I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone, parents, students, teachers, and staff members, for getting us of to a great start last week. It was so good having kids back in school, we have missed it!
We have had a few bumps in the road with the phones lines going down last week (they are still down and expected to be replaced by 8/25), and with the power outage yesterday, but to be honest, that is ok! It is just something else for us to have to overcome, and that is exactly what we will do! We are going to treat those challenges like everything else we have encountered this year, as a way to learn and grow and just another way for us to adapt and be flexible. I think that is our new normal.
Parents and students, we will have to make up the Monday that we missed yesterday. Instead of waiting until April for a bad weather make up day, I would like to make up that day soon using one of our "flex" Mondays. I will announce that makeup day after meeting with faculty and staff to determine the best option in the coming days, but one options being considered is on Monday, August 31.
As we move through this school year, please understand that we are committed to providing the best possible education to our students, both in person and remote. All students that are remote learners need to make sure you are completing you work daily and are consistently communicating with your teachers. The expectation is that remote learners spend a minimum of 4 hours online working through their assignments and are expected to complete and turn in all assignments like they were in the classroom. High school students are also required to work in each of their classes daily to meet the 90% attendance requirement mandated by state law.
This school year will continue to create unique challenges that we will have to overcome together. Please continue to be patient and allow us to work through some of the logistical issues that Covid and other situations have challenged us with to start this school year. Working together, we will get through this!
In service,
Russell Holden
Oakwood ISD Superintendent