NEWTOWN >> The Council Rock School Board on Thursday tabled action on a motion to approve a K-12 five-day-a-week school reopening plan beginning in mid-November.
Instead, board members are taking a pause after Superintendent Dr. Robert Fraser on Thursday night presented an alternative plan that takes steps in that direction, but provides the administration time to focus on the here and now, including student and teacher needs in the virtual and hybrid models.
“Without the extra time to focus on the here and now we absolutely and simply cannot improve the current situation for anyone,” said Fraser. “I find that problematic and troubling on a number of levels.
“But make no mistake, while this represents an alternative to a five day a week plan, we absolutely intend to keep our eye on the prize and the prize is safely reopening our schools five days a week,” said Fraser. “The question is how to go about that.”
The superintendent’s plan sets February 22 as the target date for the five-day-a-week model beginning with the elementary level and subject to coronavirus data, metrics, conductivity and case counts.
The plan – Meeting the Needs of Students and Staff Today and Tomorrow – takes a measured approach to a full reopening by moving in the direction of a five day a week in-person learning model while focusing on the virtual and hybrid models and addressing the “here and now” needs of students and teachers.
“I’m of the opinion that focusing on the here and now will result in a more successful five day a week implementation once we reach that point,” said Fraser. “The ultimate goal is a safe return to five-day-a-week instruction, and it is important that we take lessons learned from virtual and hybrid to inform changes we need to make when we do return five-days so that we have the best opportunity in both the short term and the long term to realize the mission of success for every student, every day. It will pay dividends in the here and now and dividends in the future.”
Beginning Nov. 18, Fraser said Wednesday will be added to the hybrid learning model with Cohort A (meeting in school Monday and Tuesday) and Cohort B (meeting in school Thursday and Friday) attending on alternate Wednesdays. The addition of Wednesday to the schedule will increase in-person learning by two days a month for each cohort
The district had previously used Wednesday to conduct a deep cleaning of its buildings. “We’ve now gained a level of confidence that we can now do that cleaning on a nightly basis without designating Wednesday as a full virtual day,” said Fraser.
The plan would also expand the number of students with IEPs attending in-school learning. “We feel we can expand the number of special education students who will become part of Cohort C,” said Fraser. Cohort C currently attends four days a week. Beginning Nov. 18 that would increase to five days a week of in-person hybrid experience.
“Those are two steps in the right direction toward having more students in school more of the time while we have time in the interim to focus on the here and now, address student and teacher issues while keeping our eye on that prize,” said Fraser. “And at the same time taking two pretty important and relatively significant steps in that direction.”
The plan also includes surveying parents and students regarding the virtual learning and hybrid learning experiences; conducting a listening session with a cross-section of students, and a separate focus group with teacher leaders, from each school; revisiting and refining virtual and hybrid teaching and learning plans and protocols based upon the survey and focus group feedback; and developing a plan to identify and fill gaps in learning relative to priority standards and foundational skills.
“We want to understand what’s working and not working instructionally for students. And we want to not only identify gaps, but do something about them,” said Fraser. “We want to be responsive.”
Other elements of the plan include improving technological support; teaching wellness strategies to students; ensuring school counselors are visible to students, teachers, and families; creating an updated attendance plan to account for virtual students, quarantined students, and hybrid students who opt to take the course/class virtually on an occasional basis; refining social distancing practices, particularly in corridors and athletics; and refining protocols for performance groups (e.g., choral/instrumental groups).
“We recognize that many students are experiencing success with the hybrid and virtual learning models, and we also recognize that some of our students are struggling considerably,” said Fraser. “This plan will afford our leadership teams opportunities to understand what is working well and to replicate many of those successes. This plan will also afford our leadership teams opportunities to understand what is not working well, and to work with our instructional staff to make changes for the betterment of our students and staff.”’
Earlier this month, the majority of school board members said they favored moving forward with a five a day week learning model despite a recommendation against the move by Fraser. On Thursday, they said they are supportive of the superintendent’s plan, but encouraged the administration to consider push forward its targeted five day reopening.
Board member Mark Byelich, who has pressed for a five day option, expressed overall appreciation for the plan, especially for the inclusion of a targeted date for the five day learning option.
“For me, that’s too far. And I shared that with Dr. Fraser,” said Byelich of the Feb. 22 date. “But I appreciate the gesture. And I appreciate his opinion,” he said, noting that the superintendent was reluctant to include any date in the plan.
“One of two things are going to happen,” he said. “We have a vote on the table and that’s it. November 16 we’re going to move forward. Or we can work through this plan and come to some sort of an agreement where it’s not Feb. 22nd. I think that’s more likely and that’s kind of my hope. A lot of this is about give and take or maybe Dr. Fraser completely convinces is that Feb. 22nd is the date.”
By saying that, Byelich said he hasn’t given up. “My responsibility here is to always challenge the administration to do a better job. We also have to work together and we can’t charge that hill knowing that it’s going to fail.”
Byelich motioned to table the five day a week school reopening plan to the board’s Nov. 5 meeting to give board members a pause in its decision-making process, time to digest the superintendent’s plan and to hear from the community.
“If it were up to me, today I’d bring the elementary kids back as an option, have anyone with an IEP have the option and stagger it out for the middle and high school kids,” he said. “I’m really appreciative about adding Wednesday’s to bring some of the IEP students back into the classroom. It’s hard hearing the concerns from parents about their kids struggling. The three different options (virtual, hybrid and five day) is the solution. The problem is how do we implement that?
“We need your help. We need your feedback,” Byelich said, urging every resident to respond to the district’s surveys when they are sent. “Even if you disagree with the question, tell us. We need all the feedback because this is something we’ve never done before. Give us as much guidance as possible. And please be patient and be helpful.
“And folks, expect a lot more surveys. And appreciate the surveys because it means we’re listening, we’re paying attention,” said Byelich.
Byelich also encouraged parents to not only to reach out to board members, but to share their concerns with their teachers and building administrators.
And if that doesn’t help, contact a board member.
Board member Joseph Hidalgo also expressed support for the plan.
“To me, when you open up Wednesday in essence you’re bringing us to the five day model within your plan,” he said. “Of course it’s limited to the IEP and special needs students. But to open it up to more students, it was always one of our wants,” he continued.
“Timing set aside, I think this is the way to go,” he continued. “Since day one, having all three options (virtual, hybrid and five day) is the way to maximize the amount of people we can make happy. I would say, in general, our pathway forward is inside your plan.”
Board member Michael Thorwart also disagreed with the February 22 timeline for the five day a week option.
“That will make it a year where kids have not had normal schooling. There’s no mention of grades 7 to 12. Pandemic or not, we should be striving to produce a full year of regular education. And I have heard no mention of that,” he said. “I have real problems kicking the can to Feb. 22.
“At the beginning of October the will of the Board was to open on Nov. 16. I’m wrestling. I’m really wrestling,” he said. “Do we really want to give it a year with no kids in school in a normal environment? Some will say yes, pandemic. Some will say no it’s not right. We have to deliver a solid year of education, not the best we can do.”
Board President Andy Block expressed appreciation to Fraser for the plan, in particular the effort to get more kids back into school with the Wednesday swing day.
“I also appreciate the opportunity to build that road to the five days back,” said Block. “Most importantly this gives Dr. Fraser and his team time to solve real issues that our families and teachers are experiencing today. And by solving these issues, we do stand to have a much better chance of having a better education if we are forced to go virtually.
“Minimizing teacher stress is also something that’s going to be important,” added Block. “Our team is working extraordinarily to handle teaching to the classroom and to the screen. I my view, that doesn’t go away if we move to five days. It only exasperates issues.
“It’s also my hope that by solving some of these issues, it will help significantly more of this community be more comfortable with a move to five days,” said Block. “At least half of the community does not want a five day option. I think it’s really important that we find a way to have a much more significant portion of the community feel comfortable coming back.”
Most importantly, said Block, the plan would free up the administration to focus on the challenges that teachers, families and students are struggling with right now.
Board member Mariann McKee voiced support for the plan, commending Fraser and the administration for the work that went into putting the plan together.
“It’s clear to me you have identified where we are, what the needs are and you have a very clear vision of what we need to do to address those needs,” said McKee. “I hear you asking us tonight for the time and space to do that. It seems to me you have a very clear vision of how you want to go about doing that and I want to support you in that and give you the time you need to do so.”
