Like all school districts across our state and nation, we are looking ahead to what school will look like in August and into the 2020-2021 school year in Bexley Schools.
With the health and safety of our staff and students foremost in our minds, we are planning for what next year may look like. Per the governor’s comments this week and from reviewing guidance for opening the 2020-2021 academic year, we are planning for our school buildings to be open to students for in-person learning in some format.
We recognize the importance of making local decisions, with our community and our facilities in mind, that are best for our students. We have convened a BCS Reopening Task Force to help design and provide input on our reopening plans. The task force includes administrators, teachers, classified staff, our clinic nurses, a board of education member, and four parents who bring expertise in the areas of public health, medicine, and internet technologies. Strategic partnerships and community input are essential to our success as a district and we are looking forward to the work of this group.
The task force met for the first time on Monday, May 18. It’s first task is to develop and administer surveys for staff, students, and parents regarding distance learning, potential new health, safety and cleaning protocols, hybrid (in-person and distance) learning, and to gather feelings of stakeholders regarding the return to in-person school in August if we are able. The surveys will be distributed the week of May 25. The task force will reconvene on June 4, to review the data and to begin the next phase of planning.
Once in the planning phase, the task force will be forming work groups to dive deeper into each aspect of returning to school in August. These groups will be reaching out to colleagues, parents, and other groups so that we can hear additional community input throughout the planning process. It is our goal to communicate our plan to return to school as soon as possible. However, because of the ever-changing environment, we know that we will need to revisit our plan throughout the summer, and possibly up to the opening date of August 20, in order to make revisions or additions if necessary.
Throughout the summer, we will provide updates on the progress of the task force in order to keep you informed each step along the way. Updates will be included in the superintendent’s newsletters that will return to a bi-weekly delivery the week of June 8 and on our website..
Thank you for your continued patience and support of Bexley City Schools.
Be Well!
Kimberly Pietsch Miller, Ed.D.