Schools will “likely” be closed for longer than two weeks as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, based on weekend communications with state officials, schools Superintendent Alan Addley said in an announcement emailed Sunday evening, along with a lot of other information about school services during the closure.
Also, the Board of Education will hold an “emergency meeting” at 6:30 p.m. Monday (tonight) to get an update on “educational plans moving forward.” The meeting won’t be open to the public, but it will be broadcast live on Youtube, the board announced.
The sense in which the board meeting is an “emergency” was unclear. The announcement did not describe any immediate threat to anybody or any additional reason (other than what’s already been made public) for an imminent health threat from either COVID-19 or anything else.
At the meeting, the board will discuss “educational plans moving forward, including potential application to the state for a waiver,” board Chairman Tara Ochman said in an online message sent out Sunday evening.
In the same email that linked to Ochman’s announcement, two other documents were sent (all three are published in full, below).
In one, schools Superintendent Alan Addley gave another update on the situation in general, in which he said: “In consultation with the Commissioner of Education over the weekend, it is likely that Connecticut schools will be closed for a much longer period of time than the two weeks.”
Addley also said that, contrary to his announcement on Friday, he will propose to the board Monday night that the district apply for a waiver for not having the state-mandate for 180 days of schooling by June 30. Addley had previously said the district wouldn’t apply for the waiver.
It was unclear in that statement just what had changed in the state’s position that caused Addley to change his recommendation. His description of the state’s position seemed to mirror what Addley wrote in his Friday evening announcement.
In the third document sent to parents (and to news media), additional information to parents was given on various topics surrounding COVID-19 and programs provided during the school building closures. That email is also published below, but Darienite.com will publish a separate article describing it.
In addition to the three documents, parents would also be sent emails from their children’s school principals with more specific information on education while school buildings are closed. So the school district was sending, at minimum, four documents to parents on or about Sunday night. Parents with children in multiple schools would receive documents from each school.
Darien High School Principal Ellen Dunn and other administrators at the school sent out an email at 7:45 p.m. to parents that included a message sent to high school students. That email also is published below, under the three district-wide announcements.
Monday Night’s Board Meeting
Although the meeting room where the Board of Education will convene won’t be open to the public, Ochman said in the announcement:
“We still very much value and appreciate the thoughts of the community. If you would like to make comment to the Board please email me, Tara Ochman, at tochman@darienps.org and copy Vice Chairman Duke Dineen, ddineen@darienps.org. These emails will be shared with the full Board and the superintendent.”
The documents below are the full texts as received by Darienite.com, except for minor word changes, such as “March 16” instead of “March 16th,” punctuation and paragraph breaks.
Full Text: Ochman’s Announcement of the Meeting
This announcement and the two others published below were sent to Darienite.com at 7:10 p.m., Sunday. It is also available on the school district website, appearing on the home page in a pop-up box with other announcements:
Fellow Parents,
Tomorrow, the Board of Education will convene an emergency meeting at 6:30 p.m. based on the administration’s request to update us on educational plans moving forward, including potential application to the state for a waiver.
This conversation will be based on the most up-to-date health information, and educational guidance given the uniqueness of this moment in our lives. Due to the ongoing State of Emergency issued in Connecticut, under the governor’s most recent executive order and our BOE policies, this meeting will be closed to the public in the interest of public health.
The meeting will be live streamed on YouTube at https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oBqHIv3mBhI and will be recorded. While we are taking these steps to keep everyone safe and healthy, we still very much value and appreciate the thoughts of the community.
If you would like to make comment to the Board please email me, Tara Ochman, at tochman@darienps.org and copy Vice Chairman Duke Dineen, ddineen@darienps.org. These emails will be shared with the full Board and the superintendent.
If you have already emailed any comments to me directly, please know these comments have been distributed to the board. There is no need to resubmit. You may always choose to email all members of the board if you prefer.
I know our staff has been working around the clock in the interest of our children. We look forward to their update. And, I appreciate that all our Board of Education members have been engaged, and willing to mobilize for our schools and our community.
Thank you for your partnership and thoughtfulness during this extraordinary time. Stay Well.
— Tara Ochman, Chairman,
Darien Board of Education
Full Text Addley’s Statement on Overall Situation
Dear Families and Staff, Good evening.
I am writing with an update on the most recent information on the District’s plan to implement its eLearning Plan. Thank you for your understanding and collective efforts to keep our school community and town safe while simultaneously providing continuity of learning for all students during the period of school closure.
The District continues to work closely with the First Selectman’s Office and local health officials during this crisis. eLearning eLearning experiences can incorporate a combination of synchronous and asynchronous activities.
As shared with you on Friday, the Commissioner of Education’s strong recommendation was for districts not to conduct remote learning experiences in lieu of onsite schooling but rather to provide supplemental asynchronous activities.
The main reason for this recommendation was a district’s ability to deliver with fidelity the educational services to all students as prescribed by state and federal laws.
Given this requirement and consistent with recently released guidance from The United States Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, the district currently has not submitted a waiver to provide on line learning experiences in lieu of onsite schooling.
In consultation with the Commissioner of Education over the weekend, it is likely that Connecticut schools will be closed for a much longer period of time than the two weeks.
As such, given the exceptional nature of the circumstances, the Commissioner is also reconsidering its position on granting waivers for remote eLearning that count toward the 180 days of school.
It is now likely the State Department of Education will encourage eLearning and require a district to make a good faith effort to meet the educational needs of all its regular and special education students.
Given these changing circumstances around school closures and the expectations for waivers and educational eLearning for all students, I will be making an administrative recommendation to the Board of Education tomorrow, Monday, March 16 at 6:30 p.m. to submit a waiver for the District’s eLearning experiences.
Should a waver be granted, the District will be ready to easily transition into providing online eLearning for students that count towards the 180 days of schools. The timeline for submission and acceptance of a waiver is quick, generally 24 hours.
The staff has already designed rich and varied asynchronous eLearning activities that students can access at their own pace and convenience. Resources are accessible for all students in both general and special education. The eLearning resources can be accessed from the main page on the District website tomorrow morning: Monday, March 16 at 8 a.m.
These activities are voluntary and students are not required to participate. The activities are not intended to replace classroom instruction. The goal is to offer opportunities for students to access enrichment, practice skills, maintain learning and keep connected to school.
Thank you for your continued understanding and assistance as we navigate the upcoming weeks. District administrators and I will continue to provide you with regular updates during the period that schools are closed.
You will receive information from each of your children’s school principals tonight outlining expectations for accessing tomorrow’ s enrichment experiences. Challenges in life can often provide opportunities.
Offering remote learning provides our students, staff and school community a chance to try out its eLearning Plan, 1-1 technology infrastructure and teaching practices.
Should a waiver be granted, I am confident, with your assistance, that this will prove to be a unique and beneficial learning opportunity for everyone.
Please see attached some additional information about COVID-19 and eLearning that you might find helpful.
Sincerely,
—Alan Addley
Dr. Alan Addley, Superintendent of Schools
Full Text: ‘eLearning and COVID-19 Information’
eLearning
Beginning on Monday, March 16, 2020, there will be a tab located on the District’s website: https://www.darienps.org, entitled “DPS eLearning.” Students will access eLearning through this tab (elementary, middle and high school).
The tabs are broken down by K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and grades 9-12. Other areas such as Special Areas, SRBI, and Support Services are also available to students. In addition to the content accessible through this tab, students in grades 9-12, at DHS [Darien High School] will access e-learning through Google Classroom.
You will receive a reminder email from your child’s school later this evening.
Content is expected to be refreshed every few days and/or as needed. You will see the “eLearning tab” evolve as our teams continue to add resources and additional support for students. If you have any questions regarding the content or materials, contact your school’s principal.
Student engagement with the eLearning is highly recommended, but will not be used for grading purposes.
Special Education
To support students with learning differences the following resources are available: There is a Support Services Tab and Social and Emotional Support Tab on the elementary school site, there is a Specially Designed Instruction tab on the MMS [Middlesex Middle School] site, and there is access to DPS Special Education Google Classroom Resources and Activities on the DHS site.
For your reference, the following letter was sent to families from Ms. Shirley Klein, assistant superintendent for special education and student services on Friday, March 13, 2020.
Waiver
Upon Board of Education approval, a waiver will be submitted to the Connecticut State Department of Education requesting that the Darien Public School’s e-learning model be used in lieu of added school days to the month of June.
We continue to study various models to ensure that we have the ability to provide access for all students as outlined by the CSDE. We will update you daily on our District’s status.
In the event that a waiver is submitted and approved, our e-learning design will be modified to include other instructional elements. You will be provided with explicit instructions and student engagement expectations.
Technology Assistance
Regardless of the experience being offered, it is vital for students to have access to both technology and wifi. If you do not have access to wi-fi or technology, please contact the Darien Public Schools at http://support.darienps.net or call at 203-656-7400.
eLearning Resources
District and school administration have access to district email/resources and continue to work remotely. As such, they will not be available on site. If you have any questions/concerns regarding your child or the eLearning, we are here to help, email your school-based leaders and/or District support.
Standardized Testing
The CSDE has not provided the District with a final decision on standardized testing. Given the circumstances, the District will make decisions based on what is most appropriate for our students and advocate on their behalf if/when it is needed.
AP Examination/College Board
Updates are available from AP Central, you can find those updates here. The website’s last update was dated March 13, 2020. The College Board is presently monitoring the situation.
Parent Resources
Linked here is a publication from the National Association of School Psychologists Linked here is a publication from UNICEF
Social Distancing and Social Gathering
We realize that this can be difficult for children and families, however, during this period of time, we ask that students not congregate in large or even small groups. By doing this, we are all helping mitigate the spread of the virus. During this time, it is important to try to maintain as much routine as possible for all age-levels, but most certainly for our youngest students.
Please note that all school facilities and athletic fields are closed to school and town organizations for athletic practices or events of any nature. In keeping with social distancing guidelines, there should be no formal or informal gatherings on the fields.
Additionally, tutoring or athletic coaching between students and school employees should not be taking place.
Free & Reduced Lunch
We have coordinated with the Town of Darien’s Human Services Department to ensure our students who are Free and Reduced eligible have meals during the school closure. Families who are eligible are encouraged to reach out to Myrese Nochomowitz (mnochomowitz@darienps.org), Darien Public Schools Director of Food Service or Alexandra Ramsetck (aramsteck@darienct.gov), Director of Human Services for the Town of Darien.
Announcement From Darien High School Administration to DHS Parents, Students
Emailed at 7:45 p.m., Sunday:
Dear families,
The message below has been sent to students via school email. Please share with your students as they do not all check email regularly. Thank you for your ongoing support during this time and my best wishes to all. Sincerely, Ellen
Dear DHS Students,
We are sorry that circumstances prevented us from wishing you well when schools needed to be abruptly closed. As I locked the doors to the building on Thursday, I felt a deep sense of sadness, shared by your teachers and our DHS staff, that our community has been disrupted. As the adults in your lives, we guide you through heartbreaks, failures, losses and disappointments because we have all experienced these things in our own lives. Here we are traversing a new landscape together and the uncertainty can be unnerving. I find that when things feel uncertain, finding ways to help others reduces worry and gives us a sense of control. So what is within our power to do in these circumstances?
-
The most important thing you can do is likely going to be the hardest. Even though friends will be returning from college and you will not be at school, it is important that you limit contact with one another. With the weather improving and the days getting longer, it will be particularly challenging, but we will only be able to slow the spread of the virus if we remove the conduit for spread – human contact. As many of you know, I am a biology teacher so I have some credibility when it comes to this advice. Pretend there has been a blizzard and you are snowed in, but the good news is you can go for a walk or read a book in the backyard!
-
Find ways to reach out to one another and remain in contact via technology. Who would have thought that I would encourage social media? You can experiment with Google Meet to bring groups together to rehearse parts of the musical or share reviews for AP courses.
-
Your teachers will post two weeks of learning materials on Google Classroom by tomorrow morning at 8 am. You can work through these units together using digital tools and encourage one another to engage in this work. There may be changes to this plan in the coming days, so getting started will be helpful for all.
-
We do not have much information about AP testing but The College Board has indicated that there will be some limited flexibility with testing dates. Those of you in AP classes will have units posted on Monday morning and can also take advantage of this time to begin to review. Working together online, you can support one another, reviewing one unit at a time.
To our seniors, leaders of our school community, this situation presents even more disappointments for all of you. We have you on our minds, and things like the prom, senior internship, etc. will be reviewed as we move forward. We will be in contact with you regularly to keep you informed.
For those who are having difficulty with this situation, I am attaching resources that are available to you from our support staff at DHS. All of your school administrators are working and can be contacted via the emails listed below. If you have anything to share with us or questions for us, we welcome hearing from you during this time. We are meeting with each other regularly using Google Meet and will share other platforms with you as we experience them.
We are defined by our Blue Wave Pride and the spirit of community we share. This is not diminished by our distance from one another. I believe it will be made stronger because we will be reminded of what is truly important as we prioritize those things in a challenging time. We will find ways to sustain our community in new ways, and I thank you for partnering with us. We already miss you!
With much fondness,
Mrs. Dunn
[Ellen Dunn, Darien High School principal]
Mrs. Dunn
Mr. Ribeiro
Mrs. Dimoulas
Mr. Mazzone
Ms. Emanuelson
Mr. Manfredonia