2020-2021 Back-to-School Plan - #be$ertogether - #bettertogether Page - Westwood Christian School
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2020-2021 Back-to-School Plan
#be$ertogether
#bettertogether Page 1
Message from Mr. Bill Thomson
School Administrator
Dear Parents, Students, Teachers and Staff,
One thing that we have all come to realize since March 2020 is that things can change quickly. I
hope that during this Gme of constant change you have depended on the constant love of our
Lord and Savior! I realize that the reality of what we are experiencing is concerning from a
health and safety standpoint. I would like to encourage you to depend on God's plan for each of
us and to see how He has everything in His control.
I want to take a few minutes and let you know that we feel very confident that tradiGonal
educaGon is the best learning environment for our children. We are excited and ready for school
to resume on campus on Monday, August 24, 2020, at Westwood ChrisGan School! There is no
be$er way for students to learn than in person under the direcGon of loving teachers and
faculty.
Our task force has devoted many hours over the last few months to prepare a “Back-to-School
Plan” for all of our Westwood ChrisGan School families. I am confident that all of the details and
procedures of the “Back-to-School Plan” will be the best possible plan for everyone at
Westwood ChrisGan School. This plan includes three important phases that you have received. If
you have not looked at those, I would encourage you to refer to our website
westwoodchrisGan.org and take the Gme to read through the plan completely.
Phase One is the Enhanced Health/Safety steps, procedures and guidelines that all students,
staff, parents and guests must abide by every day to strive for the protecGon and health of
everyone on campus. These guidelines have been developed and reviewed by medical health
professionals on our task force who support the CDC guidelines for schools, and they have been
uniquely adapted to Westwood ChrisGan School.
Phase Two of the plan is the Enhanced Academics for Westwood ChrisGan School 2020-2021.
This includes three plans. Plan 1, On-campus Learning, is the tradiGonal classroom seYng in
person on campus. Plan 2, the Hybrid Learning OpGon, is remote online learning in a live stream
format. For example, a student can choose to stay home for the first quarter but can actually
live stream each class period of the school schedule each day from home and be a part of the
class with the teacher and classmates remotely. This live and interacGve class will be taught at
that moment by the teacher and will not be a prerecorded lesson.
This is very much a different approach from what we as a school did last year with distance
learning. Westwood ChrisGan School has significantly invested both finances and manpower to
have all classrooms equipped with Promethean InteracGve Boards, video cameras and
microphones for the Hybrid Learning OpGon. If local government officials require a complete
school closure for Westwood ChrisGan School, we will incorporate Plan 3, Complete Online
Learning for all students unGl further noGce.
#bettertogether Page 2
Beginning with the first week of school, we will use the Learning Management System (LMS) that is part of our RenWeb/FACTS plaaorm. This LMS will funcGon in some ways as Edmodo was designed to work; teachers will post the assignments to the LMS, and students will submit work regularly through the LMS. Westwood ChrisGan School families are already familiar with many aspects of this plaaorm. This successful plaaorm will take care of all aspects of live distance learning. Phase Three is Enhanced Procedures, providing specific details about what you can expect for the upcoming school year from start to finish of each school day. I want to encourage you to read carefully through the official “Back-to-School Plan” established by our Task Force and approved by the AdministraGve Board. I also would like you to know that our teaching staff is going through an extensive two-week training on the Enhanced Health/Safety Guidelines; the Enhanced Academics, including the use of the Promethean InteracGve Board and the LMS; and the Hybrid Learning OpGon. I want to emphasize that the “Back-to-School Plan” is in compliance with the CDC and Local and Statewide Health and Safety Guidelines. As we move forward to the new school year in August, whether it is On-campus Learning, the Hybrid Learning OpGon or the campus tradiGonal instrucGon, the Hybrid opGon, or a government-mandated Complete Online Learning, I want to ensure you that your child will receive the highest quality educaGon that has always made Westwood ChrisGan School unique! I truly believe our best days at Westwood ChrisGan School are yet to come! While we know that we are sGll facing challenges, we are excited for the opportuniGes of the upcoming year where we will be Be=er Together! Jeremiah 29: 11. TrusGng God, Bill Thomson Administrator #bettertogether Page 3
Campus Health and Safety Guidelines Active Cleanliness /Facility Sanitation Cleaning and sanitizing the school Page 5 Steps for effective cleaning Page 5 Infection Control Protocol Hand hygiene Page 5 Arrival and dismissal temperature check Page 6 Family commitment Page 6 Physical Distancing/Maintaining Social Distancing Reducing student movement Page 7 Lunch Page 7 Requirements for face masks Page 7 Reduced Contact Minimized exposure Page 8 Travel survey/testing/form requirements for COVID-19 Page 8 On-site Medical personnel/School Clinic Page 8 Student Life Classroom environment Page 9 Book purchase/Admit-to-class Card Page 9-10 Chapel, lockers, orientation, help class, restrooms and field trips Pages 10-11 After school pickup, aftercare, ASPIRE, KIDFIT Pages 11-12 Athletics and Fine Arts Page 12 Enhanced Academics Plan 1 On-campus Learning Page 13 Plan 2 Hybrid Learning Pages 13-14 Plan 3 Complete Online Remote Learning Page 15 #bettertogether Page 4
Campus Health and Safety Guideline
Westwood Christian School will resume on-campus classes with teachers and students in their
classrooms beginning on August 24, 2020. The school will adhere to the guidelines and
recommendations from CDC and local Health Department to secure a safe and healthy campus.
Active Cleanliness:
Facilities Sanitation
● Cleaning and sanitizing the school
• Common areas and frequently-used surfaces (including door handles,
desks and light switches) will be cleaned at the start and end of each day to
ensure effective infection control.
• Those who are cleaning and disinfecting, especially the custodial staff, are
at increased risk of being exposed to the virus and to any toxic effects of
the cleaning chemicals. These staff will wear appropriate PPE for cleaning
and disinfecting and will be instructed on how to apply the disinfectants
according to the labels.
● Steps for effective cleaning
• Most surfaces and objects will require normal, routine cleaning. Frequently-
touched surfaces and objects (including light switches and doorknobs) will
need to be cleaned and disinfected to reduce the risk of germs (click here
for Enhanced Health/Safety).
• All classrooms will be thoroughly cleaned each evening after school is
dismissed by SFM Company.
• Students in grades PK-8 will remain in the same sanitized classroom
through the entire day.
• Students in grades 9-12 will report to a sanitized classroom for first period
and will be handed disinfectant wipes to sanitize their desks at the
beginning and end of each class period.
Infection Control Protocol
● Hand Hygiene
• Hand sanitizing stations will be set up at the entrance of the facility so that
children can clean their hands as they enter.
• Students, faculty and staff must regularly sanitize their hands throughout
the day.
#bettertogether Page 5
● Arrival and Dismissal Temperature Check
● Children will be screened upon arrival; children who have a fever of 100.4
or above or show any signs and symptoms as indicated by the CDC
COVID-19 symptom chart will not be permitted to attend on-campus
classes.
• Students in K2-Grade1 will enter campus through Gate 3. Parents (face
mask required) will park and walk their children to their individual
classrooms using the exterior glass doors of the classroom. Student(s) will
have their temperature checked prior to walking into the classroom. Grades
K2-1 will be able to drop off their children beginning at 7:30 AM.
• Students in Grades 2-5 will enter campus through Gate 4. Students must
remain in their cars until their temperatures have been checked at the
Temperature Station behind the gym. Grades 2-5 students may be dropped
off beginning at 7:30 AM and will report directly to their classrooms.
• Students in Grades 6-12 will enter campus through gate 4. Students must
remain in their cars until their temperatures have been checked at the
Temperature Station behind the gym. Grades 6-12 students may be
dropped off beginning at 7:20 AM and will report directly to their
classrooms.
• Children with temperatures between 99.4 and 100.4 will be re-checked by
onsite medical personnel every hour throughout the day to ensure their
fever does not increase above the safety threshold. A health report will be
provided to the parents at pickup time.
• If a child displays symptoms, the school onsite medical personnel will
contact parents to pick up the student and will provide a Health Report
Form. In order for the child to be admitted back to school, parent must
provide the office with the health report form given to the parent at pick up
signed by the primary healthcare provider.
• If a Westwood Christian family communicates that a student’s family
member tests positive to COVID19, the student will need to be quarantined
at home for 14 days and will be required to provide proof of clearance
before returning to campus. During this time, the student will be switched to
the Hybrid Learning.
● Family Commitment
• In order to minimize the number of people who come into the buildings, we
are allowing only students, teachers and staff to come inside. We
recommend communicating with teachers either by phone or by email.
Appointments will be granted between 9:00AM and 2:00PM based on
teacher availability; parents must call the office at least 24 hours in
advance to schedule the appointment.
#bettertogether Page 6
Physical Distancing
Maintaining Social Distancing
● Reducing student movement
• PK2- 1 grade students will remain in the same sanitized classroom the
entire day.
• Grades 2-8 students will have class in one room the entire day; teachers
will move each class period to their students’ classrooms.
• Grades 9-12 students will rotate in a single coordinated manner to maintain
safety protocols. Students will use the exterior doors rather than the interior
hallways and will follow specific traffic patterns outside in order to minimize
physical contact. Teachers will open and close doors to reduce touch points
for the students.
• Students’ desks will be separated according to CDC guidelines.
● Lunch
• Students will eat their lunch at designated areas outside or inside their
classroom with their teacher and classmates while practicing social
distancing measures. More information on school lunch options will be
available in the next few weeks.
● Requirements for Face Masks
We view face masks as an important way that we as a school community can
slow the spread of the virus and protect others. Miami Dade County requires
masks whenever residents are out in public (signed April 9, 2020 and renewed
July 1, 2020).
• Students, teachers and staff will be required to wear face masks at all times
during school hours.
• Preschool students will be provided flexibility on wearing their mask based
on meeting physical distancing.
• Students may wear masks that are solid, neutral colors (blue, white, grey,
black, etc.)
• All visitors entering the school campus, including vendors, will be required
to wear a face mask.
#bettertogether Page 7Reduced Contact
Minimizing exposure
• During arrival and drop off times, direct contact with parents will be limited as
much as possible
• Those with serious underlying medical conditions should not pick up children or
come on campus.
• Students, parents, faculty and staff will wear face masks while on campus.
Travel Survey/Testing Requirements/Required Forms for
COVID-19
• Students, parents, faculty, and staff will be provided with a travel questionnaire
prior to reporting to the first day of school. This document will be released on
August 3, 2020, and will need to be completed on or before August 12, 2020, in
order for the student to be admitted to class.
• Anyone who has traveled outside of the United States must quarantine for 14
days from the date of arrival. If no symptoms present, the student may return to
school after the 14 days quarantine period. If at anytime during this period
COVID-19 symptoms develop, the school will require a “not detected” test result
in order for the student to return to school.
• All students, parents, and staff will need to sign a Health and Safety Pledge. This
will need to be completed on or before August 24, 2020, in order for the student to
be admitted to class.
On-site Medical Personnel/School Health Clinic
School Clinic Procedures
• Teachers will notify the onsite medical personnel when students in the classroom
are displaying symptoms or verbalize they are not feeling well.
• Upon notification, the onsite medical personnel will go to the classroom and
escort the student to the school health clinic. Both student and medical personnel
will be protected with the required PPE.
• Upon arrival to the clinic, medical personnel will check the student’s vital signs
and notify the parents and, if necessary, health authorities, to insure optimum
student health and safety.
• The onsite medical personnel will complete a health report form and provide it to
the parent upon student pickup.
● In order for the child to be admitted back to school, parents must provide the
office the incident report with primary healthcare provider’s section completed
and signed for re-admission back to school.
#bettertogether Page 8Student Life
Classroom Environment
The following safety measures will be implemented in the classroom environment.
• Classroom furniture and materials have been minimized for more space and less
surface contamination.
• Student desks and tables have been arranged to provide at least the minimum social
distancing recommended by CDC guidelines.
• Student desks and tables are arranged to avoid face-to-face positioning.
• School water fountains will be temporarily disconnected until such time when it is safe
to use. Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle to school each day.
• Students will use their own personal school supplies. For their protection, they will be
unable to share supplies with others.
• Movement by students within the classroom will be monitored to support social
distancing measures.
• Students will be permitted to use the restrooms throughout the day at their designated
times. Only four students will be allowed in the restroom at a time. Students will have
access to every other sink in order for them to maintain proper social distancing.
• Enhanced disinfecting measures in the classrooms, hallways and restrooms will be
implemented throughout the school day.
Book Purchase and Admit-to-Class Card
Preschool
• Books will be placed in students’ classrooms, just as they have been in previous years.
• Admit to class information will be emailed to parents the week of August 10.
Elementary
• Books will be placed in students’ classrooms, just as they have been in previous years.
• Admit to class information will be emailed to parents the week of August 10.
• Spirit Shirt forms will be emailed the first week of school for parents wishing to purchase
a Spirit Shirt.
Middle and High School
• Class Schedules and Book Sale information will be provided by email to students in
Grades 6-12 the week of July 27. This email will provide the following information:
#bettertogether Page 9• How to access and print their class schedules.
• How to set up an appointment to ask Ms. Oksanen questions about their class
schedule or to request schedule changes.
• How much each of their textbooks will cost.
• How to set up an appointment with Mrs. Abbott to purchase books the week of
August 3. In order to maintain health and safety for our school families and
staff, the Book Sale will be by appointment only. Only one family at a time will
be able to purchase books. No walk-ins will be accepted.
• Grades 9-12 students will be able to put their books in their lockers after picking them
up at the book sale.
Chapel
• Chapel will be live-streamed into the classrooms on chapel days.
• Regular chapel setting will reconvene once it is safe to do so.
Lockers (Grades 9-12)
• Students will be assigned lockers based on social distancing protocols.
• Only a limited number of students will be permitted to go to their lockers at one time.
This will be an organized and structured schedule to enforce social distancing.
Orientation
• All back-to-school orientation sessions will be online.
• Hybrid Learning students will have a virtual orientation before school starts in order to
receive login procedures.
• Elementary and Secondary Orientation will be conducted virtually. Parents will receive a
link with all Virtual Orientation information on August 24 and 25.
Help Class (Grades 6-12)
• In order to reduce contact and maintain social distancing, all help classes for all
students, both on-campus and hybrid, will be virtual help classes from 2:55-3:20 each
afternoon.
• On-campus students who need to meet with a teacher to make up an assignment or ask
a specific question will need to make an appointment in advance. Live appointments will
be limited.
Restrooms
• Students will be permitted to use the restrooms throughout the day at their designated
times. Only four students will be allowed in the restroom at a time. Students will have
access to every other sink in order for them to maintain proper social distancing.
#bettertogether Page 10Field Trips
• All on-campus and off-campus field trips will be scheduled for later in the school year
when it is deemed safe by the CDC.
After School Pickup
• All students not participating in an after-school program must leave the school campus
at the end of the school day.
Aftercare
• We will continue to offer aftercare until 6:00 PM. Aftercare will be by reservation.
Students must be pre-registered in order to attend aftercare. Because space may be
limited in order to maintain social distancing, drop-in use will not be guaranteed.
• The same health and wellness measures used in the classrooms will be used in
aftercare, including social distancing.
• Students will be grouped from different classes and grade levels for aftercare, but this
will be minimized as much as possible.
• Students in Grades K5-5 who have not been picked up from their classrooms by
3:00 will be escorted to the pavilion by the gym and signed into aftercare.
• Students in Grades 6-12 who have not been picked up by 2:55 will be escorted to the
pavilion by the gym and signed into aftercare.
• Once there are fewer than 20 students, aftercare will be moved to the Elementary
Media Center.
#bettertogether Page 11AthleHcs and Fine Arts
Athletics
• Westwood Christian School anticipates the return of our sports program for the
upcoming school year. Westwood Christian School and the FHSAA are closely
monitoring updates from the CDC and the Florida Department of Health to ensure a
safe and successful athletic season. More information will be communicated as it
becomes available.
Fine Arts
• As an important part of the Westwood Christian School extracurricular program,
Westwood Christian will follow CDC guidelines to ensure a safe and successful
environment for all individuals involved in the fine arts program.
ASPIRE and KidFit (K5-grade 5)
We plan to continue to offer extracurricular activities such as ASPIRE and KidFit with enhanced
safety measures.
• All students going to extracurricular activities will have their temperatures checked prior
to leaving the homeroom class.
• Any student with a temperature of 100.4 or higher will not be permitted to attend the
activity and the parent will be contacted to pick up the child in the school clinic
immediately.
• Students will be picked up from their classrooms by their ASPIRE and KidFit instructors
between 2:45 and 3:00.
• Parents will not be permitted to exit their vehicles at any time while in the school
campus.
• All students not participating in an after-school program must leave the school campus at
the end of the school day.
• Parents wishing to see their student(s) in any after-school program must do so from their
cars in a marked parking space (not along the driveway or behind the duplex).
• Student pickup will be at the pavilion (or at an additional site as communicated by the
ASPIRE teacher). Parents will enter the campus using Gate 4 and proceed to the left
side of the cross where the child may be signed out.
#bettertogether Page 12#bettertogether Page 13
Enhanced Academics
Westwood Christian School will begin the new school year on August , 2020. Based on the
circumstances of our students and their families and the recommendations of the CDC, we are
presenting three learning plans for the 2020-2021 school year.
Plan 1: On-Campus Learning
1. Students and teachers will be on campus in their classrooms.
2. School will follow a regular 5-day week with updated school hours.
8:00 AM to 2:45 PM (Preschool and Elementary)
7:50 AM to 2:30 PM (Middle and High School)
3. The school day has been made shorter to accommodate virtual help classes for both On-
campus and Hybrid Learning students. While the actual school day is slightly shorter, we
more than exceed the instructional time required by the Florida Department of Education.
4. We will focus on maintaining a safe campus following the protocols detailed in our Enhanced
Health/Safety document released on July 1, 2020. These guidelines will be updated as
needed, following the recommendations of the CDC and local officials.
5. Classes will have fewer students. Our classes have been reduced to a maximum of 18-20
students per classroom.
6. Hallway traffic will be minimized (please refer to the above Health/Safety Section).
7. Students who need to quarantine for COVID-19 related situations will participate with their
classes from home for the CDC recommended time period. Students will follow the Hybrid
Learning Option guidelines while under quarantine.
Plan 2: Hybrid Learning Option
Hybrid Learning is designed for a remote learning environment for students with existing health
conditions or for families who may not be comfortable sending their children to school because
of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hybrid Learning will help students maintain a connection with classmates and teachers while at
home. While Hybrid Learning is not identical to on-campus learning, Westwood Christian School
faculty and staff will provide high quality instruction in order to address the academic, emotional
and social needs of students until they are able to return to a traditional classroom setting. All
students in the Hybrid Learning Program are considered full-time Westwood Christian School
students and will have the ability—with notice and clearance—to return to in-classroom
instruction.
1. Students will participate from home with live classroom instruction being delivered via
Zoom with the collaboration of the Promethean interactive panels.
#bettertogether Page 142. Each classroom will have a daily schedule of instruction, and students participating in
Hybrid Learning will follow that same schedule at home.
8:00 AM to 2:45 PM (Preschool and Elementary)
7:50 AM to 2:30 PM (Middle and High School)
3. The school day has been made shorter to accommodate virtual help classes for both
On-campus and Hybrid Learning students. While the actual school day is slightly shorter,
we more than exceed the instructional time required by the Florida Department of
Education.
4. Students in grades 6-12 should take advantage of virtual help classes from 2:55-3:20
regularly to ensure they understand the material presented in class, assignment
procedures, due dates and other class responsibilities.
5. Each student will be required to be in an academic environment (desk and chair), follow
Westwood Christian School’s dress code (including uniform and haircuts) and be in daily
attendance.
6. Students will be responsible to submit all assignments/tests on time as if they were in
the regular classroom. All assignments and test will be uploaded to the Learning
Management System (LMS).
7. Live streamed lessons will include the core subjects of instruction as well as electives
and fine arts.
8. Teachers will monitor students’ progress through video conferencing as if the students
were in the classroom.
9. To ensure the success of the Hybrid Learning Program, all students will need
parental support.
10. The Hybrid Learning Program may look different in each grade level/division.
11. This program will remain in place as long as COVID-19 continues to be a concern as
determined by local officials and the Westwood Christian School Administration.
12. Your decision to enroll your student(s) in this plan must be emailed to our school
office on or before July 31, 2020. There will be a grace period until September 8,
2020, to switch back to Plan 1 (On-campus Learning), should you desire to do so. After
September 8, changes will only be permitted at the beginning of each month.
13. You must submit your request to return to the On-campus Learning one week before the
start of a new quarter. Your request must be made via email to the school office.
• Preschool: rnavarro@westwoodchristian.org
• Elementary: lrealin@westwoodchristian.org
• Middle and High School: mllerena@westwoodchristian.org
#bettertogether Page 15Plan 3: Complete Online Remote Learning
Should local, state or federal governments choose to close school buildings, Westwood
Christian School will shift to a complete online remote learning model. The classes will be
enhanced to mirror our traditional classroom setting.
1. The technology platform used by the hybrid program will be used school-wide.
2. The Learning Management System (LMS) used from the beginning of the school year
will continue to be used, ensuring a seamless transition for students and parents.
3. Teachers will include the components of the traditional school day and will intentionally
enhance instruction with additional resources, both teacher-created activities and online
activities.
4. Students will remain at home, and classroom instruction will be delivered remotely until
buildings are able to reopen.
Welcome back!
#bettertogether Page 16You can also read
