April 14, 2020 Mr. Michael Coykendall 217 W. Walnut St. Hastings, MI 49058 Dear Michael: Consistent with Governor Whitmer’s Executive Order 2020-35, this letter shall serve as official notification that the Ferris State University Charter Schools Office has reviewed the Battle Creek Monterssori Academy (BCMA) Continuity of Learning Plan and it has been approved. Thank you and the entire BCMA team for your attention to this important matter. Two important things now need to happen:

1. The full Board needs to hold a meeting to approve the plan, PRIOR to April 28, 2020. Since the Stay Home Order will still be in effect at this time, this meeting should be conducted electronically.

2. The approved plan (attached here with signature) must be placed on the academy’s website. These are unprecedented times in our country and the K-12 field, and it seems that every day brings new information, guidance, and requirements for all of us. As your Authorizer, we remain committed to helping our academies navigate these issues and to providing support to you and the academy staff in successfully enacting their remote learning plan, Please do not hesitate to contact Sharon Hopper (SharonHopper@ferris.edu) if you have any questions about virtual Board meetings, or me (RonaldRizzo@ferris.edu) if I can be of any assistance. Thank you, take care, and remain safe. Sincerely,

Ronald S. Rizzo, Ph.D. Director cc. Ms. Jessica Eldridge, Headmaster Mr. Stan Rathbun, Choice Schools Associates Ms. Sharon Hopper, CSO Mr. Art Willick, CSO

TRANSMITTED VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL

ContinuityofLearningandCOVID-19ResponsePlan

BattleCreekMontessoriAcademy

April2020

AsaresultofCOVID-19andtheclosingofschoolbuildingsforthe2019-2020SchoolYear,schooldistrictsmustsubmitaContinuityofLearningandCOVID-19ResponsePlan(“Plan”)inordertocontinuetoreceivestateaidforoperations.Althoughschoolsareclosedandnotprovidingin-personinstruction,teachingandlearningmustcontinue.Michiganeducatorshavebeencalledtoprovideourstudentswithcontinuedlearning.

Therearevariedstatesofreadinesstoprovidecontinuityinlearningamongdistricts.Evenwithindistrictsofmultipleschoolsites,therearevariedstatesofreadiness.Itisexpectedthatschoolswillprovideinstructionatadistanceusingavarietyofmethodsthatmeetlocalneeds,includingprintedmaterials,phonecontact,email,virtuallearning,oracombinationtomeetstudentneeds.Weshouldavoidassumingthatcontinuityinlearningcanonlyoccurthroughonlinemeans.

Whilemanyeducatorshavebeenprovidingdistancelearningopportunities,theGovernor’sExecutiveOrder(EO2020-35)requiresallschoolstobeginprovidinglearningopportunitiesforallstudentsnolaterthanApril28,2020.Districtswhoareabletobegintheirplansearlierareencouragedtodoso.

EachDistrictshallsubmitasinglecompletedAssuranceDocument,BudgetOutline,andContinuityofLearningPlantoitsIntermediateSchoolDistrict.EachPublicSchoolAcademyshallsubmitacompletedAssuranceDocument,BudgetOutline,andContinuityofLearningPlantoitsAuthorizer.AsingleApplicationshouldbefiledforthedistrictratherthanmultipleapplicationsforindividualschoolswithinadistrict.ThefollowingitemsarerequiredfortheapplicationwhichmaybesubmittedbeginningApril8,2020:

1. AssurancesDocument2. ContinuityofLearningPlan3. BudgetOutline

ContinuityofLearningandCOVID-19ResponsePlan(“Plan”)GuidingPrinciples

AsDistrictsandPublicSchoolAcademiescompletetheAssurancesandContinuityofLearningPlans,theyshouldconsiderutilizingthefollowingprinciplestoguidetheirwork:

KeepStudentsattheCenter

Intentionaloutreachtocontinuebuildingrelationshipsandmaintainconnections.Helpstudentsfeelsafeandvalued.Atminimum,plantodothefollowing:

● PlanforStudentLearning:Buildoneachstudent’sstrengths,interests,andneedsandusethisknowledgetopositivelyaffectlearning.

● DevelopaWeeklyPlanandSchedule:Offerroutinesandstructuresforconsistencyandforthebalancingofthinktime,worktime,andplaytimeforhealthandwell-being.

● ContactFamilies:Partnertosupportstudentlearningthroughongoingcommunicationandcollaboration.Thiswillnotlookthesameforeverystudentandfamily—safetyremainsthepriority.Providetranslationsasnecessary.

DesignLearningforEquityandAccess

Plananddelivercontentinmultiplewayssoallstudentscanaccesslearning.

● TeachContent:Setgoalsusingknowledgeofeachstudent,contentareastandards,andofMichiganMeritCurriculum.

● DeliverFlexibleInstruction:Considerhowtodelivercontentdependingontoolsandresourcesaccessibletoeachstudent.Alternativemodesofinstructionmayincludeuseofonlinelearning,telephonecommunications,email,virtualinstruction,videos,slideshows,project-basedlearning,useofinstructionalpackets,oracombinationtomeetdiversestudentneeds.

● EngageFamilies:Communicatewithfamiliesaboutengagementstrategiestosupportstudentsastheyaccessthelearning.Familiesarecriticalpartners.Providetranslationsasnecessary.

AssessStudentLearning

Manageandmonitorstudentlearningandplanwhat’snextforlearningincluding

thepotentialneedforsummerandsupplementallearning.

● CheckStudentLearning:Useavarietyofstrategiestomonitor,assess,andprovidefeedbacktostudentsabouttheirlearning.

● MakeInstructionalAdjustments:Useformativeassessmentresultstoguideeducators’reflectiononeffectivenessof instructionandtodeterminenextstepsforstudentlearning.

● EngageFamilies:Communicatewithfamiliesaboutassessmentresultsinordertoinformnextstepsandthepotentialforsupplementalsummerlearning.Providetranslationsasnecessary.

ContinuityofLearningandCOVID-19ResponsePlan(“Plan”)Assurances

DateSubmitted:

NameofDistrict:BattleCreekMontessoriAcademy

AddressofDistrict: 399N20thStreet,Springfield,MI49037

DistrictCodeNumber:13900

EmailAddressoftheDistrict:jessicaeldridge@choiceschools.com

NameofAuthorizingBody:FerrisStateUniversity

ThisAssurancedocumentneedstobereturnedtoyourIntermediateSchoolDistrictor,forPublicSchoolAcademies,yourAuthorizingBodywithyourContinuityofLearningPlanandBudgetOutlinebeginningApril8,2020toindicatethattheDistrictwilladoptaplantoensurecontinuouslearningforallstudentsthroughtheremainderofthe2019-2020schoolyear.

Districtsshouldsubmitasingledistrictplanthatrelatestoalloftheirschools.

TheapplicantherebyprovidesassuranceitwillfollowtherequirementsforaPlanfortheremainderofthe2019-2020schoolyear:

1. Applicantassuresthatallstudentlearningwilltakeplaceunderthedirectionofateacherofrecordforeachstudentenrolledinthedistrict.

2. Applicantassuresthatitwillcontinuetopayschoolemployeesduringthebalanceofthe2019-2020schoolyearunderthesametermsandconditionsestablishedpriortotheschoolclosureorderperiod.

3. ApplicantassuresthatthePlanwasdevelopedincollaborationwithdistrictadministrators,schoolboardmembers,teachers,andlocalbargainingunits.

4. Applicantassuresthatfooddistributionhasbeenarrangedfororprovidedforeligiblestudents.

5. ApplicantassurescoordinationbetweenapplicantandIntermediateSchoolDistrictinwhichtheDistrict/PSAislocatedtomobilizedisasterreliefchildcarecenters.

6. ApplicantassuresthattotheextentpracticabletheDistrict/PSAwillingoodfaithprovidestudentswithIEPs/Section504Planstheopportunitytoparticipateinlearningconsistentwithexistingplans.

7. ApplicantassuresthatContinuityofLearningandCOVID-19ResponsePlan,AssuranceDocument,andBudgetOutlinewillbepostedimmediatelyfollowingapprovaltotheDistrict’s/PSA’swebsite.

ContinuityofLearningandCOVID-19ResponsePlan(“Plan”)

ThegoalofaContinuityofLearningPlanandCOVID-19ResponsePlanistoensurethateachDistrictorPublicSchoolAcademyisproviding,tothebestofitsability,eachstudentwithalternativemodesofinstructiontohelpthemstayonpaceintheirlearning.Thisapplicationrecognizesthatthereisno“one-size-fits-all”solution;multiplemeansofengagingstudentsandsupportingfamiliesmaybenecessarythatmayvarybygradelevel,schoolbuilding,orstudentpopulationserved.

ForthepurposesofthePlan,“district”referstoschooldistrictsandpublicschoolacademies.

DateSubmitted:APRIL 9, 2020

NameofDistrict:BattleCreekMontessoriAcademy

AddressofDistrict:399N20thStreet,SpringfieldMI49037

DistrictCodeNumber:13900

EmailAddressoftheDistrictSuperintendent:JessEldridgejessicaeldridge@choiceschools.com

BoardContact:MikeCoykendall,BoardPresident/StanRathbun,BoardLiaison

NameofAuthorizingBody:FerrisStateUniversity

InaccordancewithExecutiveOrder2020-35aPlanmustincludeallofthefollowingparts:

1. Pleasedescribethemethodsthedistrictwillusetoprovidealternativemodesofinstructionotherthanin-personinstructionandasummaryofmaterialseachpupilandthepupil’sparentsorguardianswillneedtoaccessmeaningfullythealternativemodesofinstructionincludedinthePlan.IfthePlanreliesonelectronicinstruction,thePlanmustensuretotheextentfeasiblethatpupilshaveaccesstoaconnecteddevicecapableofaccessingtheelectronicinstructionandmustnotpenalizeapupilforthepupil’sinabilitytofullyparticipate.

“Alternativemodesofinstruction”meansmodesofpupilinstruction,otherthanin-personinstruction,thatmayinclude,withoutlimitation,partnershipswithotherdistrictsorintermediatedistrictsorcommunitycollegesorinstitutionsofhighereducation,useofvendors,useofonlinelearning,telephonecommunications,email,virtualinstruction,videos,slideshows,project-basedlearning,useofinstructionalpackets,orahybridofmultiplemodesoflearningthatstillpromoterecommendedpracticesforsocialdistancingtomitigatethespreadofCOVID-.

District/PSAResponse:

BattleCreekMontessoriwillbeprovidinginstructiononlinethroughuseofFreckleandKhanAcademy.Studentsandteacherswillmeetaminimumofonceperweekforvirtuallessons.Familiescanaccessweeklyworkplansonourwebpage,https://battlecreekmontessori.com/online-continued-learning/.Throughinformationobtainedfroman“AccesstoTechnology”Survey,BattleCreekMontessoriAcademyhasidentifiedstudentswhowillneedalaptoporchromebooktobecheckedoutfromtheschoolforhomeuse.FamiliesmayalsochoosetohaveMichiganStandardAlignedpacketsmailedtothemweekly,inplaceoftheonlinelearningplatform.

2. Pleasedescribethemethodsthedistrictwillusetokeeppupilsatthecenterofeducationalactivities,includingoutreachtocontinuebuildingrelationshipsandmaintainconnections,andtohelppupilsfeelsafeandvalued.

District/PSAResponse:

BattleCreekMontessoriAcademywillusetheAcademy’swebsite,socialmedia,USPostalmail,email,amongstotheravenuestocontinuecommunicationwithstudentsandfamilies.BattleCreekMontessoriAcademystaffwillreachouttofamiliesatleastonceaweektoprovideguidance,assurance,andtonurtureschool-homerelationships.Teacherswillmaintainregularofficehours,inwhichtheycanrespondtostudentrequests.Forstudentswhohavespecialeducationprogramsandservices,wewillbeinitiatingacontingencyplan,withparentinput,toaddresstheneedsofeachindividualstudent.StudentswithIEPswillbeprovidedwithlearningopportunitiesinthesamemannerasgeneraleducationstudents.Theselearningopportunitieswillincludeaccessibilityoptionsaswellasmaterialsthathavebeenaccommodatedandmodified.Teacherswillbesupportingstudentsthroughvirtual,socialmedia,orphonecontact.

3. Pleasedescribethedistrict’splanstodelivercontentinmultiplewayssothatallpupilscanaccesslearning.

District/PSAResponse:

BattleCreekMontessoriAcademywillusemultipleresourcestodeliverinstruction,inadditiontoFreckleandKhanAcademy,teacherswillteachlessonsusingZoom.Packetswillbemailedouttostudentsonaweeklybasisforthosestudentswhodonothaveaccesstotechnologyorpreferpacketworkoveronlinework.FamilieswillreceiveweeklyplansFridayafternoonforthefollowingweek,theseplansarealsopostedonline,https://battlecreekmontessori.com/online-continued-learning/.Forstudentswhohavespecialeducationprogramsandservices,wewillbeinitiatingacontingencyplan,withparentinput,toaddresstheneedsofeachindividualstudent.StudentswithIEPswillbeprovidedwithlearningopportunitiesinthesamemannerasgeneraleducationstudents.Theselearningopportunitieswillincludeaccessibilityoptionsaswellasmaterialsthathavebeenaccommodatedandmodified.Teacherswillbesupportingstudentsthroughvirtualorphonecontact.

4. Pleasedescribethedistrict’splanstomanageandmonitorlearningbypupils.

District/PSAResponse:

Teachersareencouragedtomakeaminimumofonceperweekofindividualizedcontactwiththeirstudentstoprovideassignments,discusscompletedworks,reassignactivitiesthatdidnotmeetmastery,provideadditionalresourcesforlearning,answerquestionsfromlessonworkprovided,andcheckontheirwellbeing.Studentscompletingpacketswillsharepicturesoftheircompleteworkviaphotos,sharedthroughRemindoremail.Studentsandfamiliesareencouragedtoalsoreachouttotheirteachers.Thiswillallowtheteachertoassesstheprogressandlearningneedsofthestudent.Allteachers,uponthestartofthe20-21schoolyear,willassessstudents’pre-existingknowledgeincludingthecontentfromthefinal19-20schoolyeartrimester.

5. PleaseattachabudgetoutlineestimatingadditionalexpendituresassociatedwiththePlanandsourcesofrevenuetopayforthoseexpenditures.

District/PSAResponse:

Postageformailingpacketshome

$150Weeklyfor8weeks

1,200.00

GF

Additionalpaperandinkcosts

$50weeklyfor8weeks

400.00

GF

Stipendforinternet/datastaff

$60permonthfortwomonths,20staffmembers

2,460.00

GF

Gradelevelappropriatebooks

$20perstudent,180students

3,600.00

GF

Total 7,660.00

6. Pleasedescribethemannerinwhichdistrictadministrators,boardmembers,teachers,andanyrepresentativesofteacherscollaboratedindevelopmentofthePlan.

District/PSAResponse:

Schooladministrationpartneredwithrepresentativesfromtheeducationalstaff,membersofthemanagementcompany,andotherschoolleaderstocreate,discussandprovideinputfortheplan.Theplanwasthengiventorepresentativesofteachingstafftodiscussandprovideinput,oncefeedbackwasreceivedtheplanwasfinalized.ThePlanwascommunicatedtotheSuperintendentwhointurn,communicatedtheinformationtotheschoolboardforapproval.

7. PleasedescribethemethodsthedistrictwillusetonotifypupilsandparentsorguardiansofthePlan.

District/PSAResponse:

BattleCreekMontessoriAcademywillprovidetheinformationontheplantostudentsandparentsimmediatelyuponapproval.Aformalletterwillbewrittentoourcommunityoutliningstudentandparentexpectations,aswellasaccesstotheentireplan.ThisletterwillbesentthroughMailChimptoparentcontactinformationandviaUSPostalMail.ThisletterwillalsobepostedtoourschoolFacebookpagetoensureparentshavebeencontacted.TheplanwaspostedtoourwebsiteandamessagewillbesentviaSchoolMessengertoparentstoinformthemofthislocation.

8. PleaseprovideanestimateofthedateonwhichthedistrictwillbeginimplementationofthePlan,whichmustbenolaterthanApril28,2020.

District/PSAResponse:

ThedistrictestimatesthatthePlanwillbeimplementednolaterthanApril20,2020.

9. Pleasedescribetheassistance,totheextentfeasible,topupilsenrolledinanypostsecondarydualenrollmentcoursesunderPublicActof,asamended,MCLandCareerandTechnicalPreparationAct,PA,asamended,MCL.toincompletingthecoursesduringthe-schoolyear.

District/PSAResponse:

N/A

10. Pleasedescribehowthedistrictwillcontinuetoprovideorarrangefor

continuationoffooddistributiontoeligiblepupils.

District/PSAResponse:

BattleCreekMontessoriregisteredfortheSchoolMealsClosureProgram,andfamilieswerealertedbyemail,Remind,Facebook,andourwebsiteoftheschoolsthatprovideamealprogram(includingBattleCreekMontessori).FamilieshavealsobeenreferredtousetheSchoolClosureMealProgram(MeetUpandEatUp)interactivemap,ortextFOODto877-877,tofindmealsintheirimmediatearea.Familieswerealsoreferredtolocalfoodpantries,viaemail,bycalling211andthroughourschoolwebsite’sCOVID-19resourcewebpage.MealscanbepickedupMondaythroughFridayatBattleCreekMontessoriAcademyfrom11:30a.m.-12:30p.m.inourparkinglot.Eachchildreceivesabreakfastandlunch.

11. PleaseconfirmthatthedistrictwillcontinuetopayschoolemployeeswhileredeployingstafftoprovidemeaningfulworkinthecontextofthePlan,subjecttoanyapplicablerequirementsofacollectivebargainingagreement.

District/PSAResponse:

AllemployeesareexpectedtoparticipateintheapprovedContinuityofLearningPlanandmaybeaskedbytheschoolleadertoworkinaroledifferentthanwhatwasintheiroriginalofferofat-willemploymentforthe2019-2020schoolyear.Schoolleaderswilltakeeachemployee'sstrengthsandgrowthplansintoconsiderationwhenmakingtheseassignmentsandwillcommunicatethemclearlyinwritingtoeachhourlyemployeeassignedtoadifferentrolethanwhatwasstatedintheirofferofat-willemployment.

EmployeesassignedtotheAcademyintheboard-approvedbudgetwillbepaidasoutlinedintheirsignedofferofat-willemploymentforthe2019-2020schoolyear.Theoffersofat-willemploymentforthe2019-2020schoolyearhavenotbeenamendedduetocircumstancessurroundingCOVID-19.Iftheschool'sspringbreakfallsduringtheclosure,hourlystaffwillbepaidandwillnothavetousePaidTimeOff(PTO).TeachersarerequiredtoprovidetheirstudentswithlearningopportunitiesasoutlinedintheapprovedContinuityofLearningPlanandinaccordancewiththeexpectationsoftheschoolleader.

Ataminimum,hourlystaffwillbepaidbasedontheaveragenumberofhoursworkedduringanormalweek.Theaveragehoursofanormalweekwillnotincludeovertime.Iftheschoolleaderasksanhourlyemployeeinwritingandinadvancetoworkbeyondtheaveragenumberofhoursofanormalweek,thehourlyemployeewillbepaidforthoseleaderapprovedhours.Hourlyemployeeswillbeaskedbytheschoolleadertohelpwithtaskstoassistwiththecontinuityoflearningplans.

12. ProvideadescriptionofhowthedistrictwillevaluatetheparticipationofpupilsinthePlan.

District/PSAResponse:

Ifastudentdoesnothaveaccesstotechnology,teacherswillkeeptrackofwhichstudentsarecompletingtheweeklyinstructionalpacketsviaparentandstudentcontactsviaphone,email,Remind,andFacebook.Ifastudenthasaccesstotechnology,teacherswillusetheinstructionalplatformtomonitorstudentwellbeing,engagement,andcompletionofassignments.Teacherswillalsokeepalogofcommunicationwithstudentsandfamiliestoensurecommunicationwithparentsandstudents.Whencompletionand/orcommunicationfromstudentsareinconsistent,staffwillintervenetoensureaconnectionismade.Asupportteamofstaffmembershasbeenestablishedforthispurpose.Ifcommunicationcannotbeestablishedfollowinginterventionbythesupportteam,theschoolleaderwillcollaboratewiththeteacheranddevelopaplantoconnectwiththestudentandfamily.

13. PleasedescribehowthedistrictwillprovidementalhealthsupportstopupilsaffectedbyastateofemergencyorstateofdisasterpromptedbyCOVID-19.

District/PSAResponse:

Aspartofthecommunicationwithstudents,teacherswilltalkaboutquestions,fears,concerns,andideasthattheirstudentsmayhaveduringthiscrisis.BelowareresourcestosharewithparentstohelpthemtalkwiththeirstudentabouttheCOVID-19outbreak:

● Talkingtokidsaboutthecoronavirus–ChildMind● JustforKids:Acomicexploringthenewcoronavirus–NPR● Talkingtoteensandtweensaboutcoronavirus–NYTimes● PBSvideosandresources● JEDFoundation-JEDexiststoprotectemotionalhealthandprevent

suicideforournation'steensandyoungadults.Text"START"to741-741orcall1-800-273-TALK(8255)○ https://www.jedfoundation.org/covid-19-and-managing-

mental-health/● Coping&DealingwithCOVIDviaCDC● NationalAssociationofSchoolPsychologists● SupportingstudentswithAutismSpectrumDisorderandCOVID-19

Additionally,theprincipalwillholdweeklymeetingswithteacherstoidentifyanyadditionalstudentsorfamiliesinneed.Iftherearespecificconcernssharedbyteachers,staffwillreachouttofamiliesandstudentstoassessanyneedsandprovidesupportsforstudentsandfamilies.

MentalHealthHelp:24-HourCrisisPhoneNumber

CalhounCounty

• 800-632-5449

14. PleasedescribehowthedistrictwillsupporttheeffortsoftheintermediatedistrictinwhichthedistrictislocatedtomobilizedisasterreliefchildcarecentersasdescribedintheExecutiveOrder-oranyexecutiveorderthatfollowsit.

District/PSAResponse:

Atthistimethelogisticalabilitytoallowfordisasterreliefchildcarewasnotanoption.Parentscangotowww.helpmegrow-mi.org/essentialtofindchildcare.

Optionalquestion:

15. DoestheDistrictplantoadoptabalancedcalendarinstructionalprogramfortheremainderoftheschoolyear?DoestheDistrictplantoadoptabalancedcalendarinstructionalprogramforthe-schoolyear?

District/PSAResponse:

Notatthistime

NameofDistrictLeaderSubmittingApplication:JessicaEldridgeDate

Approved:4/14/2020

NameofISDSuperintendent/AuthorizerDesignee:Dr. David Eisler, President,

Ferris State University

DateSubmittedtoSuperintendentandStateTreasurer:4/14/2020

ConfirmationapprovedPlanispostedonDistrict/PSAwebsite:4/22/2020