New Heights School Covid-19 Hybrid and Distance-Learning Plan 2020-2021

All families have the opportunity to choose:

• Distance Learning Full-Time

• Hybrid-Flex; meaning students may attend school in-person 2 days per week.

• Elementary students attend school 2 days per week with primary teacher and are supported in core subjects, participate is distance learning from home, and may also attend additional time at school by request, or if the student meets certain eligibility criteria such as FRP, special education status, Title I, or 504. 

• Secondary students attend school 2 days per week and attend each class to meet with teachers, receive instruction, get support in subjects, receive technology training for Distance-Learning activities, and also receive support in special education areas, 504 accommodations, speech and language services, counseling, etc. 

• All students in grades K-12 are able to participate in meal service.

• Students in Distance-Learning are required to make two-way communication with each teacher each day.  This may occur in a variety of ways, but primarily teachers send a prompt to all students in each class every day.  Students responding to the prompt are counted as having positive attendance for that day.  Students may also send an email, text message, turn in assigned work, or attend a virtual meeting with a teacher during office hours or during a scheduled time.  Students not making two-way communication with one or more teachers are counted as not having had a “positive attendance” encounter with each or any teacher with whom they did not have 2-way communication with for that day.

• Any student and any parent who wishes to receive training for Distance-Learning support may request it and may receive training at the school either with a school device or the family may bring in its own device.

• Families in need of a device may contact the school to request a loaner.  Families with multiple children enrolled at the school may request more than one device, but this is limited to supply.

• The school is limiting the number of students allowed in any classroom or space per day.

• Families are assigned “A” day or “B” day by the school to provide balance of enrollment.

• The school is following MDH guidelines to triage potential Covid-19 Cases by following the “decision tree.”

• Students generally stay in one room and teachers rotate to limit exposures.

• All students and staff are to wear masks when around or near others.

• Students eligible for buses are routed, spaced, and must wear masks while on buses.

• Students are allowed only school related materials and phones for those who own them.

• Lessons are asynchronous, as the school recognizes the difficulty of expecting distance-learners to be able adhere to a specific schedule during these complicated times.

• Student opting to attend in-person also have a balanced distance-learning program.

• Families/students may choose to change from one program to the other.  Students wishing to change from distance-learning to Hybrid-Flex may do so at the beginning of each month or upon enrollment.  Students wishing to change from Hybrid-Flex to Distance-Learning may do so at any time.

• The school has a rigorous cleaning routine, sanitizing all commonly-touched surfaces nightly.

• Only students, staff, vendors, and contracted individuals such as cleaners and educators are allowed in the school.  For safety reasons, parents are not allowed in the building except for special circumstances and by appointment.  The school is not using guest speakers and is not conducting in-person informational meetings at this time. 

• Those interested in learning more about the school and programming should contact the school’s main phone number at: 651-439-1962 and we will direct your call appropriately.