OCSD Plans Remote Learning For December 17-23 Due To Staffing Shortages

by Contributor | December 16, 2021 11:41 am

OSWEGO – As COVID-19 numbers in the county continue to climb at a rapid pace, the Oswego City School District has announced it will switch to remote learning due to staffing shortages.

Since Sunday, there have been 60 new positive cases within the district and 75 people in quarantine, with additional cases expected. With such a significant number of staff members and students absent because of the pandemic, the district will implement remote instruction, from Dec. 17 through Dec. 23, as outlined in its reopening plan.

“While we understand the implications of this temporary transition for our entire learning community, please know that the district unfortunately had to implement this temporary change due to operational challenges that we are facing,” said OCSD Superintendent Dr. Mathis Calvin III. “It is the district’s goal to return our students to in-person learning as soon as we can.”

As part of the remote plan, student schedules will remain unchanged. The virtual instruction will mirror each student’s normal, in-person schedule, with middle and high school students expected to be online from 7:45 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., and elementary students learning from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Students who attend CiTi BOCES programs will continue to be transported to those programs each day. This includes all CTE programs, P-TECH, STRIVE, CARE, Bridges, CTE Advantage, Project Explore and all other out-of-district special education programs. All Synergy students will continue to receive their program remotely each day, as they have done throughout the year.

“It should also be noted, if there is a temporary change that will need to be made to a child’s pick-up and drop-off time, the transportation department will be contacting parents and/or guardians directly to inform them,” Calvin said.

In addition to the temporary instruction change, Calvin noted athletic events originally scheduled to take place from Dec. 20 through Dec. 26 will be rescheduled. All remaining music concerts for the month (OHS Choral Concert, OHS Orchestra and OHS Jazz Band Concert) will be done in a virtual format to be shared with the community at a later date. All other extracurricular clubs and activities will be held remotely during this time.

Meals, however, will continue to be provided for all students during the temporary transition to remote learning. Thursday afternoon, all students will be sent home with breakfast and lunch for Friday. Arrangements may also be made between parents/guardians and the district for two days’ worth of additional meals to be picked up or delivered if needed. Parents and/or guardians can choose to pick up additional meals at the Oswego Middle School front parking lot from 9-11 a.m. and 2-4 p.m. Dec. 20 and Dec. 22.

To do so, parents/guardians must complete this survey by Dec. 17: https://forms.gle/PhJQfYEN6evrvJkz6[1].

In a letter to district families, Calvin also emphasized the importance of reaching out to the district’s technology department at 315-341-2051 for any questions regarding district-assigned hot spots. Questions regarding Chromebooks should be directed to the child’s school.

“It is our hope that everyone in our learning community gets healthy so we can return to in-person instruction as soon as we are safely and effectively able to do so,” Calvin said. “We thank our families, our staff, and the greater OCSD community for their flexibility during these times.”

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/news/oswego/ocsd-plans-remote-learning-for-december-17-23-due-to-staffing-shortages/

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