REOPENING PLAN: FALL 2020

DRAFT

Table of Contents / 01

1. Letter to the Community . . . . . . . . .02

2. State Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .03

3. Guiding Principles in School Reopening Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . .03

4. District’s Plan for ‘Returning to Learning’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .04Red Scenario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04Yellow Scenario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 04+05Green Scenario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 06District Wide Consistencies . . . . . . . 07Sample Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 IELD Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Special Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Technology & Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Social Emotional Learning . . . . . . . . . 13 Community Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

5. Health & Safety Protocols . . . . . . . . .15Hygiene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Physical Distancing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Masks / Face Coverings . . . . . . . . . . . 15Stable Cohorts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Daily Symptom Checks . . . . . . . . . . . 16– What happens if there is an

outbreak in our school?– What happens if a student gets

sick during the school day?– Quarantine Situations– Contact Tracing

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Increased Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Ventilation/Outdoor Learning . . . . . 17Facility Utilization & Access . . . . . . . 17Hallways & Common Spaces . . . . . . 17– Use of Lockers– Access to Drinking Water– Restrooms– Isolation Spaces

6. Additional Considerations . . . . . . . .18Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Food Service Plans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18– District Food Service & Safety . . . .18Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18– Bus Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18Food Service Plans & Safety . . . . . . .18Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19– Bus Safety– Bus Routes– Drop-Off / Pick-up ZonesMultiple Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19Adult Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19Staffing Considerations . . . . . . . . . . .19

7. Family Engagement . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20Language Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Resources & Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Key Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

8. Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219. FAQ’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

1. LETTER TO THE COMMUNITY

Our guiding principles for reopening in preparation for the 2020/20201 school year are centered around the health, safety and well-being of our community. In preparation, please take time to carefully review the contents of this plan before discussing with your child or teen.

The following policies and protocols have been shaped with the help of CDC guidelines in addition to recommendations by our Reopening Planning Team (comprised of a diverse group of representatives from our Academics, Operations and Multilingual Center teams who have worked in conjunction with parents, teachers and other school staff) .

The plan includes information and resources designed to address key critical questions that you or your child may have . Regardless of learning model our top priorities remain:

A . Providing for the health and safety needs of our students and employees, while establishing a suitable learning environment .

B . Creating conditions for social-emotional learning that recognize the impact of the disruption to normalcy, engages students, rebuilds relationships and constructs the necessary foundation for academic learning .

C . Supporting our People and enhancing their capacity to help themselves, each other, and most importantly, our students .

Our Reopening Planning Team has been working hard to establish an action plan that aligns with our core values and goals of mitigating learning gaps (Equity), fostering wellness and collective efficacy (People), supporting connectedness and social-emotional health (Whole Student), and advancing essential standards (Achievement) .

Please keep in mind that conditions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic are ever-changing . This plan will be continually evaluated and updated in accordance with local, state, and federal guidelines . To keep informed and up-to-date with the most current information, please visit:portlandschools.org .

Thank you for your trust and flexibility as we continue to navigate this uncharted territory, together.

Letter to the Community / 02

State Guidelines / 03

2. STATE GUIDELINES

The district has developed three scenarios (Red, Yellow, Green) that use a color-coded system designed to inform important decisions and details around reopening in the fall.

This color-coded system also allows us to quickly adapt to the ever-changing nature of COVID-19 . Each scenario takes into account a wide range of considerations centering around the health, safety and well-being of our entire community .

RED

suggests a high risk and that in-person instruction should not be conducted .

YELLOW

suggests an elevated risk and that hybrid instruction models should be adopted .

GREEN

suggests a relatively low risk and that in-person instruction can be adopted .

3. GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN SCHOOL REOPENING PLANNING

The following plan has been thoughtfully prepared with the following core values in mind:

EQUITY

Decisions are made and resources are allocated to prioritize our most marginalized students .

AGILITY

Able to adjust effectively to rapidly changing contexts .

SAFETY

Plans prioritize the safety of students, families, and staff .

COHERENCE

Increases the consistency of best practices across the system .

WELLNESS

Support the overall wellness of students, families, and staff recognizing the significant impacts in our community from the pandemic .

CULTURE

Plans intentionally grow the sense of collective efficacy within the PPS community .

Learning Scenarios / 04

4. DISTRICT’S PLAN FOR ‘RETURNING TO LEARNING’

RED SCENARIO: Full Remote Learning Model

Elementary (PK-5) Middle School (6-8) High School (9-12)

Remote Learning for the majority of students, all grade spans.

Wednesdays are reserved for targeted student outreach, catch up, revision, and teacher planning, collaboration and professional development . No new lessons or assignments on this day .

“Essential School” for a small number of students for whom remote learning is most detrimental (e .g . students in special purpose special education programs, IELD students) .

– Shortened Day– Heightened health and safety protocols

All students and staff will likely experience remote learning at some point in the year

Remote learning experience will be stronger than it was in the Spring (see consistencies)

District is investing in a consistent set of equipment and platforms to enable remote learning

Remote-Only Option available for all families

Elementary and middle school student will be assigned to appropriate staff in our remote teaching pool; peers will be other remote-only students

HS students will be assigned to appropriate courses taught by appropriately licensed personnel who may or may not be teaching remote-only

YELLOW SCENARIO: Hybrid Learning Model

Elementary (PK-5)

VERSION A: All students back, 5 days per week 5 hour days to allot for increased health and safety protocols and seamless transitions .Centralized district remote school for students who opt out of coming in person .Health and Safety Protocols will be followed closely in all learning scenarios (see section 5) .

VERSION B: ABXAB ScheduleAlphabetical split by last name to group students into A and B groups . Students attend in-person school according to the letter they are assigned:– A: Monday and Thursday – B: Tuesday and Friday

Wednesdays are reserved for targeted student outreach, catch up, revision, and teacher planning, collaboration and professional development . No new lessons or assignments on this day .Five hour days to create time for specials or other experiences and for teachers to check in on their remote learning group .

Wrap Around Care provided by community partners:– Extended Day for in-person days provided by Rec and other

community partners .– Full day care and supported learning provided by community

partners (adult supervision for remote learning time and community partner led learning experiences, non-tech based)

Next Page: Middle and High School Yellow Scenario

Learning Scenarios / 05

YELLOW SCENARIO: Hybrid Learning Model

Middle School (6-8) High School (9-12)

ABXAB Schedule

Alphabetical split by last name to group students into A and B groups (with consideration for blended families/different sibling last names) .

Students attend in-person school as assigned and learn remotely on the alternate days:– A: Monday and Thursday In Person; Tuesday and Friday; Remote – B: Tuesday and Friday In Person; Monday and Thursday Remote

Wednesdays are reserved for targeted student outreach, catch up, revision, and teacher planning, collaboration and professional development . No new lessons or assignments on this day .

Five hour days to create time for specials or other experiences and for teachers to check in on their remote learning group .

ABXAB Schedule (Grade 9)

Three hour in-person day .

Students will be grouped into A and B groups based on their 9th grade teams .

Students attend in-person school according to the letter they are assigned and continue to learn remotely on the alternate days:– A: Monday and Thursday In Person; Tuesday and Friday; Remote– B: Tuesday and Friday In Person; Monday and Thursday Remote

Students will have access to in person or virtual office hours and supports with their teachers for the remainder of the school day

Learning Center Model (Grades 10-12)

Grades 10-12 will participate remotely for their courses four days per week .

Students will have access to in person or virtual office hours and supports with teachers .

Wednesdays are reserved for targeted student outreach, catch up, revision, and teacher planning, collaboration and professional development . No new lessons or assignments on this day .

All Grades6 .5 hour days to allow for time for the in person or remote instruction in the mornings and learning center model in the afternoon .

The Learning Center allows for: office hours, targeted support, and advisory .

4. DISTRICT’S PLAN FOR ‘RETURNING TO LEARNING’ Next Page: Green Scenario

Learning Scenarios / 06

4. DISTRICT’S PLAN FOR ‘RETURNING TO LEARNING’

GREEN SCENARIO: Full Remote Learning Model

All Grade Levels

All students back, 5 days per week, all grade spans

5 hour days to allot for increased health and safety protocols (e .g . teachers cannot drop off large groups of students in the cafeteria for lunch in order to get lunch or prep time) and to facilitate seamless transitions between scenarios .

Centralized district remote school for students who opt out of coming in person (Run by educators who are unable to come in and have an approved accommodation to work remotely . This enables better matching between grade level educators and students who opt out .)

Health and Safety Protocols will be followed closely in all learning scenarios (see section 5) .

DISTRICT WIDE CONSISTENCIES

Every student has a designated Portland Promise Point Person.Elementary: The classroom teacher is re-sponsible for ensuring that every student on their roster has a point person and coordi-nating communication and support for all students using a team approach . This coordi-nated team approach happens in collabora-tion with the SST .

Middle School: All students will have an advisory group . Group size is approximately fifteen; “Advisor” serves as students’ primary SEL point person to check on student’s aca-demic growth, attendance, communication with families (bi-weekly at minimum) .

High School: All students will have an advisory group . Group size is approximately fifteen; “Advisor” serves as students’ primary SEL point person to check on student’s academic growth, attendance, communication with families (once a week at minimum)

Every student experiences a regular advisory/morning meeting.Elementary: Morning Meeting/Daily Meeting; In-person: daily .

Remote: daily, mix of synchronous and asynchronous (recorded)

Hybrid: daily, synchronous for students in person, asynchronous for students in remote

Middle School: Consistent Structures & Routines; Daily attendance check-ins by 10:00 am across schools; Two synchronous advisory meetings per week for one hour .

High School: Consistent Structures & Routines .

A facilitated meeting with advisory group at least twice per week . Ideally synchronous, but asynchronous option provided for students in the most vulnerable/challenging home circumstances, prohibiting access to synchronous meeting time .

Educators prioritize essential standards to focus learning in remote & hybrid scenarios.Elementary: Illustrative Math; Common set of literacy prioritized standards; Science and SS content weaved into literacy block .

Middle School: Use common Standards/Tar-gets across all middle schools .

High School: Graduation standards and key standards to support next level coursework .

All students experience a set of consistent learning experiences.Elementary: Daily Morning Meeting/Class Meeting will happen daily, with a focus on SEL and community building

Student discourse happens daily in a remote (or in-person) setting .

* If your student is not receiving the consistencies listed below, please notify your school principal directly .

District Wide Consistencies / 07

DISTRICT WIDE CONSISTENCIES

Middle School: CREW/Advisory/Lions Pride time in person for interaction with peers .

Discussion and collaboration among students is a priority .

In person time: Skill building around collaboration, using feedback and relating to one another .

High School: See Table .

Educators streamline use of technology platforms to simplify and strengthen effectiveness.Elementary: PreK-3: SeeSaw; Grades 4-5: Google Classroom .

Middle + High School: Google Classroom .

All Grade Levels: Flipgrid for supporting student collaboration; Google Meets/Zoom; School based decisions about the use of other tools and tech enabled programs with the goal of streamlining the complexity of having to manage multiple sign-ins and platforms .

Each grade span has a consistent approach to taking attendance.Elementary: On A and B days, attendance is taken within 30 minutes of school start time .

Teacher enters attendance into IC; Secretary pulls a report, and sends automatic message or calls home to any student not “present”. Secretaries can update attendance

themselves if parents give updated information on students that are remote . Teachers are not expected to update attendance throughout the day; PreK is not compulsory .Middle School: Advisor takes daily attendance when kids are in person and when they are remote; Advisor enters attendance in IC .High School: Desire for a clear district policy around all of these metrics that can be implemented school by school .Attendance should be supportive rather than punitive .Different purposes for engagement and participation .

All students will receive regular, meaningful feedback in person and remote.Elementary: Grades 3-5: Provide an ELA diagnostic at the beginning of school aligned to priority standards; Teachers enter reading benchmark into IC and End-Of-Unit IM Assessments into LearnZillion; Report out informally by point people (every other week) and at end of trimester on HOWLs; Frequent feedback on assignments will be provided; PreK use TSG to report out expected developmental progress towards the benchmark (or end of year goal) or, if in remote, “Not enough evidence yet”.

District Wide Consistencies / 08

DISTRICT WIDE CONSISTENCIES

Middle School: Summative Assessments will be entered on IC; Use 1-4 scale for academic assignments; Update IC at least every 2 weeks for academic standards; HOWLs feedback will be given weekly; Shorter academic assessments, including performance tasks; Google Classroom will be used to: Engage students with learning/launch learning, reflection and synthesis; Complete assignments; Provide daily agendas for all students; Give formative feedback on work in progress–from peers/teacher(s) .

High School: Time built into day & schedule for support; Regular, consistent communication with families; Check in with each parent about base-level understanding on IC, Google Classroom; Families will receive automated emails; Teachers post grades on IC; Families can contact teachers for questions .

GradingElementary: Proposed: Met/Not Yet with qualitative feedback (decision not confirmed.

Middle + High School: Finalizing expectations in August .

Wednesday ExpectationsElementary: Morning: student support daily meeting; Catch up work, small group, extension, or project-based learning;

Student-facing work; Family communication from point person; Small group/ 1:1 support for Tier 2; Attendance taken

Afternoon: Faculty Planning/Collaboration

Examples: Grade-level team meetings for co-planning; Student-focused RTI-type meeting; Other teams: Leadership team/wellness/equity; PD and staff meetings; IEP and 504; Time to collaborate or have PD across district in afternoons (similar to “regular’ schedule).

Middle School: Morning: Faculty Planning/Collaboration; Teacher PD; Teacher Collaboration; Co-planning with Specialists and Support Staff; Data input time .

Afternoon: Student Support (intentionally opposite of elem in a device sharing context, also responsive to developmental stage; Dedicated time to helping advisees use this day well to revise/complete work; Feedback for students/Office Hours/small study groups; Synchronous Advisory as a student check-in; Family connections by Advisor; House Advisors meet to review data and discuss Tier 2 and Tier 3 needs .

High School: Mix of student support and faculty PD/Collaboration/Planning; Support time with students; Time for advisors to reach out to families and time to check in with advisees

Collaboration time within and across schools; Collaboration with Special Ed and ELL departments; Teacher PD; Wellness/

District Wide Consistencies / 09

DISTRICT WIDE CONSISTENCIES

Well-being: Reflection, Personal wellness, maximum number of hours on Zoom, possibility for staff to meet in person using CDC guidelines .

All schools will design a School Kick-Off that is responsive to the scenario context and mindful of student needs coming off the springElementary School: Acknowledge where students are at and how school will look/feel different this fall; Start with a consistent schedule and keep to it .

Daily classroom meetings to build community, focused on expectations for routines, procedures, and behavior expectations for online; Tech training for all students; Tech point people are activated to support students/families .

Accelerate learning through focus on high priority standards, and “just in time” review.

Diagnostics: Screening): Dial; F+Ps for Tier 2 and new students; Letter ID; 3-5 ELA diagnostics focused on priority standards .

Middle School: All students need time to settle back into school - review/teach of expectations . Advisory would be the primary structure of the launch/introduction to the following .

Focus on 6th graders and other students who will need transition; Use Existing HOWLs; Add Covid-specific PBIS (Health & Safety Protocols); Technology Boot camp differentiated by level; Physical orientation to the new (version) of the building; Relationship building (between S & T and S & S); Play is encouraged through advisory and classes; Provide rigorous, grade level instruction, with scaffolds for students who need them and exceeds options for kids ready for them .

High School: Focus on 9th graders and other students who will need transition; Relationship development (sufficient time; Technical explicit instruction; Ensure students know how to do school this year; Provide Physical materials; Grade-level specific and school-specific differentiation will be required .

All students will have access to developmentally appropriate physical materials for remote learningAll Grade Levels: Technology and physical materials will be provided .

District Wide Consistencies / 10

SAMPLE SCHEDULE

Sample Schedule / 11

All schools follow a common schedule arc to ensure a more consistent experience for all students.

Pre-K K–5 Middle School High School PATHS

7:45 – 8:00 Arrival; Breakfast 7:45 –8:00 Arrival; Breakfast9:45 –10:15 Lions Pride; Advisory; CREW

9:00 –9:30 Meeting Time

AM Session: 8:30 –10:30 or 8:00 –10:30

8:00 – 8:30 Morning Meeting; Intro to Centers 8:00 – 8:30 Morning Meeting 9:30 –10:10 Block 1

8:30 –9:30 Centers 8:30 –9:15 Reading; Math; Writing; Specials 10:15 –11:00 Math 10:15 –10:55 Block 2

9:30 –9:45 Songs; Word Play; Letters /Numbers 9:15 –9:30 Wiggle Break

11:00 –11:45 Science 10:55 –11:05 Mask Break; Snack Break

9:45 –10:00 Wiggle Break 9:30 –10:15 Writing

10:00 –10:20 Let’s Find Out About It; Second Step 10:15 –10:30 Wiggle Break

11:45 –12:15 Lions Pride; Advisory; CREW 11:05 –11:50 Block 3

10:20 –10:45 Small groups

10:30 –11:30 Math

PM Session: 11:30 –1:30 or 11:30 –2:00

10:45 –11:00 Read aloud12:15 –1:00 ELA 11:50 –12:30 Block 4

11:00 –11:15 Wiggle break

11:15 –11:45 Lunch 11:30 –12:00 Lunch1:00 –1:45 Social Studies 12:30 –1:15 Grab and Go Lunch

11:45 –12:30 Specials12:00 –12:45 Special

12:30 –12:45 Closing circle1:45 –2:30 RA 1:15 –3:30 Learning Center Time;

Office Hours; Academic Support12:45 Dismissal 12:45 Dismissal

IELD PROGRAMMING

SPECIAL EDUCATION

TECHNOLOGY, CONNECTIVITY & DEVICES

IELD Programming, Special Education, & Technology / 12

Yellow and Green Scenarios:In-person instruction 4 days per week

Students temporarily assigned to a cohort led by an EL teacher as a “sheltered English class”

Prioritized for a 1:1 learning device and hot spot in order to access remote learning and supplemental online materials .

Parents/Families will receive on-going and multilingual technical support with technology and remote-learning on-boarding

Customized physical and health safety training

Red Scenario: IELD students will receive physically distanced in-person support from teachers, ed techs, specific learning centers will be designated in key schools across the city

Standard health and safety precautions will be closely followed

CALS students can access designated learning centers along with IELD students during periods of remote learning

Students with disabilities will continue to receive services across all continuums of Special Education to meet their Individualized needs:Special Education and gifted services and programs to align with District-wide Consistencies across each scenario .

Every Special Education and Chapter 104 staff to serve as a Portland Promise Point Person.Services will be delivered in consistent small-group cohorts, and whenever possible, in the students general education cohort .

Related services (Speech/Language, OT, PT, Social Work) will be delivered in-person to the greatest extent possible and through remote teletherapy if necessary .

If remote learning is in place (Yellow or Red), students in non-district programs will receive some/all services through remote (specially designed instruction or teletherapy) .

Individual plans will be made for students who are unable to participate in school through the IEP process .

Laptops and internet hotspot devices will be made available for each student and employee via pick-up or delivery .

To request a device, let your child’s teacher know . The teacher will inform the right personnel at the school for this request .

Devices will be deployed in August 2020

Students with devices from last spring can keep throughout the school year

Additional devices and internet hotspots will be distributed in the fall for those students/households in need

If you need tech support, let your child’s teacher know and they will inform the right personnel at the school to get you the help you need .

Learning Platforms:PPS will rely on Google Classroom and Seesaw as primary online learning platforms .

Training & Support:If you need tech support, let your child’s teacher know . The teacher will inform the right personnel at the school to get you the help you need .

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING

Social Emotional Learning / 13

Reunite, Renew, and Thrive: Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Roadmap for Reopening School (CASEL, 2020) was used as a guide to inform recommendations for school reopening. The four SEL critical practices are as follows:

SEL Critical Practice 1: Take time to cultivate and deepen relationships, build partnerships, and plan for SEL . Foster new relationships that elevate student and family voice; Use two-way communication strategies; Examine the impact of SEL efforts; Build a broad coalition and integrate SEL into your plans .

SEL Critical Practice 2: Design opportunities where adults can connect, heal, and build their capacity to support students . Allow space for communication, listening, and healing among adults; Ensure access to mental health and trauma support; Identify opportunities for innoncation and anti-racist practices; Provide embedded professional learning .

SEL Critical Practice 3: Create safe, supportive, and equitable learning environments that promote all students’ social and emotional development. Build adult-student and peer relationships; Weave in opportunities for SEL practice and reflection; Implement a comprehensive system of supports; Discuss the impact of pandemic and racial inequity; Collaborate with family and partners .

SEL Critical Practice 4: Use data as an opportunity to share power, deepen relationships, and continuously improve support for students, families, and staff . Elevate student voice in reflection and action on data; Support educators in reflecting on instruction and environment; Partner with families and community members to improve experience and outcomes .

SEL Competency Pre-K– 5th Grade Grades 6-12

SEL Practice 1: Take time to cultivate and deepen relationships, build partnerships, and plan for SEL

Schedule regular face-to-face connections throughout the week (at least twice weekly either in-person or remotely) to allow students to process their experiences during COVID-19, BLM, and remote learning; Prepare a virtual open house to (re)introduce families to staff and structures; Assign support staff to help with outreach/connecting with families of students who need more support; Conduct home visits when necessary (in accordance with the district protocol) .

Use opening days for transitioning student cohorts (grades 6 and 9) and devote them to community and relationship building .Create stronger, more targeted connections between students and teachers for the entire semester or yearBuild advisory into the daily scheduleReduce the number of classes per day to allow time for more SEL and academic support

SEL Practice 2:Design opportunities where adults can connect, heal, and build their capacity to support students

Adult SEL and self-care as a crucial component of reopening; Ongoing routines for support staff, Wednesday/5th day built in time; Have SEL practices incorporated into staff meetings, mindfulness practice

Provide time and safe structures during opening days for staff to connect and dialogue and for staff self care .

SEL Practice 3: Create safe, supportive, and equitable learning environments that promote all students’ social and emotional development

(Re) Establish building PBIS Leadership Teams with Tiered Fidelity Inventory (TFI) informed action plans . Daily, consistent 2nd step lessons that are focusedFrequent movement, mask breaks and mindfulness moments

Develop clear and consistent scheduling and communication and feedback loops with students and families; Classroom/content teachers commit class time during opening days to relationship-building; School teams increase and fortify structures in place to empower student voice; Reimagine advisory including reduction to 1:10 staff/student ratio and an increased emphasis on SEL .

SEL Practice 4:Use data as an oppor-tunity to share power, deepen relationships, and continuously improve support for students, families, and staff .

Assess efficacy of SEL interventions-easy, quick assessment to use with students on an ongoing basis; Regularly survey students for feedback on their learning experience: Co-Pilot Elevate; Survey families at beginning, middle, and close of the year .

Use rating tools around self-care and compassion- give at intervals throughout the year; Regularly survey students for feedback on their learning experience: Co-Pilot Elevate; Survey families at beginning, middle, and close of the year .

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Community Partners / 14

To enrich the educational experience of our students, we are in the process of engaging a selection of carefully vetted community partners:

Partnerships recognize the needs of families for wrap around care .

Partnerships are designed to inspire a range of passion-driven pursuits by tap-ping into Portland’s rich pool of non-profit organizations dedicated to advancing the arts, sciences and humanities .

Each local community partner will collaborate with PPS educators to deliver a range of dynamic learning experiences .

Partnerships will be organized geographically and students will be kept in their designated learning cohorts if possible .

General health and safety protocols will be clearly communicated and adhered to at all times .

A preliminary selection of potential partners include:

Health & Safety Protocols / 15

The CDC has highlighted specific mitigation strategies to reduce risk of COVID-19 infection and transmission. PPS will adhere to the following enhanced protocols and precautions:

1. Hygiene: All students and staff must wash hands or use sanitizing gel upon entering the school, before and after eating, before and after donning or removing a face mask, after using the restroom, before and after use of playgrounds and shared equipment, and upon entering and exiting a school bus .

Hand sanitizer, soap, paper towels will be made easily accessible .

The number and location of sanitization stations has been increased throughout buildings and classrooms .

Signage will be posted throughout the building to encourage appropriate health and safety practices .

2. Physical Distancing: Adults must maintain 6 feet of distance from others to the extent possible . Maintaining 3 feet of distance is acceptable between and among students when combined with the other measures outlined in this list of safety requirements .

Six feet of physical distancing is required for

students while eating breakfast and lunch, as students will be unable to wear masks at that time .

Groups in any one area, room, or classroom must not exceed the Governor’s gathering size limits .

3. Masks / Face Coverings: Adults, including educators and staff, are required to wear a mask/face covering .

Students age two and above are required to wear a mask/face covering that covers their nose and mouth .

Masks/face coverings must be worn by all students on the bus .

Face shields may be an alternative for those students with medical, behavioral, or other challenges who are unable to wear masks/face coverings . The same applies to staff with medical or other health reasons for being unable to wear face coverings . Face shields worn in place of a face covering must extend below the chin and back to the ears .

Students should bring their own face coverings, but PPS will provide face coverings for students without them, as needed .

PPS will provide face coverings and face shields for all staff members .

Please ensure your child’s mask is labeled and be sure to discuss the importance of not sharing masks with others .

5. HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS

Health & Safety Protocols / 16

4. Stable Cohorts: Small, consistent groups (i .e . pods, teams) of students will be assigned to consistent staff member(s) to minimize exposure and facilitate contact tracing .

Elementary schools should aim to keep students in the same group throughout the day for the duration of the academic term/curriculum . Middle and high schools should minimize mixing student groups to the extent feasible . – Schools should divide students into small

groups that remain with each other throughout each day . Schools should look for ways to isolate cohorts of students and prevent inter-group contact to the extent feasible .

– Faculty and staff should remain with a specific cohort to the extent possible.

When in classrooms, all students should have assigned seating .

There are no required maximum cohort or group sizes, as long as schools adhere to the physical distancing requirements in this guidance . Schools should utilize the smallest cohort size practicable .

Cohorting students in middle and high schools presents unique challenges . Strategies to assist with cohorting in middle and high schools include:– Block schedules (much like some colleges,

intensive 1-month blocks) .

– Eliminate use of lockers or assign them by cohort to reduce need for hallway use across multiple areas of the building .

Whenever feasible, teachers rotate instead of students .

5. Daily Symptom Checks: PPS students and employees must complete the following self-screening questions listed below prior to reporting to school .

Have you experienced ANY of the currently known symptoms of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours?Fever or chills (temperature greater than 100 .4° F/38 °C) . . . . . . . . YES / NO

New or Worsening Cough . . . . . . . . . . YES / NO

Shortness of Breath or Difficulty Breathing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . YES / NO

Fatigue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . YES / NO

Muscle and Body Aches . . . . . . . . . . . . YES / NO

Headache . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . YES / NO

Sustained Loss of Taste or Smell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . YES / NO

Sore Throat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . YES / NO

Congestion / Runny Nose . . . . . . . . . . . YES / NO

Vomiting or Diarrhea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . YES / NO

IF THE ANSWER IS “YES” TO ANY QUESTION ABOVE: DO NOT COME TO SCHOOL.

5. HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS

Health & Safety Protocols / 17

5. HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS

What happens if there is an outbreak in our school? We will communicate promptly to staff, students, and families in the event that local health conditions warrant pod or school closure or a change in instructional delivery .

In the event of closure, PPS will implement an emergency model of full-time online instruction for affected students .

What happens if a student gets sick during the school day? Students experiencing symptoms will be guided to a dedicated isolation areas . Emergency contacts will be notified and will be expected to pick up their student as soon as possible .

Quarantine Situations: If an individual student is required to quarantine, they will be provided the option to transition into remote learning, if physically able, and those days will not be counted as absences .

If a classroom or multiple classrooms are required to quarantine due to a positive test, impacted students will transition into remote learning during the quarantine period . If a student is physically able to participate, those days will not be counted as absences .

Contact Tracing: Trained health department staff work with persons diagnosed with COVID-19 to help them recall everyone who they had close contact with while they were infectious . Health department staff will

notify person(s)who may have been exposed (contacts) as quickly as possible to prevent additional spread of the disease .

6. Increased Cleaning: Special attention is being placed to disinfect high-touch points including doorknobs, countertops, handrails, light switches, restroom fixtures, desks and phones, etc .

Restrooms, communal spaces, front desk and lobby areas will be cleaned with increased frequency .

EPA-registered chemicals will be used for disinfection .

7. Ventilation & Outdoor Learning: Air ventilation will be maximized to promote circulation of outside air into buildings through HVAC systems .

Some spaces not commonly used for classrooms may be utilized to allow for six feet of separation, including cafeterias, gym spaces, and other rooms .

Outdoor spaces will be utilized as frequently as possible within the instructional day .

8. Facility Utilization & Access: Access to facilities is limited to students and essential staff . Parents and other visitors are not allowed to enter the school buildings .

Facilities are organized for distinct entrance/exit areas for specific groups of students.

Limited facility usage and movement through the facility during the day .

9. Hallways & Common Spaces: Use of hall-ways and common spaces will be staggered to reduce the total number of people in any given space at any one time . Face masks must be worn at all times and social distanc-ing must be observed .

Use of Lockers: Students will not be using lockers this fall and are discouraged from bringing a backpack to reduce soft surfaces that may harbor germs .

Access to Drinking Water: Drinking foun-tains are limited to bottle-filling use only. We encourage your child to bring a labeled water bottle to fill throughout the day. Please talk to your child about the importance of not shar-ing or using another student’s water bottle.

Restrooms: Restrooms will be monitored and cleaned more frequently throughout the day. Students will be assigned a specific restroom to limit use .

Isolation Spaces: Health isolation spaces have been created in each building should a student or staff member begin to expe-rience or display potential COVID-19 symp-toms during the course of the school or work day . Be available to pick up your child at school if your child becomes sick during the school day. If it will be difficult for you to pick your child during the school day, have an “emergency plan” ready for another family member, friend or neighbor to dismiss your child from school . Please contact your school to update your child’s profile with this emer-gency contact information .

Additional Considerations / 18

Our goal is to ensure that all staff and families have the tools, resources and supports to feel safe and comfortable returning to school.

Athletics: Maine Principals Association (MPA) has announced a delay in the start to fall 2020 sports season .Conditioning for fall sports only at Deering and Portland high schools will begin on August 24 .Fall interscholastic activities will be pushed back from August 17 to September 8 .Pre-season will last two weeks, allowing games to resume no earlier than Friday, September 18 .All sports teams will adhere to health and safety protocols as appropriate .A specific set of protocols and guidelines, including rules modifications and face masking will be soon announced .

Food Service Plans: Portland Public Schools is committed to helping children eat healthy so they can be attentive and ready to learn, at home or in the classroom .

District Food Service & Safety: K-8 schools will serve breakfast and lunch in the classroom . These meals are pre-packaged in a single serving container (box or bag) .

High Schools will be served breakfast in school, and offered a bag lunch to be taken home at the end of the day

Students will be allowed to remove masks when eating or drinking

Menu and any allergy information can be found here

For students learning remotely, ‘grab and go’ breakfast and lunch will be available for in-person and online learners to pick-up at school distribution sites

In a RED Scenario sites would be: Deering High, Portland High, King Middle, Moore Middle, Presumpscot Elementary, Reiche Elementary, Rowe Elementary, and Talbot Elementary

In a YELLOW Scenario sites would be: Deering High, Portland High, King Middle and Moore Middle

In a GREEN Scenario sites would be: Deering High and Portland High

Transportation: Whenever possible, we are asking parents to provide transportation for their student to and from school . Bus

6. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

Additional Considerations / 19

capacity will be significantly reduced to ensure social distancing measures are in place .

Bus Safety: A limited number of students will be scheduled per bus in accordance with physical distancing protocol (three feet) .

Students will board the bus according to a seat assignment and sit one per seat (unless riders are from the same household) .

Students (as developmentally appropriate) and staff will be required to wear a face covering while on the bus . Cloth face coverings will be provided to students if they are needed .

Bus drivers and attendants will also wear cloth face coverings or face shields .

Bus drivers will perform wipe downs of all frequently touched surfaces following every school delivery .

Bus Routes: Student’s bus route, stop and time information will be communicated digitally at least one week in advance of school reopening .

Drop-Off / Pick-up Zones: A designated area will be clearly marked near the school entrance for student drop-off and pick-up .

Parents are not to park, stop, exit vehicle or congregate at drop off/pick up locations .

Multiple Children: Student schedules will be assigned alphabetically to support families with students in multiple grades . For any individual situations (example: siblings with different last names) please contact your child’s school who will work with you to address the scheduling conflict.

Family hardship issues will be addressed on a case-by-case basis at the school level, whenever possible . PPS cannot guarantee that individual requests (beyond ensuring students in the same family have the same schedule) can be accommodated, given the strict limited-capacity restrictions for classrooms and buses .

Adult Education: Portland Adult Education will follow a similar protocol around learning scenarios:

Red: Full remote online courses

Yellow: Hybrid (in-person, one-on-one or small groups or online) following standard health and safety protocols

Green: Full in-person learning following standard health and safety protocols

Staffing Considerations: Additional support staff will be called upon as needed to support daily operations, including substitute teachers, custodial services and nursing .

6. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

Family Engagement / 20

7. FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

A family orientation will be hosted in advance of school reopening (and accessible digitally on-demand) to help parents become familiarized with new safety measures, instructional models and school specific key details surrounding school reopening and what to expect.

Communications between district, schools and teachers will be timely and informative .

Online meetings will be hosted periodically within each cohort to provide a chance for families to ask questions, gather information and stay engaged .

Information will be provided regularly to parents on how to support student success .

Language Services: If you need help accessing translated documents, call 207) 874-8135 or email: multilingualcenter1@portlandschools .org .

Resources & Training: For a comprehensive list of resources and training to help care-givers understand their roles in supporting student success, explore Parent University and Adult Ed .

Health Resources:

– PPS Reopening FAQs

– Maine Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (Maine CDC)

– Maine Department of Education (DOE)

The cdc has many resources at cdc .gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index .html

For resources and information on the State of Maine COVID-19 response, please visit coronavirus .maine .gov .

Key Contacts: For general information about COVID-19: call 211, text your zip code to 898-211, or email info@211maine .org .

Please share and discuss this information with your family before the start of school. The health and safety of our community is contingent on all of us doing our part.

Appendix / 21

8. APPENDIX

Symptoms of Covid 19

Most Common:CoughShortness of breath or difficulty breathingFever (100.4 F or greater)

Other Symptoms:Other Symptoms:ChillsMuscle painSore throatNew loss of taste or smell

Less Common Symptoms:Stomach painNausea or vomitingNausea or vomitingDiarrheaFatigueHeadachePoor appetite or no appetiteRashSwelling or redness of hands/feetRed eyes/eye drainageRed eyes/eye drainage

Call 911 &

Call Parent

Call Parent to pick

up ASAP

Advise Call to Medical Provider

IFApply

Surgical Mask and Isolate

Emergent:

Difficulty breathingChest painNew confusionDifficulty concentratingBluish lips or faceBluish lips or face

IF

Apply Surgical Mask

and Isolate

Symptoms:

CoughAppears FeverishSore ThroatOr other Symptoms related to COVID 19

CheckSymptoms

NO 1. Routine Illness care2. Send information to parent: illness care3. Return to class heightened awareness 4. Record visit in usual manner

NO

Apply Surgical Mask

and IsolateYES

School Nurse Assessment:

Respiratorylike illness?

Fever?

Notify School Nurse YESIs School Nurse

Available?

Updated 7.16.20COVID-19: Child Feels/Appears Unwell Flowchart

Appendix / 21

8. APPENDIX

YES =Contact

Your School

Have you traveled outside of the state in

the past 14 days?

XYES =Have you been in close

contact with a person who has COVID-19?

XYES =Do you feel sick with any

of the most common symptoms?

(see symptom list to the right)

XYES =

Within the past 24 hours have you had a fever (100.4 and above*) or

used any fever reducing medicine?

COVID-19Pre-Screening Tool

for School Attendance

Most CommonSymptomsof Covid 19: CoughShortness of Shortness of breath or difficulty breathingFever (100.4 or greater)*

Other Other Symptoms

ChillsMuscle painSore throatNew loss of taste or smell

Less Common Less Common Symptoms:

Nausea or VomitingStomach pain DiarrheaFatigueHeadacheHeadacheRashSwelling or redness of hands/feetRed eyes/eye drainageCongestion/runny noserunny nose

*Fever is 100.4 regardless of measurement location (oral, temporal).

Stay home with any YES response to the questions above OR with two or more of the “other” or “less common” symptoms listed to the right.

Attend school when all answers are NO. Call or see your school nurse or other designated person at school if you have questions.

Updated 7.16.20