Aug. 8 Frequently Asked Questions

The administration originally proposed a 5-day in-person option for students. Yet the recommendation was for a hybrid in-person option. Why was the 5-day in-person option not pursued?

• After more closely examining the space requirements to provide for strongly recommended special distance it was determined that our classroom spaces could not provide adequate and safe social distance if we brought students back with typical classroom numbers. Creating smaller class sizes through a hybrid approach will allow us to have smaller classes each day and provide social distance.
• The only way to ensure social distance with small class sizes was to divide classroom groups in halfm through a hybrid approach. The hybrid approach allows for smaller groups of students because it allows one group of students to be divided in half and half will be at school and half will be at home.

What is the current stance of the teacher's union with regard to the current options?

Our teachers have been involved in these discussions and recognize the importance of providing options to our families. 

Is there any way the school could actually do temp checks of the kids coming in the school?  MANY parents send their kids to school when they are sick.  Having parents monitor this seems like a big risk.  Are teachers allowed to do it?  Perhaps this could be done in the classroom?

Our safety protocols will not work unless our parents support us. The school cannot be solely responsible for implementing health and safety screenings. We need to have everyone support us to ensure that we all remain safe.

• We will have a health screener that each family will be required to complete each morning. 
• A report will be sent to the principal.
• If a family does not complete the health screener they will be contacted and told that it is required. If they continue to refuse to complete the health screener they will be enrolled as a virtual student.

At some point, you mentioned that if more students would choose a full online course, then fewer teachers would be able to teach the hybrid classes. So I was wondering how the hybrid and full online classes would “compete” over teachers. 

Teachers are being asked for their teaching preference. However, the district will assign teachers based on needs.

If parents do not fill out the Fall Commitment Survey, how will the district schedule these students?  Will the district call the families?  Will the students just be “plugged” into an option?

The Fall commitment Survey needs to be completed so we can create schedules. If we do not receive a returned survey parents will be contacted to identify their choice.

What kind of CARE options will there be?

Hybrid students will have before and after school care in grades K-6 available on the days that they have in-person instruction.

I have a preschooler. What options are available?

Our Early Childhood Education Center has preschool options available throughout the week.

Why cannot all 5 days of school, whether full virtual or hybrid, be on the same curriculum pace and content?

The virtual learning program teachers have one classroom of students each hour/each day. 

• The hybrid learning program teachers have one classroom of students each hour/each day but the classroom is divided into two groups. One group is having an in-person learning day while the other group has a virtual/at-home learning day.
• The pace and rhythm of the two learning programs is different.

Can we change if we start one way and see it is not working?

Changes will only be made in rare circumstances. 

• Staffing is being determined by the choices that people are making. We do not want to create situations where some classrooms become too large or even too small.
• As a result the original choice will not be changed except in rare circumstances like illness.
• Please note, at the end of the card marking, on November 6, parents will be able to make a change. 

We find it incredibly disappointing that you have withdrawn the full attend option that you offered to us only TWO WEEKS AGO. Are we only developing the plan at this late date?

We cannot offer our five day a week in-person option because we cannot create the safe conditions needed to reopen school.

Will masks be required while in the classroom for first graders or just while they are out of their classroom? 

Masks will be required of all students in grades K-12 all day.

• There will be opportunities for students to take “mask” breaks but those will be limited in duration.
• We know that everyone has a hard time keeping a mask continuously. But it is important to wear a mask to keep others safe.

Will we get a school supply list relevant for this arrangement? Can you please tell me when?

We will communicate how parents can support the hybrid learning option with supplies as soon as we can.

One of my children is in IEP. Is he still going to receive the support he needs both in the In-Person and in the Virtual?

Support for IEP students will be provided.

Is this election for the full year or for only the upcoming semester?  Can a change be made after the end of the semester?

The selection will be until November 6, which is the end of the first marking period. By then we will make a decision if we can return to all student in-person or if we must continue with these choices.

• If a parent desires a change we would change after November 6.

What will be the time expectations for the online school?

• Novi High School: 7:15 a.m. - 1:59 p.m.
• Novi Middle School: 7:45 a.m. - 2:26 p.m.
• Novi Meadows: 8:08 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
• All virtual elementary schools will start at the same time. That time is yet to be determined. It will either be 8:30 a.m. or 9:00 a.m.

The times for middle and high school need to be the same as the in-person times because our teachers may teach both an in-person class and a virtual class during the school day. In order to do that they need to have a schedule that allows them to teach one period virtually and the very next period in-person.

Can you please provide sample schedules for the complete online option? It is hard to imagine young children being accountable to a computer for 8 hours of the day. The plan mentioned 15 minute check ins each hour and then small group or individual conferencing. That makes it sound like the majority of a child's day will be on the computer.

• Our online experience for students will be similar to the traditional school day. Teachers will teach, meet with students, assign work, direct small groups, and conference individually with students during school hours. 
• A sample virtual schedule might look like this:

Elementary

• 8:30 - 9:00 a.m.: Check in/Attendance/Morning meeting
• 9:00 - 9:15 a.m.: Break/Gather supplies
• 9:15 - 11:30 a.m.: Reading/writing block
  • Mix of large group, small group and individual activities
• 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.: Lunch and possible specials offering
  • Music, art, media, physical education might rotate through this time for 45 minutes to an hour 
• 1:00 - 3:15 p.m.: Combination of math, social studies, and science
  • Mix of large group, small group and individual activities
• 3:15 - 3:30 p.m.: End of the day meeting/check out

Novi Meadows

• 8:00 - 8:30 a.m.: Check in/Attendance/Morning meeting
• 8:30 - 8:45 a.m.: Break/Gather supplies
• 8:45 - 11:00 a.m.: Reading/writing block
  • Mix of large group, small group and individual activities
• 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.: Lunch and possible specials offering
  • Music, art, media, physical education might rotate through this time for 45 minutes to an hour 
• 12:30 - 2:45 p.m.: Combination of math, social studies, and science
  • Mix of large group, small group and individual activities
• 2:45 - 3:00 p.m.: End of the day meeting/check out

Novi Middle School 

• Six period day with Academic 20
• At the beginning of each hour, students would have 15 minutes of direct teacher instruction/interaction
  • Attendance
  • Setting the lesson
  • Instruction
• The rest of each hour would be a combination of direct teacher instruction, small group activities, individual teacher/student conferencing
• Academic 20 time would be similar to in-person
  • Group building activities
  • Checking in with teachers on homework
• Time would be given during the day for lunch

Novi High School

• Six period day 
• At the beginning of each hour, students would have 15 minutes of direct teacher instruction/interaction
  • Attendance
  • Setting the lesson
  • Instruction
• The rest of each hour would be a combination of direct teacher instruction, small group activities, individual teacher/student conferencing
• Time would be given during the day for lunch

How will K-6 students complete their "specials" classes in the virtual/online model?

We are still working on this item.

• One option could be that the “specials” classes may be done during the extended lunch period. In the middle of the day each K-6 virtual student will have 90 minutes of free time. Students will have time to eat lunch but it is possible that we will also provide a “specials” class during that time.
• We are still working out options to try and provide “specials” for K-6 virtual/online students.

What research regarding best practices in online learning for young children was consulted when developing this plan? Which existing models of online education for elementary students were explored as examples?

We are guided by what we learned in the spring, professional development that our teachers have participated in to improve their virtual learning practice, our focus on effective teaching practices, and our inclusion of a district-wide learning management system.

• There are multiple models for virtual education. What we are committed to is creating a robust virtual classroom experience for all students.

Would it be possible for the team to consider running the virtual school at the same time for all schools.  We have one in Meadows and two in Village Oaks.  I think it would be great if the online schedule was the same for all three kids. 

We have examined start times for the virtual schools and discussed them with our teachers. At this time Novi Meadows virtual will start at 8 a.m. and all the virtual elementary schools will start at the same time. That elementary start time is yet to be determined. 

Will Kindergarteners need to meet with their online teacher every hour (for 15 to 60 minutes) like the older kids?

The virtual experience may vary depending on age but every student will have a combination of virtual contact with the teacher and offline assignments and activities.

Will students in virtual option be allowed to participate in athletics and other extracurricular activities?

Yes.

My elder son will be taking Orchestra in high school and if we opt for virtual will he be able to take orchestra classes?

Yes. 

• We are working out the details of what performing classes will look like in a virtual environment. It may be less on performance and more on individualized technique.

Does virtual still allow for teachers to send worksheets or materials so kids don't have to be in front of the screen the whole time? 

We will have a variety of formats for work.

What will the weekly schedule look like for hybrid students?

• Hybrid students will be assigned to either a Monday and Thursday or Tuesday and Friday group.
• Example        

• Students will be assigned a group to ensure that the groups are of similar size
  • Groups A/B would be one classroom if and when we return to school
  • In-person groups will be small to ensure appropriate social distancing can take place

What will the at home guided learning days look like for the hybrid students?

The at home guided learning days will be a combination of assignments and activities provided by the hybrid teacher during the in-person school day. 

• Students will be directed to online activities that have been created by the district to support our curriculum
• For example, elementary students may be assigned FOSS science videos to watch that were created by our teachers
• Students will also be given assignments that can be done at home that will reinforce learning that occurred during the in-person days and that prepare students for the next in-person day.

Will the hybrid students move as quickly through the curriculum as the virtual students?

• In-person hybrid teachers and virtual teachers will be collaborating together and have access to many of the same resources.
• In-person hybrid and virtual teachers will assign many of the same assignments and activities to their students
• Both hybrid and virtual learning will not move as quickly as a traditional in-person model
• The attempt will be made to keep hybrid and virtual students close to each other in terms of learning so that when we come back together there will not be significant differences in the learning.

Hybrid - How do I know which group my son is in?

• One group will attend in-person instruction two full days a week on Monday and Thursday.
• The other group will attend in-person instruction two full days a week on Tuesday and Friday. 
• The other three days will be a virtual/at-home experience for students. Students will be provided a variety of online, book, and packet assignments and experiences. 

Regarding the hybrid option, is there any way to know in advance of 8/13 how the A and B groups will be decided? Perhaps based on last name? Knowing this particular information does impact our decision making process.

• Currently, the Monday and Thursday group will be students with last names A-L.
• Currently, the Tuesday and Friday group will be students with last names M-Z

In the hybrid option, are we able to select which group between A/B?

It is still very unclear about the hybrid program. What is meant by three days of “virtual experience”?  Does that mean 5 days of new learning, with the full curriculum?   You are confusing us all by saying virtual EXPERIENCE instead of saying the 3 days at home are virtual LEARNING.  

• Two full days of learning will occur in-person. 
• Three additional days of learning will occur at home. These days will be a combination of experiences and more traditional learning experiences from books and other assignments.

At last week's Board meeting you said “students in the hybrid program will have a slower curriculum” than those in the full virtual program. Is that true?  If so, why? 

• But the hybrid teachers will not have as much interaction with students during the virtual/at-home days as the virtual teachers will have with their students. The hybrid teachers have in-person students that will be their focus four days a week.
• The hybrid teachers will assign work to be done on the virtual/at-home days but will not be teaching the at-home guided learning students. The hybrid teachers will be teaching their in-person students while the at-home guided learning students will have a variety of other learning experiences to deepen learning and to prepare them for their next in-person day. 

I hear the hybrid option won’t be a full instruction experience and will run slower than virtual. Please can you explain?

• The hybrid option also has three at-home guide learning days for students. 
• Teachers will be teaching an in-person class while other students are at home.
• The teacher will assign work and projects
• The attempt will be made to keep the virtual students and the hybrid students at similar places in the curriculum but there will be some deviation based on the circumstances of each program.
• The hybrid learning program will have deep teacher interaction with a small group of students two days a week. But the teacher interaction on the virtual/at-home days will be limited.

I have already completed the survey, however I am hearing rumors that the Hybrid option will be less vigorous than the Virtual option.   Could I get clarification from the school district about the specifics of each option and whether or not they will educate students equally?

• The hybrid option will be meaningful but on the virtual-at-home days the teacher interaction will be less interactive because the teacher will be teaching another group of in-person students that day.

 How do performing arts classes work for hybrid?

• Those elective courses will run on the full day in-person teaching days just as they have in the past
•  On the same note my younger son will be attending Novi Meadows 5th grade and how do the music classes work for him?

In a hybrid environment the music classes will run in a very similar way to how they have run in the past. 

• Students will have the choir teacher come to the class. Masks will be worn during choir.
• Band and orchestra students will go to a large room. Safety precautions will be taken to ensure these classes run safely. Social distancing. Covering of mouths with masks. Methods to mute instruments will be found to ensure excess air is minimized during the playing of the instrument.

For the Hybrid: When will we receive the groups ? Can we choose the group for our children? Is it also relevant for elementary school?

•  We are exploring a variety of options.
•  We will be able to decide, when we know how many students elect the hybrid option.

 When the students who are In-Person, will they have the same facilities and activities as they had last year?

•  Physical education will probably be outside or in the gym.

How will students with IEPs continue to receive their services? Are there going to be any changes to procedures followed by the Special Education department?

My daughters are English learners.  Can my daughters take all in-person classes?

• In addition, teachers will assign activities and work for students to do at home/virtually.

Are there going to be changes to the November Washington, D.C. trip? It seems the trip needs to be cancelled, considering the risk to students and staff.

• The 8th grade Washington, D.C. trip has been postponed until March. 
• As March approaches we will continue to examine options to ensure that it will be safe for students and staff.
• Our hope is that we will be able to provide this experience for our students. But student and staff safety is ultimately most important.

Will there be any electives in middle school that will not be offered in virtual mode?

With the variety of classes offered in High School, how can we now know if the classes my student chose for his Senior Year would be offered in the hybrid course?

• All courses will be offered to our high school students. 
• If the course is only offered once a day - a single course - we are exploring how to ensure that we can offer it to both hybrid and virtual students.

I’m trying to get more information about what is virtually offered at the High School.  We carefully planned out classes so our daughter can graduate on time. If certain classes aren’t offered we may have issues.  I don’t understand how I can choose without more information. 

• Some courses may become a combination of both virtual students and in-person students at the same time. This will be an unusual circumstance but we are trying to ensure that all students have access to courses.
• Some courses will be difficult to teach virtually. This is especially true for courses that require active participation. It could be that these courses when they are taught virtually become more of theoretical courses than active, participatory courses.

Will AP classes be offered in virtual mode or will the students need to come in? How will the labs work in HS biology?

We anticipate that virtual AP courses that have labs will create virtual options for students. 

• We are still examining how to make this work for our virtual students.

My daughter will be a senior this fall. She has chosen/ was selected for Med Career. She is in the orchestra as well. If we chose Virtual option, will she be allowed to do a Med career and orchestra?