Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Williamsville Central Schools has released its plan to meet the updated social distancing guidance from New York State. The recommendation says three feet of distancing is adequate in areas without high transmission rates.
According to the plan, elementary students will return to 5 day a week in-person instruction beginning April 26. Middle and High School students will have four days of in-person instruction when conditions allow.
"It's a step forward. It's good news. There's hope on the horizon, but there's still a high level of frustration," said Williamsville parent Charlie Maclay when he joined David Bellavia Monday morning.
Much of Western New York is considered to be in a high transmission zone. Because of that, middle and high school students must maintain 6 feet of distance. For that reason, Michael Cornell, President of the Erie Niagara School Superintendents Association told WBEN, he believes there's a strong potential that middle and high schoolers will remain in a hybrid learning model for the rest of the school year.
Secondary students will have to remain at six feet of distancing until the infection rate falls below 100 cases per 100,000, which is a very low threshold. In the past week, Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus
and Allegany counties all had high transmission rates.
Cornell, who is also Superintendent of Hamburg Central Schools, said his staff had a plan before they went on Spring Break. "We were ready to roll before the break. We are asking for public input on Thursday, then we'll submit plans to Erie County. Hamburg Schools plan to bring elementary students back April 26.
You can read the full plan for Williamsville Schools below.
KEY ELEMENTS - Step 1:
Send out preliminary Instructional Model Information Gathering Survey on February 25, 2021 to determine who plans on keeping their child(ren) in one of the following models if the guidance changes
Step 2:
Meet with Reset, Relaunch, Return Committee and expand with elementary Brainstorm and discuss additional members to committees. Develop building specific Plan to Pivot coordinated by building administrators. Committees will focus on logistics, communications, and safety protocolsDevelop communications to share with community regarding re-entry
Step 3:
Review data from informational survey
Step 4:
Inform staff and families of changes to state guidance regarding social distancing when guidance is updated
Step 5:
Send out instructional survey to families asking them to choose an instructional model for the remainder of the year
Step 6:
Reconfigure classrooms and other areas within school building to meet updated guidance utilizing building-based Plan to Pivot
Step 7:
Share instructional survey results and next steps with staff and families
Step 8:
Begin implementation of new guidance
In a letter to families, Acting Superintendent of Schools John McKenna outlined the steps and timeline of the process, also stating, "It is important to note these changes in guidance do not mean a return to normalcy. Many of our health and safety protocols, such as the requirement to wear a mask at all times when on school grounds and completing the Daily COVID-19 Health Screening Questionnaire, remain in effect."
April 12, 2021 – Send Instructional Model Survey to families
April 13, 2021 – Presentation at the Board of Education Meeting
April 14, 2021 – Instructional Model Survey due at 12 p.m.
April 15-16, 2021 – Review & analyze Instructional Model Survey date and implement necessary changes to classrooms/transportation
April 19, 2021 – District Presentation (Zoom Webinar/YouTube)
April 20, 2021 – Elementary Presentations/Feedback
April 21, 2021 – Middle and High School Presentations/Feedback
April 22-23, 2021 – Make any final adjustments/preparations for the Plan to Pivot
April 26, 2021 – Implementation of Plan: Students return dependent on the rate of transmission
