Safe Return to In-Person Instruction & Continuity of Services Plan 2022-2023 School Year February 1, 2023 Update Wicomico County Board of Education N. Eugene Malone, Jr., Board Chair Allen C. Brown, Sr., Board Vice Chair Dr. Bonnie H. Ennis, Board Member Kristin Hazel, Board Member Susan W. Beauchamp, Board Member David A. Plotts, Board Member John Palmer, Board Member Administration Dr. Micah Stauffer Superintendent of Schools The Wicomico County Board of Education prohibits illegal discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, immigration status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, family/parental status, marital status, age, physical or mental disability, poverty and socioeconomic status, language, or other legally or constitutionally protected attributes or affiliations and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other Title 36 designated youth groups. Discrimination undermines our community’s long-standing efforts to create, foster and promote equity, inclusion and acceptance for all.
2 Table of Contents Definitions and Abbreviations Page 4 Executive Summary: Safe Return to In-person Instruction for 2022-2023 School Year Page 6 U.S. Department of Education and Maryland State Department of Education Requirements for Reopening Schools Page 7 Ongoing Planning for Safe Return to In-Person Instruction & Continuity of Services Page 10 Part I: Instructional Return Planning Page 11 Return to Full In-Person Learning for 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 Blended Virtual Program; Diagnostic Assessments Page 12 Evaluation of Instruction through Ongoing Study of Data; MCCRS Curriculum Frameworks; Career and Technical Education (CTE) Special Education Page 14 English Language Learners (ELL) Page 16 Gifted and Talented Learners ; Intervention Page 17 Athletics; Co-Curricular Performing Arts; Extracurricular Activities Page 18 Part II: Student & Family Services Return Planning Page 19 Enrollment; Student Attendance Transportation Page 21 FIT (Families in Transition) Students Page 22 Social and Emotional Learning and Wellness Page 23 School Health Suites; Protocol for Positive COVID-19 Cases during In-Person Instruction Page 24 Health Equity Page 25 Part III: Business and Operations Return Planning Page 26 Health and Safety Practices; Food Service; Facilities Cleaning and Ventilation Building Usage Page 27
3 Part IV: Communications Page 28 Communicating Return/Reopening Plan, and Ongoing Family & Community Outreach Appendices A: Educational Equity Policy Page 30 B: District ELA and Math Projected Goals Page 31 C: Behavioral Health Resources Page 34
4 DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act ALEKS – Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces, a web-based, artificially intelligent assessment for mathematics Apex Learning – digital instruction provider, serving Wicomico Blended Virtual Program students in grades 6-12 through the Eastern Shore of Maryland Educational Consortium (ESMEC) ARP ESSER – American Rescue Plan Act Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund BVP – Blended Virtual Program CARES Act – the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act CDC – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 – a disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus (CO for corona, VI for virus, D for disease, 19 for the year the novel coronavirus was first detected) CTE – Career and Technical Education ED – Economically Disadvantaged ELA – English Language Arts EL or ELL – English Learner or English Language Learner ESMEC – Eastern Shore of Maryland Educational Consortium ESOL – English for Speakers of Other Languages ESSA – federal Every Student Succeeds Act of 2016 FIT – Families in Transition 504 Plan – a formal plan to serve the needs of a student with a disability as identified under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Family Portal – platform providing online access to student assignments, grades and attendance, for students in grades 1-12 and their parents/guardians, and mid-term progress reports and report cards for Prekindergarten and Kindergarten students FAPE – provision for a Free Appropriate Public Education, under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Google Classroom – free web-based platform for sharing information for teachers, students and parents/guardians, in use county-wide HIPAA – the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
5 IDEA – the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act IEP – Individualized Education Program, developed collaboratively for each student eligible for Special Education services iReady K-12 – universal screening tool for reading Magnet – school-system program for eligible students in grades 3-5 who are high-performing learners MAP Growth – Measures of Academic Progress Growth tests MCCRS – Maryland College and Career Ready Standards MPSSAA – Maryland Public Secondary School Athletic Association MDH – Maryland Department of Health MSDE – Maryland State Department of Education Naviance – online platform used for middle and high school students and staff for college, career and life readiness PPE – personal protective equipment PPW – pupil personnel worker, part of the Student & Family Services team SEEK – Students Extending and Enriching Knowledge (grades 3-5) SWD – Students with Disabilities TAD – Thinking and Doing Program for intermediate/middle school students USDA – U.S. Department of Agriculture, which regulates school food service programs USDE – U.S. Department of Education VPA – Wicomico County Visual and Performing Arts Program WCHD – Wicomico County Health Department WCPS – Wicomico County Public Schools Zoom for Education – videoconferencing platform designed to help schools connect virtually with students and parents/guardians for online learning, meetings and services
6 Executive Summary: 2022-2023 School Year: Ongoing Safe Return to In-Person Instruction & Continuity of Services Plan for Wicomico County Public Schools Wicomico County Public Schools is pleased to have returned almost all students to traditional in-person instruction in the classroom five days a week starting with the 2021-2022 school year, and has continued to have students in school throughout the 2022-2023 school year. This return plan for Wicomico County Public Schools provides an outline for the ongoing Safe Return to In-Person Instruction & Continuity of Services. The plan supports maximizing learning opportunities during in-school instruction while taking recommended health and safety measures to keep our students and staff healthy, safe and in school all year long. We are committed to developing, implementing and updating this return plan to ensure there are no obstacles to our students accessing educational opportunities while providing every student equitable access to educational rigor, resources, and support to maximize academic success and promote social and emotional well-being for all. This return plan will be reviewed and updated as needed and as required. The delivery of education has often been anything but traditional since March 2020, when all schools in the State of Maryland were ordered to close their doors due to the outbreak of COVID-19. There was an immediate transition to remote learning, lasting through the end of that school year. With the ongoing and unprecedented public health crisis facing Wicomico County Public Schools and all school systems across the nation, Wicomico created a comprehensive Recovery Plan for instruction for the 2020-2021 school year. That school year started with all students engaged in virtual learning, and eventually had hybrid learning, with some students in the classroom while other students were online. The 2021-2022 school year took place as planned and detailed in the August 2021 and February 2022 versions of the school system’s return plan, with almost all students and their teachers once again in the classroom together, five days a week. Wicomico’s goal was to have students and teachers in classrooms throughout the school year, and with thorough preparation and observance of CDC- and Maryland Department of Health-recommended health and cleaning protocols, that goal was fully realized. That has continued to be an overarching goal for the 2022-2023 school year, as stated in the August 2022 and February 2023 revisions to the return plan. In continuing to revise and update its return plan, Wicomico County Public Schools has taken into account the latest Operational Guidance for K-12 Schools and Early Care and Education Programs to Support Safe In-Person Learning from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); guidance from the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and the U.S. Department of Education; and the Wicomico County Health Department. This Return Plan is in alignment with requirements published by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) as part of the guidelines for the American Rescue Plan Act Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ARP ESSER).
7 U.S. Department of Education and Maryland State Department of Education Requirements for Return Plan (for Updates of February 1, 2022; August 15, 2022; and February 1, 2023) The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) set requirements for reopening schools safely and providing continuity of instruction; these requirements were addressed throughout the return plan for Wicomico County Public Schools as posted in August and September 2021. The listing below from the February 2022 update of the return plan, and for the August 2022 and February 2023 updates, reflects the USDE requirements and additional detail provided by MSDE, which reviews the responses of Maryland school systems to the USDE requirements. Requirement #1: Local school systems must post their reopening plan (return plan) on a public-facing website. The WCPS return plan was originally submitted to MSDE on August 17, 2021. The return plan was posted to www.wcboe.org prior to the start of the 2021-2022 school year on Sept. 7, 2021. Following MSDE review and approval, revised return plans were posted on the website around Sept. 17, 2021; in February 2022; and in the fall of 2022. The return plan is posted on the school system’s website in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole. Any other revisions, including this one for February 1, 2023, will also be posted, in all three languages. Access to the return plan is through a button on the home page of www.wcboe.org; this button reads “Return Plan & ESSER Funding”. Requirement #2: The local school system’s equity plan must be reflected throughout the local reopening plan/return plan. The return plan was developed and will be implemented with the goal of ensuring there are no obstacles to accessing educational opportunities while providing every student equitable access to educational rigor, resources, and support to maximize academic success and social and emotional well-being. Requirement #3: Local school systems must consult with a wide variety of stakeholders in the review of the reopening plan (return plan). The Superintendent and staff frequently communicate with the elected Board of Education, staff members, school families, and state and county leaders, sharing plans and being receptive to feedback and suggestions. The district website, Zoom information sessions, rapid notification system for calls and emails, the school system general emailbox (comments@wcboe.org), the Public Input Line (410-677-5251), and social media platforms, including WCPS Facebook Messenger, are used to share information with the community and the media and to receive input. Opportunities are provided on an ongoing basis for review of the return plan and for questions, comments and other feedback, which are all taken into account during the review process. The return plan is posted on the school system website in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole, with an easily accessible link on all school web pages. All stakeholder groups (students, parents and guardians, teachers, administrators, other staff members, and community members) have had the chance to review the return plan and provide feedback through a variety of channels, including but not limited to Public Comments at Board meetings, the Public Input Line, emails to comments@wcboe.org or key staff members, phone calls, communications with school-based staff, Wicomico County Public Schools’ Facebook Messenger, and letters. Despite there being many opportunities over a period of months to provide feedback on the plan, the school system received very little feedback on any aspect of the return plan other than masking. Wicomico Schools will continue to provide opportunities for input in and will strive to encourage greater amounts of feedback as a useful and important element of the return plan. The plan will be made accessible in other ways as needed. Updates to the return plan will be made at least every six months through September 30, 2024, as required, and these updates will also be posted in all three languages and shared with stakeholders through the website.
8 Requirement #4: Local school systems must establish a process to determine student instructional readiness early in the school year and a plan is established for student success. The Return Plan details how students were assessed early in the 2021-2022 school year and throughout the school year in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics to determine a student’s learning level, tailor instruction for the student, and measure the student’s progress in math and ELA skills. Data from these assessments are included as Appendix B. Assessment results were used to set goals by grade level, student group, and special program for 2022-2023, and assessments are scheduled for 2022-2023. The return plan also includes a section on intervention plans and resources. Requirement #5: Local school systems must ensure that Maryland College and Career Ready Standards (MCCRS) and other State standards are taught in content areas. The Division of Instruction, with support from the Division of Student & Family Services, will ensure that all state frameworks are followed for Prekindergarten to Grade 12, while meeting the needs of all student groups, including students with disabilities, and addressing identified instructional gaps through diagnostic assessment and instructional recovery. Requirement #6: Local school systems must follow the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504), and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The section on Special Education provides information on how Wicomico County Public Schools is meeting these federal requirement acts. Requirement #7: Local school systems must follow procedures and safety protocols consistent with current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Local school systems and schools include elements that are consistent with current CDC and Maryland Department of Health guidance. Procedures have been developed to ensure proper healthcare protocols and procedures and to provide a safe environment for students and staff, in alignment with protocols established by MSDE, Maryland Department of Health, CDC, and the Wicomico County Health Department. Requirement #8: Local school systems must follow protocols for the safe transportation of students to and from school. Procedures have been developed in collaboration with MSDE, MDH, CDC and the Wicomico County Health Department to ensure proper protocols for safely transporting students. Requirement #9: Local school systems must develop a system for tracking attendance when students are engaged in distance learning. Procedures are in place to monitor and record students’ daily and class attendance, for both in-person instruction and blended virtual learning. Requirement #10: Each local school system must continue to implement or enhance their communication plan. Communication strategies continue for all stakeholders concerning our detailed plans so that our school community and the broader community know about the return plan and the opportunity for ongoing feedback. Requirement #11: Local school systems must implement the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) Athletic Program. The WCPS plan for interscholastic athletics and activities is aligned with MPSSAA and MSDE guidance, supporting the health and safety of students and staff.
9 Requirement #12: Local school systems must establish a plan for the continuity of learning and services for any students who may need to quarantine. As stated in the return plan, students who are out of school in connection with COVID-19 will have access to many instructional resources and assignments through the Google Classroom for their classes, and will be able to turn in many assignments through the platform. Grades will be recorded in X2, as for all students. Synchronous opportunities for students not in the classroom will be limited to teacher check-ins during planning time or before or after the school day. Staff members of the student’s school or program – teachers, administrators and support staff – will remain in contact with the student and family through phone, email and online platforms.
10 Ongoing Planning for Safe Return to In-Person Instruction & Continuity of Services As in the 2021-2022 school year, this return plan for the 2022-2023 school year provides the details determined to be essential for a robust educational program in Wicomico County Public Schools. Embodied throughout the plan is the guiding philosophy of equity for all students (Appendix A: Educational Equity Policy). The plan is focused on instruction, student services and operations for daily, in-person instruction in the classrooms of Wicomico County Public Schools. The Superintendent and staff frequently communicate with the elected Board of Education, staff members, school families, and state and county leaders, sharing plans and being receptive to feedback and suggestions. The district website, Zoom information sessions, rapid notification system for calls and emails, the school system general emailbox (comments@wcboe.org), the Public Input Line (410-677-5251), and social media platforms, including WCPS Facebook Messenger, are used to share information with the community and the media and to receive input and queries. Signs on the doors of all schools and office buildings of Wicomico County Public Schools convey the school system’s current “mask optional” guidance, with the additional request that anyone who is feeling ill not enter school buildings. Wicomico County Public Schools will continue to monitor the ongoing health situation and to follow the guidance from the CDC, MDH, MSDE and WCHD. INSTRUCTION Under the leadership of Dr. Rick Briggs, Chief Academic Officer, the Instruction team has worked to establish instructionally sound options, schedules, and structures that are equitable for all learners; to ensure that technology will be available to support a continuation of the one-to-one student:laptop ratio; and to continue providing targeted professional learning opportunities for staff. STUDENT AND FAMILY SERVICES Under the leadership of Mrs. Kimberly Miles, Assistant Superintendent for Student & Family Services, the team has worked to ensure that the social and emotional wellbeing and healthcare needs of all students are supported and that procedures are in place. BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS Under the leadership of Dr. Micah Stauffer (in 2021-2022) and Dr. Brian Raygor (for 2022-2023), the finance and operations team has worked to establish non-traditional operational procedures, resources, and supports for employees while providing PPE for all facilities.
11 Part I: Instructional Return Planning The Division of Instruction continues to support teachers across the district as they deliver high quality instruction in the classroom to students from Prekindergarten to 12th grade. Our instructional program aligns with state standards. RETURN TO FULL IN-PERSON LEARNING FOR 2021-2022 AND 2022-2023 For the 2022-2023 school year, as for 2021-2022, almost all of Wicomico’s nearly 15,000 students are in the classroom for in-person instruction five days a week. All content being implemented is in accordance with the approved WCPS curriculum and aligned to the national standards and the Maryland College and Career Readiness Standards. Teachers and schools will continue to utilize the Google Classroom platform and may use the platform to keep students and parents/guardians informed about daily assignments and school news. Teachers will continue to be able to use a variety of web-based instructional programs including, but not limited to Kahn Academy, Edmentum, MY Access!, ALEKS, Gizmos, Newsela, Discovery Education, iReady My Path and DreamBox. The school system will continue to make use of the Zoom for Education videoconferencing platform as needed, such as for parent-teacher conferences, meetings about Special Education services, and professional development, for example. While not all classroom work and homework will be done on a laptop, every student will have access to a school system-issued laptop for use when needed, whether that need is due to the student absence due to COVID-19-related or other illness, or possibly in case a weather event would lead to instruction moving online, as guided by the MSDE-approved Wicomico County Public Schools Virtual Day Instruction Plan for the 2022-2023 school year. All students and staff are expected to have daily access to a laptop and to have reliable access to the internet at home or other location where they are learning when not in the classroom. Families not connected to the internet should explore Internet Essentials and/or speak with the school principal concerning family connectivity options. Students who are out of school in connectionwith COVID-19will have access tomany instructional resources and assignments through the Google Classroom for their classes, and will be able to turn in many assignments through the platform. Grades will be recorded in X2, as for all students. Synchronous opportunities for students not in the classroom will be limited to teacher check-ins during planning time or before or after the school day. Staff members of the student’s school or program – teachers, administrators and support staff – will remain in contact with the student and family through phone, email and online platforms. The school system will continue to provide a Family Help Line (410-677- 5200 in English, and 410-677-5236 for Spanish or Haitian Creole speakers) to assist students and families with questions about technology or other topics. Help Line questions may also be emailed to studenthelp@wcboe.org for aid in English, Spanish or Haitian Creole. The school system regularly interacts with families and community members who reach out through email (comments@wcboe.org), the Public Input Line (410677-5251), and Wicomico County Public Schools’ Facebook Messenger.
12 BLENDED VIRTUAL PROGRAM (BVP) Information about the Blended Virtual Program (BVP) for 2022-2023 was posted on the school system website in May 2022, and shared with families and staff through email, the district webpage, and phone communications as well as multiple posts on district social media outlets. Parents and guardians who preferred to have a student engage in virtual learning for at least the first semester of the 2022-2023 school year applied online by June 30, 2022. In mid-July, parents and guardians were notified that while continuing to be enrolled in Wicomico County Public Schools, they will receive instruction through Wicomico’s Elementary BVP (called the Wicomico Elementary Virtual Academy and serving grades 2-5) or the secondary BVP (grades 6-12), as contracted through the Eastern Shore of Maryland Educational Consortium (ESMEC). Wicomico continues to receive and respond to some requests from parents and guardians regarding virtual learning during the 2022-2023 school year. Students are enrolled following a review of academic and attendance measures to gauge their potential success in the Blended Virtual Program. DIAGNOSTIC ASSESSMENTS The Office of Assessment and Accountability has developed a comprehensive assessment program through collaboration with content area supervisors to determine and address students’ current performance levels and any learning gaps that may have occurred during the pandemic. Understanding the need to determine a baseline for student performance in our core K-12 content areas, a planwas created to assess students using online testing platforms for English Language Arts (ELA) and Math. Formative local assessments that are aligned to state standards will be used in the areas of Science and Social Studies to determine students’ present performance levels. MAP K-12: This measures the percentage of students in each student group who met their Projected Growth targets for MAP. The comparison is from end-of-year 2021-22 to end-of-year 2022-23. Each student target is individually set based on their grade level and beginning of course MAP score. This table includes full-year courses and semester courses where applicable. The goal for each student group is to improve by at least 10 percent from 2021-22 to 2022-23. iReady K-8: This measures the percentage of students in each student group (for grades K-8 only) who met their Projected Growth targets for iReady. The comparison is from end-of-year 2021-22 to end-of-year 2022-23. Each student target is individually set based on their grade level and beginning of year iReady score. This measure is only provided by iReady for grades K-8. The goal for each student group is to improve by at least 10 percent from 2021-22 to 2022-23. iReady 9-12: This measures the percentage of students in each student group (for grades 9-12 only) who scored “On or Above Grade Level” for iReady. This includes students who scored “Early On Grade Level” as well as “Mid or Above Grade Level”. The comparison is from start-of-year 2022-23 to end-of-year 2022-23. The goal for each student group is to improve by at least 10 percent from start-of-year 2022-23 to end-of-year 2022-23. The start-of-year scores are reflecting how students performed against end-of-year standards, thus putting them at a disadvantage. K-12 ELA – i-Ready assessment platform • Grades K – 2 times per year • Grades 1-8 – 3 times per year
13 • Grades 9-12 – 2 times per semester K-12 Math – MAP Growth assessment platform • Grades K – 2 times per year • Grades 1-8 – 3 times per year • Grades 9-12 – 2 times per semester WCPS disaggregated I-Ready (ELA) and MAP (Math) assessment data and growth for 2021-2022 were used to set goals by grade level, student group, and special program for 2022-2023 (Appendix B: 2021-2022 District ELA and Math Score Summaries). EVALUATION OF INSTRUCTION THROUGH ONGOING STUDY OF DATA Wicomico County Public Schools prioritize the ongoing study of data to ensure student success. This return plan is grounded in our commitment to equity and the analysis of data as we measure the success of each of our students. We will continue to use program and policy analysis through equity lens guiding questions to identify the impact of current policies, programs and decisions on individual students and groups of students, examining data in the aggregate and with disaggregation of race/ethnicity, student service groups (SWD, EL, ED), and gender. This data will be analyzed throughout the year. Baseline data from the 2022 fall administration of i-Ready (ELA) and MAP (math) for all Grade 1-8 students will be collected and compared to the 2023 spring administration with a focus on typical growth in i-Ready and projected growth for MAP. This same analysis will be done with grades 9-12 students with their prediagnostic and the start of each semester and their post-diagnostic assessment at the end of each semester. The goal is all students, special groups, programs, and grade levels will increase their growth percentage by 10% in the 2022-2023 school year. Individual growth targets for math (MAP) and ELA (i-Ready) will be tracked from the fall 2022 to spring 2023 assessments and compared to the 2021-2022 growth percentages. (Appendix B). MCCRS CURRICULUM FRAMEWORKS The Prek-12 MCCRS (Maryland College and Career Ready Standards) Curriculum frameworks continue to guide the development, implementation, and assessment of content area curricula in WCPS. Curriculum teams rely on MCCRS frameworks to provide the essential content for courses. Ongoing, job-embedded professional learning is provided to teachers to ensure that the standards are a part of daily instruction and assessment. Up-to-date guidance, resources and information on standards and state assessments for English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies courses are located on the Maryland State Department of Education’s Maryland College and Career Ready Resources website: http://marylandpublicschools.org/programs/Pages/MD-CCRS/index.asp. CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION (CTE) The Office of Career and Technical Education supports students who are enrolled in a Career and Technical Education (CTE) course, including technology education or computer science, or a program of study for the 2022-2023 academic year. Wicomico will provide in-person opportunities in schools and in industry settings for the 20222023 school year. Student credentials and certifications will have a renewed focus for this school year.
14 SPECIAL EDUCATION Special Education and related services will continue to be provided to Wicomico County students with disabilities in accordance with the mandates under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to ensure these students continue to have access to and are provided equal opportunities to progress in the Maryland Common Core State Standards and make progress on their individualized goals contained in the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). IEP teams have met to review student progress on goals contained in their IEPs using data collected and analyzed by the case manager and IEP team members, including the parents of the students. IEPs and 504 accommodations plans have been reviewed and revised to continue to provide access to a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) consistent with the districtwide Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan for the 2022-2023 School Year. The goal for students with disabilities is to have them be educated in the schools classrooms, with in-person instruction and the option of using appropriate PPE and health safeguards as needed. IEPs have been reviewed to ensure that the goals and objectives of the students can be met with the accommodations and supplemental aids and services that allow the students to receive an appropriate public education. However, if the parents and/or guardians choose for their student with a disability to participate in the Blended Virtual Program for learning, the student’s case manager will work collaboratively with the virtual instructors in the provision of Special Education and related services. This will include ensuring that the accommodations and supplemental aids and services are appropriate for the virtual learning setting. Specially designed instruction and related services therapies will be provided during asynchronous learning times and in collaboration with the distance learning instructors. The student’s IEP will be case-managed by the student’s neighborhood school. If at any time there is a concern regarding the implementation of the IEP and services, the IEP team will convene to discuss the concerns and amend the IEP as appropriate. The general education classroom provides students the opportunity to access grade-level content standards with appropriate accommodations and the collaboration for instruction by the general education teacher and Special Education teacher and related service providers when indicated in the IEPs. Specially designed instruction will be provided by the team of professionals as well. Within these inclusion classroom settings, Special Education teachers collaborate with general education teachers to plan and deliver high quality lessons with appropriate diverse instructional strategies and supplemental aids and services to meet all students’ learning needs to the maximum extent possible. All students and staff will follow and implement the current recommended health and safety guidance and procedures from USDE, MDH, MSDE and the Wicomico County Health Department. All students with disabilities will participate in face-to-face instruction, unless having been selected to participate in the district’s blended virtual learning opportunities. Monitoring of student progress on IEP goals along with academic progress/grading and attendance will occur daily. Delivery of specially designed instruction by special educators, general educators and related service providers coupled with supplementary aids and services, program modifications and supports will be provided as delineated in students’ IEPs. Students with disabilities who are participating in the Blended Virtual Program will be case managed by the special educator and/or related service provider in their respective
15 home/neighborhood school of enrollment. IEP team meetings will be held to determine any necessary changes to existing supplementary aids, services, program modifications and supports in order to have an IEP for a free appropriate public education for the student through the goals and objectives and services determined by the team, including the critical teammember(s), the parent(s). The services will be provided by the WCPS Special Education staff and occur as delineated in the IEP. Additionally, secondary transition planning and instructional activities will be provided as outlined in the affected student’s IEP for ages 14-21. Special Education teachers and/or instructional assistants under the guidance of the Special Education teacher and secondary transition program specialist coach will implement college, career and functional independent living activities per the curricula and provide transition supports to these students with disabilities using a variety of in-person resources as well as online platforms including but not limited to Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Career Cruising and Virtual Job Shadowing. These virtual instructional programs engage student learners in career and college readiness and provide special educators with tools for evidence-based learning and planning for future student goals and objectives development. Consideration of services will also be reevaluated for each student in alignment with their IEPs and post-secondary goals for employment, education/training and independent living. Work-based learning will continue to occur where allowed with our business partners utilizing appropriate PPE if required, using the current guidelines of the CDC and in collaboration with the individual businesses and partner agencies. For BVP students, online/virtual job shadowing programs will be utilized in order to meet the outlined goal(s) and strategies for the students within their IEPs. Instructional planning for Special Education teachers and related service providers will occur during school scheduled times throughout the day. Collaborative communication between general education and special education professionals will occur daily to ensure that when implementing IEPs, teachers will provide supplemental services outlined in the IEPs such as Check-in/Check-out, organizational assistance and social skills support provided by school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors. Data charts for provision of accommodations, behavior data collection, etc. will be kept by staff in order to provide this necessary data for evaluation of student progress academically, socially, emotionally and behaviorally. Special Education teachers will provide consultation to general education teachers, instructional assistants and related service providers in person or through Microsoft Teams and Zoom platforms if students are participating in blended virtual learning. Parent/teacher conferences, IEP team and 504 team meetings and communications will be conducted through these platforms, in person, or through a dedicated telephone conference line dependent on the parents’ needs and access. Assistive technology devices specific to the needs of individual students will be provided to students for use along with laptops, and parents/guardians are encouraged to ensure that they have internet connectivity at home for use as needed. Face-to-face assessments with students needing psychological, educational and related services evaluations for determination and/or re-determination of eligibility for Special Education and related services will continue throughout the school year. PPE will always be available for both students and staff to support the health and safety of all involved whilemeeting critical timelines for compliance with the regulations of the IDEA.
16 The district has procedures in place to ensure the ongoing progress monitoring of the students with disabilities goals and academic and functional performance; the ongoing communication with families, teachers, and services providers; and the ongoing documentation of the student progress and services delivered. These procedures and data collection tools will be reviewed during the initial professional development with all Special Education staff in order to ensure that student needs and accommodations are being provided daily thereby allowing them to make progress in the curriculum and daily instruction in all settings as their non-disabled peers. Case managers will continue to be the key contact person for students and families with day-to-day sharing of progress, needs, etc. Together we are working to meet each and every student’s diverse needs in Wicomico County. When a student with a disability must quarantine, the school systemwill review the student’s IEP to determine if the IEP can be implemented as written without inperson instruction. And if not, the IEP can be amended with parent agreement or revised through an IEP team meeting. If alternate service-delivery models are determined to be appropriate, the district will ensure that the instructional materials are accessible for the individual student. The materials will be created following accessibility principles and accommodations and supports for individual students will be provided in accordance with their IEPs. The district will rely on a variety of resources for staff and families including TIPs for Teaching and Learning and the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) in Varied Service Delivery Models. ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS (ELL) To meet the specialized needs of our English Language Learners (ELL) during inschool instruction, we will: • Administer district-wide assessments to English Learners to determine learning gaps • Utilize assessment data to determine appropriate programs and placements for English Language Learners • Ensure accessibility of core content for ELLs by creating co-teaching opportunities with classroom teachers • Provide core ESOL lessons that are appropriately leveled and emphasize the domains of learning • Provide access to supplemental online programs for extension and enrichment • Support both instructional and social-emotional needs of English Language Learners and their families through regular contact • Work with teachers and other staff members to cultivate cultural proficiency • Provide countywide phone and email messages and materials in Spanish and Haitian Creole, in addition to English • Encourage teachers and administrators to use LanguageLine Solutions and other services to ensure students and families understand instructional procedures and expectations • Deliver online support as needed for ELL students participating in the Blended Virtual Program • Comply with federal, state, and local mandates When an ELL student must be out of school in connection with COVID-19, the student will have access tomany instructional resources and assignments through the Google Classroom for their classes, and will be able to turn in many assignments through the platform. Grades will be recorded in X2, as for all students. Synchronous
17 opportunities for students not in the classroom will be limited to teacher check-ins during planning time or before or after the school day. Staff members of the student’s school or program – teachers, administrators and support staff – will remain in contact with the student and family through phone, email and Google Classroom. GIFTED AND TALENTED LEARNERS Magnet Program (grades 3-5) - Instruction will continue to be aligned with the Maryland College- and Career-Ready Standards with intentional extensions of learning, acceleration, scaffolding, and the use of preassessments. Collaboration among teams will help to ensure that the academic workload is manageable by students and long-term and short-term assignments are scheduled effectively to not overlap. Social emotional learning concepts along with the core content learning will be embedded into the curriculum which will offer themed units for the appropriate ability level standards. Teachers will develop preassessments to determine current levels of student performance to help guide instruction at the beginning of the school year. Universal screening will be administered to targeted grade level students to ensure that all students and student groups are given an equitable opportunity to qualify for and receive gifted program services. Thinking and Doing (TAD) for intermediate and middle school, and Students Extending and Enriching Knowledge (SEEK) for intermediate students - Units of study will be introduced and implemented in-person and students will be engaged in problem/project-based learning activities which will extend into home assignments. TAD/SEEK teachers will collaborate with classroom teachers for extension of learning and appropriate ability level activities and to align schedules. Students will use teacher-identified sites to access enriching and engaging resources to follow the lessons. They will incorporate various digital formats for research, problem solving, interacting with teachers and for producing culminating activities to present. Teachers will continue to work collaboratively with all stakeholders to ensure that lessons include field experts, enrichment, acceleration, community partnerships with other agencies to offer real world experiences to support their learning. INTERVENTION The Wicomico County Public Schools reading intervention continuum requires the administration of a universal screener (iReady K-12) and offers services to students based on a multi-tiered system of supports. These supports begin with students receiving supports in the general education classroom through differentiated instruction. Based on need, students may require additional supplemental instruction at varying levels of intensity and may receive explicit instruction in small groups or individually, during school hours, through after-school tutoring and summer learning opportunities. Teacher capacity for reading is being developed through a systematic approach that supports intervention. Mathematics intervention in the elementary grades will begin with students receiving supplemental supports with the general education teacher. Based on need, students may require additional supplemental instruction in small groups or individually at varying levels of intensity in order to provide explicit instruction on scaffolding grade level content. This additional support will be provided during an additional 25-minute daily math block using county and Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)-rated resources. Intervention and general education teachers will collaborate to provide high quality supplemental instruction to support students
18 needing prerequisite skills in order to master grade-level content. Students may be grouped by intervention needs and not necessarily by grade level. Mathematics intervention in the secondary grades will begin with targeted students in grades 6 – 9 for the Math 180 curriculum. This intervention in middle school will be provided every other day for the year in a 45-minute block. Students in grade 9 will be a targeted group of students for semester 1 who will then take Algebra I in the spring semester. All students in grades 6 through 12will be providedwith ALEKS as an adaptive software program aligned to prerequisite course content. Air Tutors provides tutoring by connecting groups of up to four targeted students with a live, mathematics content expert through an interactive teleconferencing website. Air Tutors have an average of 9+ years of experience. Tutoring sessions last 30 minutes (elementary) and 30 – 45 minutes (secondary) during the school day. Elementary students will work with their tutor three days per week. Middle school students will work with their tutor every other day for one semester. High school students will work with their tutor every other day for one semester. ATHLETICS Wicomico County Public Schools will offer interscholastic athletic programs as normal for the 2022-2023 school year, in accordance with the Maryland Public Secondary School Athletic Association’s Athletic Program and any guidance from MSDE. As has always been the case, attention is given and procedures are in place to ensure coach and player health and safety. CO-CURRICULAR PERFORMING ARTS Secondary choirs, bands, and orchestras will rehearse and perform in school rehearsal spaces (and outside the building as appropriate for marching bands). Students may choose to wear masks during rehearsals and performances. Since the start of the 2021-2022 school year, music directors, theatre directors, and art teachers have had the option to present virtual, recorded, or live concerts or shows. With the approval of the school principals, most teachers/directors have opted for live productions. Performance Theatre (VPA) students are rehearsing and working on the production of plays and musicals. They partner with community organizations that rent the auditoriums for productions. Audience sizes are not limited to a certain capacity. Masks are not required for this class or for performances. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Schools will provide in-person opportunities for students to participate in extracurricular activities, after-school programs, organizations and clubs to enhance the educational experience. These opportunities will be available both to students attending in-person and to students participating in blended virtual learning.
19 Part II: Student & Family Services Return Planning The Division of Student & Family Services continues to provide support and direction in areas including enrollment, student attendance, transportation, school guidance, mental health, Special Education, FIT (Families in Transition) services, and school health services. In addition to the division’s work with schools, the Student & Family Services team continues to work directly with our school families on enrollment and transfer requests, assistance with resources, and matters of health and safety in the school setting. Student & Family Services maintains a wide array of ongoing collaborations with community agencies and partners to support the health, safety and wellness of all students. ENROLLMENT The enrollment process will continue in all WCPS schools. School office associates and pupil personnel workers (PPWs) are available to assist families with the enrollment process. All enrollment forms and materials are available at www.wcboe.org. Families enrolling students in grades 1 through 12 can download these forms, complete them, and then provide the completed forms along with the required documents to the school office via scanned document, email or in person (when possible). Families enrolling students in Prekindergarten and Kindergarten can utilize the online registration forms found at registration.wcboe.org and can upload the required documents on that page. Families are encouraged to contact their school office or the Division of Student & Family Services at 410-677-4538, 410-677-5226 and 410-677-4487 for assistance with any questions. STUDENT ATTENDANCE WCPS recognizes the importance of daily attendance in the success of our students. We continue to follow all state and local guidance and regulations relating to the collection and reporting of daily attendance for students enrolled in and attending our schools in person and for students participating in the Blended Virtual Program (BVP). • For students attending in person, each teacher will record student attendance daily in the X2 Aspen system. • For students attending online with the school system’s elementary BVP, each teacher will record student attendance daily, during synchronous instruction, in the X2 Aspen system. • For students attending online with ESMEC’s secondary BVP, each teacher will record student attendance daily in each class period, during synchronous instruction, and file a weekly report to school administration to be entered into the X2 Aspen system. • For any absence related to illness, including but not limited to COVID-19, WCPS will adhere to the current Attendance Policy and Procedure wherein student absences are recorded and marked as excused with appropriate documentation. Procedures for receiving work during the time away from school are detailed in Student Attendance Policy and Student Attendance Procedure. For all students, attendance will be monitored by school administration and guidance counselors. When students are not present, teachers and schools will reach out through phone calls and emails as well as automated attendance calls. Student Support Teams including pupil personnel workers, home school liaisons
20 and community school coordinators will work with other school staff to contact students and families through phone calls, virtual and in-person home visits to support the daily engagement of students in instruction and learning opportunities. Additional guidelines will be developed as needed.
21 TRANSPORTATION The following procedural safeguards will be in place for the transportation of students of Wicomico County Public Schools: • Buses will be cleaned/disinfected on a regular basis. • School bus drivers will receive training and resources needed for the disinfecting of their buses. • Enhanced ventilation practices, such as keeping roof hatches open, will be recommended to promote a healthy environment for students while being transported. • School buses owned or contracted to Wicomico County Public Schools will be regularly inspected by school bus drivers andWCPS transportation staff as outlined in COMAR 13A.06.07.12. • Assignment of staff to monitor arrival and departure locations to ensure continuous, safe flow of vehicles
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