Hello, Bishop Family!

I hope this message finds you well. Please know that I miss you immensely and cannot
wait to be back together again, in person, soon!

First, I want to thank you for your patience and understanding, as I know you have
been waiting for an update as it relates to the Arlington Public Schools Reopening
Plan in September.

At last night’s 8/10/20 Arlington Public Schools, School Committee meeting, Dr. Bodie
presented this, Fall 2020 Proposed Reopening Plan, with the recommendation of a
HYBRID REENTRY PLAN, and as a resource for the members as they contemplated
their impending vote. After thoughtful discussion and questions, The APS School
Committee approved Dr. Bodie’s recommendation of a hybrid reentry plan, with the
option for families to choose a full remote program facilitated by the Arlington Public
Schools, if they feel an in-person return is not safe.

With this vote, what happens now?

The School Committee has approved Dr. Bodie’s recommendation with

conditions. One of the conditions will hold Dr. Bodie to a health and safety report
submission to the members of the School Committee no later than August 28th for
the purpose of assessing the state of the virus, local infection rates, and facilities
readiness. If the health and safety data does not support opening schools for a hybrid
return, the Arlington Public Schools could start with a remote model. If the health and
safety data is in the community’s favor, the district will implement a Phased Hybrid
Reentry Plan, with a select group of students starting on Monday, September 21st.

What does a Hybrid model look like?

Students are placed into two cohorts (sorted by last name to keep siblings
together): Cohort A, and Cohort B.

In this scenario:

Cohort A - students attend school, Monday & Tuesday

Cohort B - students attend school, Thursday & Friday

Both Cohorts, A and B, will have 2.5 days of remote instruction, which will entail live
and recorded instruction. The details related to the staff who will be facilitating
remote days are still being worked out. (Elementary Hybrid Schedule Drafts can be
found on pages 40-42 within the Fall 2020 Proposed Reopening Plan)

Wednesday is a half day of remote learning for both Cohorts A/B, facilitated by the
classroom teaching staff

Our most vulnerable students (Students who received specialized instruction, Free and
Reduced Lunch, English Language Learners, Students who travel from Boston, and
Struggling Readers) will potentially come to school all 4.5 days)

What is a Phased Hybrid Reentry Plan?

A phased approach will allow staff and students to ease into an in-person hybrid
model/schedule. The recommendation last night did not go into detail of which
students would be first to report to school on the 21st of September, however, it is
very likely that PreK- Kindergarten, and 1st grade students, along with our most
vulnerable students, will be the first to return.

After an agreed upon date and set of health and safety metrics, grades 2, 3, 4, 5 will
return. The exact date and metrics will be negotiated in the near future.

If Your Family is Not Comfortable Returning in the Fall

Families who are not comfortable sending their children to school in the fall will be
given a District Remote Learning Plan Option (Facilitated by Arlington, with Arlington
Public Schools Staff) Details for this plan are currently being developed with more
information to come in the near future. (Sample Daily Remote Learning Schedule
Drafts can be found on pages 58-61within the Fall 2020 Proposed Reopening Plan)

What if the Health and Safety Data and Facilities Readiness do not support an in-
person return in September?

*All Remote Model - Students will learn from home full time. This model will be very
different from the Spring. There will be more Synchronous (live) instruction, student
attendance will be taken, and work will be turned in for grading. (Sample Daily
Remote Learning Schedule Drafts can be found on pages 58-61 within the Fall 2020
Proposed Reopening Plan)

What’s Next?

• At the District level, more details will be fleshed out as they relate to Hybrid
and Remote models/schedules
• The Arlington Educators Association and the District will negotiate specific
details for each plan
• The District will be sending out another survey soliciting your family’s decision;
Hybrid or Remote, next week
• At the Bishop building level, a COVID Leadership Team has been
formed. Planning has been initiated to include; health and safety, building-
based protocols, decal and signage placement, arrival and dismissal, and
recess/lunch
• The Bishop COVID Leadership Team will be meeting this Thursday, the 13th, to
continue our planning for reentry. This team will also be planning for a Bishop
Parent Forum to be held mid-week, next week. I will send you the date, time,
and format no later than this Friday.
• In the meantime, for the purpose of streamlining our Bishop Parent Forum, I
will ask that you access this Bishop Parent Question Form to submit any
questions that you have.

Now that the community has a direction for the fall, many details need to be planned
for and implemented, all the while, keeping these Guiding Values at the forefront of
every decision that is made.

Guiding Values for Returning to School

- Health, safety, and well-being of our students, staff, and families above all else.

- Equity will remain at the core of our work as we design learning programs for
students.

- We will support student and staff social-emotional well-being, acknowledging that

the school experience will be very different when compared to previous years.

- We will consider the strengths and limitations of returning to school for all
stakeholders: students, families, staff and community, and build in continued
flexibilities.
 - We will need to be flexible and fluid in how we deliver instruction to ensure that we
address student learning in age-appropriate ways.

- Ensure that plans are sustainable and take into account the mental, physical, social,
and emotional needs of the school community.

- We recognize the continued investment needed in professional development to

support our staff in creating engaging, high-quality, digital learning environments.

As a parent of two teenagers (middle and high school), this is not an easy decision for
my family; I understand what you are faced with - Even though not ideal, I know we
will work together to appropriately plan for and implement a learning program that
will be safe, equitable, and conducive to delivering the highest quality of instruction
for our students.

I am here for you; please reach out to me if you have any questions. (Also - Please fill
out the Form!)

My Best -

Mark