Hybrid Learning - (in-person and virtual) for the First Semester Through the End of January 2021

2 consecutive days per week of in-person instruction - and 3 days of virtual learning

Plans for the large-scale return of students to schools will consider the health and safety of students and staff first followed by the students who have been professionally identified to benefit most from in-person instruction:

• Students in elementary school
• Students who receive special services, e.g., some students with IEPs, some of our secondary English Language Acquisition students, some of our CAT Center students

NOTE: For elementary school students only.

Weekly Framework

The weekly framework for Virtual-Plus involves two consecutive days per week of in-person instruction and three days of learning in the virtual environment. Students will be assigned to a cohort that considers personal, academic, and staffing needs and accommodations while also meeting safety guidelines.

The Hybrid Classroom

• We will attempt to keep your student and their teacher together, but teachers may be changed or reassigned based on teacher and student choice of learning model.  If both do not choose the Virtual-Plus (hybrid) model, it is likely that your student will be assigned another teacher.  Even if both do choose the hybrid model, there is a possibility that a teacher will be reassigned due to greater need at another grade level, etc.
• Most classes will have in-person and virtual learning occurring simultaneously.  
  • One teacher will be facilitating the learning of 10-12 students at home and 10-12 students in the classroom, simultaneously
  • Half the students will be in the classroom and the other half will be learning from home on Monday and Tuesday. The students will switch for Thursday and Friday. 
  • All students will learn virtually on Wednesday.
  • There will be 10-12 students per classroom, seated at desks spaced at least six feet apart.
• Students must bring:
  • fully-charged Chromebooks
  • headphones provided in your backpack
  • backpack of learning materials
  • small yoga mat, towel, or rug only to be used in their personal space
  • teacher-requested materials  
• Suggested items for students to consider bringing (not mandatory):
  • three personal reading books to be used in student’s personal space
  • one small personal item, e.g., small toy, puzzle only to be used in personal space during midday break (Item cannot make any sounds, cannot be an electronic toy with a screen, and must fit fully in student’s backpack.)
  • extra face covering or mask (labeled with student’s first initial and last name)
  • pocket-sized bottle of personal hand sanitizer

NOTE: Instructional materials, school supplies will not be shared.  If a student brings a cell phone, it must remain on silent and stowed away in backpack at all times. 

Learning Schedules

The learning schedules in the hybrid and virtual platforms will be the same so we are able to attempt to keep the majority of students with their current teachers.  In addition, it is necessary to design a hybrid model that can pivot students back to virtual learning easily should the need arise based on health data to close a school or multiple schools for a period of time.  Below you will find the learning schedule overview for both in-person and virtual learning for our elementary school students.

Schedule:  In-Person Learning at School

NOTE: When students are learning in-person in their school classrooms, the midday block is the most flexible learning block.  Students who need special services may receive them during this block.  Certainly, services currently being offered within the AM and PM learning blocks will most likely continue to be offered at those times.  Outdoor recess will also be available to students learning in-person with their cohorted peers during the midday block.

Classroom Layout for In-Person Learning

When students are Virtual Plus – Hybrid students, teachers and hybrid students (in-person & virtual students) will be learning simultaneously (see diagram below).  PreK classrooms may sometimes be the exception to this rule. Due to the relatively low student to teacher ratio in our preK classrooms across the county, preK students whose guardian chooses hybrid learning for them will learn in person two days/week with their teacher who will be teaching them live with no additional students learning virtually from home. On the non in-person learning days, these preK students will learn virtually with their teacher. We will try to do the same with our ½ day PreK students.  We will bring them in for two days/week for ½ day in-person learning and hold ½ day virtual learning on the remaining days.  AM and PM ½ day preK students will basically continue with their current schedules with a time shift based on individual start/end times at their individual elementary schools.  Important:  Whenever a PreK classroom is bigger than 12-15 students and whenever more than approximately 80% of the families in any one of these classrooms send their students back for hybrid learning, we may have to have a few students learning virtually while others learn in-person with the teacher.  This will be rare, but it may happen.

Schedule:  Virtual Learning at Home              

Important Notes for Consideration

• The learning blocks will remain the same as in the virtual learning schedule.
• There will be possible changes in the school schedule start/end times; see school start/end times in right-hand column of this website.
• The mid-day block will include, lunch, recess, quiet time for reading or personal play, and time for intervention, special education support, and English Language Acquisition help. Such supported instruction will be facilitated by support teachers. Student supervision will be performed by teacher assistants and recess monitors.
• Students will consume lunch at their desks. Food and Nutrition Services will deliver meals (breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner) to the classroom for students through December 31 (see details under “Meals” section below). Students may choose to bring their own lunch, if they wish.
• Students will have some opportunity for learning station time and circle time with adjusted social distancing.  They will be able to socialize for some learning and play opportunities during each day.  They will have a significant amount of time when they will be required to be in their 6x6 sq ft area when structured teacher-directed learning is happening.
• Recess will occur in small classroom cohort groups with rotational outdoor stations. Students must wear masks during recess. Hand sanitizer will be provided for students to use before and after recess.
• We will strive to keep hybrid learning paired days (M/T or Th/Fr) the same for students from the same family.  Again, it depends on the breakdown of student demand and teacher supply at the school at any one grade level.

Health & Safety

• Parents must conduct daily symptoms screening before sending students to school. Spanish version
  • Face coverings must be worn by students at bus stop, on bus, and during the school day, per current local mandate, except when eating meals; this includes during recess time outdoors. Spanish version
• Families should be familiar with procedure for if a confirmed case of COVID-19 affects a school. Spanish version
• Hand sanitizer or hand sanitizing stations will be available throughout school buildings.
• All Health & Safety Protocols can be found on our Fall2020 reopening site.

Facilities & Security

• Different groups or cohorts of students will not be in buildings on the same days.
• Controlled and staggered movement patterns will be established and monitored, including alternate and various entrance and exit points of access to the school building.
• Arrival and dismissal procedures will minimize congestion and encourage social distancing. Signage will be posted to clearly communicate traffic patterns and procedures.
• Large common areas will not be used, and large gatherings will not be organized for in-person participation.
  • Media Center (library), Cafeteria, and Gymnasium will not be used for their traditional functions.
  • School system staff will follow the established protocols related to cleaning, face coverings, and personal protective equipment as outlined at AACPS Safety Protocols.
  • Standard visitor procedures with proper identification and face covering requirements will be in effect; however, virtual meetings and appointments will be encouraged.

Transportation

• Students must wear cloth face coverings during the school day, including at bus stops and for the duration of the bus ride.
• Buses will transport 22-26 students per route with staggered, alternating seating where only students from the same household will be allowed to sit on the same bench to comply with health and safety protocols.
• All seats will not be used on the bus to accommodate social distancing. Bus drivers and school administrators will work to devise seating processes and plans.
• Students will load the bus starting with the rear seats, filling all designated seats moving forward to the front of the bus.
• Buses will be cleaned twice per day. Frequently touched surfaces will be wiped down between school runs.
• Parents/Guardians of students who elect to travel by bus are required to complete the COVID-19 Parent/Guardian Acknowledgement of Risk form.
  
  

Meals

Students who enroll in the hybrid learning model will receive a free breakfast and lunch delivered to the classroom, and a free dinner and snack to take home at the end of the day.  If your child has a food allergy, please notify the school nurse and the school nutrition team will adjust the meal options according to the allergy. 

Students who enroll in the Virtual Learning models will still be able to access free meals at any of the curbside pickup locations around the county.

For a complete list of meal sites and menus visit www.aacps.org/mealpickup

Hybrid Overview – Student and Teacher Expectations

Registration was open until Monday October 19th @ 5.pm. At this time, we are not accepting changes to initial registrations. 

NOTE:  Students who were not registered by the deadline are being placed in the virtual full-year learning model where they will continue to learn virtually on their current time schedule for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year.  If you did not register your student by the October 19^th deadline and still want your preference to be known, please log your preference below by clicking on the Family Registration button.