Thank you for your collaboration on options for our return to school in fall. Our priority continues to be a return that focuses on the health of our students, staff, families, and communities. To help us plan for our staff in particular, please use this process to let us know about your individual needs as you think about a return to school (information repeated below as a separate item). The initial process is for all staff to communicate needs and as a second step certified staff can express interest in becoming a virtual instructor. We will continue to communicate throughout our planning process.
Jen Wimmer
Superintendent
Planning For Return to School
Last week a group of 40+ educators from around the district met to discuss the return to school. The agenda, attendees, and link to the feedback document can be found here and is open to all to add. The Google slides used to facilitate the conversation can be found here. (The eleven reference refers to the fact that it was my 11th day of work...or Spinal Tap...or Stranger Things...depends on your frame of reference). During our discussion, I discussed the “culture of commitment” that school staff often display… we often show up even if we aren’t feeling well because we are committed to supporting our students. We are working on additional communication that provides clarity for staff regarding student, personal, or family member illness.
*Note the Washington County Daily News today wrote that we are having a presentation to the board on August 3; we aren’t quite sure where they got their information. We intend to have a community presentation to share draft plans so families can provide another round of feedback, but the specific time/date has not been determined. We hope to send the presentation to staff to provide feedback prior to the community meeting.
We are working in teams to plan (also outlined in the presentation linked above):
District Leadership
- Includes leaders from each department (including nursing)
- Each department leader has an external network that is working with regional and state colleagues and in some cases the national and global level
- A general sense of the work and timeline can be found in the presentation slides linked above
- Each principal met with the superintendent to get a general sense of the level of planning needed at the school level
School Leadership
- Many elements of planning will be unique to each site; therefore, we ask that each principal convene a school level leadership team to support planning efforts
- All staff at each site should receive an opportunity to provide feedback to the school level leadership team
- Draft plans will be shared with district leadership for review and approval
Families
Families have been provided with an initial survey to support our planning efforts, the district will make sure data is sent to sites as soon as the survey is closed
- A phone and email message went out yesterday (late afternoon) to have families begin online enrollment verification and provide feedback regarding instruction, breakfast/lunch, busing, and health protocols for use in schools
- Surveys look like this (personalized for each early learning option or K-12 as shown)
- note that most districts that surveyed earlier are relaunching new surveys as families have shifted their opinions and the spread of infection has changed (and continues to change)
- The district will provide a plan with more detail to families for their feedback prior to finalization (despite all of our collective efforts, I am sure they will think of a few scenarios or details for us to add or that can help us to know where we need to add clarity)
- Families will complete a second step of information verification and program selection in August (this is to cover things not included in the request this week)
Students
We are interested in engaging our students, specifically at the high schools, to understand their thoughts and provide feedback (we will keep you posted on those efforts).
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
We are committed to providing staff with PPE for their specific roles. The state has coordinated delivery of 12,500 reusable masks for our district. Staff may also utilize masks that follow CDC recommendations. We will have smaller supplies of single use masks on hand for use as needed. In some cases, the students you work with or your role may require alternate or additional PPE. If it is related to a student need, please contact case manager and then department leaders. If it is related to a job duty (such as nurses), please contact your department leader. Do not place orders directly from the site level - we want to leverage bulk or shared purchases across districts when we are able.
We have not made a decision regarding mandating mask use for students or staff. We will continue to work with public health and district nursing staff to make formal decisions. It may be that masks are required at certain times or in certain areas (i.e. on the bus). Again, no formal decision has been made. *As a courtesy to others in the ESC building, staff use masks when out of their immediate work area.
HUMAN RESOURCES DEPT. UPDATES
WBSD Will Pay For Aides to Get Their Substitute License
Are you an aide in the district with an Associate’s Degree, Bachelor’s Degree or higher? Then you can be licensed as a substitute teacher. When aides serve as a substitute teacher for a day, they can receive more work hours, a higher pay rate for that day, or both. For this coming school year, the district will reimburse the full cost for any current aide to get licensed as a substitute teacher. Check out the top half of this flyer to read more about this opportunity.
WBSD Will Pay For General Aides to Obtain Special Education Aide License
The district pays an extra $1.00 above your current pay rate for general aides (supervisory, clerical, classroom, library, etc.) who substitute as a special education aide. This year, the district will reimburse the full cost for any current general aide to get licensed as a substitute special education aide. Check out the bottom half of this flyer to read more about this opportunity.
Staffing Preparation (information linked in introduction)
The West Bend School District is planning a multi-option education plan for students this fall. Families will select an education model for their children from three options (in-person, virtual, or a hybrid of those two models). This week WBSD families are being asked to select their preliminary preference from these three options (they do have the option to change their preference). Based on the enrollment data obtained from that selection process, we will then work to align the skills of our highly talented instructional staff to the preferences of our students and families.
The purpose of this communication is to help us in developing that staffing plan and for you to share your personal preferences and other information that can aid us in creating that plan.
FOR ALL STAFF: FMLA and Other Medical Concerns
We care deeply about the safety of our employees and their families. We want to ensure that every employee is able to take full advantage of any rights afforded to them by the FMLA laws and the Coronavirus-related legislation passed earlier this year that expanded medical leave rights for employees. We also want to support each employee in any way we can if they or a member of their family is within the COVID-19 at-risk groups.
To provide this support, it is essential that we have all the necessary information required for us to provide FMLA protections to employees. Please review the following options and complete any and all of the linked forms as needed within the next week.
- Complete this form if you believe you may be eligible for FMLA protections during the pandemic because of a medical condition you have
- Complete this form if you believe you may be eligible for FMLA protections during the pandemic because of a medical condition of someone you provide care for
FOR CERTIFIED STAFF: Teaching Format Preferences
(This section applies to all certified staff including teachers, speech pathologists, counselors, psychologists, interventionists, instructional coaches, literacy specialists and coordinators.)
We want to align the talents of our teaching staff to the educational format that makes best use of their skills this school year. However, we also do not yet know how many families will choose in-person, virtual, or the hybrid model of education for their children for 20-21. Obviously, we have to develop a staffing plan that meets the needs of our families.
The Teaching and Learning Department has developed a short job description of what is needed for someone to teach in an online format. You can view that description at this link. To help us prepare to staff these three different instructional delivery models, we need input from you regarding any preferences you may have for this fall. Please use the Google form at this link to communicate if you are interested in teaching in an online setting this fall. If your first preference is to teach in person, you do not need to complete the form.
Please know that filling out this form only communicates your preference to teach in a virtual format and does not guarantee you will be given that teaching assignment. Decisions about how to staff our programs will be made based upon student enrollment and aligning the qualifications and skills of our staff to the format that makes the greatest use of their talents.
BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS UPDATE
How Can We Help?
As previously communicated, we are working with principals to help staff remove non-essential items from the classroom and schools (detail below). As we prepare for the first day of school, there are many things in the schools that will look completely different from what you are used to. Please realize that the actions that are being taken right now in the schools are for the safety of you and the students. As the local and national guidelines for reopening continue to evolve, we will do our utmost to keep you informed and updated. Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation.
The custodial staff will be available to assist you with anything you might need for the start of school. Please use the work order system so that we can better assist you.
Important Dates
Friday, August 7, 2020
- Due to the need to quickly and efficiently disinfect a room, please have all personal furniture items out of any room in a school building by Friday, August 7
- Remember the custodial staff will be waxing floors during this time so please watch for “Wet Wax” signs as you move around the building
- If there are items you no longer want, please tag them and let the facilities department know and we will dispose of them (see process for work orders above)
- Personal furniture items left in the building after August 7 will be disposed of
- Additionally, extra cleaning and sanitation will take place during the course of the school day throughout the common areas or the building
- The custodial department will be removing excess furniture from the building and classrooms and setting up desks/tables to social distance as much as possible
Monday, August 24, 2020
- The custodial staff will be available to assist you with anything you might need for the start of school
What You Can Expect Your Room to Look Like
We still want rooms to be as inviting as possible during this time. Imagine you had to clean every individual item present in your room to help you make decisions.
- Continue to hang displays and student work on your walls and bulletin boards keeping in mind fire code restrictions on coverage
- Enough seating will be provided to accommodate the maximum number of students that will be in a space at any given time
- Every effort will be made to distance students as far from each other as possible (six or three feet)
- Classrooms that are equipped with tables that accommodate far more than one student will be provided with a 24” x 24” freestanding plexiglass divider so the table can hold two students maximum
- All desks will be facing the same direction as much as is practical
- Excess district furniture in classrooms will be removed and stored
- All carpets and rugs will be removed from classrooms and stored
- Rugs that do not have the appropriate fire rating will be discarded
- We understand that a carpet can be used as a teaching tool and encourage you to work with your principal to identify alternatives such as individual vinyl dots that students could use in a variety of settings and can be disinfected easily
- All plush toys, bean bag chairs, cloth upholstered seating, and curtains need to be removed from the classroom
- All classrooms will be limited to one trash and one recycling container
- Students should not share items (plan for materials use accordingly)
- Students need to receive instruction within the classroom, they cannot work in group in halls, etc.
- Teacher desks will remain in the classroom; however, teaching materials that are not needed at the beginning of the year will be stored out of the classroom until they are needed. The location is to be determined
Every classroom will be issued:
- Spray bottle of hospital-grade disinfectant
- Package of disposable wipes
- Safety glasses
- Box of disposable gloves
At times, you may be asked to disinfect or clean materials. For example, if you have a small group receiving instruction at a separate table - you will want to disinfect/clean after use and prior to others touching the area. Another example would be shared equipment - think items we don’t buy for individual students, like a drill press - this must be cleaned/sanitized in between use.
Changing the Way Your Building is Cleaned
Traditionally, your classroom has been cleaned to make it look as attractive as possible. This year, with the extra attention on health, your room will be cleaned for cleanliness rather than appearance. This means that your floors might not be as shiny as you’re used to. The emphasis will be on cleaning surfaces and touch-points such as desks, door handles, light switches, telephones, faucets, etc. Additionally, extra cleaning and sanitation will take place during the course of the school day throughout the building. As schools design instructional plans, principals will work with their school custodial team to determine where/when common areas should be cleaned and sanitized throughout the day.
TEACHING AND LEARNING UPDATE
We are working to provide a variety of instructional opportunities for not only our families, but also our staff as we plan for the fall.
Face to Face Instruction
What it is:
- In person instruction at our school sites
- Proactive health protocols such (i.e. physical and social distancing, mask use, etc.) will be used as needed
- Increased cleaning and sanitizing practices will be in place
- Schedule design may look different from years past to minimize contacts
- If students or staff members should be unable to attend in person (for example, due to quarantine or if a classroom or school should need to close), we will provide options to access instruction virtually (i.e. through recording of in-person lessons or Canvas coursework)
- What we are used to... it will look and feel different
Virtual Academy (also referred to as Virtual Learning)
What it is:
- A full-time West Bend Virtual Academy program will be offered in partnership with the Edmentum learning platform
- A parallel curriculum to WBSD classes/courses
- Available to all and a good fit for some
- An expansion of the 7-12 program already in place
- Outsourcing district jobs - if there is enough enrollment interest, we can train and assign our staff for virtual instruction (see the process for making this request under the HR section)
- Easier than face to face classes
- An option developed in response to the pandemic (we started virtual opportunities in 2011 and this is a natural extension)
- Our plan for instruction during a classroom or school closure
Hybrid Option Though the Virtual Academy
What it is:
- An option to take one or more classes through the West Bend Virtual Academy, while maintaining face to face or home schooled enrollment
- Outsourcing district jobs
- Our plan for instruction during a classroom or school closure
What Will the Staff First-Day of the Year Look Like?
We do not want to gather in a large group (district or site), yet we do want to create opportunities for school teams to collaborate and work on the things you need to be ready for in-person instruction or the potential for virtual instruction over the upcoming year.
As we prepare to welcome students in our schools, we are also taking strategic steps to ensure the professional time during the Welcome Back Week supports our start to the 2020-21 school year. With that said, we have the following updates for you:
- Starting Monday, August 24, teaching/certified staff will report to their assigned buildings for each professional day
- During each day there will be opportunities that are asynchronous and synchronous
Summer Program Update
Using a virtual format, our Summer School Program has been very successful. Students in grades 8-12 have already completed their summer school classes. In fact, we are proud to share that over 350 grades have been earned! Our elementary and middle school students continue to attend classes virtually with the last day being July 31. Thank you so much to all the summer school teachers for their dedication and creative thinking!
Unfortunately, we must cancel the Summer School Camps and Jump Start events originally scheduled for August. We will notify families of enrolled students immediately. All efforts are being focused on a successful re-entry plan for fall.
TECHNOLOGY UPDATE
Devices for K-12
All students will be 1:1 with Chromebooks in grades K-12 for the upcoming school year. The devices will be handed out to students through a mass handout process located at the high schools building prior to the start of the year.
The Technology Department continues to work with providers to find multiple avenues for families to gain internet access to support instruction.
Document Cameras
The district is procuring all new document cameras for teachers that will allow staff to use them as a secondary web camera for Google Meets, ability to record videos from the document camera to their computer, and provide staff members the ability to take home the document camera if needed based upon the instructional model.
Cleaning of Technology Equipment
Protocols for cleaning of shared technology equipment are currently being developed and will be shared before the start of the school year.
