School Reopening Plan

• School Reopening Plan
• School Reopening Plan (Spanish)
• Before and After School Childcare

Introduction

Instructional Plan

Equity

Safety

Elementary Schools

Middle School and High School

Virtual Instruction Within the Hybrid Model

Attendance

Hybrid Model

Fully Remote Instruction

Professional Development

Student Orientation and Transition

Parent Orientation and Learning

Grading and Assessment

Special Education

English Language Learners

Athletics, Chorus, Music and Extracurricular Activities

At-Home Supplies

Collaboration

Ongoing Social and Emotional Support for Students and Staff

Community Partners

Staffing and Staff Support

Facilities and Operations

Child Nutrition

Transportation

Technology and Connectivity

Budget and Fiscal Matters

Health Screening and Monitoring

COVID Resource Person

Response to Positive COVID Cases

Long Beach Public Schools
Reopening Plan July 31, 2020

Introduction

Beginning in June, a Reopening Task Force of administrators, teachers, parents, and students began meeting regularly to plan for possible scenarios for the reopening of school in September. With COVID-19 cases stable or declining in our immediate area, but increasing in other areas of the U.S., we were aware that we would need to develop a plan that addressed reopening with a contingency of various possibilities: 1) Reopening for all students in-person with some precautions and restrictions; 2) Reopening with significant precautions and restrictions, which would require a “hybrid” model, with some students attending classes in-person, and some attending virtually; and 3) An all-remote model where students would remain home, but receive instruction virtually. The determining factor on which model we will choose is a decision by the Governor and NYS health officials about whether or not it is safe to reopen, and under which guidelines. We firmly believe as a District that the best thing for students is to be in school in person.

The Reopening Task Force divided into four subcommittees, each addressing a separate area of focus: 1) Facilities and Operations; 2) Instructional Planning; 3) Ongoing Social and Emotional Supports for Students and Staff; and 4) Health Screening and Monitoring, and Attendance. When the NYS Department of Health and NYS Department of Education guidance documents were issued during the week of July 13, the subcommittees aligned their plans to the required elements of the guidance. This document is the result of that work. Our goal is twofold: 1) to provide a robust, rigorous, engaging learning experiences for all of our students, whether they are attending classes in-person or remotely; and 2) to ensure the health and safety of all students and staff members. We recognize that this plan will continue to be a “work in progress,” and we intend to refine the plan as information and practices change. This plan was submitted to the State Education Department on July 31, and will be presented to the Board of Education for adoption at our August 4th BOE meeting.

This plan is available in all languages of our current student population and was communicated via email on July 31. It is also available on our District Facebook page, and under the Reopening Plans section of our District webpage. We are committed to ensuring that all families are well acquainted with the elements of this plan, and we will be providing resources and video training for staff, students, and families throughout the upcoming weeks.

Reopening Task Force

Finally, I would like to acknowledge and thank all members of the Reopening Task Force, whose names are listed below. They have given countless hours over the past two months to complete this important work for our community during this challenging time.

Reopening Task Force Members:

Long Beach Board of Education: Tina Posterli, President; Dennis Ryan, Vice President, Maureen Vrona, Sam Pinto, Anne Conway
Administrators: Amy Dirolf, Andy Smith, Arnie Epstein, Christopher Kozak, Christopher Webel, Cristie Tursi, Cristine Zawatson, Francine Newman, Eliot Lewin, Elizabeth Walsh-Bulger, Evelyn Daza, Gina Reddock, Ivelisse Hernandez, Jeffrey Myers, Jennifer Gallagher, Jennifer Pullara, Julia Lang-Shapiro, Karen Sauter, Kathleen Connolly, Keith Biesma, Kerry Fallon, Kimberley Liguori, Lorie Beard, Lorraine Radice, Maria Vazquez Wright, Michael DeVito, Michele Natali, Patrick Kiley-Rendon, Paul Romanelli, Peter Russo, Sabrina Brancaccio, Sarah Kugelman, Serena Whitfield, Sharon Weiss, Theresa Scudiero
Teachers and School Staff: Adrian Gioulis, Allison Silverberg, Amy Leder, Beth Prostick, Cheryleann Fontenot, Christine Lamarca, Christopher Brown, Dana Monti, Deborah Bernardino-Arden, Dorothy Lopez, Elizabeth McMahon, Elizabeth O'Brien, Elleen Parks, Felice Dolger, Heather Fisher, Heather Puckhaber, Iris Resnick, Jaclyn McMahon, Jeannine Sorensen, James Fiola, Jennifer Diamond, Jennifer Garrett, Jennifer Quinn, Joanne Rea, Justin Sulsky, Karen Bloom, Keith Harvey, Kirstyn Golden, Lauren Behan, Lisa Casey, Marisa Lorenzo, Mary Callaghan, Matthew Morand, Megan Kalner, Natasha Nurse, Patti Barrett, Patty VanLoon, Rachel Lonergan, Robyn Tornabene
Parents and Community Members: Alexis Pace, Beth Kramer, Cory McLaughlin, Dr. Michael Richheimer, Dr. Pamela Banks, Joe Lattanzi, Kim Ashmead, Robin Amato, Tami Ackerman, Teresa McCarthy
Students: Tyler Collinson, Layla Hakimzadeh, Natalia Hakimzadeh, Brooke Roth, laine Kassap, Hailey Barshak, Robyn Xio , Lucia Petty, Geddy Moss, Isabella Alley, Leofwin Muskin

Thanks to all of our Task Force members, and to all of our staff members and families. This situation has been difficult for all of us, and in true Long Beach fashion, we have risen above our uncertainties and done what we believe is best for our children.

If you have questions after reading this plan, or at any point during this upcoming school year, please feel free to reach out to the appropriate administrator or staff members. We are all here to help!

Dr. Jennifer Gallagher

Superintendent of Schools

516-897-2104

jgallagher@lbeach.org

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Instructional Plan

The instructional plan for the 2020-21 school year has been developed through a collaborative effort involving students, teachers, administrators, parents, and community members.

The plan emphasizes the importance of direct instruction, regular contact, and clear expectations and feedback. Our goal was to create an organized system that will benefit all students in Long Beach as they progress through their educational journey.

Taking into account our need for flexibility due to potential closure of our buildings throughout the year, the plan was designed for a seamless transition between any of the following three models:

•  In-person Learning Model
•  Hybrid Learning Model
•  Fully Remote Learning Model

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Equity

The Long Beach Public Schools are committed to providing an excellent education for ALL students in our learning community.

In planning for our instructional model, certain students will be prioritized to return to in-person instruction based on specific learning needs (early grades, students with disabilities, English language learners, homeless students), while taking into account the capacity of our buildings.

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Safety

As an important safety precaution, all students will be required to wear face coverings* to protect from the spread of COVID-19. We are aware that students will need to take “mask breaks” throughout the day. This can be done within the classroom, when students are seated at their desk, and appropriate social distancing measures are in place.

All classrooms have been measured, and desks have been placed strategically to ensure proper social distancing.

If students are not in possession of an acceptable face covering when arriving at school, one will be provided for them to wear.

*acceptable face coverings include masks (cloth or disposable). If students are unable to tolerate a mask, they may wear a plastic face shield.

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Elementary Schools (Grades K-5)

We have developed a plan (based on building capacity and social distancing guidelines) that will allow for ALL elementary students K-5 to return to in-person instruction for the start of the 2020-21 school year.

Students will stay within their class cohort and will interact in-person within this group only. Special area classes will be conducted within the classroom as travel to shared spaces in the building will be limited. Students will be given time within their cohort to participate in outdoor learning and physical activities. We have been keeping in mind the fact that it is difficult for anyone to spend extended amounts of time in one space!

The floor plan for each building has been adjusted utilizing every available space (cafeterias, gyms, auditoriums, libraries, innovation labs, etc.) to maintain six feet of social distancing.

Some classes may be split into two spaces and teachers will work collaboratively with reading and math specialists and teaching assistants to deliver their instructional program.

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Middle School and High School (Grades 6-12)

All students in grades 6-12 will begin the year following a hybrid learning model. Students will be placed into one of two cohorts, BLUE or GREEN. Students will be attending every other day in-person, and every other day virtually.

Students with disabilities in special classes (for example, 12:1:1, 8:1:2, 6:1:2), some English Language Learners, particularly at beginning levels, and students who are homeless, will be attending school each day as part of both the BLUE and GREEN cohorts.

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Virtual Instruction within the Hybrid Model

Important elements of virtual instruction include:

•  Regular contact with students
•  Direct instruction
•  Specific Feedback
•  Organization
•  Clear Communication

The educators of Long Beach Public Schools are committed to delivering an instructional approach that will be beneficial to all students. Planning within our instructional committee, reflection, and feedback from students and parents, have helped us as a district to make improvements since the spring that we are excited about implementing in the fall.

Lessons and assignments will be given on a daily basis, and students will have contact with their teacher every day at a designated time.

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Attendance

NYS guidelines require schools to take attendance and monitor student engagement. Students will be attending classes based on the traditional bell schedule whether at home or in school. The first five minutes of class will be provided during each period for students at home to “check in” with their classroom teacher in order to be marked present in class.

Whether a student is in school or at home, they will have access to a lesson from the teacher, and any assignments that may be given. Students may check in from home via Google Meet, or through a daily question on Google classroom. Time in-person will be utilized to support student learning by answering questions regarding lessons from the current or previous day. Teachers will utilize the time during class to personalize instruction and dive deeper into topics discussed online.

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A View into the Hybrid Classroom (High School and Middle School)

Teachers will be creating engaging lessons to share with students each day. This may come in the form of pre-recorded lessons from the teacher, a learning module accompanied by a pacing guide, live streaming from the classroom, or a “flipped,” classroom approach. Students will have daily contact with their teacher both in and out of school and there will be a clear format to support communication and organization.

Hybrid Model - Option for Families in Grades 6-8

We know that a hybrid model presents a challenge for our working parents regarding supervision of children at home, especially for our middle school children.

As we will be relocating our students from our NIKE Work Based Learning Center to Long Beach High School for this school year, we will be utilizing the space at NIKE on a limited basis to house students who have supervision concerns at home.

This space would be supervised by a certified administrator and teaching assistants. Students would be able to participate in their virtual learning day. Teachers will not be giving instruction at this space. A survey of parents will be sent during August and the space will be filled according to age priority (grade 6 first), and then on a lottery basis.

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Fully Remote Instruction

A fully virtual model is available for any student (K-12) that is unable to return to the in-person instructional environment. Additional supports will be put in place for these students to ensure regular contact from an adult in the building, daily instruction, and, monitoring of academic progress. Parents can opt for this model by filling out this form: https://forms.gle/vvs4r8NwMszLaryi6

In the event that our buildings need to close, all students (K-12) will transition to a virtual model.

Students in grades 6-12 will continue to follow their daily bell schedule, while students at the elementary level will follow the model outlined in the upcoming pages.

In a virtual model, all students will be provided with direct instruction. This could be in the form of a pre-recorded lesson posted on Google Classroom, or a live session on Google Meet.

Any student in need of a device will be provided one by Long Beach Public Schools.

Fully Remote Instruction - Elementary

In the event that students need to transition from an in-person environment to a virtual environment, certain elements of the instructional program will be the same:

•  A predictable calendar for each day of learning so that students and families can plan their approach to the day and establish a routine
•  Direct Instruction (from 10:00--12:00 each day): Google Meet (Live), Pre-recorded mini-lessons, Flipgrid, etc.
•  To provide flexible learning opportunities, additional activities, small group instruction, and special classes will be provided
•  Assignments posted to Google Classroom so that students and families can remain organized
•  Interaction with small groups to personalize the instructional experience
•  Regular feedback and/or grades provided
•  Communication with students and families

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Professional Development

Professional Development will be provided for teachers prior to the start of the school year.

Superintendent's Conference Days Tuesday 9/8
Wednesday 9/9
Half-day Transition for Students

Thursday 9/10 (AM) Grades K, 1, 2 and BLUE Cohort 6-12 in person
Staff Planning Time (PM)

Friday 9/11 (AM) Grades 3, 4, 5 and GREEN Cohort 6-12 in-person
Staff Planning Time (PM)

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Student Orientation & Transition

Students will participate in opening day presentations at each of the buildings across the district to discuss procedures related to health & hygiene, and what the new procedures in the building will be regarding routines and learning. Students will also have the opportunity to build relationships with their teachers and students in their cohorts.

Students in transition years (Kindergarten, Grade 6, and Grade 9) will also have separate orientation programs prior to the start of school.

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Parent Orientation and Learning

The district will be providing Parent videos and informational sessions to prepare for the upcoming school year. These sessions will also be focused on school procedures and commonly used Technology (Google Classroom) that all students will be utilizing throughout the school year.

We look forward to building more home to school partnerships to support students in their learning at home.

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Grading and Assessment

Students will be evaluated utilizing the current grading models that are in place in Long Beach Schools.

Report cards at the elementary level are standards-based, and grades at the secondary level are numerical.

All student grades will be directly related to their mastery of the NYS learning standards and students will be accountable for assignments and assessments throughout each marking period.

Benchmark assessments will take place at all levels for each student to inform instruction and provide support where needed.

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Special Education

Students with disabilities were particularly impacted by the closing of schools in spring 2020.

As a guiding principle for reopening, all students with disabilities will have available to them a free appropriate public education (FAPE) that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living.

The district will ensure access to the necessary accommodations, modifications, supplementary aids and services, and technology (including assistive technology) to meet the unique disability related needs of our students.

We are looking to have meaningful parent engagement regarding the provision of services to his/her child to meet the requirements of the IDEA.

Special Education - Hybrid & Virtual Models

ICT - Special Education teachers will work collaboratively with General Education teachers to deliver instructional support during core classes consistent with the student’s IEP. Students with an additional support period will receive direct instruction from their Special Education teacher.

Resource Room - Students will be scheduled for this support in their regular schedule, and will receive direct instruction from their Special Education teacher, as per their IEP.

Related Services - Students will receive live instructional support as per their IEP.

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English Language Learners

The spring 2020 COVID-19 crisis created particular difficulties for English Language Learners (ELLs). These challenges exacerbated existing educational inequities such as a lack of access to technology and reliable Wi-Fi required for remote learning.

As we prepare to reopen in the fall we will remain mindful of legal requirements and will proactively address inequities. Students will be provided with the appropriate ENL instruction based on their most recently measured English language proficiency level. The district will ensure access to the necessary accommodations, modifications, supplementary services and technology.

We will maintain regular communication with parents/guardians of ELLs in their preferred language and mode of communication.

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Athletics, Chorus, Music, and Extracurricular Activities

Interscholastic sports, and extracurricular activities are an important aspect of student life and the school community. As we look to bring back activities that can be conducted in a safe environment, extracurricular activities will be approved on a case by case basis. Some activities require more in-person participation (e.g. Robotics) where others may lend themselves to a more virtual approach.

Interscholastic sports are scheduled to begin on 9/21. We will be using this date to begin our extracurricular activities as well.

Some of our music programs (Chorus, Band) will require additional precautions and call for a social distance of 12 feet. We will be looking to relocate these programs to larger spaces within our buildings, or outside in tented areas.

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At-Home Supplies

We are encouraging students to maintain individual kits of “high touch” supplies such as scissors, markers, pencils, erasers, etc. to limit sharing of supplies between students.

The district will be providing “at-home learning kits” with these supplies for any students in need of these materials.

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Collaboration

The partnership between school and home is more important now than ever before. We look forward to collaborating with you in the coming school year to ensure the success of your child, and all the children of Long Beach.

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Ongoing Social and Emotional Support for Students and Staff

Student, Family, and Staff Support

As school and district personnel adapt to environments that result in substantially less time spent interacting in-person, ensuring intentional and meaningful inclusion of social emotional learning (SEL) across all aspects of operating strategies is critical to support the well-being and success of students, staff, and families. Especially while facing the unprecedented challenges as we respond to the compounded difficulties of a global pandemic, an economic recession, and civil unrest in response to structural racism. Academic learning cannot be effective until the basic human needs for physical and emotional safety are met. The considerations outlined below are relevant regardless of whether instruction is in-person, remote, or hybrid.

To provide for these needs, we will address four key areas in this plan:

1. Back-to-School Transition Supports
2. Ongoing Social and Emotional Supports
3. Community Partners
4. Staffing and Staff Supports

Back-to-School Transition Support

1. Staggered and abbreviated reopening to provide students with an opportunity to be oriented with new procedures (i.e. mask wearing and groupings); and to ensure that the first few days back are centered on building relationships and screening students for ongoing SEL supports.
   ❖Thursday, September 10: K, 1, 2 return to school until noon.
   ❖Friday, September 11: Grades 3, 4, and 5 return to school until noon.
   ❖At the secondary level, we will begin our hybrid model (blue group on Thursday, September 10 and green group on Friday, September 11). Specific schedules and notification of which groups students are in will be sent to parents from the MS and HS administration in August.
2. Students entering grades six and nine will have separate orientation programs prior to the start of school.
3. Student, parent, and staff training videos and resources will be shared prior to the start of school. These will be designed to orient all to new procedures, assist in providing support for those who are anxious about returning, and give clear directions about accessing technology and remote learning.

Ongoing Social and Emotional Supports

1. Assess students, families, and staff regularly for emotional and mental health support needs via appropriate surveys.
2. Develop MTSS (multi-tiered system of support): a comprehensive work-flow chart to direct students to internal supports and outside referrals, depending upon need.
3. Identify our most at risk students and pair with individual or small group “Allies” to provide consistent and regular contact and communication, working in conjunction with PPS staff, guidance counselors, and teachers. Expand our mentoring programs to include allies to service students. Mentoring programs exist at the middle and high schools, and elementary buildings have specific mentor/advisory models that can be expanded to provide support to greater number of students.
4. Provide professional development to faculty and staff as preparation to better identify and support student needs. Choose Love program will be implemented across schools/content areas as a consistent foundation of support and common language.
5. Tailor plans to the unique and specific environments of each school level.
6. Utilize physical education classes and possible venues for providing social emotional learning (SEL) and mental health instruction, possibly with Choose Love curriculum.
7. Prepare for the possibility of 100% remote learning by planning student supply lists and use of Google Classrooms to ensure a smooth transition if necessary.
8. Expand on SEL Classroom lessons through Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) staff and Compassion Center for faculty and staff.
9. Continue to use our PPS staff: school counselors, psychologists, social workers, and nurses, as well as our special education and English as a New Language (ENL) coordinators and deans of students to support students and families.
10. Form a leadership team to implement the plan at each level. Leadership team to debrief and re-evaluate plan on a continuous basis, adjusting plans to meet better meet needs within the school community as necessary.

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Community Partners

1. Strengthen existing and develop new community partnerships with referrals and resources (South Oaks, Long Beach REACH, Long Beach Aware)
2. Increase communication with parents via website information, parent link announcements, Google Voice contact, Google Meets conferences as necessary. Utilize Propio for translation, if necessary.

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Staffing and Staff Support

1. Provide additional time for staff for staff training. This will include: 1) an additional conference day on September 9 to train and review new procedures, room setups and precautions; and plan for instruction; 2) Allowing teachers to utilize meeting time during the school day for planning purposes.
2. Utilize existing staff add additional staff when necessary to allow for split classes and social distancing.
3. Provide mental health screening for staff members and continue to build support structures like our Compassion Center, and mindfulness training.
4. Utilize our existing Employee Assistance Program to avail counseling to staff.

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Facilities and Operations

1. General Health and Safety Assurances:
   ∙LBPS will follow all guidance related to health and safety including social distancing and cleaning.
   ∙Facilities staff will ensure that each area is inspected daily, and will inventory supplies to ensure that each building has sufficient quantities of items such as face covering, tissues, hand hygiene supplies, cleaning supplies, etc.
   ∙We plan to repurpose several spaces throughout district buildings and will ensure that all modified uses comply with all relevant codes.
   
2. Fire Code Compliance:
   ∙We plan to add outdoor tents to our school sites. If any of the tents require NYSED approval, the district architect will create the appropriate plans to submit to the NYSED Office of Facilities Planning for review and approval to ensure code compliance.
3. Doorways:
   ∙The function, position, and operation of the automatic door closures will remain unchanged.
4. Emergency Drills:
   ∙When conducting evacuation drills, we will follow a “staggered” schedule in which classrooms evacuate separately and abide by social distancing protocols.
   ∙When conducting a lock down drill, we will provide an overview of how to shelter in the classroom so that students understand how to move out of the line of sight without clustering together in the conventional mode.
5. Inspections:
   ∙We will submit the building condition survey before the December 2020 due date.
6. Lead Testing due in 2020:
   ∙Spring test results of district schools will be published in August and the remaining testing of other buildings will be conducted as soon as clearance is provided.
7. Corridor Use
   ∙At our elementary schools, students will remain in their classrooms throughout the entire day except for physical education and “brain breaks” in order to limit student use of the corridors. Students will eat meals in the classrooms, and traditional “special” classes will be brought into the main student classroom.
   ∙At our secondary schools, students will pass tightly along the right side of the corridor (in both directions) in order to ensure social distancing. Our secondary building corridors are wide enough to allow for two-way foot traffic while maintaining social distancing protocols.
8. Open Doors:
   ∙All doors without door closers and which are not fire rated will remain open to reduce the touching of door levers and knobs.
9. Plastic Separators:
   ∙We plan to supplement our social distancing and mask wearing protocols with plastic separators in certain locations where we determine compliance with the aforementioned safety protocols proves challenging as long as we can procure a device that complies with section 2606 of the current building code. We do not need to install separators in bathrooms because our reopening protocol will only allow one student into the bathroom at a time.
10. Alcohol-based Hand Rub Dispensers:
    ∙We plan to fill our current hand rub dispensers with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer as long as the hand rub dispenser is within the view of an adult who can supervise its use. In unsupervised areas of the building, we will continue to fill the hand rub dispenser with the non-alcohol-based hand sanitizer, which will be clearly labeled.
11. Dividers at doors and other points of congregation:
    ∙We do not plan to use dividers at potential points of congregation but will affix markings to the floors throughout district buildings to encourage social distancing practices
12. Ventilation:
    ∙LBHS and areas of LBMS and Lido Elementary School currently have a first layer of MERV-8 filters to filter out the large particles then a MERV-13 filter to filter out the smaller particles. The MERV-13 filter is an extremely high-level filter that helps to maintain a healthy indoor air quality.
    ∙Fans should be used in all rooms that do not have access to air conditioning. Fans should be installed above the head of students and staff, and turned on to the oscillating feature if possible.
    ∙We will discuss a standard for moving to remote instruction if classrooms reach a certain temperature. There is nothing in the State regulatory system that precludes holding class if the temperature rises to a certain level when the classroom has a window.

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Child Nutrition

1. Meal Distribution:
   ∙LBPS will continue to distribute meals to students accessing instruction remotely from at least one non-school site while resuming the in-school meal service in a modified manner based on the school level.
   ∙We will continue to deliver meals to students who are not able to access them when instruction is remote.
   ∙At some elementary schools, meals will be served in the classroom from a movable cart that maintains appropriate food temperatures based on prior orders, and at our secondary schools, meals will be served in the cafeteria.
2. Health and Safety Guideline Compliance
   ∙LBPS will continue to comply with all applicable health and safety guidelines.
   ∙Since meals will be served in the classroom at some of our elementary schools, we will be able to more easily maintain social distancing protocols during meals.
   ∙At the secondary level, we will space out students in the cafeteria. Considering the fact that only half of the student body will occupy the middle school or high school at one time, it will be easier to spread out to a distance of at least six feet in the cafeterias.
   ∙Signage and floor markings will be affixed to promote social distancing.
3. Food Allergies
   ∙Staff will be trained on managing student allergies for classroom eating.
   ∙We will develop training videos and posters to assist non-food service staff to implement meal service.
4. Hand Hygiene
   ∙Students will wash hands before and after eating by using sinks in the bathrooms or newly created hand washing stations.
   ∙School aides will monitor students during meals to ensure that sharing of food and beverages is discouraged.
5. Cleaning and Disinfection
   ∙Cleaners will clean and disinfect the tables and seats of the middle school and high school cafeterias prior to the next use.
   ∙We will section off the cafeteria in the high school so that an area can be properly cleaned and sanitized while students are eating at the other end while the middle school has two cafeteria which will be used in the alternate while cleaning and disinfecting takes place.
6. Communication
   ∙Robocalls, social media and web site postings, flyer and emails will communicate the new reopening protocols to families in English and Spanish.
   ∙We will specify all the new details including availability of meals and cashless payment methods.
   ∙We will continue to monitor parental response to our communication to ensure that all communication is received, and modify methods as needed.
   ∙We will provide links to directly access documents and prepare “frequently asked questions” guidance memoranda.
7. Point of Contact
   ∙The Director of Food and Nutrition Services will be the specific contact person who responds to communications from families.
8. Vending Machine
   ∙We will discontinue the use of vending machines during the health emergency.
9. Free and Reduced Meal Application
   ∙LBPS will launch an outreach to families in need through our current summer meal distribution sites as well as communication via social media, robocalls and emails regarding the new meal application for the new school year.
   ∙We will also provide phone and in-person support to assist families with the application process.
10. Safety and Sanitation
    ∙LBPS will continue to update standard operation procedures for sanitation of school kitchens and cafeterias.
    ∙The district will ensure it has an adequate supply of masks, soap, hand sanitizer and tissues in food service areas.
    ∙We will continue to clean and sanitize carts used in transporting meals and point-of-service touch pads
    ∙We have a detailed schedule for cleaning and sanitizing all equipment.
    ∙Staff will continue to use single use gloves when handling and delivering food.
    ∙Only program and custodial staff will enter food services program areas.
11. Staffing and Training
    ∙We routinely cross train our staff so that they can move from one area of responsibility to another. During the school closure in the spring, our staff was able to shift gears efficiently to serve meals at four off-site locations. We will continue to train and deploy staff between schools and off-site locations as well as among different areas of responsibilities, as needed.
    ∙All staff will continue to be trained in social distancing and other new safety protocols along with the standard food services health and safety protocols.
    ∙Teachers and aides will be trained so that student allergy protocols and protections are followed.
12. Grab and Go Meals
    ∙We plan to have a 30-day supply of grab and go meals in case we need to close a building and shift to meal distribution off-site.
    ∙We will also be prepared to resume the four non-school distribution sites if all schools close as we did this past spring.
    ∙We will prepare pre-portioned condiments and individual packed items.
13. Payments
    ∙No cash will be exchanged during meal service, all payments will be submitted electronically with a check sent to the Director’s office.
14. Waivers
    ∙LBPS is in good standing with all requisite waivers for full participation in the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program for July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021 whether we serve meals on site or off-site.
15. Vendors and Suppliers
    ∙LBPS will order items with enough lead time so that we can adjust menu options and seek alternative suppliers if necessary.
    ∙need to close a building and shift to meal distribution off-site.

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Transportation

1. Face Coverings
   ∙Students who are able to wear masks will be required to wear them as they board, ride and disembark from the school bus. Students who are unable to medically tolerate a face covering, including students where such covering would impair their physical or mental health will not be forced to wear one.
   ∙Students who do no have a mask will NOT be denied transportation.
   ∙Students who do not have a mask will be provided one by the district.
   ∙Each student should sit in an individual seat except siblings will be expected to share a seat.
   ∙Sneeze guards will be installed on all buses as soon as possible.
   ∙Wheelchairs will be placed in the appropriate spot on wheelchair buses to ensure social distancing of six feet.
   ∙Students will be reminded not to eat or drink on the school bus.
   ∙Bus drivers, aides, mechanics and office staff must wear a face covering.
2. Social Distancing
   ∙When students embark and disembark the school bus, they will follow social distancing protocols as much as possible.
3. Cleaning and Disinfecting
   ∙High contact spots (including sneeze guards) will be cleaned and disinfected after each run.
4. Hand Sanitizer
   ∙School buses shall not be equipped with hand sanitizer due to its combustible composition.
   ∙School bus drivers and bus aides must not carry personal bottles of hand sanitizer with them on school buses.
   ∙Alcohol-based hand sanitizers will be available in areas of the school building, including classrooms, so use can be supervised.
5. Staff
   ∙Bus drivers, aides, mechanics and office staff shall perform a self-health assessment for symptoms of COVID-19 before arriving to work. If personnel are experiencing any of the symptoms of COVID-19, they should notify a supervisor and seek medical attention.
   ∙Transportation staff will be trained and provided periodic refreshers on the proper use of personal protective equipment and the signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
   ∙The district will provide personal protective equipment such as masks for drivers and aides as well as hand sanitizer in the transportation office and break room for all staff.
   ∙Bus drivers and aides who have direct physical contact with a student must wear gloves. Staff may wear gloves at other times if desired.
   ∙The district will have gloves available for staff use.
   ∙Transportation staff should wash their hands with soap and water before and after each run.
6. Parent Role
   ∙All parents / guardians are required to ensure that their child / children are not experiencing any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 and do not have a fever of 100 degrees or more prior to allowing the child / children to board the school bus.
7. Ventilation
   ∙When temperatures are above 45 degrees, school buses will have the roof hatch and windows slightly open to provide air flow.
8. Routes
   ∙If Long Beach Public Schools are in session remotely, the district will provide transportation to nonpublic, private, charter and special out of district school if these schools continue to meet in person.
9. Arrival and Departure Times
   ∙School session times will be altered so that there is sufficient time for students to board and disembark the school bus as well as enough time to clean and disinfect the school buses after each run. MS and HS times will remain the same, but we encourage car riders and walkers to arrive at 7:45. At the elementary school, the following split schedule will be followed:

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Technology and Connectivity

1. Devices
   ∙The district will send robocalls to determine if every student has a working device for remote learning.
   ∙Social workers and guidance counselors will contact families to determine if every student has a working device for remote learning.
   ∙School administrators will follow up with school staff members to determine if every staff member has a device for remote learning.
2. Access at Home
   ∙The district will have knowledge of the level of access to devices and high speed broadband that students and teachers have in their places of residence.
   ❖ The district will send out a survey to determine the level of access for students and staff. The survey will ensure that each student is able to access digital technology for a sufficient length of time to be successful in a remote learning environment.
   ❖ Social workers and guidance counselors will contact families to determine the level of access.
   ❖ School administrators will follow up with school staff members to determine the level of access.
3. Multiple Pathways for Participation
   ∙The district will provide paper copies of materials for students who have trouble accessing digital technology for remote learning.
4. Professional Development for Staff
   ∙The district will provide professional development for leaders and educators on designing and delivering effective remote learning experiences.
5. Skill Building for Students
   ∙Staff will work with students to build capacity for working with digital tools and developing responsible digital citizenship.
6. Information Technology Support
   ∙The district has a video tutorial library accessible from the district website.
   ∙The district will develop a new website linked to the district’s current website that contains tutorials and digital troubleshooting strategies for families.
   ∙The district will create an “Innovation Team,” consisting of savvy staff members who can provide additional digital support to students and staff.
7. Data Privacy
   ∙The district will continue to maintain a high-level of data security to safeguard student data in compliance with Federal and State laws related to student technology use.
   ∙Staff will only use resources that comply with the district’s Ed Law 2d supplemental contract.
8. Digital Resources
   ∙In preparation for the 2020-21 school year, district administrators have already agreed on a single platform (Google Meet) for synchronous instruction and staff meetings.
   ∙Staff and students will use ClassLink as a conduit to access the district’s comprehensive but focused list of approved software.
9. Supportive Communication with Students
   ∙District staff will ensure that all students feel connected to staff and other students through a variety of digital engagement strategies.
   ∙Remote students will be expected to join their class for a specified amount of time each day as a “check in” to maintain ties with classmates and instructional staff.
10. Flexibility with Student Expectations
    ∙Administrators, teachers and other district staff will monitor student achievement and develop alternative approaches if students’ circumstances inhibit success in the digital environment.
    ∙District staff are currently planning the instructional day and week with sufficient flexibility to allow for different student needs and circumstances.

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Budget and Fiscal Matters

1. Reporting Requirement and Deadlines
   ∙The district will comply with all existing state and federal reporting requirements and deadlines.
2. Possible Reduction in State Aid
   ∙If there is a mid-year reduction in state aid, the district is prepared to offset that reduction with its current undesignated fund balance depending on the amount of the state aid reduction.
   ∙If the state aid reduction is larger than 20%, the board of education may consider mid-year program cuts.
3. Additional Costs for PPE, Mitigation Strategies, and Other Unfunded Mandates
   ∙Many of the requirements of this plan are unfunded mandates; that is, they are required by the State without providing districts any additional funding to accomplish them.The district is prepared to incur the additional costs for providing personal protective equipment to students and staff along with the creation of other new protective measures that allow for social distancing whether it involves a change in the way the district transports students or serves food.
   ∙The district will first look towards areas in the current year budget where there may be some unexpected savings to fund some of the extraordinary expenses before it draws from the undesignated fund balance account and modifies the budget.

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Health Screening and Monitoring

Staff Screening

Each day, staff members will complete a questionnaire regarding COVID symptoms and exposure. This questionnaire will be submitted, via a mobile app before the staff member enters our buildings. A “yes” answer to any of the questions will require the staff member to stay home and contact his or her supervisor immediately.

The screening questionnaire determines whether the individual has:

1. knowingly been in close or proximate contact in the past 14 days with anyone who has tested positive through a diagnostic test for COVID-19 or who has or had symptoms of COVID-19;
2. tested positive through a diagnostic test for COVID-19 in the past 14 days;
3. has experienced any symptoms of COVID-19, including a temperature of greater than 100.0°F in the past 14 days: and/or
4. has traveled internationally or from a state with widespread community transmission of COVID-19 per the New York State Travel Advisory in the past 14 days.

Student Screening

Families will be required to screen students’ temperatures each day before sending them to school, and will be required to sign a contract indicating that they will keep their child home with any fever of over 100°F. Parents will be required to complete screening forms periodically regarding COVID symptoms and exposure. Parents will also be given the option to have the school nurse complete the daily temperature screening if they feel that they are unable to do so.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) keep an up to date list of symptoms of Coronavirus on its website. This list is not all inclusive as some individuals may display other symptoms or none at all. As of 7/13/2020, the following are listed as the most common symptoms of COVID-19:

• Fever or chills (100°F or greater);
• Cough;
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing;
• Fatigue;
• Muscle or body aches;
• Headache;
• New loss of taste or smell;
• Sore throat;
• Congestion or runny nose;
• Nausea or vomiting; and/or
• Diarrhea

Students exhibiting these signs with no other explanation for them will be sent to the school health office for an assessment by the school nurse. Parents will be required to pick up ill students immediately. Students who are home sick will be able to participate fully in remote learning if they feel well enough to do so.

Visitor Screening

Visitors to buildings will be limited to school staff and essential personnel.

Health screenings including daily temperature checks and completion of the screening questionnaire are required for all visitors to buildings.

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COVID Resource Person

The following people will be designated as the COVID resource person for their building:

District And Administration Building: Michael DeVito, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations mdevito@lbeach.org
High School: Jeffrey Myers, Principal

jmyers@lbeach.org

Middle School: Lorie Beard, Principal

lbeard@lbeach.org

Lindell School: Karen Sauter, Principal

Ksauter@lbeach.org

West School: Amy Dirolf, Principal

adirolf@lbeach.org

East School: Kathleen Connolly, Principal

Kconnolly@lbeach.org

Lido School: Ivelisse Hernandez, Principal

Ihernandez@lbeach.org

Transportation: Kenrick McPhoy

kmcphoy@lbeach.org

Buildings and Grounds: Steve Lahey slahey@lbeach.org

The COVID resource person is responsible for ensuring that all COVID-related health and safety policies are followed, and who will provide communication in the event of a positive COVID case.

Response to Positive COVID Cases

All procedures concerning the response to positive COVID cases among students or staff will be determined by the Nassau County Health Department and will be adhered to closely.

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Response to Positive COVID Cases

When a person has been confirmed to be COVID-19 positive; the process will include:

1. Coordinating with local health officials to make school closure and large event cancellation decisions.
2. Establishing a plan to close schools again for physical attendance of students, if necessary, based on public health guidance and in coordination with the local DOH.
3. Implementing our remote learning plan.
4. Implementing as needed short-term closure procedures regardless of community spread if an infected person has been in a school building. If this happens, CDC recommends the following procedures:
   ∙Closing off areas used by ill person(s) and locking off area(s), signage can also be used to ensure no one enters the area. If possible, wait 24 hours before you clean and disinfect. If it is not possible to wait 24 hours, wait as long as possible. Do not use the area(s) until cleaning and disinfection has taken place.
   ∙Cleaning staff should clean and disinfect all areas (e.g., offices, bathrooms, and common areas) used by the ill person(s), focusing especially on frequently touched surfaces.
   ∙Communicating as soon as possible with staff, parents, and students.
5. Using DOH guidance/procedures for when someone tests positive:.
   ∙In consultation with the local DOH, a school official will decide what length of closure is indicated (between two and five days initially) based on the risk level within the specific community as determined by the local DOH. After the recommended 24-hour waiting period, the area will be cleaned and disinfected.
   ∙Consultation with the DOH will determine if a longer closure is warranted.
6. Closing of schools could be a regional decision. According to NYS guidelines:
   ∙Schools will reopen if a region is in Phase IV and the daily infection rate remains below 5% using a 14-day average
   ∙Schools will close if the regional infection rate is greater than 9% using a 7-day average after August 1, 2020
7. Thresholds will be determined on a case-by-case basis dependent on the numbers (school closures may be a response). 8. Buildings may also consider closing if required cleaning products and PPE are not available.

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Key Reference Documents

• New York State Education Department Reopening Guidance
• New York State Department of Health Guidance for In-Person Instruction