Lycée Français de New York: Summary Reopening Plan 2020-21

SUMMARY REOPENING PLAN FOR 2020-2021 Prepared by the The Lycée Français de New York Revised: August 21, 2020

Table of Contents INTRODUCTION

2

PILLAR I: PHYSICAL SAFETY

3

COVID-19 Testing

3

Quarantine Requirement

3

Health Checks

3

Healthy Hygiene Practices

4

Social / Physical Distancing

4

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

4

Drop Off & Pickup

5

Arrival Process

5

Dismissal Process

6

Nutrition

6

Cleaning and Disinfection

6

Facilities

7

Management of Ill Persons

8

PILLAR II: EMOTIONAL HEALTH

9

PILLAR III: ACADEMIC & SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING School Schedule

10 10

Secondary School

10

Primary School

11

Support families by aligning schedules

12

The first two weeks of school for hybrid model students unable to join in person at Rentrée

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Athletics & Extracurricular Activities

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August 21, 2020 Reopening Plan for the Lycée Français de New York (Subject to change.)

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INTRODUCTION We look forward to welcoming students, faculty and staff back to campus very soon.

This document summarizes our re-opening plans, with a review of health and safety procedures and protocols, support for student emotional health, and plans for our students in the hybrid model, blending in-person (présentiel) and online teaching and learning.

The Lycée is a community. We have engaged our various stakeholders, sought diverse feedback, built on the lessons from Online Lycée, and consulted experts in a variety of areas in the drafting of this plan, and we believe it to be a reflection of our joint commitment to our School mission.

This document is a summary of a comprehensive plan for Fall 2020 reopening in compliance with the New York State Education Department (NYSED) and Department of Health (NYSDOH) standards for the year 2020-2021, as available to us as of July 30, 2020. This document may need to be amended to meet changes. The current plan, along with local authorities guidance documents, is available in full detail here.

We seek to balance the needs of our students and community through our focus on the three pillars: Physical Safety, Emotional Health, and Academic and Social-Emotional Learning.

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PILLAR I: PHYSICAL SAFETY Each and every member of the Lycée community has a personal responsibility to practice good, common-sense hygiene and safety measures to stay healthy and keep others healthy. We will be relying on the individual actions of our community members to reduce and stop transmission and be able to stay open throughout the school year. To support this effort, all parents-guardians, faculty, staff and Secondary students will be asked to sign the Lycée Health Pledge before the start of school.

COVID-19 Testing The Lycée requires all students and employees to get tested for COVID-19, using either a PCR nasal or saliva diagnostic test, before entering the school building at back to school. They must present a negative test on their first day in the building. Tests must be taken within 8 to 10 days of their return to campus in the U.S., in a state not on the New York State travel advisory list.

Quarantine Requirement The Lycée requires students and employees returning from outside of New York State to follow CDC guidelines and New York State requirements vis a vis quarantine prior to returning to School in person.

The requirements around quarantining are explicitly addressed in the Lycée Health Compact.

Health Checks Daily health checks through the Lycée's Health Symptom Tracker will be required, at home, prior to admittance to our campus. The health check determines whether the individual has: ●

Knowingly been in close or proximate contact in the past 14 days with anyone who has tested positive through a diagnostic test for COVID-19 or who has or had symptoms of COVID-19

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Tested positive through a diagnostic test for COVID-19 in the past 14 days

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Has experienced any symptoms of COVID-19, including a temperature of greater than 100.0°F (37.8°C) in the past 14 days (see below)

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Has traveled internationally or from a state with widespread community transmission of COVID-19 per the New York State Travel Advisory in the past 14 days.

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Subject to parents indicating no serious concerns about their child(ren)'s illness, a QR code (renewed every day) will be issued for use by students to enter the building. Employees will follow the same procedure.

Healthy Hygiene Practices The Lycée will provide training to employees and students for healthy hygiene practices, including hand sanitizing/washing, which will be mandatory upon entering the building and required at regular intervals throughout the school day.

Social / Physical Distancing Social / physical distancing will be required as much as possible within the Lycée campus at all times.

We have put in place precautions and guidance throughout the School to maintain 6 feet of distance by reducing the total number of people on campus at any given time, through one-way circulation patterns throughout the building and the arrangement of furniture and physical spaces.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Students within the Lycée campus will be required to wear face masks at all times, especially when unable to maintain a six-foot distance from others or outside of their dedicated instruction space.

Teachers and other faculty members will be asked to wear masks at all times (with exceptions outlined below) in order to set a positive, mask wearing culture example to the students. As a general rule, masks must be worn while moving around the building, while in elevators, stairwells, hallways, recess / play areas, bathrooms, or any other space where multiple people are moving around and a six-foot distance is difficult to maintain. Everyone should have their mask with them at all times. In the event of loss or damage, the School will provide a fresh disposable mask.

Each family is encouraged to own enough face masks per child to allow for daily washing at home, bringing two for backup is also recommended. Acceptable face masks include: ●

Cloth masks, either purchased or hand sewn,

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Surgical masks

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Three-layer, N95, and KN95

Families and faculty should work together to ensure proper mask wearing including mask size and fit.

Frequent reminders and education on the importance and proper wear of masks should be a collaborative effort. Masks must cover the mouth and nose. Face shields may be worn in addition to a mask, but are not an adequate substitute.

Drop Off & Pickup We expect the entire Lycée community to both wear masks to and from the School and comply with any requirements on public transportation or NYC school district transportation.

Arrival Process Primary entrances: 76th Street service entrance, main entrance, drive-through line 1, drive-through line 2. ●

Maternelle – Nursery to Kindergarten ●

Parent/guardian (1 person only) has QR codes for the student and scans it at one of the 4 entrances, which is a condition for drop-off

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Elementary ●

DOE School buses arrive between 7:45 and 7:50 am and a Lycée employee reviews students' status within the bus ▪

Students who are cleared for entry will wait in the auditorium until they can be brought to their classrooms

▪

We are expecting further NYC DOE guidance regarding coordination of health screenings for students taking NYC DOE buses.

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Individual families: parent has QR code for student(s) and scans it at one of the 4 entrances used for Primary, which is a condition for drop-off.

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At the time of entry defined for each class (which will be clearly communicated to parents), each teacher gathers the students of his/her pod in the 76th Street lobby and brings the children to the classroom

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Secondary ●

Entrances: the 75th Street main and service entrances, and the York Wing entrance

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Students scan the QR code which will be sent to them by their Parent or Guardian each day, then badge in and go to their classrooms as soon as they enter the building (no gatherings allowed in the lobby)

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Students who do not have a valid QR code will not be permitted to enter the building.

Dismissal Process Students in the Secondary School will be permitted to leave the school unaccompanied, but being careful to maintain social distancing.

Primary Students will be dismissed to a parent or guardian, by grade, in shifts to minimize crowding at exits. Those picking up students will wait outside the School and should wear masks and remain socially distant.

Nutrition Students who are present on campus for a full day will bring lunch from home. Lunch will be eaten in classrooms, where students will already be socially distant. Appropriate precautions will be taken for students with food allergies. Prior to lunch, students will have a bathroom break to wash their hands and hand sanitizer will be available in all classrooms.

Cleaning and Disinfection In review of documentation from the NYSDOH and the CDC a new cleaning and disinfection protocol has been created. Cleaning workspaces and high-touch surfaces will take place throughout the day and again at the end of the school day. A site-specific risk assessment has been completed to determine frequency of cleaning. We are also instituting a weekly audit to review cleaning and sanitization efforts to ensure that the tasks are being completed on schedule and that are adequate to maintain sanitization standards set out by the school. Cleaning protocols will be updated regularly, to ensure any changing work practices and procedures are accounted for and in response to changing guidance. Cleaning, sanitizing and disinfection of the school will require full commitment and collaboration if all within the school community, including faculty, staff and students.

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Facilities Alterations to our physical space to minimize transmission of COVID-19 include: ●

Ventilation: o

Adding enhanced air filtration units (HEPA) to all teaching spaces

o

Upgrades to our ventilation systems to maximize the circulation of outside air into the building

o

Operating all spaces with increased mechanical ventilation mode, all filters for these spaces have been upgraded to a minimum MERV 13 rating and many others with MERV 14 and 15 rating

o ●

Keeping windows closed to maintain room temperatures between 70-78 degrees

Installing clear plexiglass barriers throughout security areas, health offices, meeting and faculty spaces

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Utilizing multiple entrances at arrival and dismissal times, to reduce congestion and maintain physical distance

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Reconfiguring physical spaces to provide for additional classrooms and promote physical distancing:

●

o

A canopy may be added to the 2nd floor outdoor space;

o

The cafeteria was converted into additional classrooms;

o

Furniture has been moved to provide for 6ft of distance;

o

To reduce the spread of the virus from touching door levers and knobs, doors may be fixed in the open position.

Touchless hand sanitizing stations have been installed throughout the school.

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A temperature scanner has been installed at the security area on 75th street to allow for visitor health screening.

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Common areas have increased signage outlining social distancing directives and hygiene requirements, including frequent handwashing.

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Touchless fixtures on toilets, urinals and sinks have been installed in all bathrooms.

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Stairwells are designated UP or DOWN, with clear directions to facilitate circular movement in hallways.

Management of Ill Persons During the day anyone who is not feeling well will be assessed by the nurses and sent home if necessary. Teachers and other staff will also be educated to observe students or other staff members for signs of any type of illness. An isolation room will welcome students waiting to leave the School until parents arrive.

The Lycée will follow CDC and NYSDOH recommendations vis a vis closing and cleaning areas where a suspected/confirmed COVID-19 infected person was located.

All students, teachers and staff are expected to immediately inform the Lycée Health Office if they have been exposed to a confirmed case of COVID-19, if they receive a positive notice of COVID-19 diagnosis, or if they start exhibiting symptoms commonly associated with COVID-19. The Health Office shall immediately notify the local public health agency.

In the case of employees and students, the school will determine individuals who have come into close, prolonged contact with the identified employee or student, and alert the families of all identified students by email. Such children and employees will be expected to quarantine for 14 consecutive days at home. Instruction is then shifted to fully online during the quarantine period for the group of exposed persons. In-person attendance may resume at the end of the quarantine period. The Lycée will follow CDC guidance for allowing a student or a staff member to return to school after exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19.

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PILLAR II: EMOTIONAL HEALTH The Lycée's Specialized Support Team of mental health specialists and specialized teachers provides emotional as well as academic support as needed. Particular attention will be paid to the psychological impact of the pandemic, as well as the disruption to predictable schedule and planning.

As it does when school is fully in the building, the nine-member Specialized Support Team will meet with students virtually during remote learning or the hybrid model. The pedagogical team for each class, including the teachers, will continue to meet, virtually, to check in about each student and discuss how to best support each child.

The process of identifying and requesting support for one of their students will be the same as when fully in the building. ●

The weekly meetings of the specialized team to review the progress and the needs of the students will take place remotely at the same pace

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All Personalized Plans and IEP for students with a specific learning disorder or other diagnosis will be discussed through meetings remotely, with the pedagogical team and the parents in order to put in place the required accommodations

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Individual follow-up meetings with teachers and with parents will take place virtually as needed and upon the request of one of the parties

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The contact with outside providers and with the DOE will continue as usual virtually or by phone

During back-to-school training week for teachers and staff, the school will prepare teachers and staff in looking for markers in students of different ages upon their return to school and thereafter

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PILLAR III: ACADEMIC & SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING The Lycée has developed a continuity of learning plan for the 2020-2021 school year which is prepared for in-person, remote, and hybrid models of instruction. The school year will begin in the hybrid model, having designed an entirely new schedule dealing with COVID-19 sanitary constraints.

School Schedule Our hybrid-model, pedagogical plan involves half-day presence in the school for students in most grades. This decision is rooted in our belief that strong student-teacher relationships, made possible by frequent, regular in-person class time, are essential to learning.

This structure will allow for: ●

Reduced in-person class sizes, typically around 50%

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Physical distancing of 6 feet within the classroom for all grades

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Establishment of pods within the Primary to minimize interactions between students; in the Secondary, adoption of a half-day model which reduces interactions

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Minimized downtime spent at the school, allowing us to optimize our students' learning in this half-day model

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Reduced circulation within the building and learning spaces

Secondary School Our goal is to combine online learning and présentiel to maximize time of instruction and program delivery. Our online learning has been built on the experience and momentum of Online Lycée, and we have incorporated feedback received from faculty, students, and parents.

We are expecting the following model along a 7-day schedule: Collège (Y6 to Y8) will consist of: o

4 half days en présentiel

o

2 full days online

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o

1 study day

Lycée (Y9/3e to Y12/Tle) will consist of: o

3 half days en présentiel

o

3 full days online

o

1 study day

Each half day will consistently be either an AM or a PM session. No grade will have two consecutive online days, but a study day and an online day may be consecutive.

Primary School Students in the Primary School will be organized in pods of 8 to 13 students.

Maternelle and Elementary will consist of 4 half or full days en présentiel ●

Nursery and Pre-K school in-person classes take place in the morning each day

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Kindergarten students consistently follow either a half-day morning or a half-day afternoon schedule in person at school in addition to a half day of remote classes.

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Depending on their schedule, all Preschool students begin or round out the day in a live online session with their teachers

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Y1/CP and Y2/CE1 students will attend class in person four full days a week

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Y3/CE2, Y4/CM1, and Y5/CM2 students will attend in person class in half day blocks, either half-day mornings or half-day afternoons.

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Supervised time at the Lycée for siblings of children in Y1/CP and Y2/CE1 will be offered for a fee of $125 per week.

Friday learning takes place entirely online and is reserved for special subjects, including art, music and science classes. Occasional assemblies and other activities also take place this day in both live and some pre-recorded sessions.

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Support families by aligning schedules We are coordinating between the Primary and Collège so that we can align the presence of students in the building from the same family to reduce back and forth to school for parents and guardians as much as possible. For Collège siblings of Primary students, who live 1.5+ miles from campus, the School is intending to offer supervised, in-classroom, study time while the younger sibling is in class.

The first two weeks of school for hybrid model students unable to join in person at Rentrée If for whatever reason, a family would like to follow the hybrid model but cannot be back in the school building on the first day, we ask those students to follow présentiel (in-person) classes remotely for two weeks, until September 14th, and to then be reintegrated into présentiel classes in person.

Secondary students will be integrated into the live, in-person classes through Zoom and will only miss two to four half-days in présentiel (in person), prior to joining in person classes as of September 14th.

For Primary students, homework and assignments will be sent by teachers to families. Teachers will also work with those families to support the students as they typically would if a student was absent for such a period.

Given that the first few weeks of school will be focused on reorientation, we do not believe that this option will be a serious impediment to any student.

Athletics & Extracurricular Activities Our ability to provide extracurriculars will be guided this year by NYSDOH and CDC guidelines as well as common sense preventative measures.

Physical Education will continue in the context of the academic schedules with smaller groups and a list of activities organized on site. Interscholastic sports are currently prohibited and we are in close contact with other league members to determine when and if they can resume.

Other extracurricular activities will be facilitated online to the extent possible, including student run clubs and activities.

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