April 9, 2020
Dear West Bath Parents,
The purpose of this letter is to provide clarification to the intention of the Commissioner of Education’s press release dated April 7, 2020. Commissioner Makin has since clarified for districts that the intention of her message is that schools continue remote learning for students for the duration of this school year.
Therefore, with this letter I am writing to notify you that remote learning will remain the mode of instruction for the West Bath School through the end of the 2019-2020 school year, with all classrooms remaining closed for face to face instruction for the duration of that time.
This is a hard letter to write, as I understand the burden that this determination places on families, students, and faculty, as we all try to balance the challenges of this time. Additionally, I am well aware that while we are working really hard to provide engaging and meaningful remote learning opportunities, this is effectively “emergency learning” and can not begin to replace the magic that happens between teachers and students within our classrooms. Finally, I share in your disappointment that many end of year routines and traditions will not be able to to take place, as expected. We will work hard over the coming weeks to find alternative ways to celebrate our students.
With the feedback you provided on the parent survey and with the new information that we will be continuing in this mode through the end of the school year, we will continue to refine and improve upon our remote learning plan. While there are many questions that can not be answered at this time, I will continue to communicate with families as decisions are made, including a date for the last day of school.
On the top bar of our school website, you can access a web page that is strictly related to COVID-19 information and resources. On this page, you can continue to register for food service, identify other places in the community where you can access food and child care for essential workers, and find resources to support student learning and family wellness. Please remember that your family’s well-being is our first priority and should take precedence over all remote instruction opportunities.
Our playground, fields, and grounds will remain closed at this time, until further notice. Please help us stop the spread of this disease by staying at home and refraining from large- or small-group gatherings to help us to protect everyone in the community.
Thank you for your understanding and support during this extremely challenging time. As always, if we can be of any service or support for you, please reach out. We are here for you.
With regards,
Emily Thompson