JRCS Continue to Learn Plan

• Students will attend school from 8:10 AM to 3:15 PM every Monday-Thursday. Students will attend school remotely every Friday. Remote learning on Fridays will last no longer than the scheduled half day.

• JRCS Direct students will strictly adhere to all procedures outlined in JRCS Safety Provisions.

• JRCS Direct students will be required to access and complete Friday curriculum and coursework as assigned by their teacher(s) via the online platform or take-home work.Our goal is to ensure all students have access to the necessary technology for online learning.

• However, due to a nationwide supply shortage, we are unable to do that at this time. We are asking JRCS Direct families to use their own devices for remote learning until more devices are available.  If this creates a hardship for your family, please contact the office.

• Schedules will be created to limit exposure.

• Students will remain with their class cohort throughout the day. These students and teacher groups will learn, play, transition, and eat together.

• In order to ensure students remain in one cohort, and specials teachers are exposed to a limited number of cohorts, specials classes will be taught in a block schedule and students will only attend 2 specials classes per learning block.

• Recesses and lunches will be staggered for student cohorts in order to maintain physical distancing.

• Students may interact with teachers or other staff outside of their cohort for lunch or recess, but this access will be limited.

Parent/Guardian Expectations and Commitments for JRCS Direct:

• Families will be required to monitor, track, and log daily symptoms of cough, temperature above 100.4 F, shortness of breath, sore throat, and other COVID-19 symptoms each morning via ParentVue before students arrive at school.

• Children who are sick or have COVID-19 symptoms will be kept home

• Ensure students have a refillable water bottle

• Provide appropriate face coverings for their child(ren)

• Parents/guardians will play an integral role in providing structure and accountability to ensure students complete Friday curriculum and coursework.

• Courses will be taught by your child’s classroom and Specials teachers and will be the same content being taught through JRCS Direct, our in-person/blended learning model.

• Students will have weekly one-on-one meetings with their teacher and will maintain ties and communication with JRCS staff for ongoing services, social components, and the potential return to the physical school environment.

• Workload and expectations will be consistent with those outlined in JRCS Direct (In-Person/Blended Learning model).

• Students will be expected to log in and have daily engagement in remote learning experiences.

• Grading practices for remote learning will align with the grading practices for the JRCS Direct (In-Person/Blended Learning model).

• Parents/guardians will play an integral role in providing structure and accountability to the online program.

Parent/Guardian Expectations and Commitments for JRCS Connect:

• Parent/guardian involvement at every grade level will be crucial to student growth and success as students utilize JRCS Connect. These expectations are especially important for online success for our younger students. Please review the expectations below prior to enrolling in the program:

  • View a virtual orientation to familiarize yourself with the digital learning tools your student’s school will be implementing.

  • Provide an academic environment: students ideally require a quiet, clean space for daily study. For students to be successful in this environment, learning times should be consistent and uninterrupted.

  • Monitor student progress daily: check-in with students on content, new learnings, successes, questions, and concerns.

  • Be involved with student progress and content completion. Through the Google Classroom dashboard or conversations with the teacher, parents/guardians will be prepared to help students maintain appropriate progress.

  • Help with course navigation or technology: be available to help students with logging on, finding materials, and following instructions.

  • Ensure students are available for weekly one-on-one meetings with their teacher and will maintain ties and communication with JRCS staff for ongoing services, social components.

We recognize that this school year will be unique and that families have different opinions and feelings about what type of learning environment will be best for their child who has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). At JRCS, we believe that students with an IEP are general-education students first, thus, they have the same choice for JRCS Direct or JRCS Connect learning that any other student in the school has. We assure you that special education services will be available to all students with an IEP. With this being said, depending on which learning experience a family chooses, an amended IEP may be required to determine FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education).

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT OPTIONS

JRCS Direct

The IEP will be implemented as currently written. If the team has any concerns about the IEP as written, they may call a meeting at any time to discuss any changes that need to be made.

JRCS Connect

If parents choose JRCS Connect, the IEP team will need to meet to review the current IEP and discuss any adjustments that may need to be made to the IEP. A particular student may require different accommodations for online learning than they require for in person learning, etc. These should be reviewed and decided upon by the IEP team.

If your student attends JRCS or is new to JRCS and you have questions about which learning option may be best for your child, please contact our Student Support Coordinator, Judy Drake at [email protected]

COHORTS OF STUDENTS AND STAFF FOR PHYSICAL DISTANCING

Cohorts reduce the number of students and staff who are exposed to each other in the event of a confirmed COVID-19 case. The implementation of cohorts will result in fewer students/staff being required to quarantine in such an instance.

To the greatest extent possible, students and teachers will remain together in the same groups (cohorts) throughout each day of in-person learning. These cohort groups will learn, play, transition, and eat together.

• JRCS will work to minimize the ability of students and staff to co-mingle.

• A cohort group is considered one class and up to 4 adults.

• Physical distancing will be implemented to the greatest extent possible in all JRCS environments. Six-foot distancing between individuals reduces the risk of transmission and is preferred; three-foot distancing still provides substantial benefits and is acceptable in the context of a comprehensive disease control strategy.

• Students may participate in additional cohort groups if the student receives special education, social emotional, or additional support outside of his/her classroom.

• Students may have access to teachers or other staff outside of their cohort for lunch or recess, but this access will be limited.

• No assemblies, field trips, visitors, volunteers or guest speakers are allowed on campus during the first semester.

• We will be following the guidelines and requirements from the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment and Department of Education, Mesa County Health Department, and Mesa County Valley School District 51.

REQUIRED FACE COVERINGS: FACE MASKS/SHIELDS

Students, staff, and parents must wear face coverings while on campus at JRCS.  Please see below specific requirements.

Coverings must be worn over the nose and mouth to mitigate any transmission. If staff, students, or parents are medically unable to wear face coverings consistently, face shields may be worn.

Parents are required to supply face coverings for their child(ren). JRCS will have extra masks on campus for anyone who needs them.

Students

If you make the choice to engage in JRCS Direct Learning, your child will be required to wear a face covering. Face coverings will be required for all students as they arrive at school, in all common areas, and as they leave school. Students in grades Kindergarten-3rd are not required to wear face coverings while in the classroom. They are required to wear face coverings any time they are outside of their classroom except when they are outdoors and able to physically distance (i.e recess and games class). Students in grades 4th-8th are required to wear face coverings the entire day, including while in the classroom, as a condition to participate in the JRCS Direct learning plan per local and state guidelines. Students in grades 4th-8th grade will be able to remove their face coverings to eat and when they are outdoors and able to physically distance (i.e recess and games class). Failure to wear a mask and wear it properly may constitute removal from in-person instruction.

Instruction in the safe and consistent wearing of a face covering will be provided in order to address the challenges many of our students may experience with wearing face coverings in a school environment.

• Exceptions:

  • Individual accommodations may only be considered if wearing a mask would inhibit the individual’s health.

  • Face coverings do not need to be worn outside or at lunch, but students will have to strictly maintain physical distancing in these situations.

Teachers and Staff

All teachers and staff will wear face coverings at all times. Staff will also consider clear face shields as an added barrier option when working in close proximity with others or when students are medically unable to wear face coverings consistently.

Parents

All parents/guardians are required to wear face coverings while on campus and maintain social distancing from persons outside of their family.

STUDENT HEALTH AND HYGIENE

• Students will wash their hands or use sanitizer upon entering the building

• Students will be required to wash their hands frequently for a minimum of 20 seconds.

• Students are required to bring a water bottle from home to use during the school day. Drinking fountains have been disabled, but students may use the bottle filling stations to refill water bottles throughout the day.

DAILY SYMPTOM SCREENINGS FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF

• Families will be required to monitor, track, and log daily symptoms of cough, temperature above 100.4 F, shortness of breath, sore throat, and other COVID-19 symptoms each morning via ParentVue before students arrive at school.

• If students’ symptoms are not logged prior to arriving at school, they will be screened by a Health Assistant prior to being welcomed into class.

• Students or staff showing symptoms of COVID-19 or who have a temperature of 100.4 F or higher should remain at home.

• Students and staff who become symptomatic while at school will be isolated until they can return home safely following local health department recommendations and guidelines.

BUILDING VISITORS

No visitors, volunteers, or guest speakers will be allowed on campus during the first semester.

SCHOOL CLOSURE AND ILLNESS RESPONSE

• JRCS has identified a dedicated space to isolate symptomatic individuals until they can return home or to a health facility. Isolation spaces will be cleaned and disinfected appropriately between each use.

• JRCS will be prepared to shift students and staff to remote learning when school closures or cohort dismissals occur in the event of a confirmed COVID-19 case among students or employees, or should school shift to a completely remote model.

BUILDING CLEANING PROTOCOLS

• JRCS has increased building cleaning protocols in sanitizing all high-touch surface areas.

• Every classroom will be cleaned and disinfected each night.

• JRCS is required to use products and follow cleaning procedures as outlined by Mesa County Health Department.

Building Ventilation

• JRCS will install Needlepoint Bipolar Ionization units on all school HVAC units to increase the cleanliness of the air inside the building.

• Filters will be changed as required.

Nutritionally-balanced lunches will continue to be provided at JRCS via the Lunch Lizard D51 meal service program.

• Lunch options will be available to students regardless of enrollment in JRCS Direct or JRCS Connect.

• Meals will be prepared and packaged in a D51 kitchen and delivered via Lunch Lizard.

  • Additional Details:

    • In order to protect against contamination of foods, items offered will be wrapped or cupped with lids via compostable containers.

    • Condiments (salad dressing, cheese, salsa) will still be offered and will be cupped and lidded.

    • Single-use serving items (trays, cutlery, napkins) will be utilized.

    • Food safety protocols will continue to be followed by staff, including following proper hand-washing procedures, glove use, and temperature monitoring.

  • Students accessing Lunch Lizard will leave their classroom, pick-up food, and then return to their classroom. Physical distancing will be followed.

  • Students will be eating outside with their cohort as much as possible as weather permits. If weather does not permit, students will eat in their classroom.

• Students will utilize technology for both JRCS Direct and JRCS Connect.

• All JRCS Connect and JRCS Direct students will be expected to access the internet, and access digital platforms such as the Google Classroom and Zoom software.

• Additional instructions regarding the use of technology and digital resources will be sent from JRCS prior to school starting and throughout the school year.

• Our goal is to outfit every student with a Chromebook or iPad as quickly as possible. However, due to nationwide supply shortages, we are unable to do that at this time. We are asking JRCS Direct families to use their own devices for remote learning until more devices are available.  If this creates a hardship for your family, please contact the office.

• If internet service is an issue for your family, please contact the office ASAP.