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Covid 19; District Preparedness Plan

COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan

(Executive Order 2020-142 District Preparedness Plan)

 Revised 8/6/2020

  Name of District: Pittsford Area Schools

 Address of District: 9304 Hamilton Street

 District Code Number:  30060

 Web Address of the District:  www.pittsfordk12.org

 Name of Intermediate School District:  Hillsdale County ISD

 Name of Authorizing Body (if applicable):

 Preparedness Plan Introduction

Governor Whitmer’s Executive Order 2020-142  “provides a structure to support all schools in Michigan as they plan for a return of pre-K-12 education in the fall. Under the order, school districts must adopt a COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan laying out how they will cope with the disease across the various phases of the Michigan Safe Start Plan. In turn, the accompanying Michigan Return to School Roadmap offers a guide to the types of safety protocols appropriate during each phase. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution: What works in Lansing may not work in Sault Sainte Marie. Districts will retain the flexibility to tailor their instruction to their particular needs and to the disease conditions present in their regions.”  (EO-2020-142)

Each district (public, public school academy (PSA), nonpublic, and intermediate school district (ISD) that educates pre-K-12 students) shall submit a single completed Assurance Document and Preparedness Plan to its Board in time for approval by August 15 or seven days before the first day of school, whichever comes first.  This template, when completed, serves as a single Assurance Document and Preparedness Plan.

The Preparedness Plan will be collected by the Intermediate School District for public school districts, the authorizing body for public school academies, or the chief/designated school administrator for nonpublic schools for transmission to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and State Treasurer by August 17, 2020. Additionally, this Preparedness Plan must be posted on the district’s/PSA’s, or nonpublic school’s public website home page no later than August 17, 2020.   A single application should be filed by the district rather than multiple applications for individual schools within a district.

●   Preparedness Plan Assurances

The District agrees to meet all of the following requirements of Executive Order 2020-142

✓     The District assures that when it provides in-person instruction to its students without disabilities, the district must also provide in-person instruction to its students with disabilities, consistent with their individualized education programs (IEPs).

✓     The District assures that when schools are closed to in-person instruction, districts must strive in good faith and to the extent practicable, based upon available resources, technology, training, and curriculum, as well as the circumstances presented by COVID-19, to provide equal access to any alternative modes of instruction to students with disabilities from birth through age 26. This assurance includes the provision of auxiliary services under section 1296 of the Revised School Code, MCL 380.1296.

✓     The District assures that while any state of emergency or disaster related to the COVID-19 pandemic continues, it shall comply with guidance from the United States Department of Education, including its Office of Civil Rights and Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, and the Michigan Department of Education concerning the delivery of alternative modes of instruction to students with disabilities in light of the impact of COVID-19.

✓     The District assures that it shall, to the extent practicable and necessary, make individualized determinations whether and to what extent compensatory services may be needed for students with disabilities in light of the school closures during the 2019–2020 school year.

✓     The District assures that during Phase 1, 2, or 3 of the Michigan Safe Start Plan it will close its buildings to anyone except: (a) District employees or contractors necessary to conduct minimum basic school operations consistent with a Preparedness Plan, including those employers or contractors necessary to facilitate alternative modes of instruction, such as distributing materials and equipment or performing other necessary in-person functions. (b) Food-service workers preparing food for distribution to students or their families. (c) Licensed child-care providers and the families that they serve, if providers follow all emergency protocols identified by the state.

✓     The District assures that during Phase 1, 2, or 3 of the Michigan Safe Start Plan it will suspend athletics, after-school activities, inter-school activities, and busing.

✓     The District assures that during Phase 1, 2, or 3 of the Michigan Safe Start Plan it will provide for the continued pay of school employees while redeploying staff to provide meaningful work in the context of the Preparedness Plan, subject to any applicable requirements of a collective bargaining agreement.

✓     The District assures that in Phases 1, 2, or 3 of the Michigan Safe Start Plan it will provide for the continuation of food distribution to eligible students.

✓     The District assures that during Phase 4 of the Michigan Safe Start Plan it will prohibit indoor assemblies that bring together students from more than one classroom.

✓     The District assures cooperation with the local public health department if a confirmed case of COVID-19 is identified, and agrees to collect the contact information for any close contacts of the affected individual from two days before he or she showed symptoms to the time when he or she was last present in school.

Preparedness Plan

Every district must develop and adopt a COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan (“Preparedness Plan”) that is informed by Michigan’s 2020-21 Return to School Roadmap (“Return to School Roadmap”) from the COVID-19 Task Force on Education and Return to School Advisory Council.

In accordance with Executive Order 2020-142 a plan must include all the following parts:

1. The policies and procedures that the District will follow when the region in which the district is located is in Phase 1, 2, or 3 of the Michigan Safe Start Plan.
2. Describe how the district will offer alternative modes of instruction other than in-person instruction and a summary of materials each student and the student’s parents or guardians will need to meaningfully access the alternative modes of instruction included in the Preparedness Plan. If the Preparedness Plan relies on electronic instruction, the Preparedness Plan must consider how the district will aid students who lack access to computers or to the internet. This is also in the Continuity of Learning and COVID-19 Response Plan submitted in April. You may want to update and link to this plan in your response below.

District and Building Implementation Plan:

The district plans to use a hybrid model of instruction using online learning platforms as the primary mode of instruction (i.e.Google Classroom, Edmodo, Odysseyware, Moby Max, Zoom). Students without devices or internet access will have access to instructional materials through a weekly instructional packet. Instructional materials (i.e. paper, pencils, etc) will be made available to families that do not have them. All students will have access to grade-level/course textbooks/resources as needed to complete their work. Students will not be penalized for inability to fully participate provided families stay engaged with school personnel in developing personalized and realistic education plans for their child. Students must communicate with their teachers if unable to fully participate in classroom assignments/activities so an alternative plan can be developed. The district will do everything it can to meet student/family needs and allow for full participation.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Teachers/Staff will be expected to attempt weekly contact with students and have two-way communication. This may be done through the use of technology (i.e. virtual meeting, email, Class Dojo, Remind) or through weekly phone calls/text messaging. For students with technology access teachers may communicate each week through the instructional platform (i.e. Google Classroom, Zoom, Edmodo), with an emphasis on continuing to build relationships and maintain connections. If students do not have access to technology, teachers will provide instructional packets that focus on essential content, building relationships, and maintaining connections. We will encourage relationships between students through technology (virtual meetings, email), by phone or text, or by having students write letters to classmates. Teachers will have set office hours.

For students with technology access, content will be delivered through the online platform. Teachers will be accessible for synchronous instruction (virtual meetings/office hours) at least once per week and asynchronous instruction through pre-made videos or live videos/lessons multiple times per week. For those students without technology, the main mode of delivery will be through hard copy instructional packets. This will be supplemented by teacher contact to support instruction. The instructional packets will be provided through bus delivery or by picking up at school.

For students with technology access, teachers will monitor student access and assignment completion on a regular basis within the instructional platform. Teachers will provide feedback to students on assignments. Teachers will differentiate instruction as needed. For students without technology access, instructional packets will be delivered and collected each week during designated days and times. Teachers will review the instructional packet and provide feedback. Feedback from the teacher will include differentiated work as needed, along with examples to support student learning. An example of this may be providing a student that is struggling with double-digit subtraction/additional practice and several written examples with the steps. A phone call could also be used as a follow-up if needed. If the student is not participating in bus drop- off, materials may be returned to school.

The plan will be communicated through an all-call communication platform. The plan will be posted in a prominent location on our district website, and a link will also be posted on our district Facebook page.  A hardcopy will be available upon request.

For our students in dual enrollment courses we will be working with the provider to determine next steps. We will ensure that the students have the appropriate materials and support to complete these courses. For students enrolled in CTE programs we will work with the CTC Principal/Director to ensure our students have the ability to complete these courses. When needed, the district will ensure the student has the necessary resources.

If a student has access to technology, teachers will use the instructional platform to monitor student wellness, engagement, and completion of assignments. They will also keep a log of communication with students and families. If a student does not have access to technology, teachers will keep track of which students are completing the weekly instructional packets. They will also need to keep a log of all communication with students and families. Inconsistent completion and/or communication with a parent or student will be raised to the Principal  for the middle/high students or Lead Teacher for the elementary students to develop a plan to connect with the student and family. Additional support agencies may be sought to make these connections.

The district will survey all parents to determine current mental health needs and provide an online form for parents/students to request support. Based on the survey results or form requests, the school social worker will reach out to individual students and families to determine what they may need. Appropriate school personnel will help connect the family to outside agencies, if needed, to help meet their needs. School staff will monitor and assess the needs of students and families through their communications. If a need is identified, the school staff will elevate that need to the principal or counselor to make the necessary follow-up. The middle school/high school principal and elementary lead teacher will hold weekly virtual meetings with teachers and other key staff to identify any additional students or families in need.

1. The policies and procedures that the District will follow when the region in which the District is located is in Phase 4 of the Michigan Safe Start Plan. Those policies and procedures must, at a minimum, include: 

1. Face coverings (p. 22)
2. Please describe how the district will implement requirements for facial coverings that at a minimum require the wearing of face coverings, except during meals and unless face coverings cannot be medically tolerated, for:
3. i) All staff and all students in grades preK-12 when on a school bus.
4. ii) All staff and all students in grades preK-12 when in indoor hallways and common areas.

                iii)         All staff when in classrooms.

1. iv)         All students in grades 6 and up when in classrooms.
2. v) All students in grades kindergarten through grade 5 unless students remain with their classes throughout the school day and do not come into close contact with students in another class.

District and Building Implementation Plan:

• The expectations for the wearing of face coverings and how to obtain clean face coverings will be included in all district to parent communications, all handbooks, all student orientations, and all staff orientations.
• Students will be required to watch a safety video on the wearing of and expectations for maintenance of face coverings. Students and parents will sign-off on their awareness of these policies before the students are permitted to enter the classroom on the first day of school.
• Building, grounds, and transportation signage will be prominent throughout all school facilities and clearly identify who is required to wear face coverings in each designated area of the building, grounds, or bus.
• Face coverings will be ordered and provided to every student and staff member on a daily basis. These will be placed on busses and in the classrooms every evening by the custodial and transportation staff.  Students and staff may wear their own face coverings.
• Face coverings will be provided to K-5 teachers with the requirement to wear the clear mask during instruction. A clear face covering is available for all other staff upon request.
• Disposable face coverings will be disposed of at the end of the day.
• Individuals (staff or students) who claim medical exemption will need to meet with the district Principal /Administration, prior to the first day of school, to provide rationale and documentation by an appropriate licensed professional.
• Exempted individuals will be recorded in a master database and issued a sticker) to  display on their student or staff ID indicating this exemption. ID’s will be worn at all times on a lanyard provided by the school.
• K-5 students will not be required to wear a face covering once they are situated in the classroom unless the classroom activity places them in close (2 feet or less) proximity to other students.
• Students who are capable of wearing a face covering and refuse to do so in an area where a face covering is required will be issued a face covering by a school official (teacher, paraprofessional, administrator, school safety staff, playground aid, etc.) and asked to put the face covering on. The instance will be documented as a log entry in PowerSchool.
• Students showing patterns of non-compliance will be removed from the school building after five accumulative infractions and placed into remote instruction until the student agrees to comply with this safety protocol. Parents will be notified of each instance of non-compliance by the administration or school safety officer.  Continued removals from the school building will result in permanent placement into remote instruction with the student being banned from coming to the school site.
• Staff who are capable of wearing a face covering and refuse to do so will be addressed by the school administrator and could face progressive disciplinary measures up to and including termination.
• Guests' entry will be limited to the school building (presenters, substitute teachers, etc), but when necessary guests will be issued a disposable face covering upon signing in at the main office and will be instructed to wear the face covering at all times. Instances of non-compliance will result in the guest being escorted from the building by the building administrator.
• In instances of uncertainty about individuals not wearing face coverings, these matters will be relayed to the building administration for review and decisive action.

2. Hygiene

Please describe how you will implement the requirements for hygiene protocols

from the Return to School Roadmap (p. 22-23).

District and Building Implementation Plan:

• Every classroom will be supplied with a hand sanitizing or handwashing station.
• Supplies (paper towels, soap, hand sanitizer, tissues, trash receptacles) will be checked daily and restocked in the classroom.
• Teachers will contact the office immediately if supplies run out during the school day.
• Each classroom will have a hygiene protocol with timelines that are posted and communicated via web pages, bulletin boards, and the like. It will include:

○      Hand-washing schedule

○      Room and materials cleaning schedule

• Teacher will teach students the following on the first day of school and reinforce weekly or more often as needed (this may be done via video)

○      proper handwashing on the first day of school and reinforce weekly or more often if needed

○      how to cough and sneeze into their elbows, or to cover with a tissue and dispose of it in the trash

• Proper mitigation strategies including hand washing and sneezing will be communicated to families via web pages, communication boards, and the like. Parents and caregivers will be asked to review and reinforce with their students.
• Custodial staff will:

○      Procure adequate soap, hand sanitizer, paper towels, tissues

○      Post signage related to cleaning and hygiene strategies in each room, restroom, throughout the hallways.

○      Monitor hygiene supplies and refill as needed

○      Procure hand sanitizing stations as deemed necessary during walk-through with the building leader.

• Sharing school supplies will be limited, and each student will have their own supply box for materials.
• A list of these supplies will be generated as appropriate for each grade level and or specific middle school or high school course.

3. Cleaning: Please describe how you will implement the cleaning requirements for cleaning protocols from the Return to School Roadmap (p. 27).

District and Building Implementation Plan:

• District Level Administrators and Building Operations will meet to review all guidance related to cleaning and disinfecting of buildings and to review the Building Operations the MI Safe Schools: Michigan's 2020-21 Return to School Roadmap.
• An inventory related to all cleaning supplies that are in compliance with the EPA-approved related to COVID will be taken and orders will be made to address increased cleaning protocols.
• Cleaning stations will be identified around the building that hold materials for usage in different wings. (i.e. Curriculum closet in third grade hallway, gym storage room, custodial closet in 5th grade hallway, storage closet across from HS Office)
• All classrooms will be provided spray bottles with EPA-approved disinfectant, paper towels, face shield and gloves in order to address new cleaning protocols. Staff must wear gloves, a mask and face shield when cleaning.
• Each building custodial team and administrator will tour their building and identify areas of frequent usage throughout the building.
• Custodial staff will walk the building wiping all high frequency usage areas at 7:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m, 4:00 p.m and following any evening activities in the building. 
• All special classrooms i.e. art, music, gym and media centers will have EPA-approved cleaning supplies stored in the classroom away from students. The teacher of record for the area will wipe down all frequently used materials after each class has exited with  EPA-approved disinfectant.  This will occur prior to the entrance of the next class.
• Students desks will be wiped down everytime students exit the room at the elementary or after every period at the secondary level with EPA-approved disinfectant.  Locked storage units with ventilation for cleaning materials will be available for all staff as needed.  All classrooms will have the appropriate EPA-approved disinfectant in their rooms.
• Playground equipment will be cleaned twice a week.
• A training on cleaning materials and protocols will be provided to the staff prior to the start of school. This training will show the use of PPE when cleaning, protocols for the classroom and storage of cleaning materials.

4. Athletics: Please describe how you will implement the requirements for athletics protocols from the Return to School Roadmap (p. 27).

District and Building Implementation Plan:

• The district will follow and comply with all MHSAA guidelines.
• Students, teachers, and staff must use proper hand hygiene techniques before and after every practice, event, or other gathering. Every participant should confirm that they are healthy and without any symptoms prior to any event.
• All equipment must be disinfected before and after use.
• Inter-school competitions may be held provided that facial coverings are worn if school transportation is provided. Buses must be cleaned and disinfected before and after every use, as detailed in the subsequent “Busing and Student Transportation” section.
• Spectators are allowed provided that facial coverings are used by observers and six feet of social distancing can be maintained at all times. Attention must be given to entry and exit points to prevent crowding. This is subject to change based on changing guidance by the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA).
• Each participant must use a clearly marked water bottle for individual use. There should be no sharing of this equipment. Handshakes, fist bumps, and other unnecessary contact must not occur.
• Large scale indoor spectator events are suspended. Large scale outdoor spectator or stadium events are limited to 100 people, and people not part of the same household must maintain six feet of distance from one another.
• The MHSAA has established a phased in model for Fall Sports, Pittsford Area Schools plans to follow all guidelines and protocols of the MHSAA to ensure our students who choose to participate in athletics can participate in the safest environment possible.

5. Screening:

Please describe how you will implement the requirements for screening protocols from the Return to School Roadmap (p. 24).

District and Building Implementation Plan:

• A copy of our screening and exposure plan will be submitted to the County Health Department. This plan will be reviewed periodically with the District Pandemic Response Team and the Health Department along with the status of any referrals from the prior month.
• Students will be screened prior to bus entry or at the High School main entrance. If an individual’s temperature is over 100.4 degrees, they will be sent home for the day.
• Each school building will identify a remote and secluded room, no smaller than 100 square feet to serve as an isolation area. This room will be outfitted with appropriate PPE including gowns, face shields, N95 Masks, gloves, sanitizing wipes, portable two-way radios, an internet-connected computer, and log sheets.
• Each building will have an identified and trained staff person to serve as the “quarantine officer”. These duties will take precedence over any other responsibilities and therefore this individual must have the flexibility to leave their regular assignment at a moment’s notice.
• From the time of identification of potential infection, the student will not be left unattended by the quarantine officer and a log sheet of activity will be maintained at 5-minute intervals until the student or staff member is safely removed from the building.
• Parent communication will be made immediately with clear and concise directions on where and how to pick up the student and where to report for testing.
• A designated person (office staff) will contact the student/family each day after removal until test results are provided and verified before the student can return to school.
• During the time of quarantine, the student will be asked to self identify the location and individuals they came into contact with for the past 48 hours to the best of their recollection. Priority will be placed on those individuals that they were in contact with for a sustained 15 minutes of more.
• The health department will be contacted after parents have been contacted to assist in contact tracing and notification of vulnerable individuals.
• All school staff will be required to conduct a health safety self assessment at home prior to coming to work and verifying through MI Symptoms application that they are safe to work. This will include taking their temperature and reporting this daily on the MI Symptoms application.
• Staff who are unable to work due to displaying COVID-19 systems will be required to report this to the school through the MI Symptoms application as well as through AESOP. The school health official or Human Resources will monitor this form daily and follow up with any symptomatic person to direct where, when, and how to get tested and to report those results back to the school as soon as available.
• Positive tests for staff members will result in a required quarantine away from school for 14 days. Days of quarantine for COVID-19 positive results will NOT count against employee sick time allocations.

6. Testing

Please describe how you will implement the requirements for testing protocols from the Return to School Roadmap  (p. 25).

District and Building Implementation Plan:

Pittsford Area Schools will cooperate with the local public health department if a confirmed case of COVID-19 is identified, and in particular, will collect the contact information for any close contacts of the affected individual from two days before he or she showed symptoms to the time when he or she was last present at the school.

• Students who develop a fever or become ill with COVID-19 symptoms at school should wear a mask and be transported by their parent or guardian, emergency contact, or ambulance if clinically unstable, for off-site testing.
• Staff who develop a fever or become ill with COVID-19 symptoms at school should wear a mask and be transported for off-site testing.
• Symptomatic students and staff sent home from school should be kept home until they have tested negative for COVID-19, or have been released from isolation according to CDC guidelines.
• Families should be notified of the presence of any laboratory positive or clinically diagnosed cases.
  of COVID-19 in the classroom and/or school to encourage closer observation for any symptoms at home.
• In the event of a lab or clinically diagnosed case of COVID-19, immediate efforts should be made to contact any close contacts (those who spent more than 15 minutes less than six feet in close proximity to the student or staff member) so that they can be quarantined for 14 days at home. Students and staff should be closely monitored for any symptoms of COVID-19. At this time, empiric testing of all students or staff members in the class is not recommended. Only those that develop symptoms require testing for COVID-19.
• Busing and Student Transportation

Please describe how you will implement the requirements for busing and student transportation protocols from the Return to School Roadmap (p. 28).

District and Building Implementation Plan:

• Meetings will be held with district transportation supervisors or contracted transportation departments to review the criteria required for level IV and discuss concerns or issues arising.
• Drivers will be trained in cleaning and sanitizing protocols..
• Signage will be added to each bus to address the use of face masking of all students and drivers, use of hand sanitizers and cleaning protocols.
• Districts relying on their own transportation will assess the number of buses that may be on the road and re-evaluate weekly based on student participation rates.
• Begin the ordering of hand sanitizer and supplies for the entrance of each bus.
• An ordering plan and schedule to obtain cleaning supplies in compliance with the CDC that can be utilized in the cleaning of the bus between routes and the wiping down of frequent areas of contact has been developed.
• Busses will be properly cleaned after the departure of the last child from each run once the bus has returned to the transportation garage. Logs will be maintained for a period of 90 days.
• Face masks will be available at the entrance of the bus in the event that a student does not come to the bus equipped with the necessary item. Temperatures will be taken as they enter the bus. Students will not be allowed to ride a bus or attend school if their temperature is 100.4 degrees or above.
• Communication will be sent out to families related to the mandatory nature of wearing a face mask on the bus and that all staff and students, if medically feasible, must wear it in order to be transported, unless “It is determined on a case by case basis that it is not safe for the bus driver to wear a facial covering.”
• Communication documents will be developed to enable the drivers of the buses to know what the safety plans are for any specific students and who for medical reasons will not be wearing a face mask.
• Professional development will be required for all bus drivers related to the changes including the appropriate usage of face masks and policies regarding the requirement of their usage on the bus, hand sanitizing, and cleaning protocols to address the cleaning and disinfecting of the bus before and after every route. A check sheet with time and date of each cleaning will be provided to staff to complete each time the bus is cleaned.
• Bus drivers, conditions permitting, will keep windows open for proper ventilation on the bus both in route and when stopped.
• On those buses with specialized transportation and equipment needs, bus aides or drivers will wipe down the equipment upon entrance to the bus. This will be noted in the cleaning log.

1. Describe the policies and procedures that the district will follow when the region in which the district is located is in Phase 5 of the Michigan Safe Start Plan.

1. Indicate which highly recommended protocols from the Return to School Roadmap the district will include in its Preparedness Plan when the region in which the district is located is in Phase 5 of the Michigan Safe Start Plan.

2. Indicate which highly recommended protocols from the Return to School Roadmap the district will not include in its Preparedness Plan when the region in which the district is located is in Phase 5 of the Michigan Safe Start Plan.

4. After considering all the protocols that are highly recommended in the Return to School Roadmap, please indicate if a school plans to exclude protocols that are highly recommended for any of the categories above in Phase 4.

Final Steps for Submission

Each district shall submit a single completed Assurance Document and Preparedness Plan to its Board of Education (in the case of a PSA, the Academy Board of Directors; in the case of a nonpublic school, the chief or designated school administrator ) in time for approval by August 15 or seven days before the first day of school, whichever comes first.

Date of Approval by the District Board of Education, PSA Board of Directors, or nonpublic school chief/designated school administrator:   August 10, 2020

Link to the Board Meeting Minutes or Signature of Board President, or signature of nonpublic school chief/designated school administrator: https://www.pittsfordk12.org/Page/328

Link to the approved Plan posted on the District/PSA/nonpublic school website: https://www.pittsfordk12.org

The Preparedness Plan will be collected by the Intermediate School District for public school districts, the authorizing body for public school academies, or the chief/designated school administrator for nonpublic schools for transmission to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and State Treasurer by August 17, 2020. Additionally, this Preparedness Plan must be posted on the district’s/PSA’s, or nonpublic school’s public website home page no later than August 17, 2020.

Name of District/PSA/Nonpublic Leader Submitting Plan: Deanna Edens, Superintendent

Date Received by the ISD/Authorizing Body/Chief or designated School Administrator:

Date Submitted to State Superintendent and State Treasurer:  To be completed by ISD Superintendent

Pittsford School Start Date Change

Dear Communities of Hillsdale County, 

We want to inform you of a change in the upcoming school year start date. Hillsdale County schools’ Common Calendar was set for students to return August 19th to in-person learning but will be changed to begin after Labor Day on Tuesday, September 8th.

As our schools’ superintendents have been working with staff and collaboratively with each other in preparation for our opening, we have realized that we need more time to make sure all of our schools are prepared for our staff and students with adequate safety equipment, training for staff, and other requirements mandated by our Governor.  

We have found that personal protective equipment (PPE)  that is required is hard to get in a timely manner: Some of our items have been backordered.  We are working collaboratively with our vendors, the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency, Hillsdale Hospital, and the Hillsdale County Community Foundation to secure equipment needed for students and staff to return safely.  All schools are also finalizing their reopening school plan that will be adopted by each school’s Board of Education.  Each school in our county has to meet the minimum requirements set in the Governor's order and have it listed in a plan that will be submitted to the state prior to opening.  The superintendents feel this extra time will allow staff to be prepared on new safety guidelines in our plans and get our supplies in to start the school year. 

We know this change can impact a family and it wasn't made without many long conversations.  If you have any questions please contact your local district.  Your district will release a calendar soon as they may vary slightly from district-to-district.  Please note that winter and spring breaks will remain as previously scheduled on the common calendar.  

Sincerely,

Hillsdale County Superintendents 

A Letter from the Superintendent to Pittsford Families

August 3, 2020


Hello Wildcat Families! 

As our committee continues to develop our Back to School Plan for this fall, we wanted to provide you with an update. Please keep in mind that we are still working our way through the plan based on current Executive Orders and law which could both change suddenly and force us to modify our plans. We anticipate we will have our finalized Back to School Plan by next week. This school year is sure to require flexibility as we all work through an ever-changing environment. Our goal is to create the best plan we can which will allow for a high-quality education while keeping our students and staff safe. 

Student Learning: Governor Whitmer’s Executive Order 2020-142 provides a structure to support all schools in Michigan as they plan for a return of pre-K-12 education in the fall. Under the order, school districts must adopt a COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan laying out how they will cope with the disease across the various phases of the Michigan Safe Start Plan. One of the directions given to us by the Governor is to create a system, which allows for a quick shift from in-person instruction to online instruction in case our region is moved to Phase 1-3. We are also aware for many families, there is a desire to utilize a remote format at this time. Therefore, we are going to offer two options: in-person and remote. Our teachers will work to create their lessons so that, regardless of which option chosen, students will be receiving a similar curriculum. If we are still in Phase 4 or Phase 5, we will offer both the remote and in-person instruction.

Unknowns: Like you, we are also wondering what is going to happen over the next few weeks. Will the current orders change? Will the legislature change the rules regarding online learning, pupil accounting, instructional hour requirements, seat-time requirements, and more? The good news is most of the policy/legal issues should be resolved soon, which will give us enough time to be ready for our first day of school. 

On behalf of our committee, thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through this complicated process. As more of our requirements become clarified and our plan develops more, we will share those details with you.

Please take a moment to complete the following survey by August 10^th to help us better prepare for the upcoming school year. 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1AB44uVw_yFoYm-7sUo9dnW3yd3YdoRIC2PVjGMfOCJM/edit?ts=5f249bc7

 Thank you,

Deanna Edens

Superintendent 

Pittsford Area Schools Re-Entry/Back to School Plan (7/15/20)

To the Pittsford School Community: The link below will take you to the plan developed by the county schools and the Hillsdale ISD. Please read it carefully. Our collective and unwavering commitment is to put the needs of our students and staff above all else. We value collaboration as a necessary driver for advancing student learning and school safety in Hillsdale County.

Re-Entry plan for Pittsford Area Schools (7/15/20)

Dear Parent or Guardians:

As we conclude what has been a rewarding, yet unprecedented school year, I want to thank you for your partnership in the journey we have gone through together!  In my twenty-five years in education I cannot remember a time where parents had to juggle so many responsibilities with their families, including taking on an educational role at times!  Thank you for all that you have done and thank you for your patience as we navigated the waters of remote learning.

So where do we go from here?  We obviously don’t know the scenario we will be faced with in the Fall of 2020, but please know this: we will provide a quality education for your child no matter what your preference, no matter what the guidelines, no matter the situation!  While we prefer to begin the school year 100% in person, we know that we must have a robust customized remote learning plan should you, the parent, prefer it or should the circumstances require it.

A plan that resembles what we teach in person and when we teach it so that kids have a similar experience in either delivery model.  One that provides a great deal of student-teacher interaction and support, and one that allows the parent to return to being the parent and the school re-assuming the major role of educating every student.

We have teams working on our in person re-entry to school and remote learning instruction. In addition, we are preparing for facilities that are safer than at any previous time.  We will be ready to begin next August 19, 2020.

A survey will be sent out following this letter that will provide Pittsford Area Schools and our county with some very important information regarding both the experience your student(s) have just completed and what you are thinking at this point in time in regards to the Fall of 2020 learning preferences for your child.  Please know this survey is confidential.  The data will provide good information as we plan to meet your needs for next school year.

Things appear to be changing rapidly with each week that passes.  I assure you that we will be ready to provide the top-notch education you have come to expect from Pittsford Area Schools.

Again, thank you for your continued partnership.  We look forward to an exceptional 2020-2021 school year!

Educationally,

Deanna Edens
Superintendent
Pittsford Area Schools

Below is a letter from the Hillsdale ISD and an opportunity to take their survey regarding the 2020-21 school year

Employment Opportunities

Position: Secondary Science Teacher (DX or DI Endorsement)

For the entire job posting, Click Here

 Substitute Bus Drivers Needed

Pittsford Area Schools is in need of Sub Bus Drivers for the 2019/2020 school year.  If interested please contact Jessica Rebeck at (517) 523-3481 x 123.