Where can I get updated information?
Please continue to visit the district website, https://www.ycsd.k12.or.us/ , the Ready Schools, Safe Learners page, https://www.ycsd.k12.or.us/for_parents/ready_schools__safe_learners_2020-2021 , for the latest information, resources, the Comprehensive Distance Learning Guidance (file:///C:/Users/krafte/Downloads/Comprehensive%20Distance%20Learning%20Guidance.pdf), and messages to families and other important details.
Why is the district moving to the Comprehensive Distance Learning Model? Don’t most families want their students in school?
On July 28th, Governor Brown announced that our choices and decisions regarding return to school would be determined by county and state metrics related to COVID. Our county must see a rate of 10 cases of COVID per 100,000 or below for three consecutive weeks in order to be able to consider a return to in-person learning. There is a state metric that must be met as well. Yamhill County currently does not meet the guidelines for returning to school in person. For that reason we will be required to open school through the Comprehensive Distance Learning model.
Based on surveys, approximately three-fourths of our families would prefer on-site instruction while approximately one-fourth would prefer to have their children learning at home at this time.
How will distance learning be the same and/or different from last spring?
Our new distance learning model will be much different than the student learning experience of this past spring. We will follow more rigorous, now-published ODE guidelines for Comprehensive Distance Learning regarding instructional time, attendance, grades, and assessments. Our Leadership Teams have been developing our comprehensive distance learning plan and finding ways to vastly improve distance learning for our students, staff and families.
After spending the first two weeks of the school year getting connected to their teachers and classmates, becoming oriented to their learning platforms and talking with counselors and other staff about potential social emotional needs and supports, students will follow a regular weekly schedule and will have daily interaction with their teachers; grades and attendance will be taken. YC students will experience a meaningful improvement over what we offered in the spring.
What will a typical day look like for students?
Sample weekly schedules for elementary, intermediate, and high school students will be posted and shared as soon as we continue to collaborate with school leaders and educators. Generally, K through Grade 6 students will meet with their teacher regularly and participate in live instruction in content areas each day. Students will follow a predictable schedule each day with breaks for breakfast, lunch, and physical activity built into the day. Social Emotional learning and support will be integrated into the week and students will continue to have access to their counselor and other supports as needed.
Grades 7-12 students will take four classes per quarter/semester and we will make modifications for students who need additional support. Courses will be concentrated so students will earn a semester credit in a quarter and a full year credit in a semester. In this way students will have the opportunity to earn 8 credits in the year. Students will follow an online bell schedule and meet each day with their teachers. Social emotional supports will be integrated into the schedule and students will continue to have access to their counselor and other mental health supports as needed or requested.
Won’t the 4 period day put students off-track for graduation?
The 4 period day features condensed courses (completion of a year-long course in a semester) designed in a way that students will actually have the opportunity to complete 8 credits over the course of a year. This makes room for electives and time to recover missing credit needed for graduation.
Will there be electives?
We are building schedules that would make electives available virtually to students. We are still getting clarity and guidance about what conditions might allow us to bring students on to campus for essential learning services.
What about sports and activities?
Based on the recent announcement by the governor, the OSAA has issued modifications to their activities and athletics schedules and guidelines. School leaders are working with ODE, OHA, and OSAA to get further clarification on what the implications are for our students, coaches, and advisors?
What additional supports will be available to students and families?
We are working with our labor partners and community partners to shift resources in order to provide multiple types and levels of support to students and families. As we identify these supports for the coming school year, we are taking into account the different needs of our students, especially those disproportionately impacted by this pandemic. We are also considering the unique needs of our English Language Learners and students with special needs. In addition, family and staff survey feedback, focus groups, and comments provided have been essential to our planning thus far, and we will continue to ask for your input as we finalize the ways we can help.
School counselors, social workers and other student supports will also be working to connect with families to meet the specific needs of students. We have heard from some families that staff-supervised “learning hubs”, with social distancing and other health protocols in place, would be helpful to ensure a continuity of learning for students in underserved communities.
Along with any additional support we introduce this fall, please know that we will continue to provide meals and access to technology. We expect to be able to use multiple solutions to support families access to internet connectivity.
What will special education services look like in the fall?
As we know, special education services are best provided through in-person support and guidance. We will provide specially designed instruction for students through a virtual learning model. We are working on an online curriculum to support families to support their student’s learning. We will continue to provide speech and language services, small group instruction, occupational and physical therapy, and access to general education online learning opportunities, based on students’ IEPs.
There will be some services that we will not be able to provide in a virtual environment, such as 1:1 instructional assistant supports. We will review IEPs with families as needed to make appropriate amendments for a virtual setting. As always, please contact your case manager with questions regarding your student’s services and if you have additional special education questions, please contact our special education department.
What about evaluations for special education from the spring?
While some evaluations will continue to be provided online within each school team, we are working to organize and implement alternative options such as test centers to continue with our Child Find obligations. If your child is in the process of an evaluation, we will contact you once school begins to schedule online and possibly some in-person testing, when it cannot occur through a virtual manner. We will follow all health protocols in order to ensure a safe evaluation experience for you, your child and our evaluation staff. If you do not hear from your school by the middle of September, please contact our special education department for assistance.
Will the district be providing computers to students?
Last spring, YC provided computers to students who lacked available computers at home. We will continue to provide computers to students who need them, and we will soon share details of how to access district computers for use in online learning this fall. As was the case last spring, students/families who already have an available computer at home can continue to use their own devices but our goal is to be able to provide a computer for each student. We are also working to make mobile hot spots and other connectivity solutions available to families who need them.
What digital platforms will YC use this fall?
YC online platforms will look familiar to students who participated in YC last year but with some noticeable improvements. K-through Grade 3 classrooms will use Google Classroom and Seesaw as their learning management platform. Grades 4 through 12 will use Google Classroom. Teachers will use selected digital curriculum for standards-based core content units and instructional resources aligned to the YC curriculum standards. Zoom videoconferencing tools will be used for most of our live instruction. The district has purchased licenses to increase security, privacy, utility, and support for the use of this tool.
We are putting together a number of orientation and onboarding tools for students and families to get familiar and comfortable with all YC platforms. We will also be creating a portal for parents that will lead to their student’s teacher and classroom information as well as to helpful resources for supporting students at home.
How will we get started? What will the first days be like?
The first days of school will certainly be different than any year before. Students will spend the first two weeks of the school year getting connected to their teachers and classmates, becoming oriented to and practicing with their learning platforms. They will also be talking with counselors and other staff about potential social emotional needs and supports. Teachers will spend much time during these first two weeks in professional development sessions.
Will childcare be available?
We are working with our child care partners and exploring ways to provide learning support and child care. Input from YC families and employees about the need for this support is a critical part of our planning; we plan to send a needs survey to YC families and school staff in the next week. Any program offered would have to comply with COVID-related space and group size requirements.