By DEREK ARROWOOD
Heights Superintendent
As we ready to welcome in the new school year, we are close to finalizing our Re-Entry Plan. We are looking forward to sharing it next Wednesday, July 15. We believe this plan makes the most sense to meet the diverse needs of our district. To ensure the success of this plan and the safety of our students and staff, we will need to continue to work together and follow the recommended safety protocols and prevention measures.
Information used in developing our Re-Entry Plan was driven from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Indiana State Department of Health, Indiana’s Consideration for Learning and Safe Schools (IN-CLASS), other area schools’ district re-entry plans, collaboration with other school district leaders, feedback from staff, the Hamilton County Health Department, and our corporation planning groups including our Re-Entry Task Force.
As we work to keep everyone in the district informed and up to date, we will continue to stay in close communication with our families at all building levels through email and our various social media accounts, including our website. We appreciate your working to stay in tune with the latest, accurate information as it relates to Hamilton Heights and the upcoming school year. Attached please find two documents that you may find beneficial. These are also posted on our website.
I deeply appreciate the opportunity to field some of your questions about the year ahead. Thank you for reaching out. Most of your questions will be addressed in the plan. Until next week, here’s what you may be interested in knowing about the two most pressing concerns that have come my way over the past week:
1) We do intend to offer off site learning again this fall as we did in the spring, and 2) We highly recommend the use of masks and face-coverings.
However, if something changes at the state or county level (as it did in Marion County) regarding face masks, we will be obligated to ask our students and staff to follow those guidelines. This link provides some insight and useful information on the state’s #MasksUpHoosiers campaign.
As a reminder, don’t forget to read and sign the COVID-19 Guideline & Expectation Agreement. This was sent out last week. Click here to read and sign if you have not done so already. This is the first step in our re-entry process.
Secondly, all students are expected to return to In-Person classes beginning on Tuesday, Aug. 11, unless a Remote Learning Form has been completed and submitted by a parent/guardian. This form will be sent to all parents/guardians on Monday, July 20. Kindly complete and electronically submit this form by Sunday, July 26 if your student is unable to return to school in person.
Our carefully constructed re-entry plan will allow us to remain strong in our values, mission and goal of providing an inspiring and engaging learning environment for all students and staff at HHSC, balancing well-documented, effective safety measures that minimize the risk and potential spread of COVID-19 with the strong desire to get back to as close to “normal” for students and staff as possible under the current circumstances. Enjoy the sunshine and the dog days of summer. School is back in session next month!
#WeAreHuskies