Dear SAU 70 School Community,
While I had hoped for a little more concrete guidance from the NH DOE today, we did get a document that suggests we prepare for an extended period of remote learning. I am attaching the complete guidance document from Commissioner Edelblut rather than attempting to summarize it. Our first two weeks are complete, and I am amazed at how our entire school community has rallied to keep our children learning and connected to school. I have received widely varied feedback from families coping with the change ranging from those who feel overwhelmed and are having a tough time managing the change to some who feel that we should be able to better replicate the original school schedule and to better approximate the rigor and pace of regular classroom instruction. My observation is that our teachers have far exceeded my initial expectations for completely overhauling our instructional model, our administrators have surpassed any reasonable expectation for crisis leadership, and our support staff has been holding it all together with uncommon dedication. I am so proud of our people, who continue to make it all work despite their own anxiety and personal challenges. We are also fortunate to live in a community that holds education in such high regard; our parents and families have not only done their part to adapt to our new model, but have volunteered and contributed in countless ways.
Next week we prepare for the rest of the semester, assuming that we will be continuing to teach and learn remotely. We will be building in time for our educators to plan instruction by revising our schedules. As you'll see in Commissioner Edelblut's letter, the state expects that teachers will need to devote 15-20% of their time to preparation. Knowing that our teachers also have their own challenges with child care, schooling of their own children, and health concerns, each school will devote a day, or a rotation that will afford teachers this important non-instructional time.
As the COVID-19 outbreak grows toward its peak, families may experience unexpected economic hardship. Please remember that we are able to help by providing breakfast and lunch. If you need this kind of assistance, you can contact us through the COVID-19 page on our website.
Have a great weekend and stay healthy!
Jay Badams
Superintendent
NHDOE Guidance for Extended Remote Instruction and Support - 3april2020.pdf
