JAMESTOWN – Jamestown Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Bret Apthorpe updated the school community Tuesday on the district’s instruction plan during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“All Jamestown Public School buildings are currently closed through May 15th for classes per the Governor’s directive. However, learning at home continues,” said Dr. Apthorpe. “As I have said, we are ‘hoping for the best, but planning for the worst.’ In order to help our JPS community feel more comfortable in this anxious time, JPS administrative team has devised a comprehensive plan that will hopefully answer many of the questions that our students, family and staff have in the event of further school closures. We hope, and want, to see our kids back in school but we understand the importance of coming together as a community to fight this virus and will take our direction from New York State on any further closures.”
Apthorpe directed JPS administrative staff over the past two weeks to develop a comprehensive plan to cover nine objectives for continuing instruction for the remainder of the school year:
- Determine criteria for students K-12 to pass/fail grade and/or courses
- Formulate coordinated plan to collect and distribute resources to students and staff
- Develop comprehensive guide to providing services to students
- Determine format for recording student learning activities in student management system
- Formulate plan for completing 2020-2021 master schedules
- Develop aggressive plan for engaging disengaged students
- Develop plan for transitioning students into kindergarten-middle schools-high school
- Determine core curriculum for balance of the school year
- Formulate plan for collection of electronic devices at end of school year
The complete JPS Continuing Instruction Plan is posted at www.jpsny.org/continuinginstruction.
The district has also added frequently asked questions about the plan to www.jpsny.org/faqs. Parents and families are being notified of the continuing instruction plan through the regular communications channels. A few questions have been particularly important to students and families:
- If school is closed the rest of the year, how do I/my child get more work from teachers? When should I expect to see new work?
- Elementary school parents can pick up resources and packets on May 4th and 5th.
Each elementary school will communicate to their families the specific times and procedures to be followed for picking up materials. At the middle school and high school levels, work will continue to be distributed on-line by teachers or by packets to some students by April 27th. Principals will contact any student or parent that will be receiving packets of work to schedule a time to pick up. If any parent has questions about work distribution, please contact your child’s teacher or principal.
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