BRIEF Reopening Plan Update

Good Evening,

I hope this email finds you all well and enjoying the beautiful weather.

I am reaching out to you this evening to share a brief update specific to the development of our HCS Reopening Plan. We know that the gravity and urgency surrounding development of a plan for reopening of schools is palpable and omnipresent in people’s thoughts and conversations. I am grateful to share that we are making great strides in the development of our reopening plan. In fact, the HCS Reopening Committee convened this week to listen and to discuss options for reopening. 

On behalf of myself and the entirety of the HCS leadership team, our sincerest gratitude to all of the committee members - students, parents, BOE and community members, and faculty, for working in partnership with HCS at this critical juncture.  Our Reopening Committee met all day on Tuesday, 7/21, from 8:30 - 3:30, and then again today, from 8:30 - 11:30. I could not be more appreciative, or proud, of the time and energy expended on thoughtful, collaborative, and productive discourse surrounding the reopening of our district in Fall 2020.  Conversations were STUDENT-CENTRIC with a tangible focus on the development of a plan which is best for students and prioritizes safety and social emotional wellbeing for all.

Factoring in SED and DOH guidance, feedback obtained from the Family Voice Survey (administered June 29, with response due date by July 8), individual communications with community members, and the dynamic dialogues during the Reopening Committee meetings, the recommendation moving forward for reopening this fall includes a hybrid model of return for students. We ask for your patience surrounding the details of our proposed hybrid model, as there are many logistical considerations yet to be addressed (transportation, staffing, spacing, health and safety, legal, contractual). Over the next week our team will be working through each logistical consideration of the proposed model to assess compliance with DOH and SED guidance, safety of students and staff, and feasibility of execution. We will be prepared to share comprehensive information and a finalized plan for reopening of schools with students, families, and staff members by Friday, July 31. Note: All schools are required to submit plans to SED by July 31, and the Governor has assured us that a final decision surrounding the reopening of schools will be made during the first week in August. 

On an aside, if you have not yet responded to the transportation information request mailed out last week by our Coordinator of Transportation, Ray Thomas, please do so. This information is vital in the development of our plan for reopening, given that transportation numbers on buses factors greatly into the feasibility of ANY plan for reopening (reduced density on buses is necessary to ensure social distancing).  

We recognize that the uncertainty attached to reopening of schools is an added layer of angst relative to the COVID-19 experience. Please know that we share in this angst, and want nothing more than to open our doors and to welcome ALL students back in September to a learning model reminiscent of pre-COVID days. Regrettably, this will not be an option at our disposal during the COVID-19 pandemic. This so, our faculty and staff is committed to the creation and execution of a model which embodies the rich tradition of academic excellence, Bulldog PRIDE, SPIRIT, and UNITY at HCS.  

Thank you in advance for your patience as we navigate the logistical considerations of our reopening plan. I will be in communication again with all of you soon.  As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns.

Best to you and yours,

Bridget Ashton

Elizabeth Bridget Ashton