DISTANCE LEARNING PLAN

With the MI Supreme Court ruling against Governor Whitmer’s Executive Orders, how will GRPS follow recommendations for PPE, testing, quarantine, cleaning and distancing during Hybrid Learning?

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services issued emergency orders after the MI Supreme Court ruling effectively reinstating most of the Executive Orders’ health and safety protocols. The state legislature and governor codified the distance learning plan requirements so they are state law.  The Michigan Occupational Health and Safety Administration has also issued requirements.  

If Michigan moves to Phase 5 or 6 of the MI Safe Start Plan, what are GRPS plans?

During Phase 5, when the district resumes face to face instruction, students will be attending on  an A/B schedule. This schedule will allow approximately half of our students to attend school every other week or two consecutive days per week face to face. Students not attending in-person will continue attending through distance learning. In Phase 6, we plan to have regular in-person instruction. As we update the district’s plan we will continue to collaborate with stakeholders before making a final decision. All health and safety guidelines will be followed.

If the district returns to 100% in-person or a hybrid after the first semester, will parents have an opportunity to continue 100% virtual if they are not comfortable with sending students to school?

Yes. We will continue to offer 100% virtual learning if schools return to in-person or a hybrid in-person.sliders-ex}

ASSESSMENTS AND GRADING

Will there be student assessments and tests?

Yes. Within the first few days of school, every student will be assessed on their understanding of prerequisite skills and grade-level proficiencies using formative assessments, screeners, or diagnostics. Existing assessment examples include but are not limited to:

• Fountas and Pinnell
• MAP remote assessment
• ReadyGEN diagnostic assessment
• GoMath assessment
• Grade level/content specific unit pre/post assessments

These assessments are in addition to the normal formative and summative assessments that teachers will be administering throughout the year.

Will students be graded on their work during distance learning?

Yes. There will be mandatory grading of assignments and assessments. Letter grades will be provided on the first and second marking period report cards.

GPA, IB AND DP QUESTIONS

Will students’ hybrid or virtual choice have any impact on GPA? 

No.

Will all International Baccalaureate (IB) DP classes still be weighted no matter how they are being offered?

Yes.

Will students’ hybrid or virtual choice have any impact on finishing the DP for the Class of 2021?

No.

Will the IB org make any testing accommodations for the Class of 2021 as they did for the Class of 2020?

To be determined.

ATTENDANCE

Will student attendance be taken?

Yes. Attendance is mandatory and will be taken during synchronous learning periods just like traditional instruction

Will automated attendance communications be sent? 

It is important that students attend synchronous learning as scheduled. In order to further strengthen and improve student attendance during virtual learning, we are expanding automated attendance communications to include robocalls, text messages, and emails. Teachers will continue to take attendance at the beginning of each class period on synchronous learning days. The attendance communication will be sent at approximately 10:30 a.m. informing parents if their student did not attend. 

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact your child’s teacher or school principal. Thank you.

SCHEDULES

What will the daily/weekly schedules look like? 

Based on feedback from parents and staff on our spring distance learning, there will be increased direct (synchronous) instruction by teachers, office hours, small group instruction, and student interventions. Students will also be given assignments to complete on their own (asynchronous).

While the district has established a framework for what daily/weekly schedules may look like, each school and their student’s teacher will be providing detailed schedules and expectations that may vary based on the school and classrooms.

When will students know who their teacher is and what the class schedules are?

Beginning on Monday, November 9, GRPS will expand synchronous learning time for Elementary/PK5/PK8 students to including Monday from 9:00 am – noon.  In addition, small group synchronous time will be provided in the afternoon Monday through Thursday for all grade levels. There will also be teacher-assigned times on Friday for secondary students.

The learning platforms for PK-5/PK-8 schools will be SeeSaw, and grades 6-12 will use Google Classroom.  A few select schools will pilot a new learning platform called Schoology.

GSRP PreK – General Overview

• Monday-Thursday:
  • o Synchronous Time
    • Time with Teacher of Record
    • Time for whole group, small group, and 1:1 intervention & enrichment
  • o Asynchronous Time
    • Video recorded lessons, assignments, projects, review, reading, etc.
  • Friday:
  • o Asynchronous assignments: Family Fun Activities
  • o Virtual home visits using video conferencing platform
  • o Teacher planning and preparation
  • o Staff professional learning

Elementary Schedule:

• Monday–Thursday – Synchronous learning from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, including whole group and small group sessions
• Monday–Thursday – PM Small group synchronous learning as needed and scheduled by teacher/s
• Friday – Six hours of asynchronous learning

Middle & High School Schedule:

• Monday – Synchronous learning for 1st, 2nd and 3rd hours from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm; small group synchronous learning as needed
• Tuesday – Synchronous learning for 4th, 5th and 6th hours from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm; small group synchronous learning as needed
• Wednesday – Repeat Monday’s schedule
• Thursday – Repeat Tuesday’s schedule
• Friday – Six hours of asynchronous learning and teacher-assigned synchronous instruction as needed

SPECIAL EDUCATION

How will the district support students eligible for special education services?

High expectations for learning remains in place for all students. Instruction will be synchronous and/or asynchronous with individualized accommodations for special education students where online/technology-based instruction may not work. 

The general concept for students with disabilities is that while their disability remains constant, their needs may be different for distance learning than they are for in person learning IEPs will be revised to reflect students’ needs following a period of assessment. IEPs will continue to be offered via phone conference or other digital platforms.

Face to face services will be for evaluation purposes only during this nine week period. Outside of the formal evaluation process, a related service provider may need to meet with a student for the purpose of assessment [only]. This will be on a scheduled, periodic basis for the purpose of assessment [only] for the safety of students and staff alike. 

Compliance and protections offered to students remain intact. We are adhering to IDEA, Michigan Administrative Rules, and CARES Act governance, as well as guidance being provided by the Michigan Department of Education.

For special education questions regarding 504 plans/IEPs, parents should call 616-819-2185. 

ENGLISH LANGUAGE SERVICES

How will the district support students eligible for English Language Learner services? 

We will ensure ongoing academic achievement for all English Learners by promoting English language proficiency through meaningful instruction that integrates both content and language learning, and by valuing our students’ rich language and cultural backgrounds.

Instruction will be synchronous and/or asynchronous with essential grade level English Learner language supports. We will engage families by providing communication in both English and the home language. Translations and interpretations will be available. To further support our English Learners and families we will communicate and engage with community agencies as well. 

For English Language Learner questions, parents should call 616-819-2129.

PARENT SUPPORTS

What supports are available for parents?

If parents have questions or need support, they should first contact the school or teacher. 

For technical support (log in/passwords, internet, devices, etc.), parent may call the hotline at 616-301-1111 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

For special education questions regarding 504 plans/IEPs, parents should call 616-819-2185. 

For English Language Learner questions, parents should call 616-819-2129.

There is also helpful information available at parents.grps.org

THEME SCHOOLS

Will theme schools have flexibility to be able to continue some form of programming based on the theme of the school?

The district has provided a framework of expectations for how to deliver distance learning with days, hours, and the learning platform. Schools and teachers will have flexibility to incorporate thematic programming within this framework. 

How will theme applications and selections be made for the 2020-2021 school year? How will the district handle selections without fall MAP scores for the test-in schools?

The COVID 19 pandemic continues to alter many aspects of our lives. As a result, the theme school application for the 2021-2022 school year will be available on January 4, 2021. The first round deadline will be February 26, 2021. 

As a district, we want to ensure that every student has the opportunity to participate in our theme school application process. Many of the traditional theme school supports, such as school choice expos, will need to be adapted for the pandemic. We are taking our time and making sure these supports are done correctly. 

More detailed communications and information will follow as we approach January. 

TEACHERS AND ACCESS TO CLASSROOM

Will teachers be able to access their classrooms during the distance learning period? 

Yes. In accordance with all the safety and security measures required, teachers may access their classrooms between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. 

Were teachers given the same preference survey?

Teachers have been asked if they would be willing to volunteer if needed, however, the district will make placement decisions based on a variety of factors, including those who must teach virtually for specific reasons, 

Will the results be published for parents to see?

No,this is private information.

Will their preferences be honored?

We cannot guarantee that preferences will be honored, as we must comply with legal and contractual requirements before we can consider preferences.

If an IB certified teacher becomes ill and needs to be replaced, who can do it–especially for DP, where there is only one DP teacher for some subjects to begin with?

The school principal will make scheduling modifications to accommodate the students in question.

Is their position safe (assuming they would have to go on FMLA for illness)?

Employees on FMLA are guaranteed a position, but not necessarily the same position. However, we make every effort to place the employee in the same position if it remains available.

Will students’ hybrid or virtual choice have any impact on finishing the DP for the Class of 2021?

No.

Will the IB org make any testing accommodations for the Class of 2021 as they did for the Class of 2020?

To be determined.

Are all the teachers at City IB Certified?

Yes.

Are there available subs who are IB certified or that can replace a DP teacher?

There are limited to no subs who are IB certified.

INSTRUCTIONAL OVERVIEW

Will students’ hybrid or virtual choice have any impact on what teacher they have?

Yes. With more than 70% choosing hybrid in-person, the majority of those classrooms will likely be staffed with the current staff. However, we are doing our best to limit the number of master schedule adjustments and maintain as much consistency in teaching staff as possible. This is also why we are exploring simultaneous hybrid in-person and virtual using state of the art classroom technology.

How will the hybrid in-person model look different from pre-COVID in-person learning? 

The goal is to keep teaching and learning as similar to pre-COVID as possible.

Will schools be distributing materials such as books and handouts and turning them in?

Yes. Health experts have advised us that the latest data and research suggests getting COVID from surfaces is unlikely. However, out of an abundance of caution, we will be asking students not to share materials and temporarily closing common areas where students use the same materials such as the media centers.

Will there be an extra person available to monitor the classroom if the teacher is not present?

We will do our best to appropriately staff classrooms in the event the teacher is not present or additional support staff is needed.

Will each model offer the same amount of instructional time? 

Yes.

Hybrid x 2 six hour days = 12 hours?

Correct 6 hours per day.

Will the 4 hour screen limit be observed?

Screen time may be reduced but course content will not be reduced.

Virtual x 4 four hour days = 16 hours?

Again, screen time requirements will be less than in-person time, but course expectations will remain the same.

Will virtual have to drop to three days to make it equal time to in-person? 

No.

NON-INSTRUCTIONAL TIME AT SCHOOL

Will there still be meal pick up at schools?

Yes. There will be grab and go meal sites Monday through Friday at every GRPS school from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. for all virtual students. In-person student meals will be separate and handled within the school building.

How will distancing be handled if students are doing the pickup at dismissal?

Students are to wear masks and stay 6’ apart.

Will clubs, after school activities, and work zones now be allowed?

At this time, only athletics and LOOP after school programming are allowed (subject to change based on epidemic orders).

How will those be monitored?

Assigned staff will be trained and expected to monitor all activities.

TRANSPORTATION

Are high school kids that rely on public transportation still going to have to take public transportation or will a new bussing system come into play?

Yes, they are expected to take public transportation.

Will middle school kids have multiple busses available to keep space between passengers?

Since we have adopted the hybrid model, there will be approximately 50% fewer students relying on transportation, therefore there should not need to be additional buses. Students will also be assigned seats and expected to wear masks the entire time on the bus.

Will there be an extra DEAN or GRPS staff on each bus to assist with distancing and PPE protocol?

No. The Dean bus drivers are trained and expected to enforce COVID expectations.

TECHNOLOGY AND INTERNET ACCESS

What is the district plan for device distribution and internet access for those families who may not have appropriate technology or internet access?

As a reminder, before the start of school in August, we announced that the district is providing one-to-one student technology devices for ALL students (iPads for PK-1st grade and Chromebooks for 2-12th grade).

When in-person learning is available, students will be expected use and bring their district-issued devices with them for in-person learning. We are encouraging all parents to please make time to pick up your student’s device.

We are also committed to working with families to ensure students have access to reliable internet service (wireless hotspots or donor-sponsored Comcast Internet Essentials).

Please schedule an appointment by calling 616-301-1111:

• If you need to pick up your student’s device
• If you need assistance with internet access
• If you need repairs to your student’s device

The dates/times for the Technology Service Center are:

• Tuesdays from 9:00 a.m. to Noon.
• Thursdays from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The Technology Service Center is located at Franklin Campus Early Childhood Center (1326 Thomas St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506).

GRPS Mobile Device Guidelines

ATHLETICS / LOOP AFTER SCHOOL / EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Will high school athletics be offered this year? 

Although the district plans on beginning the school year using virtual learning, we plan to continue in-person athletics at the elementary, K-8, middle school, and high school levels. The district will follow all mandates, requirements, and protocols set forth by the State of Michigan, the Michigan High School Athletic Association, and the National Federation of State High School Associations for any and all athletic and extracurricular activities (e.g. new 3 week MDHHS order postponed athletics; subject to be extended).

The district will implement a “checklist” of strict guidelines and safe practices for daily operation (currently in use for summer programming and used by all member schools of the OK Athletic Conference) for any and all activities that include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Paperwork and Policy Management
• Staff Management
• Sports Equipment Management
• Event Management
• Pre-Workout Screening: All checklist items must be checked before participation is approved.
• Limitations on Gatherings
• Facilities Cleaning
• Physical Activity and Athletic Equipment
• Hydration
• Hygiene

The district will continue to follow the recommendations and guidelines of the MHSAA regarding any changes that may occur throughout the school year in terms of risk level for operating any and all athletic programming.

Will elementary, K-8, and middle school athletics (Great Sports, Great Kids) be offered this fall?

Yes, all elementary, K-8, and middle school athletics will continue as permitted by state, county, or MHSAA orders/guidelines. However, we are unable to provide transportation to and from practices. Parents will need to provide transportation to and from practices. Transportation will be provided to and from competitions. 

Will extra-curricular activities like marching band, clubs, and others be offered this fall?

Other than athletics and virtual LOOP after school programming, all extra-curricular activities are cancelled until further notice. 

Will LOOP after school programming be offered this fall?

Yes, LOOP After School programming will be offered virtually this fall at the 20 designated LOOP schools. Programming includes academic support and enrichment activities. The start date is September 8 and programming will be provided 4 days a week, Monday through Thursday. 

CHILD CARE SERVICES

Will the district be providing child care services to families? 

No, the district is not in the position to provide child care services at this time. 

GSRP PreK – General Overview

• Monday-Thursday:
  • Synchronous Time
    • Time with Teacher of Record
    • Time for whole group, small group, and 1:1 intervention & enrichment
  • Asynchronous Time
    • Video recorded lessons, assignments, projects, review, reading, etc.
  • Friday:
  • Asynchronous assignments: Family Fun Activities
  • Virtual home visits using video conferencing platform
  • Teacher planning and preparation
  • Staff professional learning

EQUITY

What will the impact on gaps–racial, socio economic, academic achievement/student performance–for both continued virtual learning or hybrid in- person learning be?

Students are currently being assessed. If there are students with significant gaps in learning, we will be providing additional help and support.

Are we widening the gap between students or closing it?

“We” are not widening the gap, COVID though is contributing to potential academic learning loss not unlike the “summer slide” or summer learning loss that research has proven disproportionately impacts high poverty, high needs students. That is why we will need to assess students to determine where they are at and how the may be impacted from an academic standpoint. Then we can implement differentiated instruction and additional academic supports.

Can the preference survey responses and NON-responses be sorted by the above to see?

No. We are still in the process of conducting assessments. We review the results and assess our action steps after that.

COVID NUMBERS

What are the accurate COVID numbers in our district and surrounding districts?

The district COVID numbers are posted daily to our website at www.grps.org/coronavirus. We are also required to post a notification to school website’s within 24 hours of a positive case or close contact case. Our goal is to have that posting and a robocall, text, email, and social media sent within 2 hours of first being notified or by the end of the day (but no later than 24 hours after notification).

We created a GRPS COVID-19 Metrics Dashboard that will be updated weekly and posted to our website. This includes the Kent County Health Department’s “Framework for K12 Schools”.

Several people have personally heard of cases in neighboring districts from parents and teachers in those areas but have not necessarily seen them reported in the news or by GRPS.

We will be posting to school website and sending notification to all students, parents, and staff via email, robocall, text message, and social media.

SURVEYS AND COMMITMENTS

Are you going to publish each school’s preference survey results?

Yes. They are posted to our website.

Are the results at City reflective of the district as a whole?

They are similar. City had a 20% higher response rate and 58% requested hybrid-in vs the district requested rate of 52%.

Why do the commitment forms have to be sent to the student emails?

This is because the student email is specifically identified to a student that is directly linked/connected to our system.

Is a 65% return rate better than sending it directly to parents? 

Many parents chose simply not to fill it out because they were informed that if they did not, it would automatically place their student in hybrid in-person which may have been their preference.

Is it ethical (or legal) to send a decision-making form to kids who will fill it out themselves without parental consent?

Yes, it is. That is also why we sent a direct mail communication to parents with the commitment and provided opportunity for parents to change the commitment.

MASK PROTOCOL

Who is responsible for enforcing this with both staff and students?

School-based administration, teachers, and support staff. 

What happens with non-compliance?

We will follow the uniform discipline code as outlined in board policy and the student policy handbook. Principals will review students with repeated violations to determine if the hybrid in- person model is appropriate or if the student should be placed in 100% virtual.

The District, in alignment with CDC and State of Michigan Guidelines, has established a return to learn plan that includes the expectation for students to wear a mask at school for the safety of themselves, others, and the community in general. If a student is unable to tolerate a mask due to a physician documented condition, it is highly recommended they consider virtual instruction because their health condition puts them and others in a high-risk category. In the event that despite a documented health condition a parent selects hybrid/ in person instruction, the district will take the following actions in an attempt to reasonably accommodate this request.

Accommodations may include, but are not limited to:

• Shield
• Variety of Mask Types/Styles
• Acrylic Dividers
• Schedule
• Frequent Breaks
• Incentives
• Established Break Times
• Increased Social Distancing
• Alternative Environment

Remote learning may be required if none of the reasonable accommodations are successful.

Can we do away with uniform requirements/enforcement (at the very least during hybrid in-person)?

This would require a change in Board of Education policy.

SAFE ENTRY AND HEALTH SCREENING PROTOCOL

Will staff and students be required to take a daily health/symptom self-assessment – online or at the door?

Staff are expected to submit a daily health assessment. 

In accordance with direction from the CDC, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and the Kent County Health Department, Grand Rapids Public Schools will require all students to complete a daily symptom screener prior to attending in-person school.

The district has decided to use an electronic link to a Google Form that will be sent on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday to students in Cohort A, and Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday to students in Cohort B.

For PK-5 students, parents will receive an email and/or a text message with the link. For 6-12 students, students will receive an email to their student account and parents will also receive an email and/or a text message with the link. The expectation is that the GRPS Student Daily Symptom Screener will be completed the night before or morning of in-person attendance. These emails and text messages will be administered at the district level so schools will not be expected to send these reminders. 

The GRPS Student Daily Symptom Screener responses will be automatically collected by Google Forms and will be sent as a Google Sheet to principals and/or their designees. Principals and/or their designees are expected to review the responses for any “yes” responses. If a student responded “yes” to any questions and is in attendance, that student must immediately be isolated away from others and health office staff must be notified. Health office staff will determine if the student should be sent home or return to class. Schools who do not have full time health office staff on-site should follow this same procedure of isolating students and notifying their school nurse.

Principals and/or their designees must also monitor students for non-compliance with the GRPS Student Daily Symptom Screener requirement. If a student attended both in-person days and failed to complete the daily health screener, a communication shall be sent via email, robocall, and text message to students/parents on Wednesday for Cohort A and Sunday for Cohort B. 

The district will develop template language for schools to use with SchoolMessenger to complete the required follow up robocalls, text messages, and emails to students in non-compliance. Schools are expected to administer the non-compliance follow up communications. 

All staff will be asked to be vigilant about identifying students who appear to have symptoms of COVID-19 while at school. If a student has visible symptoms, that student must immediately be isolated away from other students and the health office staff must be immediately notified. Health office staff will determine if the student should be sent home.

The health office staff will provide isolation and quarantine guidelines to students, parents, or guardians and to appropriate school staff in accordance with KCHD School Toolkit. This will ensure accuracy and consistency.

How do we know the difference between a sniffle or cough and COVID?

We are following health and safety guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Kent County Health Department. We will be sending this information on a regular basis as a reminder to students and families.

Please keep your child home if they are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Cough
• Chills
• Trouble breathing
• Runny nose
• Loss of taste or smell
• Fever (100.4 degrees or higher) 
• Achy muscles
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

Also keep your child home if they:

• Have had close contact or live with someone who tested positive for COVID-19
• Live with someone who has symptoms of COVID-19 and is awaiting test results
• Or have traveled outside of the country in the last 14 days

If you believe your student's symptoms are related to a clear alternative diagnosis, please contact your school nurse before sending your child to school. You may be required to provide proof of this diagnosis.

If your child develops any of these symptoms during the school day, the school will isolate your child away from others and call you to arrange for pick up. If we are unable to reach you, we will call the emergency contacts listed in Synergy. It is extremely important that you keep your contact information updated in Synergy. We will not be able to send your student home on the bus if he/she has symptoms of COVID-19. There will be times when it is necessary for household members (e.g. siblings) to stay home as well.

COVID TESTING PROTOCOL

Should staff or students stay home for a cough, cold/flu symptoms out of caution?

We are following health and safety guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Kent County Health Department. We will be sending this information on a regular basis as a reminder to students and families.

Please keep your child home if they are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Cough
• Chills
• Trouble breathing
• Runny nose
• Loss of taste or smell
• Fever (100.4 degrees or higher) 
• Achy muscles
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

Also keep your child home if they:

• Have had close contact or live with someone who tested positive for COVID-19
• Live with someone who has symptoms of COVID-19 and is awaiting test results
• Or have traveled outside of the country in the last 14 days

If you believe your student's symptoms are related to a clear alternative diagnosis, please contact your school nurse before sending your child to school. You may be required to provide proof of this diagnosis.

If your child develops any of these symptoms during the school day, the school will isolate your child away from others and call you to arrange for pick up. If we are unable to reach you, we will call the emergency contacts listed in Synergy. It is extremely important that you keep your contact information updated in Synergy. We will not be able to send your student home on the bus if he/she has symptoms of COVID-19. There will be times when it is necessary for household members (e.g. siblings) to stay home as well.

Will testing be required if the above symptoms are present?

Based on the K-12 COVID-19 Symptom and Testing Protocol outlined in the Kent County Health Department’s School and Childcare Teachers and Administrators COVID-19 Toolkit, if a student has symptoms associated with COVID-19 in children, a health care evaluation is needed.

Is testing required to go through the Health Department for tracking and contact tracing purposes?

No. Based on the K-12 COVID-19 Symptom and Testing Protocol outlined in the Kent County Health Department’s School and Childcare Teachers and Administrators COVID-19 Toolkit, contact tracing is the requirement of the school district/schools.

QUARANTINE PROTOCOL

There is concern of having to pivot twice - or multiple times - (from virtual to hybrid then back to virtual) should individual cases or an outbreak occur (as it did at Franklin Campus where adults can more easily follow PPE protocol; as it did at Lowell). What is the protocol if 1 teacher becomes ill? 5 teachers? More? 

We will follow the guidance and direction of the Kent County Health Department and will adjust our staffing and models accordingly. This will be done on a case by case basis.

Will teachers be able to teach from home if they have to quarantine and how would that impact students in hybrid learning?

This will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Will subs be available?

Yes, if substitutes are available and sign up for the substitute position. Schools are planning for every possible scenario and will make adjustments in the event there is no substitute.

Same question for students: if it’s 1, 3, 14? Is this automatic building closure?

No. It will be determined on a case by case basis based on guidance from the Kent County Health Department.

How would potential quarantine/isolation/building closure impact the IB program at City?

It should not impact IB based on the proposed model.

Is it potentially possible that in-person learners would have to switch back and forth between hybrid and virtual every time there are positive cases?

No, not every time there are positive cases. However, depending on the situation, there may very well be incidents where in-person learning would have to switch back to virtual on either a temporary or possibly a more prolonged basis.

CLEANING PROTOCOL

What’s the difference between deep cleaning and regular, daily cleaning?

Deep cleaning is cleaning first with soap and water and then cleaning again with disinfectant. Daily cleaning is disinfecting.

Is deep cleaning to be done by regular GRPS custodial staff, the contract company or a specialty service?

Deep cleaning will be done by both GRPS custodial staff and contracted support. We are hiring more custodians and have expanded service agreements in place with contacted entities.

Deep cleaning is currently scheduled for Wednesdays, between cohorts. What about weekend cleaning - is that “deep” as well?

Yes, deep cleaning will occur after school is done on Friday and over the weekend.

What about the rest of the days and between class periods?

Teachers will have designated time during class when students are working independently for cleaning and sanitizing desks and common areas. Additional daily cleaning will be done by custodial staff.

Will teachers or custodial staff be required to clean between classes?

Teachers will have designated time during class when student are working independently for cleaning and sanitizing desks and common areas. Teachers are expected to be monitoring hallways in between classes. Regularly daily cleaning will not happen in between classes unless it is necessary.

If teachers are required to clean between classes, who is going to watch students in the hallway for social distancing?

Class periods will be a few minutes shorter to allow teachers time to clean desks and common areas. During this time, students will be working on independent students. Passing time will not be impacted by cleaning schedules.

Is additional staff required to meet the above cleaning guidelines?

Yes, we are working to hire GRPS staff and expanding the services provided by private contractors.

Have all staff been trained/have protocols for in between class times and additional "deep" clean?

Yes, all staff will be trained.

DISTANCING PROTOCOL

How will breakfast work? Kids come early to eat - who will facilitate?

It will be on a school by school basis based on enrollment, capacity, and appropriate space. School meals are expected to continue to be served in the designated gymnasiums or cafeterias with all social distancing and health safety protocols. However, meals for students in-person may also be a sack breakfast or lunch.

Who will monitor kids for safe distance during lunch? (Teachers are supposed to be duty free.)

School leaders and support staff including security officers.

How many students per classroom?

Approximately 50% of normal class size.

Will there be assigned hall monitors during passing time and dismissal to help students maintain distancing?

No, teachers will still have passing time responsibilities. School leaders, public safety, and other support staff may also assist with hall monitoring.