CVSD Reopening Schools Update: August 13, 2020

Dear Families and Friends,

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we further develop plans for the reopening of our schools on September 8. Our latest newsletter features a message from Superintendent Elaine Pinckney as well as an update from our school nurses.

As we near September 8, we all must make a concentrated effort to help our schools open. Please remember to practice social distancing, wear masks, refrain from large gatherings, and wash hands often!

Thank you,

The CVSD Administration

Reopening Schools: August 3 Update

Dear Friends and Families,

I hope you are enjoying the best weather Vermont has to offer. Even when we’re working inside all day, it is energizing to look outside and see the sun and blue skies -- and even the beautiful clouds that form this time of year. We are continuing to put plans together for the opening of schools, but clearly, there are some changes in store.

Opening Day:
Governor Scott signed an executive order last week pushing back the start of school to September 8. We are reviewing our own calendar to see what other changes this will require, even as we hear rumors that the legislature may want to have some part in defining the rest of the calendar.

We are happy and relieved to have this additional time to work with our faculty and staff. While groups of teachers have been working with administration all summer long to design our models, these two weeks prior to September 8 will be our first opportunity to have all faculty and staff working together to ensure that we have a thoughtful, thorough, and deliberate plan for bringing our students back to school.

K-8 Opening Models - CVSD Board Meeting, August 4, at 6:00 PM
The K-8 Principals, along with the Director of Learning and Innovation, will be presenting our K-8 model for opening schools at the August 4 school board meeting. Currently, this model includes a hybrid and fully remote option for students. Following the board meeting, you will be able to access details of this plan at the CVSD Reopening site and on Wednesday, you will receive a communication asking for your preference. Whether your students are in hybrid or fully remote mode, they will be connected with teachers, with classmates, and with their educational program. This may be in person, via live classes, or recorded classes.

As you know, our decision to go fully hybrid K-12 was based on the current guidance from the Agency of Education which in turn was informed by the Department of Health and CDC guidelines. We are hearing, as I am sure you are, that these guidelines may be adjusted to allow for significantly less social distancing than the current ones allow. If and when that becomes reality, we will review our situation and plan accordingly. This does not mean that we would immediately change our model; it does mean that we would immediately re-assess and plan for changes to our model - based on the new guidelines, the Vermont context, our own local situation, as well as our faculty and staff readiness. We believe this to be a prudent and wise course of action. Starting slow and opening the spigot, as the Governor frames it, has merit in the opening of our schools. There are many systems that need to be tested, many procedures and protocols that need to be ingrained, and much needs to be done to ensure that everyone feels safe. By opening at half-capacity, even for only the first few weeks, will ensure that we’ve figured out bus pick-ups and drop-offs, daily student and staff health checks, and managing mask-wearing and social distancing etiquette. It will also ensure that should we need to revert to hybrid or remote learning during the school year, we will have had a dry-run and will not lose time figuring it out in the middle of a “crisis”.

Placement of Students during Hybrid Learning
All students K-12 will be divided alphabetically by last name A-K and L-Z as a first split. Adjustments to the split will be made in order for schools to ensure balanced, heterogeneous groupings. Parents may submit a request for a change of placement. Each school will share their process for making these requests with you. Priority will be given to family needs first. Other unique considerations will include childcare plans and family work schedules.

Instructional Supervision/ Childcare
This is our most immediate area of focus. We know that this is a challenge for our families and for our faculty and staff, and we know for any hybrid model to work, this component has to be in place. To that end, a local committee is working to identify practical and affordable options for all families. Several community partners have already reached out to collaborate with us in providing creative options. Jeff O’Hara, our Part II partner, has also reached out to offer his support. Regionally, the Champlain Valley Superintendents have reached out to Let’s Grow Kids, Building Bright Futures, and the VT Child Development Division. They too are eager to work with us to coordinate supervision/ childcare in Chittenden County.

Outdoor Classrooms/ Education
We recognize the opportunity presented for enhancing and fully developing our outdoor classroom models. To that end, I am charging a committee of CVSD educators who have been at the forefront of this work to come together to design, plan and think creatively about how we might use the great outdoors more often and more systematically. During this pandemic, our students need to breathe fresh air, bask in the sunshine, and appreciate everything nature has to offer. This planning group will figure out what resources are needed to make this a reality.

Things are moving fast and changing quickly. We intend to communicate with you often to update you on our plans. Our hope is to stay ahead of your questions. But, if we should fail in that department, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Wishing you sunlight, fresh air, and a beautiful Vermont August,

Elaine

CVSD Awarded Grant to Help Feed Families

Nourishing Neighbors Shaw’s Foundation Donate $9600 to 

Help Feed Children and Families During The Summer

During this exceptionally challenging time, we were fortunate to receive a generous gift that will help us meet the increased demand for food assistance.

We’re excited to receive a $9600 grant from Shaw’s Nourishing Neighbors Foundation!

The grant is meant to help feed kids and families during summer. As we are all aware, hunger relief programs like ours are stretched beyond capacity due to the surge in unemployment and other economic and social fallout from the pandemic. In response to what quickly became a critical need, Albertsons Companies, which includes Shaw’s supermarkets, pledged $15 Million to Help Feed Children and Families During Summer, part of the Shaw’s Foundations’ Nourishing Neighbors Initiative.

Here in the Champlain Valley School District, this grant will help pay for equipment and volunteers to deliver food to 50 families who can not get to our distribution sites. We are ready to deliver free meals to anyone with children 18 years old or younger.

“This help from Shaw’s and their generous customers will greatly expand our ability to help our neighbors who most need our help,” said Jeanne Jensen, CVSD COO. “The people we’re serving are beyond grateful for this support, and so are we.” 

We are grateful to be a part of Nourishing Neighbors Family. The support, partnership, and generosity are truly making a difference.

If you are interested in having food delivered, send an email to the email address below for the school in your town. Please use Food Delivery in the subject line. You may also call your local school.


Charlotte                            ccsinformation@cvsdvt.org
Hinesburg                          hcsinformation@cvsdvt.org
Shelburne                          scsinformation@cvsdvt.org

St. George/Williston      wsinformation@cvsdvt.org

CVSD Superintendent Pinckney to Retire, June 2021

After twenty years of service in the Champlain Valley School District (CVSD), with the past fifteen as Superintendent, Elaine Pinckney has announced her intention to retire in June 2021. Superintendent Pinckney informed the board on July 21, 2020, during executive session.

“I am very grateful for having had the privilege to serve such a forward-thinking organization, one in which lifelong learning and a focus on personal and institutional growth are at the core.” she wrote in her letter to the board. “ I was drawn to this vision from the start and continue to be inspired by it to this day. Over the years, I have been enormously blessed to work with passionate, dedicated board members, outstanding administrators, and a top-notch faculty and staff.”

Superintendent Pinckney has led the largest school district in the state, previously known as Chittenden South Supervisory Union, through significant change during her tenure. Prior to consolidation in 2017, she brought cohesion to the 4000 student district by developing a joint mission statement, creating systems among the four K-8 schools that all fed into the same high school, and created a monthly unified meeting for the six individual school boards. Superintendent Pinckney's commitment to quality education of the students guided the district through the multiple financial challenges of Acts 60 and 68 and the 2008 recession. She was named the Vermont Superintendent of the Year in 2013.

“We have been incredibly blessed to have had Elaine as our district leader for fifteen years. Her collaborative leadership style, systems thinking, strong communication skills, and focus on what is best for each student has transformed education in CVSD. Her impact on our district can’t be overstated.” wrote Lynne Jaunich, board chair.

Superintendent Pinckney summed up her letter by reassuring the Board and the CVSD community that she is eager and ready to lead the district for this final school year of her tenure. She will share regular newsletters and updates, work collaboratively with the district and school leadership teams, visit schools and reach out to the community for input and feedback, especially as we face the challenges of one of the most unusual school years upon us. She noted, “I look forward to serving CVSD and its member communities during this final year. I am still energized by the work and continue to be inspired by my colleagues. 2020-2021 will not be without its challenges, but if past history is any indicator, we will figure it out together and work collaboratively to ensure the best possible outcome.”

Elaine has served as a trustee for the Vermont Superintendents Association, a member of the American Association of School Administrators Governing Board, a member of the Governing Board for the Northeast and Islands Regional Education Lab, District Management Group Superintendent Strategy Summit member, and on the Board of Directors of the Stern Center. She previously served as Vermont’s Deputy Commissioner of Education and Principal in Morrisville, Stowe, and Williston.

The board will begin a search process immediately.

Reopening Schools: July 24 Update

July 24, 2020

Dear Friends and Families,

There is so much to share this week. After much intense deliberation, we have determined that a K-12 hybrid model is the best and safest way for us to reopen schools in the fall.  This decision was one of the most difficult decisions we’ve ever made. It was informed by the CDC, Vermont Department of Health and Agency of Education Guidelines, weekly meetings with the Secretary of Education, webinars with Drs, Levin and Holmes,  as well as through discussions with regional colleagues. Please know that I will communicate with you often to keep you apprised of our plans.

What will the CVSD hybrid model look like?

Students will be divided into A and B groups. Each group will attend in-person school for two days each week and will learn from home with specific work provided for them and time for real-time connections with teachers for two days per week. Wednesdays will be used for student interventions, professional development for teachers, and for teacher planning to continually ensure that we are maximizing our effectiveness. Teachers and administrators are working out the details and will be providing you with more specific information soon. The K-4 Plan will be presented to the CVSD School Board on August 4th.

What health and safety measures will be taken?

• Class sizes will be reduced by half.  This will ensure that students are appropriately socially-distanced while providing the opportunity for engaging and rigorous learning experiences. 

• Students will be kept in defined cohort groups to reduce contacts.

• Mask wearing will be required.

• Education and constant reinforcement will be provided for appropriate hygiene practices and mask wearing. 

• Students and staff will have a health check that includes temperature-taking every day.

Will the hybrid model be in effect for the entire school year?

We will review this model regularly and make changes based on the AOE, DOH, and CDC guidelines.  If the guidelines around social distancing and cohort management were to change, we would reconsider whether or not full-time, all-students in school was feasible and make a corresponding change. 

Who is planning and coordinating CVSD’s work in this area?

CVSD’s Reopening Coordinating Team, led by Superintendent Elaine Pinckney,  meets weekly to plan and coordinate our efforts. The lead person in each area also meets with others during the week to address the specific needs, concerns, and challenges in their respective area. 

• The Instructional Coordination Team is co-led by Jeff Evans, Director of Learning and Innovation and Meagan Roy, Director of Student Support Services.  They work directly with principals and teachers to develop learning models and schedules and ensure that the curriculum is aligned across the schools and between grade levels. 

• The Social Emotional Team is led by Cassandra Townsend.  She works with principals, school counselors, and our Director of Integrated Wellness to ensure that our opening plan has a robust social and emotional component.  

• The Operations Team is led by Jeanne Jensen, Chief Operations Officer. Jeanne meets weekly with the transportation director, the food service coordinator, and the facilities managers to address the health and safety items in each of these areas.  She meets regularly with our COVID19 Health and Safety Coordinator to make sure all areas are covered.

• Our COVID 19 Health and Safety Coordinator is Jocelyn Bouyea.  Jocelyn, a long-time school nurse at Shelburne Community School, was appointed to this position in early summer.  She meets weekly with Superintendent Pinckney and Director Roy as a sub-group to plan for implementation of the AOE, DOH, and CDC guidance, weekly with COO Jensen, and weekly with the Reopening Coordinating Team.  Jocelyn has enlisted the assistance of two pediatricians who are also parents in our district. Drs. Elizabeth Hunt and Leah Costello have graciously and generously volunteered their time to support our efforts and guide our work. 

• The Communications Team is led by Bonnie Birdsall, Director of Digital Learning and Communications. Bonnie meets with all the groups regularly and shares information with our communities, our faculty and staff, and our families. She has developed a communication plan and timeline to ensure that our communications are timely and coordinated.

What is being done about Childcare?

We know that providing two-days per week in-school learning causes hardship and challenges for many families. We are working actively to engage community partners and our own Part II program in the development of engaging, creative, and affordable options. You will be hearing more about this in every communication.

What other things are being considered?

We are looking at how we might more regularly use the great outdoors as a classroom. We have teachers in every one of our schools who are passionate about outdoor classrooms and outdoor education. We want to explore how this might be beneficial for all of our students.

I know that many of you are unsettled by the news you received this week regarding our decision to choose a hybrid model to start the school year. We have heard your concerns and are doing everything we can to support you and your children. We want to partner with you as we navigate the challenging times we’re in.

Sincerely,

Elaine Pinckney

Superintendent, CVSD

Reopening Schools: July 22 Update

Dear CVSD Families, Faculty, and Staff,

At last night’s CVSD Board meeting, I gave an update to the Board regarding plans for reopening school this Fall. Although we will have more detail to share later this week, I thought it was important to share some highlights from our discussion.

Our leadership team has been working hard since the day school ended to develop a plan to reopen schools while meeting the requirements of the Agencies of Education and Department of Health. Our decision has been informed by frequent meetings with the Secretary of Education, Dr. Mark Levine and public health physician Dr. Breena Holmes as well as bi-weekly meetings with the Champlain Valley superintendents. These conversations have been singularly focused on how schools can meet the statewide guidelines and open in the fall.

Our conversations and planning have centered around two key premises:

• The safety of our students, faculty and staff is paramount
• Students need to be in school

From the beginning, our hope was to be able to bring our students back to school full time, especially our elementary students - while staying within the health and safety guidelines. However, after much thought and deliberation, it became clear that in order to maintain the social distance requirements outlined in the Agency of Education guidance, we would not be able to have all students in our buildings at the same time. As a result, we will be reopening in a hybrid model. This means that students will be in school in person for two days per week and will access instruction remotely on the remaining days. Additional, detailed information about the plan for our PreK-8 students is forthcoming.

We are also working to develop a fully remote model, a centralized option for families to select, that would provide a rigorous opportunity for students to access their education from home without accessing our school buildings. We believe our remote model will be far superior to the traditional homeschool option offered through the Agency of Education and are hopeful that our families will choose this option if their students are not able to participate in our hybrid model.

Information about the CVU hybrid model will be shared directly by Principal Adam Bunting later today.

We know that you have many more questions. Please know that additional information will follow, including how health and safety checks will be handled, and protocols for what happens when there is an exposure in our community. In addition to the school-based communications you will receive from your school(s), CVSD will be sharing a newly developed resource site that will contain real-time information about the opening of our schools.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through the many details necessary to ensure the best possible health and safety for all. We will communicate with you regularly as new information is known.

Elaine Pinckney, Superintendent

Superintendent's Message July 15, 2020

Dear Friends and Families,

It has been a hectic past few months. We’ve had so much to learn as we navigated remote learning, internalized and responded to social injustice, and stayed focused on the health and safety issues related to the COVID19 virus. Please know that we are in full-bore planning mode as we anticipate school reopening in the fall.

Here’s what we can tell you now, based on CDC, Vermont Department of Health, and Agency of Education guidelines as well as what we continue to learn about the virus transmission.

• Our primary goal is to get as many students as possible participating in in-person instruction.
• In order to comply with social distancing guidelines and ensure the safety of all our students, it may be necessary to provide a hybrid learning experience for our students- one in which students are participating in in-school learning some days each week and remote learning on other days each week.
• Another important goal is to offer both in-person and remote learning opportunities. Teachers and administrators are currently working to develop rigorous, engaging, relevant curricula for either in-person, hybrid, or remote learning.
• Our ability to provide a remote learning option is contingent upon the Agency of Education or the State Board of Education giving us permission for this to happen. We are strongly advocating to have this option available for our families.
• The Chittenden County Superintendents are working collaboratively to ensure that our plans are aligned and that there is a coherent, cohesive plan for all the families in our larger community.

I know that you would like to know now exactly what school will look like in the fall. So would we, but we’re not at a point yet to make conclusive decisions. To that point, we are interested in your thinking and today are launching a survey to better understand your hopes, as well as your concerns, around reopening school in the fall. Meanwhile, we are working on multiple plans so that once we know the context under which we will open, we will be able to quickly move forward. You can expect to get updates from me as we get more guidance from the Agency of Education and the Department of Health.

I hope you are all having a relaxing and enjoyable summer with your loved ones.

Most sincerely,

Elaine