Please support local news coverage –

Donate Here

District submits East Providence’s school reopening plan for state review

Includes elements of both in-person, distance learning as pandemic endures

By Mike Rego
Posted 7/16/20

EAST PROVIDENCE — How will the 2020-21 school year begin and under what conditions brought on by the continuing COVID-19 pandemic will it proceed?

Those questions were answered in part when …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Please support local news coverage –

Donate Here

District submits East Providence’s school reopening plan for state review

Includes elements of both in-person, distance learning as pandemic endures

Posted

EAST PROVIDENCE — How will the 2020-21 school year begin and under what conditions brought on by the continuing COVID-19 pandemic will it proceed?

Those questions were answered in part when the administration presented the School Committee at its July 14 meeting with an overview of the reopening proposal the district sent to the Rhode Island Department of Education for consideration.

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Sandra Forand coordinated the central office’s effort, the result of which was a 105-page document. Some 60 “stakeholders” engaged in the process, sitting on four committees and an overall task force set up by Superintendent Kathryn Crowley. Their work was submitted to RIDE earlier last week. The administration was awaiting word from the state if it could continue to pursue its plan as-is or if needed any adjustments.

The proposal must meet both RIDE and Rhode Island Department of Health requirements in response to the pandemic. The main aim is to open all buildings for in-person classes in time for the August 31 start date declared recently by Gov. Gina Raimondo. The plan, however, must also include parameters around a mixed model or a combination of in-person and distance learning as well as those for a complete return to distance learning if health and safety conditions decline.

Dr. Forand said, “First and foremost all these committees looked at safety.” She continued, “The decisions that were made were all based on the evidence we had, the research that we did and the safety of our students and staff and how we could accomplish that in these three separate plans.”

The actual model submitted by the district to the state was a “hybrid,” Dr. Forand explained. It calls for all elementary level students to return to buildings while the middle and high school levels would combine in-person and distance instruction. Dr. Forand said the administration is also exploring ways to provide full distance learning option for students who can’t return for health reasons, specifically.

The four committees were responsible for considering just about every element of the daily educational experience.

The staff committee put an emphasis on more rigorous instruction, face-to-face time between students and faculty and social-emotional support for both staff and pupils. It also seeks more and better communication and cooperation between parents and teachers as well as increased accountability for students to engage in their studies.

Another committee focused directly on social emotional issues for families. A website is being created with resources to better equip students, parents and teachers. The committee is also continuing to look at ways in which students can be assisted in the future as they likely will still be dealing with the effects of the pandemic in the next few years to come.

A third committee reviewed how the district will feed and transport students however curriculum is taught in 2020-21. If using the full distance model, food would be delivered at bus stops and sites throughout district, like what took place at the end of last year. For in-person students, pupils would mostly all eat in classrooms. Specialty kiosks would be used at the middle school, high schools and career and tech center. As for transportation, due to capacity restrictions currently in place by the state, the number of students able to ride buses would be limited. The distances from buildings making students eligible to ride would be extended. Parents will likely be asked to drive students or create carpools.

The final committee to report considered day-to-day operations of buildings from how students will arrive and depart, how they’ll change classrooms, how recess will be handled, bathroom usage, lunch periods, etc. The group also suggested a revised cleaning regimen to be conducted by custodians.

Dr. Forand said the district continues to review its reopening plans daily, making observations about what’s being done both nationally and internationally, adding “we feel we’re a week ahead of where we need to be.”
Administrators have done building walk-throughs to determine proper social distancing spacing. Dr. Forand explained, “We’re exploring every option we can at this point.”

Superintendent Crowley emphasized the district’s current “document is fluid…It could change in a week or two…Things could look very differently.”

Asked by At-Large member Joel Monteiro about police involvement with potential extended walking routes, District Director of Operations Diana Clarkin said local public safety officials as well as the Rhode Island Department of Transportation along with both the city’s Planning and Public Works departments have been involved in discussions. Dr. Forand noted the administration is also looking at other means of transportation, like providing high school age students vouchers for RIPTA buses.

Ward 1 member and committee chairman Charlie Tsonos, while acknowledging the efforts of the committees and central office, wondered aloud about some missing details in the plan as presented at the meeting.

In response, Dr. Forand said, “We didn’t want to put out a plan then have RIDE make changes.” She added, “We will be drilling down more on transportation because that’s a big issue…There’s so many moving pieces and with things changing every day we want the guidance we put out to be as good as it can be.”

Mr. Tsonos also asked about distance learning options for students and teachers with weakened immune systems.

Dr. Forand said it is imperative for parents to alert their school principals about their individual situations and the administration is in continuing contact with staff about theirs. She continued, “Student and staff safety is our priority,” but added the caveat, “every time we solve one problem, five others seem to pop up.”

Dr. Forand also noted issues like that of bathroom breaks are included in the plan, creating multiple times throughout the day when students can use the facilities. It also designates specific restrooms for students who need them outside of the schedule times so staff can properly clean and sanitize them for next use.

“We’ve ordered PPE (personal protective equipment). We’ve ordered face shields. We feel we have ordered everything we need to get started and probably get us through the first semester,” Dr. Forand added.

At the conclusion of the presentation, Superintendent Crowley thanked Dr. Forand and the committee members, adding, “We have a lot more work to do as soon as we get our OK from RIDE to move forward.”

The administrators said once the state has signed off on its reopening plan, the information will be immediately made available to parents, staff and the general public.

Please support your local news coverage

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the local economy - and many of the advertisers who support our work - to a near standstill. During this unprecedented challenge, we continue to make our coronavirus coverage free to everyone at eastbayri.com - we believe it is our mission is to deliver vital information to our communities. If you believe local news is essential, especially during this crisis, please consider a tax-deductible donation. 

Donate Here

Thank you for your support!

Matt Hayes, EP Post Publisher

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.