Return to Learn Update August 7
Waukee families,
Thank you for working with us as we transition into the 2020-21 school year! Our team took the information from the surveys that were completed on Wednesday of this week, and that afternoon started building schedules and staffing plans according to the data we received. No further elections can be made to your student(s) choice of in-person or online as the work is well underway with our team to staff both models.
Given the timing of all of the work that is occurring, you likely won’t have your student(s) schedules as early as in previous years, however, we will let you know as soon as those are available.
Buildings will be communicating with families in the next couple weeks of any changes to drop off and pick up procedures, schedules, classroom assignments, open house/back to school nights, as well as ways to help your student’s transition to their learning environment. One of the things we would really encourage you to do is work with your child/ren on face coverings as we get closer to the year start. The energy and intentionality will be helpful to all of us as we start the school year.
Return to Learn Plan Transition Matrix
As I mentioned on Tuesday after our Board expressed concerns regarding the rates of positivity that have been identified by the Iowa Department of Education in cooperation with the Iowa Department of Public Health. Work has been underway this week to engage in additional research on guidance from resources such as the Centers for Disease Control as well as experts in Public Health from the University of Iowa. Guided by that work, a draft matrix has been created that will be presented to the Board on Monday night to be used in consideration of moving between Return to Learn plans. That document will be available as an exhibit with the Board agenda this afternoon, and it is available on our website with the Board agenda.
Transportation
As with the schedules, we are working with our partner Durham to configure routes and the approximate number of student riders on each bus. We will share our final plans no later than Tuesday, August 11. The comments that were shared at the Town Hall on Tuesday are largely in line with where the conversations are at this time.
It has been a whirlwind, but I can’t say enough about our staff and families for the support we have received. The school year will look and feel different, but different isn’t a bad thing and I know one thing about Waukee, we will do this together and give love and spread joy along the way.
Sincerely,
Dr. Brad Buck
