With just a few days left in this surreal school year, it is natural for families to think about the 2020-21 school year. The best answer we can give right now is: at this time, we do not know what the fall will look like.
Of course, we hope learning can resume safely in a traditional, in-person setting. But we also have to prepare for the possibility that the school year could start with remote learning, or begin with a hybrid of in-person and remote learning.
We are one of thousands of districts working through these issues that have very little precedent in this country. We are speaking with health and educational experts to design the safest and best possible educational experience no matter the circumstances.
Not all of these decisions will be ours to make. The state or regional Board of Education may mandate certain protocols, as they do in other non-pandemic situations.
With so much unknown, the district can promise this:
- We will communicate the next steps as soon as we know them. The unsettled nature of next school year makes it difficult for all of us to plan, so we will share information quickly and well before the start of the school year. New information will be sent via email and posted on the district's website.
- We will be prepared to educate your students in any scenario. Even as the CCSD 89 staff worked through transforming this year's educational delivery, our team has also been planning for multiple scenarios to start next year.
We know that you are worried about your kids and their learning. So are we. We have dedicated ourselves to this profession because we believe in the power of education to change lives. We have not altered that mission.
We also have not changed our commitment to student safety. We know many of you have students with underlying health issues. If our buildings are open, we will continue to do everything we can to keep our schools clean and safe.
Our staff has not only been teaching during these eight weeks, they have been doing extensive research on the best ways to deliver effective remote learning. No matter what is ahead, we can do this.
I am encouraged by the reports from our staff. Although school stopped so abruptly this year, 98.9 percent of our families are regularly engaging in learning activities, and we are working to provide more support to the remaining families.
We're so appreciative that you see the value of learning. It gives us the fuel to keep going. This is an amazing community to be a part of. Thank you for all you do to support CCSD 89 students.
Emily K. Tammaru
Superintendent
Community Consolidated School District 89
