Liverpool CSD Middle Schools to Modify Wednesday School Day

Update: Please note the updated schedule for Chestnut Hill Middle and Liverpool Middle

Dear Liverpool CSD Middle School Families,

Middle school teachers and administrators have met several times to reflect on how the school year in this hybrid model is progressing so far. We identified several shortcomings of our current situation, but many of those shortcomings cannot be addressed until all students are safely back in school. Having said that, there are two areas of concern that stand out to us:

  1. Our current schedule allows little or no dedicated time for teachers to connect with and support our 100% remote students in Cohort D. Teachers and families alike have concerns about the level of support that Cohort D students are receiving.
     
  2. Our current schedule also allows little or no time for teachers to collaboratively engage in much needed professional development that is necessary for them to be able to facilitate new programs and technologies.

To address these concerns, we will be modifying the Wednesday school day as follows:

  1. We have built in a 50-minute "Universal Block" of time at the beginning of the school day that is to be used for teachers to plan, prepare, and practice, with a focus on professional development in new technologies.
     
  2. Teachers should consider and may choose to hold online classes for only the 100% remote students (Cohort D) on Wednesdays to develop greater connection and support for those students. This means that for Cohort A, B, and C students, teachers may use an asynchronous assignment.

The expectations for these modifications are as follows:

  1. Students will connect with their homeroom teacher for daily attendance at 8:55 a.m. (please note the time change). After daily attendance, students will follow their period schedule for the day, but classes will be shortened to create time for the Universal Block. The schedule will be as follows:

    Soule Road Middle Schedule
    Universal PD Block - 8:00 - 8:50
    Period 1 - 8:55 - 9:30
    Period 2 - 9:35 - 10:10
    Period 3 - 10:15 - 10:50
    Period 4 - 10:55 - 11:30
    LUNCH/WIN - 11:30 - 12:30
    Period 5 - 12:30 - 1:05
    Period 6 - 1:10 - 1:45
    Period 7 - 1:50 - 2:25
    Period 8 - 2:30 - 3:05

    Chestnut Hill Middle and Liverpool Middle Schedule
    Universal PD Block - 8:00 - 8:50
    Period 1 - 8:55 - 9:30
    Period 2 - 9:35 - 10:10
    Period 3 - 10:15 - 10:50
    Period 4 - 10:55 - 11:30
    LUNCH/WIN - 11:30 - 12:30
    Period 6 - 12:30 - 1:05
    Period 7 - 1:10 - 1:45
    Period 8 - 1:50 - 2:25
    Period 9 - 2:30 - 3:05
     
  2. Individual teachers will communicate to students regarding whether or not the daily lesson will be asynchronous, or if the students should plan to join a Google Meet according to the class schedule above.
     
  3. Asynchronous assignments must be skills practice, review or preview. There should be no new instruction unless it is teacher-guided/facilitated for all students.
     
  4. Teachers are expected to provide feedback to students on any asynchronous assignment to continue to promote daily connections between teachers and students.

We are hoping that these modifications will give both students and teachers the support needed to make instruction as effective as possible. We will continue to monitor our instructional model in an effort to meet the needs of all stakeholders. Schools will enact this plan next Wednesday, November 4th.

Sincerely,


Amanda Caldwell
Executive Director for Humanities Curriculum and Middle Level Education