Dear Rock Hill Schools Staff and Families,

When we announced our Back to School Plan on July 23, we made a commitment to work toward a full five-day in-person return for all students as soon as it was safe to do so. We began the school year with an A Day/B Day two days per week schedule. Next week, we will take an additional step towards this goal by welcoming back our Pre-Kindergarten through second-grade students as well as other selected groups as recommended by our state superintendent of education and determined by school and district administration.

This decision is based on a thorough evaluation of the number of COVID-19 cases in our schools, feedback from parents and employees, and examination of disease activity in York County. Further, we recognize our youngest learners are the most vulnerable and need to be in school five days a week at this time. With this transition, Pre-Kindergarten through second-grade students will attend school in person, five days per week beginning Tuesday, November 10. Our third through fifth-grade students will return full time the week of November 30, pending any unforeseen changes to COVID activity in our schools. Virtual Academy students will continue to maintain their current schedule.

To ensure a successful and smooth return for students, Monday, November 9, will be an e-Learning Day for all elementary students (Pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade) to allow teachers additional time to plan for this schedule change. Students can expect to receive assignments for Monday later this week while at school or online through SeeSaw and Canvas.

We all want this change to be as positive as possible for our children. To help support your child and our schools, please consider the following:

Plan for new safety measures. New DHEC guidance for schools offers additional clarity on how schools and districts are to handle classroom setup and potential COVID spread. If all three of the following conditions are met, students would not be considered a close contact in the event another individual in the class contracts COVID.

• Students have appropriate plexiglass protection while seated at a desk,
• Students wear masks or face coverings, and
• Students are seated three feet or more apart.

As a result, students and staff will have fewer mask breaks than what has been practiced over the past several weeks. Students will be sitting closer together and all students will have see-through plexiglass partitions installed at each desk. The increase in the number of students in each classroom will be a change for our students and staff, and we ask for your patience as new routines are established.

Plan for extended traffic times. Drop off and pick up times at schools may take a little longer. Over the first few days of our new schedule, please get an earlier start to allow for smoother transitions for everyone. Before leaving home in the mornings, parents are encouraged to have everything (bookbag, mask, lunch, jacket, etc.) ready for arrival at school.

Plan for bus transportation. We will continue to be limited to 67% capacity on each of our school buses. With increased ridership expected, we are currently finalizing adjustments to bus route schedules for morning and afternoon routes. For the latest information on bus schedules, please access our real-time bus tracking app Versatrans MyStop available for Apple and Android devices. More information on bus tracking is available on our website, www.rock-hill.k12.sc.us/bus.

Plan for new routines and schedules at school. Things will be different once we increase the numbers. It will take a little longer for anything and everything to happen. Parents are encouraged to determine what impact daily face-to-face instruction will have on schedules of extracurricular activities. Will some of those commitments be too much? Has there been a consistent bedtime? Is there a good routine for mornings that allows everyone to get where they need to go without stress and frustration?

Plan for the backup plan. On Thursday, March 12, 2020, we had no idea that day would be the last day we would have students on our campus last spring. While we are hoping for the best that we will return to school full-time, we know that a class or grade level or school may be isolated due to COVID at a moment's notice. Know that we are working to prepare classrooms, adjust our procedures, and make needed changes so this transition will be successful for our students. Know that we need your help in that process in the days ahead. Any change, even positive change, produces stress and anxiety.

Please know that the health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority. We will continue to follow safety protocols aligned with expert health guidance to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect the health of our students and staff.

As we begin this transition, we remind you to be vigilant in protecting yourself and those around you from this disease. If you develop any COVID-19 symptoms, please stay home, consult a healthcare provider, and notify the school office.

We look forward to returning our face-to-face students to full five-day in-person learning soon. Once again, thank you for all you are doing to support our students.

For further updates on our reopening plan, visit www.rock-hill.k12.sc.us/rh5day.

Dear Rock Hill Schools Staff and Families,

When we announced our Back to School Plan on July 23, we made a commitment to work toward a full five-day in-person return for all students as soon as it was safe to do so. At this time, we have decided to move to full in-person teaching and learning for Pre-K through Second Grade, effective November 10, for all A day and B day hybrid model students. Additionally, we have set a target of November 30 for Third through Fifth Grades and secondary students at the start of second semester.

We have made this decision based on a thorough evaluation of the number of COVID-19 cases in our schools, feedback from parents and employees, and examination of disease activity in York County. Further, we recognize our youngest learners are the most vulnerable and need to be in school five days a week at this time. With this transition, Pre-K through Second Grade students will attend school in person, five days per week beginning November 10. 

The health, safety, and well-being of our school community remains our top priority. We will continue to follow sound protocols aligned with expert health guidance to ensure we are doing everything to protect the health of our students and staff. 

To that end, staff and students will be required to wear face coverings or masks and engage in social distancing to the greatest extent possible. We will also encourage frequent hand-washing and thoroughly clean and disinfect all high-touch surfaces and common areas on a regular basis. By combining the A and B student schedules, we understand there will be a need to modify classroom arrangements and allow teachers to plan. As a result, Monday, November 9 will be an e-learning day for all elementary students to allow staff time to prepare for the return of Pre-K through Second Grade students on Tuesday, November 10. 

This change to in-person learning only applies to our Pre-K through Second Grade elementary students currently enrolled in the A/B in-person, hybrid model. At this time, our students in the Rock Hill Schools Virtual Academy will continue in the remote-only learning option. Virtual Academy students at the elementary and middle levels have made the commitment to participate for the school year, while high school students will have the option of returning to in-person learning at the semester break.

As we begin this transition, I remind you to be vigilant in protecting yourself and those around you by practicing all safety protocols. If you develop any COVID-19 symptoms, please stay home, consult a healthcare provider and notify the school office. Further, we encourage you to try to limit in-person interactions with other individuals as much as possible away from campus to minimize the risk of contracting and spreading the disease among our faculty and staff.

We look forward to returning to full in-person teaching soon. Your principal or supervisor will follow up with more details on making the transition. Once again, thank you for all you are doing for our students. 

For further updates on our reopening plan, visit www.rock-hill.k12.sc.us/rh5day.

Sincerely,

Bill Cook, Ed. D, Superintendent