Middle School

6th-8th Grade

(updated 7/24/20)

Our primary focus is to ensure that our Middle School students have the opportunity to learn on the school campus, in a healthy and safe environment. The social emotional growth of our students, cognitive growth, as well as their growth in Torah learning and middot, will continue to be our priority.

Fully on Campus Classes with Social Distancing

Class sizes will be based on CDC and local health department social distance guidelines. Our goal is to have students on campus every day but, for health related reasons, student movement will be limited. However, students will still be in their appropriate levels for academics and Judaic studies will still be leveled and have separate gender classes. Students will be in cohorts that allow for student interaction and movement within each grade.

• We will maintain a regular schedule, with students moving between specific rooms for each grade.

• Depending on current recommendations about number of students and mandated space between them, we will split the classes in accordance to health guidelines

• Increased scheduled sanitizing and disinfecting will occur throughout the day, and deep cleaning at night

• Masks will be worn by all staff and students

• Social distancing will be applied

• Tefillah

  • Boys will daven in the Beit Midrash, utilizing the entire Beit Midrash

  • We will follow the protocols that the local Shuls are implementing

  • Girls will daven in classrooms

• Lunch will take place in the classrooms or outside, as health guidelines allow

• Specials, Electives, Advisory, and Makerspace (with all materials provided) will take place in an adjusted format

  1. • For the time being, electives will not yet start. However, we are looking to introduce this back into the program as soon as possible.

     • Middle school students will continue to have Makerspace as part of their schedules.

• PE will take place outdoors with social distancing.

• There will be robust programming to inspire our students such as guest speakers (via Zoom), Kumsitz by grade, and Chesed projects

• Lockers: It is important that all students have a space that is "theirs". We are therefore working on a system to spread out locker assignments and designated times when groups of students can go to their locker with social distancing.

• Cohorts: Each grade in the middle school will be its own cohort. Based on a formula of area of classroom - students will be socially distanced as well within a classroom. Some furniture will be changed/removed in order to make social distancing possible. Each grade will remain within a designated set of classrooms throughout the day.

• Class schedules: The rhythm of the day will mirror the typical schedule as in the past with slightly shortened periods to allow for 10 minute breaks in between each class. Monday through Thursday will end at 3:40 (we will not have extended days on Mondays and Wednesdays at this time).

• Tefillah: Davening will take place by grade in classrooms (8th grade boys will be in the Beit Midrash) but with the same incredible ruach and kavanah that our students always display, as well as inspiring stories from their teachers.

If for reasons beyond our control, we are unable, for some period of time, to operate fully on campus the following plans would be put in place.

Plan #1: Small Cohorts/Hybrid Model

If CDC guidelines change from current guidelines, it may be necessary to break the classes up into even smaller cohorts than envisioned above. Students and staff would be distributed between additional classrooms but will maintain the typical daily schedule. If this becomes necessary, there would not be enough space on campus for all of our students at the same time. This would then necessitate a move to a hybrid model. The hybrid model will combine on campus learning as well as at home distance learning. While our Early Childhood, Lower School, and Middle School will each operate differently, we remain committed to providing every student with significant on campus learning supplemented by educational experiences that will, if necessary, take place at home. In the hybrid model, students would be on campus specific days and learning remotely on alternate days.

Plan #2: Distance Learning

In the extreme case that the disease has reached unforeseen proportions and we need to close either a classroom or the whole campus we will transition for the relevant period of time to distance learning. We have learned a lot over the past few months from our experience with distance learning, from parent and teacher feedback, and have made changes accordingly to enhance our students’ learning experience if this plan becomes necessary.

• All classes will be taught via zoom, according to the daily schedule with revised times

• Periods will be 40 minutes

• Students will be assigned appropriate work and assessments to further guide teacher instruction

• Teachers will offer office hours

• Teachers will prepare materials in advance to limit the amount of printing at home

• All educational curriculum and class announcements will be communicated through Google Classroom

• The school will provide all parents with opportunities to be trained on Google Classroom

• Technology assistance will be available for students and parents

*Remote Access: If there are families who do not feel comfortable sending their children onto campus, or students who may need to temporarily quarantine, students will be able to join our live classes from home.