Dear Schuylerville families, This spring, a Thought Exchange was shared with Schuylerville faculty and staff as an opportunity to gather thoughts and examples of what worked well the past calendar year. While COVID-19 changed the way schools operated, some practices were implemented that improved functionality. Following the conclusion of the Thought Exchange, the information was presented to the district’s administrative team and Board of Education, with the goal of solidifying some new practices for the 2021-22 school year and beyond. Below is a list, per school building, of practices that will maintained/implemented:
Elementary School
- Teach and promote more handwashing and use of hand sanitizer
- Hand sanitizer throughout the building and in classrooms
- Promote students carrying personal water bottles throughout the day
- Students will maintain and utilize personal classroom supplies
- 1:1 devices for all students to support learning both in and out of the classroom
- Reduction in class sizes with the addition of more grade level class sections
- An option for virtual teacher/parent conferences and team meetings
- Multiple recess locations to maintain student cohorts
- Additional lunch locations to spread students out during lunch periods
- Increased outdoor P.E. to foster mental and physical benefits
- Social Emotional Learning as a special area class to ensure all students have access to and receive the curriculum
- Greater use of technology for teachers and students (i.e. Google Classroom and Seesaw) with an increase in assignments/classwork posted to Google Classroom to reduce copying and printing
- Virtual meeting options for faculty and staff
- Virtual CSE meetings
- Bus students, drop-off students, and kindergarten students will arrive at different entrances
- Parent pick-up will be at two exits, based on alphabetical split, with students organized in the elementary gym to allow for a smooth and efficient process
- Dismissal changes allowed only on an emergency basis to allow for greater organization and accountability of students
Middle School
- Teach and promote more handwashing and use of hand sanitizer
- Promote students carrying personal water bottles throughout the day
- Students will have personal supplies
- An option for virtual teacher/parent conferences and team meetings
- Virtual CSE meetings
- Students outside before and/or after lunch
- Study Halls will be outside when weather permits
- P.E. will be outside in all weather, while encouraging fun and engaging participation
- Bus students and drop-off students will arrive at different entrances
- Drop-off students will be dismissed to 1st period from the gym through three different exits by grade level
- Google Classroom will be used by all teachers and students
- Teacher’s weekly agenda with links to assignments will be posted on the school website for student and parent ease of access
- Allowing electronic submission of assignments to reduce paper use
High School
- An option for virtual parent conferences and meetings to allow for more parent involvement
- Increased outdoor P.E. to foster mental and physical benefits
- A recommendation that students have their own individual supplies (calculator)
- Student arrival at various entrances to prevent crowding
- Hand sanitizer around the building
- Hyperlink docs to allow for effective organization of assignments
- Utilization of a hyperlink document which served as a digital library for students to access all their classroom assignments and activities in one concise place.
- Google Meets with college admission reps to provide opportunities for students to meet with a greater number of reps (ranging from SUNY to private schools to branches of the military).
- Outdoor study halls
- Increased utilization of technology to deliver academic programming
- Use of multiple entrances to help traffic flow in the morning and afternoon
- An additional lunch period to allow for a more comfortably spaced lunch atmosphere