School Opening Information

Updated March 12, 2021*

*Please note that the orders and policies of the school reopening and these FAQs are changing frequently. Please check back on this website, Nu‘uanu Elementary School's website, and refer to the emails sent from the school for the latest information.

All students currently in Cohorts A and B and in grades K, 1, 2 and 4 return to school full-time starting April 5, 2021

The Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) recently announced a goal to increase in-person instruction at elementary schools during the fourth quarter. The overall aim is to safely maximize in-person learning opportunities for elementary students for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year.

Because campuses are in various stages of reopening, timing will vary by school. Under the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state Department of Health (DOH) for in-person learning, each school will assess its capacity to adhere to the guidance while conducting various student services such as morning drop off and afternoon student pickups, breakfast and lunch provisions, recesses, afterschool programming, etc. School leaders are committed to ramping up in-person learning safely.

According to CDC and DOH, when community transmission of COVID-19 is low or moderate and schools are extra attentive with all other mitigation strategies, physical distancing of 6-feet can be safely modified in school settings. Health officials emphasized all other mitigation strategies must be enforced including universal and proper mask usage, hand-washing, cohorts, cleaning of facilities, and contact tracing protocols.

"We understand that not every school can accomplish 6-foot distancing at all times while bringing classrooms back to full capacity," state epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble wrote in a letter to the HIDOE. "We encourage those schools to implement all OTHER mitigation measures to the full extent possible, to provide a layered mitigation approach that will still maximize safety."

Nu'uanu Elementary School’s Reopening Plans

Upon return to school on Monday, March 22nd, all students will CONTINUE with their 3rd quarter schedules – Blended Learning (Cohort A & B) and teacher-led distance learning programs.

Beginning Monday, April 5th, we will be transitioning all Cohort A and B students in first and fourth grade only to daily face-to-face/in-person learning. These students will physically attend school Monday thru Friday for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year. Morning drop off and afternoon pick up times along with recesses and lunch will remain the same.

Grade Drop Off Time Pickup Time

First by 7:50am 2:15pm

Fourth by 8:00am 2:25pm

First and fourth grade distance learning students with Ms. Miguel and Ms. Tupper will continue with this arrangement.

Students who are currently receiving distance learning instruction from their first and fourth grade homeroom teachers will move to the Department of Education’s recommended K12 Learning Solutions online program. Through this online program, students will work independently and at their own pace to complete lessons and activities. There is no direct teacher instruction for this online program. First and fourth grade homeroom teachers will no longer be providing distance learning instruction and will focus on their face-to-face/in-person students. Furthermore, for parents who feel uncomfortable with the move to face-to-face/in-person instruction, they may switch to the K12 Learning Solutions online program. Please contact Principal Ned Uemae at 595-5422 by Thursday, March 25, 2021 to register for the K12 Learning Solutions online program.

Kindergarten, grades 2, 3, and 5 students will continue with their Cohort A & B schedules. Grades 2, 3, 4, and 5 students receiving teacher-led distance learning instruction from Ms. Miguel and Ms. Tupper will continue with their respective distance learning program. We will continue to honor the contract signed by parents agreeing that their child will remain in this distance learning program for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year.

Because the safety and well-being of our students and staff is of utmost importance, our administration took great care in planning for this adjustment.

The following factors were considered in making this transition:

● Our school’s layered mitigation strategies are in place and will continue to be implemented daily.

● There has been a downward trend of COVID-19 cases - 15% in the last two weeks.

● Vaccinations have become more widely available to staff members and the community.

● No transmission of the virus has occurred at a HIDOE facility to date.

● The parameters outlined in the DOH and CDC health policy guidance are in alignment with the thresholds needed to transition to in-person learning.

We are optimistic we can sustain these positive changes if we continue to follow the recommended safety measures.

Once again, if families feel uncomfortable with the move to daily face-to-face/in-person learning, they may opt-in for distance learning through the K12 Learning Solutions online program. Information can also be found on our school website.

As students continue to return to campus, please perform a wellness check using the following guidance: Return to School Work and Daily Wellness Check. Individuals who are exhibiting any symptoms or who have been directed to by DOH to quarantine should not come to campus. If someone in your household has been tested for COVID-19 or if they are exhibiting symptoms, please contact Sally Moses, our school health aide, before coming to campus.

Thank you for your continued support and patience as we monitor and respond to this pandemic. Please contact Ned Uemae at (808) 595-5422 or email Ned.Uemae@k12.hi.us if you have any questions.

What kinds off efforts are being made to accommodate new health/safety procedures on campus?

Various systems are being put in place on campus to address COVID-19 prevention and social distancing. Click here to see examples of how Nu‘uanu is preparing to keep your children safe.

Families were given the choice to have 100% distance learning this school year or a blended learning, which is a mixture of face to face learning and distance learning. For those families who chose blended learning, they will be grouped into two groups – cohort A and B. These groups will both attend physically and online on a different staggered start and end schedule when school resumes in person.

Synchronous learning: Learning occurring at the same, assigned time.

Asynchronous learning: Learning tasks that may be completed at different times.

Blended learning: This type of instruction includes a mixture of face to face learning and distance learning.

Cohort A and B: Students who chose blended learning will be divided into two cohorts, cohort A and B, to reduce the number of students physically on campus. By having fewer students on campus at the same time, it makes it easier for them to maintain social distancing without really having to think about it. Classrooms that once had 30 students present per day will now have 15 or less. Classes that had 20 students per day will now have only 10 or less students present. Your teachers will communicate with you about which cohort your child is in when students return to campus for in person learning.

Distance learning: Learning that occurs in different location, typically with the teachers delivering instruction in one location and the students access the instruction in another location.

We will be using the K12 Learning Solutions online program.

Before families can do strictly Distance Learning we will need all interested families to sign an opt-in program form. You will have to agree and sign the form stating you will follow the terms of this Distance Learning program. Unless it changes, this contract will be in effect for at least one semester.

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Is 100% full distance learning available for all grades?

Yes.

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Will there be resources available for the distance learners to support social emotional growth?

The school counselor and her aide did stay in contact with all students that were referred for this service during distance learning. This will continue.

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If a parent is not satisfied with the 100% full distance learning, can they switch to the blended learning?

Parents who elected to have this option have signed a contract to stay in the 100% full distance learning option for the entire semester. They can change after the semester by contacting the principal.

What will the distance learning experience be like for students in the blended learning model?

The experience will be up to the teacher so each grade level will be different. Teachers should already be in contact with families with what you should expect and need to prepare. If you have questions related to your classroom, please contact your teacher.

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Will the live sessions be recorded so families can watch if they can’t attend during that time?

The school cannot require teachers to record themselves, per the agreement between the DOE and HSTA. It will be left up to each individual teacher how they would like to handle this.

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Will parents teach their children on the days the child is not physically present in school?

On the days that the students are learning from home, parents should expect to have a combination of live check ins with their teacher and work that is sent home to work on. Parents are the key to success in their child’s learning journey and should expect to play a larger than normal role during the pandemic.

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Will the same lesson plan be used between cohort A and B?

It is likely that the teachers will have one lesson plan that will be used for cohort A and B. So the teacher would teach one lesson plan to cohort A on the day they are in school and then send the child home with project work and homework to reinforce what they learned at home. Then when cohort B is in school, they will learn the lesson plan that cohort A learned the day before. However, this is being left up to the teacher to determine. Parents should work with the teacher to determine the expectation and learning schedule.

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Will students learn less this year than in years prior?

It is a challenge in these current times and part of the challenge with a pandemic. Teachers have increased the amount of time that they spend teaching language arts and math to try to ensure that students can learn the same amount or close to the same amount that they would normally in a regular school year. With the smaller class sizes, teachers will be able to better tailor the lesson plan to the students’ needs and the lessons will be more in depth than in prior years, providing more in-depth learning.

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How many students will be in each class for in person learning?

Nuuanu elementary school will abide by the 3-foot when possible distance between each student. Classroom sizes will vary.

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Will air conditioning be used while on campus?

Only three buildings, library, H and I buildings have AC. Library will not be used for instructions as school needs to follow CDC guidelines and not mix student classrooms as much as possible. The window ACs in H and I can be used but if they are then the windows or doors must be open to allow for fresh airflow.

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What will the curriculum be like for student this year?

The student curriculum will include math, language arts, science, social studies, and technology. When appropriate, various content areas (math, social studies, science, and technology) will be integrated into topic of study. Hawaiian studies is being offered to teachers and will be up to each teacher to decide if this class will be offered virtually. At present we do not have a Hawaiian Studies teacher. However, we do have an individual who will be working with grade 4 lessons in Hawaiian culture.

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Will distance learning take place during normal school hours?

For children who are physically present in school, class times will follow the normal school schedule with adjustments to accommodate staggered start and end times. When children are learning at home, all lessons will fall within the normal school day.

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Will any outdoor area be used for classrooms?

No. There are no plans to use outdoor areas for classrooms. Historically Nu`uanu weather can change in an instant and we can have inclement conditions. Heavy downpour and prolonged periods of rain, high winds, and cold temperature or combination of two or all three are not uncommon here. Because of this unpredictability and danger each of those elements can cause it is unsafe to have outdoor areas used for classroom space.

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How will school supplies be handled for in-person learning?

There will be no sharing of school supplies. Each child will have and use their own personal supplies

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If parents opted for blended learning, can they switch to 100% full virtual learning?

Yes. We ask that families try to stick with their learning choice for the semester since changes mid-semester can be hard and disruptive to both the school and students. However, families can change to 100% distance learning at anytime during the year by contacting the principal.

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What will happen if the state locks down again?

The classroom teachers will be responsible for continuing to teach the students in a distance learning model. If this occurs, the teachers will communicate with their families what to expect.

STARTING TIMES

From date of designated return until remainder of the school year, starting times are as follows:

Grades 1 and 3: 8:00 a.m. They can start going to their classrooms at 7:50 a.m.
Grades K and 4: 8:10 a.m. They can start walking to their classrooms at 8:00 a.m.
Grades 2 and 5: 8:20 a.m. They can start walking to their classrooms at 8:10 a.m.

END TIMES

From date of designated return until remainder of the school year, end times are as follows:

Grades 1 and 3: 2:15 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Grades K and 4: 2:25 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Grades 2 and 5: 2:35 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

On Wednesdays, school end times are as follows:

Grades 1 and 3: 1:30 p.m.
Grades K and 4: 1:40 p.m.
Grades 2 and 5: 1:50 p.m.

This staggered dismissal times will give A+ some time getting the students from each grade level and alleviate some of the afternoon traffic pickup traffic.

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What kind of schedule will students have?

ALL STUDENTS from kindergarten to grade 5 will not be coming to school for face-to-face instruction everyday. All students will either be in a group, we call it a cohort, or doing distance learning (DL) There will be two cohorts, A or B.

Cohort A and Cohort B simply means your child will be coming to school for face-to-face direct instruction with their assigned teacher on specified days.

• Cohort A comes to school on all Mondays and Thursdays.

• Cohort B comes to school on all Tuesdays and Fridays.

***Wednesdays will alternate between the two cohorts.***

Full Distance Learning - All academic instruction is delivered online by a teacher. No in-class contact

More information below under Cohorts and Distance Learning

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At risk students (SpEd, ELL, Free/Reduced) will be able to attend daily.

Prior to attending school, please help us by following these instructions:

Please do a wellness check on your child each morning at home to determine if your child should attend school.

• Use the following symptoms checklist:

• feverish or unusually warm (has flushed cheeks)

• coughing/sneezing

• sore throat

• shortness of breath/difficulty breathing

• headache/stomachache/nausea

• muscle pain/unusual fatigue

• new loss of taste or smell
  

• Keep your child home if you suspect your child is ill.

• Ensure your child arrives at school wearing a face covering and ideally has an extra one on hand.

• Follow school policies on drop off and pick up and recognize that parent/legal guardian access to the building will be strictly limited.

• Be sure the school has updated contact information in the event that your child needs to be sent home.

Drop Off

Can kids be dropped off at school earlier than the designated drop off time?

This will depend on the age and maturity of the student. We do not recommend having them here alone before 7:30 a.m., unless they are having breakfast or in the morning program.

If your child is not having breakfast and is not enrolled in Before School Program (BSP), they will be allowed to sit outside of the cafe on the lanai starting at 7:30 a.m. We will have benches and chairs brought out after 7:20 a.m. or so. Again, there will be no adult supervision until 7:30 a.m. This adult supervisor will watch the students to make sure that they are not playing dangerous games and are behaving themselves as much as possible. It they misbehave and do not listen to the adult assigned there, they will be sent to the principal’s office for consequences.

All students at the cafe location will be released by grades. Grades 1 and 3 will be allowed to walk to their classroom starting at 7:50 a.m. Grades K and 4 will be allowed to go at 8:00 a.m. and grades 2 and 5 will be allowed to go at 8:10 a.m. (Refer to the above time schedule for when each grade school day begins). All groupings will be escorted to their classroom area by school personnel to ensure safety and distancing.

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Can I drop my child off or pick them up at their classroom?

When dropping off or picking up your child please DO NOT go to their classroom! The front of the cafe will be a meeting area and an adult will be watching students not enrolled in BSP (Before School Program) from 7:30 a.m. and taking them to their classroom at the appropriate times. If you want to show your child where their classroom is I would suggest coming on the weekend to do this. I understand every parent loves and wants to protect their child, but we have to avoid breaking the social distance protocol and if most parents take their child up to the classroom this will be impossible to maintain.

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What if I'm dropping my child off from the Dowsett Ave. entrance?

If bringing your child from the Dowsett Ave. gate or if you are parked near the blacktop, DO NOT take your child to their classroom. Walk with them a partial way, stay near the walkway, then have them walk the rest of the distance by themselves. You can stand and watch to make sure they are okay. We’ve always promoted self-reliance and independence so this is a small step in that direction.

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Will parents be allowed on campus?

We will be limiting the number of parents on campus. Parents are always allowed to drop off materials and lunches for their child but will need to leave it in the office and we will take it to the classroom. Until further notice there will be no ‘Aina in Schools or parent volunteers for kindergarten students.

If it should happen, please do not be offended if a teacher or some other school personnel tells you to leave the premise once school starts or has not officially ended. They, like you, all have health and safety concerns so sometimes we need a friendly reminder. Keep in mind that this is nothing personal.

Pick Up

If your child is not in the A+ program, please adhere to their grade’s release time as much as possible. When grades 1 & 3 ends at 2:15 p.m., do not expect them to be down at the circle driveway at 2:15 p.m. Give them about 5 minutes or at 2:20 p.m. to get from their classroom to the driveway. If you come too early and the parking lot is full I would suggest parking at the Nu‘uanu Valley District Park and wait there until it is time to get your child. If you come too early and wait in the circle this could lead to a massive traffic tie up, as Puiwa Lane will have cars waiting in line. Please be considerate of others as everyone, not only you, wants to get their child.

When picking your child up in the circle driveway, please use the strip of paper (6”x24”) that I gave all families, and write clearly and boldly the grade and name of your child and place this facing forward on your car’s dashboard (if you lost this piece of paper, please ask the office for a replacement). The principal and another one or two other adult workers will be monitoring the driveway so when we see your child’s name we will call out their name. Without this name sign, recognizing your child or your child knowing it’s you will be very difficult as everybody will be wearing a mask.

We will have separate chairs placed in the area in front of the cafe where the children will sit. Will have between 10 – 15 students sitting at one time with 6-feet of distancing.

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What if parents can’t pick up their child at the designated time and will be late, will the child be allowed to wait?

In the past we had students wait in the office area, but this will be an issue this year as we cannot have more than three students here.

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Can kids stay after school/past their pick up time if they are not in A-Plus?

This is not recommended if over 15 minutes as there will be no adult supervision. Depending on the maturity of the child it can be dangerous as some children do some daring and foolish things that can hurt themselves and others.

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Will there be JPO’s for drop off/pick up?

There will be no SSO (formerly JPO) until this pandemic subsides. Until then adults will be manning the curbside area.

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Will the back gate be open for drop off and pick up?

Yes.

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Will students be allowed to walk home, instead of being picked up?

Yes.

All students are still entitled to breakfast and lunches even if their cohort is not in school that day or they are doing strictly distance learning. Students wanting to buy lunch, or those on free/reduced meals can come to school to get their meals and leave. We ask that if families will be getting a meal (lunch) that they please call the office to inform them. These lunches for off campus students will be served from 12:00 p.m. until 12:30 p.m. and are all grab-n-go style. If you are not here by 12:30 p.m. and unless you called to make arrangements in advance, you will not be entitled to a meal.

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Will breakfast be served every morning?

Breakfast will be served in the cafe starting at 7:00 a.m. and ending at 7:45 a.m. You will notice that our tables have marked seating spaces and partitions. If you plan to eat with your child you still can, but try not to be near other students. You can sit across facing your child. The tables have been reconfigured so please do not adjust or move them around.

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How will lunch be served?

Lunch can now be served in our cafe rather than in the classrooms as the number of students per grade level, eating at the same time, will be substantially less than before. Students can talk and hear their classmates better since the noise volume will be lower as there will be less students during their lunch period. Spacing will be as recommended with partitions used to separate students who cannot be six feet away. We will be monitoring this as the total number of students coming to school daily becomes more established.

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Can students bring home lunch or are they required to purchase school lunch?

Students are always permitted to bring their own lunches.

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Will students be eating lunch in the cafeteria?

At this time, we anticipate that classes will rotate between eating in the cafeteria and their classrooms.

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How will recess work?

Recess will be a new experience as the cohorts will be encouraged to play only with their classmates, but the area they play in will be more spacious. In the past, when grades K and 1 had recess together, they would share the same space with nearly 120 students playing. Now, in this same area, there will be only 30 or less students playing at the same time. Both morning and afternoon recesses will be split into two separate 15 minute blocks so no area, field, blacktop or gym will have more than 30 students playing at one time. This was designed in order to make keeping social distancing easier.

Mask Wearing

To the extent possible, all adults and students should wear a mask while at school. When under six feet of physical distance, masks MUST be worn.

Masks shall be worn:

ENTERING AND EXITING THE SCHOOL CAMPUS

ON SCHOOL BUSES

DURING CAMPUS TRANSITIONS (e.g., moving from class to class, to an office, the library, cafeteria or locker room

IN THE CAFETERIA

• • Masks may be removed when students are eating. Six feet of physical distance should be adhered to

IN THE CLASSROOM

• • When facial features need to be seen by teachers or students to support learning or an activity, face shields in place of masks may be worn.

  • Students may need temporary breaks from wearing masks. If a 6-foot distance is maintained, masks may be removed for temporary periods of times.

  • If students are seated less than 6-feet apart, seats must face the same direction, students should remain in their seats and wearing a mask is required.

  • Students should maintain at least 6-feet of distance during group activities such as choir, band and physical education where students may not be wearing a mask.

Masks should not be worn during recess. Classes should remain in their Ohana Bubble when at recess and maintain 6-feet of distancing as much as possible.

Wearing a face shield is not necessary for an adult unless working in a special setting such as the health room or interacting with students who have special needs where there is a higher risk of coming into contact with body fluids or respiratory droplets. A face shield should be worn with a face mask for maximum protection.

Exceptions for face coverings/masks apply to those for whom it is not safe to do so due to age, medical condition or other considerations.

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Do students have to wear a mask the entire time at school? If so, will the children be given breathing breaks so that they can take off their mask?

See above for the school's mask wearing requirements.

More information on Cloth Face Coverings for Children During COVID-19 can be found at the American Academy of Pediatrics website.

Safety

What health and safety measures the school has in place when children are able to return to learn in person?

The school has taken many precautionary measures. All the walkways are marked with directional arrows and markers on the ground to indicate 6-feet spacing. There are hand sanitizers and soap dispensers in front of every common area. Only one student will be allowed to use the restroom at a time. Recess will be split between classrooms so that only 30 or so students should be out playing in the same area at the same time. Lunch times have also been staggered to minimize the amount of students in the cafeteria at one time. The school has purchased desk shields for each desk on campus and extra disposable face masks in case students loose their mask. All students and faculty staff members are required to wear a face mask while on campus and the school will be providing each student a lanyard that they can attach their face mask to reduce the likelihood of losing the mask. School staff will clean high touch areas frequently and classrooms will be cleaned daily.

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What is the procedure if a child/family/teacher/staff member at Nu‘uanu Elementary school is positively diagnosed with COVID-19? Or is suspected of having COVID-19?

If the child has any symptoms, the school will call the parents to pick up the child immediately. There is an isolated area in the health aide where the student will be placed until they are picked up. If the child or family member has been diagnosed with COVID-19, the school will contact the Complex Areas Superintendent (CAS) who will notify the state COVID response team which includes the state department of health (DOH). Together they will follow all procedures and protocols as directed by the DOH including contact tracing, cordoning off rooms or areas of school, etc.

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Will students’ temperature be taken daily?

We will try our best to take the temperatures of all students, however it may not be possible daily. We ask that parents do their part to ensure that students are not sent to school if they have a temperature of 100.4% or higher, have a sore throat or other signs of illness such as a cough, diarrhea, severe headache, vomiting or body aches, or have been in contact to a COVID-19 case.

Schools are not allowed to take the temperature of teachers per HSTA contract on privacy.

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How will families be notified of any emergency situation, such as a case of COVID-19 on campus?

See above. The final words will come from the DOH and DOE regarding any emergency situation or need to close parts or all of the school.

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What are the expectations of the child during school regarding safety?

Students are expected to listen to their teacher and other adults on campus. The key will be distancing and not touching others. Adults will be there to remind them.

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Are teachers going to go over these expectations with the child on the first few days of school?

Yes.

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Will students be allowed to play on the playgrounds?

Yes, but no contact sports or sharing of equipment.

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What will the students do for recess and breaks to allow social interaction but physical distancing?

This will be up to the students. We can only remind them of distancing themselves from others. We anticipate most students will walk around or sit with their friends talking. In the past I’ve seen this more often than students playing in large numbers.

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Will parents be allowed on campus? (i.e. out of cars at pick up/drop off, lunch with students, volunteer on campus for things like ‘Aina in the School, drop off students to classroom door, etc.)

We will be limiting the number of parents on campus. Parents are always allowed to drop off materials and lunches for their child but will need to leave it in the office and we will take it to the classroom. Until further notice there will be no ‘Aina in Schools or parent volunteers for kindergarten students.

Sanitation

What are the sanitation and safety procedures for the school as a whole, classrooms and common areas?

Custodians have had training so will be cleaning all high touch areas frequently. The school purchased a spraying system to use in the classrooms and other areas. Per DOH/DOE directives all high touch areas, doorknobs, rails, drinking fountains (sides and not spouts), and sinks will be wiped down several times per day by the custodial staff. Cafeteria tables will be wiped down after each classroom use by custodial staff.

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How frequently will the classrooms be cleaned?

Daily. In addition, all classrooms will be completely sprayed every two to three days. We need to be cautious in the frequency of doing this as some students might have an allergic reaction to the chemicals being used. The spraying system is similar to what you see the airlines are doing to the interior of their planes.

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Will the school be providing sanitation supplies to the classrooms?
Yes.

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Will the school be hiring more staff to take on these roles or will the burden be placed on existing staff?

We cannot hire more staff as our budget has been reduced. However, currently we do have adequate staffing but some will do multiple roles and duties. Of course when the school year starts issues may come up so we will address them at that time. No one will be assigned duties they are not qualified to do.

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How will paperwork be sanitized prior to being distributed?

As much as possible there will be extremely limited paperwork distributed. School will email most information and forms to the families. If we need the forms back then, hopefully, families are able to print out the forms and submitting back to the school later.

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For classes with A/C, will they keep the windows open to ventilate classes? Will A/Cs be allowed to be used?

This will be up to the classroom teacher. There is conflicting information on this topic as I’ve read articles saying to use the A/C with doors closed and others saying not to use it unless really necessary and to leave the door slightly open for fresh air circulation.

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Will water fountains be disabled?

No. We recommend students bring a flask or bottle that they can refill with water from the fountains. We do not recommend drinking directly from the spout.

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What if the child loses his/her water bottle?

This happens all too often. Simply write in indelible ink the child’s name and room number so we can return the flask when we find it.

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Will the students be allowed to keep their water bottle at their desk?

Yes.

More information on DOE's COVID-10 response can be found in DOE's Return to Learn: School Reopening Plan Health & Safety Handbook

What is the procedure if a child/family/teacher/staff member at Nu‘uanu Elementary school is positively diagnosed with COVID-19? Or is suspected of having COVID-19?

If the child has any symptoms, the school will call the parents to pick up the child immediately. There is an isolated area in the health aide where the student will be placed until they are picked up. If the child or family member has been diagnosed with COVID-19, the school will contact the Complex Areas Superintendent (CAS) who will notify the state COVID response team which includes the state department of health (DOH). Together they will follow all procedures and protocols as directed by the DOH including contact tracing, cordoning off rooms or areas of school, etc.

See DOH/DOE's Positive Case in a School Procedural Flowchart for the DOH notification process of positive cases in schools.

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If a family member is under quarantine and/or waiting for test results, will that child still be allowed to attend school if they are asymptomatic?

This will be a DOH decision. The latest information we have is that if a family member is under quarantine then their children will not be allowed to come to school. Nobody at this time really knows if an asymptomatic person, adults or children, can still spread this virus so for the health of others it would be best to keep that child at home.

See DOH/DOE's Close Contact in a School Procedural Flowchart for the DOH notification process of close contact cases in schools.

Also, see DOH's COVID-19 Interim Return to Work/School Guidance for those affected by COVID-19.

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Is there a contingency plan in place if the school/state shuts down again? If so, what is it?

The plan would be for students to participate in distance learning. The DOE is looking into systems/programs that can help the teachers but it will be to be determined by the grade levels and individual teachers. Further information regarding this is forthcoming.

Will the before and after school program offer a pro-rated rate?

The YMCA has submitted a proposal for a prorated rate for schools that are offered a blended learning model for approval to the DOE. The YMCA will contact families at Nuuanu elementary in the month of August. If you have questions, you can contact Jonathan Cho at the YMCA at 541-5275.

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Will child care be available before school starts?

The Before School Program (BSP) formerly known as Early Morning Care, and the A-Plus program will be in full operation when we reopen on August 17^th. If you want to enroll your child in either program be sure to contact the Nu‘uanu YMCA for times, dates, and cost information.

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Who is operating the Before School Program?

The Nu‘uanu YMCA is operating the BSP for Nu‘uanu Elementary School. Registration forms can be downloaded here. For more information, contact Jaylord Castro, A-Plus & BSP Assistant Program Director at JCastro@ymcahonolulu.org or call (808) 541-5247.

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Who is operating the A-Plus Program?

The Nu‘uanu YMCA is operating the A-Plus Program for Nu‘uanu Elementary School. For more information, contact Jaylord Castro, A-Plus & BSP Assistant Program Director at JCastro@ymcahonolulu.org or call (808) 541-5247.

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How are the Before School Program and A-plus program facilities following health and safety requirements?

The programs will be following all CDC and DOH guidelines on health and safety.

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How will they be implementing safety measures and social distancing? Do they follow their own guidelines, the school’s, or some hybrid?

They will be following all health and safety requirements and suggestions. They are planning activities and games not requiring close proximity and will remind students of this, too.

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How many students are they accepting in the Before School Program? In the A-Plus Program?

The Before School Program will be limited to between 60 – 70 students. We are not yet sure about A-Plus.

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What if my child is only in school on alternate days, will they be allowed to be in the Before School Program and/or A-Plus Program? If yes, will a prorated rate be offered?

These are pending decisions to be made by the YMCA.

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What are the drop off procedures for the Before School Program? And pick up procedures for A-Plus?

These are protocols made by the YMCA. We anticipate communication to be made by them shortly.

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Will after school programs continue to be offered? (i.e. Bricks 4 Kidz, Sports Jam, MOA arts, etc.)

At this time and until clearance and notifications are received, there will be no after school programs or any other activity requiring use of facilities.

For families saying they have no wi-fi connectivity, the school did buy some devices to help. We will call you when we get them and arrange with you for a day and time to pick them up.

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Will there be tech support available for students and families in Cohort or Distance Learning programs?

The Department of Education's ʻOhana Help Desk will provide self-service and chat support for families experiencing issues connecting to HIDOE systems remotely from home. The help desk will be able to assist with connectivity-related issues (e.g. network and wifi connectivity), access and security issues, device support (e.g. devices, applications, software updates) and general IT support. The help desk will be able to provide phone support in languages most commonly spoken in Hawaiʻi households – English, Hawaiian, Ilokano, Tagalog, Chuukese and Marshallese and will be open to support students and parents:

• By phone at (808) 643-DESK (3375) Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Sundays from 4 to 8 p.m. The help desk will be closed on state holidays.

• Online 24/7 at ohanahelpdesk.org for self-service support and information.

Will students have an assessment or a test to determine if their child meets their grade level standard at the start of this year?

Assessments will be given so teachers will have an idea regarding what their students know. That will be one baseline to determine and measure growth.

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Since children lost several months of school last year and could potentially have a live teacher for half the time this year, will the children have less teaching time?

It is possible but the school is doing everything possible to cover the same amount of curriculum as in years past.

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Will there be any special accommodations for families who are working or can’t attend online learning when it’s offered?

This will be handled on a case by case basis and should be worked out individually with the teacher.

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Are there plans in place to meet the needs of the SPED populations such as speech therapy, one on one instruction?

All parents who have students in SPED have been contacted about additional in person services.

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What about families who got additional support for EL, speech club and other types of supplemental services?

These programs are offered on a school year to school year basis. If your student previously had this service or you feel your students may need this program, please contact Janice Kam at Janice.kam@k12.hi.us.

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Will there be any tutoring options available?

This is called Na Hoku program for reading and math. Yes, this program will be available for students this year, however some of the diagnostic criteria used historically to determine if the student needs this program is not available due to the pandemic. The diagnostics are typically done at the end of the school year and could not be done last year. The school will need to wait until students are back in school to be tested and determined if they qualify for this program.

These programs are normally held three times a week and in person. The services will still be available, but the school is determining the best way to offer this program in this new environment. If you feel your child needs additional support, you should speak with your teacher or contact Janice Kam at Janice.kam@k12.hi.us.

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Since this is a different type of year, if GE families opted to home school for this one year, will they lose their GE status?

No, not for this year. Typically once a family gives up their GE spot at a school they will lose return rights so would have to go through the GE process again, but this is not a typical year. We understand the health concerns all parents have right now so for this year will waive this restriction.

Is there any social/emotional support for children?

Kristie Davis, the school Counselor, and her Educational Assistant, Kim Park, will be checking in with all families to see how things are going. Please feel free to reach out to them with any concerns. Your children’s teachers also will be working on building relationships with your children as well as monitoring their social and emotional well-being.

Here are some resources to support your children and family during this time:

https://bit.ly/BacktoSchoolPlanningCheckliststoGuideParents

https://bit.ly/3iTquA2 (Parent Guide to Social & Mental Health Support)

https://bit.ly/3aN3Czl (‘Ohana/Caregiver Information)

In addition, Second Step, an evidence-based SEL (social-emotional learning) program that we are using for guidance lessons in Grades K-2 is offering free SEL lessons on its website. The lessons feature videos and activities on emotion management for Grades K-5. Here is the link: https://www.secondstep.org/covid19support

Finally, please join ‘Aikane o Nu’uanu on Wednesday, September 2 at 6:00 p.m. for a virtual workshop on “Emotional Support for Parents and Families.” Dr. Tolly Amaxopoulos will be providing a presentation on the importance of providing emotional support for your children during this time. Dr. Tolly will be explaining different symptoms to be on the look out for, ways to receive help during this time, and many tools to help improve your child’s emotional health and the general emotional atmosphere of your home. Dr. Tolly has worked for the Department of Education for approximately five years as a Clinical Psychologist. He supervises Behavioral Health Specialists and conducts emotional/behavioral testing.

As always, you may also contact Ms. Davis at kristie.davis@k12.hi.us at any time with concerns about your children. In the meantime, here is a Welcome Video for them to view.

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Can the school have an Open House to allow parents to understand what their child’s schedule will be like?

Having an Open House is highly unlikely unless COVID-19 takes a sharp downward turn. This is because keeping social distancing would be challenging.

If anyone wants to contact Principal Toyooka, please email him at james.toyooka@k12.hi.us

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Would there be an opportunity to ask parents to volunteer to pitch in?

Parent volunteers would be greatly appreciated during lunchtime if students have to eat in their classrooms. The classroom teachers, per HSTA, are to have 30 minutes of duty-free time to have their lunch, so the school will have to arrange for classroom coverage at this time. There are other times that parent help would be appreciated, but because of liability issues, it’s better to avoid it at this time.

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As you know, each family’s situation will be different and should be taken into consideration.

If any family has questions and concerns they can always feel free to email Principal Toyooka at james.toyooka@k12.hi.us. True, he has been busier than usual, but will eventually respond to all questions.