Eaton Community School Parents and Students,

I know many of us are tired of the words "fluid", "unprecedented", etc., but unfortunately, they continue to hold true. With this in mind, I want to inform all parents and students that last evening (Monday, August 10) the Eaton Community Schools Board of Education (BOE) approved an amended 2020-21 School Calendar that moves the first student date back to Monday, August 31. The new 2020-21 Eaton Community Schools Calendar is attached to this e-mail and it is posted on our District Website.

After continuing to contemplate all of the dynamics surrounding the start of this school year and feedback from stakeholders including administrators, teachers, and parents, the Eaton Community Schools Administration and BOE made this decision in order to provide teachers/staff the three additional days (August 26, 27, 28) to prepare. Administrators, teachers, and staff continue to discuss protocols and procedures that will be necessary in order to increase the odds that we can stay in school, uninterrupted. It is also vital for teachers, staff and administrators to maximize their preparation with our Remote Learning Education, not only for the students who will be enrolled in Remote Learning at the beginning of the 2020-21 school year but also in the event we have to rely on 100% Remote Learning during the course of the school year.

In addition to the August 31 start date for students, please note the following calendar amendments:
 

• Monday, August 31*: Students whose last name begins with the letter A-I will attend school. 
   
• Tuesday, September 1*: Students whose last name begins with the letter J-Z will attend school.
  *Siblings who reside in the same household with different last names should attend on the day that corresponds with the oldest sibling's last name. 
   
• Wednesday, September 2 & Thursday, September 3:  All students in grades 1-12 will attend. (KG will have their own schedule with KG Screening and a Staggered start). 
   
• Friday, September 4:      No school for students. Teachers, Staff and Administration will report and review protocols and procedures from the first two days. This PD Day will be in lieu of the currently scheduled March 12, 2021 PD Day.
   
• Friday, March 12, 2021:    Student School Day 

REMOTE LEARNING/EDUCATION IN 2020-21

I think it is also very important to recognize Remote Learning for the 2020-21 school year will very different than last spring. The extended school closure last spring "snuck up" on us and I believe teachers, administrators, parents, and students did the best they could, given the unprecedented circumstances. This school year, the Remote Learning/Instruction/Education accountability for students and teachers will be nearly identical to that of the accountability in the physical classroom.
 
There will be further, more detailed information coming out towards the end of the week of August 17 at the District level and the building levels. We are now able to start getting our class lists and schedules together. You will also be able to see some information on the Remote Learning Registration Forms that were sent out when we initiated the Remote Learning Registration process. 

We thank you for your patience as all of us continue to try and navigate through these (here it is again) unprecedented and fluid times.   

Respectfully,

Jeff Parker
Eaton Community Schools Superintendent