Superintendent Update 7/13/2020
What will be happening this fall for our students in regards to opening of school is all over the media, as it should be. We take our education very seriously and want to do what is best for students. Even though the media has focused attention on all three scenarios noted below, I and the vast majority of educators want all students to return to school. However, we will strive to make sure that safety of students and staff is a large part of the planning process.
In-person learning for all students: All students attending school with enforcement of social distancing and other safety protocols in place.
Hybrid model with strict social distancing and capacity limits: Similar to #1 but with only 50% capacity of students in the building.
Distance Learning Only: Very similar to what we did this past spring.
We currently have two planning committees to plan for our options for this fall. An Operations Committee and a Teaching and Learning Committee. The Operations Committee will focus on the planning on how we create a safe environment depending up which scenario we are in during the year. We want to make sure we have enough mitigation strategies in place to create safe learning environments. The Teaching and Learning committee will focus more on the instructional delivery of curriculum within the scope of the three options. In any of the possible three scenarios, much work will have to be done to make sure we are responding to the needs of the students at any given time throughout the year.
One of the concerns related to this fall that I have had questions on lately is about transportation. We continue to look for guidance on this issue from MDE and MDH. I know there are some students and parents concerned about students being in such close proximity on a school bus. If you are one of those parents, now would be a good time to start planning on some alternative plan to get your child to school outside the bus transportation system that we offer.
I know very well as we continue to close in on the opening of school there is a heightened level of anxiety of the unknown. I wish there was something I could tell you to calm the anxiety. Please continue to follow the website for the most current updates. If you have any questions or concerns do not hesitate to contact me. The best way to reach me is through email. My email address is: gwinter@isd740.org
Greg Winter, Superintendent