Blair Community Schools Parents & Guardians: Over the last three months, everything has changed so quickly. Our routines of helping students as usual, abruptly called for a rapid turn and required our teachers, staff and students to work remotely.
We do appreciate your patience during this unprecedented time as we navigate through the challenges of reopening our schools. Our goal is to reopen school safely and as normal as possible in the fall, all while ensuring the health, safety and well-being of all students and staff.
We are grateful that the Governor lifted the Directed Health Measure on June 1st. This allowed us to open the schools on June 1st with limited activities and with an extensive plan with preventive measures to keep students safe. Opening was weight training at the High School and Blair Kids Academy at Deerfield Primary. Over 150 students per day have participated in the weight program and Blair Kid's Academy has been running at the capacity that has been allowed. We have not required students to wear face masks and have asked for staff to wear them when they are within six feet of students. Now, we are planning for the opening of camps and the opening of gyms in July.
I do remain hopeful that we get to make the decision locally to establish the procedures for reopening schools, including not requiring students to wear masks.
I am requesting your input about the reopening of school in the fall. Please select the survey here and complete it prior to July 3rd. I will be sharing a School Reopening Plan (SRP) with school administrators this week. Building administrators will be working with teachers from their buildings to adapt the SRP to meet the needs of each school. BCS will rely on input from parents, guardians, and teachers to assist in the development of a SRP for each building.
I will share information about the SRP at a Work Session, prior to the July 13th Regular Board Meeting, that addresses multiple reopening scenarios and contingencies to ensure the health, safety and well-being of all students and staff. District leaders and staff, anticipate multiple potential scenarios associated with the reopening process. A lot depends on what new requirements the local health departments or the NDE set forth in August.
The plan to reopen school could cause the Board to amend school policies related to attendance, transportation, etc. If for example, students are required to sit at least six feet apart on a school bus, we may need to modify (or substantially rewrite) the transportation policies. If visitors are restricted at school, we may need to change (or even suspend) visitor and open campus policies. Any policy changes, will need to be reflected in our handbooks. With so much uncertainty, I am recommending COVID-19 related policy and handbook changes for the 2020-2021 school year, be presented to school board committees throughout July for discussion with approval by the school board at their regular meeting on August 10th. I will begin sharing reopening plans with parents in mid-July.
Thank you,
Dr. Randy Gilson
Superintendent
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BLAIR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
CONTINUING FOOD DISTRIBUTION INFORMATION
FREE student meals (breakfast and lunch) will continue to be distributed on a weekly basis.
DATES: *Tuesday, 05/26/2020 thru Tuesday, 06/30/2020
WHO: Any Child ages 1 to 18
WHERE: North School @1326 Park Street (West Side)
WHEN: Monday, Tuesday and *Wednesday
TIMES: 11:30am – 1:30pm
*Notification will be given if distribution continues beyond 06/30/2020.*
*Wednesday’s bag will contain meals for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.*
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Click HERE to view the BHS Novel Coronavirus Disease website.
Blair Community School's response to the Novel Coronavirus.
Additional Novel Coronavirus Resources
Superintendent Weekly Message Text
CDC Guidance for Schools
Local Health Department Info & Contacts