As Pioneer prepares to re-open in September in compliance with state Education Department guidelines for safety and instruction, elementary principals Tiffany Giannicchi (Delevan) and Mellisa Devitt (Arcade) have shared the following Learning Plan in a letter to parents:
We are so excited to get the students back to school! Our teachers have worked countless hours this summer engaging in professional development related to online learning and refining their craft for in-person learning given our new parameters. Below is a summary of what both forms of learning will look like. Classroom details will come from your child’s teacher soon.
Virtual Learning: What will it look like on the days that my child is learning from home?
The elementary virtual learning plan will also be aligned to the New York State Common Core Learning standards for English Language Arts (ELA), Math, Science and Social Studies. NYS ELA and Math Modules will be the core curriculum, and iReady and Zearn will be utilized to supplement instruction. Teachers will be uploading prerecorded instructional videos, assignments, and assessments to Microsoft Teams the week before so that all students have access to the materials for the week. Zearn, Khan Academy and Brain Pop Jr. will also be provided as video supplements/tutorials to all students. Students will receive the same lessons as the students that are attending in-person instruction.
Teachers and support staff will be available daily during their office hours to answer questions, provide students with feedback and to provide individualized resources to meet all learners needs. Each Wednesday, teachers will be providing 1:1 or small group Zoom mini lessons to students. They will be collecting reading data bi-weekly during this time using Fountas and Pinnell guided reading running records.
Parents will have access to two online platforms (Classroom Dojo and Microsoft Teams) in conjunction with email and phone for consistent communication with the teacher.
Classroom teachers will provide all parents with a daily and/or weekly schedule to establish structure and a routine for students working virtually. Students will receive grades in each subject and attendance/participation will be required.
In-Person Instruction: What will classroom instruction look like now that we have to social distance?
Our school day will remain the same as before: 8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Students will be seated six feet apart and six feet from the teacher while being instructed. When students or staff move around the room or in the hallways, masks will be required while still maintaining social distancing to the extent possible. Students will receive quality instruction including high interest, creative lessons. Each child will be provided with his/her own materials and kept in his/her own bins. This includes the fun play stuff, too, (markers, crayons, Play Doh, math manipulatives, toys that allow for creative problem-solving and hands-on experiences, etc. )At the end of their two day in-person instruction, their materials will be stored in the classroom or locker, their desk will be disinfected and prepared for the next cohort. Nothing will be shared between students.
Students will have art, music, library and PE while implementing all health and safety guidelines. Students will be eating breakfast in their classrooms and lunch in the cafeteria (at desks, six feet apart). Each classroom will have a scheduled time for the playground to allow for social distancing. Students will sanitize their hands before going out to the playground and before they come back inside. We are hoping to make school look and feel as normal as we can for our students.
Please feel free to call or email us with any questions. We are here to help and to make sure that everyone feels safe to return to school. See you all soon!