School District of Cudahy: “Opening Doors, Opening Minds”

2020 -2021

As we look towards next year, one thing is for certain… school will look different when we open our doors this fall. That’s why the School District of Cudahy is strategically planning for fall of 2020 with all of the best insights and information we have, including information from our families, staff and community.

Just as our motto says, we want our doors to be open. We know our students learn best when they are with our extraordinary teachers.

We also know that we will have to open a number of different doors, so that all of our students and families can enter where they are able and comfortable. We plan to have literal doors and virtual doors, as we look to the future of schooling in Cudahy. And we plan to make every option a powerful and effective one, so that no matter where our students stand or stay, they are able to grow by leaps and bounds in Cudahy’s schools.

Dr. Tina Owen-MooreSuperintendent, School District of Cudahy

“Opening doors, Opening Minds”

Stakeholder Input

Our planning reflects the needs, concerns and ideas of our community. In the earliest stages, we conducted a district-wide parent/ caregiver survey, as well as a teacher survey and a paraprofessional survey.

As we develop more specific plans for our schools, we continue to gather feedback, ensuring that we consider the needs of all of the people connected with our schools.

This year will be like no other, but together we will make it a safe, fun and powerful year!

Health and Wellness

Leaps in Learning

Connection and Consistency

Equity and Access for All

Guiding Priorities for the Year Ahead:

Student and staff health and wellness is our number one priority as we look to the year ahead. Our plans are designed to mitigate risk to staff, students and families, while also prioritizing the academic and socioemotional needs of our students and staff.

As we look forward to bringing our students and staff back to school, we are looking to several sources for guidance, including but not limited to:

●Cudahy Department of Health●Centers for Disease Control (CDC)●Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS)●Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI)●Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional

Learning (CASEL)●Our People - Staff, Students, Family & Community

Health &

Wellness

We know that education is critically important, and because of this we cannot allow a year to pass that does not result in academic and social gains for all of our youth.

Our aim is to provide powerful instruction for all of our students at all times.

If and when students have to move to virtual learning, we are committed to providing consistent, engaging and effective virtual learning opportunities so that students continue to progress academically, no matter where they are or how they are learning.

Leaps in Learning

We are a community that thrives on connection and consistency. Our students want to be in school, and our teachers want to be there with them.

To honor this, we will aim to offer face-to-face instruction for every student, while also creating virtual options and prioritizing practices that reduce risk of school closures.

Our goal is to keep our schools open, providing our families, educators and students with connection and consistent routines throughout the year ahead.

Connection & Consistency

Whether it is internet access, access to specialized instruction or access to virtual learning spaces, we want to make sure all of our students and families have access to the resources and learning opportunities they need to succeed.

When school buildings close or families need to keep a child home due to illness, students will be able to access their daily learning opportunities online.

And we will continuously review our policies, practices and decisions to see how student groups are affected and to make changes when necessary.

Equity & Access

for All

Unique to Cudahy...

● We already have small class sizes.● We have plenty of classroom

space and green space. ● 70% of respondents did not stress a

need for childcare. ● Transportation is not a primary

concern in our planning. ● Our educators want to be back in

school. ● We are already 1:1 when it comes

to technology.● We are Google-ready.● We moved to virtual teaching and

learning smoothly.

Three Teaching & Learning Scenarios Examined

100% Face to FaceTraditional Learning

Students/Teachers are back in the buildings full time

following all CDC safety and cleaning guidelines.

Remote/VirtualLearning

Students/Teachers continue to learn online/virtually. *This may

be necessary if community spread of COVID-19 requires

another shutdown.

Blended Learning

Students have face-to-face learning half the time and virtual learning half the time, reducing

class sizes per DPI guidance. Child care is available.

The School District of Cudahy Plan● School is in session 4 days a week (Mon-Thurs).

● Fridays all buildings are thoroughly cleaned.

● Regular school schedule is followed in middle school and elementary schools.

● Class sizes are no larger than 17 and socially distanced.

● Elementary and middle school students are in pods or squads.

● High school students attend in-person two days a week and virtually two days a week, following the block schedule Monday thru Thursday.

● Traveling teachers are virtual where possible or may be limited to pods and/or squads.

● All staff meetings and professional development activities are virtual.

● All lessons are available virtually every day.

● Teachers are home on Fridays, uploading virtual lessons, participating in weekly staff meetings, and supporting students with virtual work.

● Masks are provided and recommended for all students and staff.

Advantages of the Four Day School Week...

Research has shown that the four day school week can be just as effective when instructional time is prioritized. Using the four day in-person week will allow us to:

● Clean our buildings thoroughly. ● Create powerful virtual learning. ● Provide support and interventions for students.● Facilitate safe virtual professional learning. ● Anticipate that there will be times when students

and staff have to quarantine. ● Contain costs by leveraging the tools and resources

we have. ● Provide a natural three day incubation period,

reducing the potential of contact with symptomatic individuals.

Clean & Healthy Learning Spaces Are Key

When in school, classrooms will be set up for social distancing and to bring in as much fresh air as possible.

Classrooms, common spaces, and high touch surfaces will be cleaned at regular intervals and between student groups.

When possible we will use our outdoor spaces for teaching and learning.

On Fridays, every school building will be closed to staff and students so that buildings can be extensively cleaned.

Social Distancing: We Have the Space to Spread Out

Social distancing is one of the keys to reducing the spread of COVID-19.

We will use the space we have and create more space if we need it.

Families who elect virtual learning will further reduce class sizes.

Virtual Learning: Teachers Need Planning Time

We know that we will have to go online at times this year. We also know that continuity of relationships is important to the success of virtual learning and the return to in-person learning.

If we are going to ask our teachers to provide virtual learning experiences for students in the upcoming year, we have to give them the planning time to do it well.

Cost Effective & Robust Virtual LearningWe have the Google Suite already.

Daily lessons will be added to Google Classroom.

Teachers will start each day with a Morning Meeting that all in-person and online students can participate in. Attendance will be taken in the morning meeting.

Engagement will be measured based on completion of online assignments. Teachers will end the day with a virtual class check-in.

Formative assessments each week will measure progress towards learning goals.

Flexibility & Responsiveness: Tracking and Responding

We have created a tracker to capture COVID-related activity in the district and will continue to work with the Cudahy Health Department to track and respond to outbreaks of COVID-19.

We are developing a protocol for how and when schools or classrooms are closed based on data and information from DPI and the Cudahy Health Department.

We care about our students, families and each other in Cudahy, so we support the use of masks to protect those we care about.

We will not mandate masks where social distancing and proper air ventilation can be guaranteed. However, we will provide masks for all of our educators, staff and students and will require the wearing of masks when a 6 foot distance cannot be maintained.

If the state or county mandates the use of masks, we will follow suit to keep our students and staff safe.

What About Masks?

Be a hero. Wear a mask!

Anticipated Challenges...

● Illness/ Absences● Ongoing PPE and Supply Needs● Virtual Engagement and Internet

Connectivity● Supporting Staff with At-Risk

Characteristics● Childcare Concerns of Staff● Food Services and Recess● Device Distribution and Ongoing

Tech Support● Staffing for Health Aides

Together, we have and know everything we need

to keep our doors open this fall.

Let’s work together to make it happen!

So we can continue…

Opening minds!

Opening doors….

Thank you!