Press release from Henderson County Public Schools:
Following this afternoon’s approval by the Henderson County Board of Public Education, Henderson County Public Schools (HCPS) will Return to Learn in February under the same operations as in December before the Winter Break.
This means PreK-3 and eligible Intensive Intervention students will begin attending class on campus in-person every school day (Plan A) beginning Monday, Feb. 1. Students in grades 4-12 will resume face-to-face learning under the hybrid (Plan B) model on Feb. 1. HCPS will operate under these plans until further notice or Board action.
In December, the board discussed considering Plan A (fully in-person) for all elementary grades and Plan B (hybrid) for grades 6-12 in February. However, acknowledging that Plan A implementation will eliminate social distancing within classroom environments and on school buses for elementary students, district administrators recommended fully in-person for only grades K-3 at this time.
This recommendation is part of HCPS’ continuing efforts to reintroduce more students to the traditional face-to-face learning environment, as long as it is allowable under Executive Order and advisable by local public health officials.
“Return to Learn” plans will continue to be fluid models and contingent on local health data and the stability of the HCPS workforce. Any additional changes will be communicated to HCPS families via the district’s “R2L Weekly” updates and telephone alert messaging.
While operating under Plans A and B, HCPS will resume updating the COVID-19 District Dashboard with school-affected cases reported while in-person learning is occurring on campuses. The Dashboard reflecting this new stage of in-person learning will report cumulative positive cases since February 1, 2021, and include a link to the dashboard data archiving the period of in-person learning from September 21-December 22, 2020.
Student Learning
Students in PreK-Grade 3, and eligible Intensive Intervention students: Will attend class on campus in-person every day, beginning Monday, February 1. The instructional day will consist of traditional in-person learning from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Students in Grades 4-12: Will attend class under Plan B with both face-to-face instruction days and remote learning days at home, on an “A Day / B Day” schedule. Group A and Group B will alternate meeting on campus for in-person learning two days each week, and access remote learning the other three days each week. Group A will attend in person on Mondays and Thursdays and Group B will attend in person on Tuesdays and Fridays; Wednesday will be remote learning days for all students in Grades 4-12.
Live and remote instruction will continue to be provided from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. every day except Wednesdays, which is remote only from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. for all students. Students scheduled to be on campus for instruction will remain in school after 12 p.m. for lunch and small group instruction, as well as opportunities for social interaction and Social-Emotional Learning through the end of the traditional school day.
Fully remote learners through Engage RLO: Will access remote instruction from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. every day.
Supports
Tech Support: Families can click the “Tech Support for Learn From Home” button at the top of the HCPS district and school web pages to access troubleshooting tips and videos, as well as contact information for the “Learn from Home Help Desk.” The Help Desk continues to offer a dedicated phone line for tech support for students and families in multiple languages. Call 828-435-3480 or email learnfromhome@hcpsnc.org.
Wifi Support: The district and the Henderson County Education Foundation continue to work with local organizations to identify resources to support accessibility – including the map of locations offering free WiFi use for HCPS students, located online at www.HCPSNC.org/rtl-student-learning.
For those families that are still unable to access remote learning digitally, students will be provided with either hotspot access and/or paper and text-based alternative assignments. Families should contact their school’s principal for more information about this option.
ESL Family Center: For assistance in Spanish, families can contact the ESL Family Liaison at 828-388-2632.
Auxiliary Services
Child Nutrition: As in December, HCPS will provide grab-and-go pickup meals at no cost to children ages 2-18 at specific school sites. Under Plan B, “Meals On the Bus” routes will not continue, since buses will be used for transporting students daily.
Child Care: HCPS will resume its PSAM (before-school) and PSPM (after-school) Child Care Services at select locations.
Both the “Child Nutrition Services on Plan B” Google Document and finalized Child Care Services schedule and location details will be shared with families in the Jan. 28 edition of “R2L Weekly” and published online at www.HCPSNC.org/rtl-auxiliary.
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