Reopening Update
July 21, 2020 ~ WSD Parents
Good Morning,
We are pleased to share with you the Roadmap to Reopening Plan for the start of the 2020-2021 school year. An overview of the plan was shared with and approved by the Board of Education at last night’s Special Board Meeting. This plan is a living, breathing document that is subject to change based on guidance from health officials, but it provides a framework for you as we work towards our goal of reopening. The 2020-2021 school year will be unlike any school year we have experienced in our lifetimes and it will present many challenges for all of us. I am confident that we can work through those challenges together. Please know that we remain committed to providing high-quality instruction and meaningful learning opportunities while attending to the health and safety needs of our students and staff.
As I shared with you this weekend, we understand and appreciate that each of you have unique and personal situations that may be causing you concern during this pandemic, which is why we are pleased to offer you a choice as to what is best for your child(ren) and your family. You have two options to choose from for the new school year: in-person learning with phases that will change depending on the health conditions in the community and in our schools, or 100% virtual learning.
A few important highlights to note:
The in-person learning option for grades Pre-K through 12 has three phases:
Level 1: Students attending in-person five days a week;
Level 2: A blended model designed for students to attend in-person learning two days a week, with at-home activities two days a week and virtual instruction one day a week, thereby reducing the number of students in school by approximately half on four days. All students would attend virtually on Wednesdays in order to sanitize in between groups of students; and
Level 3: 100% virtual learning for all students.
OPTIONAL CHOICE: The WSD Virtual Academy will be 100% online learning with teachers providing quality virtual instruction. Your student will be enrolled for the 2020-2021 school year and you will need to commit to at least the first semester if you choose this option.
As of today, our plan is to begin in-person learning at Level 1, however, this could certainly change before the first day of school, depending on the rate of transmission in our community.
We ask that all families log into the Parent Portal to choose in-person (Option 1) or the WSD Virtual Academy (Option 2) by July 28. There is also a transportation questionnaire we need you to complete as well. Here are the instructions for accessing those forms:
Login to Student360 and click on the "Parent" tab. Once you login, click on “View” on the yellow banner that states "Required e-Forms have not been submitted." The required eForms will be displayed on the web page. Once you complete the required forms and submit them, you will be asked to confirm your response. Responses cannot be changed, once submitted. Here are video instructions to assist you. *Please note: the Student360 mobile application for iOS and Android does not support eForms at this time.
It is extremely important that all families fill this form out for their children by July 28 so we may plan instruction accordingly.
Thank you again to everyone who weighed in on the surveys this summer and to those who contributed their time and talents on the various workgroups to help develop this plan. We know you will have questions, and we are compiling a Frequently Asked Questions document to share with you in the coming days to try and address those questions and concerns.
Please let our students know that we miss them. So much of our work is based on the relationships we have developed with them and with you and the separation alone presents many challenges. But as our amazing staff demonstrated this spring, we share a love and compassion for our students that will lead us to creative ways of connecting with them and inspiring them to learn and grow this year - whether it is in person or virtually.
Thank you once again for your continued patience and flexibility as we work through these challenging times together.
Curtis Cain, Ph.D.
Superintendent