July 30, 2020

Dear Parents/Guardians,

      As you are aware due to the COVID-19 pandemic, schools have been closed to students since March 16, 2020.  Earlier this month, the NYS Department of Health, the Center for Disease Control, the Governor’s Office, and the New York State Board of Regents, all released guidance documents that outlined regulations for the potential opening of New York State Schools.  The regulations for a potential reopening are extremely restrictive and have dictated how we have developed our reopening plan.  

      Based on the feedback from our parent surveys, the overwhelming opinion was that students should be back in school.  Therefore, our reopening committee worked tirelessly to develop a plan which allows for all students in grades Kindergarten through 6th grade to return to school on a daily basis for in person instruction,  while maintaining the multiple regulations and restrictions which were provided  to us. I am extremely proud of the work that has gone into the development of this plan which will be submitted to the New York State Education Department for approval.  

      Our full reopening plan can be viewed by clicking on the following link: https://www.abewing.org/cms/lib/NY02200255/Centricity/Domain/8/Reopening%20Plan.pdf.

      Also, posted on our school website is our Reopening Framework which provides a nice summary of our full Reopening Plan.  

      I am sure everyone has a lot of questions about the details of our reopening plan.  We will do our best to answer all of your questions and provide as much detail as possible as we continue to develop the logistics of this plan.  Once the details of a specific item (e.g. arrival and dismissal, daily screenings, lunch and recess, etc.) have been finalized, we will send home a summer newsletter describing these procedures.  

     If you have any questions please feel free to contact the main office at 518-792-3231.  As always I truly appreciate your patience and support, especially during these difficult times.  Have a wonderful summer!

Sincerely,

Brian George 

Superintendent

Glens Falls Common School District 

Reopening Framework

Required Component of Abraham Wing’s Reopening Plan:

• Students and staff wearing masks consistently, except when engaged in instruction and seated at a desk that is socially distant from peers and staff.  If moving around the room (e.g. to check work) masks must be worn by all.
• Daily health screenings for employees and students.  
• Contract tracing and coordination with Warren County Department of Health.
• Daily cleaning and disinfection protocols.  
• Shared books, supplies and equipment will be minimized and where used, books (e.g. library books must remain untouched for 3 days between use (or length determined by the CDC).
• School visitors will be restricted to those required for school business and be screened before entering the building.
• Students and staff will be trained on proper hand hygiene and practices

Operationalize Academic/Instructional Parameters for Reopening:

Kindergarten - Grade 6

• Grades K-6 is planned for daily, onsite, instruction
• Due to social distancing requirements, all school spaces will be used as instructional spaces (e.g. Classrooms, Gym, Library, and Art/Music room).
• The traditional instructional program will be modified with students learning from classroom teachers and at other times supervised by school personnel during times of independent or remote/livestream instruction from within the school building.
• Potential early dismissal (2:30) is being considered to provide additional planning and collaboration time for all faculty and staff.

General School Information

• Time dedicated during the first week of school to orient students with new protocols.
• Students will arrive at 8:15 and be assigned a specific location to line up.  Face masks will be required until students are at their desks.  A faculty member will be assigned to each location and screen each child for a temperature.  Students who do not pass the screening will be sent home with their parent/guardian.  If one is not present they will be sent to our isolation room with Mrs. Braymer.  
• Breakfast will be pre-packaged and be in the classroom between 8:30 - 9:00.  No direct  instruction will begin prior to 9:00 am.
• Lunch will also be pre-packaged and served in the classroom to ensure appropriate social distancing.
• Students will continue to have recess but limited to one class at a time.  Masks must be worn and social distancing must be practiced to the greatest extent possible.
• Teachers will rotate to classrooms as much as possible.  Classes moving in the hallway must wear a mask and practice social distancing.
• There will be no field trips or assemblies at this time.
• Teachers are encouraged to keep their window open and instruct parts of classes outdoors whenever feasible.
• Students will be asked to carry a minimal number of materials with them on a daily basis
• Protocols and procedures for students who do not pass screening protocols are being developed
• We will have a designated isolation room.

Extra-Curricular Activities, Physical Education and Performing Arts

• Physical Education classes will be outside to the greatest extent possible.  Any activities which result in physical exertion requires students to  be distanced 12ft.
• Singing, Playing musical instruments also require 12 ft of distance.
• There will be no after school clubs at this time
• No homework will be assigned while there are no homework clubs

Shift to Virtual Learning in the Event of School Building Closure Due to Closure

• In the event school buildings are compelled to close, school will resume virtually.
• Grades K-6 students will follow the in-school schedule at home with a combination of synchronous (liveonline) and asynchronous (recorded) teacher lessons, online group work or small group instruction.  Time spent on instruction will vary by grade level, however, students will engage with learning daily.  
• Student and staff attendance will be taken daily.

Student Grading & Reporting Practices

• Grading protocols are being reviewed and will be shared at a later date.
• The district will issue report cards based on the scheduled cycle.  Three times per year.
• Grading Rubrics will be developed and shared with faculty, students and parents.

Please click here to view a video from our Faculty and Staff.