Safe Return Planning

For the 2020-2021 school year, St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) developed a plan that provides consideration for flexible models for a safe return to school.

Considerations in Planning

• Instructional Models- Our goal is to provide high-quality instruction and learning experiences for all students, whether in person, in a blended learning environment, or virtually. Coupling the health and safety concerns with the goal of high quality and engaging instruction, models for planning include flexibility for enhanced virtual learning, as well as in-person instruction on a consistent and rotating basis.

• Adaptable- The models are subject to change based on public health considerations and operational experiences. SMCPS will be prepared to move all students to virtual-only instruction based on a State and/or local decision about closures as a result of an increase/decrease in COVID-19 spread.

• Choice- When safety conditions are met and hybrid learning begins, families will be provided a choice for blended instruction or virtual-only.

• Equity- Our focus is providing access and support in the safest way possible to ensure all students are able to achieve the academic outcomes for their content and grade. All efforts are being made to provide devices and access for students. Alternate plans are being discussed to accommodate areas where internet connectivity is unavailable.

SMCPS has developed a multi-stage process for phasing in the scheduling of students to safely return to schools for the 2020-2021 school year. These stages include:

• Beginning with online learning with consideration for students receiving specialized services

• Sequencing bringing in grade-level groups starting with Kindergarten, 6th, 9th, 12th grade

• Monitoring and adding additional grades until all levels are back pre K-12.

Initially, SMCPS will begin the school year in a virtual-only instructional model given the current public health conditions. This will allow time to safely begin instruction with the online platform, to plan for the needs of our families, and to provide sufficient support and training for staff and students on new COVID-19 protocols.

From this point, SMCPS is planning to provide for a phased-in process for students to re-enter, following alternating schedules as described below. Projected planning includes the following:

• Phases will be reviewed periodically to determine next steps for each grade level or age transition.

• Phases may be adjusted based on changing public health conditions and implementation experience.

Sequencing: Students in specific special education programs and students new to a school level (Prekindergarten, Kindergarten, 6th, and 9th) are the first returning to school.

Phase 1:

• Begin with online learning with consideration for students receiving specialized services

Phase 2:

• Sequence bringing in grade-level groups starting with Pre K/Kindergarten, 6, 9, 12 grade

Phase 3:

• Monitor and add additional grades until all levels are back PreK-12

Dates and progress of phases will be reviewed before each step to determine next steps moving forward.

Schedule for Phased In Hybrid Learning

Phase 1:

• February 8, 2021: SAIL and COMPASS students return for a regular schedule, with in-person instruction Monday-Thursday.

Phase 2:

• February 16, 2021: Head Start and Pre-K students return for a regular schedule (with AM and PM sessions), with in-person instruction Monday-Thursday

• February 16, 2021: Grades K, 1, 6, 9, and 12 will begin the hybrid model with in-person instruction 2 days per week with the A group attending Monday and Wednesday and the B group attending Tuesday and Thursday. Fridays will remain an online workday with dedicated office hours and opportunities for intervention and enrichment as well as professional development and instructional planning.

Phase 3:

• March 1, 2021: All grades will begin in-person instruction 2 days per week with the A group attending Monday and Wednesday and the B group attending Tuesday and Thursday. Fridays will remain an online workday with dedicated office hours and opportunities for intervention and enrichment as well as professional development and instructional planning.

Note: Head Start and PreK will continue with a regular schedule – with AM and PM sessions- for in-person instruction being delivered each school day (Monday-Thursday).

When students return to school, the hybrid learning model includes a rotational schedule for in-person learning with reduced class sizes and reduced numbers of students in the buildings.

To provide for social distancing measures in classrooms, one of the critical steps is scheduling to provide reduced capacity. With this in mind, the rotational schedule will provide for two groups - A-Day and B-Day - that will be split in each school alphabetically. Each school roster will be reviewed based on where this alphabetical split will be based on numbers, grade level, and families. Parents will have an opportunity to notify the school of siblings across grade levels and schools to assist in scheduling so students living in the same household will attend school on the same day.

Scheduling Configuration

Student Schedule

• In school Schedule - Students will follow a normal daily schedule in their classroom instruction day.

  • Elementary Schedule will include:

    • Arrival/breakfast/morning routine

    • Reading/English Language Arts

    • Art/Music/PE/Media

    • Lunch

    • Recess (rotational schedule throughout the day to provide for safe distancing)

    • Mathematics

    • Science

    • Social Studies

    • Interventions (as appropriate, throughout the day)

    • Dismissal

  • Secondary Schedule will include:

    • Scheduled courses, periods 1-4

    • Lunch (rotational schedule in classrooms)

    • Scheduled courses, periods 5-7

• Remote/Online Learning - Students will need to log in to Schoology and complete instructional activities for the day. This remote day also provides opportunities for students to apply strategies or learning tasks from the prior day(s).

  • Blended Learning Days

    • Login times for enrolled courses

    • Includes web-based, live, or recorded instruction

    • Options for students to access instruction at a time that best meets their needs.

  • Online learning Fridays:

    • Student Asynchronous (any time) Learning and Independent Work

    • Individual and Collaborative Planning for Staff

    • Teacher Grading and Feedback

    • Professional Development and Support

    • Individualized Student Support

• Specialized Instruction:

  • ESOL services will be scheduled throughout the day

  • Special Education Services will be scheduled throughout the day

Students and families will have an opportunity to select a fully online option for coursework. Two options are available:

• Schoology - The parallel course structure to the in-classroom/blended learning experience of the A/B schedule. This model is comprehensive and provides for

• Edgenuity - Using the same platform as used in the Spring 2020 quarter, students can participate in select courses through Edgenuity, which is self-paced.

Online Instructional Plan - Quarter 1

The new school year began on Monday, August 31, 2020, with all students enrolled in online/virtual courses through the Schoology Learning Management System. Schoology allows for teacher-led, interactive instruction aligned to the Maryland College and Career Ready Standards. Each teacher’s class will be in a closed session with the students in that class. Through this closed classroom environment, online learning will include face-to-face video instruction, screencasts provided by the teacher, and interactive instructional activities.

• Each student will have a complete schedule of classes in Schoology

• Each class will be aligned to the Maryland State College and Career Readiness Standards

• Each class will have daily interactive class sessions Mon-Thurs

• Each Friday will be asynchronous (independent) learning with teachers coordinating next weeks interactive lessons and contacting struggling students

• Each class will have multiple graded activities and assessments that will be completed by each student within the Schoology platform and will determine the grade earned for the course

Sample Online Learning Schedule

Monday - Thursday

• Follow your schedule

• Instruction and learning via the Schoology platform

• Interactive sessions with teachers

• May include whole group instruction, small group instruction, discussion groups, and independent work.

Friday

• Interventions and individualized support as appropriate

Sample Schedules for Virtual Learning

Sample Schedules are given with instructional blocks designated as either synchronous or asynchronous:

Synchronous Learning - the whole class period is directed by the teacher - that may include direct instruction, guided practice, independent practice, etc - but the lesson is led by the teacher

• The teacher is online throughout the instructional block for assistance, guidance, questioning, and small group/differentiated instruction.

• Teachers will collaborate with special education teachers to provide individualized supports as written in student IEPs

Asynchronous Learning - the student will lead themselves through the lesson activities. However, the teacher will be available online throughout the block for assistance, guidance, questioning, small group instruction, or interventions/extension.

• Teachers will collaborate with special education teachers to provide individualized supports as written in student IEPs.

Quarterly Choices

Families will submit their election of the model for live/blended classes or fully online at the beginning of the school year. Their choice will commit for one quarter at a time. At the conclusion of each quarter, for those who selected a fully online model, families may determine if they would like to modify their selection to attend in person. Families may decide to move to fully online at any time while notifying the school.

Meeting Technology Needs

SMCPS is working throughout the summer to prepare existing machines for distribution. With this preparation, the plan to have at least 4,700 laptops ready for middle and high school students and 500 laptops for elementary students by August 15. Additional laptops have been ordered and are expected to arrive in early September.

• Distribution of Laptops: Laptop distribution will be coordinated by the administration at each school.

• Minimum device specification requirements:

  • Windows 10; iOS 11; Android version 6

  • Chrome (latest version); Safari versions 10 and 11; Firefox (latest version); Edge for Windows 10.

Personally owned devices can also be used to access online course material.

Families will be sent a survey that includes home technology needs.