#KSD Reimagine
Update from Kuna Superintendent Wendy Johnson
9.3.2021
In this update:
- No school Monday Labor Day
- We need your assistance in two areas: Keep students home when they are sick; Help us with our substitute shortage
KSD "Green;" masks use remains optional
We have a process to help families trouble shoot issues
Class sizes are lining up with our goals
Help us recognize the great people in our school district
COVID Student and Staff Data Dashboards
Missed a newsletter? Click here to find past issues
We need your assistance in two areas: Keep students home when they are sick; Help us with our substitute shortage
With the highly contagious Delta variant circulating in the Treasure Valley, the spread of COVID positive cases were at significant levels before we even opened for the school year.
Given this, it's no surprise that this week we are seeing COVID positive cases among our staff and students. As we monitor our school level data (see information below), the COVID numbers are currently low.
Stay home when sick
We've learned that our local health department does not have the resources to "contact trace." This is the time consuming process of identifying everyone a COVID positive individual may have had "close contact" with and may be at risk of becoming sick, too.
We do not have the staff to do the work of the health department. We do not want to "mass quarantine students," again based on what we heard from families last year -- most students who quarantined never became ill. (COVID positive individuals will still be in quarantine.)
We're asking our families and staff to be vigilant and monitor their health every day and when you are feeling sick, please don't come to school
We will notify families when a COVID positive individual was in a classroom.
Help us grow our substitute pool
We are seeing calls for subs go unfilled. This means that we have to redirect staff from other services to students to fill in for an absent colleague. It may also mean that we would have to temporarily close a school because we do not have enough staff.
You can help by becoming a substitute or by asking someone you know who might be great fit as a substitute. You can choose to sub only at your child's schools.
KSD "Green;" masks use remains optional
We are using two metrics to make decisions about the level of spread within our district. This will aid decision making about mask use per our policy.
Later this month, we will propose a slightly different metric to the Board of Trustees than previously shared.
The images above show the two metrics we'll use: COVID spread within the City of Kuna and then total positive cases among the staff and students in a school. We'll use two weeks of data to make decisions about mask use.
Based on the data from the past two weeks, KSD remains in "green" and masks are optional.
We're working to add this data to our dashboard. We've also updated the student dashboard to include a new chart "New Cases on Date." This lets us monitor the number of new cases on a given day -- these don't carry forward into the counts on the next day.
We have a process to help families trouble shoot issues
We want all parental concerns resolved quickly and fairly. We've posted more information and contacts on our website. The process in an nutshell is this:
- Work with your child's teacher or coach first - most problems can been addressed at this level.
- If needed, contact the school's administration - the principal or building administrator.
- In needed, then contact the district office.
Class sizes are lining up with goals
Last week, I shared detailed information about how we manage class sizes within our district goals. I shared one of the key dates for us is our "5th Day."
This week, we reviewed enrollment and staffing data. We're up about 2.4% in enrollment from the 2019-20 school year (the year before COVID) and up and 5.64% from the 2020-21 school year. Our school class size ratios are all under the goals.
Thank you to the community for prioritizing low class sizes with the supplemental levy renewed last March.
Sept. 10 is the deadline to apply for Superintendent's Advisory Council
I'm seeking parent volunteers to be consider for the Superintendent Advisory Council. parents from every school and students from our secondary schools.
The Council is made up of parents from every school and students from secondary schools It usually meets four to five time in the evening throughout the school year. Thanks to what we've learned the past two years, these meeting can be done virtually.
The Council's purpose is to:
- Identify common needs and goals among all those invested in the district (parents, students, community, employees) in Kuna School District.
- Provide feedback and insight from both the parent’s perspective and the student’s perspective on school
process, policies and initiatives to ensure that the needs of parents, students and their families are included as decisions that are made in the district. - Address existing and emerging issues expressed by parents at the school they represent.
- Serve as an advisory body that makes recommendations, encourages brainstorming and provides opportunities for parent and student involvement in a variety of topics such as preparation for college, career and citizenship, needs of teachers and other system improvement ideas.
- Facilitate communication between and among the parents and parent organizations from all district schools.
- Serve as a forum for sharing innovations and best practices from around the district.
- Assist the School Board in enacting its mission and vision
If you are interested in being considered or want to nominate your older child, please email me by Friday, Sept. 10.
Help us recognize the great people in our school district
Our first round of Kuna Way Award nominations are due Friday, Sept. 30. Please submit nominations using this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KWA202122
Superintendent Wendy Johnson
Email: ksdcommunications@kunaschools.org
Website: www.kunaschools.org
Location: 711 East Porter Street, Kuna, ID, USA
Phone: 208-922-1000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kuna-Jt-School-District-No-3
Twitter: @Supt_Wendy_J