Reconvening Our Community

Model 2.5: Enhanced Hybrid

Overview of Model 2.5: Enhanced Hybrid Teaching, Learning, & Community

The enhanced hybrid model will allow all interested students to engage with four days of weekly on-campus learning. In this model, we will maintain remote/virtual Wellness Wednesday programming to allow for midweek deep campus cleaning). This enhanced hybrid model will commence after spring break, beginning on March 29. Some important notes about this model:
  • To manage the significant logistics of increasing student capacity while maintaining COVID-safe practices, we will require that ALL students commit to four days of in-person programming (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays), or opt-in to 100% remote learning for the rest of the year. The option for students to attend class two days per week in person in cohort groups will no longer be offered. Additionally, there will be no option to flip back and forth between the models due to the significant logistics of  maintaining COVID-safe practices with increased student occupancy.
  • To aid in our planning, we ask that ANY families who prefer that their child remain in Model 3 (Remote Teaching and Learning) when we transition to enhanced hybrid as of March 29 opt into this through this new form no later than March 12 (this will allow us the time to reconfigure and reassign classrooms based on confirmed occupancy). 
    • Students who opt to remain in remote teaching and learning will engage with their academics remotely/from home (utilizing a variety of synchronous and asynchronous methods, based on the unique realities of each class).  
Note: All details shared below are subject to change based on evolving public health data and state directives.

Within the Enhanced Hybrid Teaching, Learning, and Community model, we will adhere to our four common goals in the following ways:

Goals of Model 2: Hybrid Teaching, Learning, and Community

List of 4 items.

  • Goal 1: MINIMIZE RISK THROUGH ADHERENCE TO COVID-19 SAFE PRACTICES

    We are committed to doing everything we reasonably can to mitigate risks in support of community health. This is critical to stop the spread of COVID-19, which is a requirement to support our second goal of maximizing in-person teaching, learning, and community. In order to do this we will: 
    1. Base Decisions in Data: 
    1. Take All Possible Measures to Prevent Communicable Spread: 
      • Weekly surveillance testing of 25% of our staffulty is being conducted.
      • All staffulty and students will be required to submit a daily health screening form PRIOR to coming on campus each day and will have to show the results of that screening and have their temperature retaken prior to entering the building of their advisory location each morning. 
      • Everyone on campus will be required to wear COVID appropriate masks at all times, except during eating and drinking, per State orders and CDC guidelines. Students and staffulty will be provided with a Bosque branded mask. Additional masks will be available for purchase at the Schoolhouse front desk (and billed to the student’s account). COVID appropriate masks can also be brought from home. 
      • Social distancing protocols will be implemented including:
        • Not exceeding the New Mexico Public Health Order for private schools to “operate with a maximum occupancy of 50% of any individual enclosed indoor space.”
        • Enhanced desk spacing.
        • Set traffic flow patterns through buildings with the use of external classroom doors for in/out traffic wherever possible to reduce internal congregation.
        • Locker access removed.
        • Common areas closed.
        • Use of outdoor spaces/classrooms encouraged.
        • Adherence to state-mandated group gathering guidelines.
      • In addition to Bosque's up-to-date ventilation system within buildings, airflow will be maximized through the use of open internal and external doors and windows (in classrooms and buildings), and the enhanced use of outside spaces.
      • Cleaning procedures will be enhanced including:
        • Hand sanitizer application upon entry and exit from all classrooms.
        • Disinfection of desks and high touch surfaces at the end of each class. 
        • Common areas cleaned throughout the day.
        • Bathrooms disinfected throughout the day.
        • Enhanced daily and weekly deep cleaning procedures completed by our licensed contractor,  including classrooms, common areas, door handles, bathrooms, and any other high touch areas.
      • Consistent and clear signage will be placed throughout the campus to reinforce good habits.
      • Consistent and clear education and reminders of handwashing, social distancing, and good hygiene procedures will be reinforced by staffulty.
      • Prior to getting on buses in the morning, students will have their temperature checked and must wear a mask for the duration of the ride.  
        • Parents will be required to stay with their child at the bus stop until these screening steps have been completed and their child has been cleared. 
      • Sick students and staffulty will be required to stay home and anyone displaying symptoms will be immediately isolated and sent home. Re-entry to school protocols will be clearly and consistently applied.
      • All non-essential visitors and volunteers will be restricted from campus until further notice, and all essential campus visitors (including parents/guardians and vendors) will be required to check in with front desk personnel, wear masks, and complete screening questions and a temperature check.
        • Parents/guardians should avoid exiting their vehicles during drop off/pick up unless they have an essential reason (such as signing in/out your child, dropping off something critical, a pre-arranged meeting, etc.) to be on campus, in which case, they will need to follow procedures above. 
      • High traffic areas (middle school and upper school front desks and the Business Office) will have plexiglass barriers installed. 
      • Dogs will not be permitted on campus due to high touch frequency and congregation likelihood. The only exception for this will be service dogs who have completed the formal process of on campus-approval and should not be touched by anyone but their approved handler. 
      • All staffulty, students, and family are asked to limit non-essential out of state travel and, if out of state travel is required, to follow the guidelines set forth by the New Mexico Department of Health. Given current state travel guidelines, students (and staffulty) who have traveled out of state will be required to provide a negative COVID test (taken, ideally within 3-5 days of return to NM) prior to returning to campus. As our pivot to enhanced hybrid will occur the first day after spring break, families should plan travel and testing accordingly. Students who travel over spring break and plan to start the enhanced hybrid model on March 29 will need to provide a negative test result to Nurse Justine prior to March 29. If this is not possible, students will need to remain in Model 3 (Remote Teaching and Learning) until they can provide this negative test result. Rapid testing is available at Southwest Labs and at CVS (CVS offers a self-administered test). Please discuss any questions you have about this with Nurse Justine.
    1. Promote Optimal Health:
      • Support the health and wellness of our community through thorough and thoughtful data collection [all medical records, physical exams, and up to date immunization records (or exemptions) obtained from families and comprehensively reviewed prior to the start of school and stored for all students].
      • Continued education and support for students and staffulty to build capacity for maintenance of physical and mental health.
    1. Collaborate and Support Our Community 
      • Provide flexible and creative ways for students who are unable to be on campus to authentically engage with their classes (utilizing a variety of synchronous and asynchronous methods, based on the unique realities of each class).
      • Provide an on-campus medical professional,  Justine Gutierrez (School Nurse),  to work in partnership with students, staffulty, and families. Email: justine.gutierrez@bosqueschool.org Phone: (505) 898-6388 X241
    Confidential Fax: 505-391-2721 (ONLY for Doctor’s Offices to fax documents)
    Read More

  • Goal 2: MAXIMIZE IN-PERSON TEACHING, LEARNING, AND COMMUNITY

    In light of New Mexico recently updating  the Public Health Order to increase private schools to a 50% occupancy limit, Bernalillo County moving from red to yellow with a positivity rate under 5%, COVID cases in NM reaching their lowest weekly averages since October, the lifting of the  14-day travel quarantine, and the continued COVID vaccine roll out, we will shift to an enhanced hybrid model, boosting student attendance to four days of weekly on-campus learning (maintaining remote/virtual Wellness Wednesday programming to allow for mid-week deep campus cleaning and consistency for student clubs/activities) as of Monday March 29.


    Model 2.5: Enhanced Hybrid Teaching, Learning, and Community Daily Schedule:
    Our faculty instructional committee will be discussing the best schedule to implement in the Enhanced Hybrid model and we will communicate this prior to March 29.


  • GOAL 3: BE PREPARED TO PIVOT

    Over the past five months, we have learned that our journey through this global pandemic requires significant patience, flexibility, and nimbleness. Bosque has always been known for its ethos of innovation and that has and will continue to help us as we acknowledge that the best laid plans can be turned upside down by factors beyond our individual control, at any point. We will be prepared to pivot into any of our models should on-campus or state health data, or mandates require this.

  • GOAL 4: WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR COMMUNITY IN SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY

    Now, more than ever, we all need to be working in partnership to support our students, school, community, and the world. We recognize that, due to the continued impact of COVID-19, this model of enhanced hybrid teaching, learning, and community represents some very different ways of “doing school” at Bosque, but we are confident that the value of enhanced time on campus, in person will far offset the inconveniences or disappointments of these required changes. 

    WHAT WE NEED TO ASK OF YOU:
    As parents and guardians, we implore you to help us help your children by:
    • Recognizing the critical contributions each of us needs to make towards positive trending of COVID data that will allow us to shift as soon as possible to our desired Model 1: Full-Time, In-Person Teaching, Learning, & Community. Please partner with us in supporting your child and family in consistent and sustained mask-wearing, social distancing, and healthy hygiene habits  at all times.  
    • Stay on the side of caution: If your child or a family member has any potential exposure to COVID or concerning medical symptoms (see Common Medical FAQs), please keep them home to assess the situation thoroughly, gain more information and reduce potential spread. 
    • Communicate closely with your child’s teachers, adviser, and Division Head if your child is struggling with the enhanced hybrid model, either academically or personally. 
    WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT OF US:
    • A commitment to creating the best model of Bosque’s academic and community program we can, through a combination of in-person and remote channels. 
    • A commitment to clear, consistent, and frequent communication.

FAQs Specific to MODEL 2.5: Enhanced Hybrid Teaching, Learning, & Community

List of 11 frequently asked questions.

  • What if I am not comfortable having my child start Enhanced Hybrid on March 29th but later feel comfortable with them making this shift?

    Should you change your mind and want to transition your child into in-person learning at any point, you will need to communicate this at least one week in advance of the anticipated first day on campus in an email to your child's Division Head. In order to adhere to COVID-safe practices, Administration must create a transition plan to reintegrate your child efficiently back to campus. Please do not send your child to campus until you have been notified by the Administration that they are cleared to attend in person.

  • What happens if teachers get sick or are exposed to COVID and can’t be on campus? Who will teach my children?

    We have comprehensive plans for coverage to respond to these types of potential situations. In very specific circumstances, it is conceivable some teachers could teach from home while streaming into their classrooms. If this were to happen, we would have an additional adult in the classroom to support student management and support. We have also hired a number of  full time teaching interns to help with subbing, and additional student support and coverage needs.

  • Can my child continue to only attend in-person instruction only two days a week or elect to attend some classes in-person and some classes remotely after March 29?

    No. To manage the significant logistics of increasing student capacity while maintaining COVID-safe practices, we will require that ALL students commit to four days of in-person programming (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays), or opt-in to 100% remote learning for the rest of the year. The option for students to attend class two days per week in person in cohort groups will no longer be offered. Additionally, beyond very specific extenuating circumstances (sickness, travel, COVID exposure, etc.) there will be no option to flip back and forth between the models due to the significant logistics of  maintaining COVID-safe practices with increased student occupancy. Should you initially opt-in to remote teaching and learning and later change your mind and want to transition your child into the enhanced hybrid model, you will need to communicate this at least one week in advance of the anticipated first day on campus in an email to your child's division head, Leslie O’Hanlon (Middle School), or Spree MacDonald (Upper School). In order to adhere to COVID-safe practices, administration must create a transition plan to reintegrate your child efficiently back to campus. Please do not send your child to campus until the administration has notified you that they are cleared to attend in person.

  • What if I already know that I want my child to remain in Model 3: Remote Teaching and Learning?

    Families are welcome to keep their child in Model 3 (Remote Teaching and Learning) when we transition to enhanced hybrid as of March 29th. We ask that all families opt into this through this new form no later than March 12 (this will allow us the time to reconfigure and reassign classrooms based on confirmed occupancy). 
    • Students who opt to remain in remote teaching and learning will engage with their academics remotely/from home (utilizing a variety of synchronous and asynchronous methods, based on the unique realities of each class).

  • Will you utilize outdoor classrooms?

    All of our teachers will have access to using our extensive outdoor space across our 42 acre campus for their classes and many classes will take advantage of this frequently. Additionally, many of our classrooms have internal and external doors that make accessing outdoor spaces seamless. Teachers will also be encouraged to teach outside.
    • We have added additional external WIFI hotspots which will allow streaming to occur from outside classrooms, as well as internal classrooms
    • To help support your child’s flexibility for outdoor learning you may want to consider investing in a lap desk. There are many options available (this one is inexpensive, highly rated, mobile, and lightweight). If you haven’t yet invested in a small camp chair or foam pad for outdoor use, this may also be something to consider.

  • Will you offer bus service? How will you mitigate risks?

    Yes. We will be providing morning and afternoon bus service for families who sign up. We will follow state guidelines pertaining to COVID safe practices of school bus transportation.
    • If you are considering the need for bussing, please complete the form below as our planning is highly dependent on potential numbers of students on each route. 
    • Prior to getting on buses in the morning, students will have their temperature checked and must wear a mask for the duration of the ride.  
    • Parents will be required to stay with their child at the bus stop until these screening steps have been completed and their child has been cleared. For more information about our bus service or to sign up, please click here.

  • How many students will be assigned to a classroom?

    All classrooms will be assigned based on adherence to state-mandated occupancy restrictions. Significant effort and expertise will be devoted to ensuring that we can maintain six feet of social distancing with more students on campus.  Classrooms will be assigned and reconfigured to support this. In some classrooms, desks and tables may be removed to allow for more spatial flexibility and students will only have chairs as furniture.  We are also expecting that with warmer weather, outdoor classroom use will be significant. To help support your child’s flexibility for these different configurations you may want to consider investing in a lap desk. There are many options available (this one is inexpensive, highly rated, mobile, and lightweight). If you haven’t yet invested in a small camp chair or foam pad for outdoor use, this may also be something to consider.

  • What if my child has to stay home at any point due to a potential exposure or positive COVID test? What happens to their learning?

    Your child will shift into  Model 3 (Remote Teaching and Learning) in these circumstances and engage alongside the remote cohort of students, (utilizing a variety of synchronous and asynchronous methods, based on the unique realities of each class). If this happens, please reach out to  Nurse Justine and your child’s division head if to alert them that your child will need to access their classes remotely.

  • My family is planning some travel out of state. What do I have to know about my child returning to campus?

    Given current state travel guidelines, students and staffulty who have traveled out of state will be required to provide a negative COVID test to Nurse Justine (taken within 5 days of returning to NM), before they are cleared  to return to campus. As our pivot to enhanced hybrid will occur the first day after spring break, families should plan travel and testing accordingly. If a negative test result is delayed, students will need to remain in Model 3 (Remote Teaching and Learning) until they can provide this negative test result. Rapid testing is available at Southwest Labs and at CVS (offering  a self-administered test). Please discuss any questions you have about this with Nurse Justine.

  • If we find ourselves in periods of hybrid or remote teaching and learning again this year, will we receive a tuition reimbursement?

    The true value of a Bosque School education is in the quality of education, the diversity of course offerings, the small student to teacher ratios, the commitment to and creation of community, the support of a whole child education through extensive curriculum and programming beyond core courses, and personalized attention for our students and families. These values do not change regardless of which model we need to implement.  Even though there are some facilities savings during periods of remote teaching and learning, our primary expense, the salary and benefits for our staffulty (over 75% of our annual operational budget), continues (and has increased as we have had to hire additional staffulty to support smaller class sizes and enhanced student supervision needs connected to risk mitigation strategies). Additionally, costs for the technology, sanitizing supplies and equipment, medical supplies, and facilities modifications are exponentially higher than normal. In light of all of these realities, we will be unable to provide any tuition reimbursements over the course of the 20/21 academic year, regardless of what models of teaching, learning, and community we may need to initiate.
4000 Bosque School Road NW
Albuquerque, NM 87120
505-898-6388