GREENWOOD, Arkansas — Greenwood School District staff are making plans for the 2020-2021 school year.
The information gained from a recent parent survey provided the staff with key information used in their decision making.
District staff is creating a detailed plan addressing the eight key areas listed below.
- District Governance
- Facilities and Transportation
- Human Capital
- Academics
- Student Support
- Health and Safety
- Technology
- Communication/parent engagement
A task force has been formed to address the key areas for school re-entry in August.
Members include central office administrators, athletic director, building principals, special services director, technology director, director of online learning, facilities director, director of security, school nurses, transportation director, food service director, parents, teachers and students.
The Greenwood School District is releasing the information below with the understanding that this is a fluid time with continued updates and directives from the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) and the Department of Education.
The school will be releasing a District Support Plan in late July with more specific information.
If you have any questions, email info@greenwoodk12.com.
The 2020-2021 school year will begin on Aug.13 as originally planned.
The school is working on options to include zoom invitations as an alternative to parent nights.
Parents will receive more information on orientation plans in late July.
Regular bus routes and schedules will continue as they have in the past.
Families are encouraged to transport their own children as much as possible to decrease bus crowding.
Students over the age of 10 will be required to wear a mask while on the bus and parents should screen their child for fever, sore throat, coughing, or shortness of breath before placing them on the school bus each morning.
Bus drivers are required to wear a mask as well.
It is the Greenwood School District’s intent to keep the school day as normal as possible for every student.
Efforts to reduce group sizes and transitions will be made.
Recess, lunchtimes and special classes will continue with some modifications.
Currently, ADH is recommending that children over the age of 10 and adults wear a face covering. We will follow that recommendation.
Masks can be removed in areas where six feet of social distance can be maintained.
Here is a link to the most recent ADH recommendations:
The district will provide masks for children who arrive without them.
Parents are welcome to provide their masks for their children.
Social distancing will be observed when possible, but when social distancing requirements cannot be maintained, students over the age of 10 will be expected to wear face coverings.
Classroom and cafeteria spaces will be set up to increase the space between students as much as possible.
The classroom arrangement will follow the guidelines recommended by the ADH.
Soft coverings in the classroom that could harbor germs will be limited to facilitate disinfectant spraying and fogging.
The district will make every effort to provide distance, but not limit the students’ ability to interact and communicate with others in the classroom.
Supplies and materials will not be shared by students.
In the event that a child or staff member presents with symptoms, they will not be allowed to attend school until they have been cleared by a physician or the school nurse.
Every effort will be made to reduce the number of visitors in the school building.
Conferences with parents will have a zoom option rather than face to face meetings.
Parents will be asked to drop their children off at the front of the building rather than walking them into the building.
School staff will assist with students who are new and unsure of where to go for the first few weeks of school.
Greenwood School District staff has been trained and will be wiping down surfaces continually throughout the school day with spray disinfectant, and fogging machines with disinfectant will be used nightly in all of the school’s buildings.
Hand sanitizing stations have been added to entrance areas of buildings and classrooms for use, and student instruction on proper handwashing hygiene routines will be taught.
Students will be asked to sanitize their hands as they leave and enter new spaces.
If a child shows up at school exhibiting signs of fever, cough and sore throat, the student will be sent home and will need to be fever-free for 48 hours without medication before returning to school.
When the child returns to school, they must be approved for re-entry by the school nurse.
In the event a student or teacher on-campus tests positive, the district will follow the latest guidance from the ADH.
This could result in a brief closure to provide time for additional cleaning and sanitation.
Staff and students with positive COVID-19 diagnosis must be cleared by a physician to return to school.
Curriculum teams have worked to review the essential standards that need to be taught from last year.
These key concepts will be woven into new learning and mastery will be assessed.
Students will also take early assessments in September to pinpoint student needs and guide daily instruction.
Children will need to attend school daily as they have in the past.
In the event of illness, the school will work with the family for online learning options.
There will be no attendance incentive programs or semester test exemptions based on attendance.
Students who are placed in full time online learning will not attend school on site.
Full-time virtual learning is an option for students or families with medical concerns or other qualifying reasons for not returning to on-site instruction.
Virtual learning can be effective with strong parental support at home, however, this type of learning is not for everyone and cannot replace face to face interaction with teachers and peers.
Full-time virtual learning is an online curriculum platform developed and delivered by Greenwood teachers. This platform will ensure your child gets a quality education covering the Arkansas state curriculum.
The child will not attend any on-site classes, must be supported by a parent or guardian at home, and must have adequate access to internet service.
For more information contact Mr. Mark Shumate at 479-996-7440 or mark.shumate@greenwoodk12.com.
The district is prepared to accommodate students through both on-site and off-site instruction.
Students will receive zoom or teleservices as well as necessary accommodations as outlined in their 504 or IEP plans.
Instructional leaders throughout the district are working on digital learning platforms to ensure seamless blended learning as the need arises to pivot from face to face instruction to online instruction.
Every student will have a google account to access online learning.
Teachers will spend time training students on how to access the content, as well as giving students time to practice using the online platform.
Online learning will continue to follow the same face to face pacing guide and will deliver new learning as well as practicing previously introduced concepts.
The district anticipates allowing sports activities in the fall with possible modifications as directed by the ADH and the Arkansas Activities Association.
At this time, the district is still waiting on guidance for band and choir.
Large indoor gatherings and assemblies in which six feet distancing cannot be maintained are prohibited at this time.
