Farrell Area School District

Con nuity of Educa on Plan

School District
	
Farrell Area School District
	
Superintendent
	
Dr. Lora Adams-King
	
Address
	
1600 Roemer Blvd., Farrell, PA 16121
	
Email/Phone
	
ladams-king@farrellareaschools.com / (724) 509-1310
	
Website
	
h p://www.farrellareaschools.com/

Goal of Plan
	
The Farrell Area School District has iden ﬁed goals to provide Con nuity of Educa on (COE) for all students in the most appropriate and accessible ways possible during the mandated closure of schools due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. We intend to implement the aforemen oned in the following ways:
● Provide academics, using the PA Common Core Standards, to all students using distance learning formats.
● Communicate guidance and expecta ons for faculty, students, and parents in the Con nuity of Educa on plan.
● Establish guidelines and procedures so faculty members make a good faith eﬀort to deliver the curriculum and communicate with families
● Provide nutri on by oﬀering lunch and breakfast to all students
● Ensure that students are provided with a Free and Appropriate Public Educa on (FAPE), to the best of our ability.

Overview of Plan

The Farrell Area School District is aware of the evolving situa ons as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and strives to provide an educa onal experience for our students and faculty to further

the con nuity of instruc on.

The district used the Flexible Instruc onal Days (FIDs) format as a basis for our lesson plans. The intent is to con nue the asynchronous nature of delivering instruc on through hard packets and the Google Classroom pla orm. When available, synchronous lessons may be used to meet with the students and deliver instruc on.

The faculty will con nue to deliver and prepare lessons for the students on a daily basis. Each day, students are to work on the daily lessons following the direc ons and formats the teacher(s) provide. In the Google Classroom se ng, students will log on to complete the assignments. Lessons may contain, but are not limited to: assignments, projects, ac vi es, virtual lessons, and choice boards. Students have the ﬂexibility during the day to complete the assignments.

The faculty will provide the instruc on (enrichment and review) in an appropriate amount of  me according to the age, grade and ability level of the student. Each faculty member will make a good faith eﬀort to deliver the curriculum. The delivery of the curriculum can be in the following formats:

● Online/digital learning opportuni es ● Virtual instruc on
● Non-digital learning opportuni es (independent work packets sent home)

Expecta ons for Teaching and Learning
	
The District is proceeding with Enrichment and Review Instruc on during this statewide school closure. The highest priority is that all students have the ability to access and par cipate in instruc on. The district has provided a variety of means of educa on to ensure students receive
meaningful accommoda ons and support. The instruc on will reinforce standards that were taught and con nue to instruct on concepts/skills aligned to grade-level standards.

The Farrell Area School District Con nuity of Educa on Plan has been compiled in phases.
● During Phase One , the faculty began to prepare for a possible closure prior to the March 13, 2020, statewide shutdown. Teachers created emergency, two-week lesson plans following the Flexible Instruc onal Days format and prepared corresponding materials. All plans were approved by the administra on. During the 10-day non-instruc onal period (March 16 - 27) set by the state, the teachers con nued to prepare for a possible extension of the shutdown and a ended numerous online professional development opportuni es in order to prepare for distance learning. Virtual mee ngs were conducted by the Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruc on with all faculty members during grade level mee ngs in the elementary school, and grade bands (7-9 and 10-12) in the middle/high school. All materials were distributed to students in the following manner: a scheduled pick-up for students in grades 7 - 12, during

the lunch and next day breakfast distribu on for students in grades k - 6, and through home delivery for any student in grades k - 12 who did not pick-up their instruc onal materials
● Phase Two- On March 23, 2020, Gov. Wolf announced closure of all schools for an addi onal two weeks; therefore, teachers began preparing lesson plans and materials, as they were advised by the superintendent, for the remainder of the school year. Con nuity of
Instruc on began on March 30, 2020. The teachers began instruc on and communica on with their students.
● Phase Three - Since Gov. Wolf’s announcement that schools will remain closed for the dura on of the current school year, teachers con nue to educate students in the
aforemen oned manners. Documenta on is kept for all communica ons by the teachers. If a teacher cannot reach a family, they are to report it to the building administra on to follow up. Teachers will con nue Professional Development opportuni es that are shared through a Professional Development Google Classroom.

Elementary
Teachers in the elementary school (grades K-6) created lesson plans and materials. It is important to note that all students do not have access to the internet and/or computer devices. Therefore, the majority of the instruc on provided was tailored for the instruc onal work packets which were sent home. For those who have access, some grade levels are using Google Classroom and SeeSaw to provide instruc on to their students. Zoom and Google Meet are also being used to virtually meet with the students.
High School
Teachers in the middle/ high school (grades 7-12) created lesson plans and materials. The majority of instruc on provided is being done through online learning pla orms. Since not all students have access to the internet and/or computer devices, instruc onal work packets have been (and con nue to be) prepared for their instruc onal delivery.

The District ‘s highest priority is for all students to have the ability to safely and successfully access, and par cipate in instruc on. Therefore, teachers con nue to prepare for paper and pencil, as well as, online/virtual instruc onal delivery.

Assessment of Student Progress

The Farrell Area School District has established a method that supports performance throughout the academic school year. The district completed Quarters 1 through 3 before the mandatory shutdown of PA schools. The grades for the ﬁrst three marking periods will remain the same, and will be averaged together. Grades for the fourth grading period will be recorded as “Pass” or “Fail”. A “Fail” will be determined by a percentage earned of 59% or lower. A “Pass” will be determined by percentage earned of 60% or higher. If the grade earned during the Fourth Quarter improves a student’s ﬁnal grade from the course average earned during the ﬁrst three marking periods, then the ﬁnal grade will be calculated based on the average of all four marking periods. If the Quarter 4 grade lowers the ﬁnal grade from the course average earned during the ﬁrst three marking periods, then the average grade from the ﬁrst three marking periods will represent the ﬁnal grade for the year.

Regular a endance and ac ve par cipa on in the online classroom and comple on of assigned work are essen al to the educa onal process.

Communica on Tools and Strategies
	
Communica on with families is very cri cal at this  me. The District provides mul ple means of communica on to reach all families. The Superintendent sends out district-wide informa onal updates by means of a district-wide robocall. Announcements and informa on are also posted on the District website, District electronic marquee, the oﬃcial District Facebook page, and through the U.S. mail.

Instruc onally, communica on about instruc onal ac vi es occurs through faculty pos ng informa on on:
● Informa onal packets ● Class Dojo
● Remind App
● Google Classroom ● See Saw
● Email
Virtual mee ngs may be asynchronous or synchronous using Google Hangout Meet and Zoom virtual mee ngs. Teachers are to document all communica on with their students and parents.

Access (Devices, Pla orms, Handouts)
	
All district faculty were provided with district Chromebooks.

A survey was conducted by the teachers, by contac ng students, to enquire about student access to computer devices. The District has made informa on available to families about internet resources from commercial providers.

Students who do not have computer devices and/or internet access were provided with instruc onal work packets, along with all the supplies necessary to complete projects.

Communica on by faculty is conducted via technological means and/or phone calls. Grades K-5 are u lizing Class Dojo as a means to communicate with students about instruc on. Grade 6-12 are
u lizing Google Classroom. Phone calls are being made to those students/families who do not have computer access. G-Suite tools are used to facilitate student learning.

Staﬀ General Expecta ons
	
General Expecta ons for faculty include:
● Instruc on will be a review and enrichment of educa on.

● Flexible Instruc onal Days guidelines will be followed to create instruc onal plans. This will include:
○ Communica on Plan ○ PA Standards
○ Key Learning Areas ( Standards and Sequence) ○ Descrip on of ac vity, project, etc.
○ Objec ve
○ Instruc onal Ac vi es
○ Diﬀeren ated Instruc on ○ Resources
○ Deﬁni on for evidence of learning
● Faculty will have lessons posted daily by 8:00 each morning or daily assignments provided in the instruc onal packets
● Faculty will be available during normal teaching hours and:
○ Respond to student or parent/guardian inquiries via email, telephone, or other grade level technological means.
○ Plan and Prepare Lessons
○ Par cipate in mee ngs (with colleagues, PLCs, and with administra on) ○ Par cipate in training
○ Par cipate in instruc onal ac vi es
● Distance Learning Daily Time Requirements from the Na onal Board for Professional Standards
○ Elementary (Grades K-5): 1-2 hours
○ Middle School (Grades 6-8): 2-3 hours ○ High School (Grades 9-12): 3-4 hours

Student Expecta ons
	
Students are expected to ac vely engage in Distance Learning by:
● Monitoring Google Classroom daily or comple ng daily assignments. ● Engaging in all learning with academic honesty
● Communica ng with their teacher and reques ng addi onal support if required
● Complying with School Internet safety policies including expecta ons for online e que e ● Comple ng daily work which will serve as evidence of comple on and par cipa on
(a endance)
● Emailing or contac ng the School Guidance Counselors for any needed support.
○ High School Students will use the grade level Google Classroom to obtain help with college/university applica ons, Financial Aid ques ons, military ques ons, support, etc.
● Distance Learning Daily Time Requirements from the Na onal Board for Professional Standards
○ Elementary (Grades K-5): 1-2 hours
○ Middle School (Grades 6-8): 2-3 hours ○ High School (Grades 9-12): 3-4 hours

A endance / Accountability
	
Students are expected to fully par cipate in the instruc onal ac vi es provided for each planned course.

High School
● Students are marked present for the day when they check-in with the teacher. Packet work dated and collected will also act as an a endances indicator for a student not u lizing an online pla orm.
Elementary
● Students are marked present when they check-in using Class Dojo, email, text, or engage in a telephone call. Packet work dated and collected will also act as an indicator for a student not u lizing an online pla orm.

The a endance sheets used to track students are shared with the district A endance Oﬃcer to update a endance in the Student Informa on System.

Good Faith Eﬀorts for Access and Equity for All Students
	
The Farrell Area School District began preparing for the educa on of its students prior to the mandated closure, and in an cipa on of such. The District began formal prepara on of the COE immediately upon receiving no ce to do so. The Farrell Area School District has taken into considera on that not all students have access to the internet or computer devices; therefore, instruc onal packets have been prepared for all students who need them. During the distribu ons of instruc onal materials, schedules were created and guidelines were developed in order to adhere to the social distancing protocol established by the CDC. In the event a parent/guardian or high school student could not arrange for a pick-up of materials, packets were safely delivered to the students’ homes.
Good Faith Eﬀorts:
● The District will
○ Create a District-wide Con nuity of Educa on Plan that supports the needs of all students academically, socially, and emo onally while providing opportuni es for educa on via online learning pla orms, and instruc onal packets.
○ Support faculty and students/ families due to shi ing into the distance learning model
○ Provide or share professional development opportuni es to help faculty
○ Communicate through various means such as: emails, telephone calls, and virtual mee ngs between staﬀ, colleagues, and administra on
● The Faculty will
○ Prepare lesson plans following the Flexible Instruc onal Day Guidelines set by the PA Department of Educa on
○ Collaborate within grade levels to create uniform lessons

○ Provide instruc onal packets for all students who need them. Teachers may u lize the Google Classroom Pla orm.
○ Communicate with students and document communica on with students and families. If a teacher cannot contact a student, the building level oﬃce must be no ﬁed immediately to follow through.
○ Remember that they are considered Mandated Reporters. ○ A end virtual administra ve mee ngs
○ Provide ALL students with prompt feedback for learning
○ Diﬀeren ate lessons to meet the learning styles of students ● The school psychologist will
○ Write NOREPs for students who are in the middle of an evalua on ○ Write NOREPs for students who are already receiving services
○ Contact parents of children within our district who receive support through early interven on programming
○ Contact educators from our district, as well as early interven on programs to gather informa on for reports to transi on into school age programs
○ Gather informa on for evalua on reports for both gi ed and learning support students enrolled in the district, as well as, resident students enrolled in Parochial schools.
○ Review and report wri ng for children who receive Early Interven ons services who will be entering school aged programming for the 2020-21 school year
○ Con nue contact with Special Educa on Director about Special Educa on concerns/issues/ informa on

Special Educa on Supports
	
The Farrell Area School District ensures that students are provided with a Free and Appropriate Public Educa on (FAPE), to the best of our ability.

The Special Educa on Department will:
● Con nue to collaborate with regular educa on teachers to make sure all instruc on follows Individualized Educa on Plans (IEP) and 504 Plans
● Maintain  melines
● Provide support opportuni es for students via technology or print materials to those without computer devices or internet access
● Conduct IEP mee ngs in a virtual format using Google Meet, ZOOM, or through a phone conference
● Send home le ers to families of students with IEP’s and 504 plans to clarify what specially designed instruc on modiﬁca ons and/or supports are and are not able to be provided through the IEP (Na onal Emergency IEP addendum)
● Contact parents on a weekly basis in order to check-in and determine the need for support and oﬀer assistance
● Ini ate contact with the current therapist providing related Services to students, such as

Occupa onal Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech, Vision and Hearing Support in order to resume services. In some cases, a “teletherapy” model or electronic pla orm may be oﬀered. The delivery model will be explained and the School District will work to assist in providing the proper technology and resources. If barriers exist, the IEP team will revisit this area of need and develop a plan.
● Have access to the student’s Sec on 504 plan during the closure period and will incorporate the relevant accommoda ons into the distance learning resources to the greatest extent possible and appropriate under these circumstances
● Support and/or provide instruc on via live or recorded mini lessons (and/or through online classroom pla orms; and/or through paper packets, etc.)
● Have (telephone or video) oﬃce hours available for students to access at speciﬁc  mes
● Support the con nua on of counseling services currently being oﬀered by Mercer County Behavioral Health in a school se ng, to now being oﬀered through telemed services during the closure period. Face me and/or phone conferencing op ons may be used to keep in touch with students and their families.
● Post resources to help our families learn more about COVID-19 and the supports available through both the school and community partners on the District website

● Post on the District website ( www.farrellareaschools.com) resources detailing what to do if the evalua on of a student with a disability requires a face-to-face assessment or observa on, and what to do if evalua ons and reevalua ons do not require face-to-face assessments or observa ons while schools are closed.
● Inform parents and guardians that once school resumes, their child’s IEP team can reconvene to establish a plan to address any skills that may have been lost during the closure within a reasonable  meframe.

EL Supports
	
The Farrell Area School District currently does not have any students enrolled who qualify for English Language support.

In the event of an enrolled student requiring EL services, the Special Educa on Department will: ● Contact Midwestern Intermediate Unit 4 for support and services
● Provide the support of an EL teacher to collaborate with regular ed teacher ● Provide EL support home/school communica on assistance

Gi ed Educa on
	
The Farrell Area School District ensures that students are provided with a Free and Appropriate Public Educa on (FAPE), to the best of our ability.

The Special Educa on Department will:
● Maintain compliance in accordance with Chapter 16 Guidelines

● Provide Enrichment Ac vi es online by the gi ed teacher. ● Ensure compliance with all required documents.
● Conduct GIEP mee ngs in a virtual format using Google Meet, ZOOM, or a phone conference
● Send home le ers to families of students with GIEP’s to clarify what specially designed instruc on modiﬁca ons and/or supports are and are not able to be provided through the GIEP (Na onal Emergency GIEP addendum)
● Work collabora vely with the general educa on teachers to implement the specially designed instruc on outlined in the GIEP
● Support and/or provide instruc on via live or recorded mini lessons (and/or through online classroom pla orms; and/or through paper packets, etc.)
● Conference with students when needed by telephone or video conferencing

Building/Grade Level Contacts
	
● District Level:
○ Superintendent
○ Business Manager
○ Supervisor of Curriculum & Instruc on ○ Special Educa on Director
● High School Level:
○ High School Principal
○ Assistant High School Principal ● Elementary Level:
○ Elementary Principal

Resource Links

Resources can be located on the Farrell Area School District website, COVID-19 Informa on. h p://www.farrellareaschools.com/protected/Ar cleView.aspx?iid=5IY00I&dasi=33B0