2020-21 School Year Update | August 14, 2020
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Each Friday in the month of August, the District will send this 2020-21 School Year Update to keep you informed about plans for the upcoming school year.
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FACE Academy @ Home Begins August 19: Shaker Heights Schools invites all interested parents and guardians to attend FACE Academy @ Home, a series of webinars that will help you support your student during remote learning for the 2020-21 school year. All webinars will be recorded and shared for those who cannot attend the live webinar. Webinars begin Wednesday, August 19. Learn more about FACE Academy @ Home.
District Contracts with Third-Party to Offer Remote Learning Supervision/Childcare to Students in Grades K-6: Many District families expressed concerns about childcare options for parents/guardians who were essential workers or who were not able to work from home. To help those families, the District has contracted with Champions, a third-party childcare provider, to provide a fee-based remote learning supervision. Space in this program is very limited to allow for physical distancing. We are working to provide fee assistance for families with students who qualify for free/reduced-price meals. The District explored the limited number of existing options and, based on the information available, determined that these services could be offered on a very limited basis in our school buildings. If you plan for your student to participate in childcare, please complete the 2020-21 School Year Childcare Interest Form no later than 5 p.m., Friday, August 21. Review the 2020-21 School Year Remote Learning Supervision/Childcare FAQ for more information.
SHHS Athletic Competitions Postponed Through August 31: On August 10, High School fall sports resumed phased, in-person athletic activities following established guidelines: pre-activity medical screenings and social distancing, safety, grouping and sanitizing protocols. While these phased, in-person athletic activities will continue, all High School fall sports interscholastic competitions have been postponed through August 31. These postponements reflect the uncertainty that exists for our District and many others regarding interscholastic competition and the many variables associated with it. Additional postponements are possible. Read more about this athletics postponement.
August 11 Board Presentation on the 2020-21 School Year Plan: Shaker Heights Schools Superintendent Dr. David Glasner shares the administrative presentation his staff gave at the August 11 Board of Education Regular Meeting regarding planning for the 2020-21 school year. Watch the presentation here.
2020-21 School Year Update for Grades PreK-4: The District’s PreK-4 Administrators shared an update on the 2020-21 school year. Families can watch the update online or read the transcript/translations.
2020-21 Return-to-Work Plan: Earlier this week, Dr. Glasner shared the District’s Return-to-Work plan for employees. Read the 2020-21 Return-to-Work plan.
Back-to-School Checklist: Be sure to review this week’s Back-to-School Checklist for more information on completing your student’s Annual Update, purchasing the optional Chromebook Protection Plan (for families with students who have or will be issued a District-issued Chromebook) and applying for free/reduced-price lunch.
Looking Ahead
This year, the District Communications Team will send Friday newsletters to all families to keep you updated on District- and building-level news. The Shaker Heights PTO historically has distributed the Friday newsletters. The District and the PTO collaborated on this change to ensure that all families would receive valuable PTO news and District- and building-level information. The District offers its sincere appreciation to the PTO for its longtime efforts to communicate with and engage our families. Look for the first Friday newsletter to arrive in your inboxes on Friday, August 28.
We encourage all families to opt in to receiving text messages from the District this year. Opting in is easy: using your phone number on record with the District, text Y to 67587. Families can select additional messaging preferences (call, text, email) in SchoolMessenger, the District’s communications platform. Review Automated Alerts with SchoolMessenger to learn more about setting your messaging preferences for the 2020-21 school year. This information also will be included in next week’s Back-to-School Checklist.
All students in Grades 3-12 will be issued a District Chromebook that they may use throughout the school year. The District also will provide Chromebooks to students in Grades PreK-2 who do not have a dedicated learning device at home. We will share information on distribution plans when it becomes available. All students in Grades 6-12, as well as students who requested a District-issued device last spring, should keep their Chromebooks. If your Chromebook is in need of repair, review Chromebook Repair Drop-off and Pick-up.
The District is developing plans to distribute textbooks and other materials to students. Information about materials pick-up will be shared when it becomes available.
If you have questions about Special Education/IEPs/504 Plans for the upcoming year, please email your student’s case manager or Director of Exceptional Children Elizabeth Kimmel.
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