Yes. Due to the expectation of having remote learning in some capacity this coming year, the district is investing in enough Chromebook devices to be able to loan one to every student in the district. All K-12 students will receive a device (and a case!) that will be utilized for both in person and remote learning. Further information on how this will be implemented will be included in the final plan to be approved on August 10, 2020, as well as in greater detail as we get closer to the start of school. Wireless hotspots are also being purchased to loan to those who do not have home internet access.

For whatever Hybrid model is ultimately determined to be the best, we will ensure that all students in a household are in the same grouping, regardless of which school they attend. This will ensure that all students in any household are either all in school, or all at home engaging in remote learning on any given day.

After extensive discussions over the previous weekly meetings, the School Committee voted on July 15th to set 6 feet as the minimum standard to be used for planning the reopening models. While 3 feet is listed as acceptable in the DESE guidance, the decision was ultimately made to support the minimum social distancing at 6 feet, which is aligned with the federal CDC recommendations as of July 23, 2020. This social distancing guidance will be used to determine the maximum number of students allowed in each space, rather than using one universal student limit across all district spaces.

This decision to support 6 feet as the minimum social distancing precludes the district from bringing all students back, every day, without significant and financially prohibitive increases in staff levels and modifications to our facilities. To that end, our base assumption for a reopening plan in September is being developed using a Hybrid model.

The district has purchased basic disposable masks for all staff, and also a supply for students who are not able to bring one from home. Families will be asked to send their children to school with a basic face mask that covers both their mouth and nose each day, but not any specific type of mask. For those areas where exposure to suspected COVID 19 cases is greater (nurses) or programs where physical distancing is not feasible, additional PPE is being provided, including gowns, gloves, and face shields.

We are looking into face shields for those who choose to wear one as additional protection. As a base requirement, all students and staff will be required to wear face masks. The research is clear that a face shield does NOT provide the same level of protection as a facial covering, so masks will need to be worn in addition to face shields where they are worn.

We have purchased a quantity of "Clear Mask" masks for specialized use with staff. These will be targeted for use for early childhood classrooms and those staff who work with students with disabilities where reading lips or facial cues are necessary for routine communication. These are cost-prohibitive, so we will not be able to purchase them for everyone, but we are purchasing regular disposable masks for all staff. Families are expected to send their child(ren) to school with face coverings, but we will also have a supply of paper masks for students as a backup.

The new school year calendar can be viewed here 2020/2021 School Year Calendar

Families will be provided with details for a daily assessment for their child(ren) to confirm there are no symptoms or concerns they have contracted COVID-19. If a child is exhibiting any symptoms, that child should not be brought to school that day. More detailed information will be provided for this daily home assessment prior to students returning, and parents/guardians will be asked to confirm they are assessing their child(ren) each day. Temperatures will not be checked on entry to school or during the school day. Scientific studies show that temperature checks are unreliable, particularly in active children.

All staff will be provided with training and materials to help identify the most common symptoms of COVID in both children and adults and instructions on what should be done next if they believe someone in the building may be symptomatic.

Temperatures will not be checked on entry to school or during the school day. Scientific studies show that temperature checks are unreliable, particularly in active children. Families will be provided with a daily assessment to use each morning to confirm that their children are not exhibiting any COVID-19 symptoms, as noted in the previous question, and will be required to be kept home if they are. Staff will also conduct the same daily assessment of their symptoms and only come to school if they are exhibiting no identified symptoms.

Specific protocols are being developed by the MA Department of Public Health in regards to the handling of students or staff who develop symptoms when in the building. Substitute nurses, many who have worked in the district previously and are familiar with our schools, will be assisting our school nurses during at least the first few weeks of in-person learning. Nursing staff will have full personal protective equipment (PPE), including N95 masks, face shields, gowns, and nitrile gloves. Self-contained isolation areas are being set up near the nurses’ offices. Health directors and public health nurses from each town will be in touch with the school nurses on a regular basis, to support them in their daily work.

In the event of a suspected symptomatic student in the schools, the student will be brought to the isolation area where the student will wait until someone can pick them up. In the event of a suspected symptomatic staff member in the schools, the person will contact the office and request another staff member to take responsibility for the classroom, then visit the isolation area immediately after to consult with the school nurse or nurse substitute. In either case, the individual will be advised that they either need to test negative or isolate for 14 days without symptoms prior to returning to the school buildings.

We are in the process of setting up spaces that allow the school nurses to separate students who need routine care, and will have all necessary precautions in place to isolate them from individuals suspected of having COVID-like symptoms. More detailed information will be provided later this summer before any students and staff return to the buildings.

DESE has issued guidance on the procedures for both contact tracing and for school closures.

If the school is notified that a student has tested positive for COVID-19, the school nurse will begin contact tracing to determine all the individuals that will need to be told to get a test or isolate. This includes “close contact” students and staff - for a symptomatic person, this would include all close contacts for the day the student developed symptoms and the two days prior, while for an asymptomatic person, contacts are traced from the day of the positive test. At the middle school and high school, close contacts will include anyone who spent more than 15 minutes within 6 feet of the positive individual. To aid in tracking, there will be assigned seating on buses, in classrooms, and in other school spaces. In the case of the elementary schools the entire classroom will be considered close contacts due to the extended period of time the cohort will spend together in a self contained classroom. Close contacts (or their families, in the case of minors) will be notified that they may have been exposed and need to be tested for COVID-19 or quarantine for 14 days.

School closures are a decision made by the district, the local boards of health, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. These may be triggered by upticks in cases in the school or in the towns.

Mental health and social emotional wellness will be a primary focus as students continue to feel the effects and disruptions of the pandemic and experience new circumstances in the fall with remote or in-person learning. Prior to the start of school the district will be working to make sure that students know what to expect and why changes are being made. Additional time will be set aside to spend on these adjustments and building connections with staff and classmates in the early days, and mental health professionals will be available for students who need more support.

For students in a district model that requires remote learning, the district is adopting a single learning management system platform K-12, to serve as a single location for assignments, notifications, and discussion. There will also be a single sign-on called Clever to manage student login information for other learning and assessment applications. Training modules for parents/guardians and students will be provided prior to the start of school on these systems, and during in-person learning days, students will be using these systems in preparation for having to also access them at home.

The district will be investing in devices as well, enough to provide one Chromebook device on loan to every student and wireless internet hotspots to those without home internet access.

Expectations for remote learning will be clear and communicated in advance. There will be significantly more structure during the remote learning day, including both synchronous (live with a teacher) and asynchronous (self-paced) learning, and assignments will be graded and attendance taken.

While it has not yet been determined whether students will be eating in classrooms or cafeterias, there will be assigned seating with at least 6 feet of social distance and with all students facing in the same direction. Any spaces where students are eating will be monitored by staff to ensure safety measures are followed at all times.

No. As a public school, the district cannot require staff and students to take a COVID-19 test.

These activities, along with some performing arts classes, fall in a category that requires heightened safety precautions due to the associated increased respiration as outlined in the DESE Guidance. Some may be only held outside or may require additional social distancing. None have been ruled out as of this time. More information will be provided in August.

Regardless of the model the district is using (full classroom, hybrid, or full remote), all days would be full days unless noted otherwise on the calendar. The school committee will be confirming any changes to the 2020/2021 School Year Calendar along with the final plan on August 10, 2020.

No. Students and staff members with symptoms that could potentially indicate COVID-19 will be isolated if in school and told to seek testing or isolate at home. They may return after a negative test or 14 days of isolation at home, at least 3 days of which must be without symptoms. If a student or staff member tests positive, close contacts of that individual will be notified of a possible exposure.

Detailed plans for all these scenarios are being developed, and they will be released as part of the communications coming out to students and parents/guardians in August. While some details will be included in the final plan on August 10th, more details protocols and procedures will be rolled out by school prior to students returning. Rest assured, they are being considered and planned for!

The DESE Guidance on Special Education services calls for the highest risk students to receive in-person services, regardless of what education model (including full remote learning) the district is in. Regardless of the model in effect, services outlined on a student's IEP will be delivered, even if in a modified format as agreed with the Team. More information will be sent to parents and guardians of students with IEP and 504 plans closer to the beginning of school.

Cleaning protocols will be released with the final plan, but cleaning and disinfecting will be a shared responsibility between custodial staff, school staff and educators, and students. The district purchased electrostatic disinfecting sprayers that distribute a specialized solution of positively charged particles that cling to surfaces throughout the building. These will be used on all high contact surfaces on a nightly basis, and will be combined with routine cleaning with regular cleaning solutions for bathrooms and other specialty surfaces. This routine, along with natural disinfecting wipes that will be available for students and staff to use on their desks and personal spaces will form the basis for cleaning the buildings on a daily basis.

We are beginning with a fully remote start to the year, with an anticipated shift to Hybrid (in-person and remote) as soon as feasible. With the likelihood of learning in a remote environment being a component of the schedule all year, we have made the difficult choice to eliminate full-day Kindergarten, and reduce all Kindergarten sessions to half-day, tuition-free for all students. We believe this will provide a remote learning experience that is more developmentally appropriate, and we will revisit adding the full day back when students can return full time in person. During this half-day, students will receive instruction in all their core subjects (ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies) but content may be integrated. The half-day programs will be run in the morning, with a traditional 8:25 AM elementary start, with a half-day ending at 11:45.

Yes! We will be providing further details on what students can expect on the first day of school (and the days there after) and what the changes within the schools themselves will look like, as well as the new technology being used to help bridge the gap between school and home. We will be using the additional days provided by the state (reduction of 180 to 170 school days) at the start of the year to ensure all staff are trained and prepared to welcome students back, and that we have clear plans to prepare students for a successful return!

In most instances, no. There may be instances in which repair work may need to be done by outside contractors during the school day in urgent situations (i.e. alarms, HVAC systems, toilets). However, routine visitors will not be allowed in the building to minimize the number of individuals students and staff are exposed to each day. As usual, anyone will be background checked and these individuals will be separated from the students as much as possible.

Yes. The final schedule is yet to be determined, but there are plans to move from a full routine schedule with rotating periods and certain periods dropped each day to a block schedule with fewer classes each day meeting for longer periods. This approach is being taken to limit the number of “close contacts” that each student and staff member has in a given day, reducing risk of COVID-19 exposure. A final schedule will be provided prior to the start of school, but is expected to be followed for both in-person and remote learning days.

As outlined in the DESE Remote Learning Guidance, absenteeism will be handled similarly whether a student is in-person or remote. Attendance will be taken in classes, and students who are not present will be marked absent. If a student is not able to attend class, whether in person or the computer on remote days, their parent or guardian should contact the school as soon as possible to inform the school.

At this time, no classes have been cancelled and the traditional add/drop period will occur.

Yes! Our Guidance Department is working on ways to provide the usual set of opportunities to upperclassmen, though the format might be a little different. More information will be coming out in the final weeks of summer and into the fall.

As noted above, our goal is to return to as normal a schedule as we possibly can for opening in the fall, including before and after school programs and extracurricular activities, but will only do so once we confirm a plan that maintains the health and safety of all students and staff. We are prioritizing the confirmation of plans to reopen the regular school day and programs first, and will then address before and after school activities. Those involved in these programs continue to plan for the fall with an eye towards reopening, and we will be prepared to do so if we can open safely. At this time, we have not cancelled Kids Club, and will be making determinations in the coming weeks as to whether or not we can safely reopen the program after school for any students in attendance each day.

Similar to the question in regards to 3 feet versus 6 feet as the minimum threshold for distancing, we are currently leaning towards a more cautious approach and are intending to have all students and staff wearing masks at all times when in the buildings, regardless of grade level. Given the fact that we are using a minimum of 6 feet of distancing in our planning, that will allow for more routine masks breaks to be taken throughout the day.

As required, the working group is working through the planning for three scenarios: a full return with restrictions, a hybrid model (alternating remote and in-person learning), and fully remote. The guidance places a very clear priority on a return of all students while reducing the social distancing requirement to 3 feet and requiring masks to be worn all day for staff and students in grades 2 and above. While DESE places this full return for all students as the priority, we will only do so if we can ensure that it is safe for all involved.

DESE is exploring the option of a self-paced, online remote platform that districts would have access to for families that choose to have their child continue remote learning, but that is not yet a confirmed plan. Regardless, families will have the option to keep their students home and be offered a fully remote option if they so choose. We are working through plans of what that will look like, whether through a DESE offered platform or one which we are able to develop locally.

In cases where there is a medically documented reason (i.e. being immunocompromised) why a student or staff member is unable to be present in school, we will be making alternative arrangements that rely more on a remote learning experience. Those decisions will be made on a case by case basis with more information forthcoming on that process later in July and early August.

Home Schooling is an option for any parent/guardian to select, but requires a full proposal/plan and places the educational burden (purchase and selection of curriculum as well as the teaching/instruction) on the family. For those interested in applying for Home Schooling, the application and requirements can be found online at https://www.tritonschools.org/curriculum-instruction/home-schooling.

Yes, we are working with both outside third party contractors as well as those who routinely maintain our systems to complete a full assessment of our HVAC systems. We are utilizing both updated industry standards and the guidelines issued by DESE in their Facilities Guidance released on Wednesday, July 22nd. We will be making adjustments and improvements to both the air filtering and overall air exchange, with further details being confirmed in the final plan.

A final decision on this has not been made, but DESE issued guidance on July 22nd in regards to these types of facilities questions. This guidance, along with the guidance on identifying and tracking cases of COVID-19 in schools issued on July 15th will be the basis of a final decision about where students would be eating lunch. In order to have students remove masks to eat, a minimum of 6' of distancing will be required.

The reopening working group has spent considerable time reviewing and discussing various possible models, including alternating weeks, alternating days, and even splitting cohorts A and B as morning/afternoon half days. There are benefits and drawbacks to all models, such as the significantly increased costs of running double bus runs, as well as limited time for disinfecting between cohorts when looking at the half-day approach.

The current thinking on the best approach is an A/B cohort model, alternating days, with two days consistent, and a third day rotating. For example, Cohort A would come for In-Person learning on Monday and Wednesday of each week, and Cohort B would come on Tuesday and Thursday. Cohorts A and B would alternate In Person learning each Friday. Off days would be a Remote Learning model. Exact days haven't been determined, but this is an example of the approach currently being considered.

Yes, it has been made clear by DESE that we will be required to maintain student attendance and track for both in-person and remote learning days. Students who become personally sick with the COVID virus or become involved in a mandatory quarantine because of being in close contact with someone diagnosed will have those absences coded as excused. More details on the specific methods of tracking attendance on remote days will be confirmed prior to the start of school.

As noted in the DESE guidance, we are preparing for all 3 possibilities for that very reason. Our planning for a Hybrid model is being done in a way that will allow for a seamless transition into remote learning, even if it is required on very short notice.

This question has been posed to DESE and we are awaiting their advice as well as our own legal opinion in regards to our local authority to enforce mask wearing for all students and staff. For anyone who has a medical or underlying condition that justifies masks not being worn, that will be accommodated.

Yes, all students will be provided the opportunity to ride the bus if they choose. DESE released Guidance on School Transportation on July 22nd. The basis guidance allows for buses to run at limited capacity, with one student per seat staggered window/aisle, with assigned seats, windows open at all times, and masks worn at all times. We are currently assessing the willingness of our families to place their children on buses with these restrictions and will adjust our offering accordingly once that data is received.

We are currently assessing our space restrictions and the possibility of using tables with dividers vs. desks. This question has been addressed to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and we are awaiting further guidance. The guidance relies on 3' separation, but the Committee has voted to use 6' as the basis for planning. With that decision and the current assumption for opening in the fall in a hybrid model, this will allow for greater flexibility with the use of tables, with a single student seated at each table. Even in this model, some desks will need to be purchased, a process that is currently underway.

Student registrations will be completed in person, but scheduled in advance to ensure we maintain physical distancing and safety protocols. Offices are in the process of being reworked to install hygiene barriers and improve safety overall. We will be scheduling times for registration appointments later in July and into August. If you need to register a student, please contact the appropriate school by phone or email using the information listed on the school websites, linked off our main page at www.tritonschools.org.

Our Reopening Working Group (RWG) has met several times and will continue to meet almost weekly through the summer. This group includes students, educators from all disciplines, administrators, and parents, all of whom bring diverse perspectives to the table as we grapple with the details of a safe and effective opening. This group is working through the initial guidelines as well as new information received through on-going meetings with the Commissioner and DESE staff.

The RWG will be making a recommendation to the Superintendent and School Committee, with the ultimate decision being made once all the relevant questions are answered, and the School Committee and Superintendent are satisfied that the plan addresses both the safety, wellness, and educational needs of all students and staff.

If you would like to submit a question or comment for the RWG to review and consider, please send an email to Reopening@tritonschools.org.

The quick answer is yes, that it is possible. We hope to utilize outdoor spaces whenever possible for regular academic instruction, classes and other gatherings, but will be restricted by weather and scheduling. Classes will be much easier to hold outside as allowed, and determined on a day by day, class by class basis. Details about the serving of lunch, and how we manage students in classrooms with masks off and the need to then maintain the 6' physical distancing is a challenge we are working through at the present time.

Our goal is to return to as normal a schedule as we possibly can for opening in the fall, but will only do so once we confirm a plan that maintains the health and safety of all students and staff. A full or hybrid opening would certainly come with restrictions to any classes or activities that increase the 'aerosolization' of saliva droplets that transmit the virus through accelerated breathing such as singing, playing wind instruments, or physical activity. We are working through plans, including the use of outdoor spaces that increases our options, and will have a determination later this summer in regards to the fall programming that will be possible.

No, as a public school running our own preschool programs, the guidelines are universal for all school programs, Preschool through Age 22. That said, there has been discussions recently in regards to potential changes for preschool classrooms specifically, recognizing the need for other seating arrangements than students in desks.

The district has not made any commitments about the Fall sports season, nor are there any official school-sponsored practices or events taking place over the summer. However, the athletics fields are public property, so we have opened them with posted guidelines for public use in alignment with the restrictions in place in Phase III of the state reopening plan as set forth by Governor Baker. Town leagues (baseball) are the only groups that are running officially organized activities on our fields, and they are ensuring alignment to the state guidelines.