Capital Region BOCES > Reopening Plan FAQs

Reopening Plan FAQs

Updated June 7, 2021

Below you will find answers to many of the questions students’ families, staff and others have asked about our reopening plans. The information you will find here is based on what we know/what we are planning at this time. Please note that our plans continue to evolve and may be subject to change.

If you have questions about our reopening that have not been answered in this FAQ or in our complete reopening plan,  please email us at crbcovid19@neric.org

Communication/Family and Community Engagement

View the full Communication and Engagement plan.

Q: How will parents be notified if we need to shift to fully remote learning? 
A: It is possible that we may need to alternate between in-person and remote learning throughout the year due to recommendations and guidance from our partnering agencies, and stay-at-home orders from the governor. The level of infection, the spread of the virus and response to the disease in our community will be at the forefront of our decision making as we move to open our schools.

Families can find the most up-to-date information about how we will be running our programs throughout the school year, and any changes the health crisis may require us to make at the COVID-19 resource page of our website. Too, families will be notified via our Blackboard communication system of any changes in our learning plan. Email, voice mail and text are all options for receiving these messages — please be sure to contact your child’s school principal to keep your contact information up-to-date throughout the school year.

Q: Will I be notified if there is a suspected or confirmed COVID case, or quarantine, within the school community? 
A: In the event that a student or staff member is sick or symptomatic, notification to potentially exposed individuals will occur pursuant to the state’s contact tracing protocols as implemented by the local health department. Notification to the wider community will occur only under the direction of local health officials. 

Q: How will I communicate with my child/ren’s teachers during remote learning? 
A: We will provide students and their families with multiple ways to contact schools and teachers during remote learning. Building-level principals and staff can be reached using this contact information. Too, teachers and classroom staff can be reached via the teacher’s classroom page on this Google Classroom site. You can also use our online staff directory.

Q: Who should I contact if I have questions about Capital Region BOCES’ reopening plan or health and safety protocols?
A: Capital Region BOCES’ COVID-19 Coordinator is Joseph P. Dragone, Ph.D., Senior Executive Officer. He is also leading the COVID-19 Oversight Team. Parents/guardians can contact Joe Dragone at crbcovid19@neric.org and at 518-862-4901.

Q: Who should I contact if I need reopening resources translated into another language?
A: A translation tool has been added to the BOCES website. If you need support beyond that, please contact your child’s school principal.

Health and Safety

View the full Health and Safety plan.

Q. Are face coverings required?
A: Students, staff and all essential visitors to our schools (including parents/guardians) will be expected to wear face coverings at all times indoors, including on the school bus and in classrooms, even when six-foot physical distancing is possible. Students will be allowed to remove face coverings during meals, instruction, and for short breaks as long as they maintain appropriate social distance. Mask breaks will be allowed, and  encouraged, especially during warmer days.

Effective June 7, 2021, students, faculty, staff and other individuals are not required to wear face masks outdoors on school grounds. Nothing prevents anyone from wearing an acceptable face mask voluntarily on school grounds. 

Students who are unable to medically tolerate a face covering will not be required to wear one. Please contact your child’s principal or school nurse if you your child is medically unable to tolerate wearing a face covering. A note from your healthcare provider is required for students who can not medically tolerate a face covering.

Q. What is an acceptable face covering?
A: Cloth face coverings that cover both the nose and mouth that include, but are not limited to, homemade sewn masks, “quick cut” masks and bandanas are acceptable. Surgical masks are also acceptable. More information about face coverings and their care can be found at the Centers for Disease Control website. 

Q. Will face coverings be provided to students and staff?
A: Face coverings and related necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) will be provided to students and staff, if needed, at no cost. However, staff and students are allowed and encouraged to use their own acceptable face covering.

Q. Can face shields be used in place of face coverings/masks?
A: Face shields may be used by some school staff, but are to be worn in addition to face masks, not in place of them.

Q. Are students required to wear face coverings in the classroom? On the school bus?
A: Yes. Students will be expected to wear face coverings at all times, indoors and outside, including on the school bus and in classrooms, even when six-foot physical distancing is possible. Students will be allowed to remove face coverings during meals, and for short breaks during instruction as long as they maintain appropriate social distance. Students who are unable to medically tolerate a face covering will not be required to wear one.

Q. What happens if a student refuses to wear a face covering?
A: As in other instances when a student refuses to follow school rules, teachers and other staff will work toward resolution in accordance with the Code of Conduct. Ultimately, if a student refuses to wear a face covering when requested under the circumstances outlined above, they will not be permitted to participate in onsite programs.

Q. What are parents required to do to screen children’s health before school each day? 
A: Students, or a parent/guardian on behalf of their child, must complete a health screening that permits the student to attend school that day.

  • The health screening tool, at entry.neric.org/crb, must be completed every day that a child will attend school.
  • The screening must occur in the morning and prior to the student’s arrival on school property.
  • Once students are cleared for attendance by staff (having seen/received notification from Capital Region BOCES’ Health Screening Monitor), students will be allowed to enter the school through their building’s posted entrance.

If a student/student’s family does not have access to the internet, access to a device that connects to the internet, a thermometer or has any other circumstance that prevents them from completing the health screening at home prior to the student’s arrival on school property, please contact the school building’s principal. Alternative arrangements will be made to support the daily required health screening of the student that will permit attendance at school that day. 

Please Note: In addition to the daily screening, Capital Region BOCES reserves the right to check the temperature of students at any point during the school day if they are demonstrating COVID-19 symptoms or if we receive contact tracing information from the health department.   

Q: How is the health of staff being screened? 
A: All Capital Region BOCES staff members are also required to complete a health screening using the Capital Region BOCES health screening tool, which permits the staff member to attend work on that day.

  • The health screening must be completed every day that a staff member will work at school.
  • The screening must occur in the morning and prior to the staff member’s arrival on school property.

Q: Does Capital Region BOCES keep records of student or staff health information?
A: No. While daily health screening results will be reviewed by the Capital Region BOCES Health Screening Monitor, per the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), schools are prohibited from keeping records of student, faculty, staff and visitor health data, and may not keep records that confirm individuals were screened and the result of such screening (e.g. cleared/not cleared for entry).

Q. What happens if a student’s health screening has not been submitted? Will they be permitted to enter the building?
A: If a student arrives at school and the Capital Region BOCES Health Screening Monitor doesn’t have a record that their daily screening was completed:

  • Students will be taken to a screening area so on-site screening can be completed.
  • If more than one student is waiting to be screened, they must practice social distancing and wear a face covering.
  • A Capital Region BOCES staff member will take the student’s temperature.
  • A Capital Region BOCES staff member will contact the parent/guardian to complete the remainder of the screening.

If the student has a temperature of 100°F or greater or otherwise has signs of illness, and/or a positive response to the screening questions, they will be sent directly to a dedicated isolation area to wait for pick up and will be sent home with instructions about contacting the child’s health care provider for assessment and testing.

Q: What do I do if my child is showing COVID-19 symptoms?
A: Parents are encouraged to contact your child’s doctor if your child is showing symptoms of COVID-19. Your child should not attend school if they are displaying any of these symptoms:

  • a temperature of greater than 100.0°F
  • cough
  • shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • chills
  • repeated shaking with chills
  • muscle pain
  • headache
  • sore throat
  • new loss of taste or smell
  • gastrointestinal tract symptoms

Q: If my child exhibits symptoms of COVID-19, how long will they need to be out of school?
A: Capital Region BOCES has established protocols and procedures, in consultation with local health departments, about the requirements for determining when students who screen positive for COVID-19 symptoms can return to the in-person learning environment at school. This protocol includes:

  • Documentation from a health care provider following evaluation;
  • A negative COVID-19 diagnostic test result; and
  • If COVID-19 positive, released from isolation by the local health department.

Capital Region BOCES will refer to the New York Department of Health’s “Interim Guidance for Public and Private Employees Returning to Work Following COVID-19 Infection or Exposure” regarding protocols and policies for faculty and staff seeking to return to work after a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 or after the faculty or staff member had close or proximate contact with a person with COVID-19.

Capital Region BOCES requires that individuals who were exposed to the COVID-19 virus complete quarantine and have not developed symptoms before returning to in-person learning. The discharge of an individual from quarantine and return to school will be conducted in coordination with the local health department.

Q: What should my child do if they feel sick during the school day? Will I be notified?
A:  If a student feels sick during the school day, they will report to the nurse’s office for evaluation and may be directed to a supervised isolation area prior to being picked up or otherwise sent home. Learn about the process the school will follow if a child becomes sick at school. 

Q: What is the protocol if there is a positive or suspected case of COVID-19 in the school?
A: We will notify the state and local health department immediately upon being informed of any positive COVID-19 diagnostic test result by an individual within school facilities or on school grounds, including students, faculty, staff and visitors of any of our schools.

To assist the local health department with tracing the transmission of COVID-19, we have a plan to trace all contacts of exposed individuals in accordance with protocols, training and tools provided through the New York State Contact Tracing Program. 

Confidentiality must be maintained as required by federal and state laws and regulations. School staff will not try to determine who is to be excluded from school based on contact tracing without guidance and direction from the local health department.

Q: What should I do if I have traveled internationally or from a state with widespread community transmission of COVID-19 in the past 14 days?
A: Asymptomatic travelers (people without symptoms) entering New York from another country, U.S. state, or territory are no longer required to test or quarantine as of April 10, 2021. Quarantine, consistent with the CDC recommendations, is still recommended for all travelers who are not fully vaccinated or have not recovered from laboratory confirmed COVID-19 during the previous three (3) months. Symptomatic travelers must immediately self-isolate and contact the local health department or their healthcare providers to determine if they should seek COVID-19 testing. View the state’s COVID-19 Travel Advisory webpage for more information.

Q: My child or a member of my family is considered to be high-risk for COVID-19. What are my options for Special Education instruction? 
A: We recognize that some students are at an increased risk for severe COVID-19 illness, live with a person who is at an increased risk, or simply do not feel comfortable returning to an in-person educational environment. It is our goal that these students are able to safely participate in educational activities as appropriate. 

Parents of children who are more at risk of COVID-19 should speak with their child’s doctor and/or medical professional(s) to determine the best academic and service options for their child. Students who have family members who are in high risk groups may also need to attend school remotely. If a child is unable to return to in-person instruction this fall, remote academic instruction and related services will be provided to meet the individualized education program (IEP) and/or instructional program to the greatest extent possible. Please contact Director of Special Education Caralee Kardash at caralee.kardash@neric.org or 518-464-6310 regarding remote learning options.

Q: Will testing for COVID-19 be conducted at school?
A: In general terms testing will not be conducted at schools. In the event that circumstances, as determined by NYSDOH, require that testing needs to be conducted at the school, Capital Region BOCES  will support the agency with this testing.

Q: Will schools be conducting contact tracing if there is a confirmed case of COVID-19?
A: No, however, Capital Region BOCES will support contact tracing protocols as implemented by the local health department.

Q: What are Capital Region BOCES’s plans for cleaning and disinfecting school buildings?
A: Capital Region BOCES will ensure adherence to hygiene and cleaning and disinfection requirements as advised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), including “Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfection of Public and Private Facilities for COVID-19” and other guidance, as applicable. Learn more about how we clean and disinfect our facilities for safety.

Q: Will fire drills and lockdown drills still be conducted? What will be the process for maintaining social distancing?
A: Schools must continue to conduct mandatory fire and lockdown drills according to the existing statutory schedule. Drills will be conducted in a manner that maintains social distancing at exits and gathering points outside the building, while still preparing students to respond in emergencies.

Facilities

View the full Facilities plan.

Q. Will outside visitors be permitted into school buildings? Will outside groups still be able to use school facilities?
A: No. Outside visitors and volunteers will not be allowed in our school buildings or on our campuses, except for parents/guardians and those individuals essential to the safety and well-being of students. These visitors will report to the front office and not go beyond this space unless it is deemed necessary based on the nature of the visit. All essential visitors to facilities will be required to complete the Capital Region BOCES health screening, wear face coverings and will be restricted in their access to our school buildings.

Q: How will desks be arranged in the classrooms? Will students be facing each other or facing forward? 
A: Desks will be arranged in classrooms to ensure that students are positioned no less than six feet apart while seated. If this cannot be achieved there will be dividers between students. 

Q: Will students still use cubbies? Lockers?
A: Students at Airline Drive Academy and those in our TEACCH program at the Maywood School will be able to bring backpacks and use cubbies. High school student at our Maywood School cannot bring backpacks to school.

Students who attend our Career and Technical School (all campuses), P-TECH and Pathways programs will have the ability to store programmatic supplies, materials, clothing etc. in lockers and other designated areas, as needed.

If there is a specific concern, please contact the building principal.

Q. How will school supplies that are typically shared be handled?
A: In certain classrooms/programs, students will receive a school supply list. Whether students bring supplies or we supply them, students will not be sharing items and supplies.

Q: Will the bathroom capacity be limited?
A: Capital Region BOCES will ensure that social distance can be maintained in communal bathrooms by limiting capacity.

Q: Will students and staff have access to hand sanitizer?
A: Students, faculty, and staff will be trained on proper hand hygiene, and such information will be provided to parents/guardians so this can be reinforced at home. Capital Region BOCES will provide and maintain hand hygiene stations in our schools, as follows:

  • For hand washing: soap, running warm water and disposable paper towels.
  • For hand sanitizing: an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol for areas where hand washing facilities may not be available or practical.
  • Accommodations for students who cannot use hand sanitizer will be made. Parents may opt their child out of using alcohol-based hand sanitizer while at school. To do so, please send a written notice to your child’s school. 
  • Hand sanitizer will not be used in Capital Region BOCES transportation due to its combustible composition and potential liability to the carrier or BOCES. School bus drivers, monitors and attendants are not allowed to carry personal bottles of hand sanitizer with them on school buses. 

Q: Will students and staff have access to water fountains? How will water fountains be cleaned?
A: Students will have access to drinking water during the school day, however classroom drinking fountains will only be used when dispensing into a cup, water bottle or other container.

Q. Will lunches need to be brought to school every day? Or will they be provided?
A: School meals will continue to be available to students learning on-site who receive them as part of their day program. Students may also bring lunches from home. Meals for students learning offsite are available through the student’s home district.

Q: Where will students eat breakfast and lunch?
A: This will differ depending on the program/class. Students will be eating in the classroom or cafeteria based on class size and schedules.

Q: What hygiene practices will keep students safe during meals? 
A: Students will be required to perform hand hygiene before and after eating. Students do not need to wear face coverings when seated and eating as long as they are appropriately socially distanced. 

Q: Will meals be provided to students participating in remote learning?
A: Meals for students learning remotely are available through the student’s home district. In the event that your home district does not offer student meals during remote learning, please contact Susan Frank at 518-464-5133.

Transportation

View the full Transportation plan.

Q. Will bus transportation still be provided? Are there any changes to who can ride the bus to and from school? 
A: All students are entitled to transportation by their home district to the extent required by law. Transportation departments do not have the ability or the right to deny transportation for children who are in foster care, homeless or attend private or charter schools. 

Q. Will social distancing be enforced on buses?
A: Students, drivers and staff should maintain appropriate social distancing to the extent practicable on the school bus. Members of the same household may be seated within six feet of each other. To reduce density on buses, parents/students with licenses and vehicles are encouraged to drive their child/ren/themselves to school.

Q. Will masks be required on the bus?
A: Students, drivers and staff must wear acceptable face coverings at all times on school transportation (e.g., entering, exiting, and seated). If students need a face covering, they will be provided with one by the driver prior to entering the vehicle. Students whose physical or mental health would be impaired by wearing a face covering are not required to do so, but must be appropriately socially distanced.

Q. Will students’ temperatures be checked before entering the bus?
A:  Students’ temperatures will not be checked before boarding buses. Students/families on behalf of the student attending Capital Region BOCES programs are required to complete our health screening tool each day before they arrive at school.

Q. What are the bus schedules?
A: Transportation schedules will be communicated to parents by their home school district. See the School Schedule section of this FAQ for more information.

Q: Will hand sanitizer be available on the bus?
A: School buses will not be equipped with hand sanitizer due to its combustible composition and potential liability to the carrier or home district. School bus drivers, monitors and attendants must not carry personal bottles of hand sanitizer with them on school buses.

Q: How will social distancing be enforced when students are getting on and off the bus at school?
A: Students embarking and disembarking buses will be required to remain socially distant to the extent possible and wear a face covering. Each  Capital Region BOCES school has its own entry protocols to support social distancing. Please contact your child’s principal if you have specific concerns.

Social/Emotional Well-Being

View the full Social/Emotional Well-Being plan.

Visit our Social/Emotional Family Resource page.

Q: What is Capital Region BOCES doing to support the mental health of its staff? 
A: Capital Region BOCES has made available resources and referrals to address mental health, behavioral, and emotional needs of faculty, and staff when school reopens for in-person instruction. This includes our Employee Assistance Program, available to our staff through BERT, our internal communications tool. Staff in need of social-emotional support are also encouraged to contact our Human Resources department.

Q: How will social-emotional support be provided during remote instruction? 
A: During remote instruction, students will be able to contact their school  social worker and/or counselors who will be available to meet with students remotely via Google Meet or Webex sessions. Communication about how to access social emotional support while participating in remote learning will be shared with students/families by the student’s the classroom teacher.  

School Schedules

View the full School Schedules plan.

Q. What are the school schedules? 
A: The school day for Capital Region BOCES’ schools and programs is as follows:

Albany CTE Campus:
Morning Session: 8:10  – 10:34 a.m.
Afternoon Session: 11:10 a.m. – 1:34 p.m.

Mohonasen CTE Campus:
Morning Session: 8 – 10:30 a.m.
Afternoon Session: 11:25 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Schoharie CTE Campus:
Morning Session: 8:35 – 11:05 a.m.
Afternoon Session: 11:55 a.m. – 2:25 p.m.

P-TECH:
Watervliet Campus: 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Mohonasen Campus: 7:38 a.m. – 2:50 p.m.

Airline Drive Academy:
Daily: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Maywood School:
Daily: 8:20 a.m. – 2:14 p.m.

Q: Will students have recess? If so, will recess be outside if conditions permit? 
A: Students will still participate in recess and/or various outdoor activities, weather permitting.  Playground equipment will be cleaned per Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidance.

Q: Will students entering new school buildings have some form of orientation or tours ahead of time?
A: We always look forward to welcoming new students into our schools and classrooms. If a student is new to one of our other programs, parents should reach out to the principal to schedule a time to visit. 

Q. Will students stay in the same classroom all day?
A: School schedules for the reopening of school will be designed to minimize the movement of students within the building. To the extent possible, students will remain in small cohorts if/when leaving the classroom, such as for recess or any necessary transition, so as to reduce their exposure to additional students.

Q: How will physical education (PE) work?
A: Students in all grades will still participate in physical education classes. Whenever possible, students will use outside space for physical education instruction. We will adhere to NYSDOH guidelines of maintaining 12 feet between students when engaging in physical activity. Face coverings will be required at all times.

Q: What is Capital Region BOCES doing to reduce congestion in hallways or lobby areas?
A: The nature of our programs do not create hall congestion. Capital Region BOCES will be adhering to NYSDOH and NYSED social distance guidelines to minimize or stagger the movement of students.

Attendance

View the full Attendance plan.

Q: How will a student be marked “absent,” “present” or “tardy” during remote learning? 
A: There will be an expectation for daily attendance of all students. All attendance procedures will be in full effect whether students are in-person or remote. On-site, in-class attendance will be conducted using the normal Capital Region BOCES attendance reporting protocols via our student management system. During remote learning, teachers will maintain an activity log documenting instructional or service interaction for the purposes of attendance. Additionally, outreach to both students and families will be recorded. This includes, but is not limited to, phone calls, emails, home visits, etc.

Technology and Connectivity

View the full Technology and Connectivity plan.

Q: What technology do we need to have at home to participate in remote learning?  
A: School principals will contact each individual family to determine the level of connectivity in the student’s home and access to devices. Any student who needs a device will be provided one by their home district or will be provided a Capital Region BOCES Chromebook. Any student who needs access to the internet will be provided a hotspot or similar access device.

If we are required to return to full remote learning for Career & Technical School programs, students’ home districts will be responsible for supplying devices and ensuring access to the internet them. In cases where the home district is not able to provide a device or access, Capital Region BOCES will provide the necessary resources for the student to participate in their instructional program. 

Q: What do we do if my child’s school laptop breaks or stops working? 
A: If a student’s laptop or device breaks or stops working, you should immediately notify your teacher or building principal so that they are aware of the situation. We are also ready to answer questions parents and students may have on how to use of their BOCES-issued Chromebooks and other learning equipment and provide technical support for devices. Please contact our technical support team at 518-862-5490.

Q: How is Capital Region BOCES ensuring student data privacy during remote learning?
A: Capital Region BOCES is working to keep our students, teachers, and staff safe while learning and conferencing online. Learn more about the protections we have put in place.

Teaching and Learning

View the full Teaching and Learning plan.

Q. Is remote learning an option for families who do not want to send their child to in-person instruction?
A: Remote learning is an option for all of students enrolled in our special education classes. All students enrolled in our Career and Technical School (CTE) or P-TECH programs will be learning will be in a hybrid model with some academics done remotely. If your child attends career and technical education or our P-TECH program and you have a remote learning request, please contact the building principal. Requests for these programs will be reviewed on a case by case basis, as the hands-on learning component of both of these programs is needed to master skills, standards, and competencies to be successful with the course of study.

Q. If we choose remote learning, do we have to stay with that learning model for the whole year?
A: If a family that has chosen remote learning would like to change to in- person instruction, they should reach out to their principal. We will allow for changes after a set length of time. We cannot accommodate families moving in and out of in person or remote instruction on a regular basis.

Q.  How is Capital Region BOCES preparing for remote instruction?
A: We have adjusted our calendar to allow for four professional development days for our instructional staff before the first day with students. These days will focus on providing resources and training for remote learning.

Q: What platforms will be used for remote instruction? 
A: We will be using Google Classroom across all programs as the main platform to provide instruction and feedback. Daily schedules will include live teaching for all content areas. Exact schedules will be shared with students and families the week of Sept. 8, if not before.

We also use Webex for related service and therapy/counseling sessions that are provide during remote instruction.

Q. Will the same teacher be instructing my child both in person and remotely?

A: The two programs in which we are using a hybrid model are programs where students have different teachers for different academics. For example, P-TECH students will be online for their college courses. These classes are taught by college professors. For CTE, the integrated academics will be taught remotely. Again, the teachers for the integrated academic content is different than the CTE teacher that teaches the specific program content and hands on learning, in person.

For those families who have selected the full remote learning option in Special Education, the remote teacher may differ from the in-person teacher.  We will have a full time teacher dedicated to teaching the remote students so that ongoing instruction can be live and individualized throughout the school day.

Q. Are there any training sessions or resources for parents/guardians on the platforms students will be using?
A: We are actively working to create resources for parents/guardians on the technology tools we use during remote instruction. These resources will be shared via our Blackboard communication platform and on the parent and family reopening resource page once they are available.

Q: How do I participate in remote learning if I don’t have internet access or a device?
A: If a family does not have internet access or a device, we ask that you reach out to your child’s principal so we can assist you with this need.

Q. Will everyone have access to the remote learning resources, even if they are attending some form of in-person instruction?
A: Capital Region BOCES has a plan for remote-only learning in the event the schools are shut down due a COVID-19 outbreak. Because of this, all students will have access to remote learning resources, as needed.

Q: How will students be held accountable for attendance and classwork? 
A: There will be an expectation for daily attendance and full participation of all students. All attendance procedures will be in full effect whether students are in-person or remote. 

Q: Will remote learning be synchronous (students expected to be online at a specific time) or asynchronous (students completing work on their own schedule)? What will interactions with teachers be like? 
A: Remote learning will be both synchronous and asynchronous. Students will receive daily schedules. There will be live instruction, as well as supplemental resources and assignments that students will be asked to complete. Schedules will be shared with students the week of Sept. 8, if not before.

Q: How will my child’s IEP be affected by remote learning? 
A: Your home district will work with its committees on special education to ensure that students’ individualized education plans can be followed during both in-person and remote learning to the greatest extent possible.

Q: Can my child still receive services such as occupational therapy, physical therapy or speech therapy remotely? 
A: Some of these services can be delivered remotely. Providers will reach out to families to schedule remote therapy sessions listed on the student’s IEP.  Remote therapy is provided for the following related services:  Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational and Physical Therapy, and Social Work/Counseling.

Q: If my child receives group services, how will they be implemented safely? 
A: The ability to provide group services will be assessed on a case by case basis. There will be some instances where group size is limited so social distancing can occur. There will be some instances where services will be provided individually based on safety considerations.

Q: Will my child still be able to attend their Career and Technical Education (CTE) program at BOCES? 
A: Absolutely! Students are still able to attend Career and Technical Education and other programs through our BOCES. Please see the BOCES reopening plan for more information on how CTE programs will be conducted.

Q: Will work-based learning opportunities still be available?
A: Yes. We will be coordinating the work based learning experiences with our various business partners with an emphasis on COVID-19 safety guidance.

Q: Will students still take state exams (e.g., the 3-8 math and ELA assessments, Regents exams)?
A: Any Grades 3-8 and Regents examinations required by the New York State Department of Education (NYSED) will be made available to students in the appropriate grade level. If examinations are waived, Capital Region BOCES will communicate that information to families.

Q: How will students’ work be graded or evaluated?
A: Student work will be evaluated by classroom teachers through various formal and informal assessments. Teachers will record progress reports and grades in SchoolTool, our student management system. Interim/progress reports are sent out at the mid-point of each marking period to document student progress in class. Interim/progress reports are sent to parents/guardians, as well as to the home school. 

Students will receive quarterly marks during the academic year. Ending dates for this year’s marking periods will be:

  • End of First Marking Period – Nov.  6, 2020
  • End of Second Marking Period – Jan. 22, 2021
  • End of Third Marking Period – April 1, 2021
  • End of Fourth Marking Period – June 11, 2021

Q: How will struggling students receive help with their schoolwork? 
A: Students and their parents are encouraged to contact their child’s teacher, assigned counselor and/or building administrator with any concerns about schoolwork.

Staff

Q: Will substitute teachers be used during remote learning? 
A: Similar to a typical school year, staff may require time off for a variety of reasons.  Someone from the classroom or our substitute service will act as a teacher if there is an absence.  

Q: Will teachers and principals continue to be evaluated during this time?
A: Yes. All teachers and principals will continue to be evaluated pursuant to Capital Region BOCES approved APPR plan.