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Fredonia Central School District
American Rescue Plan - Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Program
(ARP-ESSER) Funding Plan

Brad Zilliox, Superintendent
Updated November 21, 2021

The 2020-21 enacted state budget includes language requiring local education agencies, such as school districts, that receive funding from the Federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund allocated by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP-ESSER) to post on its website a plan of how these funds will be spent.
New York has been allocated nearly $9 billion in ARP-ESSER funds, with a minimum of $8.09 billion (90 percent) going to local education agencies, including public schools. The Fredonia CSD will use their allocation to address the academic, social, emotional, safety and mental health needs of all students in alignment with our Mission to be a place of learning and exploring where individuals become their greatest selves.

Districts are required to prioritize spending on non-recurring expenses in the following areas:
► Safely returning students to in-person instruction
► Maximizing in-person instructional time
► Operating schools and meeting the needs of students
► Purchasing educational technology
► Addressing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on students, including the impacts of interrupted instruction and learning loss and the impacts on low-income students, children with disabilities, English language learners, and students experiencing homelessness
► Implementing evidence-based strategies to meet students' social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs
► Offering evidence-based summer, afterschool, and other extended learning and enrichment programs
► Supporting early childhood education.

In addition, districts must identify programs and services that will continue beyond the availability of these federal funds and how local funds will be used moving forward to minimize disruption to core academic and other school programs. Our programs, pending need and enrollment, will continue beyond the availability of these federal funds unless otherwise noted.

Before posting this plan, districts are required to seek public comment from parents, teachers and other stakeholders and take such comments into account in the development of the plan. In a continuing effort to ensure all stakeholders had the opportunity for input, the FCSD conducted on-line surveys, presented information at Board of Education meetings, included information in weekly Monday Updates, provided ongoing dialogue through faculty meetings, and weekly Administrative Council meetings. The district reviewed all stakeholder input in order to develop a plan for use of ESSER-ARP funds, as well as a plan beyond the availability of these federal funds in order to best meet the fluctuating needs of our students and community.

► Safely Returning Students to In-Person Instruction

The Fredonia CSD continues to commit to full day instruction, five days a week, for all students, grades UPK-12 as evidenced by the Reopening Plan for Fall 2021. Additionally, funding sources, including the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) have been used to purchase 1:1 chromebook devices for all students grades K-12 as well as laptops for all teachers. Should there be a pandemic emergency and schools closed to in-person learning, the district is prepared to go full remote for a temporary solution should students not be allowed to be in school for health and safety reasons related to COVID-19.

The Fredonia CSD regularly reviews the most recent guidance by the Department of Health (DOH), Center for Disease Control (CDC), and New York State Education Department (NYSED) regarding all aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic as it relates to public schools, including ventilation and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Should there be an unanticipated requirement, we will amend our grant and use these funds to purchase required PPE beyond what is currently included in the ESSER-ARP plan.

► Maximizing In-Person Instructional Time
The Fredonia CSD will maximize in-person instructional time by:
 Operating a full five day a week, full day instructional schedule for all students, UPK-12th grade
 Ensuring a remote instruction plan is in place should the need arise due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic
 Ensuring class sizes are reduced to meet the needs of all students as well as adhering to current health guidance
 The implementation of iReady for students in grades 1-8 as an assessment, benchmarking, and data tracking tool, and ensuring regular data review meetings to address ongoing learning needs for all students
 Offering a robust choice of courses for our HS students as well as accelerated math for students grades 7-9
► Operating Schools and Meeting the Needs of Students
In order to ensure a safe and responsive learning environment, the Fredonia CSD has:
 Anticipated additional hiring of a Registered School Nurse (RN) to support the work of COVID-19 contact tracing and coordination with the Department of Health, and act as a conduit of communication with district administrators
 Increase in MS/HS Special Education staff
 Increase in MS counseling staff
 Contracted with BOCES in order to provide services for our fluctuating ENL population
 Increasing in teacher aides
 Increase in elementary PE staff
 Working to create a new position for the district, Hispanic Outreach Coordinator
 Purchasing additional PPE and other necessary items to allow students to safely utilize the cafeteria
 Revamped schedules to allow for smaller groups to meet in areas such as cafeteria, auditorium, and gymnasium
 Additional hours, as needed, for custodial staff to ensure high levels of cleaning and disinfection throughout the district
 Conversion of storage space to instructional space to ensure safety of all students
 Continual assessment of air quality and ventilation system needs throughout the district

► Purchasing Instructional Technology
The Fredonia Central School District will be implementing a 1: 1 initiative effective fall 2021 in grades 1-12. Pending the release of Emergency Connectivity Funding, 1:1 implementation for K students would follow in the winter/spring of the 2021-22 school year as well as 1:1 laptop computers for all instructional staff. Upon release of the Smart Schools Bond Act funding, additional interactive flat panels in all classrooms could follow in the winter/spring of the 2021-22 school year. A device replacement cycle has been prepared to ensure the technology needs of students are met in the future. Finally, the district plans to update and increase our existing network infrastructure in order to ensure support of instructional technology campus wide.

► Addressing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on students, including the impacts of interrupted instruction & learnin2 loss and the impacts on low-income students, children with disabilities, ELLs, & students experiencin2 homelessness & Implementing evidence-based strategies to meet students' social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs
Recognizing the impact of interrupted instruction, the Fredonia CSD ensures all students have access to social, emotional, and academic support throughout the school year by:
• Increased resources for Second Step SEL program
• Increase in counseling staff
• Increase in Speech-Pathologist
• New position created in the district, Hispanic Outreach Coordinator
• Additional services through BOCES for ENL services
• Additional professional development for staff in grades 1-8 on the use of the iReady program, specifically for benchmarking, data collection and analysis, and use of the instructional materials available to support student learning
• Increased section of Kindergarten to ensure small class size student to teacher ratio
• Addition of an outdoor classroom for hands on learning through discover and play for UPK and K students
• Principals Pals, PRIDE, and PBIS are all in-house SEL supports for all students, K-12
• Professional development in the areas ofLGBTQ students, meeting HS graduation requirements, conducting learning assessment to determine needs, and training in best practice in literacy instruction for all students With the support of outside services and resources, students will have access to additional social, emotional and academic support throughout the school year. Resources include:
• Participation in the ICE8 Coordinated School Health Partnership forum with access to community resources for students and families. Meetings are held monthly and resources shared across the district
• Fredonia CSD Family Support Services is available to all families and led by our school social worker and provides families a way to connect with a host of community resources (food, clothing, housing, utilities, etc)
► Offering evidence-based summer, afterschool, and other extended learning and enrichment programs o o Summer School
■ K-12 Academic Summer School will include special education support, a well-articulated curriculum in ELA and Math, and ENL support
■ Transportation and breakfast will be provided for all students
o Extended Learning
■ 7-12th grade students will have the opportunity to utilize "9th Period" with their teacher for targeted academic support during the school year
o Enrichment Opportunities
■ The Fredonia CSD has begun the steps of creating an aviation/drone course for high school students. The instructor is receiving on-going training, materials are purchased, and the first pilot course is anticipated to begin winter 2022.
■ The district has applied to be a pilot district for the new IAAP (Individual Arts Assessment Pathway) with NYSED
► Supporting Early Childhood Education

 Increase in primary physical education staff to provide smaller classes, increased physical activity in the building, and classroom support for students in grades UPK and Kindergarten
 Addition of an Outdoor Classroom to provide hands on learning through play
 Additional section of Kindergarten to provide smaller class size
 Intent to utilize ARP funding to add additional staff such as a counselor or social worker specific to early learning (UPK-1 st)
 Contracting with BOCES for additional behavior support and professional development for our UPK-2 population
 ARP funding will be utilized to add an additional Technology instructor at the Elementary level
► Other areas of student performance and need
 An increased focus on student involvement and connection to school and the school community through extracurriculars that include sports, intramurals, clubs, social activities, and the arts
 Support for our staff through professional development in conflict management through CPI training (anticipated BOCES)