Principal Post
August 11, 2020
Please read carefully- lots of information
Dear Parents/Guardians,
We’re definitely living in weird times. While district staff and teachers have been brainstorming and planning since early spring, nailing things down has been nearly impossible because of ever-changing mandates, recommendations, plans, rumors, directives and risk factors that hit our desks on almost a daily basis. I apologize for what appears to be confusion, but it is truly unavoidable. Having said that, I want to clarify things as much as I can as we begin to head into registration and scheduling. I also apologize for the length of this letter, but parents and families need as much information as possible as they begin making decisions for the upcoming school year.
- Currently, we are undecided whether to start school with students in the building or to deliver education online. We’re delaying this decision because we want to make it based on Covid contagion trends, the most up-to-date CDC, state and EOC recommendations, staff numbers, and the situation we find ourselves in here in Wrangell when school is actually about to start. Dr. Lancaster will make a decision on August 24th. If we do start school with online instruction, we will probably do so for the entire 1st semester. After all of the confusion of last spring and this summer, our students need some consistency. We do not want to move students back and forth between educational delivery options. As Christmas nears, we will take a close look at the situation and the recommendations at that time to determine how we will operate for the 2nd half of the year.
- If we do online education, daily attendance will be expected. Students will need to log-in at the start of each class; the teacher will take roll and then begin the class. The students need this structure if we are to maintain the academic rigor of our classes and provide a sense of consistency for our students.
- If we open with in-school classes, parents will still have the option to have their child take classes online. All of our in-class courses will have an online option. Students should be able to move easily and smoothly between the two options.
- To make the transition between online and in-class instruction smoother, many of our courses will be using the Alaska Statewide Virtual School (AKSVS) curriculum. These courses are designed to be taught either in class or online. A number of teachers are planning to substitute AKSVS courses for Wrangell classes with similar content. The AKSVS courses are easily customizable, and each will be taught by a Wrangell teacher. In addition, AKSVS allows us to offer a greater selection of elective courses than we have been able to offer in the past.
- All 6th-12th grade students should be receiving a brand new chromebook computer at the beginning of the year. We hope to have them in students’ hands by the first day of school (September 8th).
- If and when we decide to return to in-school instruction, students will have a 7 period day as in the past. Fridays may be configured as a half day in order to accommodate deep cleaning of the classrooms. During class, we will implement as many of the CDC, state and EOC health recommendations as is possible: masks, social distancing, hand sanitizer, etc. The mitigation plan is extensive, and we will work hard to keep students safe and healthy in our buildings.
- In terms of sports and activities, we will have them. How they look could be dramatically different than the way they’ve looked in the past. In a worst case scenario, a coach might be contacting athletes on the phone to discuss personal fitness and exercise routines. As much as is possible, we will follow ASAA recommendations and mitigation plans. We hope to be able to have various competitions with other communities, but how that would actually look remains up in the air at this time.
- Registration and class scheduling will start on August 18th. We will have tentative schedules for each student at that time. Please view these schedules as a starting point for discussing your child’s schedule and educational plans for the year. Given the current, unprecedented situation, we recognize that many students and parents will wish to change or adapt these schedules to their particular situations and family needs. The school will be very flexible during the scheduling process.
Educating our children is a team sport. It takes all of us--parents, teachers, administrators, community members, etc.--working together to provide the best possible education for our children. During this time of uncertainty and change, I’m asking everyone involved in the education of our children to be flexible and patient.
Don’t hesitate to call me if you have any questions or concerns. If I don’t have answers, I will try to track them down for you, and if nothing else, I can at least commiserate with you. My number is 305-0333.
Thank you very much for your patience.
Bob Davis
Asst. Principal/Lead Teacher
Wrangell High School/Stikine Middle School
Email: bdavis@wpsd.us
Website: www.wpsd.us
Phone: 907-874-3395