Happy June!

Despite the weather for the last few days, summer is upon us.  The last few months have been very difficult for students, parents, teachers, and probably almost everyone. 

The school year ended in a way that I certainly have never experienced before--and one that I’d rather not experience again.  I am incredibly grateful for the work of the WPCSD staff--teachers, principals, instructional support staff, custodians, food service, maintenance, technology, and district office folks.  These people pulled together in a true crisis and did their very best to adapt and roll with the punches.

Similarly, students and families did the best they could.  Many of our families were without income for a long period of time.  Students were dealing with missing out on some of their most treasured experiences, not to mention being isolated from their friends.  Parents tried to become math and history teachers while students attended more Zoom meetings than they ever wanted.  

Through the difficulty, many community organizations pulled together to make things work.  Kinross donated funds to help us serve weekend meals.  Robinson sponsored a KDSS radio show to help leaders get information to the community.  The hospital worked to provide health updates and up its testing capacity.  Community members adopted seniors and provided them with gifts each week.  Restaurants offered curbside service and home deliveries.  Health care, grocery stores, gas stations, and other essential businesses continued going to work every day so that we could maintain some sense of normalcy.

Despite what one’s personal views on the coronavirus were or are, it’s hard to not be impressed by the efforts put forth to come out on the other side.  

Today, I’d like to give a brief update on a few issues related to impacts of the virus on the WPCSD’s operations.

First, for the last three weeks, we have been working very diligently to plan in-person summer learning for a limited number of students.  We sent our proposal to the Nevada Department of Education, who has been working with the governor’s office to obtain permission to proceed.  Our parents and students (not to mention our teachers) all prefer in-person learning and are eager to begin utilizing our campuses to do so.  Based on current health and safety recommendations, we put together a list of precautions and procedures which we feel confident will keep our students and staff safe while returning to normal.  Tuesday morning, we received Governor Sisolak’s announcement that will allow the state’s schools to begin these types of activities.  We had hoped to begin Monday, June 8 but are still pleased to begin Wednesday, June 10.  

Given the amount of time students missed this spring, we strongly believe that students need time this summer to reintegrate into normal school life--both from an academic perspective and a social-emotional and mental health perspective.  Teachers, principals, social workers, and counselors have been collaborating and discussing how they can best meet students’ needs when this instruction occurs, knowing that it will likely look very different for each student.

Similarly, plans to return in the fall are being developed at this time.  It is our intention to begin the school year on August 31 with in-person, on campus learning.  However, it is still unclear what restrictions will need to be in place.  While the Centers for Disease Control and other organizations have published recommendations for schools, Nevada is still working on its reopening guidelines and we do not have specific information.  Once these guidelines are published, I will convene a reopening committee composed of staff, students, and community members in order to discuss and develop more concrete plans.  It is likely that students and staff alike will need to alter traditions like whole-school assemblies, hugs and handshakes, classroom spacing, etc.  Regular hand sanitization will certainly be a requirement, and face coverings and daily temperature checks could also be possibilities.  Again, once Nevada publishes its list of guidelines, we will begin meeting to determine how the guidelines directly affect our organization.

One last item I’d like to address is that of the budget.  Obviously with Nevada’s economy shut down for so long, there will be a significant impact on government agencies and their funding.  Thanks to the leadership of our Board of Trustees and CFO Paul Johnson, the WPCSD is in very sound financial shape at the current moment.  We’ve saved enough money to allow us to proceed in 2020-2021 without reducing staff or eliminating programs.  We plan to press forward with our plans to move closer to a world class learning environment, including the following.

• Continuing the David E. Norman STEAM Academy. 

• Maintaining college and career readiness and music programs at the elementary, middle, and high school.

• Providing robust Career and Technical Education programs at WPHS.  

• Expanding our important world class literacy initiative.

• Developing a world class mathematics launch.

• Training all staff in more student centered social and emotional learning practices.

• Maintaining the live teachers recently restored in Lund.

• Offering Friday intervention and enrichment in cooperation with our partner the Boys and Girls Club.

As the summer passes, I’ll be working on several federal grants (besides the CARES funding) that will hopefully allow us to continue adding needed supports and services for our students.

Thank you for your support.  I remain grateful to be part of this community and serve as your superintendent.