Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Harwood Staff Blog, August 18, 2020

 

We have been waiting on the runway for a very long time. They (AOE etc) say we will lift off on September 8th. Please keep seat belts on as we are flying into a hurricane. Good times.

Pre-Trip Check begins on August 54th. Sorry no one can use the bathrooms and there is no service available.




Hello Harwood Team;  

 

As we continue to collectively navigate this changing reality - we want to acknowledge that none of us wish for this to be our reality personally or professionally nor the reality for our students and families.  

 

Each of us is chartering this in our own unique manner and as we continue to do so we want to remind and encourage us all to take care of each other and assume best intentions.  

 

As we all know - there is no playbook for us to turn to at this time and thus there are many differing opinions regarding how we should move forward.  This necessitates the continued collaboration of our Dep’t heads and Return to Learn team in order to ensure multiple perspectives are involved in our decision making.  As we continue to move forward each decision made will impact individuals differently and thus the continued need for empathy and a listening stance is essential.

 

We continue to be grateful for your partnership!

Duane, Meg (synchronizer)McDunna  and Laurie (The Lancer) Greenburg 

 

Harwood MS/HS Staff FAQ

Operations

 

  • Please take some time to review this important FAQ document HUUSD Nurse (HEALTH UPDATE) 


  • What are the expectations for adult physical distancing?

    • Adults and adult staff within schools should maintain a distance of 6 feet from other adults as much as possible.

    • Teachers and staff should maintain a distance of 6 feet from students as much as possible. However, brief periods of closer contact, such as when a student may need one-on-one guidance, clarification, or assistance are expected and permitted. In these cases, staff should stand/kneel/sit side-by-side students (rather than face-to-face) for brief amounts of time (less than 15 minutes).


  • How will meetings be held at this time based on “Strong and Healthy Start” requirements (from the VT Agency of Education)?

    • We should hold virtual meetings with students, families and staff. 

    • Face-to-face staff meetings should be limited

      • Held outside and include physical distancing.


  • What are the guidelines for group sizes?  

    • Please see current “Work Safe” requirements (from the VT Agency of Commerce and Community Development): 

  • Group size indoors: 

    • 50% fire safety capacity; 1 person per 100 square feet, 75 people max

    • 6 feet physical distancing

  • Group size outdoors: 

    • 150 people max

    • 6 feet physical distancing

 

Teaching & Learning 


  • What are our Hybrid Student participation expectations?

 

  • What will expectations for learning during offsite days (Monday/Friday) look like in a 4/1 model?

    • 45 min.blocks teachers are encouraged to maximize this as “think and practice” time for students such as small group & independent time that can be used to provide feedback and individualized support.

    • No more than 30 min. of block time should be direct instruction from teachers.

  • Thus, at least 15 min. of each block should be for break out time that allows for individualized/small group support & independent work time 



Time Monday/Friday offsite 

Schedule 

8:20 - 8:45 

TA

9:00 - 9:45

Block 1

10:00 - 10:45 

Block 2

11:00 - 11:45

Block 3

11:45 - 12:45

LUNCH

12:45 - 1:30

Block 4

1:30 - 2:47

Office Hours 


*Office hours: time for students to schedule time with teachers with questions & for additional 

 

  • What is the final decision re: our use of Wednesday’s in our Hybrid model? 



Time 


Notes

ELO 1

(Block 1 class)

9:00-9:30

30 mins


ELO 2

(Block 2 class)

9:45-10:15

30 mins


ELO 3

(Block 3 class)

10:30-11:00

30 mins


ELO 4

(Block 4 class)

11:15-11:45

30 mins


Break for lunch for all 

If desired, Enriching Students could be used for “lunch groups” for social and wellness kinds of options.

ELO 5

12:30-1:30

30-60 mins

This time is allocated for music blocks, assembly crew and other enrichment options as desired and needed by teaching staff.  

ELO 6

1:45-2:45

30-60 mins

*Teachers assigned to 2-3 of the 4 blocks based on course schedule (i.e. planning block is off)

Could be tied much more strictly to support / enrichment by class.  Advantage is that students would have access to all their teachers.

 

  • When will each quarter end in the 2020 - 2021 school year? 

    • Q1 - Nov 13

    • Q2 - Janu 29 

    • Q3 - April 9 

    • Q4 - Last day of school  


Student Support 

 

  • What is our attendance policy for 2020-2021?  

    • Students are expected to attend all synchronous learning - both onsite and online.   

      • Daily morning attendance will be taken with a daily question in TA each day

      • Staff are expected to take attendance in the first 10 minutes of every class period both onsite and online.

      • Communication home to absent students will occur for health & safety reasons every day.

  • What are the details of the initial community connections?

    • All TA teachers will schedule meetings with their TA students and families on September 2,3,4 

    • The intention is to establish relationships and connections; identify needs and answer questions.


Coming Soon to a school near you!  


  • Family communication norms

  • Passing/transition time procedures

  • How to treat hobbits and other woodland creatures  

 

 



Curious  

Topics 

Information/Links

Tasks/Point people 

Resources to support learning and readiness for our new teaching model

Making every one of your students feel valued, known, and respected. Even when we’re teaching them online

Creating Moments of Genuine Connection Online

 

The Hybrid Teacher - A great resource on chartering the balance of onsite and online teaching from Adam Sargent


Summary of decisions to date - *check out the new additions

HUUSD FAQ about return to school

 

Meg, Duane and Laurie 

If you have more more questions please add to our Q&A 

Harwood MS/HS Q&A.  We are working to answer all your questions in a timely manner.  In order to help us track unanswered questions please add them to this document and we will seek answers prior to next week’s blog and share back the answers we can to date.


Inservice schedule 

2020 August Inservice schedule 






Connected 

Topics 

Information/Links

Tasks/Point people 

Radio update

Information regarding the use of outdoor space will be available during inservice.  We have purchased additional radios that will distributed throughout the school (to dept) to help with communication when teachers are taking kids outside.  Designated space and protocols will be reviewed on August 31 during inservice.  

Duane Pierson 

Racial Equity Discussions 

 

In June, in the wake of the protests that erupted after the murder of George Floyd, the majority of Harwood's staff and faculty signed a letter committing us to work towards creating a culture of racial equity at Harwood. Throughout the summer, a group of teachers, special educators, administrators and students have been meeting to strategize on how best to implement this work. Now that we are back in school, we want to  expand that discussion to include all of our voices. 

 

During inservice, we will have an all faculty/staff Harkness discussion so that each of us can weigh in on the question, " “What are the opportunities for and obstacles to addressing racial justice in our school culture?” Please review the  google document here that outlines the logistics for our  gathering and  the  linked materials so that you will be ready to contribute to the Harkness on Wednesday, August 26th.  

Email Paul & Kathy Cadwell







Caring 

Topics 

Information/Links

Tasks/Point people 

Accessible and organized staff documents in one place

This shared drive includes: - 2020-21 Letterhead - Professional Development Form - ReadySub Employee Use Guide - Expense Reimbursement Form - Mileage/Travel Reimbursement Form - Support Staff Missed Lunch Break Form - 20-21 Staff Information Form If there are any forms not on this list you think would be helpful, please let me know. As any new information becomes available (such as updated school calendar), I will put that here as well.


Shannon Tremblay

Sign in reminder

There is a sign in sheet in the vestibule of the front entrance to the school . If you come into the building, please SIGN IN. If, for any reason, there’s an issue (i.e., anyone coming in tests positive or believes they have come into contact with someone who has), that allows us to know who else we should be contacting. 


Construction work FYI

*Crossett Hill Rd. will be closed August 18 through October 13, 2020 


*The southern bridge of the Moretown Village will be closed for approximately three months.  If a ride is needed through the river  and forest to Harwood, please email Laurie as she will be glad to pick you up on horseback (remember she is a champion lancer) to get you there and back.  





 


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