SBEZ 2020-21 School Reopening Hub
Overview
The South Bend Empowerment Zone was created to dramatically improve student learning over the next four years. While we work closely with our colleagues at the SBCSC, we have the power to make decisions about many aspects of how our five schools (Coquillard, Harrison, Navarre, Warren, and Wilson) operate, including how we reopen schools for the 2020-21 school year in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our first priority is safety for our children and staff (and their families). Our second priority is ensuring every student has a high-quality learning experience that sets them up for life-long success. This Reopening Hub will provide important guidance and resources supporting a successful launch for the upcoming school year.
Sheltered eLearning
We have put together a plan to offer what we are calling “sheltered eLearning” for children and families who are struggling with eLearning. Here are some important things for you to know:
- We are offering limited spots for children to eLearn from the school building; we want to keep to 10 or fewer children in a classroom with their teacher or another school staff member. We are doing this to prevent spread of Covid-19 and maximize safety. The rest of our children will continue to eLearn from home.
- Students who do “sheltered eLearning” will spend the majority of their school day in one space in the school building and must follow strict safety protocols:
- Masks must be worn for everyone’s safety
- Students will be taught safety protocols that must be followed to keep everyone safe
- We will need your support and partnership to make sure your child follows directions
- We will be contacting you by phone next week (Monday 10/12 -Thursday 10/15) to ask you about your needs/wishes to have your child do eLearning from the school building.
If your preference is for your child to do sheltered eLearning, you will be assigned to phase I or phase II sheltered eLearning. Phase I sheltered eLearning will start on 10/26. The phase II sheltered eLearning start date will depend on an improvement in health data in St. Joseph County/zip code 46619.
10/12-10/15
Your child’s teacher or another staff member from the school will call you to ask you your preference- if you see a phone call from the school, please pick up. This will be a very short (5 minutes or less) conversation. If we can’t contact you, we will assume your preference is to continue with eLearning from home
10/21
If you said your preference was for your child to do sheltered eLearning, you will receive communication on your child’s status as phase I or phase II sheltered eLearner
10/21-10/23
Our Empowerment Zone principals will host virtual Q&A sessions to answer questions; all of our Empowerment Zone families are welcome to join any session with any of the principals
10/26
Sheltered eLearning begins/First day of the 2nd Quarter
We believe that the majority of our families will choose to continue to eLearn from home- ultimately, we believe this is currently the safest option. My own children, who proudly attend Coquillard, will continue to eLearn from home.
Eager to hear from you!
Family and community perspective has supported the Zone in designing a reopening plan we are confident in. If you are a parent/guardian of a Zone student, please complete our Ready. Set. Learn. Family Survey.
Resources
For more information regarding important events and resources for the upcoming school year, please see below.
