Ray-Pec Community,
With graduation slated for next week, and the end of the second semester approaching on May 25, I want to thank you for the extension of your patience and grace as we have all tried to navigate the challenges of this year in the best ways possible. To say that this year has been an eventful year would be an understatement. During these past nine months, I know not all of the decisions we have made have been met with approval by everyone. I will own that upfront. However, please know that decisions were made with the best interests of students in mind taking into account the information we had at the time. I truly thank you for your patience and grace during this year.
While many are looking forward to this summer, I want you to be aware of our planning for next school year. We will have much more information about the opening of the 21-22 school year the closer we get to August, but I want you to know a little bit about our plans at this point.
- As of right now, we intend to be in a fully in-person 5-day mode of school at both elementary and secondary levels.
- The Virtual Instruction Program of Ray-Pec (VIPR) will continue to be an option for elementary and secondary students who want a virtual instruction experience.
- Decisions about mitigation precautions will be made later in the summer and will be informed by our experience during the 20-21 school year, our Ray-Pec data on quarantines and isolations, and information from state/local health and education departments. We will critically review all of our mitigation precautions from this past school year.
- The first day of school for the 21-22 school year is August 23.
The words with which we have framed this year have been Plan and Adjust, Patience and Grace, and Embrace the Ambiguity. While those words will still be much needed for next year, I also want us to focus on the following words to frame the 21-22 school year:
Hope. Growth. A Fresh Start.
With your support of the recent bond issue and the opportunities that it holds for our students, along with the intended return to full in-person classes at all levels and commitment to our VIPR program, there is every reason to be excited for the 21-22 school year.
Thank you for entrusting your children to the Ray-Pec School District.
Mike Slagle
I am passionately driven by the belief that Everyone Is Created To Flourish
