June 16, 2020
Greeting Red Hawk Family,
I hope this letter finds you and your family well. July 4th will be here in a few weeks and this typically signals the mid-way point of summer. Here at the board office, July is a very busy month. Then again, June has been busy as well as we plan for the 2020-21 school year. It is my intent today to provide you with an update regarding that planning and the anticipated status of school in August.
The Kansas Department of Education is working to develop guidance for schools as they prepare for August and beyond. This guidance should come in July. USD 415 has been working with staff and other entities to plan for a variety of school scenarios and to be ready to incorporate that guidance. We are re-visiting our practices and reflecting on the continuous learning plan experience. We are working within the organization to prepare for school whether it happens in the traditional manner, an on-line format, or a hybrid system. This being said, I want to assure you that we plan to start school in a traditional mode in August. That is our strong desire and we are increasingly optimistic that this will be the case.
While school will likely start on time, we must also understand that change will be the norm as we move forward. These changes will impact the typical routines of the school day and the school calendar. They will be necessary as we plan for the health and safety of our students and staff. Careful considerations are being made regarding the logistics of student movement, transportation, and food service. Most importantly, change will be necessary in order to address the learning and health of our children. Our planning efforts this summer should enable us to respond more nimbly when circumstances warrant.
As we plan, we want to hear from you. Please expect to receive an invitation to complete a related survey. It is intended to assess your comfort level regarding starting school this fall. You will receive the invitation in the next day or two.
In closing, I want to thank you for your efforts and assistance this past school year. I also want to assure you that your district officials and staff are indeed planning. While we won’t predict the 2020-21 school year, we will enter it as prepared as possible. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you and have a happy and healthy summer.
Sincerely,
Lonnie Moser, Superintendent
lmoser@usd415.org