Reports on School Reopening
Week 3 - Meetings between July 13 - 17, 2020
Committees on curriculum and instruction, health and wellness, operations, and student activities and sports have been created to analyze the pros, cons, and implications of scenarios under consideration to re-open schools in August and assist in the development of our health and safety plan. Committee membership comprises students and families, members of the Cheltenham Educators’ Association (CEA), Business Employees’ Council (BEC), school board, and Cheltenham community, and school-level and central office administrators. These committees will meet once a week through the week of July 27:
Following every meeting, the subcommittees will share with the community written reports outlining how each of the aforementioned areas will be addressed. All school reopening information is available at cheltenham.org/road2reopening.
For those with questions, please send them to schoolreopeningcommittee@cheltenham.org. Questions will be routed to the appropriate sub-committee.
PDOH, PDE Issue Public Health Guidance
On Thursday, July 16, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Education (PDE) issued public health guidance to assist pre-K to 12 schools in developing and implementing health and safety plans for safely returning to in-person instruction for the 2020-21 school year amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more>
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Curriculum and Instruction
The Curriculum and Instruction Committee met on Wednesday, July 15. The 90-minute meeting was dedicated to a comprehensive review of a proposal for school reopening as it relates to curriculum and instruction. Please note, the superintendent and school board are reviewing these recommendations. View the agenda> | View the slide deck> | Committee Membership>
Recommendations
OPTION A
Schools reopen with an in-person alternating schedule:
A/B schedule with 50% of the students attending with 6-feet social distance and 50% of students receiving asynchronous and synchronous instruction on alternating days
The A/B approach would require a Monday/Tuesday and Thursday/Friday schedule
Wednesdays would be designated for staff professional development, office hours, intervention time, meetings, etc. Buildings will be cleaned on Wednesdays in between each student group.
In-Person
Students will follow the current schedule.
Students will not share supplies, resources, instructional manipulatives, or materials.
These items will be stored individually and taken home daily
Librarians will complete lessons in the respective classrooms.
Physical education classes will be conducted outdoors, weather permitting, using social distance guidelines. Activities and lessons requiring shared equipment are not permitted.
Specialist teachers such as art, music, and STEM will meet students in their respective classrooms.
Field trips must be virtual.
Remote
Asynchronous and synchronous instruction
Synchronous instructional delivery will be determined by the availability of staff which will be a direct result of the number of families who select the in-person option
OPTION B
Schools reopen in-person:
Depending on the number of families who select in-person as their preferred method, there may not be a need to implement an A/B schedule. All students will be able to attend daily (not including Wednesday) if, for example, only 50% of students will attend in-person.
This option will not allow for synchronous remote interactions with the exception of Wednesdays for interventions and office hours.
In-Person
- Please see the in-person options in Option A.
Remote
Asynchronous and synchronous instruction
Synchronous instructional delivery will be determined by the availability of staff which will be a direct result of the number of families who select the in-person option
OPTION C
Schools reopen 100% remotely:
All students will receive four days of synchronous and asynchronous instruction
Teachers will use one day per week for professional development, interventions, office hours, parent and meetings, etc.
Synchronous instruction will be a significant increase compared to the CSD experience in the spring
Additional notes
Students with disabilities will need to be assessed individually to determine the need for them to attend more often than their scheduled day. If the student can receive services at home, the student could remain on the A/B schedule. Implementation of IEPs on days they are not in will require the same level of support as when they are physically present ie. students with a reading disability will require reading support/instruction by the special education teacher.
Consider students receiving intensive services to attend daily, with the exception of Wednesdays. (ie. LSS)
Evaluations and reevaluations will need to be completed upon opening. A meeting was held with the school psychologists through guidance from legal counsel to create a process for reissuing permissions to complete evaluations. A recommendation is for plexiglass to be used to provide safety to the child and adult completing the evaluation and allow for visibility.
Students with speech and language needs
Students and therapists will need to have masks, shields, and/or plexiglass that allow for the visibility of their mouths. Additional masks/shields will be needed for students who will require evaluations.
Several speech therapists provide services to multiple schools as well as the students on their caseload might also require TeleTherapy on days they are not present due to the number of services required in their IEPs.
Live streaming was discussed at length. Several committee members assert that the quality of instruction will be negatively impacted if we incorporate a model where teachers’ lessons are live-streamed for students to view at home. Specifically, there were concerns that this would promote a “stand and deliver” model of instruction that would be problematic for students who attend in-person.
Next meeting: Wednesday, July 22, 10 a.m. The agenda aims to conclude a green phase proposal to present to the superintendent for review.
Health and Wellness
The Health and Wellness Committee met on Thursday, July 16. Below are highlights of the topics discussed. View the slide deck> | Read the meeting minutes> | Committee membership>
Guidelines from the PA Department of Education, PA Health Department Secretary Dr. Levine, and Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services
- Montgomery County nurses have been discussing the need to increase efforts with regard to concrete steps and protocol to support the health and well-being of students and staff. The District had contacted the Communicable Disease Division of the Office of Public Health, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services for guidance. CSD School Nurse Coordinator Ms. Alex Knab highlighted the office provided recommendations on the exclusion of individuals from school or work with particular symptoms. (NOTE: The office recommended individuals with two of the following symptoms: fever, chills, fatigue, myalgia, headache, sore throat, congestion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or new loss of taste or smell OR one of the following symptoms: cough, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing be excluded until at least 10 days since symptoms first appeared and 72 hours without a fever and improvement in symptoms.)
- Schools are expected to reopen in the fall and are waiting for guidelines from the PA Department of Education and the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (NOTE: Guidelines from both entities were actually released in the afternoon on Thursday, July 16.). Montgomery County Superintendents have shared concerns with Gov. Wolf and PA Department of Health Secretary Dr. Levine about reopening schools safely.
Mental and Social-Emotional Health Support
- Committee Member Ms. Lauren Cain-Baxter, LPC, of Resilience Community Counseling, addressed the mental and social-emotional health of students. Students have experienced some sort of grief and trauma in relation to COVID-19. Staff need to be cognizant of any changes in a student’s behavior. Some students may engage in risky behaviors to cope with stress associated with COVID-19. School nurses need to be aware of physical symptoms a student may exhibit due to stress associated with COVID-19.
- In addition to the District’s counseling staff, there will be counselors from external agencies available to support students’ social and emotional needs.
- Proper health hygiene and wellness strategies such as mindfulness need to be embedded throughout the school day.
Infectious Disease Communications Protocol
- Districts need to develop their own infectious disease communications protocol plan (NOTE: As previously mentioned, guidelines were issued on the afternoon of Thursday, July 16.). Committee Member Willie Mae Bell, LPN, Public Health Nurse from the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, shared a listing of testing sites for COVID-19 can be found on the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services’ website. The closest testing site to the Cheltenham area is the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services’ Willow Grove office.
Protective Equipment Protocol and The Health and Safety Plan
- Mr. Michael A. Bednar, MS, MBA, Compliance Director, Environmental Control Systems, Inc., the District’s consultant on reopening school, shared segments of the Health and Safety Plan adopted by Chester County. Committee members expressed concerns relating to the ability for social distancing on a school bus and commented bus drivers need to wear masks at all times. The District will follow state and local guidelines in relation to face coverings.
Next Meeting: Thursday, July 23, 10 a.m. The agenda includes a review of the draft CSD Health and Safety Plan, focusing on monitoring student and staff health
Operations
The Operations Committee met for its third meeting on Wednesday, July 15, and the group discussed the operational aspects of reopening under yellow and green stages and discussed the logistics of reopening under the guidance of six feet. The Chester County Health Department reopening document was shared with the group, which went through operational aspects relating to cleaning and disinfecting, social distancing and protocols and transportation and cafeteria. Discussion focus was focused on food services, transportation and traffic management.
View the slide deck> | Read the meeting minutes> | Committee membership>
Next Meeting: Wednesday, July 22, 10 a.m. The agenda includes reopening documentation, Montgomery County Department of Health Plan and reviewing part of the school district draft plan.
Student Activities and Sports
The Student Activities and Sports Committee hosted its third meeting on Zoom on Tuesday, July 14. The group covered CSD’s athletics and marching band health and safety plan for voluntary workouts; preliminary results on woodwinds and brass from the performing arts organizations-commissioned COVID-19 study and marching band/performing arts considerations; student activities and groups; and external organization use of CSD facilities. View the slide deck> | Read the meeting minutes> | Committee membership>
Next Meeting: Tuesday, July 21, 10 a.m. The group will review a draft of the CSD student activities and sports health and safety plan.