Continuous learning plan hits phase 3 in Kent School District

Kent School District Superintendent Calvin Watts posted an update Monday for the latest about dealing with the school year closure.

“While school buildings are closed, I want to remind you that your child’s teachers, paraeducators, counselors, and school leaders care about your children and are here to support continuous learning,” Watts said. “Today (Monday) we began our third phase of the continuous learning plan. Teachers are available to you and your students through office hours to support you with the learning packets you should receive in the mail this week if your children are in kindergarten through sixth grade, or the resources available online to all students in our district.

Please tell your child’s teacher if you or your children need support and they can connect you with services whenever possible. Families can also find many resources on our website.

Phase three of our continuous learning plan also includes our staff continuing their professional learning on Wednesdays to use Microsoft Teams for one to one and classroom connections with students. Teachers will not have virtual office hours on Wednesdays. Additionally, our planning teams made up of teachers, principals, and assistant principals are convening to help further develop instructional resources for students and families as we prepare for Phase 4 of our plan.

Finally, last Thursday I shared a video on our social media thanking our parents and families and I want to also take this time to remind you that you are enough. This is new for all of us, and I know every member of our KSD community is doing their best to support our students and each other, and this includes you at home. In this article from PBS about Parenting During Coronavirus, I appreciate the tip from the article: “I’ve never parented through a pandemic before, but I do know that when everything is crazy on the outside, children need love on the inside. The everyday stories, songs, and routines you share are exactly the right stuff to help them feel safe, secure, and loved. So, drop that load of expectations and take a deep breath. From one friend to another: You are enough.”

“Thank you to the more than 9,400 families who replied to our KSD Home Technology Survey. We will share our laptop and hot spot deployment plan in the next few days. I anticipate OSPI will share guidelines on grading during this statewide school closure by the end of week and I look forward to sharing how this impacts our learning plan once we have that information.

Thank you all for your patience and understanding during this difficult time. Please take care of yourselves and each other.”