Cohorting by the classroom level not feasible with different middle school course options: pacing ELA & math, world language and electives (team-based orbit v. band, foa)

Cohorted by teams, as much as possible

Created smaller cohort pods by physically clustering team-based and grade-based courses (e.g., world language, Stem Lab)

Cohorted by teams, as much as possible 

• 7.1 only hallway
• 7.2 only hallway
• 8.1 only hallway
• 8.2 only hallway
• Mixed team grade 7 (stem/world language wing)
• Mixed team grade 8 (G8 stem wing)
• Art wing (primarily G7 but some periods of G8)
• 8th-grade students will access the art room via the nearest staircase

Every Other Day Rotation: ABAB

• Cohort A:  In school Tuesdays & Thursdays
• Remote:  Monday pm, Wednesdays & Fridays
• Cohort B: In school Wednesdays & Fridays
• Remote: Monday pm, Tuesdays & Thursdays

Cohort A:    A- Land

Cohort B:   Lane-Z

Parent requests to change cohorts will be reviewed to determine if possible.

Information on how the hybrid remote days will work will be shared closer to the start of school.   Staff assignments are still being determined.

Staff, like students, must wear face masks, except when eating (or during teacher announced mask breaks).

• No neck gators or bandanas allowed for students or staff
• Masks must be worn when entering the building

Students should bring in masks from home but the school will provide masks to students, as needed (e.g. lost/broken)

Each classroom has a univent that continually brings in fresh air.  

Classroom doors should remain closed, as this allows for optimal functioning.

Plexiglass barriers are being ordered for front office, guidance desk, library check out area, as well as for staff who will be working closely 1:1 with students (SLT, social workers, guidance, special education teachers).

There will be sanitizing wipes in each room that will be used by students to disinfect their desk and chair at the end of each class and as needed.

Each custodian will have an atomizer, for disinfecting large areas (e.g., after student lunches, nightly after classrooms are cleaned and swept).

Also, each building will have a UV wand that can be used to disinfect other areas, as needed.  

We have purchased portable handwashing machines to facilitate student handwashing.  They will be used during PE classes.

Students will wash their hands at the end of every science class.

• There will be hand soap and paper towels at each lab table sink (3 per room).
• Also during PE, Stem Lab and lunch

Hand sanitizer will be easily accessible everywhere throughout the building and contains the recommended level of alcohol for disinfecting.

Why the shift to static?

To create consistency and build routines:

• for students who will physically be on site far less than is typical

• for students on the remote learning days

• for teachers who may be shifting which room they teach, based on class size

• for parents

Teachers will meet remotely (via Meet) with students from the full hybrid class and frame learning for the upcoming week.

PCMS PROGRAM OF STUDIES  20-21 

NEW ELECTIVE DESCRIPTIONS 

Grade 7:

Bus students will enter (and depart) via the cafeteria doors.

Walkers, bike riders or those dropped off will enter main door and remain in main hallway or cafeteria.

• G7 parents can drop off using the loop (near Bill’s tree) or a loop we will establish that circles the staff parking lot. 

*Grab & Go breakfast will available in the main hallway

Grade 8:

Bus students and walkers/bikers will enter (and depart) via gym doors.

Parents will access the fire road and drive around the back of the building, dropping of their G8 students near the BB court.  They would then enter the gym.  

*Grab & Go breakfast will be available outside the gym

Once school has begun, the parking lot will be coned off and there will be signage indicating no parents nor community members are to access the grounds during the school day.

The cones and signage will be removed at 2pm, so families of G8 students can line up along the back fire road to pick up their children. Families of G7 students can line up in the staff parking lot or in the loop. 

Parents are discouraged from dropping off materials during the school day 

• There will be a drop box for critical items (e.g. medications) outside the main doors.  
• Families would buzz to indicate they are dropping off something and the secretaries would gather the materials once they have time. 
• Parents would park in the loop.

Grade 8: Enter from Rt. 27 loop around back of PCMS and drop off/pick up by the basketball courts

Grade 7: Enter from Rt. 27 and either loop around rotary or enter parking lot and loop back to rotary after drop off

Buses: Enter Rt. 27 and will drop students off by the cafeteria (G7) & gym (G8)

There will be a long plexiglass barrier on the front table in the office.

Students will sign the tardy book with the time they arrived and indicate the reason.

• There will be containers for clean and used pens.
• If the student has missed Titan homeroom, one of the front office staff will take their lunch order.
• Students will be given a pass to take with them to class.

Early dismissal procedures will be similar to our previous practice with the exception that parents will wait outside the main doors for their children.   

• Secretaries will complete the information needed for the dismissal book (time & reason).

Joanne Earner will be conducting a training on monitoring and reporting on student or staff health concerns.

Health triage area:

An area will be created (using room dividers) in the hallway outside of health room.

• Any student that goes to the nurse will wait in this triage area for a health assessment.
• Students who have non-covid related sxs would be treated in the standard health room.
• Students who have potential covid related symptoms would be housed in the newly created health room near the library.
• Joanne would contact the parents and facilitate pick up outside the library doors to minimize student’s movement within the building
• The bathroom closest to those exit doors is being reserved for student(s) that may present with covid-related sxs.  Disinfecting routines will be implemented after each student use.

New practice: 

Students will begin their day with a 15” Titan Homeroom

• 7:20-7:35 am

This morning block  will be a time to:

• connect with this smaller group of students, 
• take attendance
• gather student lunch orders 

Students will have the same teacher for Titan Homeroom and Titan Study.  In the hybrid model, there will be an average of 7-8 students per Titan class. 

We have established team-based bathrooms:

7.1 in the 7.1 hallway 

7.2 across from the cafeteria (there’s a specific procedure during lunch blocks)

8.1 next to elevator

8.2 near Stem Lab 8

There will be 2 students allowed at a time in each bathroom.

• Students will have individual bathroom passes provided to them.
• Teachers will establish a sign-in/sign-out room procedure (e.g., clean/dirty pen containers)
• There will be 2 hooks on each bathroom door.  The student will place his/her pass on one of the empty hooks.
• If there are no empty hooks, the student will wait for an opening on a social distancing marker.

Students desks are placed 6-feet apart.

• The classroom floors will be marked with a black sharpie for appropriate student desk placement so classrooms can be easily be reset, as needed, post cleaning.

Classrooms only contain student desks & chairs (in rows), 1 teacher desk, LCD cart & 1 file cabinet.

At the end of every class, students will use a sanitizing wipe to clean & disinfect their desk and chair.  They should use hand sanitizer as they leave the class.

Students are spending the majority of their day in a team-based hallways.

Additionally, students will not be using lockers, so students will be quickly transitioning to their next class.

Students must wear masks when walking in hallways and during class (as will staff).  

• No neck gators or bandanas 

We have established traffic patterns in hallways and staircases (left/right & one-ways).  They will be clearly marked and reviewed with students and staff.

Example:  Main hallway stairs, for going down to lower level

    Stairs across from elevator for coming up to upper level

No student lockers- TT or PE

• With the hybrid model, students will keep their backpacks with them throughout the day.

• Less students (~50%) in classrooms will allow for space for backpacks in the classrooms.

• Students will need their outerwear with them, in case some instruction takes place outside or for outdoor mask breaks. 

• Students should come in gym-appropriate clothing on PE days but can change into sneakers on the bleachers if they are wearing different shoes throughout the day.

Students will be carrying all their materials, (e.g. Chromebooks, lunches, water bottles, sneakers, art supplies, binders, notebooks, pens/pencils etc.) so backpack weight will be something we want to remain mindful about.

Teachers are creating grade-based supply lists.

Students will need a labeled bag of art supplies (e.g. colored markers, colored pencils, scissors, etc.) to use across courses.

• Students will not be allowed to share materials
• We will have some new school supplies in the office for students who may need them.

Supply lists will be shared on Friday (8/28)

During Titan Homeroom, students will place their cafeteria lunch order.

Lunches will be team-based, so there will be 4 lunch periods. 

• Chorus and orchestra students and switching lunch periods  

Students will proceed to the cafeteria at lunch time.  A line of tables will be set up outside the kitchen.  These pre-made, pre-ordered lunches will be clustered by Titan teacher for an easy, quick student pick-up. 

Student masks should remain on until seated for lunch.

Period 5 breakdown:

24” lunch break

31” Titan Time

62” instructional block

   ~15” independent reading

Lunches:

Team 7.1 lunch:  10:39- 11:03

7” clean & disinfect

Team 7.2 lunch: 11:10- 11:34

7” clean & disinfect

Team 8.1 lunch: 11:41- 12:05

7” clean & disinfect

Team 8.2 lunch: 12:12-12:36

To eat their lunch, students may sit in:

• cafeteria (all forward facing; appropriate social distance seating will be marked),
• auditorium (appropriate social distance seating will be marked) or 
• outside the cafeteria, weather permitting, on the grassy hill.  

The wall separating the auditorium and cafeteria will be opened during lunches.  

Students will be allowed to use their cell phone during lunches  

Anticipated seating needs with 50% students in attendance:  50-60 students per lunch.

Student eating areas, with 6-foot distancing:

• Cafeteria capacity: 44 students
• Auditorium capacity: 65 students 
• Outside on small grassy hill: 20+ students

Students will not be wearing masks while eating, so staff reinforcement on social distancing will be ongoing.

During lunch, students who need to use the bathroom will use the 7.2 bathrooms.  The same procedures will be in place (2 students per bathroom).

Students will be required to wash/disinfect their hands at the end of lunch.

The day custodian will disinfect (atomizer or UV wand) the student eating areas and the bathrooms between students lunches.

Teachers may go outside to teach or take a mask break with their classes anytime they want. 

• Mask breaks will also occur during PE, Stem Lab,  and lunch

There will be a 20’ x 30’ tent on the grounds for outdoor classroom use.

• It will have seating for up to 22 students

• There will be a sign up process for teachers to reserve tent area.

schedules will be mailed on Friday, September 4.

Student tours begin on Thursday.  Sign up with pick-a-time.

There will be an extended Titan Homeroom on the first on campus day to help students become familiar with the building and new procedures.

• Students would then rotate through all 7 periods, with shortened classes.

Lots of changes this year, but, as always, we are looking forward to having our students back in the building!