Jamie's Update: Hybrid Learning for Grades 3-5

Dear SGS Community,
 

I hope you have enjoyed some clean air after last week’s hazardous air quality event.  We were fortunate to have three gyms available last week to allow our students in grades K-2 to attend school, maintain social distancing and have a chance to move around while staying indoors.

 

My administrative team and I have continued to plan for the next step of bringing additional students back to campus. Yesterday, Dr. Pam Kohlmeier (board member), Ryan Peplinski (SGS Covid Coordinator), and I talked with Dr. Lutz about our plan to start the hybrid model (in-person and DL 2.0) for grades 3-5 beginning next week on Tuesday, September 29th.  I gave him an update on the K-2 re-opening and the full spectrum of logistics involved and precautions taken.  The K-2 re-opening has gone very well overall.  He was curious to hear what we have learned and applied along the way.  This was very productive and reassuring for him to hear, as it applies to SGS but just as importantly to schools across the county.  

 

We then talked about the logistics involved in bringing grades 3-5 back to campus next week.  He was approving of our plan and was supportive of us bringing those classes back.  

 

Note: Parents in grade 3-5 will receive additional information this week for the return to campus from Kathy Johnson, Ryan Peplinski, and your student’s classroom teacher.

 

Our K-12 plan for next week will be as follows:

 

- Grades K-2 will have Hybrid Learning Mon., Sept. 28 through Thu., Oct. 1, with no school on Fri. Oct. 2;

 

- Grades 3-5 will have Distance Learning (asynchronous) on Mon., Sept. 28, then Hybrid Learning on Tue., Sept. 29 through Thu., Oct. 1, with no school on Fri., Oct. 2;

 

- Grades 6-8 will have Distance Learning (asynchronous) on Mon., Sept. 28, then Distance Learning on Tue., Sept. 29 through Fri. Oct. 2;

 

- Grades 9-12 will have Distance Learning on Mon., Sept. 28 through Fri. Oct. 2.

 

In addition, during our call with Dr. Lutz we discussed plans for introducing the hybrid model for grades 6-8 and 9-12 that could take place in October.  More details will follow about bringing cohorts of high school students to campus for outdoor conditioning in line with the WIAA guidance for returning to play.

 

The SGS return to campus plan is built in stages to accommodate additional students, and for the SGS team to review procedures, plan logistics, and make additional changes as needed.  The hybrid model has more moving parts than the DL 2.0 model in terms of technology, staffing, daily schedules, movement around campus, and usage of facilities.  

 

I want to recognize and acknowledge the cooperation between the SGS team and SGS parents as we continue to evolve our plans while mitigating risks associated with the COVID pandemic.  Working together we have been able to move forward, provide flexibility for families, and maintain a safe school environment for students and teachers.  

 

I also want to recognize that this situation impacts everyone differently based on their family situation, and we are sensitive to the variety of ways this plays out at school.  We ask all of our community members to continue to maintain the precautionary measures to stay safe and limit the spread of the virus.  Our decisions continue to be driven with safety at the forefront, but we are also considering the mental health ramifications that are presented during these times.

 

Please feel free to reach out to me, Kathy, or Ryan as our COVID Coordinator if you have questions. We are excited to welcome more students back on campus and the benefits it provides to those students during these challenging times.  

 

Thank you and Go Dragons!

 

Jamie Tender

Head of School