Parent & Community Newsletter
February 26, 2021
“Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community better than you found it.”
Marian Wright Edelman
Shared by Lindsey Apkarian, SVHS Vice-Principal
Message from Interim Superintendent Mondragón:
We are excited to welcome back some of our students in TK-5th grade for in-person instruction. Your school principal will be sending you specific information related to your child’s placement and schedule next week. Please read the communication from your school thoroughly and call your child’s school if you have any questions.
Below are answers to some questions assuming that the Public Health Department guidance will permit the reopening of our schools as planned:
Q: When will schools offer hybrid instruction?
A: Elementary schools will start hybrid instruction on March 29th for students in grades TK-2nd and April 6th for students in grades 3rd-5th.
IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION – Hybrid Model
Q: What will my child’s day look like if he/she will attend in-person instruction in hybrid?
A: For children whose parents chose in-person instruction, their daily schedule on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays will look as described in the table below. Note that on Wednesdays students will stay home. The teacher will check in with students virtually in the morning for at least 30 minutes. Students will then work independently from home for the rest of the day on Wednesdays.
Q: What are students expected to do in the afternoon when they are home?
A: Students are expected to work independently using online curricula such as Dream Box, Lexia, IXL, and teacher-assigned independent work as applicable.
DISTANCE LEARNING – Hybrid Model
Q: What will my child’s day look like if he/she will participate in Distance Learning (online from home) in hybrid?
A: For children whose parents chose Distance Learning (online learning from home) instruction, their daily schedule on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays will look as described in the table below. Note that on Wednesdays teachers will check in with students virtually for at least 30 minutes. Students will then work independently from home for the entire day on Wednesdays.
Q: What are students expected to do in the morning at home?
A: Students are expected to work independently using online curricula such as Dream Box, Lexia, IXL, and teacher-assigned independent work as applicable.
Secondary (Middle & SVHS)
Q: When are we expected to reopen secondary grades?
A: We are working diligently to reopen middle schools and the high school in hybrid; however, secondary schools cannot reopen until Sonoma County enters into the red tier (rate of infection drops to 7 or fewer COVID-19 cases per 100,000). The number of COVID-19 positive cases continues to decline in the state and our County so we are optimistic that secondary students whose parents chose in-person instruction will return and attend a modified class schedule (Hybrid) before the end of the school year. For families who chose Distance Learning, students will be able to watch their teachers' lessons from home. Teachers will be simulcasting their instruction – live broadcasting from their classrooms directly to students at home in Distance Learning.
Superintendent Search Update:
Our Superintendent Search Firm will be hosting a general meeting for all interested parents and community members on Saturday, March 6th at 10:00 am via Zoom. This meeting will be held in English and the Spanish meeting will be scheduled soon. Stakeholders may also choose to respond to a survey to provide their input on the same questions that will be asked during the meeting.
The surveys will close on March 10th
Important Dates:
- Monday, March 8th at 4:00 pm: Sip with the Supe
- Week of March 8-12: parent/teacher conferences K-8th (school site will provide details)
- Week of March 15-19: Spring Break
- Tuesday, March 23rd at 5:00 pm: March School Board Meeting
- Monday, March 29th: TK-2nd grades return to school in hybrid model (school site will provide details)
- Tuesday, April 6th: 3rd-5th grades return to school in hybrid model (school site will provide details)