April 9, 2020
Dear Students, Parents, Staff, and Community Members:
On Thursday, March 12, 2020 at 11:29 p.m., Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that in order to slow the spread of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan, she was ordering the closure of all K-12 school buildings to students starting Monday, March 16 until Sunday, April 5. On March 23rd, the order was extended to April 13, 2020. As you know, on April 2, 2020, Governor Whitmer closed all schools for the remainder of the 2019- 20 school year to face-to-face instruction.
Over the course of the last week, our administrative team and I have sought input from our teachers, our School Board, our counselors, our special education department, our custodians, our technology department and local service agencies to help us collaborate on the best method for providing continued learning opportunities for our students. This wonderful team has assembled a plan of education that we believe will provide really great learning opportunities for our students for the remainder of this 2019-20 school year. Each week teachers will connect with students with lessons and learning activities. Please encourage your children to engage in the learning. Engaging students remotely has many challenges and we request parental support to make this happen.
Last evening you likely received an invitation to request a Chromebook for your child and those may be collected per the plan you were communicated. Our technology team has worked hard to organize this opportunity for all students that need a device. For those that do not have access to Internet, Wi-Fi may be accessed from the parking lots of each of our buildings. While this is not an ideal situation, it does provide opportunity to connect. In rare circumstances in which students are unable to access the Internet, teachers will work individually with those students. Instruction, if not already taking place, will begin no later than the week of April 20th. Teachers will be collecting materials from their classrooms next week and collaborating on lessons.
Each week beginning April 20, 2020, teachers will post office hours for parent and student questions, during set times three days per week. They will be providing instructional learning times that range from 20-120 minutes per day for PK-5th grade students, 90-180 minutes per day for 6th-8th grade students and 120-270 minutes per day for 9th-12th grade students. We expect that teachers will connect with students at least one time per week during regular school hours. The method in which teachers connect with students will be determined by the teachers and impacted by what works best for their students.
Our counseling team stands ready to assist teachers by connecting with students to meet social emotional needs. This is a challenging time for everyone. Our children are definitely feeling the impact of this closure and all of these significant changes. In addition, our special education department will do all they can to provide necessary accommodations for our learners with an IEP/504. Next week, each of our building principals will send out building specific information.
I have been asked many questions over the last several weeks related to upcoming events. For now, we are not going to be cleaning out lockers or desks until the end of the school year. This poses undue risk to our staff at this time and unless there is a necessary item your child needs, we will provide a time to gather these materials in June. Please contact your building principal if there is something that your child must have and we will arrange for you to collect the items. High school Prom was scheduled for early May, unfortunately we will be canceling Prom this year. The COVID-19 risks are too high to bring everyone together and there is not a sensible plan that is appropriate to hold Prom considering the risks. Senior Graduation at this point is on hold and we will continue exploring all of our options to ensure that our seniors have a meaningful graduation ceremony. More communication will be shared to our senior parents on this in the coming weeks.
The most ideal situation is to place our high quality teachers in front of our wonderful students for the remainder of the school year. Unfortunately, that cannot happen. We all have to adapt to make the best of the circumstances we have. I am extremely proud of our Bullock Creek staff for the hard work and care in looking out for the best interests of our students. Our meal program will continue, our teachers will continue to teach, and our students will be provided opportunity to learn. Bullock Creek Community, we will get through this and we’re going to do it well. Thank you for supporting our students and teachers during these challenges. It’s always a great day to be a Lancer and challenging times like this is evidence that the Creek is the right place to be.
Sincerely,
Shawn J. Hale Superintendent