By Richard Kaufman
Last week, during a webinar in which education and health officials from the State of Connecticut discussed the reopening plans for schools in the fall, Gov. Ned Lamont stressed the importance of public safety and being cautious.
When COVID-19 first hit Connecticut, Lamont said, his top priority was public health.
“That’s what our guiding star was. We were one of the first states to slowly close things down, including our schools sadly. As we closed down businesses, we did it cautiously,” Lamont said. “We were strict in managing the protocols in terms of social distancing and mask wearing. I think because we were cautious and because we put public health first, we’ve been more successful as we try and slowly get back.”
Lamont said that “guiding star” won’t change as schools look to reopen in the fall.
“We have to make sure that whatever we do, public health is first; your health, the health of the kids, and the health of the broader community,” he said. “We really want folks to get back into that classroom, and we think we can do that safely.”
In late June, Lamont released plans for the 2020-2021 school year, which included a framework for school districts to follow. Greenwich officials are currently coming up with their reopening plans, which must be submitted to the state by July 24.
The guidance and considerations in the state’s framework are grounded in six principles, which you can find below:
- Safeguarding the health and safety of students and staff;
- Allowing all students the opportunity to return into the classrooms full time starting in the fall;
- Monitoring the school populations and, when necessary, potentially cancelling classes in the future to appropriately contain COVID-19 spread;
- Emphasizing equity, access, and support to the students and communities who are emerging from this historic disruption;
- Fostering strong two-way communication with partners such as families, educators and staff; and
- Factoring into decisions about reopening the challenges to the physical safety and social-emotional well-being of our students when they are not in school.
These guiding principles require all districts to develop their plans with a certain level of consistency, however they retain wide discretion in implementing approaches to reopening given unique local considerations. School districts must balance their planning with contingency plans to provide robust, blended learning or remote learning for all grades in the event that a school, district, or region has to cancel or limit in-person classes due to health precautions.
Main Operational Considerations for districts to follow can be found below:
Cohorting
- Districts should emphasize grouping students by the same class/group of students and teacher (into a cohort) so each team functions independently as much as possible. Consider this methodology by grade levels.
- Placing students in cohorts is strongly encouraged for grades K-8, and encouraged where feasible for grades 9-12.
Social Distancing and Facilities
- Review building space and reconfigure available classroom space, such as gymnasiums and auditoriums, to maximize social distancing, consistent with public health guidelines in place at that time.
Transportation
- Districts should plan for buses to operate close to capacity with heightened health and safety protocols, including requiring all students and operators wear face coverings.
- Plans must be developed to activate increased social distancing protocols based upon community spread.
Face Coverings
- All staff and students will be expected to wear a protective face covering or face mask that completely covers the nose and mouth when inside the school building, except for certain exceptions including when teachers are providing instruction.
Ensuring Equity and Access
- Equitable access to education is a top priority that supports a full-time in-school model by mitigating any barriers to education or opportunity gaps that increased during the pandemic. Efforts to support equity, close the opportunity gap, and provide a wide range of support for students in the state is best achieved with in-person schooling opportunities for all ages.
- Districts should identify gaps and develop action plans for reopening that specifically address inclusion, equity, and access for all learners with strategies and clearly defined action steps.
State Commissioner of Education, Miguel Cardona, said he wants schools to fully open, as long as public health data continues to support moving in that direction.
“Students need to feel safe and educators need to feel safe. Public health data matters, and while Connecticut’s health data is among some of the best in the country thanks in part to all of you, a change in the data to Connecticut will mean different things for the reopening of schools in the fall,” he said.
The state’s guidelines address three scenarios: the full reopening of schools, a hybrid model with less students entering the building daily, and a full return to distance learning.
Cardona said in-person learning is extremely valuable.
“Schools are fundamental in child and adolescent development, not only academically but socially and emotionally. Beyond this, schools play a critical role in addressing racial and social inequities. We all want children back for so many reasons, but we also want to ensure that educators and districts feel safe and supported,” he said.
While there is no playbook for anyone to reference on how to respond to a pandemic and a school reopening, Cardona added that working together will be key in achieving the best results possible.
To watch the entire webinar, which featured a question and answer session from the audience, click here.
