As we begin week three of the school year together, I can't help but reflect on how impressed I am with our students and staff. We put many new protocols and procedures in place based upon the guidelines from our Delaware County Health Board and our Delaware Schools Administration. However, there is not a book or guide for preparing a high school of 1,800 students safely during a pandemic. Our students have utilized the extra minutes between class changes to navigate the one-way arrows throughout the building. Teachers use the time to sanitize desks between classes. The lunch spaces have gone from nearly 400 students in each lunchroom to 50. Smaller class sizes not only provide needed social distancing, but have allowed a more personal start to our school year as teachers build those important connections that we all missed last Spring.
We will continue to reinforce and model good health and safety protocols here at school and I thank you for your encouragement and support. We tell our students we have made these changes "not to you, but for you". We want to continue "in person" learning for as long as possible. We must stay vigilant and continue to wear masks, keep six feet apart, wash our hands and not touch our faces. We can do this!
For our Online Academy students, the start of school has been more difficult. The online platform that the district was ready to implement, was not the right one for our students or for our community. Our district leaders took the right step to pivot and replace. Our district administrators and teachers are in the middle of a search for a new online platform for our Academy students. They thank you for your patience as they move closer to a decision.
Whichever mode of learning your family has chosen, please know how much we appreciate your support and enthusiasm you have exhibited. We are all pacers! We will continue to communicate with you and we will maintain our daily updated school website for you to access. Announcements will change every day, so please bookmark the Hayes website. From my family to yours, please stay safe and healthy. If you need anything, please do not hesitate calling or emailing me anytime.