Aberdeen Schools
Helping you stay informed about our district.
Aberdeen School District No. 5 -- January 21, 2022
School resumes in-person on Jan. 25
Superintendent Alicia Henderson said the District is doing everything it can to avoid another pause to remote instruction by developing out-of-the-box strategies to manage ongoing staff shortages.
Students return to school in person on Tuesday, Jan. 25.
“Everyone is looking forward to seeing students again and we know they are ready to come back, too,” Dr. Henderson said. “And while there is no sign that the surge in COVID cases is waning at this time, we are committed to maintaining our in-person instruction for the remainder of the year.”
The District used the pause on in-person instruction to reimagine and strategize how schools can safely operate with high absenteeism.
Superintendent Henderson explained that when you put safety first, there are three areas that must be prioritized:
- Administration/Office
- Classrooms
- Student Supervision (before and after school, recess and lunch)
“Classroom coverage is a priority,” Dr. Henderson said. “But what happens is that once we have classrooms covered, we are short student supervision in other areas of the building” such as during recess, getting on and off the bus and during the lunch period. The district has identified staff who are eligible to volunteer for this additional work and they will be the called upon first when needs arise." For example, custodians or maintenance staff may be scheduled for bus duty or lunch supervision.
Transportation is another critical area of operations that will be managed on a day-to-day basis, Dr. Henderson said. Rather than close school, there may be days when some bus routes are not operating.
“I think it’s well known that we are experiencing a critical shortage of bus drivers,” she said. “There may be days when some transportation routes cannot be offered and we will communicate this with as much advance notice as possible.”
“Everyone has done an amazing job during this remote period, including our students,” Dr. Henderson added. "These COVID disruptions are not easy on families, students or staff. The flexibility everyone has shown is greatly appreciated, and we will continue to do everything we can to operate in-person."
New cell phone procedures begin Feb. 1-2
Letters describing how the program will work along with FAQs and a handout on what to expect are being sent home from the schools. In addition, students and staff will receive training from Yondr professionals who will be in the district during implementation.
"We are looking forward to this re-set on how students engage in school," Superintendent Alicia Henderson said. "Our research shows that there may be an adjustment at first, but the end result will be a significant improvement in the social-emotional climate in our schools. Without the stressful distraction of cell phones, our students should be able to relax and engage more fully in their school day."
Watch the Yondr Informational Video
Board of Directors
Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Board is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday, February 8, via webinar. A special meeting for an executive session to review applications for the superintendent position is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 1.
A truly fresh update to the menu
Students encouraged to give microgreens a try
Our LRCs can help with tech during remote learning
School went remote, but help with technology is just a phone call away.
If you are in need of laptop or student technical support, our ASD5 Learning Resource Center technicians can help.
- Hopkins LRC Helpline 360-538-2181
- AJ West LRC Helpline 360-538-2131
- Central Park LRC Helpline 360-538-2171
- McDermoth LRC Helpline 360-538-2121
- Robert Gray LRC Helpline 360-538-2141
- Stevens LRC Helpline 360-538-2151
- Miller Junior High LRC Helpline 360-538-2101
- Harbor Learning Center 360-538-2181
- Aberdeen High School LRC Helpline 360-538-2041
Staying in touch with Leadership
- Superintendent Alicia Henderson, ahenderson@asd5.org
- Business Office, Elyssa Louderback, elouderback@asd5.org
- Human Resources, Christi Sayres, csayres@asd5.org
- Special Education, Rick Bates, rbates@asd5.org
- Career & Technical Education, Lynn Green, lgreen@asd5.org
- Teaching, Learning & Technology, Traci Sandstrom, tsandstrom@asd5.org
- Food Services, Jaime Matisons, jmatisons@asd5.org
****************************
The Aberdeen School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employees have been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Christi Sayres, Title IX Coordinator and Civil rights Compliance Coordinator, 216 North G St., Aberdeen, WA 98520; (360) 538-2222; csayres@asd5.org; Dr. Richard Bates, Section 504/ADA Coordinator, 216 North G St., Aberdeen, WA 98520; (360) 538-2017; rbates@asd5.org.