DC Public Schools (DCPS) Chancellor Lewis Ferebee held a telephone town hall on Wednesday providing details about the reopening for in-person learning scheduled to start on February 1.
DCPS established “Reopening Community Corps” at each school as part of its grassroots approach to its planning of Term 3 Reopening, according to Ferebee.
These teams, which are designed to be diverse and reflective of the school community, have been tasked with developing a reopening plan that is customized for the needs of their school community. All reopening plans are based on health and safety protocols.
The teams have been asked two key questions by DCPS:
- What is the best instructional model for your school? How can that instructional model meet the needs of the students and families in that community?
- What is the best way to organize classes for each grade level to support in-person learning? And how can CARE classrooms be designed for Term 3?
DC public schools are now required to decide which one of the four instructional models (A, B, C or D) presented by DCPS best suits the students and families of their community for in-person teaching, and release their reopening plans by the end of the week.
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Elementary schools can choose between Model A, where in-person learning is offered to a group of up to 11 students per classroom; Model B, a hybrid system combining in-person and online classes; Model C, where two teachers take turns teaching two classrooms on different days; and Model D, where one teacher instructs two classrooms at different times.
Middle and high schools have the options of Model A, which focuses on students with special academic or social needs; Model B, which includes four days of in-person learning per week, completed with virtual classes; Model C, having individual classes or teachers meet; and Model D that involves in-person learning for a full day or a half day every week.
School employees will be inoculated against COVID-19 starting January 25.