specialized personnel will be scheduled to be on campus during regular work hours.
  • Office personnel will be scheduled to be on campus during regular work hours.
  • Administrators will be on campus, or otherwise performing the duties of their job, during work hours.

MEETING STUDENT NEEDS - HIGH SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

  • Students meet and communicate with their teachers (subject area teachers, homeroom teachers, and/or grade level teachers) every week. Teachers are the first to respond to student/family needs, whether academic, social-emotional, health and welfare, technology, or otherwise.
  • If the teacher is unable to resolve the student’s/family’s needs, the Teacher refers the student to the appropriate second layer of support, whether that be the Social Worker, Literacy Strategist, EL Strategist, Special Education Teacher or Facilitator, Health Office, Technology Department, or Administrator.
  • Special Education teachers meet with their students weekly, and in accordance with the IEP, either face-to-face or via Google Meet depending upon the student’s situation and needs.
  • General Education teachers, in cooperation with support services, will ensure that students with 504 plans have their needs met. If a student’s 504 Plan indicates a need to meet in-person, that student will be scheduled to meet weekly on campus.
  • Parent Engagement is a crucial part of Odyssey’s program. Our partnership with our parents is critical to our success. Parents are trained from the first day to participate in their child’s education. Parents are provided with a tremendous amount of support in the Odyssey program. In the Elementary program, parent participation is built directly into the Tier I curriculum.

ENGAGEMENT AND ATTENDANCE

  • Odyssey will use a consistent method in Infinite Campus for recording contact with students, which will include students demonstrating regular weekly progress in their classwork that can be verified through a learning management system.  Any student not demonstrating academic progress during the week will be contacted by an instructor.
  • The program of instruction provides appropriate education for English Learners, students with Individualized Education Programs, and students with 504 Plans.  Please see the description above in the Instructional Approach and Meeting Student Needs sections.
  • All students have the ability to access and participate in the online instructional portion of Odyssey’s program. Odyssey has an extensive loaner computer program so every student who requires a computer will receive one. Odyssey also has labs open four days a week for students who require internet access.
  • Any student who is quarantined on the advice of local public health officials is not required to come on-campus and will continue to access their full curriculum online with virtual support from their teachers.
  • In addition to scheduled synchronous classes and “office hours”, teachers are accessible to students through the internet or by telephone during the school’s regularly scheduled instructional hours. Teachers are also accessible to students face-to-face on campus to provide assistance and intervention. Teachers also will require on-campus (or virtual, if vulnerable) intervention if needed as determined by student progress and attendance.
  • Parents and families are heavily engaged at the beginning of the school year, and throughout the school year, regarding the importance of their support and attention to student engagement in their classes, progress, and attendance.  Each school has an established intervention program that includes parents and families. In addition, in Odyssey’s elementary school program, weekly conversations between the teacher and parent is a built-in part of the program.
  • Even though Odyssey is a blended learning school, almost 100% of our curriculum is delivered online and Odyssey is approved to provide distance education in the State of Nevada by the NDE. Therefore, Odyssey follows distance learning attendance laws. There are three ways a pupil may demonstrate attendance in distance education:
  • The pupil makes regular weekly progress in their classwork leading toward mastery of Nevada Academic Content Standards and/or a course’s completion that can be verified through a learning management system or other means; and/or
  • The pupil participates in a real-time class session; and/or
  • The pupil meets with or otherwise communicates with a licensed teacher or licensed substitute teacher who is able to discuss the pupil’s progress in the course.
  • If the student demonstrates any one of the three criteria, the pupil is considered present for the whole week. If the student does not demonstrate at least one of the three criteria, they are considered absent for the whole week.
  • Weekly attendance tracking does not abridge Odyssey’s responsibility to ensure students are contacted by a licensed teacher or licensed substitute teacher when they are not making adequate progress in their courses.
  • Attendance Details for the High School and Middle School:
  • Students who come on-campus for in-person support from their licensed teachers will be counted to be in attendance for the week.
  • Students who attend a live, synchronous instructional session or Google Meet session with their licensed teacher will be counted to be in attendance for the week.
  • Teachers and staff weekly monitor student progress in each class through Odyssey’s learning management system.  
  • Attendance staff check teacher documentation in Infinite Campus for two-way teacher and student contact.
  • If no attendance or progress for the week, Odyssey will engage the student and parent in an intervention plan.
  • Attendance Details for the Elementary School:
  • Elementary teachers will track student attendance on a weekly basis by recording the participation of students in three categories: 1) Attendance at a synchronous learning session (whether via Google Meet or face-to-face on campus), 2) Satisfactory weekly progress in the online curriculum, 3) Two-way communication occurred either via synchronous conversation (face-to-face, Google Meet, phone call) or through various electronic means including email, google messaging, moodle messaging, etc.
  • Student attendance data will be entered into Infinite Campus on a weekly basis
  • Attendance will be closely monitored by the grade level teachers, the Social Worker, the Attendance Clerk, the Elementary School Administrative Assistant, and Administration.

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

  • New teachers will return on July 26 and will be provided professional development on high-quality course design and instruction in the online environment.
  •  Returning teachers will return on August 2 and will join with the new teachers.  All staff will be provided with professional development in health and safety requirements related to preventing the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses and high-quality instruction and course design in the online environment.  
  • Odyssey has an ongoing, one-on-one, individualized staff professional development program designed to instruct and support high-quality course design and instruction in the online environment.  This system of professional development operates throughout the entire school year, and it will continue this school year.

SUPPORTING PARENTS/FAMILIES

  • Parent Engagement is a crucial part of Odyssey’s program. Our partnership with our parents is critical to our success. Parents are trained from the first day to participate in their child’s education. Parents are provided with a tremendous amount of support in the Odyssey program. In the Elementary program, parent participation is built directly into the Tier I curriculum.
  • Odyssey engages parents/guardians and provides assistance and advice to parents/families so they can support students participating in distance education in the following ways:
  • Required Parent/Student Orientation
  • Parent Handbooks
  • Counselor and Social Worker resources and class
  • Technology assistance
  • School-Wide Intervention Programs that engage parents in the educational process
  • Counselors and Social Workers assist in removing social and academic barriers
  • Experienced teachers in online learning

ACADEMICS – Option 2 - Full Distance Education Learning

INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH - DISTANCE ONLY -Teaching and Learning - HIGH SCHOOL

  • In a Full Distance Education Learning Model, Odyssey High School will continue to deliver 100% of direct instruction and curriculum to our students utilizing our Online Instructional Platform, Moodle. Teachers will be available for live support via Google Meet during assigned times throughout the school day based on subject.
  • Teachers will hold two virtual, synchronous class sessions twice daily, scheduled and assigned by subject, for one hour each session, to answer questions and provide support.  For example, there will be an AM math hour, English hour, PE/Science hour and Social Studies/Electives hour. Then a repeat in the PM. In addition, all teachers will have their own daily two-hour Google Meet sessions so students can meet with their assigned class teacher to get help and get their questions answered. Finally, every week, teachers will either call, or send emails or Moodle Message to all students on their caseload - both struggling learners and students on track, so students are making connections with each of their teachers weekly.  In addition, the high school will utilize staff and instructional assistants who will methodically call every student in the school to make connections with every student on a regular, rotating basis. 
  • As a strong intervention model is critical to the success of our students, intervention and support will be available online to any student who may need additional support.  Interventions will be scheduled based on the Virtual RED Alert process for any student that appears to be struggling by failing 3 or more classes or with less than a 40% in any one class. If a student is at risk (RED alert), they will be asked to attend an online support meeting via Google Meet Intervention hours will be offered throughout the school day and will be pre-arranged with the student and teachers. Intervention will consist of no new instruction, but support for instruction in the online environment. Students may be referred to the next tier of support including counselor, social worker, or administrator for lack of attendance or progress.
  • On Wednesdays, AP and Dual Credit classes will have weekly, live direct instruction and discussion groups for two hours.  
  • Also on Wednesdays, intervention labs will be open virtually.  Open intervention labs will be open from 8:00-10:00, 10:30-12:30, and 1:00-3:00.  Students can virtually drop in and leave as needed.
  • Special Education teachers will schedule Google Meet hours to provide service minutes to students on their caseloads. Special education teachers will schedule Google Meet meetings with students one-on-one each week, and during the instructional hour with the general education teachers.
  • The High School EL Teacher and Aides will meet with EL students in small groups during two hour blocks from 8:00 - 10:00 & 10:00 - 12:00. The Literacy Strategist will also meet with students requiring additional literacy support.  All students will receive instructional support with the strategist on a schedule and using Google Meets.
  • The High School Counselors and Social Worker will work with students and parents to support learning and remove any obstacles that may impede student progress. The counselors and social worker will conduct parent/student meetings via Google Meets and telephone. They will also be part of the weekly Student Success meetings.
  • If the school is entirely operating at a distance, High School Administration, office staff, and classroom aides will also work from a distance every day.
  • Teachers will be expected to be available to students, families, and the organization from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM on all scheduled school days. Teachers are expected to be responsive to communications such as email, text messages, phone calls, and other forms of communication during this time. If a teacher is unavailable during the identified work hours, it is expected that the employee will notify the administrator and request to use sick time or personal days. Teachers will be expected to request days in advance where possible, and notify students if they are going to be unavailable.
  • Students who do not have a computer in their homes will be provided with a loaner computer.

INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH - DISTANCE ONLY - Teaching and Learning - MIDDLE SCHOOL

  • In a Full Distance Education Learning Model, Odyssey Middle School will continue to deliver 100% of direct instruction and curriculum to our students utilizing our online Instructional Platform, Moodle. Students will work from home asynchronously.
  • In addition, every student will either attend their content area class virtually or will join a synchronous meeting with their teacher for instruction and support via Google Meet during scheduled teacher instructional office hours. These times are scheduled throughout the school day based by subject.
  • Moodle messaging and phone calls during regularly scheduled teacher office hours will be ongoing.
  • All students will have the opportunity to receive additional support by scheduling time in an online support lab. The online lab will accommodate students across multiple virtual classrooms.  
  • Special Education students will receive instruction synchronously individually or in small groups in a scheduled weekly Google Meet meeting.
  • EL students, students and students identified as needing literacy support will be scheduled into a group for a minimum of twice per month and will attend synchronously in a Google Meet.
  • As a strong intervention model is critical to the success of our students, intervention and support will be available online to any student who may need additional support.  Interventions will be scheduled based on the Academic Alert process, however students and/or other staff may schedule an intervention session for any student demonstrating need.  Hours will be offered a.m. and p.m. Intervention will consist of no new instruction, but support for instruction in the online environment. If a student is at risk (academic alert), they will be asked to attend an online support meeting via google meets and/or may be referred to the next tier of support including counselor, social worker, or administrator for lack of attendance or progress.
  • Teachers will be expected to be available to students, families, and the organization from 8:00 AM to 3:15 PM on all scheduled school days. Teachers are expected to be responsive to communications such as email, text messages, phone calls, and other forms of communication during this time. If a teacher is unavailable during the identified work hours, it is expected that the employee will notify the administrator and request to use sick time or personal days. Teachers will be expected to request days in advance where possible, and notify students if they are going to be unavailable.
  • Students who do not have a computer in their homes will be provided with a loaner computer

INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH - DISTANCE ONLY - Teaching and Learning - ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

  • In a Full Distance Education Learning Model, Odyssey Elementary School will continue to deliver 100% of direct instruction and curriculum to our students utilizing our online Instructional Platform, Moodle. Teachers will be available for live support via Google Meet during assigned times throughout the school day based on subject.
  • Odyssey Elementary’s full-time distance education approach is the same as the blended approach, with the exception that all synchronous meetings with teachers, strategists, social workers, and administrators will take place via Google Meets or other appropriate technological means. Students and families will maintain ongoing communication with the teachers on a weekly basis.
  • Tier 1 instruction will occur asynchronously in the online environment with weekly synchronous meetings between teacher, student, and family using the technological tools available to us, such as Google Meet, etc.
  • Tier 2 and Tier 3 intervention and support will be available online.
  • Special Education teachers will meet with their students regularly, and in accordance with the IEP, via Google Meet depending upon the student’s situation and needs.
  • English Learner students will meet with the EL Strategist each week, either

face-to-face or through Google Meet, to address their academic and social-emotional needs.

  • Strategists, Counselors, Social Workers, Facilitators, Aides, Technologists, and other specialized personnel will use the appropriate technological resources to provide services to the students/families on their caseload.
  • Office personnels’ schedules and work assignments will be adjusted to fit the safety needs of the situation.
  • Administrators’ schedules and work assignments will be adjusted to fit the safety needs of the situation.
  • Teachers will spend approximately 18 hours/week providing synchronous instruction, whether Tier 1, 2, or 3, to students using the technological resources available to us. Teachers will spend the remaining 18 hours/week developing or maintaining their online and face-to-face curriculum, communicating with parents, lesson planning, engaging in professional development, attending required meetings, collaborating with their grade level teachers and strategists, providing feedback to students and grading work.
  • Teachers will be expected to be available to students, families, and the organization from 8:00 AM to 3:15 PM on all scheduled school days. Teachers are expected to be reasonably responsive to communications such as email, text messages, phone calls, and other forms of communication during this time. If a teacher is unavailable during the identified work hours, it is expected that the employee will use the appropriate allocation of time off for the situation.

MEETING STUDENT NEEDS - HIGH SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

  • Students meet and communicate with their teachers (subject area teachers, homeroom teachers, and/or grade level teachers) every week. Teachers are the first to respond to student/family needs, whether academic, social-emotional, health and welfare, technology, or otherwise.
  • If the teacher is unable to resolve the student’s/family’s needs, the Teacher refers the student to the appropriate second layer of support, whether that be the Social Worker, Literacy Strategist, EL Strategist, Special Education Teacher or Facilitator, Health Office, Technology Department, or Administrator.
  • Special Education teachers will meet with their students weekly, and in accordance with the IEP, via Google Meets. Depending upon the student’s situation and needs, the teacher will meet beyond the one time per week meeting fulfilling IEP service minutes and supporting students on their caseloads. Students will attend a Google Meet meeting with their special education teacher and attend the minimum one session per week for the general education class requirement.
  • General Education teachers, in cooperation with support services, will ensure that students with 504 plans have their needs met in the online environment. If accommodations need to be readdressed for the online environment only, revisions will be held.
  • Parent Engagement is a crucial part of Odyssey’s program. Our partnership with our parents is critical to our success. Parents are trained from the first day to participate in their child’s education. Parents are provided with a tremendous amount of support in the Odyssey program. In the Elementary program, parent participation is built directly into the Tier I curriculum.

ENGAGEMENT AND ATTENDANCE

  • Odyssey will be following the Clark County School District’s IC procedures for attendance.  Odyssey will use a consistent method in Infinite Campus for recording contact with students, which will include students demonstrating regular weekly progress in their classwork that can be verified through a learning management system. Any student not demonstrating academic progress during the week will be contacted by an instructor.
  • The program of instruction provides appropriate education for English Learners, students with Individualized Education Programs, and students with 504 Plans. Please see the description above in the Instructional Approach and Meeting Student Needs sections.
  • All students have the ability to access and participate in the online instructional portion of Odyssey’s program. Odyssey has an extensive loaner computer program so every student who requires a computer will receive one. Odyssey will extend our password protected WiFi so students can access it after hours. We will provide our community with a list of Community Access Points to assist them in finding free internet hotspots in their communities. Odyssey also will provide our families with information on low-cost home internet private sector provider programs.
  • In addition to scheduled synchronous classes and “office hours”, teachers are accessible to students through the internet or by telephone during the school’s regularly scheduled instructional hours. Teachers also will require virtual intervention if needed as determined by student progress and attendance.
  • Parents and families are heavily engaged at the beginning of the school year, and throughout the school year, regarding the importance of their support and attention to student engagement in their classes, progress, and attendance.  Each school has an established intervention program that includes parents and families. In addition, in Odyssey’s elementary school program, weekly conversations between the teacher and parent is a built-in part of the program.
  • Even though Odyssey is a blended learning school, 100% of our curriculum is delivered online and Odyssey is approved to provide distance education in the State of Nevada by the NDE.  Therefore, Odyssey follows distance learning attendance laws. There are three ways a pupil may demonstrate attendance in distance education:
  • The pupil makes regular weekly progress in their classwork leading toward mastery of Nevada Academic Content Standards and/or a course’s completion that can be verified through a learning management system or other means; and/or
  • The pupil participates in a real-time class session; and/or
  • The pupil meets with or otherwise communicates with a licensed teacher or licensed substitute teacher who is able to discuss the pupil’s progress in the course.
  • If the student demonstrates any one of the three criteria, the pupil is considered present for the whole week. If the student does not demonstrate at least one of the three criteria, they are considered absent for the whole week.
  • Weekly attendance tracking does not abridge Odyssey’s responsibility to ensure students are contacted by a licensed teacher or licensed substitute teacher when they are not making adequate progress in their courses.
  • Attendance Details for the High School and Middle School:
  • Students who attend a live, synchronous instructional session or Google Meet session with their licensed teacher will be counted to be in attendance for the week.
  • Teachers and staff weekly monitor student progress in each class through Odyssey’s learning management system.  
  • Attendance staff check teacher documentation in Infinite Campus for two-way teacher and student contact.
  • If no attendance or progress for the week, Odyssey will engage the student and parent in an intervention plan.
  • Attendance Details for the Elementary School:
  • Elementary teachers will track student attendance on a weekly basis by recording the participation of students in three categories: 1) Attendance at a synchronous learning session, 2) Satisfactory weekly progress in the online curriculum, 3) Two-way communication occurred either via synchronous conversation (face-to-face, Google Meet, phone call) or through various electronic means including email, google messaging, moodle messaging, etc.
  • Student attendance data will be entered into Infinite Campus on a weekly basis
  • Attendance will be closely monitored by the grade level teachers, the Social Worker, the Attendance Clerk, the Elementary School Administrative Assistant, and Administration.

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

  • New teachers will return on July 26 and will be provided professional development on high-quality course design and instruction in the online environment.
  •  Returning teachers will return on August 2 and will join with the new teachers.  All staff will be provided with professional development in health and safety requirements related to preventing the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses and high-quality instruction and course design in the online environment.  
  • Odyssey has an ongoing, one-on-one, individualized staff professional development program designed to instruct and support high-quality course design and instruction in the online environment.  This system of professional development operates throughout the entire school year, and it will continue this school year.

SUPPORTING PARENTS/FAMILIES

  • Parent Engagement is a crucial part of Odyssey’s program. Our partnership with our parents is critical to our success. Parents are trained from the first day to participate in their child’s education. Parents are provided with a tremendous amount of support in the Odyssey program. In the Elementary program, parent participation is built directly into the Tier I curriculum.
  • Odyssey engages parents/guardians and provides assistance and advice to parents/families so they can support students participating in distance education in the following ways:
  • Required Parent/Student Orientation
  • Parent Handbooks
  • Counselor and Social Worker resources and class
  • Technology assistance
  • School-Wide Intervention Programs that engage parents in the educational process
  • Counselors and Social Workers assist in removing social and academic barriers
  • Experienced teachers in online learning