KCSD & Me: Important news
May 4, 2021
KCSD moving to four-day week because of increasing county COVID-19 rates
Dear KCSD community,
Klamath County’s COVID-19 case rates are among the highest in the state, and have been climbing for the past three weeks. The county’s risk level is extreme, which means we have widespread transmission of COVID-19. Counties qualify for extreme risk when their case rates are more than 200 cases per 100,000 population. Our county’s two-week lookback rate as of May 1 was 892 cases per 100,000.
This continued spread and high number of cases in the county is impacting the district’s ability to do business. As expected, we have had to quarantine students when a positive COVID-19 case is reported within their cohorts. This process is working, and so far there have been no reports of spread within our schools. However, these quarantines also include teachers, bus drivers, and other employees, and the continued community spread is putting a major strain on staffing resources throughout the district.
KCSD and Klamath County Public Health agree that our students need to remain in school as much as possible. To avoid returning to comprehensive distance learning for the remainder of the school year, the district will move to a four-day school week for students. This will allow us to concentrate our resources and maximize our ability to cover classes, bus routes, and other services.
Starting this week, students will no longer attend school on Fridays. There are five Fridays left in the school year -- May 7, May 14, May 21, May 28, and June 4. Friday, May 28 is already on the calendar as a no-school day. The last day of school for students is Thursday, June 10.
With this change, most of our students will attend four days of full-time, in-classroom instruction at school. Mazama High School students will continue on their hybrid schedules Monday through Thursday, but 9th- and 10th-graders will no longer attend on Fridays. Start and end times and bus schedules remain the same.
Among factors that contributed to our decision is not having an adequate number of substitute employees to cover for staff who must quarantine or who are ill. We are advertising to fill open positions, but are not getting many applicants.
We need our community to do its part to stop the spread of this virus if we want our schools to remain open. Please wear a mask, keep children home if they are not feeling well, and limit social gatherings. If you have not yet done so, consider getting vaccinated.
We understand this is one of many adjustments we have asked our families to make, and we appreciate your ongoing support. Together, let’s finish this year strong.
Respectfully,
Glen Szymoniak
Superintendent
Klamath County School District
It's Teacher Appreciation Week
Learn-to-ride programs kick off at Shasta, Henley schools
Shasta and Henley schools want to thank all their donors – Thomas Hoffar, Lisa and Paul Gearhard, Karly Glogowski, Jerry Ross, Holly Echeverria, Karen Poole, Country Financial, Sharon Maupin, Alison Andrews of Eco Solar, Inc., Amy Hathaway, Anna Butler, Tamara Walker, the Norton family, David Scott/Rodeos Pizza & Saladeria, Leslie Ager, Rene Rank, Trisia Brunson, Donna Wetter, Kristin M. Dodson, Rose Cleverly, Michael Bandfield, Fabian Baker, Theresa Ross, Sheryl Beverly, Ashton Greer, Deanna Hahn, Barbara and Jeff Chapman, Marianne K Yost, Beverly Leigh, Alyse Shetler, Kayla Wessel, Sherry Hutchinson, Tiffany Poe, Jessica Paddock, and Christie Sonneman. To you all: A heartfelt thank you from KCSD!
Click here the to read the full news release: Let's Ride Bikes!
School board election
Mazama robotics team wins state!
A Mazama High School team won the Oregon VEX Robotics Competition State Championship on April 17, qualifying for the world tournament next month.
Sophomores Matt Elfbrandt, Dylan Gerhardt, and James Ferguson of Mazama Team 5686E designed, built, and wrote code for a robot that outmaneuvered 34 teams from 10 high schools across the state. The team won the competition’s top honor, the Excellence Award, which included Zoom interviews with the judges, and was named Robot Skills Champion.
“It was really the programming that set them apart,” said Laura Nickerson, Mazama’s robotics coach and a STEM&M teacher. “They are only sophomores but have a lot of experience. I was anticipating they would do well.”
Read more: kfnews.org/mazama-robotics-af61f8
KCSD 2021-22 Budget Committee Meeting
Date: Thursday, May 6
Time: 5 p.m.
Details: To comply with the governor's directive and the move of Klamath County into the extreme category for COVID-19 cases, KCSD Board of Directors will conduct the May 6, 2021, budget meeting by video conference only. Members of the public may watch the board meeting live. Join the Zoom meeting: https://kcsd-k12-or-us.zoom.us/j/83226416795?pwd=ajlWSG9jQW9PT09qOE1ESEZWa0p0QT09Meeting ID: 832 2641 6795
Passcode: 039674
Members of the public may submit written comments for the public comment section via email to blands@kcsd.k12.or.us. Comments must be received by 12 p.m. (noon) on Thursday, May 6. Clearly label the subject line "Public Comment." Click on button below to read a copy of the proposed 2021-22 fiscal year budget.
Henley High student, staff honored for volunteer, outreach work
Henley High School student Grace Berardino didn’t let the COVID-19 pandemic stop her and her fellow Key Club members from helping their community.
Berardino, a junior, has led the school’s community service club since her sophomore year. She is a member of the school’s Hunger Not Impossible program, and volunteers at the Klamath Lutheran Food Pantry, the Klamath County Library’s summer program, Sky Lakes Medical Center, and as a member of the United Way of the Klamath Basin’s Fund Distribution Team.
For her commitment to community service, the 17-year-old was honored this month as a youth division Klamath Country Volunteer of the Year finalist, winning the award from judges at the United Way’s annual event. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, the annual banquet was canceled and winners were notified by mail. She is one of three youth finalist winners. Others are Daniel McVay and Saira Blevins of Klamath Union High School.
Henley teacher and Key Club advisor Linnae Salvati, who nominated Berardino for the award, pointed to her work with the school’s community service club as well as her ongoing efforts to reach out and find ways to help.
“She has been very active in extending our presence in the school and in the community,” Salvati said. “For a period, we had to temporarily suspend any school clubs and organizations. However, she did not want this to pause our work in the community. Therefore, she took it all upon herself to run the club, gather volunteers and reach out to organizations who may need to help to continue providing our hands and hours. She is always looking for areas of need in the community and then works diligently to meet those needs.”
"It had an immediate impact," said Principal Jack Lee, who nominated his staff for the award. "Students who hadn't been logging into to Schoology and doing the work, started doing so. Those connections made a big difference."