Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (March 21, 2020)
2 La Grande Pride March 2020 • www.lagrandesd.org Statewide School Closures Extended to April 28 - District Plans for Continuation of Student Learning Dear Parent and Guardians, La Grande School District Admin team and essential staff have been working during this closure to develop plans to support and supplement the nutrition and education of students in our school district. This message is to give an update of critical information as we support your child through this April 28 closure mandate. 1. La Grande School District will continue to provide free lunch to all children 0-18 at any of our three elementary schools from 11:00 - 12:30pm daily. We will not provide lunch during our traditional Spring Break period. We will continue to provide lunch once staff return from Spring Break. 2. To serve our student education needs during this closure, La Grande School District staff have been working hard to develop our comprehensive distance-learning format that will allow students and families to access learning from home supported by their classroom teacher. A detailed letter shall be posted to our website on 3/20/2020 related to logistics and implementa- tion of our distance learning plan. George Mendoza LA GRANDE SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT • On March 30 and 31 staff will return to work for the planning and transition to at-home learning; Teachers will pre- pare digital and physical learning packets as well as online curriculum links and resources. • We have a website in the works as well as logistics documents created. When teachers return to work on March 30, and 31 this website will be operational and it will include all general education and adaptive education packets to meet the needs students with an individual education plan. At this time, more work is also being done to ensure we serve our most vulnerable populations to the best of our capacity. We are currently taking guidance from the state and other regional agencies on how to best implement these services. • This website will also have links for student and parent support, frequently asked questions, meals, as well as logis- tics and technical support for packets and online resources. • One of our highest priorities is to ensure we meet the needs of current Seniors, then Juniors, Sophomores and Freshman so that they can meet all graduation and credit requirements in this school year and future years. On the Horizon: • Our district will be taking more action to address mental health needs for our students once staff return to work. • Our district in now taking action to better understand the needs of our first responders, emergency workers, health care workers so that we can serve and support with childcare services for impacted workers and education staff that shall report to work. I want to be clear, we have been and continue to be in constant communication with ODE and our Regional ESD as we seek to implement and clarify our understanding and actions that we are implementing to best serve our students, staff, families and our community. This has been an evolving situation and I will continue to communicate with all our stakeholders as best I can once information is disseminated from the state. This is an unprecedented and extraordinary time in our lives; I deeply regret that many of our students, especially our seniors have to endure this experience. This is a time of sacrifice for one another and pulling together to ensure all students, families, and our community get through this with minimal impact and great support. I am thankful to our wonderful students, staff, families, and our community. George Mendoza LGSD Superintendent This publication serves as a platform to keep our community informed and connected to the school district. We appreciate your involvement and support. Should you wish to contact me my phone number is 541-663-3201; email: george.mendoza@ lagrandesd.org MUSICAL continued from page 1 we’ll do something that will fit into that genre.” Durfee said that this compe- tition will be different this year in that it is open to all school classifications. “We’re not just competing against 4A schools,” he said. “If we were, we would probably be doing very well be- cause last year we were one of a few 4A schools that showed up.” La Grande won the men’s quartet two years in a row, and two years before that they won the large mixed division. “I’d like to see my girls do well because I’ve not yet had a State Championship girls’ group, but they sound very good, and they are very committed,” he said. What impresses him most is that these ensemble groups are largely student-led, self-coached and self-prepared. “I don’t teach a note to these students,” he said. “My wife, Kascie, and I help put on the finishing touch- es and help them polish it, but they spend a lot of time teaching themselves.” They show great student leadership, and Durfee is op- timistic about their upcoming competitions. “My gut says they have the potential to do incredibly well at the upcoming State competi- tions, but they’ve got to be in a mind space to let that happen,” said Durfee. “So that’s what I’m trying to do, get them to prepare well and then I’ll be doing what- ever psychological work I can on them to get them ready to sing calmly and do a good job. T
