We, the undersigned members of the Providence Schools community, believe our schools to be unsafe and unprepared to reopen this Monday, September 14, 2020. Throughout the past two weeks, Providence teachers have documented conditions in school buildings, which include crumbling infrastructure, poor ventilation, and a deficit of PPE. While these challenges are certainly not new, they do pose a more significant threat to our physical well-being due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, for at least one month, students, families, and teachers have voiced their frustration and anxiety regarding PPSD communication with families, or lack thereof, especially related to scheduling.

In the midst of a pandemic and widespread social unrest, our students have endured stress and trauma for several months. Despite this, the Providence Schools reopening plan has further heightened students’ anxiety during the past several weeks, and especially the past several days as few or no updates have been provided to teachers or families leading into the weekend before the first day of school. Students are confused. They are discouraged. Families are upset. Teachers feel set up for failure.

The following list details the reasons we believe our schools are unfit to reopen, in person or virtually, on September 14:

Facilities and Supplies:

• Despite numerous assurances that school buildings would be deep-cleaned and sanitized prior to the start of school, classrooms are still unclean. Some appear untouched since mid-March.

• In the district’s COVID-19 reopening plan, we are assured proper ventilation in school buildings. Opening windows with box fans is an inadequate “ventilation system.” There appears to be no consideration for inclement weather, which is likely to begin in just a few weeks (we all know Providence has cold, rainy autumns).

• Schools are still lacking necessary, basic supplies, like hand sanitizer, soap, paper towels, disinfectant wipes, toilet paper, etc. We were promised an abundance of these supplies prior to reopening.

Technology:

• There has been no extension of the provision of wifi access for students who will be learning virtually, both for Virtual Learning Academy (VLA) students and in-person students during Distance Learning days.
  

• In some schools, Chromebook distribution has not yet been completed, including for VLA students.

Scheduling and Procedures:

• First and foremost, we are approximately one day away from the first day of school, and we still do not have completed class schedules, for students or teachers. How will students know whether or not they should attend in person on Monday morning? How will VLA and distance learning students receive Google Classroom codes and Zoom links when rosters are not finalized and likely won’t be until Monday morning? How can teachers properly prepare and plan when they do not know what class sections they are teaching?

• According to the daily schedules in some schools, there are lapses of time in which students are unsupervised in classrooms.

• In the reopening plan letter sent to families several weeks ago, it was noted that ELL students will return in person, regardless of grade level. This has not been mentioned since, nor is it accounted for in the schedules which have been released or classrooms which have been cleaned and socially distanced.

• There is no clear arrival procedure for students who walk or receive a ride to school.

• There is no clear bathroom procedure beyond instructions to notify the janitors if a student uses the bathroom. How many students are allowed to use the bathroom? How will teachers notify the janitors? How many bathrooms will be available for student use?

• There is no protocol for if a student attends school in person on the wrong day, whether accidentally or intentionally.

• During professional development, teachers did not review any emergency procedures, such as plans in case of fire, evacuation, or a lockdown.

Curriculum:

• Teachers and students have incomplete access to necessary materials for new curricula. Honestly, why do we have new curricula in nearly every subject this year? We understand the push to improve test scores, but we are in the midst of a pandemic, and this should not be our first priority. Rollout of new curricula should have been pushed to the 2021-2022 school year, especially considering that American Reading Company has very limited online resources at the middle school level.

• No grading framework has been communicated to teachers or families. Are teachers individually going to determine grading procedures? Is there a district-wide framework which will be used during this hybrid teaching time? Will VLA grading look different than hybrid grading?

Communication:

• Teachers have asked the district and school administration many, many questions which have all gone unanswered. During professional development days these past two weeks, teachers were provided with a Google Doc to type questions into, with the assurance that administrators would address them as soon as possible. This did not happen, as many administrators likely did not have time to even read through the questions asked.

• Daily rotation schedules and start times have not been communicated to families and students, still to this day. Reminder, school starts in approximately one day.

• Students have not been notified about meal time procedures.

• In general, there is a massive lack of communication with students and families from schools and the district. Many teachers have been in daily communication with former students. While this points to the strong relationship Providence teachers have developed with their students, it is not helpful because teachers are not privy to any additional information, so they are unable to answer any student and family questions or concerns.

We have been petitioning for student and teacher voice in the decision-making process since the Spring, but requests have been ignored. This petition is to demonstrate our standing together as a school community - students, teachers, parents/guardians, concerned Providence community members - to demand a seat at the table. For too long, our grievances have been pushed aside or used as a pawn in your political games. Our education is at risk. Our lives are at risk. Enough is enough. We request a delay in the reopening of Providence Schools until we have a THOROUGH reopening plan which prioritizes community SAFETY.

Respectfully,