Reopening Plan

Reopening Committee

Throughout June and July, district staff along with the reopening advisory committee invested countless hours to prepare for the safe return to school for our more than 3,800 students and 700 employees. As you read our Reopening Plan, we ask for your flexibility and understanding. Health and safety has been the primary factor considered during the collaborative development of this plan. In addition, focusing upon providing equity and access to quality instructional learning experiences has helped to finalize instructional models that will also minimize the spread of COVID-19.

Guidance documents from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the ew York State Education Department (NYSED), the  New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), and the Monroe County Department of Health were shared and reviewed with the Reopening Advisory Committee. Recommendations have been developed by our administrative team and the advisory committee representing all schools and departments across the school district including parents and community partners. Four subcommittees representing Health and Safety, Teaching and Learning, Facilities and Human Resources and Staffing worked to develop the district's recommendations.

Teaching and Learning Subcommittee Membership

Staff: Giulio Bosco, Sue Witter, Karen Coykendall, Renee Mulrooney, Sara Mroczek, Colleen Wilson, Kim Giancursio, Jeanie Long, Brian Lang, Stacey Andrews, Renee Yunker, Mimi Rague, Mary Kay Maslanka, Andrea Lynch, Sarah Amorese, Meg Hugg, Christie DeWald, Diane Sudz

Parents: Jessica Keipper, CRS; Bobbi Jo Calus, MS; Jenn Mettler, HS; Lilian Maira, CES; Monica Ritchie, FRS 

Board of Education: Kristen Brumbaugh

Health and Safety Subcommittee Membership

Staff: Nicole Neal, Lori Orologio, Bill Sanborn, Carl Christensen, Mary Leach, Jeff Smith, David Johnson, Mike Murray, Jacquie Farrell, Kristina Swan, Kim Reap, Cyndy Skirment, Julie Walsh, Sue Keisidis, Sandy Iacucci, Tracie Swalbach, Libby Johnson, Heather Nettnin, Nancy Roux

Parents: Kelly Lamb, CRS; Karen Sesnie, MS; Wendy Juzwiak, HS; Marisa Campoli Read, CES; Dennis Pynn, HS; Meagan Cartwright, FRS; Todd Petek, FRS 

Board of Education: Steve Hogan

School Operations Subcommittee Membership

Staff: Frank Nardone, Amanda Puleo, Roberta D’Agostino, Renee Mancuso, Joe Valenti, Kim Hale, Todd Yunker, Paula Schneider, Pam Allen, Jill West, Julie Case, Maria Straight, Jodi Philipps, Sherry Pryor, Mike Bayerl; Lorie McCreedy

Parents: Christine Skivington, CRS; Kim Randall, MS; Becky Lucyshyn, HS; Samantha Baxter, CES; Denielle Charcholla-Lendway, FRS 

Board of Education: Kathy Dillon

Human Resources/staffing Subcommittee Membership

Staff: Larry Vito, Scott Wilson, Kathy Occhioni, Stacy Sinclaire, Tracy Moran, Lindsay Reimer, Cheryl Kuttner, Janelle Hernandez, Erin Fischer, and Kate Daly

Reopening Guidance with Threshold

On Monday, July 13, 2020, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that school districts in New York should develop plans to reopen schools and provide in-person instruction with appropriate social distancing and face coverings. The threshold for reopening school in September will be based upon the regional COVID-19 infection rate:

• If a region is in Phase 4 and has a daily infection rate of 5% or lower over a 14-day average, schools in that region could hold in-person instruction.

•  If daily infection rates exceed 9% over a seven-day average; however, schools in that region would not reopen. 

While districts have been instructed to prioritize efforts to return all students to in-person instruction, Churchville-Chili is also planning for a full remote learning option, as well as a hybrid model that combines in-person instruction and remote learning. Parents will have the choice to select one of the instructional models. (Refer to the Teaching and Learning section)

The Reopening plan is for the 2020-2021 school year and subject to change should the COVID-19 community spread exceed the threshold outlined by the Governor. This plan includes procedures that will be followed in the following schools:

• Churchville-Chili Senior High School

• Churchville-Chili Middle School

• Chestnut Ridge Elementary School

• Churchville Elementary School

• Fairbanks Road Elementary School

The top priority in all decisions made by Churchville-Chili schools is the health, safety and well-being of our students, employees and school communities. This document is subject to change as conditions evolve in our community. If and when the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic change, the guidance we receive from state and local agencies may also change and cause adjustments to our plans.

Principles of Reopening and Planning

Principles of Reopening

• Health and safety of all students and staff is paramount

• Equitable and accessible instruction

• Maximize in person instruction or synchronous instruction 

• Flexibility to adapt to current status 

• Clear structure and accountability

• Staff working on campus
   

Planning

Throughout planning, the safe operation of all aspects of a school day from transportation and food services, and student movement around campus, to interaction in classrooms, have been evaluated.

There are clear constraints that families need to be aware of as Churchville-Chili Schools initiates its Reopening Plan. Our objective is to mitigate these constraints and build upon new opportunities that have arisen during these unique circumstances. We will need your support for these changes to ensure student and staff safety.

1. Schools will reopen with face-to-face instruction. However, schedules, classroom spaces, and day-to-day operations may be significantly different than in prior school years.

2. Based on your feedback, we have refined instructional practices of our remote learning model.   If circumstances related to COVID-19 worsen, the district is prepared to transition all students into a fully remote learning model to ensure the health and well-being of students, staff and families. The district is also offering a fully remote learning option to give families who are not ready to return to in-person on-campus instruction a safe and viable option for student learning.

3. State and local funding will be impacted by the pandemic. Despite sound budgeting practices, shortfalls may cause reconsideration and adjustments of programs and services. 

4. The virus will be present beyond September; therefore, the district must take extended measures to prevent the spread during the school day.  Absent a vaccine, we have four primary ways to protect students and staff:

   1. Implementing frequent hand-washing and hand-sanitizing opportunities;

   2. Requiring the use of masks for staff and students when people cannot socially distance;

   3. Reducing close contact within the six-feet social distance guideline to the greatest extent possible; and

   4. Increasing the sanitation protocols in buildings and buses. The protocols may evolve throughout the year as conditions improve. Later in this guide, we provide an overview of cleaning and sanitizing processes that are being implemented. To some extent, they will require the district to increase bus routes, reduce class size, and extend time for transitions and meals and postpone or cancel other activities.

Communication Plan

The Superintendent, Ms. Loretta Orologio, will serve as the district’s COVID-19 Coordinator. Ms. Orologio will work closely with our local health department and will be responsible for the reopening plan.  She will serve as a central contact for schools and stakeholders, families, staff and other school community members and will ensure the district is in compliance and following the best practices per state and federal guidelines. Her contact information is: 585-293-1800 x2300, lorologio@cccsd.org. Contact information for the superintendent and any other relevant contacts will be included in each mailing and on the website for parents, staff and community members.

To help inform our reopening plan, the district has sought feedback and input from stakeholders, including administrators, faculty, staff, students, parents/guardians of students, local health department officials and health care providers, employee unions and community groups. 

Engagement efforts included online surveys, advisory committees and one-on-one conversations. 

The district remains committed to communicating all elements of this reopening plan to students, parents and guardians, staff and visitors. The plan is available to all stakeholders via the district website at www.cccsd.org, and will be updated throughout the school year, as necessary, to respond to local circumstances. The link to the plan appears on the website homepage, each Resource page, and the dedicated Reopening of Schools webpage. Every effort has been made to ensure that the plan is accessible to all individuals in accordance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level A/AA. This plan and all necessary communication will be translated into the following languages by a language interpretation vendor: Arabic, Chinese, Nepali, Spanish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese. The community is encouraged to contact the district if  translations other than the above are needed by calling 585-293-1800 extension 2310.

As part of its planning for the reopening of schools and the new academic year, the district has developed a plan for communicating all necessary information to district staff, students, parents/guardians, visitors and education partners and vendors. The district will use its existing communication channels – including the district website, eNews, mass communication robocalls, social media platforms and local newspapers as appropriate – as well as appropriate signage and training opportunities to support the dissemination of consistent messaging regarding new protocols and procedures, expectations, requirements and options related to school operations throughout the pandemic. 

The district is committed to establishing and maintaining regular channels of communication and has reviewed and determined which methods have proven to be the most effective in communications with our school community. The district will rely on eNews for families (email and texting), emails to staff, the district website and posters in all facilities to communicate news, requirements and updates related to reopening and in-person instruction, including social distancing requirements, proper wearing of face coverings and proper hand and respiratory hygiene. The information that we will share will be based on state guidance along with input from the administrative team and community advisory group.

In support of remote learning, the district will make computer devices available to all students and teachers. For students who need to pick up or trade in their device, specific dates and times will be scheduled to do so. The district will provide students and their families with multiple ways to contact schools and teachers during remote learning, including email, video conferencing and phone calls. Families can contact the technology help desk 585-293-100 extension 3200 or helpdesk@cccsd.org.

The district will use existing internal and external communications channels to notify staff, students and families/caregivers about in-person, remote and hybrid school schedules with as much advance notice as possible. Information will be mailed to all staff and families in the district the first week of August 2020,  as well as posted on the district’s website and shared on social media.

The district will follow its existing engagement and communication protocols with parents regarding the provision of special education services for their child.  The Committee on Preschool Special Education as well as the Committee on Special Education meetings will be held with parents and interpretation services will be provided to allow for appropriate communication with families during these meetings.  Initial CSE meetings, requested review meetings, annual reviews and amendment meetings will be conducted in-person.  The district will provide an interpreter as needed to allow for appropriate communication with families during the meeting(s).  Prior written notice and letters will also be provided in the parent’s preferred language.

The district is committed to ensuring that all of its students and their families are taught and re-taught new expectations related to all public health protocols. As part of this continuous training, the district will assess the best approach to communicating the information for each students’ age group and will provide frequent opportunities for students to review these protocols. Staff will have initial training in these protocols on September 8, 2020 and frequent re-trainings or reminders as needed.  Teachers will include this training for their students in their opening day schedules and provide frequent re-training or reminders through lessons, discussions and signage. 

Parents will receive public health protocol information through direct mailings and via email. All information will also be posted on the district website for immediate access and review.This targeted education will help ensure that all students and their families know what is expected of them as they successfully return to the school setting. Informational documents and training topics will address:

• Hand hygiene 

• Proper face covering procedures (how to wear and remove) 

• Social distancing 

• Respiratory hygiene 

• Identifying symptoms 

Families will receive an electronic prompt and complete a daily health attestation for their child utilizing a web based App. Through daily submission on the App, the district will be notified of each student’s current health status. 

The district is committed to creating a learning environment that protects the health, safety and privacy of students and staff. Our district will operate under a standard procedure for addressing situations in which an individual has tested positive for COVID-19 or appears symptomatic. The first step is to communicate with the Monroe County Health Department and family of the infected student or staff member. The district will adhere to quarantining recommendations, provide notification to exposed individuals as directed, work collaboratively with the County Health Department to follow contact tracing protocols, and secure the classroom or location for deep cleaning. The district will not notify the wider community unless specifically directed to do so by local health officials.

School Closures

Churchville-Chili is preparing for situations in which one or more school buildings need to close due to a significant number of students or staff testing positive for COVID-19 or a considerable regional increase in COVID-19 cases.

The district may choose to modify operations in one or more schools prior to closing to help mitigate a rise in cases. The district will consult with the Monroe County Department of Health when making such decisions.  

The Superintendent of Schools will consider closure of in-person activities under the following circumstances: 

1. Infection rate 

2. Absentee rate trend for students 

3. Absenteeism of essential personnel to the extent that it creates a health and safety concern or prevents district from complying with mandates. 

4. Or as directed by the Monroe County Health Department.

At closure, the impacted school will engage exclusively in remote learning.

Closures will be communicated via mass communication robocalls, email, eNews and social media as well as shared with local media. School building administrators will communicate with the superintendent regularly and, if needed, will consider closing school if absentee rates impact the ability of the school to operate safely.