1 BUFFALO BOARD OF EDUCATION Sharon M. Belton‐Cottman President and Ferry District Board Member Dr. Kathy Evans ‐ Brown Vice President of Student Achievement and East District Board Member Louis J. Petrucci Vice President of Executive Affairs and Park District Board Member Terrance L. Heard Board Member‐at‐Large Hope R. Jay North District Board Member Jennifer L. Mecozzi West District Board Member Dr. Ann R. Rivera Board Member‐at‐Large Lawrence L. Scott Board Member‐at‐Large Paulette Woods Central District Board Member Superintendent Dr. Kriner Cash 2 BOARD OF EDUCATION AD‐HOC REOPENING COMMITTEE Dr. Ann Rivera, Chair Terrance L. Heard Jennifer L. Mecozzi Dr. Kathy Evans‐Brown Hope R. Jay 3 PRIMARY RESOURCES AND PARTNERS Center for Disease Control (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019‐ncov/community/guidance‐business‐response.html U.S. Dept. Of Labor: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3990.pdf New York State https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/OfficesSummaryGuidelines.pdf https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/04/doh_covid19_faqs_updated_041720_2.pdf https://www.nysac.org/files/County%20Reentry%20Guide%20Final.pdf Erie County Department of Health https://www2.erie.gov/health/index.php?q=coronavirus Buffalo Public Schools https://www.buffaloschools.org/Coronavirus Council of the Great City Schools https://www.cgcs.org/corona NYS Education Department (RECOVERING, REBUILDING, AND RENEWING: THE SPIRT OF NEW YORK’S SCHOOLS) http://www.nysed.gov/common/nysed/files/programs/reopening‐schools/nys‐p12‐school‐reopening‐guidance.pdf Consultation with: • Erie County Personnel Department • City of Buffalo Department of Public Works • Buffalo Public Schools Professional Organizations • Superintendent’s Health Advisory Council 4 DISTRICT REOPENING COMMITTEE District Representatives Dr. Darren J. Brown‐Hall, Chief of Staff Anne Botticelli, Chief Academic Officer Dr. Sharon Brown, Instructional Specialist III – Best Practices Administrator Representatives – Buffalo Council of Supervisors & Administrators (BCSA) Jody Covington, Principal, Buffalo Academy for Visual & Performing Arts #192 Dawn Dinatale, Principal, Stanley M. Makowski Early Childhood Center #99 Tom Vitale, Principal, Occupational Training Center #42 Teacher Representatives – Buffalo Teachers Federation (BTF) Brian Barrey, Jr., Math Teacher, Hutchinson Central Technical High School #304 Amy Flynn, Special Education Teacher, PFC William J. Grabiarz School of Excellence #79 Mark Mecca, School Psychologist, Math, Science, and Technology Prep #197 Rebecca Pordum, Vice President, Buffalo Teachers Federation Trisha Rosokoff, Grade 1 Teacher, International School #45 Charlotte Watson‐Wales, Attendance Teacher, Hutchinson Central Technical High School Educational Support Staff Representatives – Buffalo Educational Support Team (B.E.S.T.) JoAnn Sweat, President, Buffalo Educational Support Team Dolores Rosso, Teacher Aide, North Park Community School #50 Parent Representatives – Parent Congress Jessica Bauer Walker, Community Health Worker Parent Association Assunta Ventresca, BPS grandparent/Direct Caregiver and certified CHW Denise Fischer, Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) Kim Hernandez, Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) Keith Jones, Buffalo Parent Teacher Organization (BPTO) Katie Junevic, Parent Network of Western New York Dr. Wendy Mistretta, District Parent Coordinating Council (DPCC) Kenneth Simmons, Most Valuable Parents (MVP) 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................................................ 8 SUPERINTENDENT’S MESSAGE ............................................................................................................................................ 9 GUIDING PRINCIPLES ........................................................................................................................................................ 10 LESSONS LEARNED ............................................................................................................................................................ 12 TEACHING AND LEARNING ................................................................................................................................................ 14 SCHOOL REOPENING MODELS: OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................................... 15 SCHOOL SCHEDULES ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 16 ATTENDANCE AND CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM ................................................................................................................................................. 17 SOCIAL‐EMOTIONAL LEARNING ..................................................................................................................................................................... 18 CONTINUITY OF INSTRUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................................... 20 CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY RESPONSIVE INITIATIVES ....................................................................................................................... 23 CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION ........................................................................................................................................................... 27 ATHLETICS/PHYSICAL EDUCATION/HEALTH .................................................................................................................................................. 28 SPECIAL EDUCATION ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 30 MULTILINGUAL EDUCATION .......................................................................................................................................................................... 32 TECHNOLOGY AND CONNECTIVITY ................................................................................................................................................................ 34 SAFETY AND OPERATIONS ................................................................................................................................................. 38 HEALTH AND SAFETY ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 39 SAFETY AND WELLNESS ................................................................................................................................................................................. 41 FACILITIES ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 43 CHILD NUTRITION .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 44 TRANSPORTATION ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 46 FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ......................................................................................................................... 49 COMMUNICATION PLAN WITH FAMILIES/FAMILY ENGAGEMENT ................................................................................................................ 50 HUMAN RESOURCES CONSIDERATIONS ............................................................................................................................. 55 TEACHER AND PRINCIPAL EVALUATION SYSTEM ........................................................................................................................................... 56 CERTIFICATION, INCIDENTAL TEACHING, SUBSTITUTE TEACHING ................................................................................................................ 58 APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................................................................... 59 APPENDIX A: SUPERINTENDENT’S REGULATORY REQUESTS TO NYSED ....................................................................................................... 60 APPENDIX B: SUPERINTENDENT’S PROPOSAL FOR A PHASED REOPENING .................................................................................................. 63 APPENDIX C: SUPERINTENDENT’S REQUEST TO NYSDOH AND ECDOH ........................................................................................................ 65 APPENDIX D: UNFUNDED COVID‐19 COSTS .................................................................................................................................................. 66 APPENDIX E: PRELIMINARY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS RELATED TO COVID‐19.......................................................................