Sharpschool SS16

May 21, 2021

 

Dear Families,

 

As we approach the last week of the 2020-21 school year, it’s hard not to reflect on the nontraditional time we spent together as a learning community. In July of 2020, we shared with you the Bay Village Schools’ Safe Reopening Plan. A lot has changed since then! 

 

 

With determination and grit, and maybe a little apprehension, we persevered. When other districts were in eLearning mode indefinitely, our One Rocket Nation led the charge to be In-building as much as possible. We have been In-building almost 80 percent of this school year. For that we should all be proud, and we have many people to thank. 

 

• Thank you to our students for being so strong. They have been through so much change, and have shown such determination. Our Rockets have remained motivated, joyful, inquisitive, kind and creative throughout their learning experiences. Our rockets are amazing!

 

• Thank you to our parents, grandparents and guardians who are our District partners. We know all have risen to the challenge to ensure their students enjoy normalcy, safety and love during this unprecedented time. Without our families’ support, we could not have done it without you!

 

• Thank you to our Glenview Team, led by Alexa Davey, who paved the way for our District as the first building to open in June of 2020. They braved uncharted territory, and welcomed our Little Rockets back to their “home away from home.” 

 

• Thank you to our administrators, faculty and staff, led by union leaders Lauren Stanislaw, Helen Petro and Jack Heider. Our teams worked through the summer to ensure our students had the tools needed to learn during a nontraditional school year. To say they went above and beyond is an understatement. We became learners and embraced new technology like champions. We know we are all looking forward to seeing our students collaborate on projects by enjoying more personal interaction by reducing screen time in the future.

 

• Thank you to our cleaners/custodians who kept our buildings and classrooms safe. Per the new CDC guidelines, we have learned the virus does not spread through surface areas; therefore, we will discontinue the Vital Oxide misting of our classrooms, but high-surface areas will still be cleaned regularly. Additionally, we are grateful for our bus drivers who are committed to safe transportation at all times.  

 

• Thank you to Dr. Michele Moore and the entire COVID-19 Task Force Team for leading the charge with our data dashboard, safety mitigation strategies and the adherence to national, state and local health orders. Their expertise, patience, generosity and dedication to serving others is unparalleled. 

 

We have followed the Ohio Department of Health orders, and will continue to do so. Our masking policy will continue until June 2, 2021, per ODH orders. While ODH no longer will require masks in Ohio schools on June 2, some of our students and community members will still choose to mask, especially since children ages 12 and under have not been vaccinated. We will respect their decision and ask you to do the same. Masks for all summer programming will be optional unless it is determined that a specific activity requires masking. 

 

The Board of Education and District COVID-19 Task Force Team will continue to analyze our internal data from this school year and monitor health orders over the summer with the District releasing a final “Rocket Return Plan” by July 30, 2021. 

Please Note: The BVCSD COVID-19 Hotline will not be staffed after May 27. 

After this date, please contact the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, 216-201-2000.

 

• Thank you to our Cuyahoga County team, Terry Allan with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, and Dr. Bob Mengerink and Dr. Jennifer Dodd of the Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio, for partnering with our District and COVID-19 Task Force Team. Their expertise, knowledge and guidance were invaluable for our team as we navigated education during a pandemic. They helped us keep our One Rocket Nation safe and healthy, with everything from guidelines to vaccine clinics. We are humbled by their steadfast work and dedication to our region’s learning communities.  

 

• Thank you to Athletic and Activities Director Mr. Matt Spellman and his team of coaches and advisers for managing an amazing and successful athletic and activity program this year, despite all the challenges. Mr. Spellman will continue to follow OHSAA and state health order guidelines, and we are hopeful for a more traditional year of athletics and activities.

 

• Thank you to our Technology Team for ensuring we had a fleet of Chromebooks for every student within the District. This team was on call for our faculty, staff, students and families, and led the charge for streaming, hotspots and bandwidth. 

 

They accomplished in several months what most districts do in years. The District will continue its 1:1 Chromebook ratio (grades K-12), but less screen time is our goal. The Family Help Desk and technology hotline will continue, but our hope is it is in less demand next year. Our teaching staff will continue using all the robust tools and apps they mastered last summer.

 

• Thank you to our own Student Services and Mental Health Team led by Marty Patton, school counselors and psychologists, and new Care Coordinator Megan Basel, for working with our students and families to offer multi-tiered supports during a very trying year. We are grateful to the additional support we have received from MetroHealth’s Dr. Lisa Ramirez, Mary Wise of the Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio, Recovery Resources and Bay Family Services.

 

The partnerships our District has formed this past year is truly amazing. From one-on-one student counseling to family resiliency circles to initiating a Town Hall webinar series for families and community members: this team of wellbeing professionals has shined so our learning community could thrive. We plan to continue all these social emotional health partnerships and initiatives, and even expand this area of our learning community. 

 

• Thank you to our PTA and PTSA organizations. They did not allow a pandemic to keep them down. Their fundraisers and presence were always felt, even without being in our buildings. Their caregiving never wavered.

 

• Thank you to the Board of Education (Lisa Priemer, Dave Vegh, Beth Lally, Paul Vincent, Scott Schulz) who didn’t skip a beat. They worked endless hours reviewing health guidance and listening to the community’s needs. Their empathy and understanding when serving others are appreciated by many. They always had one goal in mind: what is best for our children. 

 

• Thank you to the City and its many recreation and civic organizations who maintained a sense of normalcy for our school community and residents. We enjoyed recreation basketball, weekend soccer games or a takeout spaghetti dinner to remind us we are Bay Village strong!

 

• Thank you to SRO Kitchen for making our students feel safe. He has been a welcome addition to our buildings, working closely with our middle and high school buildings to serve our students on a personal level. In trying times, we all breathe easier knowing SRO Kitchen is another resource available for our students on a daily basis.

 

Note: the police department has been unable to provide the District with an update on the January incident that occured at Bay High School as this is an ongoing investigation. We all hope to learn more soon. If you have questions, please reach out to the police department.

 

After honoring COVID-19 planning and protocols for the last 14 months, Bay Village City School District is preparing for a more traditional 2021-22 school year. We look forward to the following:

• Bay Village Schools will have an in-building learning model.

• Traditional start and end dates are: August 18, 2021 and June 3, 2022, respectively.

• Buildings will have a regular academic day.

Glenview -- 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Normandy -- 8:35 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Westerly -- 7:50 a.m. to 2:10 p.m.

Bay Middle -- 7:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Bay High -- 7:50 a.m. to 2:55 p.m.

• Class sizes return to normal, as well as: bell schedules, bus routes and library access.

• Buildings may decide to return to more group setting classrooms versus individual desks.

• Let there be lunch! Students will enjoy a hot lunch in the cafeteria with their peers.

• Individual storage spaces and lockers will return. 

• Parents will be welcomed back into buildings as the pandemic eases. 

• Virtual options for events, such as parent-teacher conferences, will be an option.

• Frequent handwashing will be part of the day. 

• Catch cubbies will not be re-ordered.

• Field trips will resume.

Please keep in mind that although this is the District’s vision for the 2021-22 school year, we must continue to monitor federal and state health orders/guidelines that are released over the next few months. As stated earlier in this letter, the District plans to share its Rocket Return Plan by July 30. Thank you for your continued trust in and support of Bay Village Schools!

 

Sincerely,

Jodie Hausmann, Superintendent