Appendix N
Scheduling of Students
This school district should include in Appendix N the locally developed protocols addressing the anticipated minimum standards as required by the NJDOE Guidance and referenced in the Board’s Plan – Section B.3., including, but not limited to:
School Day:
Students with Individualized Education Programming (not speech only students) will be provided with the opportunity to attend full day, in person instruction during the hybrid schedule. IEP mandates will dictate the individual schedules of students; however, students attending the Frank J. Smith School will be offered to attend daily from 8:50 am until 3:20 pm. Individual schedules can be viewed upon request, but due to confidentiality they have not been included in this manual. Parents who do not wish to send their child for the full day will work with the case manager and IEP team members in September to plan an appropriate program to meet the needs of their child.
Students with Individualized Education Programming (not speech only students) will be provided with the opportunity to attend for full day instruction during the hybrid schedule. IEP mandates will dictate the individual schedules of students; however, students attending Central Elementary School will be offered to attend daily from 8:50 am until 3:20 pm. Individual schedules can be viewed upon request, but due to confidentiality they have not been included in this manual. Parents who do not wish to send their child for the full day will work with the case manager and IEP team members in September to plan an appropriate program to meet the needs of their child.
Daily Schedule for EHMS
(All grade-levels will follow this schedule and students will attend their core classes in the order in which they occur in their schedule)
COVID Screening: 7:40 AM-8:00 AM
HR: 8:00 AM-8:05 AM
Per. 1- 8:06 AM-8:50 AM
Per. 2- 8:52 AM-9:36 AM
Per. 3- 9:38 AM-10:22 AM
Per. 4- 10:24-11:08 AM
IS/Snack- 11:10 AM-11:54 PM
Per. 5- 11:56 PM-12:40 PM
Staggered Dismissal: 12:40-12:46
Digital learning continues during the PM hours.
All Specials classes will be delivered via the distance learning platform during the afternoon hours.
Total teaching time: 220 minutes (5 teaching periods X 44 minutes per period)
Total contact time: 270 minutes
Students with Individualized Education Programming (not speech only students) will be provided with the opportunity to attend East Hanover Middle School daily from 8:00 am until 12:40 pm during the hybrid schedule. IEP mandates will dictate the individual schedules of students. Individual schedules can be viewed upon request, but due to confidentiality they have not been included in this manual. Parents who do not wish to send their child daily for the half day will work with the case manager and IEP team members in September to plan an appropriate program to meet the needs of their child.
Curriculum
In June 2020, the district conducted a standards audit for each subject and grade level.
The Standards audit included a review of the material taught during distance learning
(March 2020-June 2020), student performance on benchmark assessments and teacher
input. The information from the standards audit was utilized to guide curriculum
committees in the creation of curricular addendums to address any learning gaps that
may exist as students enter the 2020-2021 school year.
Curriculum pacing guides have been updated during July and August 2020 to account for loss of learning that may have occurred during the initial onset of remote instruction. Updates were based on information gleaned from the May 2020 standards audit. Pacing Guides allow for review as needed but also accelerate learning in order to ensure current grade level content is mastered. This is accomplished by streamlining assignments/projects and leveraging technology to support and enhance instruction.
In addition to using updated pacing guides based on the results of Standards Audit, teachers will administer and analyze beginning of the year benchmark assessments in English Language Arts and Mathematics to determine students current skill levels and areas of need. Teachers will also administer pre-assessments prior to the start of new content to identify any prerequisite skills that may need to be addressed before introducing new content.
All programming and courses will continue to be offered including General Education, Special Education, Interventions, Enrichment and Gifted and Talented.
Instruction
Staff, parents, and students will be provided with detailed information regarding learning expectations, available learning mediums, and student schedules. Regardless of instructional medium (hybrid, virtual, etc.) all general education students will follow the same modified school schedule ensuring equivalent instructional times and access to teacher support. Special Education and English Language Learners who are newcomers and/or have very limited proficiency will be offered the opportunity to have full day instruction.
All students will have access to district technology and core and supplemental curricular resources. Students and teachers will utilize approved digital resources to support learning. The district will communicate learning and attendance expectations to students and parents via virtual communication (e.g. Student handbooks, welcome letters, student backpack, community letters, etc.). Teachers will utilize virtual learning platforms/resources approved by the Board of Education which include but are not limited to Google Apps for Education, SeeSaw and Zoom.
Lessons will be designed for student engagement in the virtual/hybrid classroom and will leverage technology to ensure ownership of learning, collaboration, and mastery of grade level standards.
The district will survey staff to determine needs for professional development and additional supports that may be needed to enhance remote and hybrid instruction.
A review of teacher feedback, attendance data and assessment data reveals that distance learning experiences varied among the ELL population. Students were provided with technology as needed based on responses to district survey data and/or conversations with ELL parents. According to data, students with lower English proficiency levels were less likely to participate in distance learning activities. Regular parent contact with translators helped to increase attendance for some.
In addition to assessing student access to technology and participate in distance learning, in August 2020, ELLs will be assessed for English Proficiency levels using the WIDA Model in a 1:1 socially distant setting following all necessary and mandated health and safety guidelines (e.g. temperature checks, wear appropriate PPE etc.). Data will be used to determine continued Services and inform instructional needs.
Assessment
The East Hanover Township Public Schools will continue to administer assessments that determine students current levels of academic functioning and monitor progress toward grade level standards as noted on the District’s Benchmark Assessment Schedule. Additional assessments will be incorporated into instructional practices to further any potential needs for remediation.
Teachers will administer pre-assessments prior to the start of curricular units. Assessments will be short in nature and will be analyzed to determine standards in need of review and glean information regarding students’ current level of mastery in a given topic/skill. Additionally, assessments will provide teachers with the necessary information to differentiate instruction and provide intervention or enrichment activities as needed. Formative assessments will be used regularly throughout the teaching and learning process to monitor student progress and understanding.
Additionally, teachers will be provided with end of year Link It/iReady Benchmark Assessment data from June 2020 that highlights students’ mastery of standards in ELA and Mathematics. This information will be one of the multiple measures used to determine the need for individual or group intervention and remediation.
Whenever possible assessments will be administered via the computer. Link It Benchmark/iReady assessments will be given to all students on digital devices. Additionally, student reading levels in Grades K-5 will be assessed using Literably, an on-line running record assessment. Teachers will create local formal assessments in district approved technology platforms.
Student progress toward grade level standards will be communicated with parents via marking period and trimester report cards as well as IEP progress reports. Grades, report cards and IEP progress reports will be available in the PowerSchool Parent Portal. Grading policies will remain consistent for students in the hybrid or virtual setting. If there is a need to modify report cards the information will be communicated with students and parents prior to the close of any marking period or trimester.
Professional Learning
District administrators will attend professional development opportunities as they arise that are specifically related to supporting reopening efforts, student and staff health and safety, and remote/virtual learning.
All teachers, substitutes, and instructional aides will be provided with professional development opportunities that support best practices in hybrid/remote learning, social-emotional learning, trauma informed instruction, and COVID-19. Professional development will be offered to staff in the summer (on an optional basis) and throughout the school year. Offerings will include workshops created by district administrators, teachers, instructional coaches that consult with the district, and outside professional development providers. In order to meet the needs of all staff members sessions will be offered in both synchronous and asynchronous formats.
Additionally, the Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction and the Supervisor of Educational Technology will collaborate to develop a parent academy that offers support to parents in the hybrid/remote learning environment.
Professional development plans (PDPs) will be developed collaboratively by administrators and teachers at the start of the school year. Administrator and Teacher PDPs will align with the District Professional Development Plan and School Based Professional Development Plans as well as observation feedback from the 2019-2020 school year (September-March). Professional Development Plans may focus on developing pedagogical expertise in a remote/hybrid setting. Plans will remain flexible and may be adjusted throughout the school year to address changes in climate and setting.
Mentoring and Induction
The East Hanover Township Public Schools offers a comprehensive New Teacher Academy for all teachers newly hired in the district. New Teacher Academy will be held virtually in the month of August. New teachers will be provided with the full academy in a virtual setting.
All novice provisional teachers and teachers new to the district will be provided with a qualified and trained mentor per the requirements of the state and district mentoring plan. Mentoring training will be provided to all mentors. Updated mentor training will include professional development on how to best support novice teachers in a digital setting. Mentors and mentees will meet regularly via approved virtual platforms.
The goals of the East Hanover Township District plans on continuing our support of new staff will include:
Assist first-year teachers in the performance of their duties and adjustment to the challenges of their teaching assignment;
To increase retention of qualified novice teachers and reduce district turnover of staff;
To improve the skills and knowledge of classroom practice for novice teachers in order to provide a classroom setting conducive to student learning;
Enhance teacher knowledge of, and strategies related to, the New Jersey Student Learning Standards ;
Standards (NJSLS) to facilitate student achievement and growth;
To provide an on-site support system for novice teachers;
To assist teachers participating in the statewide Provisional Teacher Program;
To provide expectations and goals for all stakeholders in the program in order to provide a uniform experience for all novice and mentor teachers;
And to provide ongoing professional development activities that support the strategic plan, goals, and vision of the school and district;
Novice teachers will receive support from their colleagues, administrators, and members of the Board of Education. All parties play an active role in supporting the novice teachers.
Evaluation
The District will provide the annual evaluation training at the onset of the school year. Training will include components of focus, virtual teaching and the process and procedures that will be followed for this school year. This will be based on guidance from the state.
The district will conduct observations in accordance with all state mandates.
The district will convene a Pandemic Response and School Improvement Panel to review mentoring, observation, and evaluation procedures. In collaboration with District Administration, the groups will determine the focus of this year’s observations, schedules, and with guidance from the state will create a plan for either in-person or virtual observations.
Evaluations for Educators Who Must Receive a Summative Rating
Educators with a Provisional Certification
Educators working under a provisional certification must receive a summative rating.
The summative rating must be kept locally and entered into the Provisional Licensure Registration Management System (PLRMS) available in the NJDOE Homeroom.
Non Tenured Teachers, Principals, APs, VPs and Other Certificated Staff
Nontenured educators must receive a summative rating and that rating must be recorded locally.
Nontenured educators will earn a summative rating based only on observations and scored using the appropriate educator practice instrument.
There must be a minimum of two observations for tenured staff and three for non-tenured staff.
All tenured and non-tenured educators must receive a summary conference.
Career and Technical Education (CTE)
NOT APPLICABLE
Technology and Connectivity
a. Every student in the district will have access to a device that is solely for his/her use. Devices will not be shared. Students who do not have internet connectivity will be guided toward resources to access free service. At this time, all students have confirmed via survey that they have internet connectivity at home. Devices were provided to any student needing one during the previous school year. These devices remained with students throughout the summer and will continue to reside with them into the 20-21 school year so that every student has access to a device to use at home, either provided by the District or from their personal collection. Parents will be surveyed upon registration to determine the need for internet access at home. The District will keep on hand a collection of devices such that if any student requests the use of a district device, they will be provided with one. In the event that the district moves to full virtual learning, all students will have the ability to use their school-assigned devices at home. All middle school students are currently assigned their own Chromebook that travels with them daily.
b. District Preparation
(1) The district has conducted a needs assessment and provided parents with contact information in the event that they require a Chromebook or internet connectivity should their circumstances change. We have additionally included questions regarding technology readiness at home in our student registration.
(2) The Supervisor of Technology will provide live and recorded training on technology platforms in collaboration with the Supervisor of Curriculum for students, teachers and parents. The district’s Acceptable Use Policy and 1:1 Chromebook policies (EHMS and CES/FJS) have been included as a part of student registration. All parents and students review and sign off on this policy. Policies have been updated to include information regarding the acceptable use of Chromebooks while participating in distance learning.
(3) Chromebooks will be provided to students to use from home, based on need. All students who participate in full time, virtual learning will be afforded the option of utilizing a district device. In the event that a student must remain home for any period of time or opts for a full, virtual day, that student will be provided their school chromebook for use at home. Should the district move to full, virtual learning at any point during the school year, all students have the ability to use their school-assigned chromebook at home for the duration of the closing.
(4) For students with special needs, accommodations according to their instructional program will be addressed as appropriate for each student.
(a) The district has purchased 450 additional devices to allow for a surplus of devices to be available for student use. This will address any shortage of devices for students and teachers throughout the school year.