7/7 Principal's Message
Amazing Alston Ridge Elementary Families:
I hope that this finds you well and safe.
At Alston Ridge we are looking forward to the school year ahead and the chance to welcome students back to the building for face-to-face learning. And, we are equally pleased to engage our students in rigorous remote learning that will extend school beyond the building in accordance with the district’s plans for Blended Learning and the Virtual Academy program.
Our school’s administration and faculty have closely followed the WCPSS Board of Education’s decision-making for re-opening schools, as well as the guidance from the state of North Carolina’s Departments of Public Instruction (Lighting our Way Forward) and Health and Human Services (Strong Schools NC: Public Health Toolkit), and Governor Roy Cooper’s Office.
WCPSS Board of Education Decision on Re-Opening Schools for 2020-2021
This past Thursday, 7/2, the WCPSS Board of Education unanimously approved a plan to return to school under Plan B: Moderate Social Distancing. The re-opening plan will include face-to-face and remote learning through a Blended Learning model, and an option for fully remote instruction through a new Virtual Academy.
The Board of Education believes that the recommended Blended Learning model will be the safest way for students and faculty to return to school buildings for face-to-face instruction. And the Virtual Academy provides families with viable fully-remote alternative that may be needed to meet their individual need.
The following are resources that can help to explain the district’s current plans for re-opening schools:
WCPSS Return to School Website
WCPSS Guide to Return to School for Families
A Message from the WCPSS Superintendent: Cathy Quiroz Moore
School Calendar Change for Blended Learning and the Virtual Academy
Thursday evening, the school district’s Communications Department sent an e-mail to all Multi-track Year-round families to let them know that all year-round schools will begin the school year according to the single-track year-round, Track 4A calendar. This single calendar for Blended Learning and the Virtual Academy will support collaboration across our faculty to ensure a consistent and comprehensive school experience for students this year. When schools are able to fully re-open for face-to-face learning, families/students will return to assigned tracks.
Wednesday, 7/8, 6 pm: Live Parent Chat with Principal Niko Schutte via YouTube
If you have questions or would like to learn more about the district’s plans for re-opening, join Principal Niko Schutte for a Parent Chat on Wednesday, July 8th, at 6 pm via the Alston Ridge Elementary School YouTube Channel to hear how the ARES administration and faculty are preparing for a safe and great return to school for 2020-2021. If you are unable to participate “live” on Wednesday, the video will be available for review on our ARES YouTube Channel shortly after completion of the program. You may submit a question (https://forms.gle/ZmwRPGbmuC6kJM7J9) in advance for the Parent Chat, and the Comment feature will be enabled and moderated for real-time questions during the Chat.
Your Alston Ridge ES faculty are working closely with our district administration, and consistent with the guidance of local, state, and national public health officials, to ensure that when we re-open, we will , to ensure that when we re-open, we will be prepared to provide a safe and outstanding learning experience for all of our students and families.
Thank you for your continued support as we prepare for re-opening. Please do not hesitate to contact our school with any questions that you may have in the weeks ahead.
Sincerely,
Niko
School Supply Lists
Although Monday was the last day to order school supplies through 1st Day School Supplies, the Alston Ridge ES PTA is negotiating to extend the deadline for ordering based on the delay in the school’s re-opening. By ordering, the full school supply list requested by teachers for your student’s grade are delivered directly to your student’s classroom ahead of the first day of school—competitively priced and no-shopping required. Thank you to the Alston Ridge PTA for coordinating with our teachers to provide this service for families.