August 27, 2020
On August 20, 2020 Governor Whitmer signed House Bill 5913 into law as Public Act 149. Section 98a states that in order to receive state aid for 2020-2021, districts must provide for instruction under an extended COVID-19 Learning Plan (“Plan”) that has been approved by an intermediate district or authorizing body. The Plan does not replace the District’s/PSA’s COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan, it is an additional plan that includes new assurances and sections on educational goals, instructional delivery, grading, and equitable access. PA 149 does not apply to districts that operate as a cyber school.
District/PSA educational goals written for all students and all subgroups must be established no later than September 15, 2020 and submitted in their Plan to the ISD or Authorizing Body, as applicable, no later than October 1, 2020 for approval. ISDs and PSAs will transmit the approved plan to the state superintendent of public instruction and the state treasurer.
Honey Creek Community School Extended COVID-19 Learning Plan
Address of School District/PSA: 235 Spencer Lane
District/PSA Code Number: 81901
District/PSA Website Address: www.honeycreekschool.org
District/PSA Contact and Title: Al Waters, Executive Director
District/PSA Contact Email Address: awaters@hc.wash.k12.mi.us
Name of Intermediate School District/PSA: Washtenaw intermediate School District
Name of PSA Authorizing Body: Washtenaw Intermediate School District
Date of Approval by ISD/Authorizing Body:
Assurances
1. The District/PSA will make their ISD/Authorizing Body approved Extended COVID-19 Learning Plan accessible through the transparency reporting link located on the District’s/PSA’s website no later than October 1, 2020.
2. The District/PSA will create and make available on its transparency reporting link located on the District/PSA’s website, a report concerning the progress made in meeting the educational goals contained in its Extended COVID-19 Learning Plan not later than February 1, 2021, for goals its expected would be achieved by the middle of the school year and not later than the last day of school of the 2020-2021 school year for goals the District/PSA expected would be achieved by the end of the school year.
3. Benchmark Assessments: The District/PSA will:
select a benchmark assessment or benchmark assessments that is/are aligned to state standards.
administer the approved benchmark assessment, or local benchmark assessment, or any combination thereof, to all pupils in grades K to 8 to measure proficiency in reading and mathematics within the first nine weeks of the 2020-2021 school year and again not later than the last day of the of the 2020-2021 school year.
4. If delivering pupil instruction virtually, the District/PSA will:
provide pupils with equitable access to technology and the internet necessary to participate in instruction, and expose each pupil to the academic standards that apply for each pupil’s grade level or courses in the same scope and sequence as the District/PSA had planned for that exposure to occur for in-person instruction.
5. The District/PSA, in consultation with a local health department will develop guidelines concerning appropriate methods for delivering pupil instruction for the 2020-2021 school year that are based on local data that are based on key metrics. Note: A determination concerning the method for delivering pupil instruction shall remain at the District/PSA Board’s discretion. Key metrics that the District/PSA will consider shall include at least all of the following:
COVID-19 Cases or Positive COVID-19 tests
Hospitalizations due to COVID-19
Number of deaths resulting from COVID-19 over a 14-day period
COVID-19 cases for each day for each 1 million individuals
The percentage of positive COVID-19 tests over a 4-week period
Health capacity strength
Testing, tracing, and containment infrastructure with regard to COVID-19
6. If the District/PSA determines that it is safe to provide in-person instruction to pupils, the District/PSA will prioritize providing in-person instruction to pupils in grades K to 5 who are enrolled in the District/PSA.
7. The District/PSA assures that:
instruction will be delivered as described in this plan and re-confirmed by the District/PSA Board,
the description of instructional delivery in this plan matches the delivery of instruction to be delivered during the 2020-2021 school year,
the District/PSA will re-confirm how instruction will be delivered during the 2020-2021 school year thirty days after ISD approval of the plan, and every 30 days thereafter at a meeting of the Board, and
public comment will be solicited from the parents or legal guardians of the pupils enrolled in the District/PSA during a public meeting described in PA-149.
8. The District/PSA will ensure that students with disabilities will be provided with equitable access to instruction and accommodation in accordance with applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations.
9. The District/PSA will ensure that two (2), 2-way interactions occur between a pupil enrolled in the District/PSA and the pupil’s teacher or at least one (1) of the pupil’s teachers during each week of the school year for at least 75% of the pupils enrolled in the District/PSA. The District/PSA will publicly announce its weekly interaction rates at each District/PSA Board meeting where it re-confirms show instruction is being delivered. The District/PSA will make those rates available through the transparency reporting link located on the District/PSA website each month for the 2020-2021 school year.
Al Waters, Executive Director
September 30, 2020
Learning Plan Narrative
Opening Statement
• Please provide a statement indicating why an Extended COVID-19 Learning Plan is necessary to increase pupil engagement and achievement for the 2020-2021 school year.
The COVID-19 global pandemic is impacting our school community in a number of ways: we are experiencing a traumatic event, many students may have significant gaps in their learning, and equity issues are more pronounced.
As we return to school in the fall, our first priority will be to ensure the well-being of all members of our school community. Because of the wide range of experiences students had during the remote learning portion of the 19-20 school year, we anticipate that students will come to school in the fall of 2020 with a wider than usual range of competencies. We expect that many students will be behind and will need opportunities to catch up. Teachers will need opportunities to collaborate with each other as they examine student work and determine what comes next in the learning for each student.
As Honey Creek Community School plans to begin the school year in an online learning environment, we will need to ensure that there are structures in place to ensure student engagement and achievement for all. This plan will focus on teaching and learning with an emphasis on equity for all learners and the well-being of students and staff.
Educational Goals
• Please outline and describe the educational goals expected to be achieved for the 2020-2021 school year. The District/PSA must establish all of its goals no later than September 15, 2020. Authorizing bodies expect PSA educational goals will be aligned to the educational goal within your charter contract.
• Specify which goals are expected to be achieved by the middle of the school year and which goals are expected to be achieved by the end of the school year.
• Ensure that all of the following apply to the educational goals described in this section: (a) The goals include increased pupil achievement or, if growth can be validly and reliably measured using a benchmark assessment or benchmark assessments, growth on a benchmark assessment in the aggregate and for all subgroups of pupils; (b) The District/PSA benchmark assessment(s) are aligned to state standards and will be administered to all pupils K-8 at least once within the first 9 weeks of the 2020-2021 school year and not later than the last day of the 2020-2021 school year to determine whether pupils are making meaningful progress toward mastery of these standards; and (c) the District’s/PSA’s educational goals are measurable through a benchmark assessment or benchmark assessments.
• To the extent practicable, the District/PSA will administer the same benchmark assessment or benchmark assessments that it administered to pupils in previous years.
Quality Evidence-Based Assessment Practices
Honey Creek Community School believes that benchmark assessment evidence can be used to monitor and evaluate patterns and trends in academic performance and to identify effective instructional approaches. We believe it can provide guidance for standardizing or adjusting curriculum and instruction across grade levels and the school.
However, we will not use benchmark assessment data to make high-stakes instructional decisions about individual student learning. Rather, Honey Creek Community School will
continue the use of the formative assessment process as a powerful practice embedded in the teaching and learning process to continuously observe where our students are in order to modify instruction. Additionally, we will continue to utilize our personalized approach to instruction and project-based assessment to guide students toward greater levels of achievement.
We believe the use of the formative assessment process and project-based assessment,
which are supported by an extensive body of research, provides in-time data for both our teachers and students to accelerate their learning and progress and gives us a more
complete picture of what our students know and are able to do.
Educational Goals
The DIBELS assessments and local assessments in reading and mathematics will be administered to all students in Kindergarten through third grade three times per year: once in the first nine weeks of the school year, once in January, and again prior to the last day of school. Formative assessments will provide information to inform our progress toward our goals over the course of the year. Progress reports will be available on our website in February and June.
Students in grades 4 through 8 will be assessed in reading and mathematics three times per year with the Smarter Balance Benchmark Assessment: once in the first nine weeks of the school year, once in January, and again prior to the last day of school. Formative assessments will provide information to inform our progress toward our goals over the course of the year. Progress reports will be available on our website in February and June.
As a means of continuous improvement in teaching & learning, all teachers will receive
professional development in, and commit to the use of, Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, which focuses on the value of formative assessment.
Additionally, we will continue to engage stakeholders in the district’s balanced assessment system, including publicly sharing aggregate and student subgroup performance reports on assessment results.
Goal 1 - All students (K-8) will improve performance in Reading/ELA from Fall to Spring as measured by our benchmark assessments.
● All teachers will use the formative assessment process to support adjustment to teaching & learning, to support meaningful student progress towards mastery of Reading/ELA academic standards.
● Results from Reading/ELA benchmark assessments, local Reading/ELA summative assessments, and formative assessment will be continuously discussed and analyzed by staff.
Goal 2 - All students (K-8) will improve performance in Mathematics from Fall to Spring as measured by our benchmark assessments.
● All teachers will use the formative assessment process to support adjustment to teaching & learning, to support meaningful student progress towards mastery of Math academic standards.
● Results from Math benchmark assessments, local Math summative assessments, and formative assessment will be continuously discussed and analyzed by staff.
Instructional Delivery & Exposure to Core Content
• Please describe how and where instruction will be delivered during the 2020-2021 school year. (e.g. instruction may be delivered at school or a different location, in-person, online, digitally, by other remote means, in a synchronous or asynchronous format, or any combination thereof).
Note: The Honey Creek Community School full instructional plan can be found at
Mode of Instruction
To start the school year, all K-8 students will attend school online in both a synchronous and asynchronous manner. Attendance and participation is expected and will be monitored.
School level teams, specials teachers, and educational service providers have developed and published schedules for any required class, group or individual meetings. These meetings are published both in the schedule, in the Otus online curriculum hub, and on the class Google calendar so that families can subscribe.
Regular Base Class Meetings will take place weekly for all grade levels at staggered times so that families with children in multiple grades are able to connect children one at a time. See master schedule.
Weekly small group meetings will be held for all subject areas for K-5 students. Twice weekly small group meetings will be held for all subject areas for middle school students. We did our best to anticipate the scheduling needs of families with multiple students and will make accommodations by request when possible.
K-5th Grade teachers will provide instruction in Language Arts, Mathematics, and Theme (science/social studies) daily. Students will also receive instruction in Art, Music and Physical education weekly. Online instruction will be delivered in both a synchronous and asynchronous mode allowing families to determine the best approach for their child.
2nd-8th Grade students will also receive weekly instruction in Technology.
5th-8th Grade students are invited to sign up for band.
Middle School teachers will provide instruction in Language Arts, Mathematics, Science
and Social Studies through a block schedule.
Necessary materials will be distributed at our scheduled materials pick up and drop off hours. Online instruction will be delivered in both a synchronous and asynchronous mode allowing families to determine the best approach for their child.
• Please describe how instruction for core academic areas will expose each
pupil to the academic standards that apply for each pupil’s grade level or
course in the same scope and sequence as the District/PSA had planned for
that exposure to occur for in-person instruction.
Note: The Honey Creek Community school full instructional plan can be found at https://www.honeycreekschool.org/post/honey-creek-community-school-covid-19-preparedness-and-response-plan
Curriculum and Instruction: Academic Standards
The Honey Creek Community School curriculum for core academic areas is aligned to state standards and housed in Atlas Rubicon. As teachers navigate the wider than usual range of competencies expected this fall, they will rely on their training in Classroom Assessment for Student Learning, and use results from pre-assessments to inform instruction and prioritize K-8 instructional standards for the 2020-2021 School Year. Through the use of CASL they will implement instructional approaches to meet the range of student needs as they return to school in the fall, identify assessment ideas that allow students to demonstrate understanding in a variety of ways, assess and provide instruction in the content areas in a virtual environment. Our teachers work to engage students remotely, they will use best practices for remote learning which include:
● Attending to student and family needs
● Nurturing a positive home climate for learning and parental involvement
● Establishing and maintaining remote classroom norms and learning routines
● Implementing culturally responsive teaching practices
● Encouraging student collaboration and discourse
● Creating opportunities for and attending carefully to feedback
● Engaging students in meaningful learning opportunities
• Please describe how pupil progress toward mastery of the standards described within this section will be graded or otherwise reported to the pupil and the pupil’s parent or legal guardian.
Assessment and Grading
Honey Creek Community School bases its assessment system on the Michigan Standards, and used a standard-based system for assessing its students. We regularly assess students at the school and classroom level to determine if they are making progress toward meeting those standards. We place a heavy emphasis on formative assessment as well as project-based assessments. This is critical in the instructional process so that students receive timely feedback that helps them know what they need to do to improve. It also gives the teacher important information to know how to adjust the teaching and learning process to meet each student's needs.
We also have a system for delivering summative assessments at the school and classroom levels. These are given at the end of a period of learning as an evaluation of what has been learned and are part of our district evaluation process. For example, our teachers deliver summative assessments at the end of each unit of study in our curriculum. These assessments are based on a coherent set of standards in the subject area that focus on a related group of skills and disciplinary knowledge. We also utilize project-based assessments which allow for greater creativity and the opportunity for students to demonstrate their abilities in a variety of ways.
We make available to our parents and legal guardians a web-based system that allows them to see their children’s assessments at any time. Our teachers keep up-to-date information on student performance in this system. We also send progress reports to our parents and guardians during each marking period. This is in addition to the expectation we have for all teachers that they keep parents and guardians abreast of any concerns regarding a student’s performance through emails and phone calls. Finally, we send out to parents report cards at the end of each marking period.
Equitable Access
• If delivering pupil instruction virtually, please describe how the District/PSA will
provide pupils with equitable access to technology and the internet necessary
to participate in instruction.
Technology
Honey Creek Community School ensures all students will be provided equitable access to technology and the internet as described in our Continuity of Learning Plan that was previously submitted to the state. The Honey Creek Community School system for maintaining student access to technology devices and the internet is described in the Continuity of Learning Plan, and again at https://www.honeycreekschool.org/post/honey-creek-community-school-covid-19-preparedness-and-response-plan
• Please describe how the District/PSA will ensure that students with disabilities will be provided with equitable access to instruction and accommodation in accordance with applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations.
Students with identified special needs
When school starts, students’ IEPs, IFSPs, and 504 plans will be reviewed in coordination with general and special education teachers and/or providers to address any data-driven accommodations and/or services that are needed due to known changes in students’ needs.
Honey Creek Community School has established structures for general and special education teachers and/or providers to collaborate and communicate regarding student performance and student needs on IEP goals and objectives with special consideration regarding assistive technology and accessibility. Resources to consider: Alt+Shift consultation or web resources at https://www.altshift.education/resources/remote-learning-resources
The district ensures a continuation of services for students receiving speech and language, occupational therapy, physical therapy, or social work services within their IEP. The district also ensures a method for the continuation of evaluation for students suspected of having a disability as well as those requiring re-evaluation. Honey Creek’s special education providers will develop a Contingency Learning Plan (CLP) if any part of a student’s IEP, IFSP, or 504 cannot be met or delivered to the same standards in a remote learning environment. The CLP is the vehicle by which Honey Creek will document its efforts to “…strive in good faith and to the extent practicable based upon available resources, technology, training, and curriculum, as well as the circumstances presented by COVID-19, to provide equal access to any alternative modes of instruction to students with disabilities” (Executive Order 2020-142). The CLP will consider accessibility, including accommodations and modifications, and will document efforts which are focused, consistent, detailed and demonstrates Honey Creek’s good faith attempt to provide programs and services to students with IEPs, IFSPs, and 504 plans.
• Optional Considerations for District/PSA Extended COVID-19 Learning
Plans:
1. In addition to the students with disabilities noted above, please describe how the District/PSA will ensure that the needs of other vulnerable student populations, such as but not limited to, early English Learners and Fledgling/struggling students, are met.
2. Please describe how the District/PSA will ensure that students will, during pandemic learning, have continued access to programs such as, but not limited to, Early Childhood, CTE, Early-Middle College, Dual Enrollment and Advanced Placement as applicable within the District/PSA.
1. Honey Creek Community School will continue to provide English language services through a distance model of instruction. Incoming ELL students will be assessed with the WIDA screener and services will be provided as needed. Needs of struggling learners will be addressed through out three tiered system of support.
2. Honey Creek Community School is a K-8 public school academy. We do not provide the programming itemized in item 2.