Ridgefield School District

September 11, 2020

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 Dear Ridgefield Families,

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Yesterday marked the 181st day since K-12 students had received\r\nin-person instruction in our schools. A regular school year consists of 180\r\ndays. Think about that for a moment. Yesterday also marked the first transition\r\ntoward our ultimate goal; a return to full in-person learning. Limited\r\nin-person instruction and support services began yesterday as we welcomed back\r\na cadre of students with more intensive needs. I had the pleasure of visiting\r\nthese classrooms and seeing our fantastic staff working with our joyful\r\nstudents. It filled my cup! It's great to finally start seeing some normal\r\nschool activities taking place in our classrooms. 

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Please know, the process will take some time. The school\r\noperational modes are as follows: 

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A)        Remote instruction for all students

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B)        Remote\r\ninstruction for most students, with certain higher-needs students (select\r\nspecial education, homeless, ELL, Title, LAP) receiving in-person instruction

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C)        Hybrid model for grades K-5 in an A/B\r\ncohort model

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D)        Hybrid model for all grades in an A/B\r\ncohort model

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E)         Return to\r\nregular school operations, with necessary modifications to address any ongoing\r\neffects of COVID-19

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We continue to monitor COVID-19 activity rates via the Clark County Public Health (CCPH) website and meet weekly\r\nwith our local public health officials. We will move cautiously, always with\r\nour students' and staff's safety and well-being at the center of the\r\ndecision.  

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I'm excited to share with you that the District continues to add\r\nresources and supports to Ridgefield Remote. Just yesterday, we launched\r\nour Homework Help Zoom support. We offer live\r\nhomework support from 5:00 - 8:00 PM Monday - Thursday for most of the K-8\r\ngrade bands. We hope to expand this service to all grades soon. We also\r\nlaunched a Tech Hotline. If you are having difficulty with your Chromebook,\r\nplease email: helpdesk@ridgefieldsd.org or call 360-619-1363.

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Today marks the end of our second week of Ridgefield Remote.\r\nWhile admittedly different, I know my boys and our family are finding a groove,\r\nand each day, we get a little more comfortable with the distance model. I hope\r\nyour family is finding your groove too. \r\nI have heard from many of you how pleased you are with the start of the\r\nschool year.  I am very proud of all of\r\nour teachers and staff who have worked diligently to make Ridgefield Remote\r\ncome to life.  And I am grateful for all\r\nour students and parents for making the most of this new learning\r\nenvironment.  In our continuous Pursuit\r\nof Premier, I ask you to take a few minutes and participate in our newest\r\nThought Exchange (click here) to share your experiences so far.

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2020 continues to challenge us all. I encourage you to find a\r\nmoment of hope and inspiration this weekend. \r\nShare your strength and resolve with others in the community, and\r\ntogether we will remain #RidgfieldResilient. 

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Sincerely,

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Dr. Nathan McCann

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Superintendent