Cobleskill-Richmondville

Central School District

The Cobleskill-Richmondville Central School District Reopening Plan was developed by a Task Force comprised of staff members, teachers, students, parents, physicians and community stakeholders. 

Their goal, simply stated, was to develop a plan that would allow us to continue to educate, inspire and empower our students, safely.

Our reopening plan will evolve continuously as we receive new guidance from local, state and federal health officials. However, our commitment to our core values, including the health and safety of our entire school community, always will be our highest priority.

Plan highlights

• Students at Ryder, Radez and Golding will attend school in person five days a week, with a shortened instructional day. C-R High School students will attend school in person, also with a shortened instructional day, on a to-be-determined schedule that alternates in-person instruction with remote learning.

• Online instruction provided by the district will be available for medically vulnerable individuals as well as high-risk groups, quarantined individuals, and students whose parents choose not to send their children to school.

• Classes will be divided into smaller “cohorts.” Each cohort will have very limited contact with other cohorts, and movement around the buildings will be minimized to the greatest extent possible.

• Masks will be worn by students and staff at all times, except when eating, and social-distancing will be maintained whenever possible. Students who are medically unable to tolerate a face-covering will be exempted from the mask requirement. Bus capacity will be reduced significantly to allow for social-distancing.

• There will be no in-person extracurricular activities at the start of the school year, though club advisors will consider ways to engage with students remotely. Athletics have been postponed until at least Sept. 21. 

• School meals will be available to all students, including those attending school in-person and those learning remotely at home.

• To see more specific details regarding each school's schedule and plans regarding the social-emotional well-being of students, visit the school websites, using the "Our Schools" menu on the toolbar at the top of the page. 

Introduction

On March 13, 2020, Cobleskill-Richmondville closed all schools upon the recommendation of the Schoharie County Health Department in order to mitigate community transmission of the COVID-19 virus in our communities.  New York’s Governor issued an order closing all of the state’s schools shortly thereafter and ultimately extended that order through the remainder of the 2019-20 school year.

On Monday, July 13, 2020, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that school districts in New York may prepare plans to reopen schools in regions where the COVID-19 infection rate is at or below state-established limits.  Cobleskill-Richmondville CSD is within the Mohawk Valley economic development region.

Schools are permitted to reopen in September if the regional infection rate (percent of positives/tested) is 5% or lower.  Once reopened, schools are required to shift back to remote/home instruction in the event the region’s COVID-19 infection rate exceeds 9%.

This plan details the reopening protocols adopted for our district’s four schools:
Ryder Elementary School (Grades UPK-2)
Radez Elementary School (Grades 3-5)
Golding Middle School (Grades 6-8)
C-R High School (Grades 9-12)

Our reopening plan incorporates recommendations and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and the New York State Education Department (NYSED).

Our Superintendent of Schools (Carl Mummenthey) shall serve as the district-level COVID-19 coordinator.  In this role, he will serve as the central contact for schools, families, staff and other school community members and stakeholder groups.  He will ensure the district is in compliance with state and federal guidelines.  He also will work closely with the Schoharie County Department of Health, the Capital Region Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), and other community partners to ensure successful implementation of our plan.

In each of our four schools, the building principal shall serve as the building-level COVID-19 coordinator.  

Communications and engagement

Health and safety

• Students in grades UPK through 8 will attend school on a daily basis and attend class in small cohorts (15-18 students) that permit adequate social-distancing in classrooms.  The cohorts will occupy classrooms at rates no greater than 60% of a room’s calculated occupant capacity.

• Students in grades 9-12 will participate in a hybrid schedule.  They will engage in both on-site and remote learning activities in cohorts (or smaller classes, in situations where cohorts are not possible).  They will occupy classrooms at rates no greater than 60% of a room’s calculated student capacity.

• In order to accommodate smaller cohorts and class sizes, some areas of our campuses (i.e., auditoriums/theaters, gymnasiums, cafeterias, libraries, and specialized classrooms) may be repurposed as general education or special education classrooms, as appropriate.

• Parents and guardians will be required to screen their children for symptoms and fevers prior to boarding the bus. Students with a temperature of 100°F or greater or a positive response to a screening question shall be isolated from others and sent home.

• Students, staff and visitors to our schools will be expected to wear face coverings indoors and outside, including on the school bus, at all times. Students will be allowed to remove face coverings during meals and for short breaks so long as they maintain appropriate social distance. Students who are unable to medically tolerate a face covering will not be required to wear one. Students will be expected to come to school with a mask, but the district will have a supply for students lacking them, as they are required.

• The district will perform cleaning and disinfection procedures that adhere to all local, state and federal guidelines. Cleaning logs will be maintained throughout our facilities.

Facilities

Child nutrition

• School meals will be available to all students, including those attending school in-person and those learning remotely at home.

• Students will maintain social-distancing while eating meals. To accommodate social-distancing requirements, some meals may be eaten in spaces other than the cafeteria.

Transportation

• Students who are able will be required to wear masks and social distance on the bus to the extent possible; however, students whose physical or mental health would be impaired are not required to wear a face covering, but must be appropriately socially-distanced. Members of the same household may be seated within 6 feet of each other. Parents and legal guardians are encouraged to drop off or walk students to school to reduce density on buses.

• Due to social-distancing constraints and routing complexities, the district is unable to accommodate requests for alternate drop-off and pick-up points.  This includes requests that typically result in the issuance of a “bus note.”  In extenuating circumstances, the transportation office will work to accommodate students residing in more than one household.

Social/emotional well-being

• We will support children and adults so that they better understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.  

• We will provide professional development opportunities for faculty and staff on how best to support students’ social and emotional well-being.

School schedules

The district is prepared to offer academic programs to students utilizing three different instructional models for the 2020-21 school year: 100% onsite; a hybrid model (onsite and virtual); and 100% virtual/remote. 

Our fall opening plans for each school are as follows:

Ryder Elementary School, Grades UPK-2: 100% onsite instruction; small student cohorts/groupings; shortened instructional day.

Radez Elementary School, Grades 3-5: 100% onsite instruction; small student cohorts/groupings; shortened instructional day.

Golding Middle School, Grades 6-8: 100% onsite instruction; small student cohorts/groupings;  shortened instructional day.

C-R High School: Hybrid Instructional Model; small onsite student cohorts/classes; 50% onsite and 50% remote; shortened instructional day.

High school students will be assigned to an alternating schedule of onsite classes.  In addition, teachers will support students’ remote learning and provide targeted instruction (remote or onsite) to students most at risk of demonstrating progress and mastery of the state’s learning standards.

More information on each school’s academic schedules will be posted to each school’s website by August 14.

To the extent practicable, student schedules will be sent to students and families by August 21.

School activities

Physical Education and Instrumental and Vocal Music Programs
We are still assessing the feasibility of providing physical education and performing arts instruction  given enhanced-social distancing requirements for those activities.

A distance of 12 feet in all directions is required to be maintained between individuals while participating in activities that require projecting the voice (e.g., singing), playing a wind instrument, or aerobic activity.

Extracurriculars
Onsite, in-person extracurricular activities are suspended until further notice in order to mitigate increased exposure risk to the COVID-19 infection.

Club and activity advisors are strongly encouraged to offer co-curricular and extracurricular activities virtually to students, to the extent practicable.  Advisors should coordinate those activities through their building principals.

Interscholastic athletics (modified, JV, and varsity sports) are suspended through Sept. 21, 2020.  This includes all team practices, scrimmages, and games/contests.

Childcare and before/after care

The district will continue to partner with the Cornell Cooperative Extension to offer After-School Programming to students on a fee-for-service basis.  The program will operate under standards that meet or exceed the district’s printed guidelines related to social distancing, personal protective equipment, cleaning and sanitation requirements, and other mitigation of COVID-19 transmission.

In addition, the Cornell Cooperative Extension shall be required to submit a program safety plan to the district’s Student Services office for review and approval prior to the commencement of programming and any time changes are made to the plan.

Information for parents (including parents serving as first-responders or essential workers)  regarding the availability of childcare services in our district can be found on our district’s website at CRCSD.org.

Attendance and chronic absenteeism

During all periods of instruction (onsite, hybrid, and remote), student attendance shall be recorded by teachers on each day that school is in session.

Teachers and counselors shall monitor student attendance to ensure participation and engagement and to watch for signs of chronic absenteeism.

Students exhibiting chronic absenteeism (defined as absences totaling 10% or more of scheduled eligible days of instruction) shall be referred to a school counselor and/or building principal so that a plan to improve school attendance can be developed and implemented.

Technology and connectivity

The district will assess (via surveys) student and staff access to appropriate devices and broadband connectivity in their homes. 

To the extent practicable, the district will provide devices and Internet access to students
and teachers who currently do not have sufficient access.

The district shall provide multiple ways for students to participate in learning and demonstrate progress and mastery of NYS learning standards in remote or blended models.

Students, faculty, staff, and families will receive orientation, training, and on-call technical assistance related to their use of required technology devices and applications.

Teaching and learning

• The school calendar typically includes one or more staff-only days before students arrive at school. Acknowledging the challenges that our teachers and staff have faced this spring delivering remote instruction under stressful circumstances, the district will focus these in-service days on providing support to staff in the areas of social-emotional health and technology integration.

• These days also will be utilized for student orientation. This time will allow small groups of students to meet with their new teacher and to begin establishing the relationship necessary for a successful school year.

• When a remote or hybrid learning model is necessary, certain groups of students will be prioritized for in-person learning to the greatest extent possible. This includes, but is not limited to, special education students, English language learners, students who did not engage in remote learning during the spring of 2020, and students with technology or connectivity needs.

• Upon reopening, the number of students in each of our classrooms will be reduced to adhere to CDC guidance regarding proper social distancing. Class size will reflect the need to ensure that students’ desks/seats are positioned no less than 6 feet apart.

• Cobleskill-Richmondville CSD will continue to provide educational instruction to incarcerated youth at Schoharie County Jail. The instruction provided by the district will comply with all regulations outlined by New York State Department of Health and State Education Department.

Special education

• Students who are supported through our district’s special education program will receive instruction consistent with their Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

• Related services (such as speech, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and counseling) shall be provided to students consistent with their IEPs.  These services will be offered onsite, via a hybrid model, or remotely, as applicable.

Bilingual education and world languages

1. Students who are supported through our district’s bilingual and/or world languages will receive instruction via onsite, hybrid, and (in some instances) remote instruction.  All of the modifications and accommodations afforded to bilingual/world-language students will be afforded regardless of whether their primary instructional model is onsite, hybrid, or remote.

2. The district must complete the English Language Learners (ELLs) identification process within 30 school days of the start of the school year for all students who enrolled during COVID-19 school closures in 2019-20, as well as all students who enroll during summer of 2020 and during the first 20 school days of the 2020-21 school year. After this 20-day flexibility period, identification of ELLs must resume for all students within required 10 school days of initial enrollment.

3. Required instructional units of study to all ELLs should be provided based on their most recently measured English language proficiency level during in-person or hybrid instruction.

Staff and human resources

Teacher and Principal Evaluation System
All teachers and principals will continue to be evaluated pursuant to the district’s approved APPR plan.

Certification, Incidental Teaching and Substitute Teaching
All teachers will hold valid and appropriate certificates for teaching assignment, except where otherwise allowable under the Commissioner’s regulations (e.g., incidental teaching) or education law.

Professional Development and Training
In order to support our faculty and staff, the district will provide professional development and training, as applicable, in prioritization of learning standards, online and remote teaching and learning, and social and emotional development.  

COVID-19 Accomodations
To the extent permitted by law, the district shall accommodate assignment requests of faculty and staff who are at increased risk for COVID-19 transmission because of documented medical vulnerability or increased risk pools (including sharing a home with vulnerable/high-risk individuals).