MI Safe Schools Roadmap
District Plan
2020-21
Submitted 08.13.20
Updated 10/12/20
Table of Contents
Introduction 3
Assurances 4
MI Safe Start Phase 4 - In-Person Instruction Requirements 5
Phase 4 - Safety Protocols 6
Personal Protective Equipment 6
Hygiene 7
Spacing, Movement and Access 8
Screening Students and Staff 8
Testing Protocols for Students and Staff and Responding to Positive Cases 9
Food Service 10
Gatherings and Extracurricular Activities 10
Athletics 11
Cleaning 12
Busing and Student Transportation 12
Medically Vulnerable Students and Staff 13
Phase 4 - Mental & Social-Emotional Health 14
Screening and Referral Process To Identify and Support The School Community 14
Resources To Support The School Community 15
Phase 4 - Instruction 17
Governance 17
Professional Learning 19
Phase 5 - How it differs from Phase 4 21
Phase 6 - How it differs from Phase 5 21
On July 9, MAISA sent out a template that a district could choose to use to meet the requirements of Executive Order 2020-142. On July 16, MAISA sent out a sample of what that template could look like when completed by a local district. That sample was specific to the requirements in Executive Order 2020-142.
This Michigan Return to School Roadmap Sample Plan provides an example of a district-level plan for implementing the requirements and strong recommendations in major sections of Michigan’s 2020-21 Return to School Roadmap. This document will help districts develop a more comprehensive plan for returning to school that leverages the recommendations for mental and social-emotional well-being, instruction, and school operations in Michigan’s 2020-21 Return to School Roadmap.
It is written from the perspective of a small district without extensive central office staff. Each section is written as a coherent plan. It is not organized by the sequence of the requirements and strong recommendations in the Roadmap. However, it does address in each section all of the requirements and strong recommendations from the Roadmap.
This plan focuses on Phase 4 of Michigan’s 2020-21 Return to School Roadmap. A local district has already created a comprehensive plan for Phases 1 to 3 in their Continuity of Learning Plan. Since the requirements and recommendations of Phase 5 are all in Phase 4, the two plans are essentially the same. For example, some of the Phase 4 requirements become strong recommendations in Phase 5, and some of the strong recommendations in Phase 4 are reduced to recommendations. A district will only have to decide if they will eliminate any of the Phase 4 requirements or recommendations in Phase 5 to construct a Phase 5 plan.
* The resources contained within the pages of this document are examples and are not meant to be exhaustive.
*Many thanks to the organizations and individuals who contributed to the examples and resources linked in this document.
Buchanan Community Schools commits to implement the following as outlined in the Governor’s Executive Order 2020-142.
- The District assures that when it provides in-person instruction to its students without disabilities, the district will also provide in-person instruction to its students with disabilities, consistent with their individualized education plans.
- The District assures that when schools are closed to in-person instruction, the district will strive in good faith and to the extent practicable, based upon available resources, technology, training, and curriculum, as well as the circumstances presented by COVID-19, to provide equal access to any alternative modes of instruction to students with disabilities from birth through age 26. This includes the provision of auxiliary services under section 1296 of the Revised School Code, MCL 380.1296.
- The District assures that while any state of emergency or disaster related to the COVID-19 pandemic continues, it will comply with guidance from the United States Department of Education, including its Office of Civil Rights and Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, and the Michigan Department of Education concerning the delivery of alternative modes of instruction to students with disabilities in light of the impact of COVID-19.
- The District assures that it will, to the extent practicable and necessary, make individualized determinations whether and to what extent compensatory services may be needed for students in light of the school closures during the 2019–2020 school year.
- The District assures that during Phase 1, 2 or 3 it will close its buildings to anyone except:
- District employees or contractors necessary to conduct minimum basic school operations consistent with a Preparedness Plan, including those employers or contractors necessary to facilitate alternative modes of instruction, such as distributing materials and equipment or performing other necessary in-person functions.
- Food-service workers preparing food for distribution to students or their families.
- Licensed child-care providers and the families that they serve, if providers follow all emergency protocols identified by the state.
- The District assures that during Phase 1, 2, or 3 it will suspend athletics, after-school activities, inter-school activities, and busing.
- The District assures that during Phase 1, 2 or 3 it will provide for the continued pay of school employees while redeploying staff to provide meaningful work in the context of the Preparedness Plan, subject to any applicable requirements of a collective bargaining agreement
- The District assures that during Phase 4 it will prohibit indoor assemblies that bring together students from more than one classroom.
- The District assures that it will comply with guidelines set forth by the Berrien County Health Department.
Guiding Research
Primary Research and Guidance
Secondary Research Support & Resources
Requirements from the Michigan Return to School Roadmap
- Facial coverings must always be worn by staff except for meals. Facial coverings may be homemade or disposable level-one (basic) grade surgical masks. Face shields are not considered a facial covering (mask). Any staff member who cannot medically tolerate a facial covering must not wear one. A doctor’s note is required. Any staff member that is incapacitated or unable to remove the facial covering without assistance, must not wear a facial covering.
- PreK-5 and special education teachers should consider wearing clear masks.
- Homemade facial coverings must be washed daily.
- Disposable facial coverings must be disposed of at the end of each day.
- Facial coverings must be worn by preK-12 students, staff, and bus drivers during school transportation. Any staff or student that is unable to medically tolerate a facial covering must not wear one. A doctor’s note is required. Any staff or student that is incapacitated or unable to remove the facial covering without assistance, must not wear one. Facial coverings may be homemade or disposable level-one (basic) grade surgical masks.
- Facial coverings must always be worn in hallways and common areas by preK-12 students in the building except for during meals. Any student that is unable to medically tolerate a facial covering must not wear one. A doctor’s note is required. Any student that is incapacitated or unable to remove the facial covering without assistance, must not wear one. Facial coverings may be homemade or disposable level-one (basic) grade surgical masks.
- Homemade facial coverings must be washed daily.
- Disposable facing coverings must be disposed of at the end of each day.
- Note: Staff serving students with significant disabilities preventing the use of facial coverings are to be referred to forthcoming guidance from MDE.
- Facial coverings must be worn in classrooms by all students grades 5-12. Any student who cannot medically tolerate a facial covering must not wear one. A doctor’s note is required. Any student who is incapacitated, or unable to remove the facial covering without assistance, must not wear one.
- All students in grades K-4 must wear facial coverings unless students remain with their classes throughout the school day and do not come into close contact with students in another class.
- Per (10-5-20) Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (Emergency Order Under MCL 333.2253-Gathering Prohibition and Mask Order
- Except for schools in Region 6, as that term was defined in Executive Order 2020-176, businesses, government offices, schools, and other operations must not allow indoor gatherings of any kind unless they require individuals to wear a face covering consistent with section 3 of this order. For schools in Region 6, the wearing of face coverings is recommended.
- A business, school, government office, or other operation may not assume that someone who enters the business without a face covering falls in one of the exceptions specified in section 3 of this order, including the exception for individuals who cannot medically tolerate a face covering. A business, school, government office, or other operation may, however, accept an individual’s verbal representation that they are not wearing a face covering because they fall within a specified exception.
District and Building Implementation Plan (in addition to the above requirements):
- The expectations for the wearing of face coverings and how to obtain clean face coverings will be included in all district to parent communications, all handbooks, all student orientations, and all staff orientations.
- Building, grounds, and transportation signage will be prominent throughout all school facilities and clearly identify who is required to wear face coverings in each designated area of the building, grounds, or bus.
- PreK-4 students will not be required to wear a face covering once they are situated in the classroom.
- Students who are capable of wearing a face covering and refuse to do so in an area where a face covering is required will be issued a face covering by a school official (teacher, paraprofessional, administrator, school safety staff, playground aid, etc.) and asked to put the face covering on.
- PreK-4, intervention, and special education teachers should consider wearing clear masks.
- Students showing patterns of non-compliance will be removed from the school building until the student agrees to comply with this safety protocol. Parents will be notified of each instance of non-compliance by the administration.
- Staff who are capable of wearing a face covering and refuse to do so will be addressed by the school administrator and could face progressive disciplinary measures.
- In instances of uncertainty about individuals not wearing face coverings, these matters will be relayed to the building administration for review and decisive action.
- Guests to the school building (BRESA staff, substitute teachers, etc) will be issued a disposable face-covering upon signing in at the main office and will be instructed to wear the face-covering at all times. Instances of non-compliance will result in the guest being escorted from the building by a building administrator.
- Students and staff who are medically exempt (doctor’s note) from wearing face coverings will be asked to wear a face shield.
- In instances of uncertainty about individuals not wearing face coverings, these matters will be relayed to the building administration for review and decisive action.
Exceptions:
For more information on facial coverings please visit: https://www.michigan.gov/documents/coronavirus/Face_Coverings_Guidance_for_non-healthcare_workers_Final_685949_7.pdf
Hygiene
Requirements from the Michigan Return to School Roadmap
- Adequate supplies of soap, hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, paper towels, tissues, and signs reinforcing proper handwashing techniques will be provided to support healthy hygiene behaviors
- Staff will teach and reinforce handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and/or the safe use of hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
District and Building Implementation Plan (in addition to the above requirements):
There are no specified requirements in the Michigan Return to School Road Map.
District Implementation Plan (in addition to the above requirements):
Requirements from the Michigan Return to School Roadmap
- Schools must cooperate with the local public health department regarding implementing protocols for screening students and staff. (TBD by Local or State Health Department)
Strongly Recommended:
- Every school should identify and designate a quarantine area and a staff person to care for students who become ill at school.
District and Building Implementation Plan (in addition to the above requirements):
- Schools must cooperate with the local public health department regarding implementing protocols for screening students and staff. (TBD by Local or State Health Department)
District and Building Implementation Plan (in addition to the above requirements):
Food Service
There are no Required or specified Strongly Recommended guidelines in the Michigan Return to School Road Map.
District and Building Implementation Plan:
Requirements from the Michigan Return to School Roadmap
- Indoor assemblies that bring together students from more than one classroom will be prohibited.
District Implementation Plan (in addition to the above requirements):
Athletics Per (10-5-20) Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (Emergency Order Under MCL 333.2253-Gathering Prohibition and Mask Order
- Indoor gatherings of more than 10 and up to 500 people occurring at a non- residential venue are permitted only to the extent that the organizers and venue:
- In venues with fixed seating, limit attendance to 20% of seating capacity of the venue, provided however that gatherings at up to 25% of seating capacity are permitted in Region 6, as that region was defined in Executive Order 2020-176;
- In venues without fixed seating, limit attendance to 20 persons per 1,000 square feet in each occupied room, provided however that gatherings of up to 25 persons per 1,000 square feet in each occupied room are permitted in Region 6, as that region was defined in Executive Order 2020-176;
- Require that each person gathered wears a face covering
Requirements from the Michigan Return to School Roadmap
- The district plan will Comply with all guidance published by Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
- Students, teachers, and staff must use proper hand hygiene techniques before and after every practice, event, or other gathering. Every participant should confirm that they are healthy and without any symptoms prior to any event.
- All equipment must be disinfected before and after use.
- Inter-school competitions may be held provided that facial coverings are worn if school transportation is provided. Buses must be cleaned and disinfected before and after every use, as detailed in the subsequent “Busing and Student Transportation” section.
- Spectators are allowed provided that facial coverings are used by observers and six feet of social distancing can be maintained at all times. Attention must be given to entry and exit points to prevent crowding.
- Each participant must use a clearly marked water bottle for individual use. There should be no sharing of this equipment.
- Handshakes, fist bumps, and other unnecessary contact must not occur.
- Indoor weight rooms and physical conditioning activities that require shared equipment are suspended. Outdoor physical conditioning activities are allowed while maintaining social distancing.
- Large scale indoor spectator events are suspended. Large scale outdoor spectator or stadium events are limited to 100 people, and people not part of the same household must maintain six feet of distance from one another.
District and Building Implementation Plan (in addition to the above requirements):
Requirements from the Michigan Return to School Roadmap
- Frequently touched surfaces including light switches, doors, benches, bathrooms, must undergo cleaning at least every four hours with either an EPA-approved disinfectant or diluted bleach solution.
- Libraries, computer labs, arts, and other hands-on classrooms must undergo cleaning after every class period with either an EPA-approved disinfectant or diluted bleach solution.
- Student desks must be wiped down with either an EPA-approved disinfectant or diluted bleach solution after every class period.
- Playground structures must continue to undergo normal routine cleaning, but using an EPA-approved disinfectant is unnecessary.
- Ensure safe and correct use and storage of cleaning and disinfection products, including storing products securely away from children, and with adequate ventilation when staff use products.
- Staff must wear gloves, masks, and a face shield when performing all cleaning activities.
District and Building Implementation Plan (in addition to the above requirements):
- District Level Administrators and Building Operations will meet to review all guidance related to cleaning and disinfecting of buildings and to review the Building Operations sections of the MI Safe Schools: Michigan's 2020-21 Return to School Roadmap.
- District Level Administrators and Building Operations will identify areas of frequent use and create a cleaning schedule.
- An inventory related to all cleaning supplies that are in compliance with EPA-approved COVID-19 materials will be taken and orders made to address increased cleaning protocols.
- Cleaning stations will be identified around the building that hold materials for use in different wings (e.g., curriculum closet in third grade hallway, gym storage room, custodial closet in 5th grade hallway).
- All classrooms will be provided spray bottles with EPA-approved disinfectant or diluted bleach solution, paper towels, face shield and gloves in order to address new cleaning protocols.
Busing and Student Transportation
Requirements from the Michigan Return to School Roadmap
- Drivers will require the use of hand sanitizers before entering the bus. Hand sanitizer will be supplied on the bus.
- The bus driver, staff, and all students in grades preK-12, if medically feasible, must wear facial coverings while on the bus.
- Note: there may be situations where it is not safe for the bus driver to wear a facial covering. Decisions about these situations should be made on a case-by-case basis with local public health officials.
- Transportation vehicles will be cleaned and disinfected before and after every transit route. Children must not be present when a vehicle is being cleaned.
- Frequently touched surfaces in the vehicle will be cleaned and disinfected (e.g., surfaces in the driver’s cockpit, hard seats, arm rests, door handles, seat belt buckles, light and air controls, doors and windows, and grab handles) prior to morning routes and prior to afternoon routes.
- Equipment including items such as car seats, wheelchairs, walkers, and adaptive equipment being transported to schools will be cleaned, sanitized, and disinfected daily.
- Schools will work with parents in getting students home safely if they are not allowed to board the vehicle.
- If a student becomes sick during the day, they will not use group transportation to return home and must follow protocols outlined above. If a driver becomes sick during the day, they must follow protocols for sick staff outlined above and must not return to drive students.
- Weather permitting, doors and windows will be kept open when cleaning the vehicle and between trips to let the vehicles thoroughly air out.
- Weather permitting, keeping windows open while the vehicle is in motion will be considered to help reduce spread of the virus by increasing air circulation, if appropriate and safe.
District and Building Implementation Plan (in addition to the above requirements):
- A meeting will be held with the District Transportation Supervisor to review the criteria required for Phase 4 and discuss concerns or issues arising.
- Protocols will be developed to ensure the appropriate use of face covering for all students and drivers, use of hand sanitizers and cleaning protocols.
- Busses will be fitted with mounts for hand sanitizer at the entrance to each bus.
- Building Operations will ensure cleaning supplies in compliance with the CDC are utilized to clean busses between routes, including areas of frequent areas of contact.
- Busses will be cleaned between routes.
- Disposable face masks will be made available to students entering the bus who do not have a facial covering.
- Develop and communicate a policy to families related to the mandatory face covering on the bus for all staff and students. A doctor’s note is needed otherwise.
- Training will be offered to all bus drivers that includes:
- Appropriate use of face covering
- Policies regarding face covering
- Policies regarding hand sanitizing
- Policies and methods for cleaning and disinfecting
- Bus drivers, weather permitting will keep windows open on the bus both en route and when stopped.
- Schools will work with parents in getting students home safely if they are not allowed to board the vehicle.
- If a student becomes sick during the day, they must not use group transportation to return home and must follow the protocols outlined above. If a driver becomes sick during the day, they must follow protocols for sick staff outlined above and must not return to drive students.
Medically Vulnerable Students and Staff
There are no specified requirements in the Michigan Return to School Road Map.
District and Building Implementation Plan:
- Administration and staff will ensure that all IEP’s, 504s and health plans are being upheld in alignment with safety protocols
- Knowledgeable staff will review plans to identify those that require additional accommodations related to COVID-19.
- For example, there are exemptions to wearing face coverings for students with certain conditions.
- Update plans as needed.
- Any staff member identifying as medically vulnerable will be required to schedule a meeting with administration to discuss options for reasonable accommodations.
Phase 4 - Mental & Social-Emotional Health
Strongly Recommended from the Michigan Return to School Roadmap
- Encourage schools to implement a mental health screening for all students by a trained professional, if possible. Any screening should be compliant with HIPAA and FERPA policies. Screening instructions (offered verbally to younger students) should provide age-appropriate and transparent disclosure of protocols in place to protect confidentiality while adhering to mandated reporting guidelines.
- Establish and communicate to all staff guidelines for identification and rapid referral of at-risk students to appropriate building-level support teams.
- Provide all staff with timely, responsive, and ongoing training/professional development as well as needed tools, resources, and implementation support, focused on a variety of topics, including: social-emotional learning, trauma-informed best practices, identification of students at risk and proper local referral protocols, and self-care to promote holistic wellness and resilience and to prevent burnout and vicarious trauma.
- Encourage the identification of a point person or establish an access navigator to centralize mental health referrals, communications to families/ students, and public-facing wellness materials.
- Establish a comprehensive crisis management plan that leverages available internal and external/ community-based resources, which can be activated efficiently as needed (e.g., loss of student, loss of a school staff member).
- Compile and regularly update comprehensive lists of wellness resources available to both staff and students that can be provided in conjunction with screening activities, and that references school and community wellness resources.
- Establish ongoing reporting protocols for school staff to evaluate physical and mental health status.
- Provide resources for staff self-care, including resiliency strategies.
- Designate a mental health liaison (school-based) who will work across the school, local public health agencies, and community partners.
- Leverage MDE resources for student and staff mental health and wellness support.
- Activate communication channels for school stakeholders to address mental health concerns resulting from COVID-19 (for example, a telephone hotline or a designated email).
- Communicate with parents and guardians, via a variety of channels, return to school transition information including:
- Destigmatization of COVID-19;
- Understanding normal behavioral response to crises;
- General best practices of talking through trauma with children; and
- Positive self-care strategies that promote health and wellness.
District and Building Implementation Plan:
We believe mental and social-emotional health is a critical and foundational piece to the success of this coming year.
Our staff will use a simple check-In process as an informal screener. Teachers will have students rate their energy level on a 5 point scale and state basic emotions as to how they feel. Each building will establish their screening method (Google Form, verbal, etc) based on the developmental needs of students in their building. In the context of the informal check-ins, staff will look for any warnings of a mental health crisis and relay any concerns through the building counselor/social worker referral form. This data is part of our student support system and MTSS process and informs our implementation of SEL learning.
Recognizing that some students will be suspected of increased risk and will require additional screening, the Student Risk Screening Scale (SRSS) is a free established screener. This screener can be done by staff by filling out a brief rating scale after the school year is underway.
A digital referral form for all staff to report at-risk student concerns will be posted on each building’s internal website. These referrals (Google Form) go immediately to the building counselor/social worker for action.
Each building will provide mental health resources, tools, professional development and support during staff professional development. Prior to the first day of school, staff will receive professional development that includes training on accessing and utilizing the BCS at-risk referral form process, student screening process, and comprehensive resources provided on the district website and internally on the Innerweb. Ongoing updates will be provided at staff meetings, online, or via email.
Each building has a counselor or social worker who will serve as the point person to centralize mental health referrals, communications to families/students, and public-facing wellness materials. OES: Laura Henckel; MES: Shana Constable; BMS: Kathy McLaughlin; BHS: Sonia Barlow & Brandon Flowers.
Our BCS School Crisis Team, headed by BCS Superintendent Trish Robinson, will meet and update all relevant crisis team information. BCS works closely with the Berrien RESA Crisis Team and RESA crisis resources. BCS will continue to work with the Berrien County Sheriff's Department Handle With Care notice system.
Each building will post internally on the Innerweb current wellness resources that are developmentally appropriate for students, and can be accessed by all students and staff. Buchanan Community Schools will compile and regularly update comprehensive lists of wellness resources available to our school community that can be provided in conjunction with screening activities, and that reference school and community wellness resources. These will be placed on our website so that everyone has quick and easy access to them.
Staff will be reminded to self-assess their physical and mental health status and if desired contact their school’s mental health person (counselor/social worker) for next steps. BCS will post comprehensive staff self care resources on the Innerweb that can be accessed by all staff.
We will Leverage MDE resources for student and staff mental health and wellness support. The counselor/social worker assigned to each building will serve as the point person for school stakeholders to contact with any mental health concerns resulting from COVID-19 and can be contacted internally via Innerweb referral form or by all stakeholders via email:
OES-Laura Henckel lhenckel@buchananschools.com;
MES-Shana Constable sconstable@buchananschools.com;
BMS-Kathy McLaughlin kmclaughlin@buchananschools.com;
BHS-Sonia Barlow sbarlow@buchananschools.com and
Brandon Flowers bflowers@buchananschools.com.
District and Building Implementation Plan:
- Gather feedback from families, teachers, students, and school leaders about their experiences with remote learning through online surveys and/or virtual focus groups or conversations.
- Revise the district’s remote learning plan to incorporate the feedback received, and input from stakeholders, to improve its effectiveness.
- Share the district’s remote learning plan with all involved stakeholders in case of a return to remote learning.
Our district’s Teaching and Learning Team will be led by our District’s Curriculum Director. We will include (names):
- Superintendent - Patricia Robinson
- Building principals - Stacey Denison, Mike Dunn, Shelby Beasly, Stacey DeMaio and Brian Pruett-Assistant Principal
- Counselor/ social worker-Laura Henckel
- pK-12 teacher representatives from our different buildings and grade levels - Wendy Murphy (Elementary) and Derek Tefft (Secondary)
- Support staff representatives (food service-Becky Kaltenbach, transportation-Angie Portt, administrative assistants-Marion Hurd, teaching assistants/paraprofessional-Tammie Hermman)
- Technology-Phil Place
- Union representative-Wendy Murphy and Derek Tefft
- Board of Education representative-Ruth Writer
- Parent representative-Parent Advisory Group
- Student Representatives-Serynn N., Katie D., and Caden M.
As long as Berrien County remains in Phase 4 of the Michigan Safe Start Plan it is the intention of the Buchanan Community Schools to resume in-person instruction in the fall of 2020-2021. As we continue moving forward, we will continue to follow public health data to make safe, informed decisions, with the intent to return students and staff to our school buildings. Classroom configurations, schedules, staffing, and transportation options have been evaluated and safety protocols have been identified to ensure that the return of students to the classroom is as close to normal as possible.
BUCHANAN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS RETURN TO SCHOOL ROADMAP |
August 5, 2020 UPDATE |
FAMILY OPTIONS FOR THE 2020-21 SCHOOL YEAR Buchanan Community Schools will offer families two learning options to consider for their student(s) when the 2020-2021 school year resumes. The learning options are explained below.
- FACE TO FACE/IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION - Provided we are in Stage 4, 5, or 6 of the MI Safe Start Plan.
- REMOTE LEARNING – Buchanan Community Schools will offer an online educational program for students in Kindergarten through Grade 12. Please complete the 2020-21 BCS Enrollment Elective Form
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OPTION #1: IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION AT BUCHANAN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS | OPTION #2: REMOTE LEARNING THROUGH BUCHANAN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS | Buchanan Community Schools plans to resume in-person instruction to start the school year if possible. Buchanan Community Schools is developing a plan that meets the requirements set forth in the MI Safe Schools Roadmap. We will use this guidance to make safe, informed decisions, with the intent to safely return students and staff to our school buildings. More specifics about safety measures can be found on the following pages. Note: A shift to remote learning may be required if there is a resurgence of COVID-19 (Phase 1, 2, or 3 of MI Safe Start Plan). If we move to Phase 3 for the start of the year or during the year, the district’s remote learning management system (Google Classroom) will be activated quickly. Remote learning in the 2020-2021 school year will have more rigorous requirements, daily structure, and academic instruction than what took place during the crisis in March 2020. | Enrollment in this online option will be a semester-long commitment to this at-home, remote learning option, which relies on parent assistance. The remote, online option may be accessed from the safety of a students’ home or anywhere there is an internet connection. Students enrolled in this online program will still be Buchanan students and eligible for the Promise. Participants in the online programs are not eligible to participate in MHSAA athletics. K-4 Students* Parents opting for remote learning for their K-4 student need to complete the 2020-21 BCS Enrollment Elective Form or by calling Michelle Munyon at 269-695-8400 ext. 20002. Students will be taught online by a Buchanan teacher. Sign up due by 3PM on August 21, 2020. *Available if a minimum number of students sign up.
5-12 Students Students in Grades 5-12 will need to enroll into Buchanan Virtual Academy (BVA) for the remote learning option. BVA will provide an online education program that offers a rigorous curriculum led by non-Buchanan teachers who are highly qualified in their subject areas. More information about how to enroll in BVA will be shared in the near future. |
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Instructional Options
Phase 5 - How it differs from Phase 4
The requirements and recommendations of Phase 5 are all in Phase 4. For example, some of the Phase 4 requirements become strong recommendations in Phase 5, and some of the strong recommendations in Phase 4 are reduced to recommendations.
Berrien County Back to School Agreed Upon Items from County Superintendents
Phase 6 - How it differs from Phase 5
Phase 6 of Michigan’s 2020-21 Return to School Roadmap only has recommendations for safety protocols. These recommendations are dramatically reduced from what is in Phases 4 and 5. Most of them represent basic cleaning and hygiene routines that should be standard at all times.
The district will ask stakeholders to provide feedback BCS Return to School Survey regarding their experience with online learning through an online survey and possible options for 2020-21. After the results from the survey are available, our District Return to Learn Committee will analyze these results to help inform the final development of the plan, paying special attention to equity and access by actively recruiting input from underrepresented groups.
The final Preparedness Plan will be posted on the district’s website, and related sections will be included as a supplement to the student and staff handbooks. In the Welcome Back Meeting for staff in August, our district administration will cover the supplemental information in detail and answer questions related to the plan to ensure clarity of expectations and execution. Building administration and teachers will engage students in a full review of the supplemental information related to the Preparedness Plan to ensure students are well versed in the event we return to remote in any form or fashion.
Final Submission
Each district shall submit a single completed Assurance Document and Preparedness Plan to its Board of Education (in the case of a PSA, the Academy Board of Directors; in the case of a nonpublic school, the chief or designated school administrator ) in time for approval by August 15 or seven days before the first day of school, whichever comes first.
- Date of Approval by the District Board of Education: August 13, 2020
- Link to the Board Meeting Minutes:
Buchanan Community School Board Meeting Minutes (8/13/20)
- Link to the approved Plan posted on the District/PSA/nonpublic school website:
Buchanan MI Safe Schools Plan (Master)
The Preparedness Plan will be collected by the Intermediate School District for public school districts, the authorizing body for public school academies, or the chief/designated school administrator for nonpublic schools for transmission to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and State Treasurer by August 17, 2020. Additionally, this Preparedness Plan must be posted on the district’s/PSA’s, or nonpublic school’s public website home page no later than August 17, 2020.
Name of District/PSA/Nonpublic Leader Submitting Plan: Superintendent Patricia Robinson
Date Received by the ISD/Authorizing Body/Chief or designated School Administrator: August 14, 2020
Date Submitted to State Superintendent and State Treasurer: August 17, 2020