DSST Team,
I hope you are all doing well and feeling healthy. During my time in schools over the past week, I have been incredibly impressed with the courage, steadiness and focus all of you have had on serving our students in the midst of the uncertainty and anxiety of these times. I am grateful to work alongside all of you to serve our students and families.
We have several important updates for you, including school closure announcements and details on our remote learning plan.
Extended Spring Break Beginning Monday, March 16
DPS has just announced that there will be an extended Spring Break, beginning on Monday, March 16, through April 6. There has not been a single case of COVID-19 in any DPS student or staff member, however they are instating this extended Spring Break to ensure that the outbreak does not worsen. We share many campuses with DPS, and follow all of their protocol and plans when it comes to COVID-19. As such, all DSST schools will also observe an extended Spring Break, beginning March 16 through April 6. This includes all sporting practices and games and all after school activities.
If your school was planning a half day tomorrow, March 13, that schedule is still in effect.
In order to give families ample time to retrieve any student supplies, such as laptops or medications, all schools will be open for at least some time on Monday, March 16 and Tuesday, March 17. We will have more details on this tomorrow.
We know there are lots of questions about what this extended Spring Break means for staff. Based on the late breaking nature of this announcement we are working to develop a plan with full details and will be back in touch tomorrow with more information for our DSST team
Parent-Teacher Conferences
As you likely know, we are continuing with our plan to hold conferences tomorrow but want to offer all families and staff the option to have their conference over the phone. Your School Director will have more information on this option at your school.
Distance Learning Info
We are dedicated to delivering our students a world class education, and recognize the importance of learning to continue even if school is closed. We have advised families that we will be in touch with them as soon as possible about opportunities for distance learning.
Communication During Closure
Please look out for communications from DSST during this closure. We aim to keep you updated on any additional schedule changes and resources. You can also reach out to your school director with any questions or concerns during this time.
Should you have any questions or wish to share information regarding COVID-19, whether you are experiencing symptoms or have questions about the health of a friend or family member, do not hesitate to reach out to us at Covid19@scienceandtech.org.
Landing Page
We have created a landing page that includes the latest communications we have shared. This also includes previous communications archived, and will ultimately include links to the Distance Learning Plan, any schedule changes during our closure and other resources from APS and DPS.
Thank you for your attention to all of these important details. It is our priority to keep each of you healthy during this hectic time, and we hope that you and your loved ones stay safe over the course of the next few weeks.
All my best,
Bill