The Safe Return to School Planning Committee has developed detailed plans aligned with the Maryland Recovery Plan for Education (MRPE) and the framework of requirements provided by the Maryland State Department of Education. Included in this document are those detailed plans. A brief summary of the elements follows:

Summary of Components:

Instruction:

• Online instruction is provided using Schoology platform

  • self-paced and interactive instruction

• Courses are aligned to content standards

  • includes diagnostic assessment and addresses instructional gaps

• Grades will be recorded based on student performance

  • return to normal grading practices

• Textbooks and materials may be taken home

• Online resources and support is available

Specialized Instruction/IEP/504

• Student interventions will be provided using a virtual platform for students not in school

• Schoology platform will be used to meet IEP services through virtual face-to-face instruction for those not in school

• PreDiagnostic assessments to begin SY21 to identify specific instructional needs due to school closure. There will be another Diagnostic assessment completed in October to determine progress and the possible need for additional services

Attendance

• Attendance will be recorded for in school and virtual environments

Health Services

• Separate areas for routine needs versus ill students

• Health education to students, staff, and families: handwashing, face coverings, maintaining a healthy school environment

• Collaboration with St. Mary’s County Health Department to ensure best practice

Mental Health Services

• Social-emotional learning lessons self-guided and counselor facilitated

• Mental health and counseling support for school and virtual environments

Transportation

• Developed multiple scenarios reflecting options such as seating capacity, routes, impacts on daily school bus arrival and afternoon departure times, expectations for bus drivers, bus attendants, and students, as well as cleaning protocols

Clean and Healthy

• Established a proactive approach to cleaning and maintaining safe facilities based on recommended cleaning protocols (i.e., disinfection of high touch surfaces, air, and water quality)

• Established response plans to address potential illness in students and staff

Food Services

• Maximize pre-ordering of multiple days of meals for in-school and outside pickup

• Food distribution sites (sites to be determined) will be established if SMCPS initiates a fully virtual learning environment

Athletics and Extracurricular activities

• Outdoor-only summer conditioning activities resumed with safeguards in place

• Developing multiple scenarios for Athletics and Extracurricular Activities in future phases including but not limited to competition schedules, seasonal start dates, compressed seasons, modified seasonal play, and limitations on gatherings

Teacher Interns- Paths to Certification

For the future teachers in the pipeline, their completion of the internship is required for their certification - and their experience in our schools is valuable for them (and us) as they consider a future career with SMCPS. Interns will also be part of the Schoology environment. To this end, interns will remain off-site until either the teacher is ready for them in the classroom space or when students return to the classroom (maintaining limited class capacity as appropriate).

Considerations for English Learners (ELs) in SMCPS:

In order to ensure that English learners (ELs) receive an equitable education and continue to receive English development services while classes are taught via a distance learning environment, SMCPS will implement the following:

• Collaboration opportunities between content and ESOL teachers on a regular basis

• Small group and individual support based on the needs of each EL via use of video conferencing

• Review and recover opportunities via Schoology

• Provide explicit language services via video in small group settings, with emphasis on developing productive language skills (speaking and writing)

• Use of ongoing formative assessment data to identify and address deficit areas

• Use of scaffolding as an instructional strategy

• Provide language accommodations for ELs in content classes, which may include extensions of time for assignments, videos with captioning or embedded interpreting, or a translation dictionary

• Provide translated documents to families, including communication from the superintendent, and information regarding online instruction and resources

• Check-ins with EL families, using either an interpreter or the Language Line over-the-phone interpreting service

In addition to the above, SMCPS will follow the recommendations provided by the U.S. Department of Education in regards to Providing Services to English Learners during the COVID-19 outbreak.