Date: July 29, 2020
Due to the increase in cases of COVID-19 in our state, Superintendent Dr. Teresa Jackson recommended to the WMCSD Board of Trustees that they approve amending the academic calendar by one day and amending the reopening of school plan to giving parents the choice of a Hybrid Schedule or an At-Home Learning Program for the start of school.
The WMCSD Board of Trustees voted to amend the academic calendar by exchanging August 7 and January 4. August 7, 2020 will be a professional development day for staff and January 4, 2021, will be a student day. The first day of school for students will be Monday, August 10, 2020.
The Board also approved changing the reopening plan to HYBRID SCHEDULE or AT-HOME LEARNING PROGRAM.
The HYBRID SCHEDULE will reduce the number of students on each campus as the student population is divided in half with each half reporting to school on alternating days and participating in distance learning during days scheduled at home. Fridays will be at-home/distance learning days for all students.
This plan will be in effect for the first nine weeks of the 2020-2021 school year (August 10 - October 9) with review of the plan occurring weekly beginning August 31st. The goal is to move to a traditional schedule as soon as possible.
If the hybrid schedule continues into September, the week of September 7th (Labor Day) will follow the schedule below by moving the Monday classes to Friday, September 11th. The plan for the second nine weeks will be decided on and presented on or before September 25, 2020.
Parents must commit to a schedule for the first semester (August 10 - December 18) no later than Wednesday, August 5th at 5:00pm. Parents may choose the HYBRID SCHEDULE (2 days face-to-face and 3 days distance learning) or AT-HOME LEARNING PROGRAM (5 days per week at home). Students who do not respond to the latest online or paper survey (WMCSD Parent Choice Survey UPDATED July 28, 2020) will be assigned according to their choice submitted on the first parent choice survey - Traditional will be assigned Hybrid and At-Home will be assigned At-Home. Choice surveys should only be filled out by the parent/guardian of the student no matter the age of the student, and parents must fill out a survey for each child. Click HERE for the survey.
Student attendance is extremely important and will be determined by:
- HYBRID - students will attend all assigned face-to-face classes and turn in all completed assignments. Attendance will be taken for all 180 student days of the WMCSD Academic Calendar.
- AT-HOME - students will attend by logging into the designated programs and completing all assignments and submitting completed work on time in both the hybrid and at-home learning options. Attendance will be taken for all 180 student days of the WMCSD Academic Calendar.
HYBRID SCHEDULE
Students will attend face-to-face classes two days per week according to the schedule below. Students will work from home on the other three days per week as assigned by their teachers. Assignments may include, but are not limited to, project-based learning activities, extensions of the lesson from the prior day, pre-assessments for the next face-to-face day’s lesson, and enrichment/remediation work based on individual student needs.
All at-home assignments will be submitted for review and feedback from teachers on the day the student returns to class or on the assignment deadline as communicated by the teacher. Students will be able to communicate with their teachers on the days they are working from home via email. Teachers will establish and communicate office hours and methods for parent and student communication.
Winona Elementary and Secondary Schools Hybrid Schedule:
- Mondays and Wednesdays - students whose last names begin with letters A-K
- Tuesdays and Thursdays - students whose last names begin with letter L-Z
- Fridays - all students will participate in distance learning
Principals have discretion to assign a student or student to a different day based on the needs of the school. WMCSD will make every effort to have all students in the same household attend on the same days.
AT-HOME LEARNING PROGRAM
Students will receive instruction in an online/virtual format. Students who enroll in at-home learning will be committed to this schedule from August 10 - December 18, 2020. Students/Parents who choose this option are responsible for providing the student with a device/computer (cell phone is not acceptable), high-speed internet, a quality learning environment, and transportation to and from school on assigned days to take assessments
Students/Parents who choose the at-home learning program will be required to work on the assigned lessons for 5 days per week for up to 5.5 hours per day.
Winona Elementary School
Student attendance will be taken daily by the student logging into the designated programs and completing all assignments and submitting completed work on time. Attendance is required for all 180 student days of the WMCSD Academic Calendar. At-Home Learning students will be required to come to WES every Friday from 12:00 - 3:00 to complete tests for the week.
Winona Secondary School
Student attendance will be taken daily by the student logging into the designated online learning program called Edgenuity. All work is time stamped by the program. Attendance is required for all 180 student days of the WMCSD Academic Calendar. At-Home Learning students will be required to come to WSS every Friday from 12:00 - 3:00 to complete tests for the week.
Students are responsible for logging into the designated programs and completing all assignments and submitting completed work on time or their grades will be negatively affected.
Students will be expected to follow all WMCSD policies, procedures, and rules relevant to student conduct as outlined in the student handbooks especially those dealing with cyber bullying, cheating, and plagiarism.
SPECIAL EDUCATION
Teachers of students with special needs will be in contact with students and/or parents as appropriate to accommodate all learners based on their individual plans. There will be a separate document outlining the WMCSD Special Education Plan for Traditional, Hybrid, and At-Home Learning.
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
WMCSD will continue to follow the guidance of the Mississippi High School Activities Association, Mississippi State Department of Health, and other state and local directives and data.
Students who participate in the At-Home Learning Program are not allowed to participate in any extracurricular activities.
TRANSPORTATION
All bus routes will run each day (Monday-Thursday) of the Hybrid schedule. Parents are encouraged to transport students to and from school by private vehicles.
Work packet and meal distribution plans using bus routes will be developed as school closures are possible at any time during this school year.
CHILD NUTRITION
HYBRID SCHEDULE students will receive breakfast and lunch on the day they attend plus food for the alternate day.
All students, HYBRID and AT-HOME, may pick up on Fridays in the Winona Career and Technical Center parking lot on the Highway 51 side of the school between 12:00 and 1:00pm.
AT-HOME LEARNING PROGRAM students may pick up meals on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 12:00 - 1:00pm in the Winona Career and Technical Center parking lot. Students will pick up two breakfasts and two lunches on Monday and Wednesday.
You may access the Parent Choice Survey by clicking HERE.