2020-21 School Reopening...2020-21 School Reopening: Draft Plans for the Richmond City School Board...

Richmond Public Schools | 301 North 9th Street | Richmond, VA | www.rvaschools.net

2020-21 School ReopeningDrafts Plans for the Richmond City School Board

Presented by: Jason Kamras, Superintendent

Venue: Richmond City School Board Meeting

Date: July 9, 2020

2020-21 School Reopening: Draft Plans for the Richmond City School Board

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Guiding Principles

Richmond Public Schools | July 9, 2020

Equity

• We strive to ensure that the students who need the most receive the most.

Empathy

• We strive to take into consideration everyone’s unique life circumstances during this extraordinary time.

Efficiency

• We strive to create a plan that we can successfully execute given the resources we have.


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Reopening Surveys and Task Force


Surveys

• Families: 4,801 respondents (about 20% of families); all schools represented• Staff: 2,116 respondents (about 70% of school-based employees); all schools represented

Teachers/Support Staff/Community Member Reopening Task Force

• Thank you to everyone who served on the Reopening Task Force! We deeply appreciate your feedback and insights.

• Members: Andrea Jewett (Director of Education - Richmond Alterative School), Andria Impson (Teacher – Boushall), Angela Dews (Teacher – Armstrong), Anith Stith (Teacher – Armstrong), Charlotte Hayer (Teacher - Richmond Community), Cierra Sowers (Teacher – Boushall), Coretta (Cory) Adkins (Teacher – Reid), Dearsley Vernon (Community Member - Communities in Schools), Dianne Callender (Social Worker -Richmond Alternative School), Elizabeth Jorgensen-Best (Teacher - Westover Hills), Elizabeth Wait (Teacher – Armstrong), Gustavo Angeles (Community Member - Sacred Heart Center), James Pickren (Parent), James Wagner (Teacher - Richmond Community), Jason Roberts (Teacher – Woodville), K. Richardson (Teacher – Obama), Kai Banks (Parent), (Kathryn) Margi Roseberry (Teacher – Fisher), Katina Harris (Teacher – Boushall), Kelly Cannon (Parent), Keri Treadway (Teacher – Fox), Ketia Singleton (Teacher – Cary), Kristi Remkus (Parent), Laura White (Teacher – Westover Hills), Leigh Young (Teacher – Mumford and Cary), Luis Luna (Teacher – Huguenot), Margo Buchanan (Community Member - SCAN), Marybeth Ryan (Teacher – Woodville), Meghan McPherson (Teacher – Boushall), Monique Emde (Parent), Natasha Thomas (Teacher – Southampton), Nicole Glover (Teacher – Huguenot), Phillip Moorhouse (Teacher – Armstrong), Ralph Stuckey (Community Member - Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority), Ramah Johnson (Counselor – TJHS), Robin Majer (Teacher –Cary), Rosemary Hardwich (Teacher – Mary Scott and Holton), Sarah Kindig (Parent), Tiana Addai-Mensah (Teacher – Miles Jones), Tichi Eppes (Community Member), Tiffany Floyd (Teacher – Blackwell, Carver and Fox), Timmy Nguyen (Community Member), Zelma Lee (StaffMember – Redd)


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Section I


Health and Safety


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Health and Safety


Daily Screening

Each day, all students, staff, and visitors will engage in two screenings:

• Before leaving home, all staff and students will answer the CDC screening questions about how they feel vis-à-vis possible COVID-19 symptoms to determine if they should stay home. RPS will conduct a comprehensive awareness campaign about the key questions in the self-screening.

• Once at school, all staff, students, and visitors will receive a temperature check via a walk-through temperature scanner that can accurately scan up to 70 individuals per minute (per the CDC, the fever threshold is 100.4). Two staff will monitor each scanner to ensure all individuals are properly scanned. Adults will need to immediately go home and contact their medical provider. Similarly, schools will immediately contact the parents/caregivers of students who register temperatures above 100.4 so that they can be picked up.

• Cost: $180K (60 scanners at $3,000/scanner; larger schools would receive two scanners).


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Health and Safety


Masks

Each day, all students, staff, and visitors will be required to wear a face covering while in an RPS building (school or central office).

• All students, staff, and visitors will be required to wear a face covering at all times (including on the bus), except for certain medically fragile students for whom wearing masks may not be appropriate. Families who do not want their children to wear masks will be required to choose the all virtual path for their children. Similarly, staff who are unable to wear masks due to health conditions will be required to work remotely.

• Students, staff, and visitors will be encouraged to bring their own masks when they come to a school building. But RPS will provide a face covering to anyone who does not have one when they arrive, no questions asked.

• RPS will provide N95 masks for all nurses. RPS will also provide clear masks for unique educational circumstances when seeing one’s mouth is critical (for example, for speech pathologists, for students with hearing loss, or for teachers during phonics instruction).

• Cost: $216K ($66K for 30,000 cloth masks at $2.20/mask; $50K for 100,000 disposable masks at $0.50/mask; $100,000 for clear masks, as needed)


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Health and Safety


Physical Distancing

All individuals – student to student, student to adult, adult to adult – will be required to maintain at least three feet distance between them at all times. Six feet of distance will be maintained when possible.

• Student desks will be arranged with at least three feet between them.

• To the extent possible, mixing groups of students will be avoided.

• Use of communal spaces (for example, playgrounds) will be staggered to limit the number of students at any one time.

• All front office reception points (school and central office) will have a Plexiglass shield.

• Cost: $15K (100 reception area Plexiglass dividers at $150/divider).


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Health and Safety


Handwashing & Hand Sanitizing

Handwashing remains one of the most important ways to stop the spread of COVID-19.

• Multiple breaks will be built into student schedules for handwashing (using classroom sinks in primary grades and the bathroom for others).

• The supply of soap and paper towel for classroom and bathroom sinks will be monitored, recorded, and restocked throughout the day.

• All classrooms and common areas (for example, library, office, entry space) will have a wall mounted hand sanitizing station.

• Cost: $1.15M ($600K for additional contracted custodial staff to focus exclusively on maintaining bathroom supplies and functionality; $150K for 2,500 wall-mounted hand sanitizer stations at $60/station; $400K for 2,500 gallons of hand sanitizer).


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Health and Safety


Facilities

While the science indicates that the risk of surface transmission is low, RPS will take a number of steps to ensure that our buildings are clean and disinfected at all times.

• All RPS buildings will be deep cleaned over the summer. In addition, all RPS bathroom sinks, soap dispensers, and paper towel dispensers will be fully functional and fully stocked for the start of school and through the year. This work has already started.

• Custodians will have clear protocols for daily classroom cleaning. Completion of these protocols will be documented and posted for students, families, and staff.

• Teachers will receive cleaning supplies for cleaning high-touch surfaces during the day, as necessary.

• Classrooms with limited ventilation will receive portable air filtration systems.

• All water fountains will be shut off. Students will use hydration stations to fill water bottles and/or cups.

• Cost: $2.175M ($1.5 million for summer deep cleaning; $500K for classroom cleaning supplies; $75K for 500 portable air filtration systems at $125/system; $100K for 25,000 hydration station cups at $0.03/cup for 180 days).


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Health and Safety


Nursing Staff

Every RPS school will have a licensed nurse on staff. Some schools, based on size, may have multiple staff.

• The Administration is proposing to add 6 full-time nursing positions to ensure a minimum of one per school.

• Nursing staff will be paid to return to work one week prior to the return of staff and students for additional training related to COVID-19.

• All nursing suites will be fully stocked prior to the return of staff and students and will be maintained throughout the year.

• We will be designating a “quarantine space” in each school for any student or staff who exhibits COVID-19 symptoms during the school day.

• Cost: $1M ($550K for 6 additional nursing positions; $50,000 for nursing sub budget, $100,000 for one week of additional training, $300K for nursing suite supplies).


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Health and Safety


Communications

RPS will work to ensure accurate, science-based messaging about COVID-19 is shared with the community.

• Posters (in English, Spanish, and other languages, where applicable) will be hung throughout buildings to share general information about COVID-19, as well as the importance of hand washing, physical distancing, mask wearing, etc. Videos on these same topics (in English, Spanish, and other languages, where applicable) will be shared via rvaschools.net, RPS Direct, and social media.

• Final reopening plans and protocols will be shared (in English, Spanish, and other languages, where applicable) vis the RPS website, Parent Link calls, physical letters home, RPS Direct, all RPS social media accounts, and through radio, TV, and print media interviews.

• Cost: $250K ($5K per school for posters and other signage)

Protocols

We are in the process of developing protocols for student attendance, staff sick leave (including access to new federal leave), return-to-work and return-to-school, limiting non-essential visitors, and accountability.


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Section II


Academic Plans (A and B)


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Plan A – Overview


Survey Data

• Plan A is based on six feet of social distancing, which necessitates a staggered student schedule. Among the four schedules included in our reopening surveys, Schedule 2 (alternating days) was the most highly rated among families and staff.


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Plan A – Overview



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Plan A – Overview


• Plan A also includes a fully virtual option, as a significant percentage of families indicated a desire for such a path.


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Plan A – Overview


Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Full Virtual Path

Student Group 1

Hybrid Path

Student Group 2

Student Group 3

Full In-PersonEquity Path for Select Students

Student Group 4


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Plan A – Overview


Full Virtual Path

• This path would be available to any family, K-12. It would not be available to Pre-K students, as full virtual is not developmentally appropriate for such young learners. Virtual instruction would largely consist of live teaching, supplemented by pre-recorded materials and the use of online platforms such as Flocabulary, Reflex Math, iReady, and Edgenuity.

Hybrid Path

• This path would be available to any family, K-12. Families who choose this path would be split into two groups to ensure a roughly even number of students in each group per school. One group would have virtual instruction onM/W/F and in-person instruction on T/Th. The other group would have virtual instruction on M/T/Th and in-person instruction on W/F. Monday was selected as the virtual day for both groups given the high number of holidays and teacher workdays scheduled then.

Full In-Person Equity Path for Select Students

• This path – five days of in-person instruction each week – would be available to students with the greatest need: those with intensive IEPs, very low English language acquisition, and all Pre-K students. Families of these students would decide whether they want to access the full-time in-person path or choose another one.


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Plan B - Overview


Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Full Virtual Path

Student Group 1

Full In-PersonPath

Student Group 2

Impact of Recent Shift in VDH/VDOE Guidance

• As a result of the VDH/VDOE now indicating that three feet of physical distancing is acceptable if everyone is wearing a mask, we were able to craft Plan B, which does away with the hybrid path from Plan A (initially created to allow six feet of social distancing), and offers a full virtual path and a full in-person path.


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Plan B – Overview


Full Virtual Path

• This path would be available to any family, K-12. It would not be available to Pre-K students, as full virtual is not developmentally appropriate for such young learners. Virtual instruction would largely consist of live teaching, supplemented by pre-recorded materials and the use of online platforms such as Flocabulary, Reflex Math, iReady, and Edgenuity.

Full In-Person

• This path – five days of in-person instruction each week – would be available to any families who wanted it. If more families wanted this path than physical distancing would allow, we would prioritize the highest-need students (for example, those with IEPs, English Learners, etc.).


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Virtual Instruction Terminology


“Live”

• In the virtual setting, we use the term “live” to indicate when a teacher is working with students in real-time throughan application like Google Meet.

“Playlist”

• In the virtual setting, we use the term “playlist” to indicate when a student is working independently on instructional content assigned by their teacher. A playlist would typically include a pre-recorded instructional video followed by practice via instructional applications like i-Ready, Reflex Math, Flocabulary, Gizmos, or Edgenuity. This is akin to RPS@Home, but would be combined with a teacher of record who provides feedback, grades assignments, and so on.

• Cost: $700K ($500K for teacher stipends to create playlist content; $200K for web support to host/manage the playlist online).


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Virtual Instruction Terminology


“Blended”

In the virtual setting, we use the term “blended” to indicate a combination of “live” and “playlist” instruction. Here’s an elementary math example of “blended” instruction:

• Students log onto Google Classroom, open the Google Meet link, and listen to a LIVE introduction of the lesson from their teacher.

• To further student understanding, the teacher then cues up a pre-recorded instructional video from a PLAYLIST.

• After the video, the teacher leads the class LIVE through guided practice, with students responding over the computer, orally or in writing.

• Students then do small group independent rotations as part of a PLAYLIST.

• Finally, the lessons concludes a LIVE whole-group review and discussion.


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Sample Full Virtual Schedule for ES Student (for Plans A & B)


Time Activity

8:30 am – 8:45 am Morning Meeting to build community, review schedule for day, etc. (LIVE)

8:45 am – 10:30 am ELA Instruction (BLENDED)

10:30 am – 11:00 am Physical Education/Movement Break (PLAYLIST)

11:00 am – 12:15 pm Math Instruction (BLENDED)

12:15 pm – 1:00 pm Lunch Break for both teacher and students

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Alternating Social Science/Science Instruction (PLAYLIST) OR Small Group Academic Intervention (LIVE)

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Alternating Social Science/Science Instruction (PLAYLIST) OR Small Group Academic Intervention (LIVE)

3:00 pm – 3:15 pm Afternoon Meeting to build community, call attention to homework, etc. (LIVE)

• We are still exploring how to approach specials such as art, music, etc. In addition, we are working with a variety of community arts organizations to support re-opening efforts and to provide students with a variety of enrichment opportunities. Partners include: SPARC, Richmond Ballet, Richmond Symphony, RPAA, Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen, VA Repertory Theatre, Art 180, Visual Arts Center of Richmond, Cadence Theatre Company, Partners in the Arts, and Studio Two Three.


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Sample Full Virtual Schedule for MS Student (for Plans A & B)


Time Activity

8:00 am – 8:15 am Homeroom Morning Community Circle using restorative practices (LIVE)

8:15 am – 9:15 am English (BLENDED)

9:15 am – 9:20 am ”Passing Period” to switch to link for next class / Brain Break

9:20 am – 10:20 am Math (BLENDED)


10:25 am – 11:25 am Science (BLENDED)

11:25 am – 12:00 pm ”Passing Period” to switch to link for next class / Brain Break

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm History (BLENDED)

1:00 pm – 1:05 pm ”Passing Period” to switch to link for next class / Brain Break

1:05 pm – 2:05 pm Elective (BLENDED)


2:10 pm – 3:10 pm Elective (BLENDED)

3:10 – 3:30 pm Homeroom Afternoon Community Circle using restorative practices (LIVE)


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Sample Full Virtual Schedule for HS Student (for Plans A & B)


Time Activity

8:00 am – 8:15 am Homeroom Morning Community Circle using restorative practices (LIVE)

8:15 am – 9:45 am English (BLENDED)


10:00 am – 11:30 am Math (BLENDED)

11:30 am – 12:00 pm Lunch (for both teacher and students)

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm History (BLENDED)


1:45 pm – 3:15 pm Science (BLENDED)

3:15 – 3:30 pm Homeroom Afternoon Community Circle using restorative practices (LIVE)

• This model assumes a “4x4” semester block, which would enable students to take four courses per semester, for a total of 8 courses for the year.

• Certain RTC courses would not be available in a Full Virtual model due to practicum requirements. Also, in Plan A, students who opt for the hybrid path and who want to take RTC courses would spend the entirety of their in-person day at RTC to reduce transportation complexity.They would take self-paced core content classes at RTC.


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Sample Hybrid Schedule for ES Student (for Plan A Only)


Time Activity

8:30 am – 8:45 am Breakfast (in classroom ) & Morning Meeting to build community, review schedule for day, etc.

8:45 am – 10:30 am English Language Arts

10:30 am – 11:00 am Physical Education / Specials

11:00 am – 12:15 pm Math

12:15 pm – 12:45 pm Lunch (in classroom)

1:00 pm – 1:45 pm Social Science/History and Science (Alternating Weeks)

1:45pm- 2:30pm Small Group Instruction/Intervention alternating with SEL Lessons (Counselors)

2:30pm-3:15pm Small Group Instruction/Intervention alternating with SEL Lessons (Counselors)

In-Person Day


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Sample Hybrid Schedule for ES Student (for Plan A Only)


Time Activity


8:45 am – 10:30 am ELA Instruction (PLAYLIST)

10:30 am – 11:00 am Physical Education/Brain Break

11:00 am – 12:15 pm Math Instruction (PLAYLIST)

12:15 pm – 12:45 pm Lunch Break

12:45 pm – 1:30 pm SEL Lesson (LIVE) with Counselor / Social Worker OR Small Group Instruction/Intervention

1:30 pm – 2:15 pm SEL Lesson (LIVE) with Counselor / Social Worker OR Small Group Instruction/Intervention

2:15 pm – 3:00 pm Alternating Social Science/Science Instruction (PLAYLIST)

Virtual Day


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Sample Hybrid Schedule for MS Student (for Plan A Only)


In-Person Day

Time Activity

8:00 am – 8:15 am Morning Meeting in homeroom to build community, review schedule for day, etc.

8:15 am – 9:45 amCourse 1: English Language Arts & Reading (with Personalized Learning Time/Intervention)(Teacher Transitions to class/not students)

9:50 am – 11:20 amCourse 2: Math (with Personalized Learning Time/Intervention)(Teacher Transitions to class/not students)

11:25 am – 11:55 am Lunch

12:00 pm – 1:30 pmCourse 3: Science (Tuesday) Course 4: Social Science/History (Thursday)

1:35 pm – 3:05 pmCourse 5: Elective 1 (Tuesday)Course 6: Elective 2 (Thursday)

3:05 pm Dismissal


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Sample Hybrid Schedule for MS Student (for Plan A Only)


Virtual Day

Time Activity


8:30 am – 10:00 am English Language Arts (PLAYLIST)

10:05 am – 11:35 am Math (PLAYLIST)

11:35 am – 12:15 pm Lunch

12:15 pm – 1:00 pm Science (PLAYLIST)

1:05 pm – 1:50 pm Social Science/History (PLAYLIST)

1:50 pm – 2:00 pm Brain/Movement Break (PLAYLIST)

2:00 pm – 2:30 pm Elective 1 (PLAYLIST) or Small Group Intervention (LIVE)

2:30 pm – 3:00 pm Elective 2 (PLAYLIST) or Small Group Intervention (LIVE)

3:00 pm Confirm all assignments submitted via Google Classroom


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Sample Hybrid Schedule for HS Student (for Plan A Only)


In-Person Day

Time Activity

7:15 am – 7:45 am Breakfast & Morning Meeting in homeroom/advisory to build community, review schedule for day, etc.

7:50 am – 9:30 am Course 1

9:35 am – 11:05 am Course 2

11:05 am – 11:35 am Lunch

11:40 am – 1:10 pm Course 3

1:15 pm – 2:45 pm Course 4

2:45 pm – 4:00 pm Extended day for students needing to complete spring 2020 coursework and/or intervention


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Sample Hybrid Schedule for HS Student (for Plan A Only)


Virtual Day

Time Activity

8:00 am – 8:15 am Morning Community Circle in homeroom using restorative practices (LIVE)

8:15 am – 9:30 am Course 1 (PLAYLIST)

9:30 am – 9:35 am “Passing Period” to switch to link for next class

9:35 am – 11:05 am Course 2 (PLAYLIST)

11:05 am – 12:00 pm Lunch

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm Course 3 (PLAYLIST)

1:30 pm – 1:35 pm “Passing Period” to switch to link for next class

1:35 pm – 3:05 pm Course 4 (PLAYLIST)

3:05 pm Confirm all assignments submitted via Google Classrooms

3:15 pm – 4:30 pm Extended virtual day to complete spring 2020 coursework and/or virtual intervention


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Student Accountability and Support


Student Attendance

• Regardless of which plan we ultimately adopt, student attendance would be required, as normal. Attendance for virtual path students would be recorded each day during the morning meeting via Google Classroom.

Assignments/Grades/Credit

• Unlike the approach we took last spring, all students will be expected to completed all assigned work and will receive formal grades for each marking period. To earn credit for high school courses, students will need to pass their courses, as normal.

At-Home Learning Kits

• To support students while learning at home, we will develop resource kits (for example, rulers, graph paper, etc.) for each students.

• Cost: $500K (25,000 kits at $20/kit).


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Section III


Staffing


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Staffing


Health-Related Option to Work Remotely or In-Person with a Modified Schedule

• We recognize that this is an extraordinarily challenging time not just for our families, but also for our staff, some ofwhom have underlying health conditions that make them susceptible to COVID-19 or live with/care for family members in high-risk groups. Given this, we will offer employees the opportunity to work remotely (or in-person but with a modified schedule) for health-related reasons (either their own health or that of any individuals they live with).

• Example of working remotely: a teacher who provides virtual instruction full-time

• Example of working with a modified in-person schedule: a custodian who only works in the evenings or only works outside

• All staff – whether working in-person or remotely – will have a full tour of duty. Of course, anyone who is ill will be entitled to use their leave, as appropriate.

• Once the School Board adopts a reopening plan, we will create an electronic process for employees to formally notify RPS of their need for a health-related exemption from in-person work. As noted above, the exemption could be based on their own health or that of an individual they live with.


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Staffing


Training for Virtual Teaching/Service Delivery

• We were pleased to see from our Reopening Survey that nearly 2/3 of our staff indicated that they were “comfortable” or “very comfortable” using internet video applications.


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Staffing


Training for Virtual Teaching/Service Delivery

• A little over 60% of our staff indicated that half a day or one full day of PD on virtual teaching/service delivery would be sufficient. The remaining 40% were fairly evenly split between two full days and more than two full days of PD. We will use this data to guide our summer and pre-service training by offering multiple tiers of support.

• Cost: $100K (training on virtual teaching/service delivery)


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Section IV


Other Considerations


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Social-Emotional Supports

• We recommend expanding out partnership with Child Savers, SCAN, CIS, and RBHA to further support out students’ social-emotional needs upon returning to school. Specifically, we recommend:

• 3 additional school-based clinicians (ChildSavers)• 3 trauma-informed educational specialists (SCAN)• 14 additional CIS coordinators (Communities in Schools)• 13 Therapeutic Day Treatment Providers and an expansion of our Case Management and Assessment and

Therapy Services to new school sites (RBHA)

• Cost: $2.5 million

Technology

• To aide with the implementation of either plan, it would be helpful to have ALL RPS students using a Chromebook synched to our “console.” Thus, we recommend purchasing an additional 8,000 devices. In addition, we recommend purchasing 250 laptops for staff members who need devices themselves.

• Cost: $2.65 million ($2.4M for 8,000 Chromebooks at $300/device; $250K for 250 staff laptops at $1,000/device)


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Transportation

• Our transportation approach is highly contingent upon which reopening plan the Board adopts. We have begun modeling both to be prepared for implementation.

• Cost: Given that purchasing additional buses is both extremely expensive and takes a great deal of time, we are recommending that we not attempt to expand the fleet at this time, but rather modify schedules as necessary to accommodate the Board’s selected plan.

Food

• To the extent possible, all meals will be eaten in classrooms to avoid congregating large groups of students.

• We will continue to offer meal distribution for families who choose the virtual path (in either reopening plan) and for the virtual days of the hybrid path. We will develop the details of this process once the Board selects a plan.

• Cost: $1.5M (Though we do not anticipate additional food costs, we incurred approximately $1.5 million in expenses related to our meal distribution program during the closure, which we will charge against our federal stimulus dollars.)


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Section V


Projected Costs and Revenue Sources


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Projected Costs and Revenue Sources


Cost Category Amount

Health and Safety $4,986,000

Academics $1,200,000

Social-Emotional Supports $2,500,000

Staffing $100,000

Technology $2,650,000

Food and Nutrition $1,500,000

Other (books, cots) $250,000

Emergency Reserve $2,000,000

TOTAL $15,186,000

Revenue Source Amount

Federal Stimulus $12,468,000

Potential Reallocation of FY21 Capital Funds $2,000,000

Philanthropy $1,000,000

TOTAL $15,468,000

2020-21 School Reopening...2020-21 School Reopening: Draft Plans for the Richmond City School Board...

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