Oswego City School District Discusses Reopening Plans During BOE Meeting
by Shea O'Malley | August 5, 2020 6:06 pm
OSWEGO – Reopening plans were discussed during the Oswego City School District’s Board of Education meeting last night, August 4.
Superintendent Dr. Mathis Calvin III, laid out a blueprint for board members regarding the return of students in the 2020/2021 school year.
Calvin thanked all the people involved in the OCSD task force, a unified group of people collaborating and creating a viable and sustainable return plan for students and faculty.
“We had 34 people who were on the task force who helped to put together this reopening plan, and there was a lot of thought, a lot of time, a lot of energy and effort that went into really coming up with this reopening plan,” Calvin said. “We only had two weeks to really think about the health and safety of our entire community. And so, bringing this collective body together and working on this project really, was… honestly, it was really great to just kind of connect with all these folks and just really have them being willing to assist the district as a whole. And together, I think we’ve come up with a very good plan.”
The Reopening Plan Information is as follows:
The educational program for kindergarten – sixth grade will include in-person school attendance two days a week, with three days of online schooling. Each class in the district will be split up into two groups; groups A and B. Group A will attend in-person classes from 8:45 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday of each week. Group B will attend in-person classes on Thursday and Friday of each week from 8:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Staff will rotate into varying classrooms instead of student rotation into different rooms. Students who are not in school will be provided with remote learning, along with teacher support availability from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
The educational program for grades 7 to 12 will include a week-long, online schooling curriculum. All secondary students will be given an instructional schedule to follow, beginning at 9 a.m. each day, and ending at 2:30 p.m.
Students will log into their classes at the specified times, which will be listed in their schedules. Students will stay on a strict itinerary, including lunch and study hall, with time built in to address social and emotional health concerns. Teacher support availability will be from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
The Pre-K schools will receive in-person instruction in half-day increments, two days a week on Monday/Tuesday or Thursday/Friday. Students with disabilities and English Language Learning needs will receive in-person instruction four days a week, with one day of virtual learning. Other options will be discussed if virtual learning is not feasible.
CITI BOCES will hold CTE programs, allowing student attendance one day a week, with four days of virtual learning. More information will be provided concerning the Exceptional Education Program and the Alt-ED program from CITI BOCES.
OCSD will be providing one-on-one computer technology for all students in grades K-12. The plan includes a computer and WiFi mobile hotspots for all students who need them, to ensure and maintain consistent instruction availability. The technology will be provided to students prior to and throughout the school year as needed. All schools will be closed on Wednesdays for midweek, in-depth cleaning, weekends included.
The district will also provide transportation for students, with health, safety and social distancing regulations in place. The OCSD Transportation Department[1] will contact families to make arrangements for busing.
OCSD will continue to offer breakfast and lunch for students in need, with all meals provided in the classroom. For students not attending school, lunches will be made available all week, to be picked up at the Oswego High School. The district will also make arrangements for meals to be dropped off to those with transportation issues.
The Oswego YMCA[2] is partnering with OCSD to provide before and after school childcare for working parents. The childcare sites will include five elementary schools, with health, safety and social distancing protocols in place. There is a fee, payable to the YMCA directly.
Additional Information:
-School building access will be limited in accordance with health and safety guidelines. Visitor access will also be restricted.
-A daily health screening form will be available online for parents/caregivers to use each day. Caregivers will fill out a questionnaire, letting the school know if the child has symptoms before arriving at school. If the questionnaire is not filled out, the school will contact the parent/caregiver for further information.
-Buildings will undergo daily cleaning, targeting high-touch areas; door knobs, handles, etc., sanitizing with approved cleaning products.
-The schools will collaborate with the district office to rapidly and appropriately respond to any outbreaks in the community or schools, and implement any necessary safety protocols consistently.
-Plastic barriers will be in place for students.
– Constant communication with staff, students, parents and caregivers will be given through the following: District website[3], web-alert system, emails, text, school messenger, social media, Facebook pages,[4] Instagram, district newsletter, news outlets, WBUC TV station,[5] and virtual hall meetings. A COVID-19 hotline is also available at: 315-341-2050.