School Re-Opening Plan
Submitted: 8/7/2020

Northside Center for Child Development Day School
BEDS:310400998072
1301 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10029
302 East 111th Street, New York, New York 10029
Programs provided at this site:
853 (School Age Special Education)
4410 (Pre-School Special Education)
Contact Person:
Carolina Laise-Chong, Educational Director of Special Education
Contact Number: 212-426-3464
Contact Email Address: [email protected]
Website: www.northsidecenter.org

This plan was developed to conform to the guidance provided by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) in their July, 2020, document entitled: Recovering, Rebuilding, and Renewing: The Spirit of New York’s Schools – Reopening Guidance. This plan will be revised and updated as needed to adjust to changing public health conditions caused by the COVID-19 virus and all of the new requirements and regulations which may emerge over time. We solicited input and involvement from the families we serve and our staff and the agency at-large during the original drafting of our re-opening plan. We will rely on continued input from all stakeholders as we move forward implementing this plan and as we contemplate any additions or modifications.

We know our program must be as flexible and as responsive as possible to the needs of our students, families, and staff members. We will closely monitor the conditions of our community as the COVID-19 pandemic continues along with the effectiveness and appropriateness of our plan. Be assured that nothing has changed our sincere commitment to our students and our determination to provide the highest possible quality of educational programming and related services even during these difficult times.

The goal of the plan is to guide the delivery of high-quality educational services as safely as possible whether services delivery is in-person, through a remote learning platform or a blended combination of remote and in-person services. Our focus and concerns extend to the social and emotional needs of our students, families, and staff members. By diligently working together and remaining focused on the outcomes we desire, we can find solutions to the many challenges ahead.

Our plan includes all the required elements identified by NYSED and follows the structure of the guidance by addressing the following areas as they apply to our students with disabilities and their families:

1. Communication/Family and Community Engagement
2. Health and Safety
3. Facilities
4. Child Nutrition
5. Transportation
6. Social Emotional Well-Being
7. School Schedules
8. Budgets and Fiscal
9. Attendance and Chronic Absenteeism
10. Technology and Connectivity
11. Teaching and Learning
12. Career and Technical Education
13. Athletics and Extra Curricular Activities
14. Special Education
15. Staffing
16. Teacher and Principal Evaluation System
17. Student Teaching

Any suggestions, concerns and /or questions about our plan should be directed to the contact person identified at the beginning of this document.

1. COMMUNICATION/FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

a. The Executive Director, Operational team, Human Resources team, and Leadership team of the School were involved in crafting the original re-opening plan and will be participants in future revisions of this plan.
b. We surveyed our families, staff and community in helping us create this plan and will be active participants in modifying or enhancing our plan.
c. Northside will train all employees on applicable precautions/policies in NYS guidance remotely or in-person using appropriate physical distancing and requiring face coverings for all participants.
d. Northside completed the NYS safety plan and has it posted on site and will share with staff and families.
e. Northside continues to have its child care safety plan posted on site and will share with staff and families.
f. Northside will have signage posted inside and outside of the facility reminding individuals to adhere to proper hygiene, physical distancing, appropriate use of face coverings, and cleaning and disinfecting protocols to ensure all staff, families, students and visitors are made aware.
g. Northside will provide Information and Communicate with employees, parents/guardians and children regarding such pertinent information as instructions, training, signage, and static grouping.
h. Identified designee will be responsible to respond to COVID-19 concerns. Employees and parents/guardians will be provided with designee’s name and how to contact them. [TBD].

2. HEALTH AND SAFETY
NOTE: Students and staff will return to in- person instruction only when governmental authorities permit in-person education. Additionally any return to in-person instruction will necessitate that the school’s leadership also determines the number of students and staff allowed to return in person based on: the ability to maintain social distancing; the availability of PPE, including the availability of cloth face covering and face masks; availability of safe transportation; and knowledge of local hospital capacity according to local Department of Health

a. If employees feel sick, they should stay at home.
b. If parents/guardians observe signs of illness in their child, they are to keep child home.
c. Mandatory health screening assessment questionnaire, temperature check and hand hygiene will be done daily for all employees, visitors and children when entering the building.
d. Perform screening remotely – electronic survey before employees arrive or students arrive on bus.
e. Maintain a continuous log of every person entering the building.
f. If employees step out of the building, upon re-entering the building will have to go through temperature check again and hand hygiene.
g. Students upon arriving via NYCDOE bus transportation will be screened once exiting the bus.
h. If someone exhibits a symptom of COVID-19 they will not be allowed to enter the site.
i. If a student exhibits a symptom of COVID-19 upon arrival on bus, they will be isolated in designated room and emergency contact will be contacted to pick up student.
j. If a student has symptoms of COVID-19 or has a positive diagnostic test, the student must isolate and may not attend program until

i. It has been at least 10 days from symptom onset, with last three days fever-free (without use of fever-reducing medicine) and an overall reduction in symptoms.
ii. If no symptoms, 10 days from the date they were tested.

k. If an employee or child tests positive for COVID-19:

i. Identify all close contacts. This includes all adults and children in the same static classroom group as the person with COVID-19 and any other person who has been within 6 feet of person diagnosed with COVID-1- for at least 10 minutes.
ii. All close contacts must stay home for 14 days from the last contact with the individual who has COVID-19
iii. Maintain static groups of children to avoid creating more close contacts.

l. Physical Distancing Protocols

i. Any time that employees are less than 6 feet apart from each other or interacting with children they must wear face covering, gowns, etc.
ii. Employees are to maintain at least 6 feet apart at all times, unless safety of the core activity requires a shorter distance (e.g. jointly responding to the need of a child.)
iii. Employees and children groupings are as static as possible having same group of children with same staff whenever and wherever possible.
iv. Group sizes no more than 10 children.
v. Ensure that different static groups of up to 10 children have no or minimal contact with one another or utilize common spaces at the same time to the greatest extent possible.
vi. Implement practices to maintain adequate social distancing in small areas, such as restrooms and break rooms restricting the occupancy.
vii. Reconfigure space to limit overall density
viii. Non-essential visitors will be prohibited.
ix. Limited large group gathering- will continue to hold Team Meetings and practice social distancing.
x. Drop off and pick up of child will be done on first floor with strict adherence to 6 feet apart to the extent possible.
xi. Stagger arrival and drop off of bussing
xii. All deliveries and pick-ups will be done on the first floor in designated no-contact areas.
xiii. Modify work area and seating so individuals are at least 6 feet apart in all directions.
xiv. Limiting employees moving between classroom unless such rotation is necessary to safely supervise the children due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g. staff absences)

m. Personal Protective Equipment

i. Staff must wear face coverings at all times when interacting with children and when within 6 feet from other staff.
ii. Face coverings should not be used by children 2 years of age and younger or by anyone who cannot medically tolerate one
iii. Children over the age of 2 do not need to wear face coverings while in the child care facility or in outdoor spaces exclusively used by the program.
iv. Northside will provide acceptable face coverings to employees at no cost and maintain an adequate supply for replacement.
v. Acceptable face coverings include cloth (e.g. homemade sewn, quick cut, bandana) or masks
vi. Prohibit sharing of face coverings
vii. Northside will train staff on how to put on, take off, and clean or discard of PPE
viii. Limit the sharing of objects and discourage touching of shared surfaces; require staff to wear gloves when in contact with shared areas or require employees and children to wash hands before and after contact.
Safety Coordinator: TBD, title, contact information: is responsible for continuous compliance with all aspects of the school’s reopening plan, as well as any phased- in reopening activities necessary to allow for operational issues to be resolved before activities return to normal or “new normal” levels.

COVID-19 Resource Person: School nurse and/or designated School Administrator, will be the main contact upon the identification of positive COVID-19 cases and will be responsible for subsequent communications.

3. FACILITIES

a. NY Forward Safety Plan – COVID-19 Safety Plan– created, and shared with staff and families and posted onsite.

4. Hygiene, Cleaning and Disinfection:

a. Northside will adhere to hygiene, cleaning and disinfection requirements from the CDC and NYS Department of Health and maintain logs on site that document date, time and scope of cleaning and disinfection.
b. Provide and maintain hand hygiene stations: hand-washing with soap, running warm water, and disposable paper towels: alcohol-based hand sanitizers for areas where hand-washing is not available or practical
c. Making hand-washing stations or hand sanitizer available throughout common areas
d. Employees and children must perform hand hygiene immediately upon entering the program
e. Upon arrival to the first program activity
f. Between all program activities
g. After using the bathroom
h. Before eating
i. Before departing the last program activity
j. Provide appropriate cleaning/disinfection supplies for shared and frequently touched surfaces (e.g. door handles, art supplies) and encourage employees to clean/disinfect before and after touching such surfaces and objects, followed by hand hygiene
k. Regularly clean and disinfect equipment and toys using the Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) list of products identified as effective against COVID-19
l. Limit children from using toys that cannot be cleaned/sanitized (e.g., dress-up clothes, puppets)
m. Northside does not provide rest periods for children.
n. Children are not to bring toys from home
o. Place hand sanitizer in convenient locations (e.g., entrances and exits, security and reception desks).
p. Receptacles will be placed around the facility for disposal of soiled items, including single-use PPE.
q. Operations:

i. Rearranged, repurpose, modify or expand facility space to implement social distancing or other safety measures, please describe: We are in the process of installing sneeze guards at the reception areas, security station and for workspaces that are located in heavily traffic areas of the site.

ii. Are all of the changes you describe in response to #1 above in compliance with fire, building, child care and any other applicable codes, regulations and legal requirement?

Yes, we are installing polycarbonate sneeze guards.

iii. Have the school’s written emergency plans (i.e. fire, drills, evacuation, lockdown) been modified to reflect and facilitate social distancing? Yes, page 18-19 of the safety plan.

iv. Describe any changes to time management and schedules of facility usage which are planned to reduce congestion and promote social distancing: We intend to work with the program directors to stagger arrivals and departures in order to mitigate against congestion in our lobby areas once program plans are finalized and operating hours are decided.

v. Will doors which do not have automatic closure mechanisms and/or are not Fire rated be maintained tin an open position to increase air flow? YES

vi. Has your school installed plastic separator or other dividers? If so, please describe: Polycarbonate dividers were ordered for the classrooms: personal space desk dividers, tabletop acrylic partitions and floor standing acrylic partitions.

vii. Have you installed any hand sanitizer dispensers? If so, where and are those dispensers in compliance with all applicable fire codes? Yes, we have installed touch free hand sanitizers and they are in compliance with applicable fire codes.

viii. Have you installed dividers anywhere in the facility to control groups and/or manage the possibility of crowding?
Polycarbonate sneeze guards will be installed at high traffic
areas, however, crowding will be further mitigated by limiting
the number of staff that are physically allowed in the building
at any given time by leveraging WFH.

ix. Have you made any changes to drinking fountains or drinking water access for students in response to COVID-19? If so, please describe: We disinfect and clean our water
fountains multiple times throughout the day. Appropriate signage will be put at their location.

x. Describe your plan for increasing ventilation and air flow (natural and/or mechanical): We are ensuring that HEPA filters are used throughout our facilities. We’re further working to increase the frequency of outside air into our ventilation systems in order to reduce recirculation.

xi. Describe your plan for enhancing and maintaining higher efficiency air filtering and re-balancing of air flow necessitated by filtration changes: Filter replacement is part of our monthly environmental and safety checklist that is performed each month. The resequencing to increase the frequency of outside air will be done prior to the start of the school year.

xii. Have you installed any new air purification technologies? If so, do those devises meet or exceed safety standards, including being listed/labeled as having been approved for the intended use by a nationally-recognized testing laboratory? NO, however, in addition to our enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols, we will deploy disinfectant foggers as an added layer of cleaning.

5. CHILD NUTRITION

a. New York City Department of Education provides our students with breakfast and lunch.
b. Serve individual portions to children as currently provided
c. Keep static groups of children separated- will eat their breakfast and lunch in their rooms
d. Each classroom staff will be sent down individually to retrieve breakfast and lunch.
e. Students will be separated at least six feet apart or tables will have non-flammable barriers between the students
f. Provide and maintain hand hygiene stations: hand-washing with soap, running warm water, and disposable paper towels: alcohol-based hand sanitizers for areas where hand-washing is not available or practical
g. Making hand-washing stations or hand sanitizer available throughout common areas
h. Before eating
i. Will communicate with families about any nutrition and meal issues.

6. TRANSPORTATION

Note: Transportation for students with disabilities enrolled in 4410 and/or 853 programs are provided by school district. School programs, however, are involved in the embarking and disembarking of students.

a. During disembarking/arrival:

i. Buses will continue to be unloaded one at a time, the student will immediately be provided with hand sanitizer and will be transported to their room.
ii. Once students are in the building the next bus will be unloaded and follow the same procedures until all buses are disembarked.

b. During embarking/dismissal:

i. We will have staggering dismissal. Busing coordinator will identify which bus is to be loaded first and those students will be brought downstairs and loaded on bus.
ii. Once those students are loaded the next bus will be loaded and follow the same procedures until all buses are embarked.

c. Drop off and pick up child will be done first floor with strict 6 feet apart.
d. Provide and maintain hand hygiene stations: hand-washing with soap, running warm water, and disposable paper towels: alcohol-based hand sanitizers for areas where hand-washing is not available or practical
e. Making hand-washing stations or hand sanitizer available throughout common areas
f. Employees and children must perform hand hygiene immediately upon entering the program
g. Upon arrival to the first program activity
h. Before departing the last program activity

7. SOCIAL EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING

a. Plans/polices related to student well-being and/or behavior management include school wide plans, classrooms plans, individual child plans and use of outside services if indicated. Addressing the social emotional well-being of the child is integrated into the curriculum through the implementation of school wide behavior plans, and the Second Step Social Emotional Curriculum. Social workers support teachers, students and families and Social Stories are disseminated to classrooms to support social emotional learning reinforcing appropriate social language and behavioral expectations. Approved individual behavioral intervention plans are implemented when indicted.

b. Schools leadership and stakeholders have reviewed plans and have taken in account Northside’s unique population needs and future needs. Plans will be reviewed in order to accommodate any additional student needs already not addressed.

c. Teachers and Therapists will refer identified students to the attention of the Social Workers who will do a mental health assessment and based on their assessment and accompanying information, utilize resources at their disposal to implement a plan of treatment. Additional support and resources will be provided by the agency’s mental health clinic which we have a signed linkage agreement.

d. Staff will participate in ongoing professional development in order to be better able to support parents needs during and after COVID-19. Social workers provide staff with weekly check ins and Human Resources is providing free employee and family counseling up to 6 sessions

e. A Social Emotional curriculum will be implemented school-wide; and Parent Newsletters and frequent communication with families via email, back-pack mail, phone calls etc. will provide pertinent information and resources that support strengthening family engagement and social emotional health.

8. SCHOOL SCHEDULES
a. Hybrid Model:

i. Students that will be on site will continue to receive 5 hours of instruction, while students working remotely will continue to receive 3 hours of synchronous instruction and 2 hours of pre-recorded activities.

ii. In person presence will be limited to only those staff members who are necessary to be at the school during normal school hours. Non-school personnel will have limited access to facility with signage in reception area identifying the school’s admittance policies.

iii. Social distancing will be used to promote, increase, and/or maintain a remote workforce by having indicated staff work remotely to the extent possible and practical.

iv. Bussing schedules will be staggered; staff arrivals and departures will be staggered; non-school staff will not be allowed on the school floor during the time that school is in session; and visitors will be restricted to limited access following all safety protocols. There will be signage in the hallways indicating direction of traffic.

v. Cohorts will be grouped by classroom and those cohorts will be grouped A or B limiting the number of cohorts in each group and in the building.
vi. We will develop family-friendly policies and encourage participation by diverse families; provide professional development for educational staff and related service providers on family and community engagement for the school building; and provide training to community stakeholders and parents to help them develop effective communication and partnering skills. Alternating scheduling will be determined by parent surveys, and staff accommodations.

vii. We will send all communication in the family’s home language and when there is not a staff member who represents the home language, the translation service provided by the NYCDOE will be used.

viii. All responses will be considered including parent surveys and staff accommodations when making scheduling decisions and selecting instructional models in order to promote equity and access for all, including English language learners, those experiencing homelessness and students with disabilities.

9. BUDGET AND FISCAL

a. We have increased our amount of expenses for PPE supplies for students and staff; for facility accommodations; and we have tracked our on-going expenses regarding response to COVID-19 and will continue to track any on-going expenses related to COVID-19. If additional revenue resources are needed, we will seek support from our Development Department and if possible, our SEDCAR funds.

b. In order to maintain high levels of enrollment, we will continue outreach to the parents of students currently enrolled and make constant outreach to the CPSE/CSE to notify of vacancies as they occur. We also maintain a waiting list.

10. ATTENDANCE AND CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM

I. Weekly calls are made at a minimum of 3 times a week to check in with families and support any social emotional and/or educational needs. Teachers track attendance, participation, and parent contact via email and calls using an attendance tracker. Google Suite is an additional tool also used to track participation and attendance.

II. Staff will communicate often via various forms and platforms, I.e. (Google Classroom, Google Meets, Zoom, newsletter, phone calls, email) to develop/sustain positive relationships with students and families and to promote active attendance and participation.

III. Written and verbal communication with parents will be in their home language and all parents will be invited to be a part of the decision-making process.

IV. Parents not participating in remote learning will have access to
Google Suite, receive weekly phone calls from the classroom
staff and related service providers. Parents will be emailed
home activities that can be implemented at home to support
their child’s developmental and educational needs.

V. If a parent declines remote services, the district administrator
will be notified.

VI. DESCRIBE HOW YOU OUTREACH TO FAMILIES WHO SPEAK LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH: At present, all LEP/ ELL children are being taught by a special education teacher with Level I training who is provided a bilingual paraprofessional with ESL training. All ESL training for both teachers & assistants has been completed through Inter Agency Council (IAC), that provides ESL instruction in various methodologies in the implementation of the Individual Education Plans (IEP). At present, we have one Level II Teacher/Resource Specialist and our CPSE/CSE Coordinator, Idelka Martinez who possesses the Bilingual Extension to her certificates. This professional will provide peer assistance, in-service training, ongoing staff development, and provide assistance with problem solving. Teachers and SLPs are actively collaborating to engage with families remotely via newsletters, activity sheets, thematic learning and social stories. Those interventions are translated into Spanish, when indicated. Additionally, the Teacher Assistants are utilized to communicate with parents, as they are bilingual Spanish and serve to ascertain parent needs. In turn, parent needs can be addressed and supported by the expertise of the Teachers and the SLPs who are globally familiar with the language learning and usage needs of all the students in their assigned classrooms and the specific needs of the students on their caseload. If school staff cannot translate the home language, translating services will be used.

VII. Staff members receive consistent and formal certificate Mandated Reporter Training: Identifying and Reporting Child Abuse and Maltreatment- Office of Children and Family Services. Additionally, throughout the year, staff are remined of their responsibility as mandated reporters to contact the department of social services if they suspect child abuse or neglect.

11. TECHNOLOGY AN CONNECTIVITY

a. We have met with our IT Department and they are involved in discussion regarding all issues of technology and connectivity. All parents are contacted by the classroom teaching staff to survey what devices they do and/or do not have and their Wi-Fi capabilities. All staff are provided with devices and Chrome Books have been provided to all students and teacher’s assistants. We also provided Windows 10 Laptops to all teachers. Our IT Department has implemented Google School in our school program. Northside is fully certified as a school by Google Education and our classrooms are on Google G Suite. Google is FERPA/CORPA Compliant. If needed, we provide indicated students with Hot Spots with 4G capability.

b. All our students and teachers/teacher aides at our Northside school program have been provided devices to connect to our school. We are also looking into providing live feed via Google School/Meet for remote students to join the live classrooms.

c. Our IT Department has purchased/distributed and assisted in setting up the Chrome Books for use by all our students and teachers/teacher aides. When/if technical help is needed, our IT Staff is on hand during school hours to provide necessary help to families and staff. We also provide the most basic knowledge to teachers so in case IT is not able to reach families in a timely manner, teachers can assist in solving basic issues.

d. All staff use Microsoft 365. Northside is a HIPAA and FERPA compliant agency by implementing numerous network and internet security tools. We also use Google G Suite which is FERPA compliant with our students and parents. Our staff communication happens via Microsoft Office 365 which is HIPAA/FERPA Compliant. We have BAA from both Google and Microsoft for the applications we use.

e. We utilize surveying capability that we can implement with families and staff to allow us to assess the effectiveness of the digital tools and platforms that we use.

f. We intend to promote equitable access and flexibility for student, staff and families during remote instruction and learning by utilizing funds necessary to provide hot spots and/or technology as needed.

12. TEACHING AND LEARNING

Northside will use the following on line platforms of Teaching Strategies, Google Suite, and email to provide assignments to students, consistent with the subject content standards of their respective classes whether completely remote, face to face or utilizing a hybrid model. Teachers will communicate expectations to students and families regarding the instructional plan for the week, including learning objectives, required activities, assignments, and assessments, along with any associated due dates. During designated times, teachers will interact with students in real-time to deliver lessons, facilitate discussion, and lead other instructional activities. Teachers will record lessons and other instructional activities for students to access later.

i. Monitor student participation in activities, with at least one teacher responsible for ensuring daily check ins of each student, and following up with student and family, and other school staff as needed.

ii. Post assignments, content, activities, and links to resources for students to use to master the learning through Teaching Strategies website objectives for the week.

iii. Ensure delivery of instructional activities are aligned to students IEP.

iv. Monitor email or other agreed-upon communication channels daily (Monday thru Friday during normal school hours) for messages from students and families and respond to messages in a timely fashion.

v. Provide feedback on work submitted by students. Communicate with families about student progress.

vi. For students who need additional support, identify appropriate activities and assignments, such as practice of pre-requisite skills.

vii. For students who need additional enrichment, provide opportunities and resources for independent inquiry beyond the expectations of posted assignments.

viii. For co-teaching pairs, develop content, activities and assignments collaboratively.

a. Assist in supporting all students, as needed.
b. Participate in IEP meetings remotely at the request of the school.
c. Conduct all annual reviews timely for your students with disabilities, to the greatest extent possible.
d. Ensure that all students with disabilities have their assistive technology and necessary tools sent home for remote work.

Our Teacher, Teacher assistants and support staff are reaching out to families in our IABP who are limited English proficient continuing our support as usual.

a. The instruction, regardless of the modality used, will remain aligned with the outcomes identified in the New York State Learning Standards.
b. All students will be provided with opportunity and access to daily schedule instructions, interaction, feedback and support from teachers.
c. All students will have the opportunities for regular and substantive contact with qualified instructional personnel regardless of the delivery method (remote, blended, in-person).
d. Northside will engage with families in teaching and learning processes on a continuous basis.
e. Northside will continue to use multiple modes of communication for families to contact teachers and related services providers regardless of their home Languages.
f. We will provide parent training and seminars on diverse topics including student needs, COVID-19 and social emotional well-being to address the specialized needs of students whose educational experiences in 2019-2020 were disrupted due to school closures. Our parent coordinator will send weekly resources of webinars, articles, and community resources. Social workers on staff will support parents needs and make the necessary referrals to the Northside Mental Health Clinic if indicated. Teaching staff and related service staff will touch base weekly with parents providing additional activities that can help support student development and learning and help reduce regression of skills
g. Upon re-entering, the emphasis will be on trauma informed practices and the social emotional well-being of our children and families. The school’s current school-wide positive behavioral intervention plan uses a multi-tier system that encourages positive behaviors and restorative justice. Students and parents’ emotional needs will be addressed by a curriculum entitled Second Step. A team of social workers will be on staff to address staff and parent student social emotional needs. If additional support is needed, we will reach out to our Mental Health Clinic and link parents to additional resources within the community when needed.
h. Weekly team meetings will be held to discuss student needs and supports as a way of helping staff members share information about individual student needs and each student’s responses to blended, in-person an/or remote learning
i. Ongoing informal assessment of check list and provider clinical opinion along with observations and parental input will be used to access students’ needs academic, social and emotional needs.

i. Programs for preschool 4410 students: Northside does not participate in family style meals. All students receive individual wrapped meals.
ii. When classrooms do not have adjoining sinks and toilets, Program will provide and maintain hand hygiene stations: hand-washing with soap, running warm water, and disposable paper towels; alcohol-based hand sanitizers for areas where hand-washing is not available or practical
iii. Northside does not provide rest periods for children.
iv. Making hand-washing stations or hand sanitizer is available throughout common areas to enhance social distancing
v. Avoid children sharing materials
vi. Provide appropriate cleaning/disinfection supplies for shared and frequently touched surfaces (e.g. door handles, art supplies) and encourage employees to clean/disinfect before and after touching such surfaces and object, followed by hand hygiene.
vii. Regularly clean and disinfect equipment and toys using the Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) list of products identified as effective against COVID-19
viii. Limit children from using toys that cannot be cleaned/sanitized (e.g., dress-up clothes, puppets)
ix. Children are not to bring toys from home

j. For 4410 programs only: Best practices will be utilized to balance, inform and facilitate high- quality screen time and authentic learning experiences during remote learning periods. In-person activities will be selected that can also be facilitated in the home environment utilizing family resources. Efforts will be made to ascertain family resources, materials, and activities and integrate them into the remote learning experience as a way of valuing the provisions that families provide for their children along with reinforcing the relationship of parent as teacher. We’re using both synchronous and asynchronous activities. We will conduct parent surveys quarterly to assess how our learning and instructional model is going.
k. During this time Northside will not permit any volunteers or visitors due to the health and safety requirements- if a parent/guardian need to visit the program, social distancing and face masks will be adhered to.
l. We will maintain students in a cohort/pod:

i. Employees and children groupings are as static as possible having same group of children with same staff whenever and wherever possible.
ii. Group sizes no more than 10 children.
iii. Ensure that different static groups of up to 10 children have no or minimal contact with one another or utilize common spaces at the same time to the greatest extent possible.

13. CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION

NOTE: CTE does not specifically apply to 4410 programs except for the basic Learning Standards which can be achieved in remote, blended or in-person preschool instructional models.

Northside ‘s 853 programs ends at 3rd grade, so CTE does not specifically apply except for the basic Learning Standards which can be achieved in remote, blended or in-person instructional models.

14. ATHLETICS AND EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

NOTE: While athletics and extra-curricular activities are generally not part of any 4410 program and may have only limited manifestation in an 853 program. However, should such events or activities be contemplated and permitted by governmental authorities, our agency will comply completely with the guidance and requirements set forth in DOH interim Guidance for Sports and Recreation During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. Should facilities under our control be used at any time by external community organizations, those groups will be required to follow NYSED and local directives and health requirements regarding social distancing, hygiene and sanitation.

a. When applicable
i. Keep static group of children separated
ii. Focus on activities with little or no physical contact
iii. Encourage sports that involve less physical closeness over those that require close contact or shared equipment
iv. Encourage activities that are low risk such a skill-building and conditioning
v. Enhance learning and disinfection protocol
vi. Northside with discourage field trips and other off-site activities

15. SPECIAL EDUCATION

a. All students will be provided the same amount of learning and instruction regardless of the model

• A free appropriate public education (FAPE)
• The least restrictive environment (LRE)
• An individualized education program (IEP)
• Procedural due process
• Nondiscriminatory assessment
• Parental participation.

b. Parents will be meaningfully engaged in their preferred language or mode of communication regarding the provision of mandated services to their child by: Parent Newsletters and frequent communication with families via email, back-pack mail, phone calls etc. and will provide pertinent information and resources that support strengthening family engagement and social emotional health. The NYCDOE translating hotline will also be used to communicate with parents.

c. Northside will continue to work collaboratively with districts via IEP coordinator, who will communicate weekly with CPSE/CSE and update administrators immediately with any changes and/or parental /student concerns as necessary.

d. Northside will ensure access to the necessary accommodations, modifications, supplementary aides and services and technology to meet the unique disability related needs of students.

e. Northside will share their reopening plan with families, send newsletters to ensure families are continuously aware of what is going on and they will be provided this information in their preferred language and mode of communication.

f. Northside will work with CPSE/CSE to ensure that all students remote learning needs are addressed in the event of future intermittent or extended school closures.

g. Northside will continue to monitor the progress of the student’s individual needs regardless of the service delivery model and use that information to evaluate the effectiveness of the student’s special education services and inform parents of their child’s progress on a regular basis.

h. All data collections will remain the same.

i. Related Service Staff- Occupational/Physical/Speech Therapists will be assigned established cohorts/pod (caseloads). This will ensure that therapists are limiting their engagement to a minimal number of cohorts/pods. Service delivery will continue to support the individual needs of the student by providing remote, blended, in-person intervention that best meets the therapeutic needs of the students; facilitated the implementation of the IEP; has the support of the parent and assures the highest-level service provision (productivity).

16. STAFFING

a. All current Northside Staff hold appropriate certification/licensing and using internet-based tools can be verified by NYSED. Northside is continuously interviewing for staff with appropriate certification/license to ensure all positions are covered due to vacancies or necessary accommodations of current staff. Northside will periodically assess staff assignments and make indicated changes when necessary while always maintaining appropriate certification/licensing.

b. Northside will undertake robust recruitment efforts to identify and process qualified substitutes. In the 2020-2021 school year, as permitted by NYSED, if qualified substitute teachers cannot be engaged, individuals with a high-school diploma, even though not working towards certification, can first be engaged up to 90 days and beyond the 90 day period through the end of June 2021, as long as the superintendent documents and attests that recruitment efforts did not identify a fully qualified substitute teacher. The superintendent much attest to the shortage of qualified recruits initially and then at the end of the first 90-day period. Recruitment efforts must be extensively documented.

c. Staff members who are requesting an accommodation from reporting for in-person work due to concerns about their own health must notify Human Resources Department and then comply with submitting requested information before the agency can determine if reasonable accommodation can be made based on applicable law, regulation and the agency’s needs and resources.

17. TEACHER AND PRINCIPAL EVALUATION SYSTEM

a. NOTE: This required section of the reopening plan is not applicable since 4410 and 853 programs are not subject to specific laws and regulations regarding professional evaluation cited in the NYSED guidance.

18. STUDENT TEACHING

a. NYSED permits and encourages student teaching during the 2020/2021 school year to participate in-person and /or remote instruction and Northside will welcome student teachers as long as they follow all the necessary guidelines.,

Addendum to Re-entering plan: 8/31/2020

8. SCHOOL SCHEDULES

Hybrid Model:

1301 Fifth Avenue

302 East 111^th Street

Due to feedback from staff and families we have decided to start with the Hybrid Model and have the Cohort Groups come in consecutive days.

We will have mandatory orientation for all students on Friday, September 11^th, 2 different sessions to prepare them for the transition back into the school, review PPE and expectations.

School will begin on September 14^th, 2020.