Back To School Welcome Letter Posted: September 18, 2020
Dear Parents and Caregivers,
This has
been and continues to be a challenging time for us all. Over the last
months, we have worked diligently to study the guidance from national, state,
and local officials, as well as seeking input from parents and
stakeholders. During this trying time, a couple of constants have been
the fluidity of this situation and the fact that with every answer comes more
questions. This is a complicated situation, but we have done our best to
use all guidelines mentioned above to develop our plan for classrooms.
Keeping our students and staff as safe as possible, is our top priority.
OLHSA Early
Head Start, Head Start, and GSRP will begin distance learning on September 21,
2020 and will continue with this option through December 31, 2020. Our goal is
to return to in-person classroom learning in January 2021 and more information
will be forthcoming as we move toward reopening. We will look at the data in
December and determine if it safe to return to classroom learning. A return to
in-person learning would include keeping classroom sizes small and reduced
hours for teachers to have time to sanitize and disinfect their classrooms. Our
handbook with information on the school year is online this year and you will
find it on our website at https://www.olhsa.org/earlychildhoodprograms.
This coming year you can expect
to receive high quality supportive services from our distance learning program.
We will have a drive through event at our OLHSA Pontiac and Webster Hazel Park
locations, to pick up supplies to assist with distance learning. We will also
have tablets available for families that need equipment to connect with their
teacher. Parent Orientation will also take place through Zoom and this
information will be forthcoming.
Thank you for your
patience. Safety is our priority and we care deeply about the students, families
and staff in our program. We will continue to make decisions whether to return
to in-person classroom learning or continue distance learning based on data, in
order to keep everyone safe.
Sincerely,
Janice Smith
OLHSA, ECS Director