Cesar E Chavez School Reopening Plan Welcome to

Cesar E. Chavez School Reopening Plan ______________________________________________ Welcome to the 2020 - 2021 Academic Year Principal: Mrs. Magdaline Delany Assistant Principal: Mrs. Anna Richardson

Table of Contents • • Principal’s Message Health and Safety Learning Community/Facilities Arrival Procedures - Staggered Entry Dismissal Procedures - Staggered Exit Transportation Lunch & Recess Programs: • Equitable/Standards-Based Education • Models of Instruction • Hybrid Model • 100% Remote Instruction • Special Classes: Physical Education/Art/Music • Professional Development • Providing Special Education Services: • ICT/Super Stars (AU classes)/Resource • Speech/OT/PT/Phys Ed • Technology • Attendance

Contact Info Principal: Mrs. Magdaline Delany Email: mdelany@yonkerspublicschools. org Assistant Principal: Mrs. Anna Nowak Richardson Email: anowak-richardson@yonkerspublicschools. org Nurse: Mrs. Carol Hamilton Email: chamilton@yonkerspublicschools. org Principals Clerk: Mrs. L. Licht Email: LLicht@yonkerspublicschools. org Data Clerk: Ms. Vasquez Email: gvasquez 3@yonkerspublicschools. org School Website: http: //yonkerspublicschools. org/chavez School Phone: (914) 376 -8969

Principal’s Message In order to ensure a safe and healthy learning environment for our staff and students, our opening procedures have been modified for the 2020 -2021 school year. Thank you in advance for your collaboration, patience and understanding. The purpose of our school re-opening plan is to provide an initial structure of the hygiene and safety measures in place to ensure the health and safety of our entire school community. Educationally yours, Magdaline

Health and Safety • The Cesar E. Chavez School community is committed to ensure the health and safety of our staff and students with • All parents/guardians are asked to assess your family’s health and wellness. If any member of your family is experiencing any COVID-19 related symptoms including: fever of 100% or higher; body aches, cough, sweat, and difficulty breathing, seek medical care and immediately alert the school. • Start the screening at home. Please note that parents are responsible for checking their child’s daily temperature and completing the Health Screening Questionnaire. The school’s nurse will determine additional screening as needed. • Parents/guardians are required to complete daily Attestation Form (health survey) for each child. It is important for Parents/Guardians to inform the school in the event of health status changes. The Daily Attestation Form may be completed online and emailed to: chamilton@yonkerspublicschools. org and cc: imendez 2@yonkerspublicschools. org, or send with your child.

Health and Safety (continued) • • All Daily Attestation Forms will be maintained on file in the school’s main office. Any responses of “yes” in regards to symptoms or exposure on the Daily Attestation Form will be referred to the School Health Office. Before entry to our Cesar E. Chavez School, daily temperature screening will occur. All students and adults must wear appropriate face coverings --no exceptions. Cesar E. Chavez School Nurse Hamilton is our designated school COVID -19 Coordinator and will monitor community and school spread of the virus. In the event a student or staff member requires isolation, the designated isolation space (located in the nurses office 3 rd floor) will be utilized. Arrival and dismissal will be staggered in compliance with Social Distancing Guidelines, to facilitate temperature screenings and collect Daily Attestation Forms brought to school. In order to adhere to the required building capacity protocol, students only (Parents/Visitors not allowed to enter) will enter through the designated entrance of the building for a temperature screening. In the unlikely event of a situation requiring an early student sign out: • Parent/caregiver will be met at the front door • ID must be shown and presented to the front desk • Front desk will communicate with the main office to confirm. • Student sign out will not be permitted after 2: 30 pm.

Learning Environment/Facilities In order to ensure a safe opening of schools, we will be implementing the following best practices to navigate the risks associated with COVID -19: • Hand sanitizing stations are located throughout the building. Frequent hand washing is encouraged. • Visual aids/Signage illustrating appropriate spacing and traffic flow throughout school building (e. g. , designating hallways or entrances as one-way), the signage will be age/grade appropriate. • Classrooms will be set up at 50% capacity to maintain social distancing between students and staff. All students and teachers’ desks will face one direction. • In 7 th and 8 th grades, students will remain in assigned classrooms whenever possible, wherein staff will rotate into classrooms. Extracurricular classes will take place in the students’ classrooms whenever possible. • Outdoor spaces will be utilized whenever possible. Activities that do not allow for social distancing, including assemblies and not limited to in-person field trips and large group use of playground equipment simultaneously will be suspended.

Learning Environment/ Facilities (continued) • Social distancing guidelines will be practiced in all student restrooms. Handwashing signage in restrooms will serve as a reminder of appropriate handwashing procedures. • All drinking fountains will be turned off. Students are encouraged to bring in their own bottled water. Filtered bottle filling units are to be installed in every YPS building. We will notify families when this occurs at Cesar E. Chavez School. • Social distancing guidelines will be practiced for all emergency drills, including but not limited to: fire drills, lock down procedures, evacuations, etc. All safety protocols will be followed. • In order to adhere to the Yonkers Public Schools reopening plan, CDC guidelines, NYS Health Department: • Classrooms with windows will be functioning and open for proper circulation and air flow. • Classrooms without windows will have appropriate ventilation for appropriate air circulation. • Classrooms without appropriate ventilation will not be used as instructional spaces. • Please note: Only cars with the Cesar E. Chavez school staff parking pass may park in the lot.

Arrival/Dismissal Procedures Staggering our arrival and dismissal procedures lowers the number of people interacting in the building by 50% and helps with social distancing guidelines. Arrival: • Pre-K and Kindergarten rooms 306, 320, 321 and 322 enter through Main office doors. • Grades 1 and 2 rooms 208, 207, 201 and 202 enter through the lower playground doors near the gym. • Grades 3, 4 and 5 rooms 419, 418, 420, 417, 414 and 413 enter through the gym doors. • Grades 6, 7 and 8 rooms 409, 415, 401, 406, 407, 409 and 408 enter through lower playgrounds through Main office side entry stairwell.

Dismissal Procedures • Students will exit via the same point of entry. Dismissal will be staggered to facilitate and adhere to social distancing guidelines. • Bus dismissal times are scheduled from 2: 40 pm-3: 15 pm. • Designated staff will pick up the bus students from their classrooms and escort them to the first floor (South Broadway) to their bus monitor who will take them to their bus/van.

Transportation • Parents/Caregivers are required to ensure that before boarding the YPS school bus, their children are not experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms and complete the daily Attestation Form. Sick students should not come to school. • YPS will continue to provide transportation services to all eligible students. • Busses will be cleaned and disinfected using CDC and DOH recommended products. • Face coverings must be worn while boarding, riding and disembarking YPS school busses. • Social distancing protocols must be followed at bus stops, while on the bus and when arriving and departing the school. • Siblings and students residing in the same household that are eligible for district transportation may sit together. • Parents/Caregivers may consider walking or transporting their children to school to reduce density on busses.

Lunch & Recess • We ask all parents to remind your children that food and snack sharing is not allowed. • Physical distancing will be practiced during all lunch periods in cafeteria and classrooms. • Parents may provide their children with personal hand sanitizer. Stress the importance of hand washing before children eat or touch their food/snacks. • The YPS Food Services will provide daily “grab & go” breakfast to all students (if desired). • Disposable bag meals are highly recommended for students bringing their own lunch. • Lunch will be scheduled either in classrooms or in the cafeteria on a rotating schedule to ensure that students receive at least one hot meal per week.

Instructional Programs & Equitable/Standards-Based Education Whether we are teaching and learning in person or remotely, our Cesar E. Chavez School learning community is committed to provide our students equitable, rigorous and high quality standards-based education with active student engagement: • Our Pupil Support Team will work closely with our teachers and staff to ensure that our students’ social and emotional well-being are addressed. • Digital instructional platforms will be used for remote learning. Therefore, we encourage all parents to ensure that your child has a personal laptop. • Instruction in grades Pre K-K will be via See. Saw. Instruction for grades 1 -8 will be facilitated via Microsoft Teams. These instructional platforms will be used during in-person, hybrid and 100% remote instructional models.

Instructional Programs & Equitable/Standards-Based Education (continued) • During the implementation of the Hybrid Model, social distancing markers will be used for classroom seating. • Students will put all their items in their desks and jackets on the back of their chairs to eliminate the use of cubbies and/or lockers. • As per NYSED guidelines, Next Generation Learning Standards and grade level curriculum will be implemented. • All instructional experiences will be inclusive, culturally responsive and incorporate research-based practices that address students’ social-emotional needs. • In the Hybrid Model, Flexible Wednesdays will be used for professional development, lesson planning, and student support.

Models of Instruction: Hybrid Model • • • Students receive instruction in school at least 2 days per week (excluding holidays). Staggered dismissal, and transitions. Remote learning takes place on the days students are not in a school. Related services may be provided in-person or remotely. Social emotional learning and supports are integrated into the instructional program and may be delivered in-person or remotely. Students will be divided into 4 letter cohort groups, labeled “A” through “D. ” Siblings will be placed in the same cohort. Track A will attend school Mondays and Tuesdays (excluding holidays). Track B will attend school Thursdays and Fridays. Track C will attend school Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Track D have opted for 100% remote instruction.

Models of Instruction: 100% Remote Model • Students receive instruction remotely 5 x per week (excluding holidays). • All support and related services are provided remotely. • Social-emotional learning and supports are integrated into the instructional program and are delivered remotely. • Wednesdays are for teacher follow-up with students, families and professional development • Microsoft Teams will be used as the platform for grades 1 through 8. • Seesaw will be used as the platform Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten.

Special Classes: Physical Education/Music/Art • Physical education classes will be held outside whenever possible. • During inclement weather, the gym will be used for inside physical education classes, adhering to the social distancing guidelines through the use of floor markers. • During Art class, students will not be sharing art materials and resources. • Music and Art classes will follow the social distancing guidelines.

Professional Development Student and Parent Virtual Orientations and Presentations will be held prior to school opening and throughout the school year. Addressing Students’ Social Emotional Needs • • Our Pupil Support Team will work closely with our learning communities to implement research-based practices that address students’ social and emotional needs/growth. Parents may reach out to staff at any time to discuss concerns. Providing Mandated Services • • Students will receive all mandated support services as per their IEP goals/indicators including but not limited to: Resource, ST/OT/PT, Physical Education, and Music Therapy. Our Special Education, ENL and Title 1 Reading teachers will continue to work closely with classroom teachers to provide mandated services to their assigned students.

Technology and Connectivity Access to Internet services is crucial to ensure the success of your child during remote learning. Parents are encouraged to secure a laptop for their child. The Yonkers Public School District is working diligently with service providers to find low cost solutions for families that do not have Internet. We are here to help. Technology Supports The district provides support for technical issues through several means: • The Technology Department Help Desk is accessible during business hours via • email helpdesk@yonkerspublicschools. org • phone (914) 376 -8637 • The District Instructional Technology office is also available by phone to assist families and teachers (914) 376 - 8280 • Other supports include: • Assistance with log on and password issues • Assistance with devices and instructional technology • Videos posted for families, students and teachers on the Distance Learning website and individual school websites • Instruction on accessing district programs, including Microsoft Teams and Clever, the district’s instructional technology single -sign on system

Technology and Connectivity (continued) • Technicians are assigned to school buildings to provide support. • Library Media Specialists and technology liaisons are available to support students and teachers in the schools. • District technology staff will be loaning laptops to families in the main atrium of the Yonkers Public Library and District Building --easily accessible to the public.

Attendance • It is imperative that all parents make sure that students are actively engaged during remote learning. • Teachers will track their students’ attendance in Power. School. • Teachers in grades PK-6 will take attendance on a daily basis. Teachers in grades 7 and 8 will take attendance for each class period. • For remote learning, teachers will assign a daily attendance assignment or exit ticket in Microsoft Teams, then mark students that complete the assignment as engaged on Power. School. • Chronic Absenteeism will be monitored. • Students’ active engagement will be monitored daily and recorded into Power School. Individual teachers will use their own systems and processes for detection and intervention.

Tips for Parents • Review and discuss the daily schedule with your child. • Confirm that all assigned tasks are completed by your child. • Make certain that required logs are submitted to their teachers as required, to ensure that they receive proper credits for attendance, efforts and performance.

A Final Note Per NYSED guidance, district policies and procedures must focus on the academic consequences of lost instructional time and address absences before students fall behind in school. It is critical for schools to use a variety of creative methods to reach out to students and their families who have not engaged in distance learning. If you have any questions regarding this plan, please contact me at: mdelany@yonkerspublicschools. org