- Westonka Public Schools
- District Home
May 28 Superintendent's Update
Borg Report May 28, 2020
Dear Westonka Families,
Well, the time has arrived. On Monday, June 1, our students will turn in their devices and Westonka Public Schools will prepare to close this chapter of distance learning for the 2019-2020 school year. What a journey it has been. As I have said time and time again, thank you all for the patience, flexibility and grace you have shown over these past months.
The successes we have seen along the way have come down to the relationships we have formed with our students and our partnerships with parents and families. As plans for the summer and next year continue to evolve, we remain committed to keeping you informed every step of the way.
June 1 Technology Collection - On Monday, students will be turning in their district-issued iPads/Chromebooks and other items to their schools. The schools have each communicated a process for item collection. Please review the steps and safety guidelines carefully prior to Monday.
Summer Food Service - Starting Monday, June 8, and running throughout the summer, the Westonka Foodies will offer free meals Monday-Friday to all children ages 19 and younger. Breakfast and lunch will be offered via curbside pickup and at select bus stops. There is no need to pre-order meals. More information is available at www.westonka.k12.mn.us/
Summer School and ESY - Planning is well underway for July’s summer school and Extended School Year (ESY) programming for students. Following Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) guidelines, Westonka Community Education, Special Services and K-12 staff members will be running summer programming designed to meet the educational and social-emotional needs of our students in a safe and nurturing environment. More information will be sent to families who qualify for these programs.
Summer Activities - We have received new guidance from the state with regard to our summer Adventure Club program and Community Education recreational activities. We are looking forward to being able to offer some limited programming options this summer for kids and adults. Currently, we are only able to provide summer childcare to Tier 1, Tier 2 and some Tier 3 families, as we are limited by staffing availability and the 9:1 ratio of students to staff. If you are still in need of care or have any questions, please call the Community Ed. office at (952) 491-8040. Several of our summer sports camps and programs will be starting June 8. Coaches will be sending out communication to those who have registered for summer programs with specific guidelines that must be followed. In addition, those who will be participating in summer sports camps, as well as those utilizing district facilities, can find our COVID-19 Summer Preparedness Plan on the district website. As a reminder, there is no penalty if you register for a summer program and the activity ends up being canceled. We will provide a full refund for all COVID-19 related cancellations.
Playgrounds/Fields - Starting Monday, June 8, the Shirley Hills Primary School playground will reopen for public use. It’s important to note that the school district will not be sanitizing the playground equipment. Families choosing to use the equipment are encouraged to bring their own hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies. You must practice social distancing with other families on the playground, and there should be no more than 10 people in the playground area at a time. The Hilltop Primary School playground will remain closed to the public until further notice, as it will be used exclusively by our summer Adventure Club program. Certain athletic fields will also be open to limited public use, but group sports/activities involving more than 10 people are still prohibited.
Graduation - Mound Westonka High School Class of 2020 students and parents overwhelmingly supported a Flexible Date Plan for graduation that prioritizes an in-person ceremony on Haddorff Field. The original May 29 graduation was canceled due to the extended school closure announcement on April 23. We are now working off of the following Flexible Date Plan:
-
June 25 in-person ceremony if permitted by the state. We will make the decision of whether or not to hold to this date by June 15.
-
July 23 in-person ceremony if permitted by the state or virtual ceremony
MDE cannot offer a timeline for if/when in-person graduation ceremonies will be allowed. We will continue to keep families updated as we receive new guidance.
Call for Substitute Teachers - District administrators are anticipating that Westonka will need a larger pool of substitute teachers in order to operate school next fall. Therefore, Westonka is asking all community members to consider supporting their local schools by becoming a short call sub for the district. Please find more information here.
Fall 2020 Planning - I know many of you have questions about what fall will look like with regard to school and activities. Our staff is making plans for several possible scenarios, which will help us to shift more quickly when we receive direction from MDE and MDH on whether/how we will reopen. I would not be surprised if the state’s guidance for the 2020-2021 school year is released as late as August. The Westonka team is focusing on efforts that will put us in the best place to reopen in the fall. We will communicate with staff and families whenever we receive important updates about the status of school.
This has been a challenging and emotional time for all of us. However, it has also been a time of incredible resiliency, creativity and compassion in the Westonka community.
On top of the pandemic, we are all grappling this week with the gut-wrenching situation in Minneapolis. Our Westonka Schools team is always here to support our students and families, especially during times of heartbreak, anger and confusion. If your student is struggling with the death of George Floyd or other trauma, please reach out to your school principal and we will provide resources and support for your family. Please also know that I am personally here for you and will support you however I can.
Thank you for being our partners along this journey.
Sincerely,