HILLSBOROUGH RESPONDS
Superintendent Davis Outlines the School Reopening Plan
This plan evolved after extensive discussions with our health partners at Tampa General Hospital and USF Health. It is a fluid plan which we will continue to modify when the need arises.
The plan includes information about what returning to school will look like, an extensive look at each of our three learning options, and what steps will happen if there is a positive COVID-19 case in one of our schools.
You can view the School Reopening Plan here.
Our district has created this special Hillsborough Responds which outlines the three educational options families can choose from for the upcoming school year: Classroom Instruction, eLearning and Hillsborough Virtual K-12. The information below can all be found in the School Reopening Plan.
Please remember - the deadline for the Declaration of Intent, which allows you to choose which learning option you want for your child, has been extended to Sunday, July 19th at midnight.
ALL ABOUT eLEARNING
An eLearning Overview
- eLearning students will maintain their enrollment status at their brick and mortar schools;
- eLearning students will attend school online during regular school hours and follow a standard school schedule (sample below)
- Teachers will teach "live" each day with students daily utilizing web conferencing technology;
- Students can return to their school campus second semester if they choose, or if they are not demonstrating adequate progress virtually;
- Electronic devices will be available for check out at the school site, if needed
- eLearning courses will be designed to ensure rigor matches the traditional classroom setting;
- The exact course offerings by school will be solidified by the student's school.
What's Expected of Students Who Choose eLearning
- All students will be expected to complete and submit assignments as determined by the assigned teacher;
- All students will follow the assessment calendar and participate in all local and state assessments;
- Each morning, students are expected to be present and engage in virtual instruction within the designated schedule;
- All students will be expected to adhere to daily attendance guidelines, log in, and attend class during the designated times;
- Students will access their curriculum and assignments via the Canvas Learning Management System;
- Students will utilize Zoom for viewing live-lessons, meetings and small group instruction.
How Parents Will Assist their eLearning Children
- Make sure your student understands the expectations for eLearning;
- Maintain a daily routine around school and schoolwork;
- Keep in touch with teacher(s) on a regular basis and let them know if your child is experiencing specific challenges;
- Do check-ins with your child regarding academics. This includes checking their Canvas course to ensure the option chosen for your child is appropriate;
- Seek assistance from school staff for emotional or mental health if needed.
SAMPLE eLEARNING SCHEDULES - You can find additional grade level schedules by going to HillsboroughSchools.org/reopening and viewing the entire Reopening Plan
TRADITIONAL (FACE-TO-FACE) INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY
Traditional (Face-to-Face) Classroom Overview
- Utilize district adopted curriculum with lessons developed and taught by classroom teachers;
- Student will remain enrolled in their 2020-2021 assigned school and keep their school choice seat;
- Traditional, in-person, face-to-face instruction for grades PK-12 learning following the regular student schedule and student calendar and bell times;
- Follow and adhere to all 2020-2021 HCPS school building health and safety protocols and Code of Student Conduct.
What's Expected of Students Who Choose Traditional Learning
- Students will physically come to their school for their learning;
- Assignments, activities and classroom-based assessments will be developed and conducted by their teachers;
- Code of Student Conduct and traditional school expectations remain in effect;
- All students will follow the assessment calendar and participate in all local and state assessments;
- Students and families must review wellness protocol to ensure students are healthy and symptom-free prior to coming to school each day;
- Collaborative activities may look different or be lessened to ensure the safety and well being of the school community;
- Classroom spaces will be arranged to maximize social distancing and minimize any shared items;
- Lunch schedules will be modified to maximize social distancing;
- Large group gatherings will be reduced;
- Parent meetings and/or conferences will be scheduled to occur virtually, until it is deemed appropriate to have larger number of individuals on campus.
How Will School Look Different for Returning Students?
- Students will be required to wear masks throughout the school day;
- If a student does not have a mask, they will be provided with a disposable mask before entering campus;
- Specific single-door entry points will be established for each mode of arrival (bus, car, bicycles & walkers);
- Students will be provided with a Grab-and-Go boxed breakfast;
- In the classroom, student stations will be social distanced;
- All classrooms will be supplied with sanitizing stations for frequent cleansing of student stations and common touch points;
- Students will be directed to walk on the right side of the hallways;
- Class changes and dismissals will be staggered when possible to enforce social distancing and prevent hallway congregating;
- All electives, p.e., art and music classes will maintain social distancing where possible and will not include any contact sports or activities. Equipment will not be shared;
- Students will not be changing clothes for p.e. and will not be using locker rooms;
- Lunches will be Grab-and-Go boxed meals to prevent serving and sharing of food;
- Students will not use the keypads for entering student numbers;
- Students will be required to wear masks before and after eating.
What does an average day look like? This video shows you the changes being made in our schools.
HILLSBOROUGH VIRTUAL K-12
Hillsborough Virtual K-12 Overview
- A school choice option in which students learn in a digital space using a web-based curriculum with highly qualified teachers from Hillsborough County;
- Students will withdraw from their brick and mortar school and enroll full time in the virtual program;
- Students can re-enroll at their brick and mortar school in the second semester if they so choose. Students will have flexibility when they complete their work and are not tied to a specific bell schedule;
- Students follow the same school calendar as brick and mortar sites;
- A “flipped classroom” environment in which students have access to the entire curriculum up front and are given a weekly set of assignments;
- Teachers will offer one “live” session per week with students utilizing web conferencing technology;
- Teacher-designed lessons are delivered through Canvas for K-5 and through FLVS for 6-12;
- Hillsborough Virtual K-12 may be able to provide additional accommodations and services per a student’s IEP or Section 504 Plan if the accommodation(s) is/are applicable to the online; educational environment. Please note that some accommodations and services may not be possible to implement in the Hillsborough Virtual K-12 online educational setting;
- Electronic devices will be available for check out at our site, if needed for students that qualify for free and reduced lunch;
- Courses will be designed to ensure rigor matches the traditional classroom setting.
What's Expected of Students Who Choose Hillsborough Virtual K-12
All students will follow the assessment calendar and participate in all local and state assessments in person. Students will report to D.W. Waters for testing;
Students are expected to complete the work at their own pace throughout the week and submit all required assignments by the end of the week;
Students will utilize Zoom for viewing live-lessons, meetings and small group instruction.
What's Expected of Parents Whose Children Choose Hillsborough Virtual K-12
- Parents are expected to serve as the learning coach and to facilitate the learning schedule;
- Typically, elementary students require daily guidance from their parent or guardian, while middle and high school students need guidance on a weekly basis;
- Maintain a routine around school and schoolwork;
- Keep in touch with your teacher(s) on a regular basis and let them know if your child is experiencing specific challenges;
- Do check-ins with your child regarding academics, this includes checking their Canvas course to ensure the option chosen for your child is appropriate;
- Seek assistance from school staff for emotional or mental health if needed;
- Parents may be required to provide transportation to D.W. Waters for local and state assessments.
EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATION FOR SCHOOL REOPENING
Our district will provide training, resources and tools to support IEP teams in determining the needed services.
For families choosing eLearning, the IEP team will meet to ensure that the district’s online program is individualized for each student in the eLearning environment. Special education and related services as identified in the IEP during eLearning may be provided in a variety of ways including the use of telephone calls, instructional support materials, internet based or virtual lessons and/or virtual therapies, and other available distance-based learning approaches.
Our district will take the following actions to ensure the needs of our ESE students are addressed:
- Teachers and administrators will review a student's baseline data in order to determine present level and learning gaps;
- Educators will review student’s progression toward IEP goals and objectives;
- Determine any need for additional supports or services to remediate gaps;
- Ensure delivery of services and supports through extended learning opportunities as necessary;
- Progress monitoring assessments may be conducted utilizing diagnostic assessments and curriculum-based measures;
- Schedule and hold all meetings and complete all evaluations that were postponed due to requirements of social distancing for in-person meetings;
- Provide ongoing communication and collaboration with parents;
- Hold IEP team meetings, including parents and all appropriate IEP team members to conduct annual reviews, revisions and eligibility staffing. These may take place utilizing Zoom or telephone conference calls. Teams may meet in-person if CDC guidelines allow;
- Understanding that there may be students, due to the nature of their disabilities, who will not be able to wear a mask/face covering, staff in those cases may wear a mask and face shield. Therapists, teachers and other staff working with students who are deaf/hard of hearing, will need to wear a shield and not a mask to ensure proper communication. Shields will also be used by speech and language therapists when providing speech therapy.
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Email: newsletter@sdhc.k12.fl.us
Website: HillsboroughSchools.org
Location: 901 East Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, FL, USA
Phone: 813-272-4000
Facebook: Facebook.com/HillsboroughSch
Twitter: @HillsboroughSch