Dear
AGASD Families:
As we
continue to find solutions to the challenges we face in dealing with this
unprecedented COVID-19 dilemma, our priority is assuring regular communication
with the families of the Albert Gallatin Area School District. Moreover, we
want you to know our district is here for you as a resource. That being said, I
want to commend our essential employees who have continued to work providing
meals and services for our students and families. Buildings may be closed, but
our spirit of community and fellowship are visibly open and strong.
As the
magnitude of this situation continues to grow, so do the challenges. Yet we
must collectively find a way to best serve our students while hopefully
providing some sense of normalcy in a time that is quite the opposite. Our
administrative team participates daily in virtual meetings with other county
school administrators, the local Intermediate Unit and state officials to
discuss concerns, suggestions, and receive guidance.
Considering
the information from our technology survey and the guidance and dialogue we
have had with other districts; our administrative team has concluded it is
imperative we do what is best for our district while meeting state and federal
expectations. Governor Wolf announced the state-wide closure will be extended
by two weeks as of March 24, 2020. At this time, we do not know if the closure
will be extended beyond April 6, 2020. This closure could end up being another
month, or possibly for the remainder of the year; right now, we do not know.
Below is what we intend to occur over the next several days:
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Elementary level (Grades K-5): Administration and teachers are
in the process of developing packets for students to complete from home. We
will determine how the packets will be collected at a later date.
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Secondary level (Grades 6-12): Administration and teachers
will be developing plans for online instruction through the use of Chromebooks
utilizing Google Classrooms and other programs that they already use as part of
their instruction.
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All teachers will have live “office hours” Monday through Friday in order to help provide any additional instruction or answer questions from students and parents. The office hours will be from 10:00 Am to 2:00 PM in which you may contact the teacher through their school email account.
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Teachers will prepare lessons this week so we can begin
distance learning during the week of March 30, 2020. We plan on distributing
and making packets available for pick-up on Monday, March 30th (Specifics
for pick-up will be placed on the district website and social media sites). The
Continuity of Education will begin on Tuesday, March 31st. If the
closure is extended beyond April 6, 2020, we have prepared lessons and packets
to be utilized through April 17, 2020.
Students
that have a special education plan in the form of an IEP, 504 agreement, or a
GIEP will be contacted by their case manager in the near future. This includes
services such as ESL, Speech, OT and PT. While developing our plan, please be
aware that our students with special needs have been at the forefront of our
conversations. We plan to be as flexible as we need to be in order to make sure
we are meeting the needs of all our students.
Again, the complexity of this situation brings with it a variety of implications. Those of which we will do our best to meet when we face them. As things continue to change, we will continue to adapt and keep you updated in a timely fashion. I cannot say enough about how our district has risen to the challenges the Coronavirus has presented to all of us. We will continue to do our best in providing our students with a quality education. Hopefully, we will be back to a “normal” life as soon as possible. Please remember that the health and safety of the Albert Gallatin community comes before everything else. Within the next few days, you will be receiving more information regarding our district’s move to online and remote learning for our students during this closure. Wishing you all good health and well-being during this time.
Sincerely,
Christopher
A. Pegg, Superintendent