Dear Jefferson families, 

Thank you for your valued and thoughtful feedback on the survey and for your grace and patience as we work to figure out plans for the fall. Here is our tentative plan as of June 26, 2020. Please note that while the guidance from ODE and the Governor’s office is subject to change, we feel it is important to share with you our initial plans: 

DRAFT Reopening Process and Considerations 

The planning for the 2020-21 school year will be complex and challenging to ensure our schools open safely. Returning Oregon students to on-site learning is an enormous responsibility, and that responsibility is shared by schools, districts and local and state health and education agencies. (ODE June 2020) 

Planning in Jefferson School District is well underway. Our District and Building Leadership Teams are working to balance the feedback we heard from our families and staff, with state and county directives and comprehensive guidance from the Oregon Department of Education. 

To ensure compliance with ODE requirements around physical distancing, it is our priority to build a hybrid model that supports the needs of our three schools, which share staff, families, and key systems like transportation, food service, technology, and student support services. 

We will be working through the summer to finalize plans that meet the requirements of the ODE framework and executive orders, while allowing us to serve as many students as we can, as comprehensively as we can. We will be sending family updates throughout the summer as these plans develop. 

Plan in Progress

Limited by mandate to a minimum of 35 square feet per person, we believe we can reopen at approximately 50% capacity, with the goal being to move toward full capacity as quickly as it is safe to do so. 

Students in grades K-3 will attend school every day. With lower class sizes and creating more space, we currently believe this is achievable. 

Students in grades 4-12 will be divided into A and B groups by last name. We anticipate those groups will be: 

• Last names beginning with A-K will be Group A 
• Last names beginning with L-Z will be Group B 
• Siblings with different last names can be moved to the other cohort for family consistency.  Families will work with building principals to make the appropriate adjustments. 

Group A students will attend Monday and Thursday. Group B students will attend Tuesday and Friday. 

Wednesday will be early release and used for: 

1. Small group special services delivery
2. Collaboration with building and grade level teams
3. Planning for the week, including prepping independent student learning kits for off days                          
4. Consultations and conferences with individual students and families
5. Wednesday Academy for JHS                                
6. (Students will alternate Wednesdays - A Group one week; B Group the next) 

Food service will be provided to all students 5 days per week in some capacity. More information will be provided prior to school reopening. 

This hybrid model differs from the spring 2020 Distance Learning in the following ways: 

• Students in grades 4-12 will attend school 2-2.5 days per week with the goal of moving to a ful schedule as soon as possible. Primary aged students will attend daily. 
• Students in Life Skills will attend every day (this is tentative) 
• Parents will not be asked to navigate online meetings. Students will get their live teacher instruction on attendance days. 
• Teachers will be sending students home with independent learning activities that support the instruction provided that week. Students should be able navigate and complete learning tasks on their own with the coaching provided by their school staff on attendance days. 

 FAQ’s

How are students going to catch up if they only attend part time? As much as we would like to have students in front of our teachers full time, that is not an option in September. To mitigate this, each student will be assessed when they arrive to determine current skills and potential learning loss. Class sizes that are half of what they normally are, in combination with extended team planning time on Wednesdays, will allow our teachers unprecedented opportunities to give each student individual attention and to customize instruction to meet their learning needs. Our principals are                         strategically rethinking master schedules to utilize every minute of live instructional time as effectively as possible. 

How will schools social distance students? Will they wear masks? Temperature checks at door? Face coverings - Students will not be required to wear a face covering, however, we will ask middle and high school students to have one to wear in common spaces like hallways during passing periods. Wearing them will not be required, but highly encouraged out of consideration for others. 

Regarding all other details, including more specifics regarding face coverings, building and district teams are working through those details now, and full plans will be publicly released in late July or early August. For a comprehensive look at the health and safety plans required to open our schools, please see ODE guidance here. 

Could this change? Yes. We must constantly adjust to accommodate for the spread or containment of the virus. That said, we are reasonably confident this                         hybrid model will be part of our September plan. 

What about Fall Sports? We expect decisions about sports to be coming out soon. We have not received guidance from ODE or OSAA at this time. 

What are the KEY PRINCIPLES for reducing potential exposures we are asked to account for in our planning? 

1. Physical distancing — minimizing close contact (<six feet) with other people.     
2. Hand hygiene — frequent washing with soap and water or using hand sanitizer.
3. Cohorts — conducting all activities in small groups that remain together over time with minimal mixing of groups.                                                
4. Protective equipment — use of face shields, face coverings, and barriers.                                            
5. Environmental cleaning and disinfection — especially of high-touch surfaces.                                        
6. Isolation of sick people and quarantine of exposed people. 

Will Jefferson SD offer an online option? 

We are exploring the expansion of Odysseyware licenses to allow for medically fragile students at high risk of infection to attend online coursework. Through the use of the Odysseyware platform, educators and students have access to more than 300 standards-aligned courses and instructional materials in core subjects, enriching electives, CTE courses, and college and career readiness test prep. Jefferson uses Odysseyware in a limited form at the high school level and is exploring the expanded use for other students who qualify. 

How will bus transportation change? 

Since we are cutting the number of students on a daily basis, numbers on the buses will also be  reduced. For families able to transport their children to school, we encourage this to further reduce numbers. Spacing students several feet apart is not a requirement, but the following is: 

• Buses will be cleaned frequently and between routes. 
• Students will be visually screened for exhibiting symptoms. Physical distancing at bus stops will be required. 
• Drivers will wear face shields or face coverings.

JSD 14J 2020-2021 Calendar

JUNE 8TH IS OUR LAST MEAL DELIVERY BY BUS.

WE WILL RESUME OUR NORMAL SUMMER FOOD PROGRAM STARTING JUNE 15TH AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS PICK UP ONLY MONDAY - FRIDAY

JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY-BUS LANE 11:00-11:15

7TH ST PARK 11:20-11:35

CONSER HOUSE 11:40-11:55

JEFFERSON POOL 12:00-12:15

MEAL MAY BE PICKED UP BY PARTICIPANT, PARENT OR GUARDIAN ALL MEALS ARE GRAB AND GO AND MUST BE CONSUMED AT HOME SOCIAL DISTANCING REGULATIONS WILL BE STRICTLY FOLLOWED

PLEASE CONTACT THE JEFFERSON SCHOOL DISTRICT AT 541-327-3337 EXT 1047 WITH ANY QUESTIONS

Hello families! Did you know that Oregon is giving grocery money to families while
school is closed? All families who are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals will soon
get funds on an Oregon Trail EBT card. Immigration status does not matter for Pandemic EBT.
AND you can still get “grab and go” meals from schools and other organizations during the
pandemic!

If you already get SNAP or free school meals, you’ll get the benefits automatically. Make sure
your school has your current mailing address.

Don’t miss out. If you weren’t getting help before the pandemic, apply online for free school
meals at www.ode.state.or.us/apps/frlapp . Apply for SNAP at www.govstatus.egov.com/or-dhs-benefits . If you qualify for either program, you’ll also get Pandemic-EBT!

Have questions? Visit oregonhunger.org/covid-19.