In an effort to provide more information regarding our planning for the fourth marking period and for next school year, City School District of Albany Superintendent Kaweeda G. Adams is providing this additional update to Thursday’s mid-year status report.
Instructional program for the fourth marking period
As noted in Thursday’s mid-year update, for students in grades 7-12 the fourth marking period will include a modified hybrid instructional model. Students will be scheduled in small groups for in-person instruction one or several days a week based on their schedule and their needs.
We will provide more information for students and families with details about this structure as we get closer to implementation in the spring. This hybrid model will continue to emphasize COVID-19 health and safety precautions and protocols, and we also will continue to provide our full distance learning option.
We are hopeful that the decrease in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks will continue. Safety must be paramount in our planning as our first responsibility is to ensure the health of all our students, families, faculty and staff, and the entire community. We are also hopeful that the New York State Division of Budget will provide all scheduled state aid, as it has recently indicated it will.
Should either of these critical factors change, we will need to review our plans for the fourth marking period.
Planning for 2021-22
Our goal is for every child to have the option to participate in in-person instruction in 2021 22.
In planning for next school year, the most significant unknown factor we face at this time is what health and safety restrictions will be in place due to COVID-19.
If COVID-19 still requires the kinds of social distancing restrictions we face today, we anticipate that our middle and high schools will offer a hybrid format next fall. If COVID-19 no longer requires building capacity and staffing limitations, we would anticipate being able to return to in-person school more fully.
We also know that it is likely that some parents and guardians will continue to be uncomfortable sending their students to school in-person due to COVID-19 concerns, so we anticipate continuing to provide a distance learning option for families.
As noted Thursday, we will be forming elementary, middle and high school committees to develop detailed plans for 2021-22. These committees will begin with district personnel and then gather input from families at the school level.
We will continue to keep you updated as we move forward in the coming weeks and months.
Yours in education,
Kaweeda G. Adams
Superintendent
