REMINDER: The District will be closed for winter recess on Friday and Monday, 2/12 & 2/15. We wish our families a Happy President’s Day weekend and our staff/students an enjoyable and restful long weekend break. See you all back on Tues., 2/16.
New! Dates for Virtual to Hybrid Change of Request
Please see below for revised dates to the instructional request changes for families who wish to change their preference from virtual to hybrid. Parent/guardian request for changes should follow the deadlines and request format below:
- Monday, February 22, 2021: Parent/guardians must submit change requests to their building principals/administrators (you must provide your child’s name, teacher, and ID #). Please note all requests are based on space capacity.
- Starting the week of March 8: Students approved for a change request will begin hybrid instruction
Message to SOMSD Community from Superintendent Taylor: Phase 3 Return to School Clarifications & Schedule Information
School Reopening: Bell Schedule Times By Schools
Return to School Updates for Families: Wednesday, 1/13, District-Wide Asynchronous Day
Download: Parent/Guardian Return to School Updates: Wed., 1/13 District-Wide Asynchronous Day
January 11, 2021
Hello SOMSD Families,
Next week students will begin returning to our schools and classrooms for in-person instruction. Starting today and tomorrow, teachers have the option of voluntarily returning to their classrooms to teach and begin classroom preparation. On Wednesday, January 13, teachers will be back in their school buildings to teach virtually from their classrooms and to prepare for students returning for hybrid instruction.
In preparation for the implementation of our hybrid model, this week’s instructional schedule will have some changes. See below:
- Wednesday, 1/13 – District-wide Asynchronous Day: No live virtual instruction will take place, self-guided student instruction will be provided via Canvas and may include pre-recorded video lessons, independent game-based learning tasks, or pre-assigned work/assessments.
- Thursday & Friday, 1/14 – 1/15: No afternoon conferences will be held, your child’s teacher will provide more information on your child’s schedule for this time.
These modifications will allow time for teachers to reacclimate to their classrooms, learn new procedures and protocols for entering their buildings, test their technology and to begin classroom set-up for returning students. The school-level schedules below provide additional details on the re-entry schedule.
More than 98% of SOMSD families submitted their preference for return to school instruction. At the elementary school level (PreK – 8) the breakdown is: 64% hybrid / 36% virtual; at CHS the breakdown is 61% hybrid / 39% virtual. In the hybrid model, most class sizes will average 6 – 10 students per class (possibly lower for classes that have smaller class sizes).
Students will wear face masks while in school with appropriate breaks depending on the age as outlined in our reopening plan (gaiters, bandanas, and masks with valves are not permitted). Please review the District’s Return to School FAQs for reminders on face masks and other important questions: [https://bit.ly/SOMSDFAQS]
As shared in previous communications, Phase 3 re-entry will begin with hybrid students in grades PreK – 2, 6th and 9th returning in small groups starting on January 19; the following week, our remaining elementary and HS students will begin their return to in-person instruction. See below for a detailed re-entry schedule for elementary, middle, and high school students for the weeks of January 11 – 25.
- Cohort A: *Students by last name A-L, 2 days in person (Mon/Tues)
- Cohort B: *Students by last name M – Z, 2 days in person (Wed/Thurs)
- Cohort C: ELL/Special Services Students, 4 days a week (Mon. – Thurs.)