A note home on June 8, 2020

Scenarios for 2020-21 at Friends School of Portland

This document is meant to set forth as clearly as possible the scenarios that exist to address a variety of ways Friends School of Portland will work next year, even as the Maine Department of Education is still developing guidelines for public schools for the fall.  We are looking closely at the newest guidance for Maine childcare centers that are reopening, as well as those for day camps and summer schools to help us shape these scenarios.  We are closely watching Maine CDC updates and learning about European schools that have resumed (see Is it Safe to Reopen Schools?).

It is important to remember that in 3 months, when FSP intends to begin, we will undoubtedly have learned more about coronavirus and best practices in schools, and we will adapt our plans to reflect that new knowledge.

Our top priority is the safety and wellbeing of our students and teachers and school community and we will hold that highest in making all decisions.

  • There may be school closures because of Covid-19 outbreaks during the year.

  • Even in a year of disruption because of the coronavirus pandemic, we will be able to carry out our mission.

  • We will give priority to in-person learning.Principles of public health:

  • Keeping student numbers low and creating cohorts that intermingle as little as possible reduces exposure and allows for contact tracing if one class member becomes ill.

  • Basic handwashing and frequent disinfection of surfaces are the best ways to prevent contagion.

  • Being outdoors minimizes the spread of disease.

Scenario 1:  We're all at school together

Classroom communities begin forming.  Cohort numbers will be in line with recommendations.  Those classrooms, or cohorts, largely remain isolated during the day, from a staggered dropoff and pickup at their own entrance to their own niche on school grounds.  Because of class size and indoor space, we expect all students can attend school for a full day, every day.  

Specials classes (art, music, Spanish) will be set up to minimize shared specials room space with other cohorts.  We will need new guidance on this before we are able to make decisions about schedules and spaces.  To the extent possible P.E. will take place, as it often does, outdoors, which can involve walking, hiking, throwing, and other exercising, but no group sports.  

Aftercare will not be held, at least when the school year begins, because we will not be able to guarantee students can be cared for in their cohorts.  Afternoon activities will also be put on hold.

Some projected daily routines:

Parents take their child's temperature and ensure they feel well at home.  Parent and child arrive at FSP, and wearing facial coverings, walk to the indicated entrance.  There they are met by the classroom teacher who will ask parents to fill out a checklist about their child's health.  A temperature check will be taken, and the student will wash their hands and proceed to the classroom, where the facial covering can be removed.  

Classes will have their own exclusively-used classroom sink areas and bathrooms.  Those classrooms without bathrooms will have one bathroom assigned to it for its exclusive use.

Disinfecting of high touch areas (tables, door handles, faucets, electronic devices) will occur during the school day in individual classrooms.  In the evening, our cleaning crew will be following recommended protocols.

An additional temperature check will take place during the school day, and an exclusive space will be set aside for kids with symptoms to wait to be picked up by their parents or caregivers.

Work spaces in classrooms will allow for six feet of distance between students.  At all levels, group meetings, like circle time for our youngest and advisory time for our oldest, will also allow for sufficient distance between class members.  Young students will be taught and reminded about personal space, but especially at the preschool level, we do not think it will be possible to keep children the required distance apart at all times.

This is where outdoor exploration and learning, regular handwashing, and a bin for toys that have gone into mouths to be disinfected later come in.  Mats for naptime will be spaced and wiped down per state guidelines.

Again, our model, at all levels, is one of low density (small numbers) and cohorts. 

Group events like meeting for worship, all-school Tuesday morning meeting, and Friday assembly will need to take new forms--a large outdoor silent meeting?  Inter-classroom Zoom shares? Sidewalk chalk message areas?  

These programmatic pieces will be taken up by the faculty in our June work days and throughout the summer, with guidance that will come from the Maine Department of Education and CDC informing our planning.

Scenario 2:  Schools close because of a spike in Covid-19 cases and we go into at-home learning mode

  • This will be a mix of synchronous (Zoom) and asynchronous learning--the specific mix will be based on the developmental appropriateness at different age groups 

  • All students will have regular small-group learning activities on Zoom

  • We will continue to offer one on one check-ins with teachers when needed

  • We will continue to send regular, meaningful learning activities that students can engage in offline

Here are some changes we will make next year:

  • We will create more predictable structure -- with clear routines, especially for synchronous activities, that don't change 

  • We will create a centralized place for parents to be able to access schedule and Zoom links for any child for the week ahead  

  • We are working on a better workflow system for younger students to be able to "hand in" work done at home 

  • We will be able to prepare students while they are with us for at-home learning so they are more prepared to make the transition

  • We (hope) that we will be able to keep at-home to shorter bursts by using a flexible calendar and accessing additional in-person weeks as needed

Staff time in June and the summer will be used to prepare for these new pieces.

The conditional calendar will allow us to recoup a minimum of 6 additional weeks of in-person school.

Scenario 3:  Schools close because of a spike in Covid-19 cases and we go into "vacation mode" at home

In an effort to maximize the amount of time we spend in-person with students and to relieve the stress on parents to be in the role of teacher or facilitator, we may choose for some of the time school is closed to be "vacation."  This will be decided by the faculty as a whole and will be dependent on when the closure happens and how long it is anticipated to last.  

Again, the conditional calendar will allow us to recoup a minimum of 6 additional weeks of in-person school.

Scenario 4:  Schools are still required to stay closed when we reach August 31, our first day of school

We will wait to open, not going into at-home learning without being able to establish the basic relationships of a classroom community.  The school will be in close touch with families during this time.  

Those missed days or weeks will be added to the calendar.

Scenario 5:  Someone in a cohort, teacher or student, is diagnosed with Covid-19, leading to targeted closure at FSP

In consultation with the CDC, there may need to be a brief, targeted closure if a student or staff member tests positive.  Currently, experts are suggesting a 2-5 day closure for cleaning and for the children who warrant testing to be tested.  FSP will determine whether a classroom will need to close briefly for disinfecting and whether other children in the cohort should quarantine themselves.

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Please note that some questions not addressed in these scenarios can be found in FAQ's about 2020-21 at Friends School of Portland.

—-
Jenny Rowe
Head of School