Dear Parents/Guardians,
RE: Update on Moscow School District’s draft plan for the upcoming school year (Things are changing by the minute due to the recent spike).
As you read the following information, please understand this is a draft. I am providing this information for you to provide feedback and let me know what additional information is needed for your family. I have shared this information with the staff, but since then, there has been a spike in positive cases throughout the State of Idaho so additional changes may be warranted.
As you view the following plans, I, along with our staff members and Trustees, want you to know the plan was developed with the students and staff members safety as the first priority, but also with understanding the need to get as many students as possible back in school for their academic and mental health well being. I have frequently stated to the staff during the development of the plan that we need to take every precaution that is reasonable and necessary, while maintaining some flexibility allowing us to make changes as the situation evolves.
The draft plan will continue to be worked on throughout the summer. I do not expect to finalize the plan until mid-August due to the ongoing changes that are occurring due to COVID-19. Please understand while the district will most likely not be able to meet all needs and requests, it is our goal to provide a safe and healthy school environment.
Moscow School District’s DRAFT Pandemic Operation Plan - 20200714
Other Information:
Learning Management System (LMS): After reviewing survey results from parents during the distance-learning period, it was clear that one of the large frustrations for parents and students was the amount of sites they had to log into to complete assignments, get messages, or see grades. To help in making this easier for everyone involved, it was determined that we needed a common LMS for easy access to all online sites used in the instruction. This will also allow parents with multiple children in our school district to go to this single site to retrieve all their children’s’ work, check grades, or communicate with their children’s teachers. This program is similar to Blackboard, which is used currently by the U of I.
The district plans on having our staff use this program within their classrooms as well, so if we have to close school during the year, or if a student has to quarantine at home, they would have a much smoother transition to the distance-learning format. More information about how this system works will be shared as we move closer to the school year.
Sincerely,
Gregory J. Bailey
Gregory J. Bailey, Ph.D.
Superintendent