March 31, 2021
 
Dear JUSD Community:
 
I know how difficult the past year has been for you and your families. I can truly say I have never experienced anything like this before. During the COVID-19 pandemic I have seen just how difficult it is to educate students who are not in class with their teachers. 
 
I am so excited to welcome back over 5,000 of our students for in-person instruction starting on Thursday. It has been over a year since we closed schools for in-person instruction due to the world wide COVID-19 pandemic. Since then we have been able to maintain a virtual learning program and have provided some in-person instruction for small groups of special education students. I am particularly proud of three things: First, when we began virtual learning; we promised that we would continue to offer that mode of instruction for the entire school year, and we are. Second, we also said that whatever mode of instruction we offer, students would not be required to change classes. Third, something we did not think we would be able to do and that is offer in-person instruction to every student in the district at every grade, but we are.
 
As we restart in-person instruction this week, I know that it is not the same as it was pre-COVID, but it is a start. As the school year continues toward the end, we continue to make plans for the fall. We hope it will be a full schedule in-person program and a virtual option for those families who still wish to continue distance learning. Of course, we must comply with health regulations and laws that are yet to be determined. That is our “Plan A”, and we will be prepared for options dictated by laws and regulations.
 
This summer we are offering four different programs:
 
  1. An expanded high school summer program for high school students in all grades 9-12
  2. An exciting summer program for elementary and middle school students to readapt to school, catch up on academic skills, and receive needed social and emotional support
  3. Think Together will offer a six-hour summer program in July for students in grades 1-8
  4. We will provide an Extended School Year for students with disabilities in grades K-12
 
Details on all of these programs as well as fall instruction will follow in the next several weeks. In a few weeks we will send out surveys to determine how many students will be in virtual class and how many will be in-person, so long as we are permitted by law and regulation to offer these options. Our high school staff are busy planning end of the year activities. I can tell you now that they will not be the same as pre-COVID. We want to make them in-person if at all possible, and this requires some major modifications including having multiple smaller activities. We appreciate your patience and cooperation.

It has been a trying year. No one has been unscathed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of you have lost loved ones, been ill yourself, lost work or worse. We have all pulled together to make it through this year. It has been a year of isolation and challenges. Our work is not done, the pandemic is not over. We will continue to need to do our best, wear masks, maintain social distancing, wash our hands, sanitize our schools, and most of all continue to get vaccinated as it becomes available to more people. Together we will come out of this and rebuild what we have lost. 
 
So, thank you to all of our families, staff and community. You have all shown what a strong community can do.

Sincerely,

Elliott Duchon
Superintendent