Remote instruction from School 21, first day of school Sept. 8
By Dan Murphy
The Yonkers Public Schools held their first day of classes on September 8, with students learning remotely and teachers in their schools and classrooms. YPS Superintendent Dr. Edwin Quezada updated the community on the new safety guidelines now in effect in all schools. With teachers, 10-month clerical and school-based staff returning to schools as of September 1, all staff is required to complete a daily COVID-19 Questionnaire attestation form as well as wear a face covering and follow social distancing requirements while in schools. Schools have appropriate barriers, hand sanitizing and cleaning protocols follow New York State Education Department and Department of Health guidance.
On Saturday, September 5, 2020, the District was notified by a staff member from School 17 that the individual tested positive for COVID-19. The District followed with fidelity all appropriate guidelines from the CDC and is working directly with the Westchester County Health Department regarding the protocols for contact tracing. All known close contacts as identified by the staff member were notified by the staff member as well as by the District’s medical staff. In this case, exposure could have occurred September 1.
On Sunday, September 6, all School 17 staff members were notified by the District via phone call and email. In the correspondence, staff was instructed if they had any COVID symptoms to immediately contact their physician, email the District’s Chief Physician over the weekend or contact District’s Health Services on Tuesday. Although, no students have been in school and will not be returning for Hybrid Instruction until October 5, the principal notified the parents.
Out of an abundance of caution, Dr. Quezada delayed the start of Online Remote Instruction for School 17 students until Wednesday, September 9 and closed the school to staff on Tuesday. The COVID-19 period of exposure will be beyond eight days by Wednesday. The one-day closure will allow additional time for the District to continue contact tracing and conduct supplementary cleaning of the building. No staff except for the custodial team and approved contractors will be in the school on Tuesday.
The message to School 17 staff noted, “It is important to note that when all staff returns to school on Wednesday, September 9, 2020, everyone must strictly adhere to all CDC COVID-19 guidelines Follow the CDC 3 Ws – wear a face covering, wash your hands and watch out for large crowds. It is everyone’s responsibility to respect and do our best to protect each other’s health.”
On Sunday, September 6, Dr. Quezada emailed all school administrators reminding them to follow CDC and New York State workplace guidelines. These included face covering to be worn at all times, large meetings are strictly prohibited and at all in-person meetings face covering and social distancing are required; ensure sanitizers are in the classrooms and offices and bathrooms are appropriately stocked, as well as instructing staff to address those who are not observing COVID-19 protocols. The Superintendent’s correspondence closed with, “Vigilance is essential. We are in a fight for public education and all of us must work collaboratively to ensure that we are safe as well as those whom we supervise.”
Before the first day of school, the Yonkers Federation of Teachers, YFT, issued a memo outlining continued concerns about returning to school. — This week, the YFT Executive Board addressed hundreds of questions and concerns about the opening of schools for synchronous remote instruction, the frustratingly inadequate training, and the persistent technological challenges we experienced. Our members faced these challenges with impressive persistence, professionalism, patience, and fortitude. For that we sincerely thank you.
On Friday, September 4, 2020 the YFT Executive Board met with the district to continue negotiations for remote instruction working conditions. The fact that these working conditions are not in place prior to our members returning to work this week and beginning remote instruction on Tuesday, September 8, is unacceptable. Although slow and untimely, we did make some progress in our negotiations and we hope to reach an agreement soon. Please be aware that all provisions of the YFT/BOE Collective Bargaining Agreement remain in place until otherwise negotiated.
At the meeting, we also took the opportunity to convey the following list of issues and concerns we collected from you, our members, this week:
Some of the remote issues identified by the YFT include:
Student rosters have not been populated in the Teams platform. Internet continues to crash or slow down frequently.
Trainings have been subpar at best. Schools report that the training consisted of videos that show what the platforms can do, not how to execute them.ENL teachers are not connected with students. IEPs are not available.
Parents and students have not been informed who their teachers are, nor do they know what to do. Tuesday morning. Teachers asked to call all families without knowledge of plan for next week.
District issued equipment not working properly (laptops, microphones, speakers, cameras). Not enough sanitizing stations throughout the buildings or cleaning supplies.
Administrators are not promoting mask wearing or social distancing in the buildings.
Multiple teachers to a room create feedback issues on computers.Multiple teachers assigned to offices/rooms does not allow for proper social distancing. Teachers split between multiple buildings creates more opportunity for exposure. Teachers without classrooms and assigned to work remotely from hallways.
Recommendations from the YFT include:
• YFT and the District shall continue to negotiate any necessary changes to teachers’ APPR. YFT proposed that teachers shall not be evaluated on their ability/skillset to use technology and will not be held accountable in any way for technological malfunctions or non-functioning devices and shall not be required to “make up” or post lessons missed due to technological or device malfunctions unless provided with time (not prep or lunch) during the work day or paid the contractual rate to voluntarily do so outside the work day.
• Agreed as of now: Instructional videos shall not be used to supplant teachers or reduce staffing positions. Nor will these videos be used by the District to generate revenue.
• Agreed as of now: Teachers may communicate through Class Dojo, Remind, Bloomz, Edmodo, and Band. These platforms may be used for the purpose of communication only and not for delivery of instruction.
• YFT and the District shall continue to negotiate how student attendance and engagement must be recorded in PowerSchool for students not attending during synchronous remote instruction but completing the work offline or outside class time.
• YFT and the District shall continue to negotiate expectations for synchronous instruction and flexibility regarding camera/face time, pre-recorded lessons not being required, presentation, and privacy issues.
• Health and Safety measures: YFT proposed and strongly emphasized the need for mask breaks for those sharing spaces; mandatory 14-day building closure for COVID-related cases; teachers not assigned or volunteer to take temperatures of students or other adults; need to address teachers sent home due to suspected contact or exposure; remote learning from home in cases of building closure; air flow reports for classroom and public spaces; all staff in building to be notified of any COVID-positive case in that building and the measures taken to address it.
The Yonkers Council of PTA’s also issued a statement expressing their “extreme frustration” at the YFT for releasing their “memo with general details, and no specifics as to which schools have the issues, is released the Saturday before school starts and on a holiday weekend.
“The YCPTA has toured buildings (see below) and found that while work remains in progress, it did not view it as unsafe for teachers, who will be teaching in their individualized classrooms, and wearing masks in the schools where children will not be present. All are expected to wear face masks, failure to do so is not only inconsiderate, but against this State’s Order and should be enforced by the administrators and districts. No exception.
“YCPTA understands that training was limited to 4 days, since teachers first reported to school on September 1. We also understand that a decision to bring them in sooner for training, with extremely limited funds to pay them, was also not an option.
“We get it, it is stressful. But we want to remind everyone that administrators, teachers, and staff have stepped up to the plate. Teachers have been trained and will continue to train to make remote learning a success. They have faced challenges this past week, and despite these challenges, are passionate and committed to teach our children. Likewise, parents have sat in several Town Hall Meetings, attended workshops, purchased electronics, picked up laptops, re-arranged their work schedule, and prepared their children to begin remote instruction on September 8, 2020. While parents do not expect Tuesday to be a perfect first day of school, we also strongly believe that we will not be able to get into a well-oiled routine, unless we hit those bumpy roads, tweak as we go along, and carry on,” writes the YCPTA to its members.
