Middle School

To ensure the health and safety of our children during arrival and dismissal, we have made some adjustments to our morning and afternoon procedures. 

Arrival and Dismissal:

• Please note that the first 5th and 6th grade class is at 8:00, 7th grade at 8:10, and 8th grade at 8:20.  We ask that families not have their child arrive on campus until ten minutes before their start time (with exceptions for siblings with earlier start times) to ensure a staggered start and appropriate distancing for the students.

• Fifth and sixth graders will be dismissed at 2:30 p.m., seventh graders at 2:40 p.m., and eighth graders at 2:50 p.m.

Transportation

• Those students traveling by B&B, CTS and Dattco (Town of Westport) will follow the safety procedures implemented by the providers, following guidelines set forth by the State of Connecticut.

• All of our vehicular transportation providers plan to operate van and bus service close to capacity with heightened health and safety protocols, and operators and students are required to wear face coverings.

• Transportation plans from B&B, CTS and Dattco (Town of Westport) will be available soon.

• Specific procedures for students arriving by train or car in the week prior to the start of school.

In line with the GFA Mission, we are committed to partnering with students and families in creating an environment where our core values (passion, integrity, empathy, curiosity, and excellence) can be supported. While we need to create new protocols to allow for the health and safety of all members of the community, we remain committed to the building of community and providing an academic experience that effectively prepares our students. 

• Middle School classes are purposely divided by grades and students will be divided into grade-only cohorts to interact with students in their grade to support the required appropriate physical distancing.

• All Middle School students will have Advisory on a regular basis where they will connect with their Advisor, prepare for the coming school day, and build community with other students.

• Classes will last sixty minutes with five minute passing time between classes. 

• Each grade will only take classes with students in that grade.

• The schedule is staggered so fifth and sixth-grade classes start and end at the same time, seventh-grade classes start and end 10 minutes later, and eighth-grade classes start and end 20 minutes later.

• Three times a week we will have full MS Announcements which will be streamed into Advisory rooms.

• Students (including eighth graders) will be in the Bedford Gym for Study Hall during any non-scheduled periods. The Gym will be divided into grade-specific desks to ensure proper grade cohorting.

• In lieu of Harkness tables, most rooms will have desks set up to allow for appropriate physical distancing; students will not move them unless asked by the teacher.

• Upon entering the classroom students will set up in their desks with their backpack beside them.

• Students will wipe down their desk with the available materials before starting class.

• During class, students must keep their masks on unless they are outside and physically distanced, and invited by their teacher to remove their masks.

• Desks must stay in their location unless moved by the teacher.

• Teachers may release students, individually, to go to the bathroom or to wash their hands.

The health and safety of all members of our community  (students, faculty/staff, and parents) are paramount. As a result, reasonable guidelines will be in place to ensure the safety of everyone.  

• All members of the community (students and faculty/staff) are expected to monitor their health and not come to school when they are ill.

• Students will be expected to wear face masks at all times they are in the building or not physically distanced outside.

• Students are required to wash their hands upon arrival at school, before and after recess, before and after lunch, and at the end of the day.  

• Student lockers will not be available.

• Students should make sure to have all of their own materials (paper, pencils, charger, etc.) to minimize the sharing of supplies.

• One-way paths will be created around the school.

• Class times are staggered to ensure fewer students moving around the campus at the same time.

We understand some students (or faculty) may not be able to attend school in person. For those people, we will create an opportunity for classes to be streamed and the work to happen remotely. Hybrid learning is defined as when classes are happening in person at school but the student or faculty member is unable to be on campus. Remote learning is defined as the experience when classes are not able to happen on campus.

Hybrid Learning

We understand some students may not be able to attend classes at times because of family health circumstances. We are committed to allowing these students to continue their education while off campus. However, faculty will not be able to create separate educational experiences for students while they are not on campus. 

• Faculty are expected to post homework to PowerSchool for the coming week by 6:00 p.m. on Friday.

• Students are expected to follow the PowerSchool page for updates to the weekly syllabus.

• Students will have the ability to connect with the classes through Zoom (or another application). This technology will focus on the teacher and not on students in the classroom.

• Work should be turned in to the teacher in the manner prescribed by that teacher (PowerSchool, Google Docs/Folders, among others).

• If a student is unable to attend school and complete their work because of illness or another situation for an extended period, the student (or parents/guardians) should communicate with the school (to Drew Meyer or Carolyn Skiba) and gain approval for the absence.

Remote Learning

When school is unable to meet in person, we are committed to providing an educational experience that will enrich our students. Our commitment is to create opportunities to create community and connect with each other, build skills for our students to ensure their success, and keep our kids engaged in the learning process.

• Each faculty member’s PowerSchool page will have a Remote Learning Tab with specific links for their class.

• Each grade will set up a Google Doc that will be shared with students with all of the links for the classes in one place.

• The Remote Learning Schedule will balance academic demands while being cognizant of student overexposure to devices and the need for screen-free breaks.

• The schedule will contain shorter class periods with longer “passing time” between classes.

• Advisors, who will meet with their Advisees on a daily basis, will be the primary touchpoint for those students’ parents.

• There will be clearly marked entrances and exits to the building for each grade/division.

• There will be clearly marked one-way corridors throughout the school.

• All members of the community will be expected to follow the protocols listed.

• We will plan to offer an afterschool opt-in athletics program starting towards the end of September, assuming conditions allow us to do this safely.

• Performing and Visual Arts will be modified given new health protocols. More details about this will follow in future communications.

Play and Recess are extremely important elements for students, but these will be more complicated to provide while conforming to the required physical distancing protocols.

• Every student will have an opportunity to be outside and get a break during the school day.

• We will have more faculty watching the students during these break times to ensure physical distancing.

• Students can take off their masks outside assuming they are appropriately distanced.