The hybrid classroom allows for a mixture of in-person instruction for  some of the students while some are learning remotely. This allows for six-foot social distancing. Students will be in school two days per week and accessing the classroom remotely three days per week.  Daily lessons may include independent activities, as well as large group, small group synchronous and asynchronous instruction whether at home or in person.  Hybrid Instruction will maintain supplemental supports and services, including Special Education and English Language Learners.

Students will participate in a strictly online model through the first half of the school year (January 22, 2021). Students will take part in synchronous and asynchronous learning in a virtual setting with their hybrid classmates and taught by their current classroom teachers in order to preserve the community of learners and relationships built. Virtual Instruction will maintain supplemental supports and services, including Special Education and English Language Learners.

Monday/Wednesday	Tuesday/Thursday	Friday
Group A:  Hybrid In School Live direct instruction (in person) Applications and assignments based on direct instruction Synchronous learning with small groups and adult support	Group B:  Hybrid In School Live direct instruction (in person) Applications and assignments based on direct instruction Synchronous learning with small groups and adult support	All Students: Remote Learning at Home Additional focused lessons on social emotional learning Weekly culminating activities at elementary level Continued synchronous instruction at secondary level  Social check-ins, office hours, etc. Professional Learning Time (PLT) and staff professional development Each school will share specific schedules.
Group B:  Hybrid at Home   Group C: Virtual Only Live direct instruction (remote) Applications and assignments based on direct instruction Synchronous learning with small groups and adult support	Group A:  Hybrid at Home   Group C: Virtual Only Live direct instruction (remote) Applications and assignments based on direct instruction Synchronous learning with small groups and adult support

• Prioritize learning objectives, essential questions, eligible content and Pennsylvania standards 

• Keep consistent pacing as in a typical environment 

• Provide content area resources/books/packets/manipulatives for learners 

• Maximize District applications and resources on grade-level devices

• Maintain supplemental supports and services, including Special Education and English Language Learners

Colonial School District
Virtual Learning Code of Conduct
2020-2021

Standards of conduct are just as important in our virtual (online) classroom environments as they are in our brick and mortar schools, and appropriate student behavior is expected. To ensure that all students and their families understand the behavioral expectations and norms for an online environment, we have developed a “Virtual Learning Code of Conduct” that all students will be expected to follow.

The Virtual Learning Code of Conduct addresses students’ online interactions with Colonial School District (CSD) faculty, staff, and other students as well as students’ individual actions. The virtual code of conduct is intended to complement, not replace, existing regulations and District policies, including those related to acceptable use, social media, electronic communications, and data security. The following expectations apply to all Learning Management System (LMS) platforms and synchronous (live) lesson environments.

1. Students are expected to use respectful language when speaking and when communicating through text and/or chat features. Students are not to use obscene, profane, threatening, and/or disrespectful language or images in any communication with CSD faculty, staff, and/or other students.

2. All communication with other students must be course-related (or class-related) in nature and must be polite, courteous, and respectful. The sending of unsolicited emails and/or messages to other classmates is prohibited. 

3. Whenever possible, students should turn on their cameras while synchronous instruction is taking place. If/when this is not possible, a student self-photo, or “selfie,” should be used, so that they are easily recognizable to others. 

4. Students must use a self-photo, or “selfie,” and video feed background that is appropriate for an educational environment. CSD faculty and administration reserve the right to determine if a profile picture and/or video feed background is inappropriate. Students using an inappropriate profile picture or video feed background will be required to update their settings.

5. Students are expected to be dressed appropriately for all synchronous lessons. The CSD Student Dress Code shall apply to all virtual learning environments.

6. During synchronous instruction, students are encouraged to find a quiet space where they will not be distracted from learning. Items that reveal personal information should be moved out of camera range. 

7. Students are prohibited from sharing or posting videos (synchronous and/or asynchronous), pictures, or copies of either student-generated or teacher work on social media, gaming networks, or elsewhere online. 

8. Students are prohibited from accessing the synchronous instruction for any class they are not scheduled to attend. 

9. Recordings of synchronous instruction will be accessible only in a password-protected manner and should be viewed by students in a private setting that is not accessible to the public. 

10. Students will be notified prior to the streaming or recording of instruction.

11. No teacher or administrator will be required to stream or record instruction for a student’s routine illness or absence. 

12. The integrity and authenticity of student work is taken seriously and checked using a variety of technologies. Copying the work of others, allowing others to knowingly copy a student’s work, doing another student’s (or your child’s) work, and/or misusing content from the Internet is prohibited and could result in removal from the courses with a failing grade. Final grades may be rescinded if a student is found to have cheated or plagiarized after the grade has been posted. 

    1. Parents/guardians, as partners in supporting student learning, you are encouraged to do the following:

       • Ensure that your child’s work is authentic and original

       • Monitor

       • Ask any questions regarding plagiarism or cheating if you are unsure

       • Report any suspicious activity

13. Security and Safety is a high priority, especially when the system involves many users. If you identify a security and/or safety problem in the district’s devices and/or educational platform, notify your teacher or building administrator. 

Disciplinary Action

1. CSD students are subject to all local, state, and federal laws governing the Internet. Consequently, faculty and administration will cooperate fully with local, state, or federal officials in any investigation related to illegal activities conducted through Internet access.

2. In the event there is a claim that a student has violated this policy, the student (and parents/guardians) will be notified of the suspected violation and given an opportunity to present an explanation.

3. Violations to the CSD Virtual Learning Code of Conduct will initiate the following procedure:

   1. Upon the violation, the teacher will notify the building administrator.

   2. The administrator will notify the student and parent/guardian of the violation. 

   3. Based on the violation, building administrators will determine what, if any, disciplinary action must be taken. If an investigation of the violation must occur, the student may be temporarily removed from CSD virtual classes/courses until the investigation is complete and appropriate disciplinary action is taken. 

4. Disciplinary actions will be informed by the CSD Code of Conduct and subsequent discipline policies. 

Yes. On August 27, the School Board approved the continuation of the District’s interscholastic athletics program and extra-curricular program in accordance with the Montgomery County Office of Public Health’s Guidance for Sports and the District’s Athletic Health and Safety Plan for grades 9-12. Click here to view the guidance. Participation was contingent upon the Suburban One League’s (SOL) permitting the fall athletic season. On August 28, the SOL voted to continue the fall sports season.

The District will continue to provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for all students with IEPs, GIEPs, and 504 Service Agreements. Our goal is to maximize in-person special education programming while offering a virtual option for students who need it. Recognizing that students have been out of school for a longer period of time than usual, we intend to support students in returning to school by providing additional supports to help them understand the safety measures that are being taken against COVID-19. 

Yes! Breakfasts and lunches are now free through the end of the school year.

• In-person hybrid learners can eat for free in the cafeteria. No paperwork required. Packers can take advantage of fresh milk, fruit and vegetables through the "Pick 3 and It's Free" program.

• Take Home Meals for hybrid learners and weekly Meal Packs for virtual learners must be ordered in advance by Thursday for the next week. Thursday will be the deadline moving forward! Note: Ignore where the website that says "Ordering is not available for today." Ordering is available! Click on the link! The weekly pick up date is Fridays at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School. 

• Extras and a la carte items are not included in the free meals and can be purchased.

Follow these steps to place a meal order for pick up from Colonial Food Services. You will need to complete this process for each student in your household. 

Click here to go to https://colonialsd.nutrislice.com/ or download and open the Nutrislice App on your mobile device. (If you haven't already created a Nutrislice Account, please click here to sign up.)  

Virtual students: Order Free Weekly Meal Packs

1. Choose your child’s current school from the list.
2. Click on the link for Friday pickup, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School. Important: Ignore text that says "Ordering is not available for today."
3. Click on the plus sign on any item to add it to your cart. 
4. When you are done filling your cart, click on the shopping bag icon at the top of the screen. Then click “Check Out."
5. Choose the child for whom you are placing your order from the dropdown. 
6. “Pay with Student ID” is the only payment option; however, you will not be charged for meals at this time. However, if you order cookies or drinks, your child's meal account will be charged accordingly. 

Orders must be placed by Thursday for the following week.

In-person hybrid students: Order Free Take Home Meals

If you do not already have a Nutrislice account, please click here to sign up.

To place a Take Home Meal order for your child, please follow these instructions:

1. Choose your child’s current school from the list
2. Choose your child’s group (either “A” for students attending Monday/Wednesday or “B” for students attending Tuesday/Thursday). Important: Ignore text that says "Ordering is not available for today." Please click on the day above this message to pull up the calendar.
3. Scroll to the first day of the week that your child attends school (either Monday or Tuesday). Click on the plus sign to add a Take Home Meal package to your cart for that week. Please note, one Take Home Meal package includes 3 breakfasts and 3 lunches for the days of the week that your child will not be in a school building. 
4. Click on the shopping bag icon at the top of the screen. Then click “check out."
5. Choose the child for whom you are placing your order from the dropdown.
6. “Pay with Student ID” is the only payment option. This allows us to get the food to the correct student, even though all children eat for free at this time.
7. Click submit order.
8. Food will be sent home with students at the end of their school day as per the following schedule:
   Group A students--Monday they will take home breakfast and lunch for Tuesday. Wednesday they will take home breakfast and lunch for Thursday and Friday.
   Group B students--Tuesday they will take home breakfast and lunch for Wednesday. Thursday they will take home breakfast and lunch for Friday and Monday.

Orders must be placed by Thursday for the following week.

Private School Families

You will need to create a Nutrislice Account. Please use your child's four digit birthday (month and day) as your child's ID number. When you go through the steps above, you can choose any school for step 1. 

 

Click here for a printable version of the above graphic.

When to stay home:

• If your child has been in close contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19, your child must stay home for 14 days from the date of their last contact with a positive person. If someone tests positive in your household, your child will need to quarantine for 14 days after that person is released from isolation (10 days after the start of symptoms or 10 days after the positive test).
• If your child has cold or flu-like symptoms (runny nose, congestion, sore throat, persistent cough, difficulty breathing, headache, chills, loss of taste/smell, muscle pain/aches, diarrhea or vomiting), your child must stay home to rest and recover. Follow the Return-To-School Criteria outlined below and call your healthcare provider if symptoms worsen. 
• If your child has a fever of 100°F or higher, your child must stay home to rest and recover. Call your healthcare provider if symptoms worsen. They may go to school if they have been fever-free without medication for 24 hours, AND they were seen by their healthcare provider and diagnosed with something other than COVID-19. Otherwise, follow the Return-To-School Criteria outlined below.
• The student must participate in virtual instruction while home, or they will be considered absent. If they are too sick to participate, please click here to complete an absent note.

Return-To-School Criteria

If your child has a fever or other symptoms that could be from COVID-19 and does not get tested or is not cleared by their healthcare provider, it is assumed the child has COVID-19 and may not return to school until the following three criteria are met:

1. Your child has been fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
2. AND your child has improved symptoms.
3. AND at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared or since the date of a positive COVID-19 test. 

Notify your child's school if your child tests positive for COVID-19. Follow the Return-To-School Criteria for returning to in-person learning. 

Quarantining after traveling

If a student travels to one of the states on Pennsylvania's list that would require quarantining, the student must quarantine for 14 days before returning to live in-person instruction. Please notify your child's school if your child needs to quarantine. The student must participate in virtual instruction while home, or they will be considered absent.  

Click here for the Pennsylvania COVID-19 Information for Travelers page that includes the restricted states.

When children will be sent home by the school nurse:

Click here for the Montgomery County Office of Public Health Reopening School Guidance page. The COVID-19 School Exclusion Recommendation listed there is what the school nurses will be using should students develop symptoms in-person at school.

Click here for a printable version of the When would Colonial School District close? graphic.

When and how long Colonial School District schools would close depend on two main factors: the level of Community Transmission in Montgomery County and the Number of Cases of COVID-19 in Colonial schools within a 14-day period. 

County Transmission Levels

• Low: The incident rate per 100,000 residents during the most recent seven days is less than 10, and the percent positivity during that same time is under 5%.
• Moderate: The incident rate per 100,000 residents during the most recent seven days is between 10 and 100, and the percent positivity during that same time is 5% to 10%.
• Substantial: The incident rate per 100,000 residents during the most recent seven days is greater than or equal to 100, and the percent positivity during that same time is greater than or equal to 10%.

Closing parameters

If the number of cases of COVID-19 in Colonial schools within a 14-day period is one student or staff member and the country transmission rate is low or moderate, the school does not need to close.

If the number of cases of COVID-19 in Colonial schools within a 14-day period is 2-4 students or staff in the same building or less than 5% of the total number of students in a school building or multiple school buildings with individual cases who are not household contacts, Colonial will close the affected schools for 3-7 days if the county transmission levels are low or moderate. 

If there are more than five students or staff in the same building or greater than or equal to 5% of the total number of students and staff in a school building or multiple schools buildings with 2-4 cases who are not household contacts, Colonial will close the affected schools for 14 days if the level of community transmission is low or moderate. 

If the level of transmission becomes substantial, all Colonial schools will close. 

During the school closures, the District will perform extra cleaning and disinfecting, and Montgomery County public health staff will provide contact tracing and direct close contacts to quarantine. All students and staff will continue lessons through virtual instruction.

 

The Colonial School District will follow the Montgomery County Health Department guidelines and the Pennsylvania Department of Health Guidance on Universal Face Coverings. "Face Covering" means a covering of the nose and mouth that is secured to the head with ties, straps or loops over the ears or is wrapped around the lower face. All staff must wear masks all of the time except when eating lunch or working in isolation at a work station. Vent masks will not be permitted. Individuals who cannot wear a mask or face shield due to a medical condition, including those with respiratory issues that impede breathing, mental health condition, or disability must present medical documentation.

Will staff wear masks all day?

Staff will follow state guidelines for using face coverings, similar to students. In some cases, staff members may wear face shields in addition to masks. This may include staff who work with students with special needs, nurses, etc.

Will all students have to wear masks all day?

Students will be expected to follow state guidelines for using face coverings. Face coverings may be removed to eat when social distancing can be maintained, for exercise outdoors and during outdoor “mask breaks” when social distancing can be maintained. State guidelines allow exceptions for health conditions where wearing a mask is not advised. Under those circumstances, students may wear face shields that extend below the chin instead of a mask, if preferred, over or in addition to a mask. Students who do not have an appropriate mask will be provided one.

What will happen to students who refuse to wear masks? 

It is possible that students who refuse to wear face coverings and are not exempted from doing so may be excluded from attending school in person.

What accommodations will be made for students who have difficulty wearing masks and/or for students who have trouble understanding or communicating with staff in masks?

We encourage parents/guardians to practice mask wearing with their children so they become comfortable with them. We understand that wearing masks may hamper communication between students and staff. Therefore, the District has ordered a number of clear masks for staff to wear as needed.

What provisions will be made for eating lunch?

Current guidelines allow masks to be removed for eating if six-foot social distancing can be maintained. Socially distanced cafeteria seats have been marked for student use. Other lunch locations will vary from building to building, but can include classrooms with forward-facing desks, auditoriums, gymnasiums and more.

The 2020-2021 Health and Safety plan along with additional resources may be wieved on the District's COVID-19 webpage. Click here to view the page.

Colonial School District’s custodial staff has received specialized training, including CDC requirements for COVID-19, and will be incorporating new equipment and protocols to keep Colonial schools clean and safe. In addition to sanitizing frequently touched surfaces throughout the day, the staff will also be employing new foggers to help with disinfectant coverage and a color-coded system to avoid cross contamination. All schools will be thoroughly cleaned following each school day. With air-conditioning in all schools, the facilities department has also installed new antimicrobial filters in all of the HVAC systems and will increase ventilation rates.

School counselors, community counselors, and school nurses will continue to support students during online instruction. Counselors will also provide classroom lessons at the elementary level. Student Assistance Program (SAP) members from each building will continue to identify and assist students experiencing barriers to learning that affect behavior, academics, health and attendance.

If your child is struggling, reach out to your school counselor. If you believe that your child is in immediate danger, call 9-1-1 or seek the nearest emergency room. Find out what other area community behavioral health services are available by clicking here. 

All extraneous furniture has been removed from classrooms to maximize open square footage. Desks will be placed six feet apart and will be oriented to face in the same direction to eliminate face-to-face seating. Activities that do not support social distancing will be removed or limited.

The District plans to create and establish mandatory homeroom in the AM and staggered PM dismissal. (High School) Traffic patterns will be revised and floor decals ordered for one-way student transition between classes (in the halls and stairways).  The transition time between classes will be increased to 10 minutes at PWHS to provide for social distancing in the hallways. At the middle school, students will only be moving from class to class during grade-level unified arts times, lunch, and arrival and dismissal. Unified arts times also vary per grade, and additional lunch times have been added to each grade.

Elementary students will remain in classes and have specialists travel to them (music, art, etc) with the exception of physical education where adequate physical distancing can be maintained. Teachers will also rotate classrooms instead of having students move to them.

In cafeterias, students will not be permitted to serve themselves for items such as fruit and or vegetable selections. Staff will serve students all meal components. Selection of fruits and vegetables will be limited. Meal condiments will be limited and provided to students on the serving trays.

At the middle and high schools, social distancing signage will be used while students wait in line to secure a lunch. Parents/guardians will be encouraged to deposit funds using the online payment portal, avoiding the handling of cash and checks in the cafeterias.

Additional lunch periods will be added to limit the number of students in a cafeteria at one time. Seating will be arranged in a socially distanced manner.

No. There are enough devices so that any student who needs one can have access to one. If you didn't request a device at the beginning of the year and later decide you would like one, email csdsupport@colonialsd.org or call 610-684-7135.

The pandemic has expedited Colonial's plans for providing one-to-one devices for all students. The program will help close the technology gap and give student ready access to a device even once the pandemic is over. In the meantime, it will also eliminate the sharing of technology between students once the students return to the buildings. 

• Kindergarten and First Grade: iPads

• Second and Third Grade: Laptops

• Fourth and Twelfth Grade: Chromebooks

• High school students taking specialty classes may receive a more robust laptop as necessary. 

If you help with navigating Canvas, understanding Google Classroom, or creating accounts that will help you stay on top of your child's assignments and more, click here to check out the easy to follow videos on our Tech Support Webpage.

If you continue have problems or are experiencing a technical issue, please email the Colonial Tech Support Help Desk at csdsupport@colonialsd.org or call 610-684-7135.

No. However, here are some links to low cost internet programs. 

Comcast

Comcast offers affordable Internet through their Internet Essentials program. New Internet Essentials customers will receive two free months of Internet service if you apply and are approved by December 31, 2020. After promotion, regular rates ($9.95/month — subject to change) apply.

Click here for information about Comcast Internet Essentials.

Click here for more information and an interactive map that shows Xfinity WiFi hotspots. 

Lifeline

If you or someone in your household participate in a federal assistance program, you may qualify for Lifeline, the Federal Communication Commission’s program that helps lower either monthly phone or internet costs. Lifeline provides a discount of $9.25 per month for either your phone or internet bill (but not both) and is limited to one discount per household.

Click here for more information on Lifeline.

 

Make sure your contact information is updated on each child’s emergency form in PowerSchool. Be sure to include a telephone number and a number on which you wish to receive texts. Follow Colonial School District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.