Dear Íæż½ã½ã Brightwaters Community,
Today I am writing to remind you of the changes that will be coming to Íæż½ã½ã beginning this Monday, November 2, 2020, as we expand our Reopening Plan.
All of our PK-5 hybrid students will return to in-person learning 5 days per week. If you are the parent/guardian of a PK-5 student, your child’s school building may have already shared information specific to the building. We have already begun using the plastic barriers that will provide an additional level of protection for our students and staff. It is important to remember that everyone will still be required to wear masks at all times, and that exhalation masks, bandanas and neck gaiters will continue to be prohibited.
For K-5 students enrolled in the remote learning program, Wednesday’s schedule will mirror the other 4 days of the week.
The Pre-K students who are currently learning at Mary G. Clarkson School will move to the new Íæż½ã½ã School Íæż½ã½ã Pre-Kindergarten Center located at the former Íæż½ã½ã Armory site on Brentwood Road. If this change in location impacts your child, you have already been notified.
Thanks to the hard work of our outstanding technology team, we are ready to begin live streaming classes at Íæż½ã½ã Middle School. This means that on days hybrid students are learning remotely from home, they will log on virtually and follow their regular class schedule.
At both Íæż½ã½ã Middle School and Íæż½ã½ã High School, Wednesday will become a remote day of learning on which students will follow a 9-period schedule, which has been modified to include time for professional development, as well as extra help for students. Whole group instruction will take place, in the format of live learning that can include direct instruction, review, guided practice, discussion, assessment, student presentations and social-emotional learning.
We remain vigilant regarding COVID-19 and are taking all precautions necessary to meet the needs of our students while still maintaining the protocols required to keep our school community safe. We will continue to put the health and safety of our students and staff first in every decision we make.
The continuation of the Free Meals for All Students program will allow us to continue to provide free breakfast and lunch to ALL students age 18 and under Monday through Friday, whether they are in school or learning from home. We will also continue working with families who require Chromebooks and internet access to facilitate off-site learning.
If you have any questions regarding any of the above information, please contact your child’s principal or email communityservice@bayshoreschools.org.
I thank you for your patience and cooperation as we navigate these unprecedented times. As always, we appreciate your continued support of Íæż½ã½ã Schools.
Yours truly,
Joseph Bond
Superintendent
Dear Íæż½ã½ã-Brightwaters Community,
As we complete our second full week of instruction with students back in our buildings, I felt it was important to touch base. Our opening of schools could not have gone more smoothly; that is due to the dedication shown by our staff and the cooperation of our students and parents. For that, I say a heartfelt thank you.
Today I am happy to announce that beginning on Monday, November 2, 2020, we will be able to expand our Reopening Plan in several ways.
First, we are proud to announce the opening of the Íæż½ã½ã School Íæż½ã½ã Pre-Kindergarten Center located at the former Íæż½ã½ã Armory site on Brentwood Road. All Pre-K classes currently receiving instruction at Mary G. Clarkson School will transfer to our new facility and begin attending school in-person 5 days per week. More information on our grand opening will follow.
Second, our students in grades K through 5 who are currently on the hybrid plan will also begin attending school in-person 5 days per week. We are currently working to finalize the pieces that will allow us to do this in a way that continues to keep our students and staff safe. This includes placing plastic barriers on all of the desks so that we can increase the capacity of our classrooms. Our students will continue to wear masks at all times and follow social distancing protocols. For K-5 students on the remote learning plan, Wednesday will become a day of live instruction, with a schedule that mirrors the other 4 days of the week.
Third, we will begin to live stream classes at the Íæż½ã½ã Middle School on Monday through Friday, including having students, both hybrid and remote, follow a regular class schedule virtually on Wednesday. In order to make this possible, we will be undertaking a massive upgrade to the technology infrastructure at the Middle School over the next few weeks.
Finally, we will begin using Wednesday as a remote day of learning for all Íæż½ã½ã High School students who will follow their regularly scheduled classes.
We will continue to follow the hybrid schedule of in-person instruction for grades 6-12 to maintain a lower density where a full cohort model cannot be achieved in hopes of reducing the possibility of clusters and/or outbreaks of COVID-19 in our two largest buildings. Please rest assured that we are doing all we can to meet the needs of our students while still maintaining the necessary protocols to keep our school community safe. We will continue to put the health and safety of our students and staff first in every decision we make.
The continuation of the Free Meals for All Students program will allow us to continue to provide free breakfast and lunch to ALL students age 18 and under Monday through Friday, whether they are in school or learning from home. We will also continue working with families who require Chromebooks and internet access to facilitate off-site learning.
I thank you again for your patience and cooperation as we navigate these unprecedented times. As always, thank you for your continued support of Íæż½ã½ã Schools.
Yours truly,
Joseph Bond
Superintendent
Dear Íæż½ã½ã Brightwaters Community,
Today I present to you the Íæż½ã½ã School Íæż½ã½ã’s plan for reopening schools for the 2020-2021 school year. This plan is the result of many hours of work by our Board of Education, administrative team and reopening task force. I would like to thank everyone involved in this Herculean task for their dedication.
In contemplating a return to school, our most important consideration is the health and safety of our students and staff. We have taken all possible steps and necessary precautions to keep COVID-19 out of our schools in compliance with Department of Health and New York State Education Department guidelines.
Throughout the planning process, we were guided by several principles. The overarching principle was that our students will do better if they are able to learn in classrooms with their teachers and peers.
Beginning in September, the Íæż½ã½ã School Íæż½ã½ã will offer a hybrid model of instruction. Students will be split into A and B groups; each group will attend in-person instruction two days a week and utilize distance learning three days a week. On Wednesdays, all students will utilize distance learning.
Through a survey we conducted, we heard from parents about the concerns they have about their children returning to school. Among the top concerns were the ability to use protective equipment, the ability to maintain social distance and the disinfecting procedures.
Using the guidance released by the New York State Department of Health and State Education Department, we have addressed these concerns. You can read the full details of these items in the plan. In general, face coverings/masks will be required at all times when in and around school buildings when social distancing protocols cannot be met; we will maintain social distancing of 6 feet (12 feet where required by New York State guidance). Our buildings and classrooms will be cleaned and disinfected regularly, particularly high-touch areas.
As you begin to review the plan presented today, please keep in mind that we are still waiting for final guidance from Governor Cuomo about reopening in September. Sometime in the coming week, Governor Cuomo will make a final determination about a return to learning in September. In order to plan for all eventualities, including the potential for situational changes that would necessitate a shift in our initial plans, we have also created a robust distance learning plan in case it becomes necessary. Additionally, we are operating with the goal of continually evaluating the program so that we can continue to add to the number of days students are in school each week and the number of students who are in school at a time. Our goal is to be able to bring all of our students back to an in-person setting during the 2020-2021 school year.
I would like to thank all of our students, parents and teachers in advance for their cooperation and understanding as we begin the 2020-2021 school year. By continuing to be united and by working together, we will ensure a successful learning experience for all.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us by emailing communityservice@bayshoreschools.org.
I look forward to working with all of you to ensure our students continue to dream, lead and achieve.
Yours truly,
Joseph Bond
Superintendent