Aquila Elementary School issued the following announcement.
The School Board for St. Louis Park Public Schools voted to make changes to the District’s Safe Learning Plan at its Monday, November 9 meeting. The changes include:
Postpone implementation of Distance Learning Academy and full-day hybrid learning model for students in grades K-5 that was scheduled to start on November 16.
November 16 Middle School and High School students move to distance learning.
November 23 Early Learning and Elementary School students move to distance learning.
School Board to re-evaluate Safe Learning Plan at the January 11, 2021 meeting.
The Board also voted to authorize Superintendent Osei to transition students to distance learning at an earlier date without school board action, if necessary.
All sites E-12 will remain in their current learning models and capacities until transitioning to distance learning. This means that the Middle School will continue with its 50% capacity hybrid model plan and the High School will continue with its 25% capacity hybrid model plan through November 13. Elementary schools will continue operating under the hybrid model that sees students attend school half days, two days a week through November 20.
Childcare for Critical Workers will continue at school sites during distance learning.
“As we move to a more restrictive educational delivery model, I recognize the impact that this will have on our students, families and staff,” Superintendent Astein Osei said. “I know that many of our students, families and staff were looking forward to continuing in the hybrid learning model.”
“We’re living in an unprecedented global pandemic and we have to keep our students, staff and families safe,” Board Member Karen Waters said. “It’s frustrating for all of us...but we planned for this to happen and can dial-back to the distance learning model and do it well.”
Board Chair Mary Tomback shared that anyone who wishes to keep their students home from school between now and the transition to distance learning due to health concerns should feel comfortable doing so and the school district will accommodate those requests. Families wishing to keep their student(s) home during this time should call their school attendance line and state that their child will be home from school as a preventative quarantine to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“We are truly doing the best we can to balance everybody’s interest and keep everybody safe,” Chair Tomback said. “We continue to ask for your patience and understanding.”
More information regarding the transition to the distance learning model, including schedules, curriculum materials, etc., will be communicated by schools in the coming days.
Any stakeholders interested in watching the entire November 9 School Board meeting can do so below. The Board begins discussing the Safe Learning Plan at approximately the 1 hour and 11 minute mark of the video. You can also download a PDF of Superintendent Osei's Safe Learning Plan Update presentation.
Original source can be found here.
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