Earlier today, Governor Kate Brown announced new opening metrics for K-12 schools in Oregon. With these new guidelines, school’s in-person openings will follow data based metrics to safely return to face-to-face instruction. Based on these new requirements, case rates exceed the limits set forth by the governor for in-person instruction for our county.
With these new guidelines in mind, SCS will hold Comprehensive Distance Learning for the start of the 2020-2021 school year. We anticipate this to last for at least the first 9 weeks of the school year, and are seeing similar plans released by other schools in our neighboring districts. We will continue to monitor the case rates for Washington County, as well as other counties represented by our school families, to determine when we can safely return to on campus instruction.
Thank you for all your patience, support and feedback during these uncertain times. Know that we are using your survey responses and feedback, the extra staff development time, and the guidelines from the state to ensure your child’s successful start to a new school year. A majority of the staff development training in August will focus on customizing our virtual classrooms to best support the students and our families and improving the distance learning experience, as well as planning on how to safely welcome students back to the classrooms. In the coming weeks, we will be finalizing our opening Blueprint as required by the Oregon Department of Education and providing updates as we go along.
While we are disappointed not to welcome students back in person for the start of the school year, rest assured that your children will continue to get the individual attention and academic rigor they need to succeed. We will also still celebrate the SCS spirit with some fun activities for the start of school, and look forward to utilizing our unique strengths as a charter school to providing a safe, healthy and wonderful school year.
With H.E.A.R.T.,
Principal Joy Raboli