Looking toward the fall, figuring out what role online learning will still play then

To be clear, next fall I want our kids to be here together, in this place that our community built for all of us. But we have learned some things this year as well. We have learned that our teachers could create high-quality, synchronous, online learning.  We have learned that while this year has been hard for many of our kids, some of them have thrived in the online-learning world. And, we have learned that there are many reasons for families wanting online courses next year: from health concerns, to learning style, to a family’s schedule or living arrangements.

As always around here, your feedback guides our work. So we are working and planning online courses for the students and families who believe this choice is best for them. And we have a great deal to share with you. Here is how we start:

• Take a look at this introductory video, to get an overall view of our online program.

• You can also access directly the Slides presentation we used in the video.

• Parents and students have told us that our FAQs that we have developed since this summer have been an important resource for your decision making. So we have built an FAQ for online learning, and we will be updating it in the weeks ahead.

Thank you, as always, for working alongside us, to navigate this very challenging time, and to do what is best for all our kids here.

Making your choice about the 4th quarter

As we approach the 4th quarter, we again need and want your feedback for what is best for your son or daughter: finishing the school year learning online or returning to face-to-face instruction here in the building.

On March 4 we sent a decision form to the parents of students who are currently learning virtually.  The form will only be sent to the parent listed as “family 1, guardian 1” in Skyward to prevent duplicate submissions.  If you are a parent of a face-to-face learner and wish to change your student’s learning mode for 4th quarter, reach out to us at 323-5200 and we will make the change for you. You will have until Friday, March 12 at midnight to submit your decision. If we don’t hear back from you, your daughter or son will continue in the same mode that she or he was signed up for in the 3rd quarter. If you have any thoughts or questions, please reach out to me anytime. Thanks for this!

8th Grade Night

Given the world we live in, again we are all working creatively to still get you the information and ideas you need to make the right decisions for all our daughters and sons. So here are the next few steps:

1. Take a listen to this introductory video, which gives you a sense of what lies ahead. 
2. Here is the program for our virtual 8th Grade Students’ and Families’ Night. This is one-stop shopping, to give you everything you need to make the important decisions ahead. Please take your time and check out all the links; there are presentations for all our required classes plus other resources. 
3. And here is a presentation explaining all our required classes for next year. 

Also, on our PC YouTube channel, we have a recording of our Google Meeting from Wednesday evening, where we had a great discussion and responded to a lot of thoughtful questions. To watch that video, just hit this link. As we said, this was just a start to our conversation, and we are looking forward to many more ahead.

CommuniTeen Read on Tuesday, March 16, at 6:00 pm and is free and open to the public.

Mark your calendars for March 16, 2021, for an exciting event organized by Communiteen Read.  Like so many other

 things, last year’s event had to be canceled, so this year’s event builds on last year’s book The Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds to include Reynold’s co-author Brendan Kiely on their new book All American Boys.  This book tells the story about different experiences of young men of different races and backgrounds coming of age in America. Information about the event can be found here, and you can register here. 

For Student Chromebook issues

Please click here for steps for troubleshooting common issues.  If the device is damaged, fill out the form at the bottom of the link page.

Student Work Permits

Students in need of a work permit during this pause should go to the Administration building. The public building hours are 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. If you cannot come during those hours, have them contact Chris Augustine directly at (269) 323-5165 to set up an appointment. 

Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Information

Please visit this page to access updates about the school closure, including how we are responding to prevent the spread of infectious disease, keep students and staff safe and healthy, and minimize the impact on student learning.