OES Back to School Update
July 27th
3 Options for Returning to School
- Traditional
- Hybrid
- Virtual Academy
Traditional Explained
Our school will be taking numerous precautions to keep our students as safe and healthy as possible. Below are a few examples:
- Student desk will be spread out and spaced out as much as possible.
- Teachers will have face shields and/or face mask.
- There will be markings on the floor to ensure traffic flow in and traffic flow out does not cross and students are able to social distance as much as possible.
- There will be markings on the lunchroom tables to ensure students are spaced out and socially distanced when eating in the lunchroom.
- Only one adult per student allowed in the building. The adult must be on "official business" only. The school administration will work with the parent to set up "official business" meeting times when needed.
- Numerous amounts of additional cleaning supplies have been purchased to be used when school starts.
- Extra cleaning times have been added in between specials such as PE, Library, and Technology.
- When entering the school, students will not wait in the hallway. Students will go ahead and enter his or her classroom.
This is only a sample list. We will continue to revisit and make changes to school procedures and protocols to ensure our students maximum health and safety.
Hybrid Explained
The hybrid option allows for the student to spend one or more grading periods online and one or more grading periods in the traditional setting. Choose this model if you are unsure of starting back as traditional but may return to traditional this school year. Please understand that we ask for a 9 week commitment (based upon grading period).
Your child will be enrolled online using a program to meet their educational needs. This option does not include face-to-face instruction. Each school will assign a facilitator for the online learning within the hybrid option.
School
Provide a learning management system (Microsoft Teams or One Note) to house an online curriculum (Schools PLP for elementary and APEX for
secondary) with content correlated with Alabama Content Standards. For those without internet access, provide weekly assignments which must be
picked up by the parent / caregiver or student.
Reconvene IEP team or 504 team to address amendment(s) to IEP or 504 plan for virtual learning via Hybrid option.
Reconvene IELP team to address amendment(s) to IELP if needed via Hybrid option.
Assign a certified teacher to facilitate online learning. (This may or may not be the same teacher a child had or would have in the traditional setting.)
Generate and share progress reports every 4 ½ weeks.
Team will evaluate the student’s level of engagement / success within the online curriculum or completion of printed assignments and make
recommendations concerning whether the student should remain in the hybrid option; apply to St. Clair County’s Virtual Preparatory Academy which
could offer a blend of online instruction with small group / individual instruction, or return as a traditional student with safety measures in place.
Teacher (assigned to facilitate hybrid student’s online learning)
Use the learning management system to post assignments, provide instructional resources, and monitor the student’s level of engagement and progress
within the online curriculum. For those without internet access, teachers will create weekly assignments which must be picked up by the parent /
caregiver or student.
Communicate no less than weekly through email, phone calls, and / or Skype or MS Teams with the student and parent / caregiver concerning the
student’s level of engagement and progress within the online curriculum.
Provide additional instructional resources for clarification and extra practice as requested.
Implement IEP, 504, and IELP plans.
Student
Prioritize daily schedule to ensure adequate time is devoted to online curriculum and mastery of content standards.
Seek help from parent / caregiver when having trouble accessing the online curriculum due to inability to understand / follow the directions or
technology issues or confusion about a printed assignment.
Reach out to the teacher for clarification of directions.
Complete daily / weekly assignments.
Reach out to teacher to request additional support on content / assignments which are confusing.
Parent / Caregiver
Communicate to school the need for an electronic device such as a laptop, if one is not available in the home. (The St. Clair County School System does
not provide internet access. Paper copies of assignments will be provided to those selecting the hybrid model who do not have access to the internet.)
Provide a quiet place for the student to work for extended periods of time.
Assist in creating a daily / weekly schedule that devotes an appropriate amount of time to complete online / print assignments.
Ensure the student prioritizes daily / weekly schedule to ensure adequate time is devoted to online curriculum and mastery of content standards.
Assist student with technology struggles and reach out to the student’s hybrid teacher / facilitator or school’s identified technology contact to discuss
issues with devices or learning management system.
Assist student with directions for assignments.
Communicate struggles with assignments to the student’s teacher.
Monitor your student’s progress with assignments.
Return completed assignments to your student’s school if paper / pencil assignments.
Additional Information
Students selecting the hybrid model will not attend in person lessons.
Students selecting the hybrid model must show mastery of content standards to pass to the next grade level.
Once teachers have proper training in SchoolsPLP, they can suggest a daily / weekly schedule. The learning traits of the student and difficulty
of content will also determine the amount of time needed to show mastery of the content standards.
Daily lessons will be assigned for all core subjects and electives
Virtual Prepratory Academy
Frequently Asked Questions
If I choose traditional and my child has to be quarantined, will I have to now move to the hybrid option?
- No. Your child will be placed in the same program we used in the Spring….Beyond the Classroom. Your child's teacher will provide lessons through our Microsoft products online. If being online is an issue, arrangements will be made to provide paper assignments. Once the quarantine phase is over and your child shows no symptoms for the last 72 hours (without medication), then they can return to traditional.
If we select our child to be hybrid can he start out Traditional and then move to online after the 1st 9 weeks if we feel that is necessary for safety precautions?
- Yes, this scenario is exactly what Hybrid offers for our students. Also, the student could choose Hybrid for the 1st 9 weeks and then return to Traditional. A student moving from hybrid to traditional will be placed in the classroom with the least amount of enrolled students. .
Will my child have the same teacher in the hybrid model as in the traditional model?
- No. We will have specific staff members to teach hybrid and specific teachers to teach traditional.
Who wears a mask?
- Every employee is required by the Governor's Health Order to wear a mask any time they cannot maintain a distance of 6 feet from another person. Additionally, they will wear a mask in the hallways and in gathering areas (gym, lunchroom, etc). Every visitor to a campus, regardless of age, will be required to wear a mask. At this time (July 11, 2020) students are not required, but are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED, to wear a mask. At this time (July 11, 2020) outdoor stadiums (for extracurricular activities) will not be mandated to wear a mask, but are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED. However, indoor gyms (for extracurricular activities) WILL BE REQUIRED to wear a mask even if a student of the school. We must keep the gyms and school as safe as possible, so masks will be required in gyms during extracurricular events. This also applies to any meetings held at school in which outside visitors are present.
If my child wears a mask, what does it need to look like?
- Masks need to be generic. Just as clothing can be a distraction and lead to disciplinary actions, so too can masks. Don't put obscene drawings or words on masks. Masks should be used for safety, not cause a distraction to others.
What am I required to do as a parent?
- Each morning you should check your child's temperature and assess them for any symptoms of COVID19 (or any other illness). If running a fever of 100.4 degrees, or any other symptom, contact the school immediately, and quarantine your child. Your child should show no symptom and be fever free for 72 hours without medication before returning to school. If your child tests positive, they are to be quarantined for 14 calendar days. Communication with the school is vital so that assignments can be given during the quarantine phase of recovery.
Should I expect this year to be different?
- Absolutely. The statement, "we've always done it this way", no longer applies. We will have new procedures in place that will govern every aspect of school. Expect changes and many restrictions to ensure the safety of our staff and students. Every employee and every visitor (regardless of age) will be required to wear a mask.
What about the buses?
- The bus driver and aide will be required to wear a mask. Students are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to wear a mask. Students must be assigned a seat and will be required to sit with their siblings. If a student appears to be sick, he/she will be provided a mask and will be required to sit in the front of the bus. Upon arrival to school, he/she will be seen by a nurse and the parent will be contacted to pick-up their child. Hand sanitizer will be provided on each bus. Each bus will be sanitized after every route.
Will there be additional custodial staff hired to help with cleaning/sanitizing?
- No. We have a very strict budget. Every employee is expected to clean and sanitize their area. Custodial staff will continue with their current duties, but will also be expected to sanitize common areas and classrooms using sanitation machines.
How will special education situations be handled? Some students need to be restrained, moved to sensory rooms. How will this be addressed to keep them safe from the spread of the virus?
- IEPs will be served as written. Each plan will be reexamined to meet the needs of the student based upon which educational offering chosen. Staff in special needs classrooms will be required to wear masks and other safety equipment to protect themselves and their students. Extra sanitation precautions will be taken in these classrooms because of their needs and because some are high risk for sickness. More specifics related to special education will come once the ALSDE has released information.
How will parents be notified when someone in their child's school and or grade test positive for COVID 19? We do not need the name of the child/adult but something like, an individual in your child's class has some symptoms and is being tested or in some cases a student or adult has tested positive. Will the entire class be sent home to quarantine? Will the entire school close? Is there a certain percentage that has been marked that if that number of students are out that the schools will close again?
- The school will contact parents and will provide general statements. We cannot provide identifying information of the child in any way. Please understand that we anticipate people will test positive or will show symptoms similar to COVID 19. Many calls may be made during this time. Be patient as we will do the best we can. Contact tracing (specific notifications) will be handled by the parent of the child with guidance from the Alabama Dept of Public Health. The schools are not required to contact each person the child has been in contact with. We will only communicate with general information. The entire class will not need to be quarantined as long as they do not come into contact with the person within 6 feet for longer than 15 minutes. Schools will only close as a last resort. There is no certain percentage that will dictate this decision. It will be done so under strict guidance from the ALSDE, ADPH, and the State. If a school closes, there is a very high chance that the schools within that community will also close.
How will the nurses keep the area clean and clear for well students that may need to take regular medications so they are not contaminated by those that are sick?
- Each school is required to have an isolation area for sick children. If a child reports to the nurse sick, they will be isolated, be given a mask, and the parent contacted for pick-up. Those taking medications will do so with the nurse in a non-isolated area. The nurse's area will be sanitized and cleaned throughout the day.
How will counselors be used this year? Will they be able to hold small groups and have individual counseling with those that need it as they have in previous years?
- Counselors will conduct business as usual, with safety measures. Masks, social distancing, and sanitation will be used to ensure safety.
How will you handle late arrivals? Will the parent need to come in an check them into school? What about checkouts?
- We will be conducting most business using front door service. We will not allow visitors in the building, unless absolutely necessary. Anyone entering any building beginning August 1st WILL be required to wear a mask.
Will volunteers be able to continuing assisting in the schools during this time?
- Not at this time. There will be situations where the answer is yes; however, this decision will be the Principal's after discussing with the Superintendent, Curriculum Coordinator, Lead Nurse, and Local School Nurse.
Communication is key! How will parents get notifications and information this year?
- We will be utilizing callouts, newsletters, website, the county app (download from your app store), Microsoft teams, email, and social media. Parents need to make sure they have a working email and an updated phone on file with the school in order to receive updates.
Can parents visit the classroom or have lunch with their child this year?
- Not at this time. We will not allow visitors to enter the building this year, unless conducting official business and under very strict guidelines.
If a student gets in trouble at school, are they going to be allowed to go to hybrid as punishment and return back to school later?
- No. Students will be disciplined as in the past. If a child withdraws to avoid discipline, the discipline follows them and will be enforced when returning to school.
How will attendance work?
- Regardless of the which option chosen, each student is considered present and accounted for each day. If the student is truly absent from traditional school, then a parent or doctor note is required. Students receiving instruction through the hybrid option will be indicated in INOW. Students on quarantine and using Beyond the Classroom will also be indicated in INOW. Students in full virtual at VPA will be enrolled in VPA and on their roster and are always present.
How will grading work?
- Grades will count regardless of which option is chosen. Teachers will need to insert the hybrid grade into INOW. More details for teachers will come from their Principal. Parents need to expect some delay in reporting grades. Please be patient as teachers insert grades into INOW.
Concession area. If the concession stand has a serve-safe certified food handler, will that meet requirements for serving open air food or is that a completely different license through food and beverage (or whoever does restaurant/food service licensing)?
- No. All food handling must follow the Governor's Health Order under the section for restaurants. Concessions will consist of prepacked food and drinks to minimize exposure and handling by volunteers. Concession workers will be required to wear masks and gloves.
If there is a significant number of students who decide to transfer to the VPA and our home school student attendance/enrollment number goes down a full teacher unit or more, how will that affect our teacher/class size for the 21-22 school year? If those same students decide to transfer back to their home school for the next school year, what happens regarding teachers/class sizes?
- If students withdraw from the St. Clair County School System, that lowers enrollment, which lowers teacher units. The State determines allocations based upon the Average Daily Membership on the 20-day after Labor Day report. Teacher units are funding a year in arrears, so enrollment is affected this year, will impact the numbers for next year.
We understand when the students arrive they will go to their class instead of the gym, but what about dismissal? Will students be called from their individual classes instead of lining up in the hallways (middle and high school)?
- We will follow safety guidelines and ensure our hallways are at smaller capacity when dismissing. Each grade level will use a specific stairwell when traveling throughout the building.
Will all hybrid learning be through Microsoft Teams and Microsoft programs or will there be any live lessons via Zoom or other platform?
- We will be utilizing multiple platforms this school year. K-6 will be using School PLP. Students being quarantined will be using Microsoft products during their time away.
Will the school still serve breakfast? Lunch?
We will still serve all meals as normal. Safety precautions will change the delivery method, but not the meals.
Back to School Survey
If you have not completed the Back to School Survey to let us know what option your child is choosing for returning to school, please do so as soon as possible. You can access the link below.
Registration
You will need the following documents to register your child. These documents must be uploaded to the Power School portal.
- Copy of lease or mortgage agreement
- 2 Proofs of Residence (examples—but not limited to):
- Copy of current utility bills in a parent's name (power, gas, water, telephone, etc.)
- Property Tax Notice, Voter registration Card
- Proof of Immunization — One of the following forms are required by state law and may be obtained from the health department or your child’s doctor:
- IMM-50 Alabama Blue Form (Immunizations and Medical Exemptions) or
- IMM-52 Religious Exemptions
- Copy of Parent Driver License
- Proof of Custody (when warranted)
New Students will also need the following when registering.
- Birth Certificate
- Social Security Card
*If you are living with someone else and/or your name is not on the lease/mortgage, you will need to email Amy.Buckner@sccboe.org to get an Affidavit of Residency form.
Supply List
Meet the Teacher Dates
- August 11th Pre K Meet The Teacher 5:30-7:30
- August 13th 1st Grade Meet The Teacher 5:30-7:30
- August 16th Kindergarten and 2nd Grade Meet the Teacher 5:30-7:30
*More detailed information to come and dates are subject to change.
New 2020-2021 School Year Calendar
August 20th - Student Last Name A-K
August 21st - Student Last Name L-Z
Please Note Adjusted Arrival Times for OES Students
OES Students will be tardy at 8:00 AM this school year.
OES Students will dismiss at 2:40 PM.
Flow of Traffic Update
The front entrance of OES will be having construction that is estimated to start when school starts. Please read over the updated map above for temporary changes to our car line and check-ins/check-outs.
The bus route change to dropping off students using Burgess Drive will stay the same for the school year.
Help Us Fill the Bucket
Questions
Principal: christa.urban@sccboe.org
Assistant Principal: katelyn.dorsett@sccboe.org
Counselor: amy.buckner@sccboe.org
Nurse: shaveka.reed@sccboe.org