KCSD & Me #bethelight
Lights for seniors, learning updates, and more
April 16, 2020
In this newsletter, you will find information about:
- Oregon Department of Education guidance for 9-11th graders
- #bethelight: How your porch light can support the Class of 2020
- Crystal Apple award winners and an update on our celebration
- Grab and go sites and Wi-Fi hotspots provided by the district
Please continue check our website -- http://www.kcsd.k12.or.us/ -- and Facebook -- https://www.facebook.com/KlamathCountySchoolDistrict/ for updated information, fun photos, and positive stories about district staff and students.
To our 9th, 10th, and 11th graders
We understand that you may have questions about the future and how the current school closure may impact your path to graduation and beyond.
The Oregon Department of Education late Wednesday released specific guidance for grades 9-11, creating a temporary system that takes into consideration the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in our communities. This guidance, Supporting our Students in Grades 9, 10, & 11, is part of the state’s Distance Learning for All plan. Last week, ODE released Graduation Pathways 2020, which provides direction for this year’s seniors. Seniors in the next two weeks should be receiving a personal phone call from their school to discuss their specific situation.
In order to continue learning and earning credits, we are providing high school students with opportunities for distance learning aligned to the state’s Distance Learning for All guidance. We recognize that a distance-learning model does not replace a full-school experience, and we will continue to support you during this time. By now, you should have guidance on how you will continue learning in a distance-learning format. Please reach out to your school if you have concerns or questions.
Under the state guidance, students in grades 9-11 will receive pass (P) or incomplete (I) marks for courses instead of letter grades (A-F) or their equivalent. These marks safeguard opportunities to continue learning and earning credit without impacting a student’s GPA.
Students will receive a “pass” and credit for a course once they demonstrate essential learning for that course during the spring term. If students are not able to demonstrate the learning by the end of the term, they will receive an “incomplete.” Students receiving incompletes will partner with their schools to create a credit-earning assurance plan. Students will have until the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year to make up the learning and earn credit.
The Oregon Department of Education is not requiring Essential Skills for 2021, so current juniors will not need to meet those requirements to graduate. At this time, there are no changes to the graduation requirements for the Class of 2022 and the Class of 2023.
Despite the fact that you will not be earning letter grades, we encourage you to work with your teachers and in your courses. Knowledge and skills continue to build over time, and the learning you do now will prepare you to meet your future goals.
Klamath County School District is working to ensure that every high school student can access supports for their well-being, ongoing learning, high school completion, and transition to career and college through this time. We remain focused on you and your future goals.
Thank you for supporting our schools, our teachers, and our communities, and for embracing uncertainty with patience and grace. I believe we will emerge from this a stronger community with tools to build a better world.
Sincerely,
Glen Szymoniak
Superintendent
Klamath County School District
#BeTheLight! ☀️✨💡🔦
You should leave your light on for 20 minutes and 20 seconds for Mazama, KU, Gilchrist and Chiloquin.
Lost River and Bonanza are leaving their lights on for one minute for every graduating senior -- 41 minutes for Lost River and 27 minutes for Bonanza.
Henley High School will light up its tennis courts from 7:15 p.m. to 10 p.m. -- one minute for each of the school's 164 seniors.
Henley, Lost River, and Bonanza are turning their lights on every school night (M-F). Mazama and KU are lighting up their stadiums on Fridays, and Chiloquin on Wednesdays. Gilchrist doesn't have stadium lights but encourages the community to turn their porch lights in support. #Classof2020 #ProudtobeKCSD
Congratulations to our 2020 Crystal Apples
The Crystal Apple is given to Klamath County School District staff who inspire and help students of all backgrounds and abilities. Our awards ceremony, scheduled April 14 at the Ross Ragland Theater, was canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will reschedule a celebration at a later date, but for now, wanted to recognize our eight winners. Please help KCSD in congratulating this year’s winners! See photos below for the winners and a brief excerpt from their nominations.
Laurie Ross, Lost River Jr/Sr High School
Laurie is an English teacher at Lost River Junior/Senior High School. Laurie’s effectiveness is based on a foundation of care that she has for students and their success. The passion she has for students is innate and can’t be developed. She works to the point of exhaustion, evaluating, reflecting and implementing opportunities for ALL students. Laurie’s impact on students knows no bounds. She can be found at school on Saturdays working with students on their robots, assisting on essays and supporting seniors through their college-entry tasks. She cares deeply for students, not just their academic success but also their social, emotional and spiritual success.
Cari Patzke, Ferguson Elementary School
Cari teaches fifth-grade at Ferguson Elementary School and has taught for KCSD since 2016. She is positive, caring and encouraging toward all those she meets. Cari has played a lot of roles in the community. She helps with coaching, community events, and has a vital role in the community wellness. Anyone who knows her speaks volumes of the impact she has in the community, the school, and the district. She is such a wonderful person who wears many hats and never tires when it comes to helping out anyone!
Tammy Preskitt, Chiloquin Elementary
Tammy teaches fourth-grade and has taught at Chiloquin Elementary School since 2013. She balances academics and empathy beautifully. Her strategies and mindfulness are positive and develop cooperation, mutual respect, and responsibility. Tammy empowers and accommodates students in her classroom; her students develop a growth mindset. Walking into her classroom is like a warm, inviting home, and when students leave they do so with a heart filled with kindness and confidence and a mind filled with knowledge. She is a shining star that brings kindness and resiliency to the workplace.
Rob Dunham, Chiloquin Jr/Sr High School
Rob is a shop teacher and has taught for KCSD since 1996. Rob is an amazing educator, he is the rock of the school and a driving force behind the improved data with Chiloquin. He’s at work long after contractual hours working with kids on homework and projects, or providing a helping hand to adults. It’s time for a community to thank a man for his life’s work. You will not find a more passionate and connected educator!
Joann Criss, KCSD Special Services
Sarah Smith, Henley High School
Sarah has been the head secretary at Henley High School since 2002. She is the glue that seamlessly binds the daily operations of the school; she is an incredible asset to the Henley community. Whether supporting students and staff members at her school or ensuring that every Henley patron feels valued and supported, Sarah performs her role in a five-star capacity with a smile. Inviting, graceful and sincere, Sarah is a consummate professional whose sense of service is undeniably flawless – no matter how chaotic the day or the demands on her time, she wouldn’t even consider asserting her needs over the needs of others.
Floyd Kendall, bus driver
Floyd has been with KCSD since 2009. Floyd always offers to help, whether driving the football team to Seaside, or helping leadership with volunteer projects. Floyd always has a contagious smile and a very helpful attitude. He inspires students to be outgoing and kind, tries to cheer everyone up, and is a great bus driver.
Rosanna Egger, Gilchrist Schools
Rosanna is a secretary at Gilchrist Schools and has been with KCSD since 2013. Rosanna goes above and beyond what is expected of her every day. She is never too busy to answer a question. She takes the time to get to know our students, staff and their families. When we are short on bus drivers, Rosanna helps out and fills that role; she is kind and patient.
A shout out and 42,000 meals!
Help Desk for Chromebook internet issues
The school district has set up a Help Desk for families who are having issues with connecting their Chromebooks to the internet. If you have a connectivity issue, please contact the Help Desk at 541-851-8735 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Please note: The Help Desk is for Chromebook internet issues only. For issues with assignments and software, please contact your school.
KCSD Wi-Fi hotspots
The district has installed free Wi-Fi hot spots to allow county students to download and upload assignments and access online lessons. Anyone can connect to network at kcsd-covid19. Students with Chromebooks will be automatically connected to the school-based Wi-Fi. Students with their own devices can connect to kcsd-covid19 or log in to kcsd-byd with their school email and password.
Access is available from parking lots at the following locations:
- Henley Complex
- Lost River Junior/Senior High School
- Mazama High School
- Chiloquin Junior/Senior High School
- Brixner Junior High School
- Bonanza Schools
- Gilchrist Schools
- Merrill Elementary
- Malin Elementary
- Keno Elementary
- Chiloquin Elementary
- Stearns Elementary
- Shasta Elementary
- Ferguson Elementary
- Peterson Elementary
- Gearhart School in Bly (free Wi-Fi access is available through the Klamath County Library branch based at the school)
In addition to school building parking lots, several community businesses are allowing free access to their Wi-Fi. Click here for a google map of all community locations so far.
We want to remind parents that these school and community Wi-Fi access sites will not be supervised. The district prefers parents accompany students, and that students and parents stay in their vehicles while using the service.