Dear Parents/Guardians,
As we plan our return to school, we are excited to see all of our DCMST students back in the building. We have worked tirelessly for a safe and smooth transition. Below is important information to keep you informed on the processes and expectations we have put in place.
COVID Screening
Each morning families are expected to take the temperature of all members of the household before a student comes to school. If any member of the household has a temperature of 100.4 or above, students should “remote in” on Zoom, not attend school physically. If students have symptoms of COVID (see attached screening tool), they should not attend school physically. They should “remote in” on Zoom.
Return to School Phase In Schedule
Week of March 1 – 9th Graders (Class of 2024) will return for hybrid instruction at DCMST
Week of March 8 – 10th Graders (Class of 2023) return for hybrid instruction at DCMST
- 9th graders continue to attend
Week of March 15 – 11th (Class of 2022) & 12th Graders (Class of 2021) return for hybrid instruction at DCMST
- 9th graders continue to attend
- 10th graders continue to attend
Schedule
When we change to hybrid, the school start time at DCMST is 8:15 am and dismissal is at 12:20pm. See attached bell schedule (different from the high schools due to bussing–student will follow the high schools schedule when in the actual high school building).
A Group and B Group
The purpose of the hybrid model is to minimize the number of students in the classroom/building at one time. All students will continue to be in the same classes with the same teacher on Schoology. Students who come to school will need to bring their charged computer to follow along on Zoom and Schoology. Students may want to consider bringing headphones that work with their device. The teacher will be instructing on Schoology to both students in the class and students at home.
To do this, half of the students come each day.
- “A Group” students (a group assigned by your high school) will come to DCMSTon Monday and Thursday. Students in this group will Zoom in on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday according to the schedule.
- “B” Group students (a group assigned by your high school) will come to DCMST on Tuesday and Friday. Students in this group will Zoom in on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday according to the schedule.
- On Wednesday, all students will stay home and attend classes virtually. When your child is learning from home, they will “Zoom in” from home. Wednesdays will look like remote learning – what students are doing now.
Transportation to DCMST
The Bussing schedule is attached. Please contact your home high school for further information.
Students who drive themselves to DCMST must have signed permission on file. Students may not transport other students (other than siblings) in their personal vehicle.
VLP Students
Students who are signed up to remain virtual for the whole year will follow the same bell schedule, but will remote in each day. Your child will attend classes virtually from home. If you did not sign up for VLP and do not plan on your student returning to the building for this year, a parent must contact the office at their high school as soon as possible.
There is some content in our Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs that must be taught face-to-face. Some of our DCMST students take courses that are CTE classes. Some certification exams can not be given virtually. Some assignments use software or licenses only available at the building. Some programs don’t run on chromebooks. Some activities require specialized equipment not available at the students’ homes. For these, and many other reasons, when one of these assignment/projects is assigned, VLP students will be given the choice to:
- Attend DCMST in person for that project and complete the activity.
- Remain virtual and do an alternative assignment (so it doesn’t impact their grade). However, they would not receive the certification, training, skill or other benefit of that assignment.
It will always be the choice of the student and their parent whether or not to attend these face-to-face activities. Your teacher will have specific information about which activities must be done in person and what alternative activities are available.
Entry/Exit Procedures at DCMST
- Students arriving should enter through door #1 (left of the flagpole and the “Michael Berry Career Center” sign on the brick wall).
- You will proceed directly to your first class.
- Bathrooms are not open and you should not loiter in the hallways.
- Students will not be allowed to enter the building without wearing their masks. Masks must be worn correctly (covering mouth and nose, no gaps)
Classroom Set-up
- Classroom set up is designed to provide social distancing and all students will face the same direction.
- Students will be assigned a seat and must sit in their assigned seat for the duration of the class for contract tracing and social distancing purposes.
Bathrooms
- Bathrooms are closed during passing time, arrival and departure.
- Students who need to use the bathroom will be given a pass during class and will be escorted to/from the bathroom by security to insure only one person in the bathroom at a time.
Meal
Students will be given a snack at their home high school to eat during the fifteen minute break at 10:10-10:25. They will eat in the classroom. Students going to DCMST during the break will take the snack with them.
- There is no eating in any classroom
- Drinking fountains are not available.
- Students are encouraged to carry a water bottle with them.
Student (in building) Safety Expectations
- Masks must be worn correctly at all times.
- Students will not be allowed to congregate anytime.
- During passing time, students are required to walk immediately to their next class, maintain social distancing and avoid gathering/blocking traffic in the halls and stairways.
- If your child is choosing to break social distancing rules, or refuses to wear their mask correctly, they will need to learn virtually. This is a strict and non-negotiable rule.
Student Materials and Chromebooks
Students must bring their charged chromebooks and supplies to school each day. Chromebooks must be fully charged at home. We do not have the capacity to charge individual chromebooks. Chromebooks should be brought to school in a student backpack and handled with care. Students in need of a Chromebook should contact their high school to be issued one. DCMST does not sign out Chromebooks to students.
Sanitizing Process
All rooms used are on a sanitation schedule. All CDC recommended material and processes are available and in motion. However, the most critical safety measures are to (1) maintain social distancing, (2) keep masks on and above the nose, and (3) hand washing and sanitizing .
Student Quarantine Room
If your child is at school and begins to feel ill, we have designated a room for your child to wait in until he/she is picked up. This room is supervised and closely monitored to assure safety measures are followed.
What if your child is a close contact?
In the scenario that your child is considered a “close contact” to another person who has tested positive, you will be notified immediately and with specific instructions. We will not provide the names of other people involved. To prevent this from happening, your transparency is needed. Err on the side of caution – keep your child home if they are not feeling well or are running a temperature or if they have been exposed to a COVID positive person. This is the reality of our current situation. Remember, your child will not be missing instruction since they can attend virtually.
International Travel
International Travel will require additional measures before a student can return to school. The health department states: Upon return from international travel, an individual should self-quarantine for 7-days, and at the end of the 7-days have another COVID PCR test that needs to be negative before the individual/student returns to school. (accurate as of 2/11/2021).
Learning Labs
Learning labs will be available on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 1:45-2:55. The learning labs will either be at DCMST (no bus transportation is available, students must provide their own transportation or attend virtually through ZOOM). Students can request extra assistance from the teacher during this time.
The teachers will also use this time to set up meetings with students to provide extra support.
Sincerely,
Winifred L. Green Oussama Baydoun
Principal Assistant Principal
