Q: Will testing for learning disabilities be available this school year?
Yes. Testing will resume this fall while following all CDC and state ed guidelines. Please feel free to reach out to the Special Education Department at 585-349-5140 or visit our web page at this link.
Q: How will services be delivered to students with IEP’s?
We will adhere to the recommendations on a child's IEP, and work with our specialist providers to ensure our students receive accommodations whether in person or remotely.
Q: When will we be notified of the school bus schedules?
The Transportation Department is currently creating the school bus routes and the times will be communicated when the bus passes are sent out. This process has been delayed due to creation of the hybrid system student groupings. We get these out as soon as possible.
Q: Will remote families be able to request bus transportation in October, if changing to hybrid or full in-person instruction?
Yes. We will be developing a survey or process in early October for parents to complete, allowing enough time for our transportation department to balance and reroute as needed.
Q: What plans are in place for school lunches in our cafeterias?
Each school is currently working on the logistics of school lunch in our cafeterias. For instance, the high school is planning on utilizing desks with social spacing; Cosgrove intends to utilize its tables with students spaced with measured distances; and the elementary schools are planning a similar table model with distancing students by seat.
Questions prior to Aug. 7
Q: For remote learning, will my child get a laptop?
Yes, Spencerport's Reopening Plan does outline technology accessibility for each child.
Q: Will the start date be delayed as other districts have done?
Students first day of school will be on Mon., Sept. 14.This later start date will allow for staff training and planning to support our various instructional models. The amended school calendar for 2020-21 may be found at this link.
Q: Why did you group students by a Monday/Thursday and Tuesday/Friday model?
The advisory task force recommended the Monday/Thursday and Tuesday/Friday model, after expressed concerns that students would be out of school for almost a full week with the Mon/Tue and Thu/Fri option. The latter model would further present difficulty for our primary students as they learn and develop routines.
Q: Will this schedule provide students with equal amount of in-school time? Can you please advise how students’ schedules will be assigned when the Hybrid Instruction Model is selected and you have more than one child in the district?
The Hybrid model is designed to provide the Blue and Gold groups the same number of students and amount of time in school. Once the Spencerport group, Rangers group and the Remote Learning group are finalized, the district will be using Infinite Campus to balance all K-12 classrooms across the district while taking into account households with children in multiple schools. Consideration is also given to balancing students for transportation.
Q: Using the Enrollment Intent Form, if I select the Hybrid Instruction Model, will all of the children in my household be scheduled in the same group and attend school on the same day?
Yes, students in the same household will be assigned in the same group, and therefore will attend school on the same days, if the Hybrid Instruction Model is chosen. Please remember to complete the Enrollment Intent Form for each of the children in your household.
Q: Will we have the option of picking which two-day session our child will attend?
Unfortunately, due to the complexity of scheduling and the effort to keep families together and buses balanced, parents will not have the option to decide which two days their children attend. If you have a hardship or extenuating circumstance, please contact your child’s school principal.
Q: What considerations went into the decision to opt for a Hybrid and Remote reopening approach?
Online surveys for parents and staff; task force meetings; guidance from the state and local departments of health, NYS Department of Education and the directives of the Governor's Office. Primarily, in a full return model, the district would not able to meet the social distance guidelines released by the CDC and the NYSDOH, therefore, the Reopening Task Force made the recommendation to consider hybrid and remote learning options for families.
Additional considerations included:
• COVID-19 cases and trends
• Best practices from our nursing staff, the
local Board of Health, the NYSDOH, and
the CDC
• Current inventory of personal protective
equipment (PPE) and future needs
• Assessment of facilities and spaces
• Enrollment and building capacity
• SCSD curriculum, instruction, and
assessments
• Budgetary and fiscal constraints
• State and federal guidelines and
requirements
• Examples of plans from other states and
districts
• Special population needs
• Developmental needs of students
• Busing and transportation
• Staffing patterns and personnel
• Technology
Q: Could you describe what the full remote learning model will entail? Is it going to be similar to end of last year’s structure?
In response to the "Distance Learning Survey" that the district administered in the spring, parents shared that they would like their child to have greater access to their teacher(s) and higher expectations in terms of academic requirements. Although the final details for 100% remote learning haven't been finalized, the district is working diligently to incorporate the feedback that our community provided. Unlike the spring, students will need to be assessed on their academic progress throughout the school year and this will require a more rigorous approach in terms of teaching and learning.
Q: Will there be an updated calendar, with day rotations, published by the district?
Yes. There were be a separate day rotation calendar for the high school, middle school, and elementary school. This calendar will be finalized and more information is forthcoming when available.
Q: Is there a possibility of the district switching from hybrid model to all in-class in the middle of the year? Or... will this be the plan for the entire year?
This will be a decision that is made based on guidance from the governor's office.
Q: Why isn’t kindergarten running 5 days a week?
Due to enrollment and the ability to safely social distance, Kindergarten will follow the hybrid schedule