February 25, 2021
This is our 25th week of school as we remain committed to providing you with a regular update for the 2020-2021 school year.
This past week our students had their first asynchronous snow day; this allows us to make some progress with content and learning while also balancing the difference between the demands/expectations of our synchronous remote learning days with the potential joys of a snow day.
This week, we will start tomorrow, Friday, February 26th, and continue through Monday, March 1st, and Tuesday, March 2nd, a series of asynchronous learning days as our staff is getting their 2nd dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Our vaccine clinic for our 170+ employees was spread out over several days, and the potential known side-effects would have likely made it impossible to staff each day adequately.
Our Huskie Pack has done an amazing job fighting back against COVID-19, with daily health screeners, wearing masks, social distancing, and washing/sanitizing hands. Also, our staff and custodians have done their part to disinfect and sanitize our buildings. After six months of school, we understand that a handful of students/parents have issues with fading of clothing material that might come in contact with seating areas that have been cleaned. Please know that we are sorry if you are experiencing this; however, we have not changed our proven cleaning products or procedures since August. If things are looking differently coming out of the wash at home, we would recommend talking with your child and advising them not to sit in chairs or desks that are still damp from cleaning supplies but rather wait for them to dry or add a layer to avoid the staining of clothing material by requesting a paper towel ensuring the space is dry before sitting down.
Yesterday one of our staff shared a post about woman drivers (driving robots), this post caused some frustration, we recognize the frustration and the post was removed. In 2021, there is no room for comments that may appear to slight someone based on their gender or other factors. Although this post was presented and received poorly, the underlying message was intended to be inspirational. All too often, young ladies have been either turned away or turned off by STEM-related activities. Still, here at Hemlock Public School District, we are pleased by the level and depth of our female students' participation in STEM-based activities, including things like being part of the drive team for robotics. We champion women to be leaders in the classroom, in competition, in the work world, and every facet of life.
The amount of support and positive energy from all stakeholders for our school system is outstanding. Hemlock Public School District's mission and vision are to innovate, collaborate, and educate our community of learners.
It continues to be exciting to report that we have not had any new school-related cases of COVID-19 or school-related quarantines since our return to school after the holiday break. Click here to review our COVID-19 Dashboard with data updates in real-time. This link brings pertinent information together into one easy-to-access place.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to let me know my number is 989.642.5282 or send me an email at killingbeck@hemlockps.com.
All the best,
Don
