 It has been another busy week as we prepare for the return to school after Labor Day on Tuesday, September 8th.
As a reminder, due to recent research findings regarding COVID-19 and children 10 and under, we will be delivering instruction remotely (online from home) for all students for the first quarter, from September 8 - October 16, 2020.
Our hope is that the information below will help you prepare for school this fall and answer some of your questions regarding our current situation.
TAX-FREE HOLIDAY | Ohio's Sales Tax Holiday is this weekend, presenting a great time to stock up on school supplies. If you are making back-to-school purchases, remember that only age-appropriate basics will be needed for the first quarter, such as paper, pencils, crayons, etc. In addition, we will have no dress code requirements for the 20/21 school year, with the intent of providing families with additional savings.
ATHLETICS & BAND | Earlier this week, we shared that we are putting student activities on "pause" until further notice. This determination was a result of new research which was released indicating there are increased dangers and risks unique to our community. Since that time I've been asked many questions that I can't answer, and there have been many concerns which I haven't been able to address. I spoke with health experts, the board of education and our administrators to better understand the risks associated with participation in student activities this fall. My goal is to ensure there are many minds and voices engaged in this conversation, because we need to get it right. My goal is to have a private conversation with the board of education this coming Monday to update them on all that we know. Thank you for your patience as we follow an inclusive process to keep our people safe.
FAMILY SURVEYS CONTINUE | At the end of July our staff reached out to families to collect information about how they are doing during the pandemic, what concerns they may have about returning to school, and what needs they have for remote leaning. While more than 5,500 phone calls were made and more than 1,000 online surveys were taken, we still only reached about half of our families. Therefore, we will be beginning our second round of home calls and surveys to capture the needs of those we have not yet heard from. If you already took the family survey, there is no need to take it again. If you have not yet taken the survey or spoken with a staff member about your needs, please be sure to answer any calls from the Lorain City Schools. You can also take the survey ONLINE AT THIS LINK.
TOWN HALL MEETING | This Thursday at 5:00pm our panel of community leaders and health experts will be answering questions from staff, families and the community about the upcoming school year. Please join us online to learn about the latest research and health recommendations informing the delayed student start date, remote learning for all in the fall, and safety protocols to be followed when in-school learning is able to resume. The Town Hall Meeting will be accessible on TV20s YouTube channel.
We will continue to release information to you as it becomes available. Until then, from all of us to all of you: know you are missed. Be well.
Thanks,
Jeff |
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