May 29, 2020

Dear Staff, Parents and Community:

It is hard to believe that we are reaching the final days with our staff. The COVID-19 pandemic will be a historical event with far reaching implications. It is my opinion that this event will forever change how we go about educating young people. I want to thank our students and parents for your ongoing support and effort during this difficult time. I commend the tremendous efforts of our staff to remain connected and continue to educate our children. We have learned a great deal over the last few months and this will make us a stronger School District and better professionals.  

It is always important to communicate appropriately; however, it is a critical component to effectively moving through a crisis. I will continue to provide you updates on our work throughout the course of the summer as this certainly is an evolving situation. Here are a few important updates:

District Facilities:

As ordered by the state of Ohio, all District school buildings will remain closed through June 30th. We have cancelled summer programming in all of our buildings. We have been working in conjunction with the Cuyahoga County Health Department over the last two weeks regarding our exterior facilities. We have received permission and on Monday, June 1, we will open the track on the 7-12 campus. The following will be articulated by signage on the facility.  
  • Do not use if sick
  • Practice social distancing (stay six feet away from all others at all times)
  • Any group gathering is prohibited (a maximum number of 40 people allowed at the facility)
  • No group play is allowed on the field
  • Face coverings are strongly recommended by people who can safely wear them
  • Practice good hygiene habits
  • Use the facility at your own risk
  • Grandstand and bleachers remain closed
  • Playground remains closed

Any violation of these requirements will be reported and consistent violation or significant gatherings will likely lead to a reclosure of the facilities. Please review this information and discuss it if you or your child plans on accessing the track.  

Financial Update:

Last week, you were provided a complete overview of our financial picture. Below is a list of all reductions that have been implemented or will be implemented in the near future. 
The administration and Board will continue to work on additional reductions and levy scenarios over the course of the next month. We also continue to advocate for a change in the methodology utilized to apply the state funding reductions.

Return / Reopen of School:

I wish today that I could share a plan regarding our reopening; however, there is a tremendous amount of unknown information. Additionally, we are developing a plan that has to be flexible due to any potential outbreaks. We anticipate the Ohio Department of Education releasing guidance early next week. The biggest driver in our planning begins with transportation. If we are limited to one student per seat or only 24 students on a bus, this will dramatically influence the number of students that can be brought to school. A core central office team has been working on reopening plans for the last month and have created a variety of scenarios. We are turning this work over to redesign teams at every building to begin to create the best possible scenario.  

Summer Resources:

Each building has released summer resources to access over the next three months. Many have asked what they can do to help. More than any other summer, it is necessary for our students to stay engaged academically. Every family can help by creating a schedule and implementing some amount of time to these resources regularly. We are working on a parent resource guide to support this endeavor that will be shared in the next few weeks.

I am thankful for your continued efforts for our young people. It is your unwavering commitment to social, emotional and academic growth that has made this a success.  

Be safe and well.


Sincerely,
 
 
Robert W. Hunt, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools
440-247-3933