Cumberland schools creating plans for fall
CUMBERLAND – Schools Superintendent Robert Mitchell says the Cumberland School District has set a July 10 deadline to complete and review state-mandated school reopening contingency plans before they are officially submitted to the Rhode Island Department of Education next month.
Every school district in the state must submit contingency plans to the state by July 17. The plans must include three scenarios for returning to class – most students back in classrooms a hybrid model and a return to fully distance learning.
Mitchell said all eight of Cumberland’s schools – Cumberland High School the Joseph L. McCourt and North Cumberland Middle Schools and the district’s five elementary schools – are being asked to draft their own individual contingency plans.
“There’s a lot of work to be done,” he said. “We’re not creating just one plan. We have to complete several plans.”
Each of the schools has established a task force representing all stakeholders to help develop their plans using a reopening template provided by RIDE, the superintendent said.
“The goal is to have the work done by July 10 so we can review the plans in-house and then be in a position to submit them to RIDE by July 17,” he said.
To help school districts draft their contingency plans, both RIDE and the Department of Health have offered guidance on minimum health and safety reTuirements that must be met for schools to reopen. The state is also offering technical support to school districts throughout the summer.
Gov. Gina Raimondo announced that the state will distribute 2 million in Cares Act funding to Rhode Island school districts to help pay for anticipated costs with social distancing, including 33E for students and staff, and additional transportation costs.
There will be a focus on equity, including a prioritization of resources for communities with high levels of community spread of CO9ID-1 . Support will include additional funding from the CARES Act to offset increased costs local educational agencies will incur. Details on that additional support is expected to be finalized by the end of June, as more information about the state’s )<21 budget is developed.
This fall, all school districts will be following a standardized statewide school year calendar that will see Rhode Island students back in the classroom Monday, Aug. 1.The calendar is intended to provide consistency to families and students, while also enabling educators and school systems to collaborate on activities like shared professional development.
According to the calendar, students will be off for the Thanksgiving holiday on 1ov. 2 -2 , and there are three recesses ± the holiday recess Dec. 2 - 1 winter recess )eb. 1 -1 and spring recess April 1 -2 .
Snow days will still be determined at the district level, and school will be held via distance learning.
The statewide school year for students will end on the 180th day of instruction, which is expected to be June 18, 2021. School systems may choose to add instructional days to their calendar beyond 180 days required by the statewide calendar.
Raimondo said the state will continue to rely and incorporate distance learning throughout next year for students and staff who are sick and must quarantine.