Updated: January 7, 2022
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Thank you for your patience and understanding this week as we worked through the delayed return to school. We are looking forward to seeing your children in classes on Monday, January 10. Please make sure to do your health check for symptoms before sending your child to school and have them stay home if they are sick.
Schools have re-visited their plans and will be emphasizing health protocols in keeping with the most up to date guidelines. You may have new entrances, staggered breaks and lunches, and in some high schools there have been adjustments to the timetable. Please make sure to check school web sites for updates.
In the coming weeks we do not know what the landscape will look like, but we do foresee considerable changes. Information from Public Health has highlighted that the COVID-19 Omicron Variant transmission and incubation times are now more rapid than previously seen. We also understand that individual contract tracing, as we have known it, will no longer continue.
Schools have been working to develop contingency plans for potential staff shortages and the District has developed plans to support schools where possible or, if necessary, announce a Functional Closure of a specific school(s) if the lack of available staff does not allow for safe operation of the school(s).
If a Functional Closure Occurs:
- Essential health workers’ children or children with diverse and complex needs may still attend as per usual as long as that can be staffed.
- Schools (staff) are expected to have rolling, flexible 5-day plans that could be easily engaged by students in the event of a closure.
- Until we have more information, a Functional Closure would be for 5 instructional days from the announcement
- Schools would shift to a remote or virtual/online delivery with staff checking in on student progress
- It would be announced as soon as possible the day/evening before
Parent Communication
- The initial communication to parents of a functional school closure will come from the Superintendent.
- Communication platforms will include district website, school website, MyEd email, and radio broadcast.
- Parents will be directed to school administration for follow up questions
We will update parents as more or new information becomes available.
The next few months may be quite challenging, and we appreciate your patience as we are going to have to make difficult decisions. Again, we would like to thank families for all the support you have shown us through this pandemic. Please help us to keep our school communities safe and open. We appreciate your kindness and understanding.
Sincerely,
Christy Fennell
Superintendent
