Parent Update
January 20, 2021
Hello Buhrer Families,
Parent-Teacher conferences will take place on Wednesday, February 3rd. Teachers will begin setting up scheduled times for virtual conferences to take place. You can also email or message teachers through Schoology to request a conference for your child.
Below is an update from our CEO, Eric Gordon, regarding the start of the third marking period. He has announced that we will remain in remote learning until February 26th. An announcement regarding the second half of the third quarter will be forthcoming.
Important Dates
January 5 - 22 - Aimsweb Benchmark Assessments begin for grades K-3
January 22 - End of 1st Quarter - all missing assignments due
January 26- Feb 26 - NWEA Testing Grades 1-8
February 3- Parent-Teacher Conferences
Update from CEO Eric Gordon
Dear Students, Families and Caregivers:
This is an important message for students, families and caregivers about our instructional plan for the first half of the third quarter of this school year.
As you know, new vaccines designed to combat the coronavirus are now beginning to be distributed in Ohio and across the United States. This is good news in the fight to end a global pandemic that has impacted our lives since last March. You may also be aware that Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has announced his commitment to prioritize school district employees in the vaccination process so our teachers and other educators are able to safely return to school. This, too, is good news!
While Governor DeWine had originally hoped that vaccines would begin to be available for school district employees today, it appears more likely that these vaccines will not be widely available until late February. The delay in vaccine availability, combined with the three-to-four-week period between the two required vaccination doses, means it is unlikely our CMSD employees will have received the full dose of vaccines until sometime in March.
In the meantime, Cuyahoga County remains in the Level 3 or Red category on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System, and yesterday increased from two risk indicators on this Advisory System to four, indicating continued risk for very high exposure to and spread of this virus.
It is my hope that we will soon begin to see a decrease in the number of new coronavirus cases in our area, and that the eventual distribution and administration of the COVID-19 vaccine will accelerate improvement on these public health indicators. For now, however, the risk of infection remains very high. I am therefore recommending that CMSD continue in a remote learning environment for most students for the first half of the third quarter, from Monday, January 25th through Friday, February 26th.
While we must take all precautions to keep our students, their parents and caregivers, and our educators safe at this time, the prospect of vaccines becoming available during the month of February gives me hope that we will soon begin the move to hybrid learning for those students and families who choose to return to in-person instruction. Therefore, CMSD will soon begin communicating with families about the hybrid learning options that will be available to them when it is safe to begin this transition. This will include information about
- learning options available to families
- school start and end times for in-person learning
- student transportation where available
- safety precautions in place at all CMSD schools, and similar details.
It is important to keep in mind that, when we are finally able to return to in-person learning, school will not be the same as it was before the pandemic. For the safety of all, each of us will be required to wear a mask at all times and adhere to strict social distancing standards. We will still need to wash or sanitize our hands frequently, and in taking such precautions, we will need to learn new school routines, including touchless temperature checks upon arrival and other adjustments.. When it is safe to begin our move to in-person learning, CMSD is committed to fully supporting our students and families as we adapt to these new procedures and routines.
Until then, CMSD will continue to provide two student meal plans through this extended remote learning period, and will continue to work with our community partners to operate academic learning pods for families who need safe daytime care.
CMSD is prepared to support our students and families in numerous other ways. Visit clevelandmetroschools.org/ReopeningCMSD to find the COVID-19 hotline. There, you can also find social and emotional supports as well as supports for multicultural/multilingual students and families, students with disabilities, foster and homeless youth and families and more.
While the virus continues to spread quickly throughout our community, we remain equally committed to the safety of our school community and to the education of the children we serve. Our dedicated educators will continue to keep students engaged and learning, to work closely with families and support our school community as we navigate through this pandemic together.
The role that our families and caregivers play in their child’s education has never been more important, nor more appreciated, than now. Thank you for all you have done and continue to do to ensure your child’s success during these challenging times in our district and our nation
Sincerely,
Eric Gordon, CEO
Other Community Events and Resources for Families
The Cleveland Orchestra will present its 41st annual celebration honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., virtually this year, with free video performances through our Adella streaming service; radio and TV broadcasts with our partners at WVIZ PBS ideastream; and three weeks of daily video presentations on our social media networks (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter). click here for the website
The celebration begins with a free streaming performance of the Orchestra’s 2018 MLK Concert led by Music Director Franz Welser-Möst available for viewing free through the Orchestra's Adella streaming service (www.adella.live) beginning on Thursday, January 14, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. until Wednesday, April 14, 2021.
The 2018 concert featured classical selections by Beethoven, Respighi, and George Walker, as well as traditional hymns and spirituals such as “Down by the Riverside,” “Precious Lord,” and “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” The Cleveland Orchestra was joined for this performance by:
- Narrator James Pickens Jr., a Cleveland native who is best known as Dr. Richard Webber on Grey’s Anatomy and Deputy Director Alvin Kersh on The X-Files;
- Guest soloist Ryan Speedo Green, called “a show stopper” by The New York Times; and
- The Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Chorus — an all-Cleveland community volunteer chorus — directed by Dr. William Henry Caldwell.
Tru2U High School Choice Information
Virtual Learning Opportunities for Parents/Caregivers
There are many community partners, agencies and organizations offering FREE online learning opportunities. Please check out the offerings below to attend a variety of workshops on topics which will assist you with supporting your family and gain new skills. These offerings include Online Computer Training, free high-quality courses, and career training programs online, and SEL and academic workshops to support scholars and families. Check them out on our Parent University webpage.
Learning Aid Ohio- Support for families with children with special needs
My Com- Resources for Remote Learning
Cleveland Public Library Tutoring
Monday through Thursday
Kindergarten Readiness is another program offered by the Cleveland Public Library to support our younger children with their education.
Metro Health
The MetroHealth School Health Program is excited to be partnering with our CMSD sites again this academic year. A few updates for the remote start of the academic year and clinic schedule.
- Clinics will be from 9:00 – 4:30, with last appointment starting at 4:00.
- All services will be provided on the mobile unit.
- If mobile unit has maintenance issues, SHP is able to provide clinic services in an assigned space within the school, with approval of school leadership.
- Services offered will be preventive care. No “sick visits” – these will be converted to telehealth.
- Everyone will be screened prior to entering the mobile unit and be required to wear masks.
- All students/families will need to wait outside and maintain social distance. For this reason, students will be given a scheduled appointment time.
If you would like to schedule an appointment for the Metro Bus for your child, please contact our School Nurse, Patricia Breslin at patricia.breslin@clevelandmetroschools.org.