School Update

To all South Bend Students, Families, & Community Members-

Today at a special press conference, Governor Jay Inslee announced his decision to extend the school closure mandate through the rest of this school year.  We will not be coming back to school like we had hoped.  Though I think many of us nervously anticipated this possibility, the actuality of this decision is unprecedented in our school district and in this state.  Washington now follows suit with about a dozen other states, with more to come in the next few days to weeks as our nation copes with the covid-19 pandemic.

This news is difficult and tough for us to comprehend, but also devastating to so many of our students.  From the younger kiddos who can't fully comprehend the reasons as to why they can't see their friends and teachers they love, to the older students who have had to miss out on athletics, school activities, and the many other social aspects at school, to our seniors who are facing the harsh reality of a senior year that is everything but typical.  There is no easy way to explain any of this, but I think we all have both unique and shared struggles in dealing with the fallout of this school year closure.

I expect everyone to have questions, and we will do our best to provide answers as we navigate forward.  The good thing is that our principals, teachers, and staff have done a tremendous amount of work to get us to a solid point in being able to continue an academic program.  Though it may not be perfect and there are some individual challenges, we have a good base on which to continue to improve. Our school staff is working tirelessly to stay connected to our students, to continue education, to provide needed access to food, and we will not stop--we will only get better and more efficient.

Finally, thank you for your continued patience.  We are doing our best under tough circumstances.  We do not expect perfection from our students and we all realize the challenges families are facing as they try to maintain some level of normality in these abnormal times.  Please know that we are here for you, and we will continue to do our very best work to meet the needs of our students.  I expect to have more information available for students, families, and community members within the next day and coming week.  Please stay tuned and stay safe.

Jon Tienhaara
Superintendent

Elementary K-6 academic program

To All South Bend Parents and Community Members:

Earlier this week I released an update on how our grades 7-12 academic program has continued to evolve during the statewide school closure.  That update can be found here.  This update provides information on our current elementary academic program.

In addition to the resources available on our school website (click here) elementary teachers are checking in with families and students each week by mail, phone, and email.  In addition, most teachers have class pages on Facebook where they provide daily videos, resources, and other communications for both parents and students.

Teachers are providing weekly learning packets for students.  These are being delivered by our school buses during meal service, are available in the school office, and can also be mailed to homes.  If you are not receiving these, please feel free to email your teacher and/or contact the school at 360-875-6041.

Teachers are also monitoring online learning programs available at our website (link above) and are providing guidance and feedback on returned learning packets.  They are available each school day via email for assistance, and all of our teachers love hearing from their students! 

As I am sure you can imagine, educating elementary students at a distance can be a challenge and can take some getting used to, especially for the younger students.  The good thing is that our teachers and principal are dedicated to helping our families and students during these times, and strive to stay connected as much as possible.  Parents can help by utilizing the resources teachers are providing, and by maintaining communication with their teacher.

Please be sure to connect with your teacher!  If you have questions, you can also reach out to principal Kresta Byington at byington@southbendschools.org and school secretary Tammy McDougall at tmcdougall@southbendschools.org.