Newport-Mesa Unified sketches picture of how distance, in-person learning would work in the year ahead

By Sara CardineStaff Writer

Aug. 5, 2020 6:08 PM PT

As the Newport-Mesa Unified School District inches toward the Aug. 24 start of school, officials are sketching a clearer picture of what instruction will look like as students return to distance learning and how those plans would shift if in-person classes were to resume.

Interim Supt. Russell Lee-Sung, district staff and administrators attempted to address a flood of questions posed in 223 public comments submitted to the board Tuesday before a 9 a.m. deadline. Topics raised included special education lessons to teacher sick time to the suggestion of pushing the start of school back to September.

“We will try and answer as many questions as we can today,” Lee-Sung assured. “There may be things that change, and there are details that still need to be worked out.”

To help address an overflow of inquiries, Newport-Mesa officials scheduled a public forum Wednesday night and promised to do their best to respond to specific questions. They referred parents to a 2020-21 school reopening plan intended to act as a primer for the year ahead.

At Tuesday’s meeting, administrators provided a progress report to board members and the broader school community on a 100% virtual “Cloud Campus” opening this year and how it differs from the regular distance learning students will be doing in a multilevel learning plan that will transition from online to in-person instruction as coronavirus infection levels fluctuate.

They identified new state guidelines for distance learning, which outline daily live interaction between teachers and students, recommend regular attendance and set minimal daily instructional minute requirements by grade level — 180 minutes for kindergartners, 230 minutes for grades one through three and 240 minutes for grades four through 12.

In a joint presentation on the Cloud Campus versus distance learning, officials walked through two sample days and highlighted similarities and differences. Synchronous learning, where teachers work live online with classes or small groups, and asynchronous, independent study will likely be blocked into different parts of the day in both models, they described.

While the Cloud Campus schedule would be more adaptable to individual students, distance learning will need to mirror the traditional school day more closely to allow for a transition to in-person or hybrid-model classes throughout the year, explained John Drake, director of curriculum and instruction.

“The biggest difference is really in the flexibility,” Drake said. “It will be less flexible in distance learning, because we want to be able to transition back into a scheduled day as would normally be in place when we return back in person.”

Newport-Mesa parents have been issued intent to participate forms and are asked to decide whether they will commit to a full year at the Cloud Campus by Friday.

Officials also shared what safety measures would be put in place if and when students and teachers are allowed to return to campuses. Plans are subject to change, since it is unknown whether a return is likely to happen this year.

School sites would enforce social distancing and mask wearing for students in grades three through 12 at all times except while eating and drinking. Facial coverings would be made available if students or teachers do not have their own, and anyone who refused to wear a mask would be sent home.

Plexiglass dividers would be placed in front offices, and foot traffic would be guided by signs to prevent people from clustering. Volunteers would have limited access, and high-touch areas like water fountains and playground equipment would be off limits. Additional custodial crews would regularly disinfect surfaces.

In classrooms, smaller student groups would be prohibited from sharing items and would maintain 6 feet of distance. Bus transportation would first go to special education students, and routes would be limited, while recess would focus on activities not requiring physical contact or equipment sharing.

“We will have recess — it’s important for kids to get outside and move around,” Lee-Sung said. “Initially we have to say that playground equipment may be off limits. At some point, once we develop our routines, I can foresee some of our equipment being reopened.”

Leona Olson, assistant superintendent of Human Resources, walked meeting participants through what health screenings would look like and what would happen if students or teachers came to school with symptoms.

Teachers and students will be asked to perform temperature checks before coming to campus and would perform a brief intake process upon arriving to school. Anyone with a temperature above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, or exhibiting virus-like symptoms, would be sent home as an excused absence.

Students with symptoms would be isolated for immediate pickup, Olson added.

NMUSD Health Services Director Merry Graska outlined procedures for reporting and addressing positive coronavirus cases on campus. Anyone who’s been exposed to a positive individual for more than 15 minutes without social distancing will be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days.

If one person in a class tests positive, the teacher and students would quarantine. If 5% of a school’s population tests positive, the entire school will shift to distance learning for 14 days. If one in four Newport-Mesa schools report a 5% or higher positive rate, the entire district would transition to 14 days of distance learning.

“I’m going to ask for a team approach in adhering to this, whether you’re an employee or a student or a visitor,” Lee-Sung said. “We’re all in this together, because what one person does affects others.”

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Newport-Mesa Unified sketches picture of how distance, in-person learning would work in the year ahead

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