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Frequently Asked Questions About WCASD’s Return to Hybrid Instruction
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Updated January 4, 2020
Q: When do students resume classes following winter break?
A: Students will resume classes on Monday, January 4 with the following schedule in place:
- Week of January 4 – Students who receive Life Skills, Multiple Disabilities, Autistic, or elementary Emotional Support services will be in person, Monday-Friday. Students who receive Learning Support, secondary Emotional Support and English Language services will be in person four days and remote one day. All other students, K-12 will be REMOTE.
- Week of January 11 – All K-12 students will resume their hybrid schedule.
- Monday, January 11 – Group A In-person/Group B Remote
- Tuesday, January 12 – Group A In-person/Group B Remote
- Wednesday, January 13 – ALL STUDENTS REMOTE
- Thursday, January 14 – Group B In-Person/Group A Remote
- Friday, January 15 – Group B In-Person/Group A Remote
Students enrolled in the WC Cyber Program will resume classes on Monday, January 4, and follow their current schedule.
All schools will continue to operate on their current hours and schedules.
Q: Will TCHS students attend their shops in-person during the week of January 4?
A: No, all TCHS students will learn remotely for their classes on the Brandywine campus.
Q: Do students and staff need to continue wearing face coverings after the winter break?
A: Yes, WCASD continues to will follow the Chester County Health Department guidelines and the Pennsylvania Department of Health Guidance on Universal Face Coverings. All staff and students must wear a face mask when indoors, irrespective of physical distance unless there is a medical reason prohibiting this. Face shields will only be permitted due to medical reasons or part of a child’s Individual Education Program. Mask breaks are still permitted as long as six feet of social distancing is achieved. All students must wear masks all of the time except when eating lunch, or outside class with six feet of social distancing achieved. Gaiters and vent masks will not be permitted. Staff may remove face masks when eating lunch or working in isolation at a work station when taking a mask break. Individuals who cannot wear a mask or face shield due to a medical condition, including those with respiratory issues that impede breathing, mental health condition, or disability must present medical documentation.
Q: What is the status of winter athletics for high school and middle school?
A: Per Governor Wolf’s new guidelines, issued December 10, 2020, all after school sports and activities are canceled until January 4, 2021. This includes all athletic contests, competitions, scrimmages, and practices. All extra-curricular activities are temporarily suspended for in-person performances, rehearsals, and meetings, but may be held virtually. We will send out an update to families as soon as practices are permitted to resume.
Q: What is a hybrid model of instruction?
The hybrid model of instruction balances in-person learning and remote learning for all students. This instructional model reduces the number of students within the buildings, allowing the district to follow social distancing guidelines of 6 feet between students/staff. This is strongly recommended by all local, state, and national medical experts.
Q: How will the hybrid model of instruction work?
All students will be assigned to an “A” or “B” cohort group. The school week will be structured in the following manner:
Half the students will attend school on the days labeled A (last names beginning with A-K), the other half of the students will log in remotely. On the B days (last names beginning with letters L-Z) students will attend in person while the A day students log in remotely. Students from the same family with different last names will be kept together on group days if this is what the family would prefer. While the alphabet split is our general guideline, we may need to make some exceptions in order to accurately balance classes. Principals will be managing that process at each school.
During the remote day, teachers will have the opportunity to have all students together at the same time in the same manner. A remote day will also provide continuity for students if we have to transition back to a fully Remote model in the future.
Q: What will the new hybrid model be like from an instructional standpoint, in particular for the students who are learning at home while other students are in person?
A: Students will access the in-person classroom via Zoom. Teachers will have web cameras set up and at-home/remote students will be actively participating in the classroom as they watch and learn from home. This is a model that is being used around the country and in other parts of the state. The amount of time that a student is zooming into a classroom will vary based on the age, level, and also the subject. Students will not be zooming in all day. There will be some asynchronous (recorded) instruction and assignments for students. Our administrators have been contacting numerous schools to see what is working well for them, and have made site visits to some regional schools already operating in this manner. We are also working with a 150-member staff task force to refine details of this model for each level. Classroom pilots to test the technology and instructional model were held in the summer and will also be held in early October. Specific information about each student’s schedule will come from principals.
Q: What special education services will be provided when we move to the hybrid model?
A; Students who receive Life Skills, Multiple Disabilities, Autistic, or elementary Emotional Support services will be in person five days per week. Students who receive Learning Support or secondary Emotional Support will be in person four days and remote one day per week. Students who receive Speech Support Only will follow the Hybrid schedule and be in person two days and remote three days per week. Students may also choose to remain in the Cyber or Remote Program with the understanding that the Remote will be less synchronous instruction in regular education.
Q: What English Language Development services will be provided when we move to the hybrid model?
A: Students will receive four days of in-person instruction and one day of remote per week.
Q: What services will students who have 504 plans receive?
A: Due to the number of students who have a 504 plan (approximately 700), the students will follow the hybrid model and be in person 2 days and remote 3 days per week.
Q: How will classrooms be set up in the hybrid model?
A: All desks and workspaces will be placed 6 feet apart. Students will be assigned seats, and all desks will face the same direction.
Q: What is the policy/procedure regarding face coverings for staff and students?
A: WCASD will follow the Chester County Health Department guidelines and the Pennsylvania Department of Health Guidance on Universal Face Coverings. All staff and students must wear a face mask when indoors, irrespective of physical distance unless there is a medical reason prohibiting this. Face shields will only be permitted due to medical reasons or part of a child’s Individual Education Program. Mask breaks are still permitted as long as six feet of social distancing is achieved. All students must wear masks all of the time except when eating lunch, or outside class with six feet of social distancing achieved. Gaiters and vent masks will not be permitted. Staff may remove face masks when eating lunch or working in isolation at a work station. Individuals who cannot wear a mask or face shield due to a medical condition, including those with respiratory issues that impede breathing, mental health condition, or disability must present medical documentation.
Q. Under what circumstances are students permitted to remove their face coverings (e.g. masks and face shields)?
A. Students may remove face coverings when they are eating or drinking when spaced at least 6 feet apart, are at least 6 feet apart during "face-covering breaks" to last no longer than 10 minutes, or when wearing a face-covering creates an unsafe condition in which to operate equipment or execute a task.
Q: How will classrooms be cleaned?
A: Every classroom will be stocked with spray bottles containing CDC approved cleaners, microfiber rags, and paper towels. Shared surfaces and materials will be cleaned after each use. Classroom desks and instructional tables will be cleaned nightly by custodians.
Q: What are the procedures for cleaning buildings each day?
A: All high-touch areas (doorknobs, light switches, handrails) will be cleaned twice during the school day and once in the evening. Bathrooms will be cleaned twice during the day and once in the evening. Building offices will be cleaned each evening. Main entrance vestibules will be cleaned every evening and after student arrival. All cleaning products are CDC approved.
Q: Will hand sanitizer be provided?
A: Hand sanitizing stations will be available in cafeterias, main entrances, and at high traffic entrances. Teachers will encourage students to use hand sanitizer and/or wash their hands prior to and after any time students will be consuming food or beverages.
Q: Will water fountains be available throughout the day?
A: Drinking fountains will be turned off. Students are encouraged to bring their own water bottles to access touchless water bottle filling stations where available. Bottled water will also be supplied.
Q: How and where will lunch be served?
A: In order to maintain social distancing, secondary schools will serve lunch in the cafeteria but may have to use alternative spaces. Elementary schools will eat lunch in the cafeteria. Breakfast will be served in the classrooms for elementary students. All students will face in the same direction, and face coverings must be worn at all times, except when eating and drinking. Tables will be wiped down after each use. Cash transactions will be discouraged; families will be encouraged to set up online accounts.
Q: What considerations have been given to the district’s ventilation systems concerning COVID-19?
A: We have consulted closely with CDC guidance on optimizing HVAC systems. All unit ventilators, air handling units, and fresh air supply sources will be in operation seven days a week/24 hours a day. All filtrations systems on ventilation systems will be changed on a 30-day cycle. All classroom units will be set to provide eight air changes per hour, or the maximum amount feasible. All outside air dampers will be set at 100% open when weather and indoor quality factors allow for this to be possible. All repairs to ventilation systems will be given the highest priority. Classroom windows and doors will be closed to allow systems to operate under negative pressure ensuring systems operate efficiently and effectively. In rooms without air conditioning, fans can be placed in or adjacent to windows and blown outside. The District will supply these. Ceiling fans will not operate to ensure designed air circulation patterns are maintained.
Q: Will my child’s temperature be taken at school prior to entering the building?
A: No. Parents will be expected to take their child’s temperature and complete the self-monitoring questions daily. These will be shared with all parents/students/staff before a return to hybrid instruction. Staff will also be expected to take their own temperature each morning and complete the self-monitoring questions, prior to arriving at school. Parents and staff are responsible for monitoring for signs of illness and staying home when they are sick. If someone has an elevated temperature during the school day, that person will be taken to the nurse for further evaluation.
Q: How will parents be notified of possible COVID-19 exposure or a confirmed case of COVID-19?
A: While we are not permitted to disclose any student or staff member's medical status due to HIPAA laws, we have developed notification protocols to inform parents of possible or confirmed exposure. If there is a positive case in your child’s school, you will be notified.
Q: If I started the year with my child enrolled in the WC Cyber program, am I able to move my child into the brick and mortar hybrid model?
A: Yes. A form will be sent to families to ask their preference. Families will be asked to choose by October 6 so we can adequately plan.
Q: Can I keep my child home and login to Remote 2.0 when the district returns to the brick and mortar setting in a hybrid model?
A: Yes, however, students who remain fully remote may have additional asynchronous learning due to the way the classroom teacher structures the small groups for face to face instruction.
Q: If I am homeschooling my child are they able to return when schools reopen?
A: Yes, homeschool students may re-enroll at any time.
Q: When and how will the district determine when it is safe to bring students back to a full-time model?
A: We are continuously monitoring COVID-19 cases in the area, as well as safety metrics developed by the Chester County Health Department and the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Evaluation conditions will be made in conjunction with the Chester County Health Department.
Q: Will the childcare centers remain open while in a hybrid model?
A: Yes. Most elementary schools will operate childcare centers through A Child's Place for both before/aftercare as well as full-day care. We have created space in our schools to continue to operate child care.
Q: What safety procedures will be followed on buses?
A: All drivers will wear masks, and all students will be asked to wear masks. They will be seated a maximum two to a seat. Parents who wish to drive their child to school will receive information about staggered drop off times (if necessary) from their schools. More information will come from our Transportation Department.
Q: Will all the safety procedures in place for the reopening of school remain for the entire school year?
A: Procedures such as frequent hand washing and staying home from school if you are sick are best practices that should remain across the school district. Other restrictions could possibly be eased, depending upon relevant data and guidance at the time.