Ellington School Officials Submit Reopening Plan to State

ELLINGTON, CT — The Ellington Board of Education has unanimously endorsed the school administration's proposed school reopening plan for fall 2020, and submitted that plan to the Connecticut State Department of Education.

The school board and administration "recognize that the reopening plan will continue to be a working draft document as new developments in the health of Connecticut occurs throughout July and August," according to a written statement from Superintendent Scott Nicol.

"As there is still great uncertainty - it is more important than ever - for the Ellington Public
Schools to continue to receive guidance from state and local health experts and input from parents and staff to ensure thoughtful decisions are made regarding the reopening of school," Nicol wrote.

The plan outlines a framework to bring all students back to campus this fall which is rooted in science and data, as well as being consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations and the requirements and guidance from the Connecticut’s State Department of Education (CSDE) and Department of Health (DPH). Additionally, the plan addresses possible hybrid reopening models and distance learning program options that may very
well become a reality as matters of public health shift in the coming weeks.

Currently, state and local data puts Ellington in the category of Low Community Transmission. If that data holds, the district will bring back all students and staff in person, with restrictions. Under those conditions:

• Schools open
• Buses at full capacity
• Face coverings
• Identification/Isolation
• Cohorting
• Social distance
• Cleaning and sanitization

The complete 49-page reopening plan as submitted to the state may be viewed in its entirety at www.ellingtonpublicschools.org under Fall Reopening 2020.

"This plan provides a solid foundation - a good start - for the task of reopening schools," board vice chair Jennifer Dzen said. "Yet, it is premature for any decisions regarding a full in-person, hybrid, or distance learning reopening to be made at this time. What is important and has been made clear is that parents will have the option to have their child educated from home in an improved distance learning model. The Board of Education strongly encourages continued input from parents, students, and staff as we navigate the upcoming weeks."

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