Dear Westfall Parents,
We have continued to receive input from various entities to help us prepare for the beginning of this coming school year. I know that this is an emotional and important decision for each of you, and I recognize the wide range of opinions that you have.
Previously, I had put out a re-opening plan that identified if Pickaway County would be at Risk Level 3, we would go to a hybrid approach to teaching our students. Essentially each student would be assigned to Group A or Group B and attend school two days per week. Presently, we have decided to have students in Group A attend school on Monday and Tuesday, and students in Group B attend on Thursday and Friday. While all staff will be working in their classrooms five days per week, Wednesday will be used for extensive cleaning in the buildings as well as allowing teachers to better work with online students. Keep in mind that once your child is designated in a group, assignments, and expectations will go beyond the two days during which your child is actually in class.
Presently, all Pickaway County Schools are committed to being on the hybrid schedule for the first nine weeks of school. Although I realize that we might be at Risk Level 3 longer than that, Westfall is only committing to this plan until the end of September. At that time, we will re-evaluate and decide how to begin in October. It is the goal of Westfall Schools to get back to a normal schedule as soon as possible, while still addressing the safety and well-being of your children. We understand the inconvenience that COVID-19 and a hybrid school schedule places on your family. We see our plan through the end of September as a step in that direction while providing us with time to recognize and solve problems relating to having students back in the classroom. Of course, throughout this process, you will still have the option of keeping your child at home and participating in online classes provided by your child’s teachers.
Students with last names beginning with A-M will be assigned to attend school on Monday and Tuesday. Students with last names beginning with N-Z will be assigned to attend school on Thursday and Friday. Please visit https://forms.gle/SMpSiFqBHmjExWy6A or our website at westfallschools.com to access an application that will assure that students in the same family with different last names will be assigned to the same group. Also, students going to the same childcare location can be assigned to the same group by requesting this through the provided application.
Presently, other than what is in this letter, other policies stated in my previous letter will remain in effect. Soon, you will receive a list of answers to FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, which will be posted to the website and social media.
Sincerely,
Jeff Sheets
Superintendent