This message was sent via SchoolMessenger to school district families and staff on August 19, 2020
Dear South Orangetown Families,
As we continue to move ahead with final preparations for reopening, our administrative team has consulted with our Board of Education and District Reopening Task Force members on restructuring our implementation schedule to provide greater equity in terms of the number of in-person instructional days for Groups A (A-K) and B (L-Z):
- The first week of school–Tuesday, September 8 through Friday, September 11–will be 100% remote for all students;
- In-person student attendance will begin on Monday, September 14 with Group B (last names L-Z), as originally scheduled; and,
- The week of Monday, June 7, through Friday, June 11 will be 100% remote for all students.
To optimize the virtual start to our school year, teachers and students will “road test” new schedules, technology devices and learning platforms and acclimate to the remote aspect of the hybrid learning model together during the week of September 8-11. Having all staff back in our buildings will also provide the opportunity to test and practice safety procedures and make adjustments, as needed.
School Calendar
The first (Tuesday, September 8, 2020) and last (Friday, June 25, 2021) days of the school year remain unchanged. However, we plan to recommend the following calendar changes to our Board of Education to further balance in-person instructional days for Groups A and B:
- Move Friday, December 11 Superintendent Conference Half-Day and Elementary Parent Teacher Conferences to a full-day Superintendent Conference Day with Elementary Parent Teacher Conferences on Friday, December 18.
- Eliminate Friday, March 19 Superintendent Conference Half-Day to create a full day of school for students.
- Move Monday, April 5 holiday to Friday, May 28 (April 5 will be a vacation day if 0,1 or 2 snow days are used).
Decisions regarding the instructional format for students during the period of June 14-25 will be made in the spring, according to local, state and federal guidance at that time and the Regents testing schedule, which has not yet been released.
These schedule and calendar changes are based on current local, state and federal guidelines and the assumption that SOCSD will continue to operate with the 50% in-person/50%-remote hybrid model for the duration of the 2020-21 school year.
Technology
Schools will send out information regarding pick up procedures. As a reminder, due to supply chain delays, SOCSD will be distributing older Chromebooks until new equipment arrives in November. Students who received school-issued devices in the spring will keep those devices for the fall.
Food Service
- Families will be able to place orders for school breakfast and lunch meals for the week of Tuesday, September 8-Friday, September 11 starting on Monday, August 31.
- An electronic ordering form will be posted by the morning of August 31 under Quick Links at www.socsd.org.
- The deadline to order is 12:00PM on Wednesday, September 2. All payments must be made through MyPaymentsPlus.
- Families may pick up pre-ordered meals from the SOMS Cafeteria (Erie Street entrance) on Tuesday, September 8, 9:00AM-12:00PM.
- All meals are pre-packaged and require refrigeration.
I know that schedule changes are disruptive for our families. However, we believe that these steps are necessary to ensure that all students have more equitable access to in-person instructional time, supports and resources.
Sincerely,
Robert R. Pritchard, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools