Gibbon Nation,
The school district has closed a history-making end to the school year, and it is important that we celebrate all that was accomplished in response to a monumental challenge called COVID-19. Teachers were thrown into an alternate learning environment with little time to prepare, students were thrown into an environment and asked to manage their own time while attending to academic requirements, and parents were asked to monitor learning while they also tended to the needs of their families. OUR collective response has been overwhelming positive and I wish to thank students, parents, teachers, and our community for their tremendous effort.
What can parent, students and the community expect for the start of the 2020-21 School Year?
We are hopeful that we can start school in a “normal environment” with students arriving to school on August 12th. However, news and conditions associated with COVID-19 changes daily requiring us to consider a number of different approaches to the opening of school next fall. As a result, we are preparing several different plans for the start to the next school year that include: A traditional start on August 12th . A traditional start on August 12th with an interruption occurring at some point in the year. Similar to what we experienced this past school year. A September start to the school year beginning on September 8th. A start to the school on August 12th in an alternate learning environment. Our goal is to have plans established by July 1st but will ask for patience as our planning efforts may be impacted by decisions beyond our control. The school district will continue to monitor and comply with district health measures, mandates by the Governor and the Commissioner of Education, and guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Please monitor the district’s website and social media accounts for more information about the start of the next school year.
Graduation
We want and are still planning for a traditional graduation ceremony to occur on July 25th. However, we are living in uncertain times and the conditions in which ceremonies can occur seem to change each week. Please monitor the district website for more information about graduation.
The Weight Room
The weight room will open June 1 for Gibbon athletes and coaches with restrictions. Athletes should be in contact with their coaches for the schedule. NSAA and CDC guidelines will be in place. The weight room and school facilities will remain closed for public use until further notice.
Given the conditions we live in changes daily, and understanding the reality that we face a global pandemic of epic proportions, educators are forced to view conditions about school differently and are expected to plan accordingly. We are excited to see our students and parents again next fall. We have truly missed seeing our young people in the halls each day. To increase the likelihood that we see everyone in August, we hope that everyone remains safe, practices social distancing, and takes the necessary precautions to protect themselves from contracting this virus. While we know challenges remain, we are quite confident in the resolve of Gibbon Nation. Go Buffaloes!