Dear BICO Families,
We are writing to provide updated information regarding Extended School
Year Summer services which will start remotely on July 1st
.
On June 7th we received Summer 2020 Guidance from the Department of
Elementary and Secondary Education. The BICO Leadership team is
reviewing this guidance carefully in order to put forth our best effort in
determining if we can meet the requirements and provide, on a limited basis,
some in person instruction to students later this summer. Like all things
related to this pandemic and unprecedented time, the guidance and
requirements are complicated. In order to provide in person service and
instruction to students some of the necessary requirements include the
following:
 We must identify, purchase and have at our locations all of the
necessary protective equipment prior to providing in person instruction
to students. BICO has ordered the necessary PPE however we have not
received a shipping date and most of the required items are back
ordered.
 We must develop situation specific protocols as outlined in the DESE
guidance for health and safety procedures, screening and monitoring
protocols, personal care protocols for students who require assistance
with feeding, changing, toileting and protocols for students who may
require physical intervention and restraint, prior to providing any in
person instruction to students. BICO staff are working in teams to
develop these protocols.
 After protocols are developed, training needs to take place for staff on
the use of protective equipment as well as the protocols listed above,
prior to providing in person instruction to students.
We will begin summer services remotely and work hard to determine if we
can offer students some alternative in person options later this summer. BICO
staff wish more than anything to welcome students back to their learning
environments in the school setting. Our biggest concern is having the
necessary and required PPE delivered and on site.
The ESY 2020 Program Descriptions and Schedules for all BICO programs
beginning remotely on July 1st are attached. We will keep in contact with you
as we move forward with our planning to possibly offer some in person
instruction for students later in the summer.
On behalf of the BICO Leadership team, thank you for hanging in there and
working with us to get through this together. We appreciate your support and
understanding during this very challenging time.
Sincerely,
Arlene and the BICO Leadership Team