District Staff News
May 8, 2020
I hope you had an enjoyable "Certified Appreciation Week!" I know it didn't feel like the normal celebrations we have when we're together, but we are certainly appreciating you and your work from a distance.
At last night's Board Meeting, we presented an update on our Distance Learning model and the changes we've been making along the way to best meet the needs of ALL students. There was a healthy discussion about the model and the professional development we need to provide staff to continue to grow and adapt to teacher-led instruction from afar. Our goal has always been to keep students connected and engaged with their learning while supporting our staff in this new environment. We know you are eager to continue to develop and build new skills to support our students. We will be providing some additional professional development opportunities in the coming weeks so we can finish the year strong while you connect with our kids. Keep your eye on the Teaching & Learning Google Classroom to learn more about these opportunities.
We also discussed the budget at last night's meeting. It is very clear that until we receive the state revenue forecast on May 20, we will not know the extent of the impact this global pandemic will have on our funding. We will do all we can to maintain as much of our current service level as possible.
On Thursday, Oregon Governor Kate Brown held a news conference on the phased approach to begin reopening some businesses. Perhaps the news with the biggest impact was that large gatherings, like sporting events, concerts, and fairs, are canceled through September. While we don't know what that means for the 2020-21 school year just yet, we do know that we will be unable to hold a traditional graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020. CHS is putting together a virtual graduation for our seniors, with the goal of preserving as many of the senior experiences as possible. I want to thank everyone involved in making this happen.
Although Oregon has been fairly successful in "flattening the curve" of COVID-19 cases, it appears unlikely that schools will return to "business as usual" this fall. I've been working with our facilities team to evaluate what social distancing precautions we can take in our buildings when they reopen. District leadership is developing plans for the fall, but we understand that the Oregon Department of Education will likely dictate how schools will need to operate. We expect this guidance by mid-June. I expect we will need to continue being flexible, creative, and innovative into the 2020-21 school year.
Lastly, I'd like to thank everyone involved in our meal distribution program right now. This week, we topped the 50,000 meal mark. As you can see from the flyer below, serving meals to students is a critical function and the need is great. Thank you to Zara Khan, her entire team, and all the other district employees who are providing this incredible service for our students.
I hope you can get outside and enjoy the nice weather this weekend. My best wishes for an enjoyable Mother's Day on Sunday.
Thank you for all you do!
Just a quick reminder that Bond Measure 3-559 is on the ballot for the May 19, 2020 election. Here's a short video that outlines what bond dollars would fund if the measure passes.
Last night, the Canby School District Board of Directors set dates for two upcoming Budget Committee Meetings. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, these meetings will be held virtually.
The first meeting is May 26 at 6:30 pm and the second is on June 1, also at 6:30 pm. The state revenue forecast will be released on May 20. The Board must adopt next year's budget by June 30, 2020.
- Denise
Colonial Life/Ameriflex Webinar
If you were not able to attend the webinar with Colonial Life and Ameriflex this week, you can watch it by clicking the button below. The webinar provides an overview of all of the Voluntary Insurance benefits, as well as HSA, FSA and Dependent Care options, available to you beginning October 1. Open Enrollment starts May 18, look for information on how to enroll in next Friday’s staff newsletter.
- Michelle
We hope you are staying well and healthy at home.
With all of this craziness going on right now, our OEA Choice Trust Grant funds will last us one more year. We are so grateful that we will have another year to bring you fitness, mindfulness, and overall health-focused events.
Please help us out by completing this short survey. It shouldn't take more than 2 minutes!
All students. All abilities. All opportunities.
Email: fostera@canby.k12.or.us
Website: www.canby.k12.or.us
Location: 1130 South Ivy Street, Canby, OR, USA
Phone: 503-266-7861
Facebook: facebook.com/canbyschooldistrict
Twitter: @canbyschools