Reopening & Other TTUSD Updates

• A Message from the Superintendent with reopening information
• Social & emotional support for students and families
• FREE meals for ALL kids
• Celebrating our Fellow & Star Award recipients

Dear TTUSD Community,

We had a board meeting last night where we discussed our plans to reopen schools in January along with the reopening criteria. Our target date to reopen schools, if safe, is January 19 for our elementary and middle school students. Our high school students transition to hybrid on January 25, after they complete semester finals.

The plan right now is to remain in distance learning through January 15, 2021. We will continue to actively monitor the daily cases. It is our hope that the number of active cases of COVID-19 will lower within our community, and that we can start to reopening our school facilities that following week.

We know how hard it is being in distance learning again and the additional strain it puts on our parents. You are all amazing partners in your child’s education and we couldn’t be more appreciative.

This holiday season presents new challenges with COVID. The CDC has a great webpage with recommendations on how to celebrate the holidays this year safely. Click here to check them out!

I hope that you can all get outside and enjoy time with your immediate families during Winter Break. Please be safe, stay safe, and take extra precautions. We miss our students and want to get our kids back to in-person instruction in January.

Remember that if your student(s) becomes symptomatic and tests positive for COVID, it’s essential that you notify your principal so the nurses can conduct the contact tracing. (Please note that during winter break, the Rideout Testing Center will only be open on December 21, 22, and 23. Please refer to our website, ttusd.org/virus for info on testing.)

As we learn more about vaccines becoming available, we will keep you informed and what it means for our school community.

In closing, I’d like to congratulate our Fellow and Star Award winners (see article below). We are so appreciative of the Excellence in Education Foundation for making these special awards possible.

Happy holidays!

Carmen Ghysels

Superintendent Chief Learning Officer

At TTUSD, we teach to the whole child and the overall well-being of our students is always at the forefront of our minds.

Students are the focus of all we do. Our district offers numerous educational opportunities for all of our students, at all grade levels to support their social and emotional well-being.

How do we support the social & emotional wellbeing of our students during COVID?

• Social-emotional lessons built into our curriculum and instruction for all grade levels which we’ve enhanced during COVID and our return to distance learning.

Lessons include how to manage emotions during stressful times, problem-solving social/emotional challenges, tips for handling stress, and how to build connections with your peers in uncertain times

• We have peer mentor programs (such as Link Crew and WEB (Where Everyone Belongs) that help students build connections with their peers.

• We have wellness centers at our high schools that offer virtual group sessions related to anxiety and grief; students can also schedule one-on-one check-ins.

• Every school has a school counselor that provides support to students.

What social-emotional support do we have for parents?

This is a difficult time for everyone -students and parents alike. Our parents (you!) have been incredible partners in your child’s education and we know a lot is being asked of you during distance learning.

• We have extensive online resources with tips on managing the additional stress and challenges related to COVID.

• Every school has a school counselor and parents can contact our counselors for consults and advice.

• We offer parent workshops throughout the year (i.e. Nurtured Heart) to give parents tools and tips on how to support their children in challenging times.

• We provide an important link to partner agencies for those in need.

We are serving our youth, ages 18 & under, seven days of FREE “grab n go” meals, one day per week. This is available to ALL kids in Tahoe Truckee!

Our team wants to make sure that our children are safe, learning, and well-fed.

You can choose from a Wednesday pick up from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm OR Thursday afternoons from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

These free meals are for ALL kids - they do not need to be enrolled at the school site. We also offer home delivery when requested.

Note: During Winter Break, we will not be providing meals however there are community resources available for families. Click here for more information.

On Monday, January 4 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.- we will have curbside pick up for two days of meals, and on Wednesday, January 6, our week-long “grab n go” meals and home deliveries resume. Visit www.ttusd.org/food for detailed information.