Thread by @CivicParent

Sharing the #JerseyCity Public Schools Reopening Plan for Fall 2020 from @jcps_district on Public Board Docs. The Board meeting is tonight. Superintendent Walker will explain the plan & the BOE will vote on it.
go.boarddocs.com/nj/jcps/Board.…

See details here about the public meeting, including how to sign up to speak (must be done before 4pm):
jcboe.org/apps/events/20…
JERSEY CITY BOARD OF EDUCATION SPECIAL MEETING
Time: 6 PM – 11:59 PM
Location: Virtual Meeting, Facebook Live: TheSchoolDistrictOfJerseyCity via Zoom

Sharing notes. I skimmed & highlighted, shared via thread.
FWIW.🖐️I'm a parent not a preK-12 teacher or admin
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Plan allows for "flexibility to shift from a fully remote model to all students attending classes in school...a gradual scale-up of school operations..." (p8)

"Currently, based on the most current guidance, the JCPS will begin classes on September 10, 2020 with Phase 2...During phase 2 of the reopening, approximately 33% of the students will be in the classroom at once." (p8-9) @JosephsonJyl @JCVillageMom

two models rn: 1) All-Virtual/Remote model (students do all of their classes virtually & 2) In-Person Hybrid model (students alternate btwn 5 days of instruction in school & five days of full virtual instruction based on the consensus of the JCPSRC. (p 9-10) @SherryAAyres

Hybrid 5-day model schedule: kids spend 5 days in school (in a same small cohort aka "pod"), then 10 days out (while other 2 5-day groups attend brick & mortar school) ie a 15-day cycle. (p10)

"We must acknowledge that our approach to distance learning cannot replicate the magic that happens when school is in regular session. However, we do contend that quality learning can occur from a distance." (p8)
Shared expectations for staff & admin (p 10-11)

General Health & Safety Guidelines (p13). "The Jersey City Health Department has been incredibly supportive, and the epidemiologists have been in contact with the District's medical department providing guidance and training." cc @HealthierJC

Classroom/Testing & Therapy Rooms (p14). Lots of detail here about what needs to happen for social distancing, physical barriers, mask wearing. Here's a snapshot:

Transportation (p15) "A fifty-four (54) passenger bus would allow transport for approximately 11 students...
...Parents are responsible for making sure that their child has been fever-free for 24 hours without medication before bringing them to the school bus."

Student Flow, Entry, Exit, & Common Areas (p16). "In collaboration w the school's planning team, the school admin. will follow all the district guidelines and prepare systems and routines..."
📢Each school needs planning team

BTW just saw state website lists updated guidance. This is moving target/fluid situation schools have been needing to respond to w/ Pandemic.
nj.gov/education/reop…

Screening, PPE, if Students or Staff Present Symptoms (p17). Screening app will be provided on district's portal.
"The District will not mandate COVID-19 testing for students and staff as a condition for admission"...

"If the district becomes aware that an individual who has spent time in a district facility tests positive for COVI-19, the Health Department Coordinator will immediately notify the Jersey City Health Department and follow their recommendation." (p18)

Contact Tracing (p19). "The Health Department within Human Resources will coordinate with the Hudson County Department of Health & Human Services and serve as the lead with the implementation of contact tracing within Jersey City Public Schools."

This gives insight into contact tracing responsibilities. (p20-22) The district is looking for contact tracers, per p21

Facilities Cleaning (p22)

Meals (p24) "The JCPS Food Service Department will continue to provide students with a nutritious breakfast and lunch."
Prek-Grade 8: Meals in classrooms
High School: Grab & Go
Remote Learners: meals will be made available

Recess & Extracurriculars & Athletics (p 24-26)
Recess staggered. "JCPS locker rooms will be closed."
"At this time," no field trips, assemblies, gatherings of groups of students.
Athletics appear to be fluid/moving target, no coach-player contact until 9/13 (at this point)

Policy & Funding (p27). "The budgetary challenges existed before the public health crisis, but the Pandemic exacerbates an already challenging situation of funding. The Jersey City Public School will utilize the CARES Act funding, excess fund balance, and grants or donations."

Starting on page 28 --> details about Continuity of Learning, hybrid model, remote learning.
I will note here: @JerseyTogether Education team surveyed parents re: remote learning feedback from fall. cc @Karis_M_Jones @SherryAAyres @MeghanHoward08 docs.google.com/presentation/d…

p.29-30 lays out the 15-day cycle of the 3-group hybrid
model and "There will be a fourth group of students that will be strictly remote and will not be part of the rotational cycle."
Google Classroom will be used district-wide & REMIND & Class DoJo will be used based on grade

Teachers can supplement virtual teaching w/ approved softwares -- check out the list below (p32)

Social & emotional learning (p33-34).
📢SEL delegated to schools, counselors, teachers.
A big issue however is that JCPS has seen counselors, CITs, and other critical SEL-support staff cut in recent years due to funding cuts. @MeghanHoward08 @MeghanFitzger14

p34-38: Curriculum, Instruction and Assessments, Curricular Support, Assessments, ELA Grades K-5, 6-12. LOTS of detail here; I'm curious what teachers think.
Reading Street still being used, NJSLA standards must still be met, Supervisors must support teaches

Grading & attendance. p38. Grading=some of it TBD. Attendance will be tied for virtual learners to Google Classroom sign-in.
Code of Conduct "Remote learning is an extension of the classroom" p38

Professional Learning (for staff) p39-46. Teachers surveyed about summer learning (chart below shows 1,506 respondents. Not sure # of staff? @JCEA_jerseycity may know?). Nuances here re: teacher support. @SherryAAyres

Career & Technical Education (CTE) p49 w details about how to support
BTW: CTE defined w/ 3 goals
(1) graduate students with 30 college/university credits
(2) graduate students with an Associates’ Degree and/or (3) graduate students with an industry-recognized certification

Special Education starts on p51 goes thru p68. Lots of detail here including visuals of how various scenarios & hybrid models will look & resources for parents. This section gives insight into how nuanced & in depth the needs are.

PreK/Early learning p 69-79. Like Special Education, lots of details and nuance. Rules for Contracted Childcare providers on p77.
@MeghanHoward08

Finally - p80-81 is list of all ppl who were part of reopening committee. Full disclosure I'm on the list - attended 6 reopening committee meetings & 1 school subcommittee meeting where I felt free/open to lift up concerns & questions.
Seeing this all in writing gives sense of...

...how broad & deep the details are surrounding the need to reopen schools & including detailed technical nuance around pedagogy for K-12 students. Superintendent Walker, Administrators, and Teachers have so much on their collective plates...

...see original tweet (linked here...closing the loop) with link to plan and also details about calling into BOE meeting tonight to engage the process.

https://twitter.com/CivicParent/status/1291357248212676609?s=20

@threadreaderapp #Unroll. TY