American Rescue Plan Act

 

ARP Planning Survey

 

District Planning Survey 2022-2023 (google.com)

 

Public Access to Records and Information

 

Paper copies of District Plans will be made available to the public upon request. Please contact the District Office at 315-324-5931.

 

Hammond Central School District

2021-22 School Year Plan for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Fund

 

Overview

 

The American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) Fund under the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021, Public Law 117-2, was enacted on March 11, 2021.   ARP ESSER provides a total of nearly $122 billion to States and school districts to help safely reopen and sustain the safe operation of schools and address the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the nation’s students.

 

All LEAs must reserve at least 20 percent of funds to address learning loss through the implementation of evidence-based interventions and ensure that those interventions respond to students’ social, emotional, and academic needs and address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on underrepresented student subgroups. The remaining LEA funds may be used for a wide range of activities to address needs arising from the coronavirus pandemic.

 

ARP Funds Use

 

Hammond CSD meaningfully engaged a diverse and representative set of the applicable stakeholders in developing a plan to use these funds and implementing that plan. The LEA surveyed staff and community and posted the google form on website for any community member as a way for them to provide the district with feedback on how the funds could be used.  An informational presentation was also given at a Board meeting. Information continues to be updated on the district website.

 

Hammond Central School District will gather continuous feedback regarding our ARP Plan from the community through an open online survey posted on our website.  We will also elicit feedback from our reopening committee. Our reopening committee was formed at the onset of the pandemic and this committee consists of stakeholders from the community, as well as, representatives from teachers, extended day partners, building and grounds, cafeteria, administrators, and transportation.

 

To continuously and safely reopen and operate schools, the district will use funds to implement prevention and mitigation strategies that are, to the greatest extent practicable, consistent with the most recent CDC guidance on reopening schools. Funds will be used for the following:

 

• Purchase air purifiers to improve the indoor air quality in the school facility;
• Have necessary PPE and sanitizing supplies readily available to include masks, gloves, wipes, and sanitizing sprays and cleaners;
• To allow for learning spaces and activities to the greatest extent possible, the district will purchase new classroom student and teacher seating (desks and chairs), cafeteria tables, and banquet tables with chairs;
• Have access to water bottle filling stations for drinking water and also reduce student-student exposures; and
• Appoint a support staff aide to assist school nurse and assist with general office duties; and
• Upgrade the public address system and related equipment to ensure announcements and information is shared throughout the school.

We recognize that we will see an increased need in the area of academic intervention services as students return to full in-person learning five days a week beginning in the fall of 2021.  To address the academic impact of lost instructional time through the implementation of evidence-based interventions, the required reserve of 20% of funds will be used to:

• Update and expand the use of educational technology (Promethian/Cleartouch Panels, chromebooks, tablets and i-pads) to increase our abilities to create an interactive collaborative learning space;
• Provide ongoing professional development with an Instructional Technology Coach on the use of technology and software programs to promote student engagement and differentiation;
• Provide after school and summer stipends to teachers to attend professional development on the use of technology and integrating technology into curriculum and instruction;
• Appoint a Teacher Assistant at the elementary level to ensure small group instruction at the Tier III intervention level;
• Appoint a school Counselor to support social emotional learning and home school connection;
• Offer afterschool programming and 1:1 tutoring for grades 7-12 that focuses on academic skills and strategies as students transition back into in-person instruction;
• Continue and expand summer learning and enrichment activities for students in grades K-8 to focus on literacy and math, social emotional learning, enrichment activities, and credit recovery;
• Support after school and summer programming by purchasing student snacks, educational materials and supplies for crafting, STEM, environmental and enrichment activities;
• Support classroom instruction by purchasing calculators and math manipulatives to allow for differentiation and math learning processes;
• Purchase norm referenced achievement test (WIAT) and kindergarten screening tool (Brigance) to assess student skills and learning;
• Host Rich Johns’ Point Break Program to maintain and create stronger student connectedness and collaboration;
• Train selected staff in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention for Schools (TCIS) through Cornell University; and
• Provide professional development on co-teaching programs and strategies for special education programming with Julie Causten, Inclusive Schools.

 To identify student needs and monitor student progress as a result of planned interventions and supports, the district will continue to monitor student progress with i-Ready diagnostic testing, meet regularly to analyze diagnostic results, and develop and implement intervention strategies for struggling learners using a multi-tiered system of supports.  In addition, we will utilize progress monitoring data and individual student data (formative and summative assessments and observations) from teachers.  Other data we will collect and analyze is attendance, counseling records, and student/parent/teacher feedback surveys results.

The district will ensure that the interventions it implements, including but not limited to the interventions implemented under the required reserve of 20% of funds - to address the academic impact of lost instructional time, will respond to the academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs of all students.  Data will be collected on students’ academic progress via pre and post-tests and i-Ready benchmarking and progress monitoring.  Students' social emotional well-being will be monitored via classroom teacher observations and reports, school nurse, counseling services and guidance meetings.  Students will be referred to the Instructional Support Team to determine additional needed support to be provided either in school or through support from community agencies. 

 

Hammond CSD will utilize remaining ARP funds for other allowable uses.  The district will:

• Purchase new food preparation and storage equipment to update kitchen facility and allow continuation of food service (slicer, mixer, griddle, ovens, and refrigerator);
• Update equipment in the fitness room to promote student health and well-being;
• Provide students a well-rounded education by promoting student engagement and interest in music and the arts and STEM classes (art kiln and CAD printers); and
• Purchase a three-tiered riser platform for student celebrations and performances.

Public Access to Records and Information