Superintendent Dr. Jami Jo Thompson shared information during the 6/8/2020 Board of Education meeting regarding planning for the 2020-2021 school year. She shared that she has formed a COVID-19 Return to School and Pandemic Response Committee that is developing plans for school in the fall, based upon information provided by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE). This committee includes all principals and central office administrators, a school nurse and a building secretary, several teachers and parents, and individuals with expertise pertaining to activities, facilities, transportation, and technology.
In addition, subcommittees have been formed to draft plans specific to the following areas:Technology, Facilities and Operations, Wellness, Transitions, Instruction, Staffing, Transportation, Communication, Special Programs, and Extracurricular Activities.
Their purpose is to provide a framework for the return of students to Norfolk Public Schools’ facilities in a manner that maximizes student safety and learning...keeping in mind that their plans must be dynamic in nature. In other words, the plans will need to be adapted and updated throughout the pandemic, based upon COVID incidences within our community and guidance from local, state and federal government and health officials.
At this point, the committees are developing plans, based upon the following re-opening scenarios:
- Scenario A: All students return to the school campus on August 13, 2020. Community health conditions warrant a return to school on campus, with appropriate safety precautions in place.
- Scenario B: Delayed start of the school until after Labor Day. Community health conditions warrant a delayed start to the school year, based on the rationale that waiting a few additional weeks will allow school to resume with on-site/in-person instruction.
- Scenario C: Hybrid Model with a combination of on-site/in-person instruction and remote (home-based) learning opportunities. Community health conditions warrant social distancing practices that can only be obtained with smaller class sizes. An alternate schedule will be communicated to staff and families where students alternate on-site and remote learning.
- Scenario D: Remote Learning. Community health conditions warrant an extended closure of school. All student learning will occur remotely through enhanced home-based learning opportunities.
- Scenario E: Intermittent Short-Term Closure. Due to a staff or student’s COVID status, a short-term (2-5 day) closure is warranted, in order to clean, disinfect and contract-trace potential COVID exposures. Remote (home-based) learning opportunities may be reinstated, depending upon the length of the closure.
