Meri Skilliter, Ada school superintendent, posted the following letter on the school website concerning updates for the 2020-21 school year.
I hope this update finds you enjoying some of the wonderful things summertime has to offer. I know that details about what school will look like when we return are on many people’s minds.
The Board and I thank those who came to our meeting and spoke on this subject. While I, too, have many questions (and few answers yet), I wanted to at least let you know the timeline we hope to follow in getting our plan to you.
Governor DeWine has said that the guidelines for schools should be released this week. We are hearing that will happen today, or maybe Friday. We also have heard that the local health departments will be in meetings soon after with the state to discuss the guidelines, learn their roles in school plans, etc.
If the Indiana guidelines are any indication, there will be quite a lengthy document to read and interpret. Indiana’s plan was about 38 pages. We will certainly need time to digest all of the document.
Next week, there will be a meeting of county school administrators to begin to look at a broad, county wide plan. The county schools will likely need to work with the county health department on that plan.
Then, local administrators will begin to work on the local details of our specific plan. After we have a draft, we want to show that draft to our various departments, staff members, grade levels, subject teachers, and Board of Education, to get their input, questions, etc.
These are the professionals in the trenches, and they will help hone this plan immensely. With all that being said, it is our hope to release the plan to our families the week of July 20, one month before school is set to start here in Ada.
However, we know from the last few months, that things change quickly during a crisis like this. We know that the plan we release may not be the plan we ultimately have to follow.
State, regional, and especially Hardin County statistics have the potential to cause new requirements, either tightening certain requirements or even loosening.
We will, of course, communicate any changes swiftly to parents. In the meantime, please know that we are doing much reading, talking with experts, and preparing.
We have lists of questions that folks have asked, both staff, students, and families. We have taken into consideration all of the viewpoints we’ve heard.
Our focus will be on the safety and wellbeing of all of our Bulldog School Community. We know that many of the provisions of the plan will be temporary, and we will figure it all out with grit, determination, and compassion.
We can’t wait to have our students, faculty and staff back. Enjoy your summer and some family time. Recharge your batteries and your kids’ batteries. Take in some nature and sunshine.
We will all get through this, as we get through each challenge, as a Bulldog family.
Yours in education, Mrs. Skilliter
