04 August, 2021
As we welcome staff and students back to school soon, COVID concerns are as top priority as ever. We are watching the legislature and waiting for that update regarding mask mandates, however we will continue to encourage vaccines and mask wearing as the top two preventions against the virus. We will continue to social distance in our classrooms and common spaces and will continue to clean and disinfect and provide hand sanitizer around campus and in classrooms. We ask that you please screen for any symptoms prior to sending your student to school. If you have been exposed or have any symptoms at all, please call our COVID point of contact, at 479-225-6341. If students and staff have been exposed and have been vaccinated, they will not be required to quarantine if they are not showing any symptoms.
Instruction will be all on site this year, unless we have to pivot because of a scenario and then we will utilize an AMI day as we have in the past. The state has approved us for 10 AMI days for this school year.
As we continue our facilities projects, there will be some interruption in traffic flow in the middle school parking lot, those areas are fenced off. As we begin to work on the Elementary roof we will be mindful of drop-off and pickup times and avoid these. We are thankful to have completed our Gym air conditioning and turf projects using second lien bond funds and our projects in progress are utilizing refunding of bonds proceeds, so we are thankful to have those available. Thank you for voting yes so that we can continue progress on campus for much needed improvements.
As many of you know, Districts are receiving distributions of ESSER funds, which are allowing us to purchase and address learning loss, as well as focus on plans and expenditures that help us address issues that are a result of COVID. These funds are allowing us to purchase additional buses with air conditioning and to allow for more social distancing. We are also incorporating new HVAC where needed and systems to address air quality, we also have been redoing flooring to allow for better cleaning due to COVID. Additional funds will also be used for personnel to help address learning loss and purchasing of curriculum materials. We will continue to do community updates regarding these funds.
Principals will be releasing information regarding open house and back to school information soon, so watch social media and notification postings for that.
I am thankful to all our staff who have worked throughout the summer to ensure buildings are ready to welcome students back. I am also excited to welcome our instructional staff and new staff back to campus and look forward to a great school year, one day at a time!
If you have any questions please let us know and as always, we have many resources available if you need anything and we are providing school supplies for all students again this year.
It’s a great day to be a Pirate!
Dr. Andrea Martin