Return To School Plan
After careful planning and consideration, and following a discussion with our Board of Trustees, Norwich Free Academy will begin the 2020-2021 school year in a hybrid model. This means school will be open, but there will be reduced daily capacity. Students will be placed in two groups. While one group is on campus, the other will participate in remote learning. Each group will be on campus two days per week.
Based on state requirements, we were originally tasked to plan for three distinct opening scenarios: all students every day, hybrid model and full remote learning. We submitted our initial plan July 24 based on state guidelines. With stakeholder feedback, and updated health protocols, we submitted our amended plan on August 18. It includes updated hybrid and remote learning plans.
We believe this model provides the safest environment possible for our students, faculty and staff. Please review the information here carefully. We encourage you to check back often, too, as this will serve as our main information hub.
More information will be forthcoming as we begin to fully operationalize this plan, but this will provide you with an important starting point about the upcoming school year.
School Day
What will the day look like? What about lunch? How will we get around campus? Will there be sports and clubs? Here’s important information for you.
Calendar & Schedule
Our school calendar has been adjusted as it pertains to the start of the year. Ninth graders and Sachem campus students will now begin Monday, August 31. All other students will begin Tuesday, September 1. The rest of the academic calendar remains as is and can be found here.
Work continues on the academic schedule in all models with a focus on reducing passing time, adjusting class levels, adding additional sections when necessary and more. More information will be announced as this continues.
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Cohort A
(In Person)
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Cohort A
(In Person)
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ALL on
Distance
Learning
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Cohort A
(Distance Learning)
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Cohort A
(Distance Learning)
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Cohort B
(Distance Learning)
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Cohort B
(Distance Learning)
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Cohort B
(In Person)
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Cohort B
(In Person)
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School Meals
Students will continue to have access to breakfast and lunch service. The main cafeteria will remain in operation with altered seating to enhancing distancing between students. Meals will also be served in Slater Auditorium and students will be encouraged to eat outside when the weather is feasible and practice social distancing. Specific details will be announced before the start of school.
In addition, grab-and-go lunches will be available every day for students who qualify for free and reduced lunch and choose not to attend in-person classes.
Getting Around Campus
Traffic patterns will be put into place on campus in order to promote as much one-way traffic as possible. Signage will be visible in all hallways, stairways and building entrances/exits. In addition, our campus safety team will be assisting with traffic flow.
Modified Building Entry/Exit Doorways
Modified Campus Traffic Flow Pattern
Athletics & Activities
While some of our athletic teams are currently participating in socially distant condition programs approved by our public health partners, the status of a competitive fall season will be determined by the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC). When the CIAC provides additional guidance, it will be shared here and in other channels.
We are hoping to provide an environment that will allow our clubs to continue safely. That may mean certain in-person guidelines and restrictions. It may mean clubs will meet virtually. We continue to work through this process and develop protocols. More information will be released prior to the start of school.
Safety Protocols
While stopping the spread is everyone’s responsibility, our priority is to provide the safest environment for our students, faculty and staff. Together, we can make a difference. We will promote behavior that reduces spread and helps to keep us all safe. Our plan will closely follow the guidelines released by the CDC.
Daily Symptom Checklist
Norwich Free Academy asks that all employees use this guidance to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Self-screen using the guidelines below before coming to work each day.
If answering yes to any of these questions, stay home, and follow up with your primary care provider.
● Fever of 100° or Above
● Sore Throat
● Headache
● Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea
● New or Worsening Cough/Shortness of Breath
● Muscle Aches & Pains - not associated with physical activity
● Congestion/Runny Nose - not associated with seasonal allergies
● New Loss of Smell or Taste
● Contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19
● Returned from a State on the Connecticut Quarantine List
Masks Required
Faculty, staff and students will be required to wear a mask that completely covers the nose and mouth. An exception to this is only possible with a medical waiver on file with our Medical Center. For more information, contact the center at 860-425-5552.
All students, faculty and staff will be provided one cloth mask at the beginning of school. It is the responsibility of each individual to have a mask when arriving on campus. Students not arriving on campus with a mask will have one provided.
Some faculty and students may be provided with additional PPE, including face shields or clear masks. Those will be handled on an individual basis.
Classroom Layout
All classrooms have been assessed for maximum capacity based on acceptable social distancing guidelines. In addition to reducing the number of students in each classroom, alternative spaces will be utilized for classroom locations. All desks will face the same direction and no desk groups will be allowed. We will share photos of classroom space before the start of school.
Cleaning & Hygiene
In addition to requiring face coverings and practicing social distancing, we will be installing a hand sanitizer dispenser in each class room and other high traffic areas. Students will be expected to use sanitizer on the way in and out of class.
Disinfectant wipes will also be available in each class, and time will be allotted at the end of each period for students to wipe down their workspace before leaving the room.
Members of our contracted cleaning service will be assigned to regularly clean high-touch areas in each building such as doors, railings and more. Following our hybrid model, a deep clean of our school will happen twice each week, once on Wednesday and once over the weekend.
Signage
FAQ/Resources
Answers to some of the more commonly asked questions are here.
- Frequently Asked Questions
- COVID-19 Information
- Notifications
- Notifications - Translated
- CDC Informational Videos
- NFA Community Video Updates
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I choose to keep my student home?
Students will be enrolled in their regular academic courses where possible and fully supported by NFA faculty through a mix of synchronous and asynchronous lessons and support.
How do I switch my student from remote learning to hybrid learning?
Students can return to in person instruction upon communication with the student's house office with no less than one week’s notice (to re-assign the student to classroom rosters/schedules and/or re-assign to transportation if applicable and requested). Students cannot mix in-person and remote learning by the day or week or month.
What if someone on campus is sick and/or diagnosed with COVID-19?
Throughout this situation, NFA remains in regular contact with our medical advisor and public health officials. If a student or staff member becomes ill at school, they will be brought to an isolation room staffed by a registered nurse until they are able to leave campus. The room will be cleaned regularly and staff will maintain detailed records at all times of who is in the room.
Regular symptom monitoring from that point and communication with our medical center staff and advisor will determine conditions necessary for a safe return to school.
If a student or staff member tests positive, NFA will work closely with all health officials to determine the needs for contact tracing among staff and other students. In addition, we will rely on the guidance of public health officials to determine the need for any adjustments to our schedule.
If a member of our community tests positive, we will communicate that fact. However, we will not identify the person diagnosed because of privacy concerns. We will, at that time, also inform you of how the diagnosis would impact school operations.
What if I travel out of state? Can I participate in school-based activities if I test negative when I return? If you travel to a location that is part of the Connecticut travel advisory, our policy requires that you self-quarantine for 14 days before resuming any school-related activities.
https://portal.ct.gov/
Is Slater Memorial Museum Open?
Slater Memorial Museum is currently closed to the public. Our faculty and students will have access to the Museum when school is in session. We will continue to monitor the best time for public access. Until then, there is a virtual tour option online at slatermuseum.org.
Slater Memorial Museum is currently closed to the public. Our faculty and students will have access to the Museum when school is in session. We will continue to monitor the best time for public access. Until then, there is a virtual tour option online at slatermuseum.org.
What about field trips?
At this time, no field trips will be allowed, at least through the first semester. A decision regarding second semester field trips will take place at a later date.
At this time, no field trips will be allowed, at least through the first semester. A decision regarding second semester field trips will take place at a later date.
What if I need to visit campus?
Campus will remain closed to everyone except students, faculty and staff. Many parent meetings will take place virtually. If a meeting is required on campus, that will be arranged specifically with the parent and faculty or staff member.
Campus will remain closed to everyone except students, faculty and staff. Many parent meetings will take place virtually. If a meeting is required on campus, that will be arranged specifically with the parent and faculty or staff member.
Can my community group utilize the NFA campus?
Community groups will not be able to utilize NFA facilities until further notice. We apologize for this inconvenience, but it is our hope to focus our attention on providing the safest spot for our students, faculty and staff.
Community groups will not be able to utilize NFA facilities until further notice. We apologize for this inconvenience, but it is our hope to focus our attention on providing the safest spot for our students, faculty and staff.
What about the track? Can I exercise there yet?
With campus being closed to the public, that includes the track. We know our neighbors have relied on this resource for some time, and we hope to be able to open it again for community use. We will make an announcement when we are able to do so.
With campus being closed to the public, that includes the track. We know our neighbors have relied on this resource for some time, and we hope to be able to open it again for community use. We will make an announcement when we are able to do so.
My student will be starting ninth grade. Will there be an orientation?
We are working through this now and will share more information soon. Each family will be allowed to schedule a virtual meeting with a member of our ninth grade team prior to the start of school. You will receive that information shortly. Our traditional Wildcat Beginnings will not be held this year. However, we are working on another way to provide ninth grade students and families with important information before the start of the year.
We are working through this now and will share more information soon. Each family will be allowed to schedule a virtual meeting with a member of our ninth grade team prior to the start of school. You will receive that information shortly. Our traditional Wildcat Beginnings will not be held this year. However, we are working on another way to provide ninth grade students and families with important information before the start of the year.
What about water bottles and water fountains?
We encourage all students to carry a personal water bottle to help keep them hydrated throughout the day. Fountains on campus designed to refill water bottles will remain in operation. Traditional fountains where students take water directly into their mouth will be disengaged.
We encourage all students to carry a personal water bottle to help keep them hydrated throughout the day. Fountains on campus designed to refill water bottles will remain in operation. Traditional fountains where students take water directly into their mouth will be disengaged.
COVID-19 Information
Notifications
Notifications - Translated
CDC Informational Videos
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Topic |
CDC Training Videos |
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Hand washing
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Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives
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Social Distancing
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Stop the Spread
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Various Selections:
How does COVID Spread?
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Know the Symptoms
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Know the symptoms of COVID-19, which can include cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, and new loss of taste or smell. Transcript: https://www.cdc.gov/
Date: 5/26/20
Video download link: https://www.cdc.gov/
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Cleaning Protocols
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COVID-19 FAQ Video
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How to Wear a Cloth Face Covering
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Wearing a cloth face covering in public may help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Transcript: https://www.cdc.gov/
Date: 6/19/20
Video download link: https://www.cdc.gov/
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Cloth Face Coverings - Do's and Don'ts
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Wearing a cloth face covering correctly can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 to others.
Date: 6/12/20
Video download link: https://www.cdc.gov/
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NFA Community Video Updates
Expectations
Teacher Expectations
Communication with Students and Parents
1. Teachers are required to check and respond to their email and other communication platforms for questions from students and parents/guardians during the work day. Teachers can communicate with students/parents/guardians outside these hours at their own discretion.
2. Parent and guardian emails will be uploaded to Google Classroom from PowerSchool by IT. That way, parents and guardians will be able to receive guardian reports for their students’ classes.
3. Teachers should upload an appropriate profile picture of themselves to their Google account.
4. If a teacher is sick, he or she should report this through Frontline Absence Management (as usual) with an out-of-office message on his/her email account and an announcement on Google Classroom. That way, a student can expect a delay with a teacher’s response.
Professional Learning and Support
1. Teachers will attend professional development before the start of school. During the month of August, shorter, focused online PD will be offered. Longer, more intensive PD will be provided during the first week of work for teachers. There will be two types of PD offered: Technology skills topics (e.g., using Google Classroom, Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Meet, EdPuzzle, etc.) as well as pedagogical methods for effective online learning (e.g., assessment with rubrics, Project-Based Learning [PBL], and teaching
self-regulation strategies to students).
a. An online resource will be created that contains short instructional videos on using Google Classroom, Docs, Slides, etc. for teachers to view. Many of these videos will be created by NFA teachers.
2. If a teacher does not have dedicated technology to support Google Meet or teaching from home, the teacher should contact the IT department to discuss options.
3. The NFA IT department will provide technical support for teachers from 7:00am - 4:00pm Monday-Friday. To contact support, teachers can call the NFA Help Desk phone number at (860) 373-0407 or use helpdesk@nfaschool.org.
Hybrid and Fully Remote Learning
In a hybrid learning environment, half of the students are in school on Monday and Tuesday and half of the students are in school on Thursday and Friday. All students are learning remotely on Wednesdays. In a fully remote learning environment, students are learning from home every day. Teachers should plan for a remote learning experience (whether we are hybrid or fully online) with the notion that a hybrid model allows for more detailed instruction to students who are physically in the classroom. Additionally, in a hybrid model, teachers should understand they are not teaching the same lesson twice a week to half of the students on Monday and Tuesday and then to the other half on Thursday and Friday. A lesson should flow as it normally does over a week, even though not all students are sitting in the same classroom at one time.
Instructional Delivery
The following delivery model should be followed for every period in a hybrid and a fully remote schedule:
These guidelines should be followed when practicing the above model:
1. Focus on providing social-emotional support: How are your students doing? How are their families?
2. Evaluate students' conditions for distance learning: Do the students have the right
tech tools to complete the classwork?
3. Less is more: Streamline content to what is essential and consider the pacing of lessons and assignments.
4. Stick with the familiar: Teachers should use e-mail and Google Classroom for communicating with students.
5. Seize the moment: Embrace new possibilities for your students. For example, have students keep a journal or encourage other creative tasks like video creation, drawing, music, etc.
6. Provide space for personalized learning: Support differentiated learning by allowing students to complete tasks at their own pace.
7. Designers of experience; facilitators of learning: Teachers need to think of themselves as the “guide on the side” instead of the “sage on the stage.”
8. Design asynchronous learning experiences: Use web-based ed tech like EdPuzzle and discussion forums such as Google Groups.
9. Design synchronous learning experiences: Use Google Meet when needed for the classroom but encourage its use among students for collaborative work.
10. Think differently about assessment: Distance learning is an opportunity for students, individually or collaboratively, to complete writing assignments, make video presentations, or complete oral assessments with video recordings. Teachers are encouraged to think differently about the end goal of student demonstration of learning instead of forcing a traditional assessment method that doesn't fit the distance learning environment.
Lastly, teachers will have a Connections period twice a week to provide support (whether academic or socio-emotional learning).
To ensure that we provide many avenues for delivering instruction, courses that have students in low-income housing can be modified so that teachers’ instruction videos are broadcast on a regular schedule using the NFA cable channel. This can be facilitated through the IT department. (The NFA cable channel is part of the free channel lineup in the Norwich area for low-income households.)
Engagement, Attendance, Grading, and Assessment
1. If a student is disengaged, the teacher should reach out to the student and/or the student’s family. If the teacher is unsuccessful, then the student should be referred to his/her house principal.
2. The attendance policy will remain in place and each situation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
3. Late Work Policy: To be determined.
Student Expectations
First Weeks of School
1. Students are expected to check their emails at least once a day during the school week.
a. Videos about digital citizenship will be created for students. This will cover “netiquette,” social media, and how to write e-mails among other topics.
2. Every morning, during the school week, students should check their Google Classroom Stream for announcements, assignments, and due date reminders.
3. If a student can’t make a Google Meet due to technical difficulties, he/she will need to e-mail his/her teacher as soon as possible.
4. Students will need to “un mute” their cameras at the beginning of a Google Meet. Afterwards, a student can mute his/her video if needed and permitted by the teacher.
5. When using the Assignment function in Google Classroom, students need to understand that the “Turn In” button must be clicked when the assignment has been completed, whether or not a product needs to be turned in. Otherwise, a parent/guardian summary report will show the assignment as “late.”
6. Students will need to practice and demonstrate good self-regulation strategies.
7. If students have a device (e.g., a laptop or tablet), it is strongly recommended they bring this device to school within a hybrid environment. That way, students can practice using the technological tools in the classroom with teachers.
8. Students will upload an appropriate profile picture in Google for their student account.
Hybrid Learning and Fully Online Learning
1. Students will be expected to engage with learning by attending live, scheduled sessions, communicating with the teacher and peers when needed, and participating in assigned schoolwork.
2. If a student is unable to attend a live Google Meet with a class, he or she should discuss this with his or her teacher to see if, as a substitution, the recorded Google Meet video can be watched later in the day.
3. Students will need to ensure they have access to the technology needed to perform online learning (e.g., a Chromebook and a connection to the Internet). The survey given at the beginning of the year should have identified who needs access.
4. WiFi will be available outside of the Tirrell building for downloading and uploading assignments. A list of free Internet access sources can be found here.
5. If a student is sick, the parent should still contact the house office to report the absence.
6. For student technical help, students can email studenthelpdesk@nfaschool.org or call (860) 425-5636.
Parent Expectations
1. Establish clear routines and expectations: NFA encourages parents and guardians to set regular hours for their children’s school work. Whether in a hybrid or fully online learning environment, students need to be following the daily schedule and attending their classes virtually and on time.
2. Define the physical space for your child’s study: We encourage families to establish a location where their children will learn most of the time without distractions. Ideally, this should be a place that is not the child’s bedroom but a public/family space. There should be a strong WiFi signal and be a quiet place where the child’s learning can be supervised.
3. Monitor communications from your children’s teachers: Teachers will communicate through e-mail as necessary. Please be sure you are receiving updates from Google Classroom as well -- if you are not, please contact one of your child’s teachers. Parents and guardians should check via PowerSchool or with their child’s house office to ensure their contact information is up to date.
4. Begin and end each day with a check-in: Parents are encouraged to start and finish each day with a simple check-in time with their children. In the morning, ask about your child’s learning plan, what they need, and how he/she will spend their time. This brief conversation matters because it allows children to process the instructions they have received from their teachers. You can also help them organize themselves and set priorities. Parents should establish these check-ins as regular parts of each day. Remember that not all students thrive in a distance learning environment; some struggle attempting to manage too much independence or lack of structure. These check-in routines need to be established early, before a student falls behind or begins to struggle.
5. Take an active role in helping your children process and own their learning: Students often learn best when they have opportunities to process their learning with others. Make sure your children complete their own work; refrain from completing assignments for them, even if they are struggling. You should inform the teacher under these circumstances so that extra support can be provided.
6. Establish quiet times for work and reflection: A major challenge for families with multiple children will be how to manage all of their children’s needs, especially when those children are different ages and have uniquely individual needs. You may find times when siblings need to work in different rooms to avoid distractions. Parents might also consider experimenting with noise-cancelling headphones (no music necessary!) to block out distractions.
7. Encourage physical activity and/or exercise: Make sure your children are participating in their Physical Education classes.
8. Remain mindful of your child’s stress or worry: Although a difficult undertaking, parts should make every attempt not to transfer your own stresses or worries to your children. If you feel your child’s stress or worry is impacting his/her academics or daily routines, please contact your child’s house principal.
9. Monitor how much time your child is spending on line: NFA does not want its students staring at computer screens for 7-8 hours a day. We ask that parents remember most teachers are not experts in distance learning and the process will require some trial-and-error before everyone finds the right balance between online and offline learning experiences. We thank you in advance for your patience and partnership during the learning process!
10. Keep your children socially interacting but set rules around their social media use: With students not being physically in the classroom, they will be missing their friends, classmates, and teachers. Parents should help their children maintain contact with friends and monitor their children’s use of social media. Please remind your children to be polite, respectful, and appropriate in their communication and to represent your family’s values in their interactions with others.
Grading & Attendance
Assignments and Grades
1. All teachers must utilize Google Classroom as their central location for course resources. At a minimum, the content should include grading and attendance policies, syllabus, and teacher contact information. Courses and rosters will be automatically synchronized (nightly) between PowerSchool and Google Classroom.
2. All grades for assignments and tests must be entered into PowerTeacher (see
PowerTeacher norms). The name of a graded assignment in Google Classroom should mirror the assignment’s name in the PowerTeacher gradebook to reduce any confusion among students.
3. Teachers should plan on teaching a lesson to students on how to use Google Classroom and where to find assignments and other resources in Google Classroom. Teachers should also plan on teaching a lesson on self-regulation strategies for students and incorporating practice for these strategies during the first unit. (Self-regulation strategies are metacognitive skills for planning, evaluation, and adjustment of thoughts and actions to support successful learning.) Professional development will be provided to teachers to address both of these expectations.
4. Based on feedback from parents and students, weekly assignments for all classes should be posted on a common day (or days) of the week. That way, students can plan their time for the week.
a. Each week, teachers will provide a weekly schedule of when items are due and when students should complete learning tasks (e.g., when to start reading a chapter, when to begin studying for a test, when to begin a writing assignment, when to start group work). That way, it can help students with strategizing out the week to aid with their self-regulation. This practice can be faded as the school year progresses depending on the skill levels of the students.
5. Based on student feedback, many students want an estimate of time required to complete each assignment from the teacher.
Engagement, Attendance, Grading, and Assessment
1. If a student is disengaged, the teacher should reach out to the student and/or the student’s family. If the teacher is unsuccessful, then the student should be referred to his/her house principal.
2. The attendance policy will remain in place and each situation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
3. Late Work Policy: To be determined.