Gila Crossing Community School

Here is the Return to School Plan submitted for approval by the Education Standing Committee:

GCCS Plan for Return to In-person Learning

COVID 19 is still with us and will likely be in the foreseeable future. With the unprecedented disruptions to our students’ education over the past 18 months, it is important for Gila Crossing and the Community to deliver a high-quality education to ALL of the students who attend GCCS. Returning to school will look and feel different. What we do will need to be flexible, understanding that the priority of protecting the health of our community, students and staff may require us to shift to a different model at any given time and with very little notice. With this in mind, we know that we must follow guiding beliefs which allow us to move forward.

To best protect the health of our student and members of the community, and to follow guidelines that may be established by the Gila River Indian Community, the Bureau of Indian Education, the State of Arizona and the Department of Health, GCCS will be implementing plans to assure the safety of all while continuing to provide the best possible education for our students. It is understood that the following plan must remain fluid and will be subject to modification at any time.

We realize that we will need to maintain flexibility as we move forward. To that end we need to also:

• Protect the health and safety of students and staff and support efforts to control the spread of COVID19
• Assess students to determine where they are now starting from and determine what gaps are present, and how we best fill those gaps
• Leverage our commitment to continuous improvement and the use of data
• Continue to support our efforts in targeted intervention in reading and mathematics by providing tiered intervention through the use of Multi-Tiered System of Supports – Tier 1 for all; Tier 2 for small group; Tier 3 for individual students
• Provide teacher training to support our students and families, to include their social, emotional and physical health
• Prioritize the needs for our students with disabilities
• Ensure communication with families to assess students’ needs and communicate expectations and supports
• Leverage the power of quality continuous improvement processes and the use of data. GCCS considers the attributes of an effective continuously improving school and continues to implement processes that support a continuous improvement approach
• Embrace the use of Multi-Tiered System of Supports – Tier 1 for all; Tier 2 for some; Tier 3 for individuals.

Our preference is to return to school at full capacity. We understand the apprehension this may cause some, however, we steadfastly believe that this is in the best interest of our students. This pandemic has severely disrupted every aspect of our education system and has significantly impacted this generation of Gila Crossing students, in fact all students nationwide have suffered from this. Now, more than ever, we need to focus our talents, energy and efforts to better support our students. Bringing them back, just as we did in August of this year is the right thing to do, and fully supported by the Board of Trustees, administration and staff at Gila Crossing. We can make this work for the betterment of all. We did not have issues in August, nor have we had issues with the Special Education students we have had since last October. Our plan fully supports bringing GCCS students back on campus now.

Should we need to lessen the numbers on campus, after taking a needed pause in instruction for fourteen days we could then implement a blended model of learning where students attend class on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday Thursday and have online instruction on their alternating days.  We would use half day Fridays for intensive instruction for a limited number of students. Plan to begin instruction for a limited number (approx. 50% of our students to begin to assess and fill gaps in learning that have emerged through this last 18+ months of online instruction).

Our staff is working hard to ensure all students needs are met through virtual learning as much as possible.  However, due to the nature of the needs of our students, and the gaps in learning which have become apparent, we believe they would be better served through in person instruction.  To this end we would propose that we offer the parents/guardians of our students an option to have their students return to school for face-to-face instruction for 4 ½   days a week of in-person instruction, for the following reasons:

• Distance learning is not an effective way to engage young children.
• Teachers have done best they could. 
• For years leading up to the pandemic, parents were warned about the detriments of too much screen time for young children
• Research shows, that children under six years old learn primarily through tactile, social experiences rather than through passively absorbing content
• Brain research by Dr. Patricia Kuhl has demonstrated that children learn language by being actively engaged in person. The same learning does not occur when young children view the same content through a screen. For all of us, but specifically young children, learning is a social experience.
• In-person attendance is important and conducive to learning.  It also provides social emotional support for students, and staff. However, under the current circumstances, a focus on student attendance must be balanced with a priority for keeping students and employees safe and healthy.
• It will be a priority to encourage consistent attendance.

 

Furthermore:

• We should make this a choice for parents and we believe several parents may choose to continue with 100% online instruction in the interim
• A possible schedule could be Monday - Thursday 8:00 AM through 3:00 PM and Friday from 8:00am to 12:00pm. Breakfast, as well as lunch would be served in the classroom to maintain a cohort. However, we would likely stagger start times to facilitate distancing on the buses; 7:30am-2:30pm and 9:00am-4:00pm, as we did in August
• We would maintain safety practices to the greatest extent possible related to COVID 19

In addition, it would be helpful if we could have the Community provide rapid corona virus testing for students.

Health and Safety as a Priority 

 

Daily precautions we will have in place will include physical and social distancing, daily health checks for students and staff and use of personal protective equipment (masks to the greatest extent possible in the classrooms and on the bus). In addition, we will incorporate the “gel in/gel out (use of hand sanitizer)” of the classrooms and cleaning and sanitizing throughout the day.  It will be understood that teaching and learning may take place remotely, should we need to revert back to that, in a digital format should that become necessary.

 

It is important to note that expected health practices will require new learned behaviors. Implement age-appropriate learning about COVID-19 control strategies for students. This will be on-going to reinforce the importance of handwashing, physical distancing, appropriate use of facemasks, cough and sneeze etiquette, and the importance of staying home when sick or displaying symptoms. 

 

Daily Health Assessments to Include but Not Limited to: 

 

• Students and staff will have their temperature checked before getting on the bus or reporting to class 
• Students and staff are to stay home if above 100F or if experiencing other symptoms.
• Students and staff who are ill must stay home from school, and will be sent home if they become ill at school, particularly if they have COVID-19 symptoms – cough or shortness of breath or fever. (refer to policy)
• Maintain social distancing (per CDC guidelines) to the greatest extent possible which may include the use of visual cues such as floor markings
• Develop schedules that minimize the number of students and staff during transitions to the greatest extent possible
• Requiring students and staff to wear masks, to the greatest extent possible, while in the classrooms and other common areas including while on the school bus

• Sanitizer and disinfecting products will be available for personnel and students to the greatest extent possible
• Increase the frequency of cleaning surfaces in high-touch areas (door handles, counters, desks, tables, etc. on a regular basis to the greatest extent possible). Cleaning and disinfecting will be done after each group of students leaves a classroom, intermittently throughout the day and at the end of each school session and at the end of the school day
• Classrooms will be “fogged” after each learning day prior to the start of instruction the following day

 

Instruction:

 

• Flexibility will be crucial for this return to school. Choices of educational settings have been thoroughly analyzed and this schedule seems the best alternative at this time because it takes into consideration the need to reduce the number of students on campus and on the school bus.
• The delivery of instruction will be very personalized, to the greatest extent possible, and aligned to the student’s individual needs. A Project Based Learning approach, which we have used before, may also be implemented.

• Teachers and staff will need training to prepare for a blended instructional setting. Training will occur before students return to school in order to thoroughly manage all facets of prioritizing the students’ and employees’ health and safety
• Many of our teachers have learned a great deal very quickly during the school closure; because we are looking to continue blended learning model with remote learning opportunities, and the possibility of future, temporary school closures, teachers will require ongoing professional development. Focused professional development that covers a range of issues that includes distance learning to social emotional well-being of students will be key.
• An essential curriculum within individual subject areas will be provided, based on the needs of students.
• There will be a focus on reading and math skills, especially for k-2 students.
• We will continue to focus on the tiered intervention model from which our students have experienced success.
•  We will differentiate, as necessary, to help students continue to move forward and develop the foundational skills and knowledge from the previous year.
• We will identify high-quality, instructional materials that are conducive to learning of our curriculum.
• All courses will be taught (language, math, science, social studies) due to non-core classes help keep students engaged and motivated.
• Social Emotional Health Considerations
• We must give heed to the fact that our students and their families, as well as our staff have likely experienced may stress, confusion, or anxiety during the time we have been out of school and will likely experience the same upon our return to school.  Because of these unknowns, students may display increased negative and or disruptive behaviors. To try and ensure student success, we will need to address and support students’ safety, social-emotional, health and wellness needs. We will continue to emphasize our Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, a tiered model of prevention and intervention. We may need to adapt our PBIS system to include common behavior expectations like social distancing. We will need to assess the individual needs of each student and provide the supports necessary to meet their needs.
• We must also recognize the stress and anxiety experienced by staff and develop ways to support them our staff will likely have heightened concerns about where students and families have been during the evenings or weekends, and then returning to school with the potential for “community spread”.  To this end administration will use a common language to build safety in the school and reduce fear.
• We must work to build and strengthen the teacher/family relationships through more frequent communications between the teachers and parents/guardians. We must realize, and respect, that some parents may want to keep their students out of school because of the rear of COVID 19. In addition, as parents have returned to the workplace, they may not be able to help support distance learning in a consistent manner. A strong partnership with the teacher and parent/guardian will help to support the student to achieve success.

 

 

 

Student Supports:

Staff Support:

Teaching staff have been pushed to their limit, they have given 110% of their time and effort to the students and families of GCCS, and continue to do so. They have gone above and beyond to teach students what they need to know in school. Our students have made progress, but the progress has been limited. Our teachers are dismayed to see their students fall farther behind. This takes an emotional toll on the teachers to the point they consider leaving the profession, or at least moving on from GCCS. Their friends, teaching in schools that have been open for some time share the excitement they have for what is happening in their classrooms. Our teachers can not share the same experiences. This is an extremely talented teaching staff, one of the best that GCCS has had; the students at GCCS and the Community cannot afford to lose them.  They are good for the students and the Community.

The pandemic has taken its toll on education. From teachers to bus drivers, employees are resigning in record numbers. Education Week reports that “forty percent of district leaders describe their current staff shortages as ‘severe’ or ‘very severe.’” With districts struggling to recruit, teachers”.  Arizona currently reports a 25% shortage in teaching positions. We need to support the staff we have because we may not be able to replace them. We foresee losing teachers should we remain virtual. This could have dire consequences for our teaching and learning program.

 

Family Engagement:

 

 

Symptoms or Confirmed Cases of Covid 19

 

            Showing Symptoms of COVID-19 at School:

 

• Should students or employees exhibit symptoms while physically attending school in-person, they should report to a quarantine room, be required to wear a face mask and any adults interacting with them will be required to wear a face mask. Those showing symptoms will be required to go home at the earliest convenience.
• Visitors: Visitors will be limited on campus. Temperature checks and a symptom check for any visitors will be required.

 

            Diagnosed or Exposure to COVID-19:

 

            Families and staff must notify school if they have been exposed to COVID-19 and are       quarantined, or if a family member has been diagnosed with or presumed to have         COVID-19 and/or is being isolated; Staff and students with known exposure to someone          with diagnosed or presumed COVID-19 must self-quarantine at home for 14 days.

 

Returning to School Following Quarantine:

 

            For purposes of this policy, “symptoms” include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath           or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or            smell,   sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and/or diarrhea. 

            Criteria for Attending School, Riding the Bus, and Participating in School Activities

            Students and others who have symptoms and are awaiting results from COVID-19 testing            will not be allowed to attend School, ride the bus, or participate in School activities.  Once     test results are received, the individual must comply with the following: 

• If test results are negative, the individual will not be allowed to attend School, ride the bus, or participate in School activities until the individual meets all of the following criteria:

°           No fever for at least 72 hours without the use of medicine that reduces fevers and

°           Other symptoms have improved.

°           Additionally, it is strongly recommended that the individual stay home and away from other individuals or under isolation until the above criteria are met.

□          If test results are positive, the individual will not be allowed to attend School, ride the bus, or participate in School activities until the individual meets all of the following criteria:

°           No fever for at least 72 hours without the use of medicine that reduces fevers and

°           Other symptoms have improved and

°           At least ten days have passed since symptoms first appeared OR the individual has two negative tests in row at least 24 hours apart.

°           Additionally, it is strongly recommended that the individual stay home and away from other individuals or under isolation until the above criteria are met.

            •          Students and others who have symptoms and have not been tested for COVID-19 will not be allowed to attend School, ride the bus, or participate in School activities until the individual meets all of the following criteria: 

□          No fever for at least 72 hours without the use of medicine that reduces fevers and

□          Other symptoms have improved and

□          At least ten days have passed since symptoms first appeared.

□          Additionally, it is strongly recommended that the individual stay home and away from other individuals or under isolation until the above criteria are met.

            •          Students and others who do not have symptoms and are awaiting COVID-19 test results will not be allowed to attend School, ride the bus, or participate in School activities.  Once test results are received, the individual must comply with the following:  

□          If test results are negative, the individual may resume attending School, riding the bus, and participating in School activities.

□          If test results are positive, the individual will not be allowed to attend School, ride the bus, or participate in School activities until the individual meets all of the following criteria:

°           Ten days have passed since the test days without the development of any symptoms. If symptoms develop, the individual must follow the above instructions for individuals with symptoms

OR

°           The individual has two negative tests in row at least 24 hours apart.

• Students and others who have been in close contact with someone showing symptoms of COVID-19 or who has tested positive for COVID-19 should stay home for 14 days and monitor for the development of symptoms. If no symptoms develop, they may attend School, ride the bus, or participate in School activities. If symptoms develop, they must follow the above instructions for individuals with symptoms.
• Students who ride a bus to School will be temperature checked before boarding the bus. Students who walk or are dropped off at School will be temperature tested in the front office, cafeteria entrance, or other location before being allowed to enter School. Students that have a temperature of 100 degrees or higher and/or are exhibiting symptoms will not be allowed on the bus and will not be allowed to attend School or participate in School activities until the criteria set forth above are met.
• An adult must be available in the house to receive a student (under age 12) who was refused boarding a bus or attending School for failure to meet the above criteria.

 

GCCS Contingency Plan to Initiate Pause of In-person Learning

In-Person Closure Type	Threshold to Initiate In-Person Closure	Student Support During Closure
Individual Student(s)	Student(s) is directed by their health provider or local health department to quarantine or isolate; or GCCS is directed by the local health department to pause a student’s access to in-person instruction while contact tracing is implemented as a matter of public health, but their school and class remain open for all other students. AND The student’s school and class remain open for all other students	Students will complete asynchronous assignments made by their teacher(s).  Assignments will be accessed through the Learning Management System (platform) or be available for pick up at the school.  GCCS offers the option to Stream IN to Check IN as a way for students being paused, quarantined, or isolated due to COVID-19 to learn directly from their teachers.
Individual Teacher	Teacher is directed by their health provider or local health department to quarantine or isolate; or GCCS is directed by the local health department to pause a teacher’s access to in-person teaching while contact tracing is implemented as a matter of public health; AND The teacher’s school and class remain open for students.	Schools will secure a substitute / alternate coverage for continuity of in-person instruction for the teacher’s class(es).
Class	GCCS is directed by the GRHC to temporarily close the class as a matter of public health while contact tracing and case investigation is conducted, respond to an outbreak, or to address other health matters	All students and staff in the impacted class will transition to synchronous virtual learning for that class until the class can reopen. Some class work may be accessed via asynchronous assignments made by their teacher(s) (Specials). Assignments will be accessed through the Learning Management System (e.g. platform) or be available for pick up at the school.
School	GCCS is directed by the GRHC to temporarily close the entire school as a matter of public health to conduct contact tracing and case investigation, respond to an outbreak, or address other public health matters.	All students and staff at the school will transition to synchronous virtual learning to ensure continuity of learning until in-person instruction can resume. All students already have access to the technology should this transition be needed.
Community wide	GCCS is directed by GRHC through Executive Order to temporarily close the Community School as a matter of public health.	All students and staff   will transition to synchronous virtual learning to ensure continuity of learning until in-person instruction can resume. All students already have access to the technology should this transition be needed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supporting Evidence for the Need to Return to In-person Learning

 

We are currently in scenario 4 – which is not pictured, however, it would likely demonstrate a continued decline in learning loss for on-line instruction.