To our families, staff, and community:
Sept. 3, 2020
Greetings,
Welcome to the 2020-21 school year! Many of you have participated in our Back to School Week these past few days, and we hope you feel ready for the first week of school.
While some of our students will return to in-person instruction Sept. 8, many will still be limited to distance learning. For those returning to the classrooms, it will have been exactly 180 days since they last attended school. That is a long time to be away, and for some of our students, it will be even longer before they can return.
The first day of a new school year is exciting, a symbol of the passing of time, of children growing up. Whether your student will be in a classroom or at home logging in on a laptop, we encourage you to continue your first day of school rituals. Have your child dress for success. Take that first day photo. Celebrate a new beginning.
Throughout the summer, the district planned for distance and hybrid learning and prepared trainings for teachers, parents and students. We purchased Chromebooks, software, and even developed a new program, KCSD Online, for families whose students cannot or do not want to return to classrooms yet even if schools reopen.
We are ready. Most of the pieces are in place for a successful first week, but we will still require time and a bit of patience from you. Some of our Chromebook order has been delayed, and many of our staff members are taking on new roles. The most recent addition will be our Help Desk, where students, parents, and teachers can get assistance with technology.
None of this work could have happened without the support of our families and our community, and the dedication of our teachers to learning new skills and finding innovative ways to deliver instruction. I also want to acknowledge our staff – bus drivers, custodians, food service workers, administrators, and others -- who worked tirelessly this summer to make this school year possible. Thank you for your efforts, your teamwork, and your commitment.
This will be a challenging year for many families as they juggle daycare, work, and distance learning, and we will do our best to support you as we can. Reach out if you need resources. We are here for you.
While I was visiting schools during parent orientation this week, I heard from families that have found innovative ways to handle daycare during distance learning by forming cooperatives with family and friends. They are taking turns supervising the students, planning activities and helping them complete the online portion of their learning. Thank you for helping each other. This is our community at its best.
We understand that the distance learning mode of delivering instruction is not ideal but we are doing everything we can to make it the best situation possible for our students. For us to continue with in-person instruction and get more students back into our classrooms, it is imperative we continue to work together. Please, wash your hands frequently, wear your mask, and follow social distancing guidelines.
I look forward to the day when we can all get back to normal, and I can see our students and teachers return to school, sports, and all the other activities that make life enjoyable for our community.
Respectfully,
Glen E. Szymoniak
Superintendent
Klamath County School District
Let's do this!
- First day of instruction – Tuesday, Sept. 8: Classes start on Tuesday, Sept. 8: This will be the first official student instruction day, whether distance learning or in-person hybrid. Students who are returning under the AA-BB hybrid schedule should have details from their school. Check your school's website or call if you still have questions. For the first week, the A cohort will attend on Tuesday and Wednesday and the B cohort will attend Thursday and Friday. Starting Monday, Sept. 14, the cohorts will attend Monday-Tuesdays (A) and Wednesday-Thursdays (B).
- Masks and social distancing: Students riding the bus and attending our schools in person need to wear face coverings or face shields and maintain 6 feet of social distance. If you haven't yet, have your student practice wearing a face covering around the house. It is important the mask covers both your student's nose and mouth. Please send your student with a face covering and an understanding that wearing it is important for the safety of all students and staff and is necessary to keep our schools open. If students arrive at school without face coverings, they will be provided with one.
- Chromebook Update: The district received another order of more than 1,300 new Chromebooks on Monday, and is hard at work getting them ready for students. We are still expecting another 1,100 Chromebooks that are on back order. If you still need a Chromebook, contact your school. We are asking families who have devices to use those until our full order of Chromebooks arrives. Families who do not have access to the Internet should also contact their school.
Grab-and-Go Meals!
Students who attend school will take meals home with them. Those who are learning at home can pick up meals (5 breakfasts, 5 lunches) from 11 a.m. to noon Fridays at their resident school. We will continue delivery routes for the Henley-Keno and Chiloquin areas. Click on our Grab-and-Go button (below) for information.
Schoology Training
Many of you have attended orientations and trainings at your schools. We thank you for taking the extra time to help your students navigate their learning this year! Below is the link to our Schoology training in case you missed it or want to review it again. (Schoology is our online learning platform this year).
En español: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1EeiDZ-htilYrRBdZVMzpSQw_F906zq8cylvrHK2Skcw/edit?usp=sharing
In English: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1g-SnoPIW4BGTvGgRqu50R3pdmu32nJR5hiujKw10wnY/edit?usp=sharing
KCSD Online Information
UPDATED Sept. 3 letter for elementary families: https://www.smore.com/7wgju
Letter and video for elementary families: https://www.smore.com/makd6
Letter and video for secondary families: https://www.smore.com/uxhsc
