Elementary In-Person Learning

According to CDE guidance, “Global COVID-19 evidence suggests that younger children play a smaller role in onward transmission of COVID-19. The risk of transmission between young children and from young children to adults is lower than the risk of transmission to adults between or from older children and adults. The risk to children is likely lower than that of yearly influenza, accounting for both primary disease and Multisystem Inflammatory Disease in Children (MIS-C). This is why kindergarten and elementary schools should have different guidelines than secondary schools...Given the limited role young children likely play in transmission, there likely is minimal benefit relative to the great difficulty of physical distancing young children within a class to prevent COVID-19 spread.”

• In-person learning will take place 5 days a week.
• All K-5 students will remain in their cohort as much as possible.
• Schools could shift to remote learning for certain time periods based on closure orders from the State or County Health Department (days, weeks, months), or based on confirmed COVID cases at specific school sites.
• By attending in-person learning, students, families, and staff agree to follow all school safety, health, and hygiene practices.

Elementary Logistics

• Symptom screening of all students and staff prior to school starting each day.
• Daily symptom screening will be done by parent or student self-reporting. Those students whose parents don't report will need to have symptom screening done as soon as possible by the health assistant.
• Schools will have separate rooms for symptomatic students and students receiving first aid and routine medical care.
• Throughout the day, students who show symptoms of COVID-19 will be sent to the health office for a symptom screening.
• Protocols will be followed when a student or staff member exhibits COVID symptoms and when a student or staff member is confirmed COVID-positive. This includes notification of families of students within the cohort of the symptomatic or COVID-positive student or staff member. Possible quarantine of cohort members based on guidance from MCPH. MCPH will perform contact tracing when a positive case is confirmed.
• Additional health assistants will be available for each building.
• Individual classes will be kept together for a significant part of the day.
• Students will be grouped (cohorted) by grade level for lunch, recess, and specials.
• Face coverings over the nose and mouth are encouraged for students in grades K-5 unless they cannot medically tolerate a face covering (a medical exemption required). Masks will not be required for students during outdoor recess & exercise activities.
• Face coverings must be worn:
• When entering & exiting the building.
• When in the hallway, transitioning between rooms.
• When students are outside of their established cohort (homeroom class) and 3 ft. physical distancing cannot be maintained.
• When teachers/staff feel the need for masks is necessary within an established cohort, such as during small group work.
• When riding the bus.
• Face coverings over the nose and mouth are required for all staff, including during in-person instruction unless they cannot medically tolerate a face covering.
• If needed, face coverings may be temporarily removed or transparent alternatives, such as face shields, may be substituted when face coverings interfere with instruction.
• If necessary, the mask may be removed for instruction for the shortest duration possible.
• Even when in a cohort (classroom), face coverings over the nose and mouth are required for all staff.
• Teachers and other adult staff should make the greatest effort to adhere to 6-foot distancing from each other, as adult risk and disease transmission potential is higher than students.
• Student desks may be spaced apart in classrooms.
• Handwashing and regular cleaning of student spaces will be practiced throughout the day.
• Handwashing stations & existing sinks will be utilized to better facilitate regular handwashing.
• Hand sanitizer available for use when needed. Must be at least 60% alcohol (no methanol) and dispensed by teachers/staff. Used under direct supervision and not left out unattended (securely stored when not in use). Approved hand sanitizer will be provided by the district to ensure they meet FDA regulations.
• Cleaning of high-frequency indoor surfaces and playground equipment daily.
• School supplies and instructional materials will be assigned to individual students and kept separate from the other cohorts.
• Encourage students to bring reusable water bottles & refill throughout the day.
• Students will attend specials on a regular schedule, however there will be less sharing of equipment and materials.
• Students will have opportunities for recess daily, except during inclement weather.
• Reprogramming of HVAC systems to achieve these goals to the maximum extent possible:
• Increased building ventilation and fresh air mixture.
• Improved central air filtration to the MERV-13 filters.
• Run systems for longer hours and flush buildings with outside air.
• Common areas kept at 50% of the capacity or 175, whichever is smaller.
• Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting of buses.
• Before and after-school programs will operate as normal when in-person learning is happening.
• No field trips at this time.
• No non-essential group gatherings or face-to-face assemblies indoors unless following the common area guidelines for capacity. Outdoor assemblies/gatherings encouraged. Current guidelines limit outdoor gatherings to 50 or less unless following physical distancing and/or mask requirements.
• Use of outdoor spaces for classroom lessons is highly encouraged.
• Limited classroom/school volunteers or visitors.
• No large-scale face-to-face community events.
• School meetings with families will be primarily held virtually.

Middle School In-Person Learning

According to CDE guidance, “Global COVID-19 evidence suggests that younger children play a smaller role in onward transmission of COVID-19. The risk of transmission between young children and from young children to adults is lower, than the risk of transmission to adults between or from older children and adults. The risk to children is likely lower than that of yearly influenza, accounting for both primary disease and Multisystem Inflammatory Disease in Children (MIS-C). This is why kindergarten and elementary schools should have different guidelines than secondary schools...In secondary schools there is likely a greater impact of physical distancing on risk reduction of COVID-19.”

• In-person learning will take place 5 days a week.
• Each grade level will be considered its own cohort, and within each grade level students will stay with their smaller cohorts throughout the day as much as possible.
• Schools could shift to remote learning for certain time periods based on closure orders from the State or County Health Department (days, weeks, months), or based on confirmed COVID cases at specific school sites.
• By attending in-person learning, students, families, and staff agree to follow all school safety, health, and hygiene practices.

Middle School Logistics

• Symptom screening of all students and staff prior to school starting each day.
• Daily symptom screening will be done by parent or student self-reporting. Those students whose parents don't report will need to have symptom screening done as soon as possible by the health assistant.
• Schools will have separate rooms for symptomatic students and students receiving first aid and routine medical care.
• Throughout the day, students who show symptoms of COVID-19 will be sent to the health office for a symptom screening.
• Protocols will be followed when a student or staff member exhibits COVID symptoms and when a student or staff member is confirmed COVID-positive. This includes notification of families of students within the cohort of the symptomatic or COVID-positive student or staff member. Possible quarantine of cohort members based on guidance from MCPH. MCPH will perform contact tracing when a positive case is confirmed.
• Additional health assistants will be available for each building.
• Cohorting primarily by grade level and secondarily by class.
• Face coverings over the nose and mouth are required for students in grades 6-12 unless they cannot medically tolerate a face covering (a medical exemption required). Masks will not be required for students during outdoor & exercise activities. Mask breaks can occur when physical distancing is possible.
• Face coverings over the nose and mouth are required for all staff, including during in-person instruction unless they cannot medically tolerate a face covering.
• If needed, face coverings may be temporarily removed or transparent alternatives, such as face shields, may be substituted when face coverings interfere with instruction.
• If necessary, the mask may be removed for instruction for the shortest duration possible.
• Even when in a cohort (classroom), face coverings over the nose and mouth are required for all staff.
• Limit transitions & number of students in the hallways throughout the day by adjusting schedules when possible.
• “Highway” system for hallways.
• Physical distancing will be implemented to the greatest extent possible. Teachers and other adult staff should make the greatest effort to adhere to 6-foot distancing from each other, as adult risk and disease transmission potential is higher than students.
• Student desks will be spaced apart as much as possible.
• Handwashing and regular cleaning of student spaces will be practiced throughout the day.
• Handwashing stations & existing sinks will be utilized to better facilitate regular handwashing.
• Hand sanitizer available for use when needed. Must be at least 60% alcohol (no methanol) and dispensed by teachers/staff. Used under direct supervision and not left out unattended (securely stored when not in use). Approved hand sanitizer will be provided by the district to ensure they meet FDA regulations.
• Cleaning of high-frequency indoor surfaces and outdoor equipment daily.
• Encourage students to bring reusable water bottles & refill throughout the day.
• Students will attend electives on a regular schedule, however there will be less sharing of equipment and materials.
• Reduce passing periods and student intermingling when possible.
• Reprogramming of HVAC systems to achieve these goals to the maximum extent possible:
• Increased building ventilation and fresh air mixture.
• Improved central air filtration to the MERV-13 filters.
• Run systems for longer hours and flush buildings with outside air.
• Common areas kept at 50% of capacity or 175, whichever is smaller.
• Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting of buses.
• Students attend lunch with grade level cohorts.
• Students use backpacks.
• Limited locker use when possible.
• Before and after-school programs will operate as normal when in-person learning is happening.
• No field trips at this time.
• No non-essential group gatherings or face-to-face assemblies indoors unless following the common area guidelines for capacity. Outdoor assemblies/gatherings encouraged. Current guidelines limit outdoor gatherings to 50 or less unless following physical distancing and/or mask requirements.
• Use of outdoor spaces for classroom lessons is highly encouraged.
• Limited classroom/school volunteers or visitors.
• No large-scale face-to-face community events.
• School meetings with families will be primarily held virtually.

High School In-Person Learning

According to CDE guidance, “Global COVID-19 evidence suggests that younger children play a smaller role in onward transmission of COVID-19. The risk of transmission between young children and from young children to adults is lower than the risk of transmission to adults between or from older children and adults. The risk to children is likely lower than that of yearly influenza, accounting for both primary disease and Multisystem Inflammatory Disease in Children (MIS-C). This is why kindergarten and elementary schools should have different guidelines than secondary schools...In secondary schools there is likely a greater impact of physical distancing on risk reduction of COVID-19.”

• In-person learning will take place 5 days a week.
• Schools could shift to remote learning for certain time periods based on closure orders from the State or County Health Department (days, weeks, months), or based on confirmed COVID cases at specific school sites.
• By attending in-person learning, students, families, and staff agree to follow all school safety, health, and hygiene practices.

High School Logistics

• Symptom screening of all students and staff prior to school starting each day.
• Daily symptom screening will be done by parent or student self-reporting. Those students whose parents don't report will need to have symptom screening done as soon as possible by the health assistant.
• Schools will have separate rooms for symptomatic students and students receiving first aid and routine medical care.
• Throughout the day, students who show symptoms of COVID-19 will be sent to the health office for a symptom screening.
• Protocols will be followed when a student or staff member exhibits COVID symptoms and when a student or staff member is confirmed COVID-positive. This includes notification of families of students within the cohort of the symptomatic or COVID-positive student or staff member. Possible quarantine of cohort members based on guidance from MCPH. MCPH will perform contact tracing when a positive case is confirmed.
• Additional health assistants will be available for each building.
• Face coverings over the nose and mouth are required for students in grades 6-12 unless they cannot medically tolerate a face covering (a medical exemption required). Masks will not be required for students during outdoor & exercise activities. Mask breaks can occur when physical distancing is possible.
• Face coverings over the nose and mouth are required for all staff, including during in-person instruction unless they cannot medically tolerate a face covering.
• If needed, face coverings may be temporarily removed or transparent alternatives, such as face shields, may be substituted when face coverings interfere with instruction.
• If necessary, the mask may be removed for instruction for the shortest duration possible.
• Even when in a cohort (classroom), face coverings over the nose and mouth are required for all staff.
• Limit transitions & number of students in the hallways throughout the day by adjusting schedules when possible.
• “Highway” system for hallways.
• Physical distancing will be implemented to the greatest extent possible. Teachers and other adult staff should make the greatest effort to adhere to 6-foot distancing, as their risk and disease transmission potential is higher than students.
• Student desks will be spaced apart as much as possible.
• Handwashing and regular cleaning of student spaces will be practiced throughout the day.
• Handwashing stations & existing sinks will be utilized to better facilitate regular handwashing.
• Hand sanitizer available for use when needed. Must be at least 60% alcohol (no methanol) and dispensed by teachers/staff. Used under direct supervision and not left out unattended (securely stored when not in use). Approved hand sanitizer will be provided by the district to ensure they meet FDA regulations.
• Cleaning of high-frequency indoor surfaces and outdoor equipment daily.
• Encourage students to bring reusable water bottles & refill throughout the day.
• Students will attend electives on a regular schedule, however there will be less sharing of equipment and materials.
• Reduce passing periods and student intermingling when possible.
• Cohort by class when possible.
• Reprogramming of HVAC systems to achieve these goals to the maximum extent possible:
• Increased building ventilation and fresh air mixture.
• Improved central air filtration to the MERV-13 filters.
• Run systems for longer hours and flush buildings with outside air.
• Common areas kept at 50% of the capacity or 175, whichever is smaller.
• Enhanced cleaning and disinfecting of buses.
• Students attend lunch aligned with the current class cohort.
• Open campus for lunches.
• Students use backpacks.
• Limited locker use when possible.
• Before and after-school programs will operate as normal when in-person learning is happening.
• No field trips at this time.
• Students attending off-campus classes are still allowed (WCCC, CMU, Career Center, etc.).
• No non-essential group gatherings or face-to-face assemblies indoors unless following the common area guidelines for capacity. Outdoor assemblies/gatherings encouraged. Current guidelines limit outdoor gatherings to 50 or less unless following physical distancing and/or mask requirements.
• Use of outdoor spaces for classroom lessons is highly encouraged.
• Limited classroom/school volunteers or visitors.
• No large-scale face-to-face community events.
• School meetings with families will be primarily held virtually.

Online Learning Options

• 100% online option for students
• Separate from Grand River Academy
• Designed to meet the needs of parents who request an alternative option
• Attempt to match staff who can’t return with students who choose D51 online