Reopening Message From Dr. Waller
Thank you for continuing to work with us as we prepare for a return to in-person learning. We have shared key information and updates with you throughout this process, and we encourage you to stay up to date on the district’s reopening efforts at www.atlantapublicschools.us/reopen.
As you are probably aware, the district plans a return to in-person learning beginning in January 2021. The current plan allows PreK-2 to return to the building beginning January 25 and grades 3-5 to return on February 1. And as you might imagine, the school staff has been quite busy preparing for the students’ arrival. Many operational protocols have already been determined, yet some of the instructional models have yet to be determined as they are dependent on some of the factors detailed in this letter.
As you make an informed decision about your selection for in-person or virtual learning, the following information is intended to provide an overview of some of what we know and some of what we do not know. Of course, E. Rivers takes the safety and well-being of our teachers/staff and students very seriously, so we have developed a Covid-19 Protocols and Procedures Manual that can be found on our website by clicking here. (An abridged version of this document for parents can be found here.) This guide, although detailed, is neither exhaustive nor permanent. As the current COVID-19 context changes and as our knowledge and experience grow, these procedures might change. For now, however, know that we have tried to address as many knowns as we can plan for. Moreover, Atlanta Public Schools has outlined additional safety measures that are detailed at APSProtects.
The Latest Information that we know as of 12/10/20:
Declaration of Intent Survey
December 3 - 21, parents will have the option to select for the third quarter (i.e., January 19-March 15):
- In-Person/Face to Face (F2F) at Rivers,
- Virtual from Rivers teachers, or
- Atlanta Virtual Academy.
Please complete your survey by midnight on December 21st.
A survey must be completed for every individual child currently enrolled in an APS school. You can complete your child’s survey by clicking HERE. To complete the survey, you will need your child’s Student Number (7 digits) and your child’s APS Username (Without @student.apsk12.org). If you have completed the survey previously and would like to retain your original choice from October, then you do not need to complete the survey again. If you intend on changing your original choice, then you must re-submit the survey for each of your children. If you have questions about the survey, please reach out to your child’s teacher or to parent liaison Francesca Downie at Francesca.Downie@atlanta.k12.ga.us.
Again, the Intent to Return Declaration Form Link: https://dig.apsgraphs.com/ITR/
Information to Help Parents in Intent to Return Decision Making
Our goal is to build a strong, in-person “F2F” program with all the mitigation strategies outlined by APS as well as to continue a strong virtual program. During the intent to return window, we will not know which teachers have applied or received approval for extended leave or for telework. The timelines/deadlines for parents to declare their child’s intent to return and for teachers to apply for telework do not match.
Many of the logistics for return are dependent on the results of these two important pieces of aforementioned information: percentage of students returning based on parent survey and the number of teachers who are approved for telework. Therefore, we cannot provide specific details about our teacher rosters right now. After we have all of these “puzzle pieces,” we will work individually with each grade level of teachers to create a plan for that specific group. Innovative and experienced, our teachers will have input into how we put the puzzle together in the best interests of our students.
There are several instructional models that could be used in various instances in the school. Some teachers could be simultaneously teaching their in-person and virtual students (aka “Roomie Zoomie”); some teachers might be teamed together so that their homerooms can be grouped by F2F students and at-home students; and some teachers might be dedicated entirely to teach either in-person or at-home students. Please know some of these scenarios could involve students moving to another teacher’s class and a new homeroom. In the cases, I am confident that your children will be just fine and in good hands, for our school is blessed with strong teachers in every classroom. For those classrooms in which simultaneous instruction (i.e., Roomie Zoomie) is required, we will be ready with additional technology. The E. Rivers Education Foundation (EREF) has already purchased additional cameras and microphones for this purpose. Final decisions about instructional models will made during the first two weeks of January and will be shared with you at that time.
Please make the best decision for your child(ren) and your family at this time based upon these known and unknown factors and based on your comfort level with the current state of the pandemic.
Telework Status for Teachers
Teachers work directly with Human Resources on any telework or leave requests. The deadline for teachers to request telework status is January 4th. Families will not know the telework status of their child’s current teacher prior to completing the Declaration of Intent Survey. We ask that families refrain from asking teachers about their telework status or attempting to persuade teachers in choosing to apply or not apply for telework status. There will be no guarantee that your child will have the same homeroom teacher.
Dates for Return to In Person/F2F Learning
January 19th - All teachers who did not request or were not approved for telework will return to school and teach virtually from Rivers.
January 25th - K-2 and Low Incidence Program Special Education In-Person option begins
February 1st - Grades 3-5 In-Person option begins
Proposed F2F School Day
- F2F Learning for 4 days/week (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday)
- Asynchronous Wednesdays for both Virtual and F2F Instruction
- Deep Cleaning Day – To learn more about how APS has prepared to protect Students and Staff click HERE
- Later, we will be communicating a schedule of optional, live instruction for Wednesdays. We anticipate offering specials, art and music clubs, science labs, and small groups with the homeroom teachers. In addition, we will use these days for student-parent-teacher conferences.
- School Hours – 8am – 2:30pm for both F2F and Virtual learning.
As this most unusual year ends and during this holiday season, I am reminded—like many of you—of life’s blessings. For me, one of the richest blessings is to be a part of the Rivers’ community. It is a community of caring adults, supportive parents, and amazing students! I am honored to be your principal and appreciate your continued commitment to our great school. Please stay safe and enjoy your winter break.
Sincerely,
John Waller
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