Ready for Learning Plan 21-22
REVISED April 11, 2022

 We value your input as we plan for the remainder of the school year.  Please provide us with your thoughts and opinions at feedback@magazinek12.com or complete a survey at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1s27eay5c0wkNVp3Z8VU3PapSN25ZpBqIOFjg_fKkG3Y/edit

 Considerations:

●       Current Guidance

The Arkansas Department of Health and Arkansas Department of Education strongly advise districts to continue to follow all measures that have allowed successful in-person learning to occur.

○       The success can be attributed to the multiple layers of mitigation strategies that have been implemented by schools, such as social distancing, reduced class sizes, mask wearing, disinfecting and cleaning, handwashing, and physical distancing to the extent practical. 

  Masks: Provide a narrative of the local school board directive concerning masks for the remainder of the school year.  Add a link to any necessary policy or procedure or school board resolution.

On Feb. 10, 2022 during a regular board meeting the board elected to discontinue masks wearing as a requirement. The Board will review this decision at each board meeting and will revise the requirements based on number of cases.

 Board Minutes:

https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1926876/02._Minutes_-_February_10__2022.pdf

 Considerations:

●       Masks-Continuation of mask policies and proper wearing have benefits

A school system may continue to require the use of masks for adults or students for whom it is developmentally appropriate.

○       Local school district boards must review current policy and determine whether to continue, modify, or eliminate by formal action policies that require the wearing of masks.

○        If the district elects to continue a universal mask policy:

▪         Proper mask wearing may be a consideration when identifying individuals as close contacts in K-12 schools that continue to implement mask requirements. 

▪         When making decisions districts should consider approaches that are safest for a variety of situations, such as, buses, classrooms, lunchrooms, hallways, activity and special event spaces to determine the extent and impact of changes.   

 ●       Close Contact Identification

As knowledge and resources have evolved during the Pandemic, the response to COVID-19 has been modified to balance the educational and physical well-being in public schools. Contact tracing and quarantines for students who are identified as probable close contacts remain best practice as mitigation strategies, but there is no directive for districts to do so. Isolation is still important for individuals who test positive for COVID-19 or for those who are symptomatic.

 Physical Distancing:  Provide a narrative of the local school board directive concerning physical distancing for the remainder of the school year.  Add a link to any necessary policy or procedure or school board resolution.

 

The district will follow state guidelines concerning safety protocols and comply with Arkansas

Department of Health directives.

The CDC has updated guidance to reflect the latest science on physical distance

between students in classrooms.

                    ○ The CDC still recommends social distancing of 3 feet between adults, as well

                        as adults and students, in common areas, when masks can't be worn (such as

                         while eating), during activities with increased inhalation like sports or band

                         practice (which would preferably be held outside), and in community settings

                         outside the classroom. At this time quarantines are no longer required by the
                         school district.

 Board Minutes:

https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1926876/02._Minutes_-_February_10__2022.pdf

 Considerations:

●       Physical Distancing

CDC has updated guidance to reflect the latest science on physical distance between students in classrooms. 

 ○       ADE now recommends but does not require that, students can maintain a distance of at least 3 feet in classroom settings. 

 Responding to Confirmed Positive Cases:  Provide a narrative describing how the local district will respond to a confirmed positive case of Covid-19 based on their local masking/physical distancing policy/procedure.  Identify any pertinent information related to Points of Contact (POC) and ADH public hotlines.

 Considerations:

●       Responding

Schools are no longer responsible for responding to confirmed cases within the school district by identifying close contacts/quarantines. Governor Asa Hutchinson announced in a press conference that schools were to treat COVID as the flu.

 Continuation of Services:  Provide a narrative of how the local district will continue to provide in-person learning. Identify how public comment will be made available and how feedback will be taken into account.

 The district will follow state requirements concerning safety protocols and comply with Arkansas Department of Health directives. The district will continue to follow this plan as it relates to the response to provide in-person learning.

 Ready for Learning Plan:

https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1926876/02._Minutes_-_February_10__2022.pdf

 Public comment will be made available through a feedback link on the district webpage. The

Ready for Learning Committee will regularly review the comments and take those comments

into account when revising the plan. Closures will be dependent on the number of active cases. Closures may be specific classrooms, grade levels, buildings or the district.

 Considerations:

●       Continuation of Services

As part of the American Rescue Plan Act, school districts must post for parents and the general public a summary of its plan for safe continuation of in-person learning and continuity of services.

○       Magazine School District will stay open as long and for as many days as possible. Closures will be dependent on the number of active cases. Closures may be specific classrooms, grade levels, buildings or the district.

 Summer and Back-to-School Planning:  Provide a narrative of how the local district will develop or modify the Ready for Learning Plan for summer and back-to-school activities. Identify how public comment will be made available, possibly linked on the district website, and how feedback will be taken into consideration when developing the plan. 

 The district will provide additional learning opportunities in the summer as well as back-to-school activities. This Ready for Learning Plan will be updated and revised by the Ready for Learning committee as needed throughout the year. Public comment will be made available through a feedback link on the district webpage. The Ready for Learning Committee will regularly review the comments and take those comments into account when revising the plan.

 Considerations:

●     Summer and Back-to-School Planning

Districts receiving American Rescue Plan Act funds must request public comment and take such comments into account in the development/modification of the plan for summer and back-to-school activities.

●     Districts should archive the posting, along with public comments, for future auditing purposes.

●     Please see the district public comment link at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1s27eay5c0wkNVp3Z8VU3PapSN25ZpBqIOFjg_fKkG3Y/edit