Our Core Principles

for the
2020-2021 School Year
Kids First
Supporting safety, health, and wellbeing
Knowledge
Provide engaging and relevant learning opportunities for each student
Stewardship
Utilize our natural spaces as part of an extension of our learning spaces
Partnership
Partner with families and the community to support the different models of learning
during the year
Flexibility
Changes will take place throughout the year based on the health and safety of our
community.
RC Caring Classrooms and Community Building
Strong classroom relationships are the foundation of learning throughout the year. The
beginning of the year is filled with opportunities for teachers and students to get to know
each other. The more we spend time building a solid relationship, “The Go Slow” part, the
stronger our foundation. As we build a stronger foundation, we can help students dive
deeper into their learning, “The Go Fast” part. Our RC Caring Classrooms framework
provides lessons and tools focused on the social and emotional well-being of each student.
NSCS Hybrid Model
All students will use Seesaw for navigating daily lessons during Distance Learning, as well as in
the classroom. Students in 3-6 will also use Google Classroom.

Lessons during the two days of in-person will be carried over into distance learning days with
additional practice and application. Students will bring work home for their distance learning on
the three days they are not in class

Teachers will provide videos and other materials during distance learning. Teachers will be
available at the end of each day for office hours beginning September 21st.

100% Distance Learning (DL) Model

Distance Learning Students and Teachers:
There will be a DL teacher for grades K-2 and a DL teacher for grades 3-6.
The DL teacher will be the main student contact for DL students. They will grade lessons,
provide feedback, offer individual and small group instruction and intervention to students
throughout the week, and hold resource (office) hours for students to check-in, ask questions, etc.
The DL teacher will take attendance for their students.

Classroom Teacher: Each DL student will be assigned to an in-person classroom and will have
opportunities to join some classroom activities that will be scheduled by the teacher.
Suggestions include Morning Meeting, joining a math lesson, reading lesson, and writing lesson,
or any other activities or times the classroom teacher would like to open up for the DL students

Planning: Grade level teachers would plan in-person and DL lessons weekly.
Grade level teachers could record mini-lessons in advance, or record mini-lessons live and upload
them by the end of the day.

DL and Classroom teachers would connect each week, most likely on Wednesdays, as part of
weekly preparations.

Moving Between Models: Students may move to 100% DL at any time. Students in 100% DL
may move to in-person learning during 6-week windows. The first opportunity to move to in-
person would be mid-October (just after MEA). We will have a process for families to notify us
of their decision to move to in-person learning.

The DL student would then join the class in which they have been assigned and in which they
have been participating.
If a family chooses 100% DL, they choose this option fully. There will not be an option for some
in-person activities when choosing 100% DL.
 Hybrid and 100% Distance Learning Timeline

Hybrid and 100% Students will Attend: Begins: September 9-

Distance Learning All students will attend 100% dis- 11 for all students
tance Learning

Hybrid Learning Students will attend: In-Person Begins:

AA Group: Monday-Tuesday AA Group: Monday,
or September 14th
BB Group: Thursday-Friday
BB Group: Thursday,
Distance Learning on Wednesdays September 17th

100% Distance Students will attend: Begins: Wednesday,

Learning 100% online or paper packet/online September 9th
combination

September Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Week 1 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th

Labor Day BAS Testing All Students All Stu- All Students
Distance dents Dis- Distance
Learning tance Learning
Learning

Week 2 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th

AA Begins AA BB Begins BB
In-Person In-Person Distance In-Person In-Person
Learning for
BB BB all students AA AA
Distance Distance Distance Distance
Learning Learning Learning Learning

100% DL 100% DL 100% DL

Continues Continues Continues 100% DL 100% DL
Continues Continues

Preschool Preschool 3-year Olds Preschool Preschool

AA Begins AA Begins Preschool BB Begins BB Begins
In the AM
Special Education and 504 Plans
Special Education services and 504 plans will continue through the different learning models,
following state and federal requirements. Our special education staff, coordinator, and director
will be working with families individually to ensure current IEP plans are meeting student needs
within each learning models.

Janna Dreher, our school counselor, will work with families regarding 504 plans. Please reach
out to Mrs. Janna for assistance.

Face Coverings/Masks
Face coverings/masks must be worn by all staff and students K-6.
Face coverings/masks may be taken off for taking a drink, when eating, when
outside and able to maintain 6’ of physical distancing.
For students who may need mask or face covering accommodations or
modifications, please contact the office or the special education case manager to discuss
options.
6’ Physical Distancing
With the Hybrid Model, students and staff are to maintain strict
social distancing. We will have procedures in place for moving
around the classroom, through hallways, to lockers, and at the
beginning and end of the day.

Classrooms
The following classroom procedures will be in place:
• Students have individual basic school supplies—We will limit communal supplies as
much as possible
• When communal supplies are necessary (PE, music, or art classes, etc.) we encourage
hand washing or hand sanitizing prior to use and staff disinfects supplies between
classes
• We ask students to limit bringing personal belongings to school
• Maintain 6’ physical distancing between students and staff
• Minimize hallway travel
• Wear masks
• Stagger locker visits to maintain physical space
• Develop, model, and implement procedures to increase handwashing
• Use hand sanitizer or wash hands upon entering and exiting the building and
classrooms
• Use the outdoor spaces as much as possible
 Health and Safety of Students and Staff
Cleaning Routines
Cleaning routines will include all commonly used spaces 3-4 times throughout the day,
including:
• After most students have entered the building
• After mid-morning breaks
• After lunch
• At the end of the day
• Door handles and door jambs will be cleaned a few times throughout the day
• Desks, laptops, other commonly used items will be sanitized at the end of the day
• Locker handles will be cleaned at the end of each day.

Illness at School
NSCS will follow MDH guidelines and protocols for reporting cases and
exclusions, and we will work with the regional support team regarding next
steps with suspected or positive cases.

Positive cases will be reported to MDH, and we will work with our Regional Support Team and
MDH to conduct contact tracing and make proper notifications. Families may be directed by
MDH to quarantine for a time, following the MDH Decision Tree. The Decision Tree can be
found at https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/schools/exguide.pdf

Health Office: Our health office will be the designated sick room. A separate space will be
provided for students needing assistance related to injuries or medication.

Visitors
Thank you for understanding we need to limit visitors into our building during this time.
Visitors will have limited access to the building. A family member picking up a sick student will
be allowed into the main lobby for that purpose only.

Office staff will come to the main door to assist families with items they are dropping off, any
payments, medications, etc.
Meals
Breakfast: If our breakfast numbers are low enough, we will be able to serve in the cafeteria. If
not, we will have grab and go options for students to bring to their classroom.

Lunch: Lunch will be served in classrooms. After lunch, students will head to recess.

Free and reduced meals will be available to students who qualify. We ask families to complete
the online application, or return the paper application, as soon as they are received in the mail.

During Distance Learning, students who qualify for free and reduced meals will receive meals
on Tuesday if they are distance learning on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Students will
receive meals on Friday if they are distance learning on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Recess
Recess will follow lunch during our Hybrid Model. Students will have 30 minutes of recess a
day.
We will limit the number of students on each playground at a time, and will rotate students
between the playground and the fields.
Students will sanitize before exiting the building and upon entering the building.

Transportation
During the Hybrid Model, we will have strict physical distancing and enhanced cleaning
procedures in place.
Masks or face coverings must be worn on all buses.
Students will have assigned seats.
Families will be seated together as much as possible.
As we will have limited space on our buses, if your schedule allows and you are willing to drive
your child, that will help us reduce the number of students on our buses.

Questions
If you have any questions throughout the year, reach out to the office. We are here for you!
Stay tuned for a FAQ link on our webpage...coming soon.