The East Ramapo Central School District

Responsive Return to School Plan 2020-21

July 31, 2020 

Dr. Deborah L. Wortham - Superintendent of Schools

East Ramapo Central School District

“A unified community educating the whole child.”

Dr. Deborah L. Wortham

Superintendent of Schools

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Harry Grossman, President

Sabrina Charles-Pierre, Vice President

Carole Anderson

Mark Berkowitz

Joel Freilich

Ashley Leveille

Yoel T. Trieger

Ephraim Weissmandl

Yehuda Weissmandl

Table of Contents

Introduction        3

About our Plan        4

Our Planning Process & Team        5

Mission, Vision, and Values        6

Guiding Principles for Planning        6

Stakeholder Feedback that Guided the Decisions in this Plan        7

The Three Scenarios We’re Planning For        9

What You Can Expect Regardless of the Scenario        10

Teaching & Learning        10

Innovative Instructional Models        10

Scheduling & Staffing        15

Attendance and Chronic Absenteeism        21

Special Education Services        21

Bilingual Education & World Languages (including English Language Learners)        27

Teaching & Learning: Next Steps        31

Operations        33

Health & Safety        33

Facilities        38

Transportation        40

Food & Nutrition        41

Business Operations / Budget        42

Technology & Connectivity        42

Operations: Next Steps        43

Support        44

Communications & Feedback        44

Social-emotional Learning        45

Professional Development        46

Hiring & Onboarding        47

Teacher and Leader Certification/Evaluation        47

Family Support        47

Support: Next Steps        48

Appendix        49

Training Resources        49

Guidance Documents        50

A Letter from our Superintendent

Dear East Ramapo family,

The East Ramapo Central School District community possesses effervescent, dedicated, and passionate individuals, and these unprecedented times have only underscored this truth. As the late John Lewis stated, “We may not have chosen the time, but the time has chosen us.” I am confident we will continue to move forward and thrive as together; we face the time that is upon us.

In preparation for a new school year, we are grateful for all of the leadership and dedication shown by our staff,

families, and students as we work collaboratively to return to school safely and provide an excellent education for all students.

As you know, we will receive further guidance from the Governor between August 1-7, 2020. However, based on the Guidelines from the New York State Department of Health (DOH) and the New York State Education Department (NYSED), we are moving forward with planning for three potential scenarios for return:

1.       Traditional 100% In-Person (with masks and physical distancing)

2.       Hybrid/Split (partially in-person/partially remote)

3.       100% Remote

Through our many meetings and discussions, our number one priority is the health and safety of our staff, students, and the broader East Ramapo family. With this priority in mind, we will rely on guidance released by the state and the Center for Disease Control about the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). We anticipate this information will continually change, and we will adapt as we learn more.

Please review our current thinking for the 2020-2021 year, and you will notice the actions we are taking and decisions as information becomes available. Our Central Office and school building teams will work together to ensure proper leadership for physical distancing if we enter an in-person instruction scenario or a hybrid scenario.

The success of this plan garners the awareness, understanding, and support of parents, teachers, staff, students, and the entire East Ramapo community. We are elated that our community has come together, and at the persistence shown by leaders of the reopening committee, school-based teams, and our greater community. As we enter uncharted waters, we will guide our actions around the greater good achieved when students are learning, healthy, safe, and supported. We continue to reflect on our guiding principle…”Is it Good for Kids?”.

This is how we do it!

Regards,

Dr. Deborah L. Wortham, Superintendent

East Ramapo Central School District

About our Plan

The East Ramapo Central School District’s Responsive Return to School Plan stems from a collaboration between Rockland BOCES and the other seven school Districts in Rockland County. Our plan describes how we will meet the standards and requirements set forth by the New York State Education Department, state and local health departments, Rockland BOCES, and our staff, students, and families. This document uses the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and local and national resources to provide a plan for on-site safety precautions that adhere to the most current information available, with safety being regularly monitored. The plan also incorporates a number of options that we are considering in the areas of instructional scheduling, remote learning, and transportation.

Key to this plan is flexibility and responsiveness. As we continue to receive information, data, and guidance regarding Covid-19 and its potential impact on our community, we will spend time reviewing, reconsidering, and updating our plan to help ensure our efforts address our community’s evolving needs and meet with the highest level of success. Our intent is to return to our schools and operations with the health and social-emotional wellbeing of our students, parents, and staff as our number one priority.

We are well aware that many in our community have experienced physical, emotional, health, and financial strains over the last few months. It is important that we make students and staff feel comfortable and safe when returning to school environments while providing as meaningful and rich an educational experience to our students as possible.

This plan includes procedures that will be followed in the schools listed below:

Our Planning Process & Team

This spring, we were thrust into a remote learning environment seemingly overnight. Because of what we learned this spring, we knew that a comprehensive planning process that engaged as many stakeholders as possible would be critical. Our process has followed the timeline below:

We would like to thank the following individuals for their hard work in engaging stakeholders and creating the details of this plan.

Deborah Wortham, Superintendent of Schools ● Ogechi Iwuoha, Assistant Superintendent for Professional Development (Project Team) ●  Daniel Shanahan, Assistant Superintendent for Funded Programs (Project Team) ●  Nateasha McVea, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction (Project Team) ● Augustina West, Assistant Superintendent for Secondary (Project Team) ● Tamar Walker Assistant Superintendent for Special Student Services (Project Team) ● Melissa Barrow, Assistant Superintendent for Bilingual, ENL, and World Languages (Project Team) ●  Mary Sculnick, Assistant Superintendent for Personnel ● Valter Paci, Assistant Superintendent for Finance ● Obi Ifedigbo, Director of Facilities ●  Douglas Schwegler, Director of Transportation ● Michael Smith, Director for Fine and Performing Arts  ● Joe Toombs, Director for Physical Education, Health, and Athletics ●  Jessica Alexander, Director of Special Student Services ●  Dovid Berkowitz, Instructional Supervisor Clinical Services ● Bhavin Gandhi, Interim Director of Technology Services ● Chris Healy, Coordinator of Health Services ● Dr. Safran, District Doctor ● Alyssa Canonico-Diaz, Academic Standards Facilitator ENL, Bil, WL ● Kimberly O'Brien, Academic Standards  Facilitator ENL, Bil, WL ● Jessica Theodore, Personnel Department ● Elizabeth (Liz) Cohen, Instructional Supervisor Special Student Services ● Lisa Spencer-Perry, District Data Coordinator MIS ● Gail Piscitelli, MIS Department Support ● Sonia Dominguez, Academic Standards Facilitator IT ● Denise Mentrasti, Assistant Director of School Transportation ● Miriam Williams, Assistant Director of School Transportation ● Christine Rodriguez, Assistant Director of School Transportation ● Bridget Clark, Rockland BOCES PR  

Mission, Vision, and Values

Guiding Principles for Planning

1. Maintain a healthy and safe environment for our students and staff
2. Support our community through communication and learning opportunities
3. Engage and challenge our students and staff in high-quality instruction and practices
4. Acknowledge change and adjust to ensure the promise of progress

Stakeholder Feedback that Guided the Decisions in this Plan

Our District set a path to meaningfully engage with key stakeholders and incorporate their input into our plan. We are steadfast in our resolve to continue to regularly share progress with and elicit input from our community as our return plan is implemented. We are planning for rapid pivots and will solicit input in how to serve our students in the safest way possible. Feedback enabled our teams to remotely be in classrooms, homes and community locations; seeing multiple perspectives, highlighting the diverse needs of our stakeholders, and creating a sense of commitment to sustainably implementing our plan with support. 

Approximately 41% of parents plan to send their child(ren) to school compared to 59% that are unsure or do not plan to send their child(ren) to school in September.

Of the two hybrid models, 50% of parents prefer that children attend school in-person for some days during the week and remote instruction from home the other days.

The Three Scenarios We’re Planning For

Due to the continued uncertainty relative to the impact of COVID-19, there are countless realities that the District must consider and plan for to support the operation and reopening of the 2020-2021 School Year.  A key component in supporting a healthy and safe reopening is to identify the safest mode of operation, through the exploration of three reopening concepts, ranging from traditional onsite face-to-face school,  to enhanced continuous remote learning. These are intended to orient the team and District to different and equally important scenarios uncovering how this year will be different from a typical school year while identifying what may need to change to accommodate new needs.

What You Can Expect Regardless of the Scenario

Regardless of which scenario we end up in, we have been hard at work planning in the following areas. You can read more about our planning in each of the sections below.

Innovative Instructional Models

As the East Ramapo Central School District plans to reopen and considerations are made to meet evolving health and safety guidelines and mandates, we will explore a number of instructional models, answer essential planning questions, and identify action steps. The District is taking a responsive and flexible approach.  We understand that we may start the school year with one instructional model and, as new guidelines are communicated about health and safety, we may transition to a different model.

Checklist for Selecting an Instructional Program. The District will consider the following when selecting the instructional model:

Considerations in Selecting an Instructional Plan

The District will take the following into account when selecting the optimal instructional plan:

• The school’s resources, including technology access, for students and families.
• The flexibility of the physical space in the school to facilitate implementation of the chosen instructional schedule model
• The opportunities to provide social-emotional support to students and families.
• The degree to which the needs of all students will be met.
• The preferences of parents, caregivers, students, and teachers for each of the example models.
• The increased costs associated with the model in terms of staffing, transportation, and instructional resources.

What We Know

Until there is a vaccine or treatment for COVID-19, the reality is that all decisions for how to move forward have various risks. To make sure the learning experience at East Ramapo Central School District (ERCSD) is safe, accessible, and equitable, the plan outlined in this document is based on what we know to be true, to date, for the Fall 2020 Return.

• ERCSD is planning to start school with a hybrid weekly rotational model, between in-person and remote-learning.
• ERCSD will provide the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), face coverings, hand sanitizer, and cleaning support to minimize risk of viral transmission in schools.
• ERCSD acknowledges that the situation can change and decisions will need to be made quickly. We are prepared to transition to different models of school as necessary in response to COVID-19.
• ERCSD will provide reliable technological devices and resources to students and staff to support teaching and learning.

What We Considered

Decisions and determination around the models selected will be based on State guidance, public health guidance, engagement with key stakeholders such as, families, staff, students, with clear  focus on keeping our students and staff safe while providing the highest quality education. All models were designed to be responsive and cohesive in ensuring that a transition between the 100% at home learning model  and hybrid model hold levels of similarity and consistency.

District Instructional Expectations

In preparation for the selection of the appropriate instructional model for the 2020-2021 school year, there are District instructional expectations that must be observed. These include:

• Adherence to the District’s five-year Strategic Academic Plan and all comprehensive school-based education plans
• Educating the whole child

• Students and staff are to remain healthy, safe, supported, engaged and challenged as they navigate scenarios.

• Proficiency in all that we do

• The New York State Learning Standards guide teaching and learning to provide a balanced curriculum.

• Use of District adopted or approved resources

• Curriculum resources are reviewed and adopted for District-wide use. Many of these resources are provided digitally as well as

• Use of explicit instruction model - “ I do, we do, you do”

• I Do (introduction; instruction/modeling)
• We Do Together (guided practice)
• You Do Together (group application activity)
• You Do Alone(independent application activity)                         

• Infuse the use of technology into teaching and learning

• Technology will be used for instruction, collaboration with peers, to access instructional resources, accessing assessments, and to also produce presentations, documents and projects.

• Daily Reading and Writing in all content areas
• Data driven decision-making using State, District and school-based ata
• Accurate record keeping

• Teacher will maintain accurate records in all areas including but limited to grading, attendance, and discipline

• Social Emotional Learning Instruction
• Effective communication and student feedback

• Teacher listens to their students and are responsive
• Teacher explains things clearly and breaks down more difficult ideas into simpler and smaller pieces
• Teacher provides helpful feedback that is goal-referenced, specific and personalized, timely , ongoing and consistent

• Consistent grading across all options

• Assessment of student learning will be consistent and aligned to standard-based expectations, whether at-home, in-person or in a hybrid learning environment

• Teachers will be provided professional development the following areas

• Use of video conferencing platform
• Communication with students and parents
• Classroom management and engagement in a remote environment
• Consistency in scheduling, rituals, and routines in the remote environment
• Collaboration and planning for in the remote environment
• Conducting breakouts for small groups and student collaboration in the remote environment
• Creating and administering assessments for and in the remote environment

Scheduling & Staffing

The following are scheduling options that are under consideration by the District. This list is not exhaustive; there are many variations for instructional models that combine in-person and remote learning options. This list serves as a springboard to discussions of the various options. Final decisions will be outlined in this section prior to school reopening.  

Hybrid Model

A combination of learning models will allow the District to adapt alongside New York’s public health response to COVID-19 and the diverse needs of school communities. A hybrid approach will also allow learning to continue uninterrupted should students need to learn at home full-time for health reasons. In order to keep everyone safe while attending school, the following characteristics of on-site learning will be employed:

Students will be assigned to cohorts that will have the similar rotation of in-person instruction and remote instruction learning weeks.

• A cohort of students and staff will allow for easily identified groups to remain together for all in-person instruction and activities during a school day. Student cohorts will be kept stable with minimal interaction with other groups. Social distancing measures must be in place between students across groups.
• Assigning cohorts will help minimize interaction between students and instructional staff and reduce the potential for spread of COVID-19 within the school community.
• Cohorts allow for rapid contact tracing and self-quarantine guidance to be quickly disseminated if a positive COVID-19 case occurs within a cohort.
• If a COVID-19 case is identified, potentially only that person’s group may need to be quarantined instead of the entire school

Social distancing within and among groups

• Schools should ensure six feet of physical distance between students and staff from other groups, particularly at times when intermingling could occur, such as arrival and dismissal
• Classroom should maintain social distancing as much as possible among students and staff in the pod.

Hybrid scheduling enables social distancing for in-person instruction, by ensuring that students may return to school in a safe manner that meets public health guidelines, through the reduction of the K-12 population. In a hybrid rotation, that is a blended learning model, the in-person student population will be reduced to meet the public health guidelines to create rotations of in-person learning, as well as remote at-home learning for student cohorts. The rotations will have both asynchronous and synchronous learning interactions between students and teachers.

Example A:  Two-Day Rotation Model (AA/BB)

Half the student population reports to school on two designated days for in-person instruction (example: Monday/Tuesday for Cohort A, Thursday/Friday for Cohort B). In this blended learning model, all students learn from their teacher four days per week (two days in-person and two days remotely).  Schedules are staggered with students rotating between shifts of in-person and remote attendance using a cohort-based model.

During the week, one day will be reserved for intense-cleaning, remote instruction, and teacher planning and development opportunities. It is considered a flex day. Dedicated time for teachers to engage with their Professional Learning Communities will be incorporated in the weekly instructional schedule. Throughout the week, students are engaged in intervention and enrichment experiences aligned to academic targets established by school staff.  Experiences include small group instruction for special education and English Language Learners. Physical education, the Arts, and other encore/elective area teachers will be included in the schedule.

Example B:  Full Week Rotation Model (AAAA/BBBB)

Half of the student population reports to school for in-person instruction, four full days per week while the other half is engaged in remote instruction. The students would alternate weeks (example: in a two week rotation model, Week 1 Cohort A attends in-person/Cohort B attends remotely; Week 2 Cohort B attends in-person/Cohort A attends remotely). All grade bands would be included. The two cohorts would alternate between in-person and remote learning weekly.  The instructional program would be sequenced to accommodate both asynchronous and synchronous learning opportunities for students.

During the week, one day will be reserved for intense-cleaning, remote instruction, and teacher planning and development opportunities. It is considered a flex day. Dedicated time for teachers to engage with their Professional Learning Communities will be incorporated in the weekly instructional schedule. Throughout the week, students are engaged in intervention and enrichment experiences aligned to academic targets established by school staff.  Experiences include small group instruction for special education and English Language Learners. Physical education, the Arts, and other encore/elective area teachers will be included in the schedule.  

At-Home (100% Remote) Model

In the event of a school, District, or community closure by public health or government agencies, our plan allows for a smooth transition from hybrid learning to full-time remote learning. During full-time remote learning, students will participate in baseline hours of learning that balances synchronous (live) instruction with their teachers and classmates, supplemented by digital curriculum resources and independent work. Students will access assignments through Schoology, the District’s K-12 Learning Management System. Additional details on new learning expectations and improvements will be provided in the final reopening frameworks.

There will be many components of a remote-learning environment to ensure that whether in-person, remote, or hybrid in model,  instruction will provide substantive interaction between teachers and students.  The following are assurances:

• In-person or remote face-to-face learning with teachers
• Independent work aligned to NY state standards
• Digital curriculum resources
• In-person or remote face-to-face SEL lessons to ensure student mental and emotional safety
• Equitable instructional opportunities for all students with routined scheduled times to interact and seek feedback from teachers

In the ERCSD proposed 100% remote learning plan, school administrators, and District staff established a minimum allotment of instructional time that will be provided to each grade level. Using these minimum requirements, in collaboration with the District, each elementary school will develop their own remote schedule.

Based on student enrollment and selection of the remote model, schools will make every effort to provide a remote teacher for these students. Below are sample remote schedules, however, each school has the authority to adjust these samples to meet the minimum requirements for instruction and the unique needs of the school.

Traditional (100% In-Person) Model

Traditional Schedules will focus on following the general parameters and safety measures around entering the building, lunch and transitions. Please see the support section of the reopening plan for more details. Schools will also modify traditional schedules to ensure the safety of students and restrict potential large group meetings and assemblies for a 100% in-person model. Each school will have the ability to adjust their traditional master schedule to meet the unique needs of their school and updated public health guidelines. Traditional schedules will also meet the minimum minutes of synchronous instructional time outlined in the at-home learning schedule.

Attendance and Chronic Absenteeism

All schools in the East Ramapo Central School District will monitor and document the daily attendance and participation of all students, whether schools open in September in-person, hybrid, or remote.  District attendance policies and procedures will be revisited and revised, in accordance with public health and government agency guidance and communicated to families at the start of the school year.  

Communication to families will be issued through established alert systems: App alerts; robocalls; social media outlets; and postings to the District and school webpages, as well as newsletters, text messages and email. At the school sites, Principals will communicate building-specific information, and teachers will update families with class-specific details as they do when classes are in session.

Teachers will record daily attendance in the identified student management system, based on the required daily student presence and engagement.  Monitoring of student attendance daily will take place in the form of generated reports, identifying students who are absent and/or chronically absent, to inform and partner with families to determine the root cause and or barriers that may hinder the required presence of students during the learning process.

East Ramapo Central School District remains committed to providing interventions to prevent and address chronic absenteeism. We recognize that many factors will influence student attendance, and may be greatly impacted by the instructional models provided; in-person, hybrid, and remote. This commitment ensures that all students are nurtured in an environment that is culturally responsive and conducive to learning, fostering our Mission of educating the whole child.

Special Education Services

While extended school closures have a significant impact on the education of students, it is widely recognized that students with disabilities may experience increased distress and negative educational consequences due to the changes in instructional methods and requirements. Our District plan for reopening schools aims to meet the variety of needs of diverse learners and students with exceptional needs. We will continue to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to the same opportunities as students without disabilities, including the provision of a free appropriate public education (FAPE), whether students receive instruction remotely or in-person. To the greatest extent possible, students with disabilities will continue to receive the support and services outlined in their IEPs and progress toward achieving their goals will continue to be monitored.

Our District supports students with disabilities through varying programs. Outlined below are the programs that will continue to be provided to students in accordance with their IEPs. If any structural changes are warranted in order to meet IEP requirements and/or the unique needs of students within each program, parents will be notified prior via written communication, the District website and telephone communication.

Communication with Parents

Parents’ preferred language of communication is collected at the time of enrollment and is saved in the District’s student data management system allowing for all District and building level administrators to have access to this information. This information is also automatically shared with the District’s IEP management system, allowing all special education teachers and therapists assigned to the student to also have access to the preferred language of the home. Teachers have access to microsoft translator to translate any pertinent information being sent home. Additionally, District level translators are readily available to assist parents in their written and verbal communication with parents.

Special Education teachers provide ongoing feedback to parents through phone calls, email and Google classroom. Progress reports are shared with parents to monitor progress of specific IEP goals three times per year for grades kindergarten through eighth and four times per year for high school students. In conjunction, annual review meetings are held yearly with a priority on parent attendance and participation. Parents are also able to request reviews of their child’s special education program at any time, through building level principals, teachers and/or school psychologists. In light of the reopening of schools, parent input regarding regressions within their child’s development and progress will particularly be noted for potential reconvening of the Committee on Special Education to discuss changes to the child’s program. If allowable based on health and safety guidelines, meetings with parents will be held in person; however, meetings with parents will continue to be conducted via video and tele-conferencing options.

Considerations for Special Education and Student Services

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)/Essential Protective Gear (EPG)

• We will factor in the differing requirements of PPE/EPG for the differing populations of students with disabilities (i.e., for those requiring medical procedures, toileting, lifting and mobility assistance).
• Students averse to the wearing of masks will be introduced to face coverings in various textures along with the use of behavioral techniques to encourage their extended wear of masks.
• Face shields will be introduced to students unable to wear face coverings for extended periods of time.
• Staff working with students who are medically involved and/or require significant support in the area of assisted daily living (ADL) skills, will be provided with additional PPE such as gowns and face shields to minimize any potential exposure or spread of COVID-19.
• Gloves will continue to be provided and encouraged for use during toileting, lifting and medical procedures.

Planning for Students who are Medically Fragile and/or Immune Compromised

• Define how staff can honor physical distancing recommendations, yet meet student medical, personal, or support needs.
• Determine how adequate space and facilities for the appropriate number of student and staff will be utilized to maintain health and safety of students and staff, especially when tending to individual student medical or personal needs.
• Build in flexibilities to keep students connected and included in the class and school community regardless of how much physical time they are able to attend school.Ensure the ability to quickly pivot to attending class remotely in order to retain some regular connection to teacher and peers.
• Determine any special or unique needs for students with disabilities related to planned District or school-wide procedures and protocols related to the following:

• Daily health screening and temperature checks
• Restroom use as well as diapering and toileting
• Paths of travel
• Spaces for recess or recreational activities
• Cleaning and disinfecting

• In order to maintain adequate social distancing no more than 10 individuals (staff and students) will be in a regular sized classroom at a time.
• Rotation and movement of staff may be required to maintain physical distancing recommendations, particularly in the instances where therapy is being conducted within the classroom.
• With limited transitions the role of one-to-one aides will be reviewed to ensure the most effective support of students while honoring physical distancing recommendations. It is likely that students who continue to require one-to-one assistance will need to maintain close contact with the aides assigned to them. Therefore, the consistent use of masks/face coverings, hand washing, and the use of gloves during activities of close physical contact such as toileting, will be emphasized.
• Student desks and individual workstations will be separated by 6 feet of distance with the use of physical markings on the floor to assist students’ ability to “stay in their zone”.
• Students who need to remain home for medical or personal reasons will be able to connect into the classroom remotely. Classroom schedules will clearly outline for all families when “live instruction” will be scheduled so that students at home can stream into the classroom and engage in other aspects of remote learning. Teaching assistants and aides will be able to provide additional assistance in ensuring that students at home are able to engage with what is taking place within the classroom.

Physical Distancing

• Flexibilities for specific students-with disabilities populations such as students with extensive support needs, behavioral challenges, etc. will be developed as appropriate and consistent with their IEPs and other plans.
• Flexibilities and plan for how to implement physical distancing given lack of space and facility limitations, particularly for children who may struggle with maintaining physical distancing.
• The plan will address potential issues from physical distancing rules that otherwise could result in unintended segregation of students away from peers without disabilities
• How to provide related services and assessments in instructional models while staying physically distant.
• All students with disabilities will be introduced to the visual and conceptual understanding of social distancing through the terminology of “staying in your zone”.
• Behavior specialists will support the transition of identified students and groups.
• Related services will be conducted as appropriate within the classroom as well as designated therapy rooms. Within the therapy rooms cleaning must be conducted in between student therapy sessions. Sessions must be conducted within a ventilated room that is large enough to maintain the required 6 feet of distance of more than one student and/or adult is within the room.
• Where possible and available, plexi-glass type barriers will be utilized for therapies such as speech and language that require close face to face contact.
• To the greatest extent possible, teachers and therapists will work side-by-side with students in order to limit direct face to face contact.

Utilize and Update Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)

In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) provided guidance that IEP amendments were not necessarily required for the immediate change to distance learning. However, the duration and overarching changes to education delivery in many cases will warrant changes to students’ IEPs. This ensures that all student IEPs account for the local delivery of education as school sites reopen, including contingencies for pivoting in and out of distance learning. The District will follow and communicate all guidance from NYSED regarding the modification of students’ IEPs.

Bilingual Education & World Languages (including English Language Learners)

English Language Identification Process During CoVID Closures and the First 30 Days of School

According to the New York State Education Department ReOpening Guidance, within the first 20 days of school (September 9 - October 22, 2020), the District must complete the English Language Learner (ELL) Identification process for all students who registered within the CoVID-19 Closure during the 2019-2020 school year and for those who enrolled in the summer. Additionally, students who enroll within the first 20 days of school (September 9-October 7, 2020) also must go through the Identification Process within the first 30 days of enrollment (September 9-November 23, 2020).

To address these timelines, the District’s Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages has developed a hybrid system to identify the potential placement of possible ELLs who registered during the CoVID-19 Closure and throughout the summer, as well as those students who will enroll within the first 20 days of school. Placement will be based on parent input as well as language and academic data collected during the Identification Process. In recognizing the importance of continuity of learning, students will be immediately assigned to a class and provided an instructional schedule. This plan will allow students to be engaged in instruction, while the department schedules and administers the New York State Identification Test for English Language Learners (NYSITELL) in accordance with the timeline indicated in the New York State Education Department ReOpening Guidance.

The hybrid plan is in accordance with the NYS Commissioner’s Regulations Part 154 and includes all components of the Identification Process. The Home Language Questionnaire, Individual Interview, and Parent Orientation will be conducted by the ELL Coordinator through the use of video conferencing or by telephone phone. For the preliminary placement, a District created language assessment will be administered via video conferencing. The ELL Coordinator will use the NYSED English Language Proficiency Descriptor Rubric to analyze student responses and provide a preliminary English language proficiency level. This will allow for continuity of learning as the department schedules and administers the NYSITELL, which according to NYSED regulations can only be done in person. The results of the NYSITELL will be the student’s official level and will be recorded in the District database for NYSED reporting purposes.

The department has implemented this plan during the CoVID-19 Closure and throughout the summer. Currently, department administrators are creating a NYSITELL administration schedule for this group of students. that will begin on the first day of school (September 9, 2020). The department will revert to the original ELL Identification Process, as indicated in the Commissioner’s Regulations Part 154, to identify possible ELLs who enroll after the first 20 days of school (October 8, 2020). The entire process will be completed within the first 10 days of student enrollment.

The ELL Identification Process

1. Home Language Questionnaire: If the Home Language Questionnaire form indicates a language other than English, then proceed to step 2.
2. Individual Interview: This is conducted in English and the students' home language. If the student is unable to answer the questions in English or does so with a difficulty, proceed to step 3.
3. New York State Identification Test for English Language Learners (NYSITELL): The test is administered to determine the English language proficiency level of students who are enrolling in a New York school for the first time.
4. Parent Orientation: Parents watch NYSED's Office of Bilingual Education and World Languages ELL Parent Orientation Video. (Link)

• The ELL Coordinator discusses language acquisition models provided within the District and answers any questions they may have.
• Parents select which model would be best for their child IF the results of the NYSITELL indicate their child is an ELL. (Answer sheets are scanned to the Lower Hudson Regional Information Center for scoring. The results are available in 24-48 hours).
• Parents receive a copy of the ELL Parent Bill of Rights.

5. Parent Notification of ELL Status: Parents are notified of their child's ELL status based on the results of the NYSITELL.
6. Placement: School Administrators and teachers are informed of students' status and the language acquisition model the parents selected.

Units of Study for Language Acquisition Instruction

Language acquisition services provided to students are based on the New York State Commissioner’s Regulations Part 154 Regulations. Each student’s level is either based on the NYSITELL, which is administered to students who are entering a New York school District for the first time, or  the New York English as a Second Language Achievement Test (NYSESLAT) exam administered every spring. The District will continue to provide the Unit of Study and Staffing Requirements for the 2020-2021 school year. To view the regulations regarding Units of Study click on the following link:

http://www.nysed.gov/bilingual-ed/units-study-tables-english-new-language-enl-and-bilingual-education-program

Communication and Language Access

Parent’s preferred language of communication is collected at the time of enrollment and is saved in the District’s student data management system allowing for all District and building level administrators to have access to this information. The majority of the District’s parent population request translations in Spanish or Haitian Creole. Based on this data, all communications on websites and through robo calls are translated into these languages. Parents who speak other languages are also provided with translation through the use of the Xerox Easy Translator. The machine translates documents into 40 different languages. This is essential in translating pertinent information to all families in the District. 

Teaching & Learning: Next Steps

Health & Safety

To ensure that all students can continue their learning, the East Ramapo Central School District will closely follow state and federal guidelines on PPE/PPG usage, hygiene, dealing with possible and confirmed COVID-19 cases, and more. We will make all guidelines and expectations easily accessible to the community.

Preparation/Screening

• All District staff should complete the COVID-19 questionnaire and submit to an appropriate supervisor before coming to work each morning.
• Exclude any student, parent, caregiver, visitor, or staff showing symptoms of COVID-19 (reference CDC and NYS Department of Public Health guidelines for COVID-19 symptoms). See this hyperlink for additional details.
• Staff should discuss with the parent or caregiver and refer to the student’s health history form or emergency card to identify whether the student has a history of allergies, which would not be a reason to exclude.
• Monitor staff and students throughout the day for signs of illness. Determine any special or unique needs for students with disabilities related to District or school-wide procedures.
• Students—Entering Schools and other District Buildings

• Passive Screening. Instruct parents to screen students before leaving for school (check temperature to ensure temperatures below 100 degrees Fahrenheit, observe for symptoms outlined by public health officials) and to keep children at home if they have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or if they have had close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19.
• Active Screening. Review options for symptom screening as students enter campus and buses, consistent with public health guidance. We will consider options for visual wellness checks and temperature   checks, including no-touch thermometers (check temperature to ensure temperatures below 100 degrees Fahrenheit), and methods for asking all students about COVID-19 symptoms within the last 24 hours and whether anyone in their home has had COVID-19 symptoms or a positive COVID-19 test.

• Staff—Entering Schools and District Buildings

• Passive Screening. Instruct staff to self-screen by taking the COVID-19 screening questionnaire before leaving for work and to stay home if they have answered yes to one or more questions on the questionnaire, indicating risk factor(s).
• Active Screening. Review options for symptom screening as staff enter worksites, consistent with public health guidance. We will consider options for visual wellness checks and temperature checks, including no-touch thermometers (check temperature to ensure temperatures below 100 degrees Fahrenheit), ensuring proper cleaning and disinfecting after each use.
• All staff must wash or sanitize hands as they enter worksites.
• Exclude from the workplace employees who are exhibiting symptoms.

• Staff members who develop symptoms of illness should be sent to medical care.
• Create a procedure for reporting the reasons for the exclusions.
• Advise sick staff members not to return until they have met CDC criteria to discontinue home isolation.

• Outside Visitors and Groups

• Limit access to buildings for parents and other visitors.
• Evaluate whether and to what extent external community organizations can safely utilize the site and District building resources. Ensure external community organizations that use the facilities also follow the school’s health and safety plans and NYS Department of Health guidance.
• Review facility use agreements and establish common facility protocols for all users of the facility.
• Establish protocols for accepting deliveries safely.

Positive Cases

The District will move to close schools for physical attendance of students, if necessary, based on public health guidance and in coordination with local public health officials.

• If a student or a staff member is symptomatic while entering buildings or during the school day –

• Student/staff who develop symptoms of illness while at school will be separated from others right away, preferably isolated in an area through which others do not enter or pass.
• If more than one student or staff is in an isolation area, we will ensure physical distancing.
• Any student or staff exhibiting symptoms will be required to immediately wear a face covering and wait in an isolation area until they can be transported home or to a healthcare facility.
• Students will remain in isolation with continued supervision and care until picked up by an authorized adult.
• We will follow established guidelines for triaging students in the health office, recognizing that not all illness symptoms are COVID-19 related.
• Parents/caregivers will be advised that their children are not to return to school until they have met CDC and NYSDOH criteria to discontinue home isolation.

• In accordance with NYS Department of Public Health guidance, when a student, teacher, or staff member or a member of their household tests positive for COVID-19 and has exposed others at the school, we will implement the following steps:

• In consultation with the local public health officials, we will consider whether school closure is warranted and the duration of time based on the risk level within the specific community, as determined by the local public health officer.
• In accordance with standard guidance for isolation at home after close contact, the classroom or office where the COVID-19-positive individual was based will typically need to close temporarily for cleaning and disinfection as students or staff isolate.
• We will advise that additional close contacts at school outside of a classroom should also isolate at home.
• Additional areas of the school visited by the COVID-19-positive individual may also need to be closed temporarily for cleaning and disinfection.
• We will implement the plan for continuity of education, medical and social services, and meal programs and establish alternate mechanisms for these to continue.

• A staff member or student who had signs of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 can return to the school or District building when:

• At least three days (72 hours) have passed since recovery - recovery being defined as no fever without the use of medications and improvement in respiratory signs such as cough and shortness of breath; AND
• At least 10 days have passed since signs first showed up; OR
• At least three days (72 hours) have passed since recovery AND a health care provider has certified that the student does not have suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

• If a person believes they have had close contact to someone with COVID-19, but they are not sick, they should watch their health for signs of fever, cough, shortness of breath, and other COVID-19 symptoms during the 14 days after the last day they were in close contact with the person sick with COVID-19. They should not go to work, attend child care or school, or visit public places for 14 days.
• Each school will  designates a COVID-19 safety coordinator (administrator- Ap)) whose responsibilities include continuous compliance with all aspects of the school’s reopening plan, as well as any phased-in reopening activities necessary to allow for operational issues to be resolved before activities return to normal or “new normal” levels.

Cleaning/Disinfecting

We strive to meet cleanliness and disinfecting standards in school facilities, District buildings, and vehicles. Our schools will meet high cleanliness standards prior to reopening and maintain a high level during the school year, as determined by District Buildings and Grounds staff.

Our cleaning and disinfecting process will include:

• A safe and correct application of disinfectants using PPE and ventilation as recommended by products for use.
• Disinfecting surfaces between uses, such as:

• Desks and tables
• Chairs
• Seats on buses
• Keyboards, phones, headsets, copy machines

• Disinfecting frequently—at least daily—high-touch surfaces, such as:

• Door handles
• Handrails
• Drinking fountains
• Sink handles
• Restroom surfaces
• Toys, games, art supplies, instructional materials
• Playground equipment

• The use of only those disinfecting products that are approved for use against COVID-19 on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2.
• The use of only disinfectant products on the EPA List N with asthma-safer ingredients (hydrogen peroxide, citric acid, or lactic acid) to reduce the risk of asthma related to disinfecting.
• The airing out of disinfected spaces before children arrive and conducting thorough cleaning while children are not present.
• Procedures for closing off areas that had been used by any sick person. To reduce risk of exposure, we will wait 24 hours before cleaning and disinfecting. (If it is not possible to wait 24 hours, we will wait as long as possible.)

• In accordance with CDC guidance, sharing of electronic devices, toys, books, and other games or learning aids will be avoided to the greatest extent as possible.
• Stuffed animals and any other toys that are difficult to clean and sanitize will not be allowed in schools unless in accordance with special accommodations.
• We will maximize outdoor air circulation. In accordance with CDC guidance, ventilation systems and fans will operate properly and increase circulation of outdoor air as much as possible through open windows and doors and other methods. Central air filtration for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems (targeted filter rating of at least MERV 13) will be maximized.
• We will monitor all water systems and features for safety after a prolonged facility shutdown to minimize the risk of Legionnaires’ disease and other diseases associated with water.
• Each child’s belongings will be kept separated and in an individually labeled storage container, cubby, or area. Belongings will be sent home each day to be cleaned.

Hygiene

• Handwashing. In accordance with NYS Department of Health guidance and in consultation with local public health officials, our  plan for handwashing includes:

• Opportunities for students and staff to meet handwashing frequency guidance.
• Ensuring sufficient access to handwashing and sanitizer stations.
• Portable handwashing stations throughout the schools to minimize movement and congregations in bathrooms to the greatest extent possible.
• Ensuring fragrance-free and approved hand sanitizer (with a minimum of 60% alcohol) is available and supervised at or near all workstations and on buses. (Children under age nine should use hand sanitizer under adult supervision.)

• Staff and students will be trained on proper handwashing techniques and PPE/EPG use, including the following:

• Scrub with soap for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not accessible. Staff and students should use paper towels (or single use cloth towels) to dry hands thoroughly.
• Wash hands when arriving and leaving home, arriving at and leaving school, after playing outside, after having close contact with others, after using shared surfaces or tools, before and after using restroom, after blowing nose or coughing or sneezing, and before and after eating and preparing foods.
• Other CDC guidance on proper PPE use.

• Staff and students will be trained to:

• Use tissues to wipe the nose and cough and sneeze inside the tissue.
• Not touch the face or face covering.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

• In accordance with CDC guidance:

• Training and information will be provided to staff and students on proper use, removal, and washing of cloth face coverings.
• Face coverings are not recommended for anyone who has trouble breathing or is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the covering without assistance. The District will make reasonable accommodations such as a face shield with a cloth drape for those who are unable to wear face coverings for medical reasons.
• Cloth face coverings are meant to protect other people in case the wearer is unknowingly infected, since individuals may carry COVID-19 but not exhibit symptoms. Cloth face coverings are not surgical masks, respirators, or personal protective equipment.

• Staff Protective Equipment

• As recommended by the CDC, all staff should wear face coverings. Per NYS Department of Public Health guidance, teachers could use face shields, which enable students to see their faces and to avoid potential barriers to instruction. These will be provided by the District as needed.
• The District will provide masks if the employee does not have a clean face covering.
• The District will provide other protective equipment, as appropriate, for work assignments.

• For employees engaging in symptom screening, face protection (e.g., surgical masks, face shields), and disposable gloves will be provided
• For front office and food service employees, face coverings and disposable gloves will be provided.
• For custodial staff, equipment and PPE for cleaning and disinfecting will be provided, including:

• For regular surface cleaning, gloves appropriate for all cleaning and disinfecting.
• Staff engaged in deep cleaning and disinfecting will be equipped with proper PPE for COVID-19 disinfection (disposable gown, gloves, eye protection, and mask or respirator) in addition to PPE as required by product instructions. All products will be kept out of children’s reach and stored in a space with restricted access.
• PPE will be provided and worn to effectively protect employees from the hazards of the cleaning products used and training will be provided to staff on the hazards of chemicals.

• Student Protective Equipment

• Students will use cloth face coverings, especially in circumstances when physical distancing cannot be maintained. The District will provide students with face coverings to be used. (Please consult the Students with Disabilities section for how to address students with disabilities who refuse or are not able to wear masks.)
• At a minimum, face coverings will be worn:

• While waiting to enter the school District buildings.
• While on school grounds (except when eating or drinking).
• While leaving school.
• While on a school bus. The bus driver will have access to surplus masks to provide to students.

Facilities

To ensure a safe return to school, The East Ramapo Central School District commits to ensuring that every facility follows proper precautions related to cleaning and disinfection, ventilation, and more.

Readiness

• Inspect all buildings to determine readiness for reopening. Inspections will include but are not limited to fire code/safety inspections of all occupied buildings; health department inspections of all cafeterias; HVAC/air quality inspections; water quality inspections for drinking fountains and bathrooms that have not been used recently.
• If the district makes any changes or additions to facilities it will comply with the requirements of the 2020 New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (BC) and the State Energy Conservation Code and submit all changes to OFP.
• Provide provisions to conduct the Lead-In-Water Testing as required by NYS DOH regulation 67-4.
• Ensure compliance with the 2020 Building Condition Survey and Visual Inspection.
• Ensure that all new building construction and temporary quarter project will be submitted to OFP for a full code review.
• Reconfigure classrooms and other instructional and support spaces, where appropriate, to ensure the recommended social distancing of 6 feet.
• Installation of dividers in classrooms, libraries, cafeterias, auditoriums, gymnasiums, doors, and other points of congregation will ensure the submission of detailed floor plans to OFP for review. If plastic separators are used they will comply with the 2020 BCNYS Section 2606.
• Thoroughly ventilate, clean and then disinfect all buildings, desks, equipment and other surfaces prior to students returning, using CDC and OSHA guidelines. A time schedule for effectively cleaning and disinfecting buildings once students return will be created.
• The District will place appropriate signage and markings throughout schools, District buildings, classrooms, and offices to remind staff, students, families, and visitors (when permitted) to maintain social distancing, wash hands adequately, wear masks, etc. The District will unkingse signage developed by the Centers for Disease Control, other public health outlets, the NYS Department of Education, Rockland BOCES, and will create new signs where appropriate and necessary.
• The district will consult with OFP for a preliminary evaluation if it needs to include new facilities for leasing.
• The district does not plan to use tents but if tents are needed they will adhere to the BCNYS.
• The district will ensure that the existing or altered number of toilet and sink fixtures meet the minimum standards of the BCNYS.
• The district will ensure that each building provides one drinking fountain per one hundred occupants or determine a reasonable alternate source of drinking water.
• The district will maintain adequate, code required ventilation (natural or mechanical).
• All project submissions only dedicated to “COVID-19” Reopening” will be labeled as such.

Maintenance

• Develop protocols for cleaning and disinfecting all work areas, counters, restrooms, doorknobs, and stair railings several times daily.
• Create a building inventory to improve prevention measures. This will include:

• Ensuring that there are enough accessible sinks and hand-sanitizing stations to accommodate frequent handwashing by entire classes.
• Determine if the District has the appropriate number and type (no-touch) of trash receptacles and that they are placed appropriately to minimize exposure.
• Determine the need for other protective devices for employees with repeated exposure to the public such as clear plastic barriers in school building offices.
• Determine whether sneeze guards are required in the cafeteria.
• Consider whether and how air quality can be improved to minimize transmission.
• Evaluate how hygiene products like soap, paper towels, tissues and toilet paper are dispensed (no-touch), how frequently they are replenished and where they are stored.
• Ensure all existing and new Alcohol-based Hand-Rub Dispensers which are installed in any locations is in accordance with FCNYS 2020 Section 5705.5

Transportation

• Transportation must align with the instructional model that is chosen. Staff from the Office of Transportation will collaborate with the Office of Curriculum and Instruction and the Office of Finance to find an appropriate transportation model. In any instructional model chosen, social distancing considerations will have to be made on school buses that will result in reduced seating capacity. Physical distancing at bus stops and school loading and unloading zones must also be considered and information needs to be communicated to all stakeholders.
• If the school district is in session remotely or otherwise, pupil transportation must be provided to nonpublic, parochial, private, charter schools or students whose Individualized Education Program have placed them out of district whose schools are meeting in conducting in- person session education when/if the district is not.
• Masks will be required to be worn by staff and students on buses. The District will determine the extent to which PPE will be used while driving routes and whether it is feasible to install physical barriers between the driver and passengers entering and riding the bus.
• Students with a disability which would prevent them from wearing a mask will not be forced to do so or denied transportation. All students who do not have masks will be provided one by the district.
• Students who do not have a mask will NOT be denied transportation.
• Maximum capacity of students for each vehicle while meeting recommended physical distancing objectives will be determined.
• A plan for seating based on maximum capacity determined to be practicable will be created that is aligned with the instructional model. Parts of this plan can contain:

• Seat one student to a bench positioned next to the window.
• Seat family members who reside in the same dwelling next to each other on the same seat in order to maximize the student capacity on the bus.
• Mark or block seats that must be left vacant.
• Place floor decals or tape to indicate where students should sit.

• Create and implement a plan which follows all recommended distancing at bus stops and while loading and unloading.
• Prevent students from walking past each other by taking the following measures:

• Seat students from the rear of the bus forward.
• Board afternoon runs based on the order in which students will be dropped off. Students who get off first should board last and sit in the front.
• Require face coverings for students and staff at bus stops and on buses.

• Where possible create more bus stops to minimize the number of students waiting together.
• Encourage parents who can do so to transport their students to and from school.
• Prohibit eating or drinking on the bus.
• Consider reserving a specific seat - one that is not used for any other student during the day - for a medically fragile child, with special precautions for disinfecting.
• The District will ensure the school bus companies follow cleaning practices in adherence with CDC Cleaning and Disinfecting Guidelines. This protocol will include cleaning and disinfecting buses after each run, and spot checks for inspection. The bus companies will assure the District that the quantity and quality of cleaning equipment and tools are adequate to meet cleanliness standards and that cleaning supplies that are kept on buses are appropriately labeled and stored so that students do not have access to them.
• The District will wait 24 hours before cleaning and disinfecting a bus that transported a passenger or had a driver that tests positive for COVID-19 or exhibited symptoms of COVID-19. If 24-hours is not feasible, we will wait as long as possible.
• Students and staff will be trained and provided periodic reminders on the proper use of social distancing, use of PPE, and the signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
• School bus drivers, monitors, attendants and mechanics shall perform a self-health assessment for symptoms of COVID 19 before arriving to work. Where needed, they will be provided and must wear gloves and a face covering along with an optional face shield.
• Hand sanitizer will be provided for all staff in their transportation locations such as dispatch offices, employee lunch/break rooms and/or bus garages. They may not carry personal bottles of hand sanitizer and no hand sanitizer will be allowed on the bus.
• Each school and/or district reopening plan must ensure all buses (conforming and non-conforming to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Standards, as well as type A, C or D) which are used every day by districts and contract carriers will be cleaned/disinfected once a day.

Food & Nutrition

The East Ramapo Central School District will consider the resources and flexibilities necessary to transition food service operations to an on-site and/or off-site student meal delivery system or operate both at the same time. Our plan will address all applicable health and safety guidelines. All students enrolled in the SFA will receive meals each school day, whether in-school or remotely. We will communicate with families about food services through multiple means in the languages spoken by families.

For health and hygiene promotion, the District will:

• Designate a COVID-19 food coordinator.
• Provide professional development to teach and reinforce handwashing and use of a cloth face covering by employees when near other employees or students.
• Have adequate supplies for both employees and students including soap, hand sanitizer, and tissues.
• Poste signs for students and staff on how to stop the spread of COVID-19 (e.g. protocols and procedures for how students will perform hand hygiene before and after eating, how appropriate hand hygiene will be promoted, and how sharing of food and beverages will be discouraged)

For meal preparation, the District will work with Whitsons - the District’s food vendor - in order to:  

• Ensure gloves, masks, disposable aprons, and other supplies are readily available.
• Promote fresh healthy menu options that are individually plated meals and include pre-portioned and pre-wrapped produce.
• Use disposable trays and wrap cold items in plastic and hot food with foil.
• Reorganize workspaces for proper physical distancing during meal preparation and meal service.
• Adjust employee shifts to minimize the number of staff in the kitchen.

For onsite meal service, the District will:

• Assess whether to serve meals in the classroom or cafeteria or other location (e.g., outdoor seating).
• Increase physical spacing, establish small student groups, and limit mixing between groups to encourage physical distancing.
• Stagger meal times to allow for cleaning between meal services and to serve students in smaller groups.
• Provide at least 6 feet of physical distancing between groups or tables by increasing table spacing, removing tables, marking tables as closed, or providing a physical barrier between tables.
• Provide physical guides, such as tape on floors or sidewalks and signage on walls to ensure that students remain at least 6 feet apart in lines or while waiting for seating.
• Remove or suspend use of shared tables and self-service buffets for food and condiments.
• Install physical barriers, such as sneeze guards and partitions, at points of service and other areas where maintaining physical distance of 6 feet is difficult.
• Ensure cleaning of every table between groups of students or meal service times.

For offsite meal service, the District will:

• Offer grab-and-go student meals for consumption at home, including drive-through, delivery, or curbside pick-up options.
• Exercise preventative measures to address students with food allergies
• Assess whether there are students who are unable to access school meal distribution sites and identify ways to address these gaps.

For cleaning and sanitation, the District will:

• Update standard operating procedures for sanitation of school kitchens, cafeterias, food warehouses, and central production kitchens.
• Train all employees on health and safety protocols, including correct application of disinfectants and maintaining physical distancing.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces frequently touched by students during meal service, including tables, chairs, carts used in transportation, and point-of-service touch pads or no contact point-of-service method; specifically cleaning and disinfection prior to the next group of students arriving for meals, if served in the same common area.

Business Operations / Budget

In an effort to fully support students, staff and families and to be fiscally responsible -- we are analyzing, appropriating and managing funds in alignment with reopening guidelines and District needs. Our budget committee is working closely with our other committees and stakeholder groups to ensure they have the physical and human resources to return to a rigorous and safe educational environment.

Technology & Connectivity

To ensure that students have the resources to fully engage in remote and hybrid learning environments, the District aims to establish a 1:1 device program for students. We will also make digital content to broaden the availability of  instruction and provide remote support for staff, students, and families. We will invest in supplying webcams for every teacher on campuses, hotspots for families in need, and additional bandwidth for classroom streaming.

• The District has put in place a Technology Planning Team to ensure equitable access to technology for staff and students.
• The District will continue to gauge the need that families and students have for instructional technology devices and for internet access.
• Along with the Teaching & Learning team, the district will provide multiple ways for students to participate in learning and demonstrate mastery of learning.
• The District will review various funding streams to identify potential sources for the procurement of needed technology devices for 1:1 Chromebooks initiative, learning management systems, licenses, and instructional software.
• The District will discourage the sharing of electronic devices the greatest extent possible.

Operations: Next Steps

East Ramapo consists of a strong and dedicated community of educators, students, families, among many other community members. As a school district, we believe it is our responsibility to outline support for the stakeholders within our organization. The following categories serve as an overview of themes we commit to addressing as we navigate the 2020-2021 school year.

Communications & Feedback

The East Ramapo Central School District is committed to ensuring ongoing communication efforts with stakeholders.  Through varied means staff, students and families will be provided with timely and essential support reflecting these challenging times.   Included in these efforts will be the intentional design to ensure consistency of communication, outreach in multiple languages, and opportunities for stakeholders to continuously provide input.

The District is partnering with stakeholders, including families, staff, and labor partners in the school community, to formulate and implement the plans in this checklist.

We will communicate to staff, students, and parents about new, COVID-19-related protocols, including:

• Proper use of PPE/EPG.
• Cleanliness and disinfection.
• Transmission prevention.
• Health protocol.
• Guidelines for families about when to keep students home from school.
• Systems for self-reporting symptoms.
• Criteria and plan to close schools again for physical attendance of students,
• Professional development offered for instructional and non-instructional staff.

A communications procedure will cover who, what (central and supporting messages tied to staff and student safety), when, and how.

Sample communications will be developed that includes:

• School start date and instructional format
• Health and safety measures (e.g., procedures for entering buildings, using buildings, socially distancing, personal hygiene)
• Expectations of parents and students in the case of school closure
• Helping children cope with stress and tragedy
• Availability of community resources such as mental health resources, food security, medical/dental providers, health insurance, economic aid, housing assistance, etc.
• Targeted communication for vulnerable members of the school community.

Preparation will be made for all communications to be placed within schools and offices, inclusive of signage.

 A communications plan for if a school has a positive COVID-19 case will:

• Address the school’s role in documenting, reporting, tracking, and tracing infections in coordination with public health officials.
• Notify staff and families immediately of any possible cases of COVID-19. Legal responsibilities and privacy rights for communicating about cases of the virus will be reviewed accordingly.
• Guidance to parents, teachers, and staff will be provided to remind them of the importance of community physical distancing measures while a school is closed, including discouraging students or staff from gathering elsewhere.
• Sick staff members and families with sick children not to return until they have met CDC criteria to discontinue home isolation.
• Inform those who have had close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID-19 to stay home and self-monitor for symptoms and to follow CDC guidance if symptoms develop. If a person does not have symptoms follow appropriate CDC guidance for home isolation.

Social-emotional Learning

The East Ramapo Central School District is committed to placing student and staff wellness first to establish a positive, safe, and supportive learning environment. In East Ramapo, a growth mindset frames an abiding efficacious culture of confidence and achievement. Social emotional learning and well-being is an integral component of our core values. Leading with social-emotional learning is essential because children need social and emotional support as they navigate the unprecedented challenges of alternative learning contexts, and because social-emotional learning helps students access academic content through building essential self-management skills, resilience, and connections.

• Consider lessons on alternative ways to communicate feelings. (How might wearing masks alter our understanding of how individuals are feeling?)
• SEL and student wellness is the responsibility of all staff members and is supported in the way they relay a positive growth mindset and culture of success to their students. District will provide guidance on how to incorporate SEL practices throughout the school day. Specifically this will be woven into lesson plans, included in lesson aims and goals, modeled by building level administrators, addressed in PLC and faculty meetings and reinforced throughout the school day.
• District and building level school psychologists will support and review the development of programs that address student and family trauma, as well as the overall social-emotional needs of students, through organized counseling groups for both mandated and non-mandated students.
• District will positively communicate the necessity for physical distancing throughout school buildings.
• District will provide additional support toward physical distancing for those who may not be able to wear a mask due to a manifestation of their disability.
• District will be mindful and sensitive to the needs of those who are grieving the loss of a family member or coworker.

Professional Development

Reopening schools utilizing new instructional models necessitates special attention to professional relationships and learning. Educators must be supported in ways that allow them to focus on student learning. Additionally, training will be provided to support staff including custodians, meal preparation staff, transportation providers, technology personnel, and others. The District will consider a safety orientation for all employees prior to the start of the school year.

Professional Development/Training initiatives will include:

• Disinfecting frequency and tools and chemicals used in accordance with New York State Department of Health guidance. For staff who use hazardous chemicals for cleaning, specialized training is provided.
• Physical distancing of staff and students.
• Symptom screening, including temperature checks.
• Health and Safety Training- State and local health standards and recommendations, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Proper use of protective equipment, including information on limitations of some face coverings that do not protect the wearer and are not PPE but can help protect people near the wearer.
• Personal hygiene including cough and sneeze etiquette, keeping one’s hands away from one’s face, and frequent hand washing and proper technique.
• Confidentiality around health recording and reporting.

• Training for school health staff on clinical manifestations of COVID-19, pediatric presentations, and CDC transmission-based precautions.
• Training on trauma-informed practices and suicide prevention.
• Signs of mental health stress in students and staff.
• Sensitivity training on topics such as the economic impact of COVID-19 on the community and the families of the students.
• Individual staff member’s responsibilities if a shutdown occurs during the school year.
• Synchronous and asynchronous workshops, courses, and tutorials:

• How to identify deficits in learning and how to respond.
• Optimizing lesson designs for online learning.
• How to support and monitor students through independent remote learning.
• Interpretation and use of data from computer-based assessment systems.
• How to use the technology the District provides for effective remote learning.
• Support for families on how to support learning at home
• Identifying and responding to the social, emotional, behavioral and academic development of students.
• Cybersecurity
• Maintaining professional boundaries with students and electronic communication.

Hiring & Onboarding

Hiring and onboarding has changed due to the COVID emergency to remote regardless of whether school is remote, hybrid or in-person.

• Recruitment will be done online through OLAS and on the District website. Interviews of candidates are held via Zoom, not in person.
• Paperwork sessions will be held viz Zoom. Onboarding paperwork will be emailed to each new hire, who completes the paperwork and emails it back to Personnel.
• New Employee Orientation at the end of August will be held via Zoom.

Teacher and Leader Certification/Evaluation

The Office of Personnel must ensure that each certificated employee holds valid NYS certification in the area for which they are employed. There must be an updated APPR plan reflective of teacher observations and evaluations done in remote and hybrid settings. The Office of Personnel must ensure that the Superintendent and all administrators are recalibrated in the APPR/MPPR process.

• Comply with state regulations for emergency COVID-19 certification.
• Uncertified substitute teachers can cover up to 90 days (increased from 40).
• Teachers can teach up to 2 courses outside of their certification area.

Family Support

The East Ramapo Central School District is committed to providing ongoing support to families and staff. Family Resource Coordinators (FRCs) and School Nurses will build robust and trusting relationships in each school.  

We will:

• Engage families and provide activities to help them feel comfortable coming back to the school campus. We will also consider how to engage the staff in these activities.
• Communicate with families regarding immunization records and contact all parents with students on health plans and determine if they need to be revised to address minimizing infection.
• Prepare lists of medical/dental resources to share with families.
• Send a welcome Back Letter to parents and staff before school begins, detailing our plan for the 2020-2021 school year, and how we will ensure everyone’s safety, translated into Spanish, Haitian Creole, and other languages.
• Continue to create and distribute school newsletters to update parents on programs.
• Assist School Nurse in communicating with families regarding health issues such as immunization records and how to minimize infection.
• Establish a list of resources to support and sustain the social-emotional health of students and families.

Support: Next Steps

Training Resources

• Proper handwashing: proper hand hygiene. Promote frequent and thorough hand washing by providing employees, the school community, and visitors with a place to wash their hands. If soap and running water are not immediately available, provide alcohol-based hand rubs containing at least 60% ethanol or 70% isopropyl alcohol. Provide training on proper handwashing and hand sanitizer use  https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html

• Hand washing video 

• Proper cough and sneeze etiquette
• Social Distancing

• Provide training for faculty/staff on how to address close contact interactions with students as part of everyday job tasks.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/social-distancing.html

• Operating procedures (various by building)

• Entrance into the building
• Cleaning procedures
• Sick child pick up
• Staff who are sick or suspected to be sick

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html

• Proper cleaning techniques

• Cleaning and disinfecting

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/clean-disinfect/index.html

• Reopening Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting Public Spaces, Workplaces, Businesses, Schools, and Homes

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/reopen-guidance.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/pdf/Reopening_America_Guidance.pdf

• Hazard Communication – Right-To-Know

• Proper use of chemicals and Safety Data sheets

• https://www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/

• No chemicals from home
• Transfer of hand sanitizer in smaller containers
• List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)

• https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2-covid-19

• Exposure Control Plan – with a focus on Pandemic/COVID-19
• Personal Protective Equipment - PPE

• Update Hazard Assessment and PPE Selection Worksheet for all identified employees
• Proper type, use, and size
• Cleaning and sanitizing of the face-covering (if applicable)
• Provide training for staff and students on wearing, putting on, removing and discarding PPE, including in the context of their current and potential duties

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html

• Use of face coverings (donning/doffing) (cloth vs. surgical)

• Face coverings don/doff video  
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQxOc13DxvQ

• Respirator Protection (N95 - required for identified employees per NYS)

• Inclusive into your existing Respirator Protection Program or can be a separate Respirator Protection Program for medical staff only
• Training provided for identified personnel only

https://oshareview.com/2020/04/osha-requirements-for-occupational-use-of-n95-respirators-in-healthcare/

Guidance Documents

• Recovering, Rebuilding, and Renewing:  The Spirit of New York’s Schools Reopening Guidance, New York State Education Department

http://www.nysed.gov/common/nysed/files/programs/reopening-schools/nys-p12-school-reopening-guidance.pdf 

• Interim Guidance for In-Person Instruction at Pre-K to Grade 12 Schools During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, New York Department of Health

https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/Pre-K_to_Grade_12_Schools_MasterGuidence.pdf 

• Preparing K-12 School Administrators for a Safe Return to School in Fall 2020, Center for Disease Control and Prevention

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/prepare-safe-return.html

• Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Facility, Center for Disease Control and Prevention

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/disinfecting-building-facility.html

• Interim Guidance for Public and Private Employees Returning to Work Following COVID-19 Infection or Exposure

https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/offices-interim-guidance.pdf