November 13, 2020
Shaker Heights High School Community,
We are approaching our second, first day of school in the 2020-21 school year. Hybrid learning at SHHS begins the week of November 30. Our team has worked tirelessly to reimagine every piece of our school day to ensure we are maintaining safety protocols for every student, teacher, and staff member from the moment they enter the building until they leave at the end of the day.
We also know some families have chosen to remain remote, rather than return to school in person. As a parent, I know how difficult and personal this decision is for each family. Some of you are keeping students at home because your child is immunocompromised. Others of you are caring for a medically fragile family member who cannot be exposed to illness. And some of you are choosing to wait because so much is unknown in our community, our state, and our country. Whatever your reasons, your choice is valid, and we intend to continue to teach and support your children as they continue to learn from home. Our plans are not only for the students who are returning to school. We continue to plan for all our students, and we maintain a laser-like focus on the learning needs of those students who will remain remote, in addition to those students who are returning.
I hear all the time via conversation and email that our charge this year is to keep everyone safe, and keep everything the same as it’s always been at Shaker Heights High School. That’s not what we’ve done. In responding to this pandemic and the many educational challenges we face, we have looked at everything we do, and worked to unpack the why of all of it. Some of what we are planning for students and teachers return is pandemic-specific. There are other ideas and plans that we believe will also be positive for students, families and staffulty post-pandemic. While this pandemic has been incredibly difficult for all of us, personally and professionally, it’s also an opportunity to move beyond the way we’ve always done things at Shaker Heights High School. It has allowed us to take positive steps towards reimagining a school that meets all of our students’ needs, while preparing every student to have post-secondary choices in this rapidly changing world. It’s difficult for all of us, me included, to see any opportunity in this pandemic, because everything is so difficult right now. But there are opportunities. We just have to make time to find them.
I want to thank Ms. Jacquie Baker, Mr. Scott Bowling, Mr. Joe Hernan, Mr. Matt Simon, Mr. Greg Zannelli, Mrs. Laurie Brem, Dr. John Moore, Ms. Molly Miles, and Mr. Adam Thomas. Without their tireless efforts, we could not successfully return to in-person learning, and we could not successfully support all of our students remaining remote. Thank you all. I also want to thank our amazing Shaker Heights High School Staffulty. Our teachers are amazing. They have shifted, learned new tools, reimagined courses, and are finding ways to connect with students, often with cameras off, each and every day. It’s a monumental task. As a community, we don’t thank them enough. I urge you to reach out to your child’s teachers and acknowledge their incredible efforts. Our Administrative Assistants are the best I’ve ever seen. They have been back at school for a month, and they are the first voice you hear, the first email responder, and their efforts to maintain the highest level of customer service are unmatched. Our custodians prepared the school for students in August, and they’ve done it again in November. They are ready to do their part to keep everyone safe and we’re fortunate to have them on our team. Our school counselors continue to reimagine what social emotional support, college and career planning, and daily support of students via Google Meet looks and feels like every day. They will continue their amazing efforts when we return to in-person school. Our safety monitors have continued to reinvent their roles. You have seen them passing out materials and answering questions here at the high school and across the District at elementary schools. They will continue to pivot and support our school community. I can’t emphasize enough how fortunate we are to have this amazing team at our school.
There is so much information we need to cover. Many of the details below are return-to-school-specific, but some are for everyone. Please take the time to read through all the details below. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate this incredibly complicated challenge.
Here are many details that you need to know to prepare for our return:
Daily Health Checks
Every returning family must complete the daily health check through the SHS App every morning before arrival at school. To access the new tool, you must download the latest version of the Shaker Heights Schools app at the App Store or Google Play, even if you already have the app on your mobile device. You also can access the app online.
Mask Expectations
Daily Schedules
Here is the hybrid bell schedule. Please note that the conference period has been moved to the morning instead of after school. Conferences are all online and it is intended for students who are online that day. Students attending school do not attend conferences on those days. Fully remote students can attend all conferences.
Families will receive A/B assignments after the survey to choose remote learning has closed. The alphabet, A-K and L-Z was our first division of students. But it isn’t the only division. Room size, sibling groups and other factors all impact A/B assignments.
Crew Time has shifted from Wednesday afternoons to Mondays from 12:30-1:10 p.m. Attendance is mandatory.
In-person students who do not have a class assigned 1st or 2nd period should not report to the building until 10:15 a.m. for their first assigned class.
Students who do not have a class 1st or 2nd period must use the main entrance and will not be permitted in the building until 10:15 a.m. Their first class, which is 3rd and 4th period, will begin at 10:25 a.m.
Students who do not have a class assigned 7th or 8th period will leave the building immediately after their last assigned class, at 1:45 p.m.
In-person students who do not have a class assigned 3rd, 4th, 5th, or 6th period will be given a Study Hall assignment. Study Hall attendance is mandatory and attendance will be taken.
Arrival Expectations
Students may enter the building through 4 different doorways (2 student drop-offs and 2 student driver/walk-ins) between 8:45 a.m. - 9:10 a.m.
Drop-off Location 1: Main Entrance - Front Lot
Drop-off Location 2: Large Auditorium - North Gym Lot
Student Driver/Walk-in North Side: Egress
Student Driver/Walk-in South Side: Aldersyde Door (near room 110)
Free “Grab and Go” breakfasts for all students will be available at each entrance.
Students will then go directly to their lockers and first class for the day. Students should take their “Grab and Go” breakfasts to their first class and eat it before class begins. At no time, will students be allowed to loiter in the hallways in groups that are not socially distant.
Students arriving late to school should go directly to class. Teachers will mark them tardy. If they have an excuse note, it should be placed in the attendance box, located at the Main Entrance, and students should go directly to class. Late students should not go to the Attendance Office.
Dismissal Expectations
Student athletes will report directly to practice or the Upper Cafeteria for study tables. Those taking part in the Moto-Go program will report to the Library.
All other students should leave the building through the nearest door. They will not be permitted to visit teachers for conferences or wait in the cafeteria.
Conferences will take place online in the mornings on assigned days.
Students who do not have class 7th or 8th period should leave immediately after their last class each day.
At no time, will students be allowed to loiter in the hallways in groups that are not socially distant.
Student Lunch Expectations
All students are eligible to receive a free lunch through the end of the school year or they may bring a packed lunch.
No lunch drop-offs will be permitted (by parent or delivery service).
Students will eat lunch in the cafeteria and must wear masks before and after they eat their meal.
We will send a separate communication focused only on lunch details.
Student Transitions Between Classes
Individuals must remain six feet apart with masks over their mouth and nose.
Students will use a disinfectant wipe to clean their work area prior to leaving class.
There are stickers placed in all hallways as a visual reminder to keep six feet apart.
Between classes students should walk to the right of the floor stickers, go directly to their next class and follow school wide behavior expectations.
Students may go to lockers if absolutely necessary.
Students will use a disinfectant wipe to clean their work area upon arriving to their next class.
Nurse/Clinic Procedures
Visitors and Deliveries for Students
Per our District protocols, there are NO visitors allowed in any Shaker Heights City School building, except for specific and unique circumstances that require an in-person meeting, determined at the principal’s discretion.
The only deliveries that will be accepted are medications, Chromebooks and house keys. Medications should be brought to the main entrance and will be delivered directly to the Nurse. Chromebooks and keys should be left on a table by the front door where the security monitor can see the item until the student is able to come and pick it up.
Lunch is free for all students through the rest of the school year, so any student who forgets their packed lunch will receive a school lunch.
There will be more details to follow in the lunch-specific communication.
Learning and Teaching
Guest Wifi Network
In the past, students used the guest wifi network for personal devices. IT will be limiting the accessibility of the guest Wi-Fi network in all buildings.
Guest network traffic is generated by any device that is not owned and issued by the District. This includes, but is not limited to, personal laptops, tablets and cell phones.
Students will not be able to connect their personal cell phones to the Shaker guest Wi-Fi network. In addition, students who choose to use their own personal devices in lieu of their District-issued Chromebook will not be able to connect to the Shaker guest Wi-Fi network. Students should use their District-issued Chromebook when in school. Exceptions will be made for a student's personal device that is required for health/medical purposes (e.g. glucose monitoring).
Social-Emotional and Mental Health Concerns
The nurse will be unable to meet with students in crisis. However, there will be a designated counseling room that students may use in order to conference in a socially distant, and safe manner, with their school counselor.
There’s more to share, but this is a lot to digest at once. I urge you to listen to the PTO Principal chat from November 2 and the upcoming PTO Principal Chat on November 18. The November 2 Chat is posted on the PTO website and the school website. I go into great detail about many of these decisions and why we are making them. Please look for more information about returning to in-person learning in the days ahead.
Thanks to all of you for your patience. We are uncompromising about safety in our planning for everyone in our building. If you have student-specific, or grade-level specific questions, please reach out to your grade level assistant principal. I’m available to answer all other questions.
Thanks,
Eric