Caldwell School District Update
From Superintendent N. Shalene French
December 18, 2020
In this update:
Starting new year in remote, shifting to hybrid Jan. 19
Limited openings in Caldwell Online Academy
If you travel out of United States, you will need to quarantine
Good news about our schools and students
Starting new year in remote, resuming hybrid Jan. 19
As we prepare to wrap up 2020, I have an update on the plan for instruction for when we return from Christmas break.
Monday, the Board of Trustees accepted the recommendation that we work toward serving students in-person in our schools.
Here’s our plan:
After the January 4, directed day, we will start in remote learning. There will be small groups of students coming to school for services or to meet their teachers during this time.
We’ll be in remote learning the weeks of January 5-8 and January 11-15.
These two weeks will provide teachers, child nutrition, transportation, etc. time to prepare to resume the hybrid in-person learning schedule on Tuesday, January 19, 2021.
This timeframe gets us through the last major holidays and the potential spikes in cases caused by gatherings.
It also provides time for individuals who may have traveled out of the United States to complete recommended quarantines when they return.
I recognize that resuming in-person learning during a time of substantial community spread will be a challenge.
While I am confident in our ability to safely serve students in a hybrid model, we also need to be prepared for the inevitable quarantines of our staff and our students. We expect that short-term closures may be necessary as we monitor staffing levels and health concerns.
Limited openings in Caldwell Online Academy
With the start of the new semester, we’ve heard from a few parents about whether their student could shift to our online only -- Caldwell Online Academy (COA).
COA has a few spots open. Parents may contact kcameron@caldwellschools.org for more information. She will contact families in the beginning of January.
If you travel out of United States, you may need to quarantine when you return
Good news about schools and students
Partnership with Treasure Valley Community College
Kathy Neufeld earns grant for Caldwell Online Academy
Caldwell students, local groups fill holiday boxes for families
I was fortunate to be visiting at CHS and got to see first hand the generous donations our students and staff gathered from area businesses and groups to help more than 80 families with needs this Christmas. Our students are amazing. They are great examples of what it means to be a member of a community, to show empathy, and to use their time and energy in a positive way.
Debate CHS students excel in debate
In November, CHS’ Speech and Debate team participated in the Canyon County Classic Tournament-one of the biggest tournaments of the year; the tournament included teams from across the state and several from other states as far away as Alabama.
Three of CHS’ competitors took 1st place overall in their events:
Humorous Interpretation: Angel Padilla
Dramatic Interpretations: Mya Hovis
Duo Interpretations (2-person performance): Hannah Tish and Sebastian Guajardo
The team also had participants place in three other tournaments including:
Fatima Amezcua finaled and placed 3rd in her Original Oratory
Hannah Tish and Sebastian Guajardo placed 1st in their Duo Interpretation
Mya Hovis placed 1st in her Dramatic Interpretation
Angel Padilla placed 1st is his Humorous Interpretation
Pretta Kroll finaled in her "After Dinner Speech".
Reese Harrop finaled in her Informative Speech AND in Congress
Other team members: Candace and Emily Warner; Kaylee Johnson; Dani Lopez
The Coach and Team recently received "National Outstanding Distinction" from the National Speech and Debate Organization.
The team will compete in four tournaments after the Christmas vacation.
Watch many high school sports online while fans are not allowed
Under current conditions, spectators at sporting events are not allowed. Many home and away games are being streamed live using “Pixelot” or the NFHS Network. Support our teams from the comfort of your home using this service: https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/?fbclid=IwAR3e1y3_rEwX4mgylaqo49kdaoAiGRSREpyX2U9N8kIAB6mCF2rf3_T36v0
Mayor supports fitness in our elementary schools
Lincoln gets grant for books
Wilson students get free books
Syringa students connect with Micron engineers
Desks for students
Shout out to our local newspaper the Idaho Press and its publisher Matt Davison. After sharing he had taken up woodworking during the pandemic, a Caldwell teacher asked if Matt would help build simple school desks for her students. He agreed and is working with others to build desks for students. If you are interested a desk, contact Matt at: mdavison@idahopress.com
In case you missed it!
The Van Buren Elementary School team used their digital learning tools to bring to perform the 12 days of Christmas.
Superintendent N. Shalene French
Committed to Caldwell School District's mission, vision, and values to ensure equity and access for all students.
Email: nfrench@caldwellschools.org
Website: www.caldwellschools.org
Location: 1502 Fillmore Street, Caldwell, ID, USA
Phone: (208) 455-3300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caldwellschools.org/
Twitter: @CSD132Sup