Portsmouth committee approves emergency virtual instruction plan; administrators to tighten unified-arts expectations

The Portsmouth School Committee unanimously approved an updated emergency virtual instruction plan on April 14 that the district will submit to the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE). The plan, revised after the district’s recent five-day pivot to virtual learning, outlines expectations for elementary, middle and high school instruction during emergency remote days.

Superintendent Dr. Viveiros said Portsmouth has aimed to "get ahead" with the plan so it can pivot quickly when needed. Committee members raised concerns about the fidelity of unified-arts (UA) instruction during the blizzard week, noting some UAs had provided asynchronous activities that placed additional burdens on families. An administrator responded that the plan will be revised to require UAs to deliver live sessions when virtual learning extends beyond a single day.

The plan retains the district’s posture of using two traditional snow days before invoking virtual-day provisions, and it aligns instructional minutes to state requirements. Elementary expectations referenced in discussion included a requirement for at least three cumulative hours of synchronous instruction when appropriate for grade level and circumstances.

Committee discussion emphasized operational refinements: updating links and schedules within the plan, clarifying expectations for UA teachers, and ensuring consistent communication with families. With those clarifications and the UA change agreed to by administrators, the committee voted 7–0 to approve the plan.

The approval secures the district’s ability to use virtual instruction in future emergencies if RIDE grants approval; administrators said they would forward the updated plan to RIDE after incorporating the UA modification.