Reopening Schools 2020-21

We are committed to keeping students/families informed and engaged as we work to reopen schools in the fall. Throughout this process, we have shared that reopening will require a flexible and fluid approach as the information we need to make informed decisions becomes available knowing that information may change between now and September, or even after the school year has started.

As we prepare, I would like to share several important updates regarding adjusted dates and learning model for the start of the school year.

• All students and staff will be required to wear a face-covering at the start of the school year on buses and in schools. If a medical provider has indicated your student should not wear a face-covering, please contact your building principal. Face-covering requirements will be evaluated each quarter.
  
  
• 4K students attending in-person classes will follow a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday attendance schedule to align with elementary and secondary.
  
  
• K- 6 students attending in-person classes will begin the year in a traditional learning model with 4 days/week of in-person attendance (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday) and E-Learning on Wednesday.
  
  
• 7-12 students attending in-person classes will begin the year in a blended learning model attending school with their assigned cohort (Students last name A-L attend in-person classes Monday and Tuesday, E-learning classes Thursday, Friday; Students last name M-Z attend E-Learning classes Monday, Tuesday and in-person classes Thursday, Friday; All students attend E-Learning classes on Wednesday).
  
  
• The District will be implementing a gradual start to school to allow for staff preparations and training, student transition time to new buildings, and additional opportunities to provide social and emotional support.

• Families seeking to opt-in to the Full-Time E-Learning Program are asked to please complete this form to notify the District that your student will not be attending in-person classes to provide accurate student information as we prepare instruction and buildings.

More details regarding the above and other changes are available below and updates will continue to be shared as we move forward with our preparations to reopen. Learning models will be evaluated on a quarterly basis.

I share this information without having all the answers, knowing it will cause questions and possibly some concerns. Please know, we will continue to work to provide timely, comprehensive, and factual information to our students, families, and staff.

While it is clear that my 35th first day of school as an educator will be unlike any I've experienced before, I am confident that our team of exceptional educators and staff will continue to provide your student with exceptional learning opportunities. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Craig Gerlach, Ed.S.

Superintendent

Yog xav tau kev pab txhais cov lus nyob hauv peb qhov webpage no, thov tham nrog Shong Her. Sau tau email rau: shher@pointschools.net los sis hu rau 715-340-0656.

Si necesita ayuda traduciendo información de esta página por favor contacte a Barb Sosnowski al correo bsosnows@pointschools.net o llame al 715-498-1976

如果您有任何问题， 需要中文翻译的服务，请通过以下方式与Yvonne Chen联系：ychen@pointschools.net

4K students attending in-person classes will attend Monday, Tuesday, Thursday Friday. No classes will occur on Wednesdays allowing facilities to implement a day of deep cleaning. A.M. and P.M. class times will be adjusted to allow for cleaning and disinfecting to occur between cohort (class) use of the space.

Elementary students attending in-person classrooms will start the year with Traditional Classroom Learning, four-days per week, and E-Learning one-day per week.

Monday: In-Person Learning

Tuesday: In-Person Learning

Wednesday:

• All student E-Learning Day

• Facilities are deep cleaned and sterilized

• Teacher Collaboration & Prep Day
  
  

Thursday: In-Person Learning

Friday: In-Person Learning

This decision has been made based on the belief that most elementary students learn best with direct instruction in a traditional classroom environment. Knowing that this is not a solution desired by all families, implementing a four-day in-person week with E-Learning one day per week provides teachers the time they will need to create a District E-Learning option for students who are not ready, or able, to return to a classroom environment. Further, we anticipate there will be a need to move to E-Learning quickly by classroom, grade, or building. This model will allow the district to provide continuous and common instruction for students choosing to learn in a classroom or E-Learning environment.

Families should prepare for notice of E-Learning for an extended period similar to weather-related school closings.

This model is being implemented in tandem with increased safety, disinfecting, and distancing procedures and protocols as well as modified building layouts.

Grading will return to a traditional standards-based system for all students.

Secondary students attending in-person classrooms will start the year with Blended Learning.

• Monday & Tuesday:

• Cohort A (students with the last name A-L) attend in-person classes

• Cohort B (students with the last name M-Z) attend classes through E-Learning

• Families with children that have two different last names who prefer to have all children attend school on the same two days, please contact your building principal

• Wednesday:

• All student E-Learning Day

• Facilities are deep cleaned and sterilized

• Teacher Collaboration & Prep Day

• Thursday & Friday:

• Cohort A (students with the last name A-L) attend classes through E-Learning

• Cohort B (students with the last name M-Z) attend in-person classes

• Families with children that have two different last names who prefer to have all children attend school on the same two days, please contact your building principal
  
  

Families should prepare for notice of E-Learning for an extended period similar to weather-related school closings.

This model is being implemented in tandem with increased safety, disinfecting, and distancing procedures and protocols as well as modified building layouts.

Grading will return to a traditional A-F grading system for all students.

• August 17-20
  New Teacher Training & "Headstart" Tech Week
  
  
• August 25-27
  Staff COVID-19 Safety and Procedure Training
  
  
• September 1- 4
  Staff Instruction and Technology Preparation and Collaboration
  
  
• September 8
  Transition to Building and the first day of school for students attending in-person classes for grades 4K, Kindergarten, 7th and 10th-grade
  No other students attend
  E-Learning student devices deployed
  
  
• September 9
  All students attending traditional or blended classes attend E-Learning classes
  
  
• September 10
  All students attending in-person classes for students in grades 4K-2 and 7th - 12th (according to cohort).
  No other students attend
  
  
• September 11
  Students attending in-person classes grades 3-6 attend the first day of school with all other in-person students grades 4K-6 and 7-12 (according to cohort)
  
  
• September 14
  Instruction begins for Full-Time E-learning students
  

The District is committed to providing equitable education opportunities for our students. Knowing that a classroom setting may not be appropriate for all students this fall, we are developing an E-Learning option for students. Benefits of this option include:

• Access to curriculum and teachers
• Real-time instruction opportunities
• Paper components for young learners
• Ability to return to school if/as family/students are able.

To inform the district that your student will be opting into e-learning to start the 2020-21 school year, please complete this form.

Grading will return to a traditional grading system for all students.

Families who have previously indicated an interest in this option will be contacted via email and/or phone to confirm their preference for learning at the start of the year.

All students and staff will be required to wear a face-covering at the start of the school year on buses and in schools. The use of face-coverings dramatically reduces the spread of all airborne diseases and is currently recommended by the CDC, Portage County Health Department, and Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

Wearing a mask and/or face shield may be new for some students. To assist in getting students ready for the start of school, we recommend families begin practicing now to prepare for this change. Remember to start slow and to make this a fun task to prepare to return to school, similar to resetting bedtimes from summer to school hours. While masks are important, please also remind students that good hand hygiene and not touching faces or others are things we should all be practicing.

If a medical provider has indicated your student should not wear a face-covering, please contact your building principal.

Face-covering requirements will be re-evaluated each quarter.

Students with Individual Education Plans and 504 Accommodation Plans will continue to receive services as indicated in these plans. This may mean their schedule and/or E-learning may require additional accommodations or a different schedule than outlined above.

Families will be contacted individually by their teacher, school psychologist, case manager, or member of the student services team.

Twenty four students or less will be scheduled per bus. Students are to sit one per seat unless riders are from the same household. Students are to sit at the window allowing for 6 feet of separation between seats across the aisle. The buses used by the District have high profile seat-backs, providing a barrier between seat rows. All adults and riders must wear a face mask. Masks must be appropriate and meet school dress code requirements.

Buses will be cleaned following each route using EPA registered chemicals for disinfecting with special attention paid to high touch areas. Information on how to locate student bus route, stop, and time information will be available closer to the start of school.

Please complete this form if your student will not using district transportation to come to or from school during the 2020-21 school year.

The Food Service team has done a tremendous job serving over 440,000 Grab-and-Go meals to the children of our community since March. Additional information will be shared regarding updated meal options for in-person and E-Learning students as it becomes available.

Thank you for your patience and support as we work to find solutions during the pandemic.

The Buildings and Grounds Department has a high standard for cleanliness and safety and remains committed to upholding these standards while increasing protocols with intensive cleaning practices. Enhanced cleaning protocols have been put in place as a result of COVID-19 and are based on local health and government guidelines.

Examples include:

• Increased air ventilation and circulation of outside air into buildings through HVAC systems.
• Daily and weekly cleaning protocols utilizing EPA registered chemicals for disinfection specifically focusing on proper dwell time of 15 minutes.
• Special attention is being placed to disinfect high-touch points including; doorknobs, countertops, handrails, light switches, restroom fixtures, desks, phones, etc.
• Enhanced areas of focus include restrooms, communal spaces, front desk and lobby areas.
• Shared objects are to be monitored and touched by only one individual before being placed in trash/recycling or sanitization bin.
• Some spaces not commonly used for classrooms may be utilized to allow for 6 feet of separation including cafeterias, gym spaces, and other classrooms.
• Outdoor spaces will be utilized as frequently as possible within the instructional day.
• Signage has been strategically placed throughout buildings to remind individuals of good hand hygiene, proper handwashing, and symptoms of COVID-19.

Yog xav tau kev pab txhais cov lus nyob hauv peb qhov webpage no, thov tham nrog Shong Her. Sau tau email rau: shher@pointschools.net los sis hu rau 715-340-0656.

Si necesita ayuda traduciendo información de esta página por favor contacte a Barb Sosnowski al correo bsosnows@pointschools.net o llame al 715-498-1976

如果您有任何问题， 需要中文翻译的服务，请通过以下方式与Yvonne Chen联系：ychen@pointschools.net

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