Planning for Fall

Community Update

June 22, 2020

This is the first of a series of regular community updates pertaining to the reopening of school in September for the 2020-2021 school year.  All of us at South Bend School District have missed our students, and we cannot wait to see them again in our schools and classrooms.  We are working very hard to ensure our reopening plan is safe, efficient, and meets the needs of all families, students, and staff, while complying with health requirements.

Principals are meeting with teachers this week to begin formulating our plan of face-to-face instruction for next school year.  In addition, they will plan for distance learning should we be forced to close school at some point during the year.

Last week, building administrators and I met to study the recently released rules and guidance for the reopening of school.  We discussed essentially three areas to plan around, with the understanding that some areas can overlap and expand, and potentially change as the summer progresses.  These areas include:  health & safety, instruction, and communication. 

Health & Safety

In conjunction with health department staff, we will be developing health and safety protocols to be followed on campus.  These will align with the required Health Department, Labor & Industries, and other regulations, all of which will be approved locally by our county jurisdiction.  I have a meeting June 29 with Pacific County Health Department and other county school district superintendents to begin work on developing some of these protocols.  The protocols will cover everything from transportation, school building/classroom processes, food service, and other related school logistics.  

Instruction

We have to assume the state will require adherence to strict health guidelines and safety measures for Fall.  Principals are working with teachers to develop a face-to-face, blended instructional program that conforms to health and safety protocols, as well as a distance learning plan should we be forced to again close our buildings. Another part of this work includes identifying core learning standards that depend most on face-to-face instruction, as well as the essential standards to be taught within next school year.  

Communication

We desire parent input as we plan, and communication is key as we keep parents, students and community members informed.  Parents will have a voice as we develop our reopening plan, and we will be very transparent with parents and our community as planning unfolds.  Part of this includes a survey on parent perception of school during these last several months, as well as an opportunity for parents to express input on school reopening this fall.  

As our first week of planning begins and as we continue to plan during these next several weeks, I will provide regular updates.  Thank you for your patience as we continue to navigate these times.  If at any time you have questions, concerns, or ideas, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at: 360-875-6041 or at jtienhaa@southbendschools.org.

Thank you,

Jon Tienhaara

Superintendent

Community Update

Update for Parents, Students, & Community Stakeholders

June 12, 2020

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) released the Reopening Washington's Schools District Planning Guide yesterday, June 11, 2020.  This document provides Washington school districts the required guidance and rules to be followed as school reopening plans are implemented this fall.  These requirements come from OSPI, the Washington Department of Health, and the Governor's Office, informed by a workgroup of statewide education stakeholders.

All of us at South Bend School District desire to have our students back.  We do not desire to see our schools closed as we experienced these last four months.  Though school closure is a direct result of state directives from the governor's office intended to keep students safe, we are hopeful we can develop safe, acceptable plans that allow us to open this fall.  Please understand that our plans must be approved by the health department and align with state guidelines.

South Bend School District administrators and staff are currently in the process of reviewing the OSPI planning guide and will be working with teachers, staff, and school stakeholders to create a school plan for each of the governor's Safe Start Phases, including contingency plans to implement mid-year should we be required to respond to specific health concerns.  

 As we plan, the following will be at the center of our efforts:

1.  Student and staff safety will be the priority.  We are working with the Pacific County Health Department in conjunction with other county school districts to help ensure school planning and implementation conforms to required health guidelines.  I am hopeful this group will also bring consistency between South Bend and neighboring school districts.

2.  Student learning, health, and well-being will continue to be our mission.  Decisions and actions will be centered on what is best for all students.  

3.  We will support staff and provide what is needed to meet instructional requirements.  We are committed to providing the materials, training and support that is needed to help with new modes of instruction, and we will make intentional, informed decisions to be sure our educational programs are the best possible. 

Please know that as we receive further instructions from OSPI and the health department, we will adjust our plans accordingly and communicate needed changes.  We will also adapt our plans as we develop more effective means and efficiencies.  We recognize and acknowledge that parents, families, students, community members, and school staff have both individual and shared concerns and viewpoints with regards to the covid-19 pandemic.  Though there may be differences in some of these concerns and viewpoints, we all share the important commonality of desiring the best possible outcomes for our students.  I encourage all to engage with us as we approach the 2020-2021 school year, and communicate any questions, ideas, or concerns.  

Please feel free to contact me directly at jtienhaa@southbendschools.org, or at 875-6041 with any questions.  Thank you for your patience as we continue to work in these times.

Jon Tienhaara

Superintendent

  

Elementary Teacher Opening

South Bend School District is seeking applicants for a 3rd grade teacher.  The position will begin the 2020-21 school year.  

Qualified applicants should contact Superintendent Jon Tienhaara for application instructions. Please email to: jtienhaa@southbendschools.org

Position closes June 19, 2020 at 2:00 pm

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.