Information For August 6 SC Meeting - Re-Opening Plan Discussion/Approval

Good afternoon everyone!  I hope you are well and enjoying some of this beautiful Maine weather!  I am reaching out to provide information and links that I am sharing with the Gorham School Committee in preparation for their meeting on August 6.  It is at this special meeting that they will be reviewing the Re-Opening Plan in depth, approving the plan (with revisions as necessary) and making a determination as to how we will open our schools on August 31.  As you can see by the topics I just listed, this is going to be a "heavy" meeting with much to discuss.

First, I want to make sure you know how to access the meeting if you wish to attend.  The meeting will be held on Thursday, August 6, 2020 beginning at 7:00 p.m. via zoom.  The zoom link is below:

https://networkmaine.zoom.us/j/83059577529?pwd=UWk3Y2Njc0M0L1dYNXZsQldibHR0QT09

Password:  947246

Or via phone:  +1-301-715-8592

Meeting ID:  830 5957 7529

Additionally, I wanted to provide you with the link to the School Committee Agenda and Materials.

* Special Meeting Agenda

*  DRAFT Gorham Schools Pandemic Operations Plan (Re-Opening Plan)

*  DRAFT Student/Family COVID-19 Handbook

*  DRAFT Re-Opening Plan Slide Presentation

All other materials for the agenda packet can be found by CLICKING HERE.  

PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE MATERIALS ARE LIKELY TO CONTINUE TO BE REVISED RIGHT UP TO THE MEETING ITSELF... AS THEY ARE STILL LIVE DRAFT DOCUMENTS AS THE DISTRICT LEADERSHIP TEAM CONTINUES TO ADJUST PLANS BASED ON EMERGING DATA.

Also, I wanted to let you know that the CDC released its metrics identifying guidance on how each county should consider opening its schools  based on a red, yellow, or green designation with red being a suggestion of no in-person learning, yellow being a suggestion of utilizing a hybrid model of learning where approximately 50% of students are in schools for a limited time each week and with green being a suggestion of allowing all students to return to in-person instruction. The  metric is LINKED HERE.  At this time (and again these designations change each week) all counties are listed as "Green".  This information will definitely be used to help the School Committee make its decisions next week.  Please know (and I am sorry to have to confuse folks further)...but "green" isn't just "green"(nothing is so simple these days)... the "green" designation allows for all students to return to face to face instruction BUT ONLY IF ALL SAFETY GUIDELINES CAN BE MET with all students in the facility.  I'll be honest...right now that would be very difficult in the Gorham Schools - but we will definitely be talking about it at the School Committee Meeting on Thursday.  

Finally, I wanted to make sure parents knew of some IMPORTANT next steps in our processes to re-open our schools in whatever model is selected by the Gorham School  Committee.  Those are:

*  August 6  - School Committee decision

*  August 10 - Final Parent Survey released (Due August 14)

*  August 10 - K-5 PARENT Q&A Session at 6:30 p.m.

*  August 11 - Gr. 6-8 PARENT Q&A Session at 6:30 p.m.

*  August 12 - Gr. 9-12 PARENT Q&A Session at 6:30 p.m.

*  August 14 - Parent Survey Due

*  August 14 - 28 - Final preparations made to open schools

*  August 24 - Individual School Re-Opening Videos Released

*  August 31 -  First Day of School for K,6, and 9 (note Kindergarten screenings will take place by appointment on August 31 and Sept. 1.  Placements will be made and then formal classes begin for K students on Sept. 8).

*  September 1 - First Day of School for all  other students

Note:  Links to the Q&A sessions can be found on the Gorham Schools District Website Calendar.  Just click  on the calendar event and the zoom information will  appear!  These have been very valuable meetings for parents to attend so I would strongly encourage attendance if at all possible.  These meetings will also be recorded  (as long as I remember to press record - sorry 6-8 parents) and  posted for parents who are unable to attend.

As always, if you have ANY questions, please reach out.  My email address is heather.perry@gorhamschools.org

THANK YOU!

Parent Open Q&A Sessions Announced!

The recent surveys, media headlines, social media and the seeming speediness that our summer seems to be cruising along have certainly created a nice little "buzz" in our community regarding the opening of our schools.  It is good that everyone is thinking about this important topic because to be honest, we (the schools) are going to need ALL THE HELP WE CAN GET, regardless of the model within which we open (Red, Yellow, or Green).  Bottom line though - I have full faith that the Gorham School Department will put together a Re-opening plan that will provide the best possible educational programs in the safest environments possible with the love, care and focus on relationships we have always had for every child we work with!  WE CAN AND WILL DO THIS! ☺

I have answered many emails  over the past few weeks from many parents - all whom had incredibly thoughtful and important questions to ask regarding how our schools will re-open and the potential implications for their children. There were questions regarding child care, questions regarding face coverings, questions regarding social distancing, buses, what schedules will look like, what kind of programming will be offered virtually, and much much more.  And although I answered each question emailed to me, I am very sure there are more out there...and I want to make sure to answer them.  

Additionally, I want to provide parents an opportunity to share thoughts and ideas regarding our draft re-opening plans for our schools in a timely enough manner as to allow for revisions to occur before the final plan is brought to the School Committee on August 6 for approval and decision making about how we will open our schools.  

Finally, I want to make sure that once the decisions  are made...that I communicate these decisions to parents effectively and that parents are once again given an opportunity to  ask questions and gain clarity prior to the opening of school in late August.  

As a means to these ends -  I have scheduled  THREE open parent Q&A sessions next week prior to the approval of the plan for the purposes of answering questions and providing feedback.  Then I have scheduled ANOTHER THREE open parent Q&A sessions the week after the plan is approved by the School Committee for the purpose of answering questions and making sure expectations are clear.  I have broken these open sessions up  by grade level so that parents can ask grade level specific questions and provide grade level specific feedback.

The schedule for these meetings is below.  Please feel free to flag the one (or ones) you wish to attend and mark your calendars!  The dates for all these meetings (along with zoom login information) will also be posted on our district website's calendar.   As always, if you  have any questions, please ask...otherwise - I look forward to seeing many of you at these meetings.  

Rough Agendas:

*  Opening Welcome
*  Brief verbal overview of grade level re-opening plans (Green, yellow, red)
*  Feedback/questions

Meetings List (BEFORE Plan Approval)

*  K-5 - 7/27 @ 6:30 p.m. via zoom
* 6-8 - 7/28 @ 6:30 p.m. via zoom
* 9-12 - 7/29 @ 6:30 p.m. via zoom

Meetings List (AFTER Plan Approval)

Note: I will email a link to the Re-opening plan after it is approved by the SC on August 6 so you can review prior to these meetings.

* K-5 - 8/10 @ 6:30 p.m. via zoom

* 6-8  - 8/11 @ 6:30 p.m. via  zoom

* 9-12 - 8/11 @ 5:30 p.m. via zoom

P.S. - I will do my best to record these sessions and post them on our district website for parents who can't make it...but as you all know - there's nothing like being part of the live discussion to really make sure your questions are answered!

NEED K-5 PARENT/GUARDIAN'S HELP - PLEASE READ!

Good afternoon Gorham K-5 Parent/Guardians!

I hope you are all enjoying a little sunshine today!

I am reaching out to you because I NEED YOUR HELP!  The Maine Department of Education released its updated Re-opening guidelines late last week and with it, they made a few changes that MAY IMPACT our planning for the re-opening of schools under the "YELLOW" model.

Please take about 6 minutes to watch my video below and then, I ask K-5 parent/guardians to complete a BRIEF survey (15 minutes max) sometime between now and Wednesday morning (7/22/20) to help inform a District Leadership Team meeting that is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. that day.

Note:  Grade 6-8 hybrid model would remain 2 day per week model so please respond only if you are a K-5 parent/guardian.

As always, if you have questions, please ask.

Here is the Video Link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1K0uSoKUyyQwQ1cs9s0bZtjfDwiokRuMo/view?usp=sharing


Here is the Survey Link:

https://forms.gle/WerTd32ayURvNRpH6

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP!
________________________________________________________________________________

PARENTS CONSIDERING VIRTUAL LEARNING  OPTION - PLEASE READ

I AM GETTING A LOT OF QUESTIONS REGARDING HOMESCHOOLING.  TO BE CLEAR, IF YOU WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR ONLINE VIRTUAL PROGRAM YOU DO NOT NEED TO WITHDRAW YOUR CHILD(REN)  FROM THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT, AND IN FACT  YOU SHOULDN'T.  IF YOU WITHDRAW TO HOMESCHOOL VIA THE STATE PAPERWORK, YOU BECOME SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUR CHILD.  IF ALL YOU ARE SEEKING IS AN  OPTION TO HAVE YOUR CHILD STAY HOME - THEY CAN  PARTICIPATE IN OUR VIRTUAL PROGRAM - FREE.  

WHEN WE SEND OUT THE FINAL SURVEY TO  PARENTS IN AUGUST JUST INDICATE YOU WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN THE VIRTUAL PROGRAM AND THAT IS ALL YOU NEED TO DO - WE WILL DO THE REST.

IF YOU KNOW OF OTHER PARENTS WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT SENDING THEIR  CHILDREN TO SCHOOL - PLEASE  LET THEM KNOW - THEY SHOULD  NOT WITHDRAW THEIR CHILD FROM THE SCHOOLS...WE WILL PROVIDE THE VIRTUAL OPTION AS IF THEY REMAIN ENROLLED.  THANK YOU!

Parent/Guardian Re-opening Survey REMINDER

Good morning everyone!  Just wanted to get a reminder out to everyone that the due date for completion of the parent re-opening survey is quickly approaching - TOMORROW! I've created a video below to remind parents to complete the survey and to share answers to some of the most common questions I have gotten about the hybrid model thus far...please review the QUICK video and then if you haven't already completed the survey - please do so!  If you have already completed the survey - THANK YOU!  As always, any questions - please ask!


Video Message

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MxZxhocHqA2WhUnuWhZTA2EtfF4_988X/view?usp=sharing


Survey Link

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-ufwmscinc_9Hw7pnclkGOybUbagwWa5-iNRDLn0yb41n2Q/viewform?usp=sf_link

Parent Re-Opening Plan Survey - RESPONSE NEEDED

Good morning everyone!  I hope you are all gearing up for your July 4th holiday weekends with family and friends and enjoying a little well deserved time off!  This is an IMPORTANT blog post as I NEED YOUR HELP in completing a survey that will allow us to move forward in our planning for the re-opening of school.  Please watch the video message from me linked below and then click on the parent survey linked below and take 15-20 minutes to complete the survey sometime between now and Friday, July 10, 2020.  As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out!  THANK YOU!


SUPERINTENDENT'S VIDEO MESSAGE TO PARENTS



LINK TO K-12 PARENT RE-OPENING SURVEY


Please note:  I will be sending a SEPARATE Email message via our district messenger system directly after this post to let families know which group your child(ren) have been placed in for your planning purposes.  You will either receive a message that your child(ren) have been placed in group A or one that indicates they have been placed in group B.  As a reminder, those in group A under the hybrid model of opening would be in school on Mondays and Wednesdays and those in group B would be in school on Tuesdays and Thursdays with Fridays being at  home flexible learning days focused on interventions, enrichment, SEL and/or Executive Functioning skills.

If you have ANY QUESTIONS - please email me at heather.perry@gorhamschools.org.

THANK YOU and have a great 4th of July weekend!