Planning for the 2020-2021 School YearLoudoun County Public Schools

#ReadyTogether

June 23, 2020

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Draft Resolution Organization and Topics ● Resolution starts with “whereas” statements and proceeds to “be it

resolved” statements● “Whereas” statements set forth rationale for the “be it resolved

statements”● “Whereas” statements reference multiple topics

○ Order of the State Health Commissioner○ Phase Guidance for Virginia Schools○ The Centers for Disease Control (CDC)○ Virginia Department of Education Notification of Intent

to Vary from Guidance form

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Topics of the “Be it Resolved” Statements

● Preference for 100% in-person learning, safely provided● Provision of in-person learning● Phase Guidance for Virginia Schools ● Operation of schools during Phase III● Distance learning● Planning and execution of plans

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“Whereas” Statement: Health Commissioner Whereas, the State Health Commissioner issued an order on June 8, 2020 declaring a requirement that ● “every public school division . . . before reopening . . . submit to the Virginia

Department of Education a plan outlining their strategies for mitigating the spread and public health risk of COVID-19

● consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Virginia Department of Health mitigation recommendations

● Such plans shall include policies and procedures for the use of face coverings; health screenings of staff and students; physical distancing measures; enhanced hygiene practices for staff and students; isolation of symptomatic cases; and cleaning and disinfecting procedures and other topics as outlined in the Phased Guidance for Virginia Schools”; and

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“Whereas” Statement: Health Commissioner Whereas, the Loudoun County School Board agrees with the objective of the State Health Commissioner, as expressed in the Commissioner’s order on June 8, 2020, that “the Commonwealth of Virginia simultaneously seeks to allow students to safely resume in-person instruction and progress in their education”; and

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“Whereas” Statement: Phase GuidanceWhereas, the Governor of Virginia set forth the Phase Guidance for Virginia Schools on June 8, 2020 which states in part, ● “This guidance document, which is aligned with the interim CDC

guidance for schools, serves as a recommendation for Virginia schools to mitigate risks associated with COVID-19.

● Divisions should make decisions on implementing such guidance, and assuming additional risk, in consultation with local health departments and school board attorneys.

● Public health conditions and practical limitations may inform decisions to deviate from the guidance”; and

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“Whereas” Statement: CDC Whereas, the mission of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is to “work 24/7 to protect the safety, health, and security of America from threats here and around the world”; and Whereas, the CDC is referred to as the nation’s “leading science-based, data-driven, service organization that protects the public’s health”; and

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“Whereas” Statement: CDC Whereas, the CDC has set forth guiding principles which state in part,

“The more people a student or staff member interacts with, and the longer that interaction, the higher the risk of COVID-19 spread. The risk of COVID-19 spread increases in school settings as follows:● Lowest Risk: Students and teachers engage in virtual-only classes, activities, and

events.● More Risk: Small, in-person classes, activities and events. Groups of students stay

together and with the same teacher throughout/across school days and groups do not mix. Students remain at least 6 feet apart and do not share objects (e.g., hybrid virtual and in-person class structures, or staggered/rotated scheduling to accommodate smaller class sizes).

● Highest Risk: Full sized, in-person classes, activities, and events. Students are not spaced apart, share classroom materials or supplies, and mix between classes and activities.”; and

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“Whereas” Statement: Intent to Vary Whereas, the Virginia Department of Education has stated that Divisions whose health mitigation strategies vary from the Phase Guidance must submit a form entitled Notification of Intent to Vary from Phase Guidance for Virginia Schools;

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“Whereas” Statement: Preliminary PlanWhereas, on June 16th, 2020, the Superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools presented a preliminary plan to the Loudoun County School Board outlining LCPS’ strategies for reopening schools this fall while mitigating the spread and public health risk of COVID-19 and consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Virginia Department of Health mitigation recommendations;

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“Whereas” Statement: Whereas, the Superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools requested that the Loudoun County School Board endorse concepts relating to a preference for 100% in-person learning, safely provided; provision of in-person learning; Phase Guidance for Virginia Schools; distance learning; and planning and execution of plans;

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Therefore, be it resolved, that the Loudoun County School Board

expresses its preference for 100% in-person learning, as long as Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) can operate safely and generally in accordance with guidance from local, state, and national public health officials

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Therefore, be it further resolved, that the Loudoun County School Boardendorses concepts regarding the provision of in-person learning during Phase I, Phase II, Phase III, and beyond Phase III, including the following:● In-person learning during Phase I should include in-person learning

for students with disabilities;● In-person learning during Phase II should include in-person learning

for students with disabilities, English learners; and students in Pre-Kindergarten through grade 3; and

● All students should have in-person learning opportunities during Phase III; and

● LCPS will approach its work in planning for the 2020-2021 school year with an equity perspective.

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Provision of In-Person Learning“endorses concepts regarding the provision of in-person learning during Phase I, Phase II, Phase III, and beyond Phase III, including the following:

● In-person learning during Phase I should include in-person learning for students with disabilities;

● In-person learning during Phase II should include in-person learning for students with disabilities, English learners; and students in Pre-Kindergarten through grade 3; and

● All students should have in-person learning opportunities during Phase III; and

● LCPS will approach its work in planning for the 2020-2021 school year with an equity perspective.”

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Therefore, be it further resolved, that the Loudoun County School Boardendorses concepts relating to the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Phase Guidance for Virginia Schools, including the following: ● LCPS should generally adhere to the Phase Guidance for Virginia Schools; and● LCPS may make limited deviations from the Phase Guidance for Virginia Schools as needed to act within

the spirit of this resolution and that such deviations may include, but not necessarily be limited to: ○ the assignment of space to students in individual classrooms based on three-foot diameter circles,

and ○ the seating of students on buses one per row, with children from the same household seated in the

same row● LCPS may implement limited additional public health mitigation strategies beyond the guidelines of the

Phase Guidance for Virginia Schools, that may include, but not necessarily be limited to:○ requiring students age 10 and older to wear cloth face coverings when 6-foot physical distancing is

not possible; ○ requiring students and/or staff to participate in touchless temperature checks, conducted safely,

and respectfully, and in accordance with privacy laws; and○ requiring staff members to take their temperature at home before reporting to work.

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General Adherence to Phase Guidance“endorses concepts relating to the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Phase Guidance for Virginia Schools, including the following: ● LCPS should

generally adhere to the Phase Guidance for Virginia Schools;”

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Examples of Phase III Mitigation Strategies from Governor’s Phase Guidance

Maintain 6 feet separation between people whenever possible

Require the use of cloth face coverings by staff when at least 6 feet separation cannot be maintained

Daily health screenings (Q & A) of students and staff who are at school

Implement enhanced hygiene, cleaning and disinfecting practices recommended by the CDC

250 person limit on large gatherings, assemblies, graduations, etc.

Consider restricting mixing groups of students, adjusting schedules, transitions, recess options & instruction

Athletics and extracurricular activities may be expanded with public health precautions

General Adherence to Phase GuidanceClassroom Capacity

● LCPS is considering a goal for Phases I, II, and III of allocating space to students based on 4-foot diameter circles (a 1 foot diameter inner circle for the student, and then another 3 feet diameter). This results in the potential for 6 feet of physical separation between students

● This sketch depicts 10 students and 1 teacher in an 850 s.f. elementary classroom using this approach

● When students and teachers wear cloth face coverings, it would mitigate the risk associated with times in which 6-foot separation does not occur

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General Adherence to Phase Guidance Bus Capacity• The Phase Guidance for Virginia Schools states, “physical distance

should be created between students on school buses when possible (e.g. seat children one per seat, every other row) limiting capacity as needed. Children (such as siblings) living together may sit together”

• This sketch depicts a 77-passenger bus with 13 students. A similar sketch depicts an 84-passenger bus with 14 students

• LCPS will likely increase the number of double runs, which is when one bus brings two different groups of students to the same school each morning and/or afternoon

• LCPS may also need to adjust the start and end times of some schools

• School campuses do not have unlimited capacity to accommodate car riders

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Limited Deviation from Phase Guidance to Increase Classroom Capacity

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● Draft resolution states that “LCPS may make limited deviations from the Phase Guidance for Virginia Schools as needed to act within the spirit of this resolution and that such deviations may include . . . the assignment of space to students in individual classrooms based on three-foot diameter circles, as needed to act in the spirit of this resolution”

● With 3-foot diameter circles, rather than 4-foot circles, this sketch depicts 17 students, rather than 10 students, and 1 teacher in an 850 s.f. elementary classroom. This does not provide six feet of separation between students.

● This approach may be necessary in some classrooms in order to implement a schedule that involves most students attending school in-person twice a week, with some students with disabilities and some English learners attending more than twice a week.

Limited Deviation from Phase Guidance to Increase Bus Capacity

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● Draft resolution states that “LCPS may make limited deviations from the Phase Guidance for Virginia Schools as needed to act within the spirit of this resolution and that such deviations may include . . . the seating of students on buses one per row, with children from the same household seated in the same row

● as needed to act in the spirit of this resolution”● LCPS would likely need to have some buses (at least on some days)

on which students are seated one per row, every row (not every other row)

● This would increase bus capacity to 26 students on 77-passenger buses and 28 students on 84-passenger buses

● This approach may be necessary in order to implement a schedule that involves most students attending school in-person twice a week, with some students with disabilities and some English learners attending more than twice a week

● Students wearing cloth face coverings would mitigate the risks associated with students sitting in every row

Limited Deviation from Phase GuidanceWithout Disregarding the Guidance

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● As noted in previous slides, LCPS is considering limited deviations from the Phase Guidance for Virginia Schools e.g. classroom capacity, bus capacity

● LCPS is not considering the level of deviation from the Phase Guidance for Virginia Schools that would be necessary to provide daily in-person instruction for all students during Phase III

● By implementing only limited deviations to the guidance, LCPS is relying on the expertise of state and national public health officials

Additional Public Health Precautions

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● Draft resolution states that “LCPS may implement limited additional public health mitigation strategies beyond the guidelines of the Phase Guidance for Virginia Schools, that may include, but not necessarily be limited to:○ requiring students age 10 and older to wear cloth face coverings when

6-foot physical distancing is not possible; ○ requiring students and/or staff to participate in touchless temperature

checks, conducted safely, and respectfully, and in accordance with privacy laws; and

○ requiring staff members to take their temperature at home before reporting to work.”

Therefore, be it further resolved, that the Loudoun County School Boardendorses concepts regarding the operation of schools during Phase III, including the following:● If in-person learning cannot be provided to all students every-day while generally

adhering to the Phase Guidance for Virginia Schools, with limited deviations, then in-person learning should be provided with less frequency for all students;

● LCPS should work to provide all students with the opportunity for at least two days of in-person instruction combined with three days of a revised approach to distance learning;

● LCPS should work to provide more than two days of in-person learning in a typical week to some students, e.g. some students with disabilities, some English learners.

● LCPS should implement a secondary school schedule, such as an 8-period A/B schedule or an 8-period AA/BB schedule, similar to the current secondary school schedule, which would support transitions among Phase I, Phase II, Phase III, and beyond Phase III during the 2020-2021 school year, if needed.

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Phase III Schedules under Consideration• General adherence to Phase Guidance for Virginia Schools, with limited

deviations, would support a combination of in-person learning and distance learning

• Schedules could include 2 days of in-person learning and 3 days of distance learning for most students; in-person learning and distance learning days alternate e.g. students attend school in-person Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday

• Schedules could include more than 2 days of in-person learning for a limited number of students, such as some students with disabilities or English learners

• An 8-period AA/BB day schedule for secondary students, similar to the previous schedule, would support transitions among phases and to beyond Phase III

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Sample Elementary School Student Schedule

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Elementary School Student Schedule

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Morning MeetingIn-person or Synchronous

120 minutes of asynchronous work

time over the course of the day

Reading

120 minutes of asynchronous work

time over the course of the day

Reading

20 minutes synchronous small groups as needed

120 minutes of independent work over the course of the day

Recess Recess

Reading Reading

Specials Specials

Recess and Lunch Recess and Lunch

Math Math

Science, Social Science,

Interdisciplinary Activities

Science, Social Science,

Interdisciplinary Activities

Sample High School Student Schedule

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High School ScheduleMonday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Advisory/Homeroom/PBIS lessonsSynchronous and In-person

Asynchronous Learning For Students

Teacher Planning

Synchronous Check-in @ 15 minutes per block (not

including study hall)

Student Support

Block 1 In-person learning

Block 1 Asynchronous

Block 5 In-person learning

Block 5 Asynchronous

Block 2 In-person learning

Block 2 Asynchronous

Block 6 In-person learning

Block 6 Asynchronous

Block 3In-person learning

Block 3 Asynchronous

Block 7In-person learning

Block 7Asynchronous

Lunch Break

Block 4In-person learning

Block 4Asynchronous

Block 8In-person learning

Block 8Asynchronous

Asynchronous learning, extracurricular activities, collaboration with peers, and office hours with teachers as needed

Sample Schedule: Some Students Attending More than 2x Weekly

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Most students (highlighted in yellow) attend school in-person twice a week.

A limited number of students (highlighted in green: Derek, Su, Lucia, Michelle) attend school in-person three times a week.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

Rita Sebastián Rita Sebastián

Shranda Sofia Shranda Sofia

Unette Sapna Unette Sapna

Jose Michael Jose Michael

Chen Wesley Chen Wesley

Rosa Preeti Rosa Preeti

Juan Tara Juan Tara

Derek Derek Derek Su

Su Su Lucia Lucia

Lucia Michelle Michelle Michelle

Challenges with 4x4 Secondary Schedule• Significant change during a time of already significant change and

uncertainty• Increased teacher planning and preparation during a time of

already significant planning and preparation for teachers• Additional master scheduling challenges for school leaders and

school counselors during a time when master scheduling will already be a challenge

• Families and teachers worried about “summer slide” compounded with the “COVID slide” and students potentially not starting a new course until mid-January

• The possibility that Phase II and Phase III could pass quickly, leaving us with the schedule for the remainder of the year

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Therefore, be it further resolved, that the Loudoun County School Boardendorses concepts regarding distance learning, including the following: ● LCPS should work to provide an option for 100% distance learning for students who

are unable or unwilling to attend school in-person.● Synchronous and asynchronous work time expectations for any distance learning

during the 2020-2021 school year should exceed the work time expectations for distance learning following the closure of school buildings during the 2019-2020 school year, with asynchronous work time expectations remaining reasonable and reflecting awareness that students’ pace of work during asynchronous distance instruction can differ significantly from their in-school pace;

● Distance learning in the new school year will also differ from distance learning during the 2019-2020 school year in ways relating to greater structure and consistent schedules for students, grading of student work, required attendance, and extracurricular activities.

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Distance Learning● LCPS is planning to provide an option for 100% distance learning for students who are

unable or unwilling to attend school in-person

● The approach to any distance learning in the 2020-2021 school year will be different than the approach to distance learning in the spring of 2020○ Greater structure and schedules consistent across LCPS○ Synchronous and asynchronous work time expectations for any distance

learning during the 2020-2021 school year would exceed the expectations for distance learning this spring

○ greater structure and consistent schedules for students○ grading of student work○ required attendance○ extracurricular activities

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Elementary Distance Learning SYNCHRONOUS (live, interactive, online)● All elementary students will engage at least 30 minutes of synchronous (live, interactive, online)

learning each day.● Additionally, students may participate in small group synchronous (live, interactive, online)

learning on Fridays in accordance with a schedule published by the teacher

ASYNCHRONOUS (independent, without live interaction)● Students in grades K-2 also will engage in up to 90 minutes of independent asynchronous

(independent, without live interaction) learning each day of distance learning. ● Students in grades 3-5 also will engage in up to 120 minutes of independent asynchronous

(independent, without live interaction) learning each day of distance learning.

ART, MUSIC, PHYSICAL EDUCATION, LIBRARY & GUIDANCE● Art, Music, Physical Education, and Library learning opportunities will also be provided during

distance learning at the elementary level and these opportunities are not considered to be part of the student work time guidelines listed above.

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Secondary (6-12) Distance LearningSYNCHRONOUS (live, interactive, online)

● Monday through Thursday, every student will meet with their Advisory/Homeroom teacher each day (either in-person or synchronously from home) for 20 minutes.

● On Friday, every student will attend a 15-minute synchronous class session with each teacher.

ASYNCHRONOUS (independent, without live interaction)● Students in grades 6-8 will engage in up to 90 minutes of asynchronous learning per week for

each class beyond the in person instruction occurring each week. ● Students in grades 9-12 will engage in up to 120 minutes of asynchronous learning per week for

each class beyond the in person instruction occurring each week.

EXTRACURRICULARS, COLLABORATION, AP, DUAL ENROLLMENT & ACADEMIES OF LOUDOUN● Every student will have the opportunity to engage in extracurricular activities, collaborate with

peers, and engage with teachers during office hours as needed, Monday-Thursday afternoons.● AP, Dual Enrollment, and Academies of Loudoun courses may have additional course

expectations.

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Therefore, be it further resolved, that the Loudoun County School Boardacknowledges the need for the Superintendent and staff to proceed with planning and execution of plans for the 2020-2021 school year, as long as such actions are not inconsistent with statute, LCPS policy, and School Board actions; and acknowledges that nothing in this resolution shall be construed to suggest that the Superintendent’s actions must be limited to actions that reflect concepts endorsed in this resolution.

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LCPS Preference for 100% In-Person Learning● The preference of Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) is for 100%

in-person learning, as long as we can provide learning experiences safely and in accordance with the requirements and recommendations of state and public health officials

● Draft resolution states “Therefore, be it resolved, that the Loudoun County School Board expresses its preference for 100% in-person learning, as long as Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) can operate safely and generally in accordance with guidance from local, state, and national public health officials”

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LCPS.org/ReturnToSchool2020

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Planning for the 2020-2021 School YearLoudoun County Public Schools

#ReadyTogether

June 23, 2020

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