Tuesday evening, the Pinellas County School Board voted unanimously to delay the school start date for students to August 24th.As a charter school, we follow the Pinellas County School calendar, and will begin school on August 24th for both brick and mortar learning and distance learning.
Our last day of school for students is now June 9, 2021. Please plan any summer travel accordingly to ensure your student is present through the last day of school.
0 Comments
7/15/2020 0 Comments Opening Update From Principal SipeDear Plato Academy Parents,
On behalf of the entire Plato Academy family, I would like to welcome you and your children back to Plato Academy for the 2020-21 school year. As always, we are committed to providing your children with an excellent education in a safe and nurturing environment. Because we fully understand and appreciate that you have many concerns, we are sending you this update now and we kindly request your prompt response. We understand that this is a challenging time for everyone. We want you to know that we have established a plan focusing on the best interests of all our students. Some of you need and want your children to return to a brick and mortar traditional setting, and others among you need and want their children to attend Plato Academy via a robust and effective distance learning option. Please know that there is no perfect solution. Whichever decision each family makes will have its own pros and cons. In any case, please rest assured that when the pandemic is over, whichever of these two options you choose, your child’s seat at Plato Academy is his or hers to keep. We are keenly aware that the situation is very fluid and that there are many different pieces of information coming out every day. We will make all decisions based on guidance from the appropriate agencies and if/when things change, we will continue to keep you updated. In order for Plato Academy Schools to plan effectively, we need parents to notify us in the survey question below, which option they will be choosing for the first 9 weeks of school. We need you to make a decision so that we can inform all parents of how we will staff both options. As the situation progresses we will re-evaluate our needs and determine the next steps in the planning process for the following quarter. Traditional Brick and Mortar Return To School Students and families will review wellness to ensure students are feeling well and symptom-free prior to coming to school each day. School staff will use touchless thermometers upon or shortly after arrival and throughout the day as needed and able to ensure students are fever-free. Large group gatherings will not be held. Students will be required to wear masks/face coverings (NOTE: if you are uncomfortable with your child(ren) being forced to wear a mask, we recommend that you choose the distance education option. Remember, the plan for that is 9 weeks; not an entire school year.) We will use our best efforts to keep students spaced 6 feet apart in classrooms, but we are limited by our physical space. The more parents who prefer the distance learning option, the farther apart we can keep students distanced in the brick and mortar setting. Extra sanitizing will be conducted by available and additional staff Students who receive special services in the traditional setting will continue to receive appropriate services if they choose the distance learning option. Students will participate in PE outside, whenever possible based on weather and field conditions. When students cannot be outside, they will be in the gymnasium and separated by their homeroom class. Cohorts of classes will not intermingle whether inside or outside. Equipment will not be used by consecutive classes until it is properly sanitized. Elementary students will have recess with the same guidelines as above. Elementary students will not travel to art and music classes, but instead will have those classes in their homeroom class. Students who receive school breakfast will get it from the lunchroom and return to eat in their classrooms. All students will eat lunch in their classrooms. Teachers provide student make-up work, flexibility, and support if they are out of school for any reason. Teachers and office staff will arrange their desks and work areas in a manner to assist with the nightly sanitizing of those surfaces. Papers, files and books will be removed or stacked/placed in an orderly manner to allow plant operators to spray down the work surfaces without moving materials (preventing damage or loss of materials). Computer keyboards and other accessories will be placed in an accessible location and laptops will be closed to allow for exterior sanitizing. Students may also be asked to assist with keeping their areas clean for other students. Teachers will enlist the assistance of trusted students or the entire class to help keep classroom areas clean and tidy throughout the school day. Likewise, teachers and students will establish classroom protocols to wipe down desks and tabletops, and other shared equipment, in between classes and throughout the day. This type of activity could be especially effective in elementary schools if it is used as a tool related to COVID-19 safety and general good health practices. Middle school students will transition to classes in order to meet all of the requirements of their individual schedules. Middle school students will not use lockers, so as to reduce the possibility of congregation in the hallways. Teachers will be asked to assist in managing how much students are carrying by housing items that are not required to be brought home in the classroom. In the instance of positive case/exposure to COVID-19 your child(ren) may be asked to self-isolate at home according to CDC and Pinellas County Health Department recommendations and complete distance learning Families who choose the brick and mortar option will be asked to sign a liability waiver. Distance Learning Return to School Live instruction will take place every day, Monday through Friday. Although there will be similarities between this and the last quarter of our previous school year, students will be held more accountable for their learning and attendance, just as they would be in the physical classroom. Distance learning students will be accountable daily for attendance and completion of assignments. These guidelines will follow the same as if in brick and mortar for expectations, attendance, behavior, truancy, and promotion. Online teacher each morning beginning at 8:50 a.m.* The teacher will use a schedule that combines direct teaching, independent work, posted assignments (asynchronous instruction), learning, and small group instruction. Students and parents should expect to follow a full schedule, like the sample model below. Students will be ‘live’ with their teacher a minimum of four times each day. Sample Elementary Schedule 8:50-9:00 Morning Meeting 9:00- 9:20 Direct Face-to-Face Instruction Reading (live) 9:20-10:20 Independent Practice and live small group instruction 10:20-10:55 Direct Instruction Writing and Independent Practice (live) 10:55-11:25 Reading Intervention (live) 11:25-11:45 Recess (on your own) 11:45-12:15 Lunch (on your own) 12:15-12:35 Direct Math Instruction (live) 12:35-1:05 Independent Math Practice 1:05-1:25 Math Intervention, small group and independent 1:25-2:15 Specials (Art, Music, P.E recorded lessons with some live interaction) 2:15-2:55 Science Direct Instruction (live) Sample Middle School Schedule 8:50 - 9:30 Period 1 9:32 - 10:22 Period 2 10:24 - 11:14 Period 3 11:16- 12:06 Period 4 12:08 - 12:58 Period 5 12:58 - 1:28 Lunch 1:28 - 2:18 Period 6 2:20 - 3:10 Period 7 PLEASE NOTE: Failure to respond on or before July 21st will result in Plato determining in which learning mode (face-to-face or distance) your child(ren) will be placed, in order to safely balance learning options for students and teachers. If you have any questions, please let me know, and I will be happy to provide any assistance to help you make the best decision for your family. Go Bolts! In Partnership, 2020/2021 Parent Survey for ReOpening Choice First 9 weeks. : https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc7bqfopLQoonreg-TFBa1ifSrcwjOreGJVAI_c1MMNOaMXFQ/viewform?usp=sf_link Sincerely, Amber Sipe , M. Ed. Principal Plato Academy Palm Harbor 1601 Curlew Rd. Palm Harbor, FL 34683 727-205-6360 [email protected] Home of the Thunderbolts! |
Plato Academy Mission Statement
January 2021
|