Principle 6: Cohorting and Scheduling

Likely Implementation Level SCHOOL

Key Recommendations for Consideration

• Cohorts should stay together throughout the day and be consistent day to day.

• Aim to limit cohorts to approximately 25 people (inclusive of students and teachers).

• Determine the maximum capacity for all indoor enclosed spaces while maintaining 3 feet of physical distance in elementary and middle schools and 6 feet of physical distance in high schools.

• Evaluate cohorts for equity, ensuring configurations allow for students to access high-quality instruction, needed supports, inclusion in general education spaces, and a representative group of peers.

• Determine when cohorts will be in-person vs. remote in a hybrid (mix of virtual and in-person) model.

• Review cohorts for feasibility of grouping children from the same family.

• Schedule staggered arrival and drop-off times by cohort when possible.

• Schedule movement of cohorts to limit contact (e.g., for mask breaks, recess, and outdoor time).

Considerations and Questions for Team Decision-Making and Reflection

• How will we define “equity” for cohorting within our community?

• Will cohorts be one week in person, one week virtual? Or rotate days? How will this vary by grade or school?

  • • Some cohorts may be in-person more frequently than others, i.e. younger grades coming more frequently and older grades a bit less.

• For regional schools, are towns experiencing different levels of COVID-19 transmission and infection? Could we cohort by town?

• Do students who attend the same extracurriculars (like sports and drama) need to be in the same cohort?

• Do students need to be cohorted considering transportation and busing in order to de-densify buses?

Likely Implementation Level SCHOOL

Key Recommendations for Consideration

• List who is allowed on school grounds and who is not allowed without invitation

• Include the lists in communication to teachers, parents/caregivers, and community members

• Clearly mark entrances with the “allowed list” and a number to call for more information

• Designate alternative entrances for vendors

• Host parent-teacher conferences online (Jones et al. 2020)

Considerations and Questions for Team Decision-Making and Reflection

• What vendors need access?

• What other community programs or members need to be informed?

• Will high schools with open campus policies be allowed to continue this option?

Likely Implementation Level DISTRICT

Key Recommendations for Consideration

• Determine whether certain clubs can be conducted virtually.

• Assess safety of restarting school sports.

• Evaluate before- and after-school programs for space and feasibility within CDC and state guidelines.

• Modify or cancel classes and extracurriculars where large numbers of students will be in close contact (e.g. string orchestra, student government meetings) and/or will be engaged in activities that result in excessive aerosol production (e.g. band with woodwind or brass instruments, chorus).

Considerations and Questions for Team Decision-Making and Reflection

• Consider which sports occur in the fall, whether they are indoor/outdoor, how much contact is required, how large the group is, and if a mask could be worn during play:

  • Contact sport competitions cannot be resumed, but training and drills can still occur if distancing is maintained (soccer, football, field hockey, etc.)

  • No or limited contact sports (cross-country, track and field, golf, etc.) can resume competitions with proper distancing, masking, and hygiene.

  • Indoor sports such as volleyball could be moved outside.

• How will students travel to competitions?

• For chorus and band: is there space to hold practice outside with appropriate distancing? Could we hold virtual practice together and encourage practice at home?