Choose your classroom: Traditional and remote learning models available to Vestavia students

Students in Vestavia Hills public schools will have a choice to return to in-class instruction on Aug. 13 or learn remotely.

In a statement released to parents and other stakeholders on July 16, Superintendent Todd Freeman said school will begin for students in first through 12th grade on Aug. 13 on Aug. 13 and for kindergarten students on Aug. 14, with extensive plans in place to keep facilities clean and students safe. Students who do not feel comfortable returning to school will have access to remote learning, though parents had to sign up for that model by July 22.

Should students choose to switch from the traditional model or the remote model, they can do so, but once they do, they must stay in that model for the rest of the semester.

The 2020-21 school year will have more of a “full school look” than the end of the 2019-20 school year, which was upended by the COVID-19 pandemic, Freeman said.

All the work that normally takes place over the summer is still happening, including cleaning facilities, scheduling students, hiring staff and more, Freeman said. That work is made even more difficult by the ongoing pandemic, but Freeman said there is a great team at the schools working hard to make sure everything runs smoothly, even if it means working extra hours to get the work done.

“It’s just part of our work as leaders of our school system,” Freeman said.

REMOTE MODEL

Students choosing the remote model will have some synchronous learning, meaning they will learn at set times with other students, but for the most part, learning will be asynchronously, with the ability to set their own schedule and pace, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning Aimee Rainey said.

Students will have assignments and work due each week, all geared toward meeting state standards, Rainey said. The school system will use SchoolsPLP, a state-funded curriculum, but it will not be the only resource teachers use. They also will use the Alabama Connecting Classrooms Educators and Students Statewide (ACCESS) system and other supplemental resources.

Students will use Week-At-a-Glance to see what work they have each week and will have their attendance judged based on weekly engagement and completion of assignments.

Vestavia Hills teachers will create and deliver lessons and will be available for support both online and in-person if needed. Freeman said while teachers may be teaching in both the traditional and remote format, they won’t be expected to go beyond a typical day in terms of hours, and school leaders are working to provide all the materials they need for the school year.

The school system also is providing each student with Google Chromebooks this year. The recent announcement of funding from the CARES Act might help reimburse the system for the purchase of those Chromebooks, said Whit McGhee, the director of public relations.

While school leaders had not yet learned a specific amount the system would receive, they know the money must be used for specific purposes, which may include paying for additional nurses, isolation rooms, personal protective equipment or technology for remote learning.

Rainey said the grading system for online students will be the same, and online assessments will be used.

TRADITIONAL MODEL

Rainey said some families will benefit from the changes that come with the remote learning model, but the school system wanted to ensure parents who feel their children would be better off in the traditional model had that option as well.

The educational plan for the traditional model will be similar to most other school years, but the school system is taking steps to make sure the building stays clean and that employees and students stay safe, in addition to providing social and emotional wellness resources to students and families.

Students who feel sick and need to be away for a while can use the “blended” model, allowing them to do remote work for a short time before coming back to school.

Students and staff who test positive for COVID-19 can return to school or work after 14 days of quarantine or with a physician’s release and three days without symptoms. The same rules will apply to those who live with someone who tests positive. If someone feels sick at school, they will be asked to go to the nurse’s station, and if they exhibit symptoms, they will be placed in the isolation room, and parents will be asked to pick up their child within 30 minutes of receiving a call. For students who may have come in close contact with someone who had a positive test, they should follow CDC guidelines and quarantine for 14 days. Public health officials will be responsible for contact tracing.

McGhee said a negative test is not required explicitly, but may be part of a physician’s release.

Students and employees are being asked to monitor themselves and check for COVID-19 symptoms daily, and while there are plans in place for both routine and enhanced procedures and precautions, schools will begin with the enhanced procedures.

That means students and staff will wear face masks at the start of the year, regardless of whether Gov. Kay Ivey’s order mandating masks statewide is still in place. As the year progresses, McGhee said the school system will analyze and readjust as necessary.

There will be built-in breaks from the masks, but it is not known when and where those will be, he said.

All students and staff will also take part in the 4Habits4Health training, which emphasizes good hygiene like hand washing, avoiding touching your face and covering your mouth and nose when you sneeze and cough. Hand sanitizer stations will be available throughout school facilities.

Under the enhanced procedures and protocols, there will be mandatory cleaning and disinfecting by teachers and staff during the day and thorough cleanings by the custodial team after students and staff have left, along with monthly training with the custodial team to gauge effectiveness.

Other highlights of the enhanced procedures and precautions plan include:

There will also be staggered dismissal schedules or holding areas for students to avoid large crowds, and students will be expected to move to classrooms directly in between classes. Physical education lockers will not be used, students will not be required to dress out, and outdoor activities are encouraged when appropriate.

Seating charts will be required for all classrooms, and the use of school lockers will be limited.

There will be no overnight or out-of-state trips by student groups, nor any school assemblies. Meetings between parents, teachers and students will be held remotely.

Cafeteria seating will be set up to maintain distance, though Freeman said that likely is not possible in most classrooms. There will be no self-serving unless it is individually wrapped, and breakfast and lunch items will be in to-go containers.

Freeman said school leaders will continue to adjust as needed as the school year continues.

“We’ll continue to keep planning,” he said. “We have to be flexible and adaptable.”

For more information about the school’s reopening plan, including more details about procedures and precautions, visit vestavia.k12.al.us/covid19.