Southern Local Schools Safe Return to School Plan
On June 2, 2021 many of the health orders that applied to schools were rescinded. As part of our safe return to school plan for the upcoming school year we will adhere to the following:
Individuals within our school district and who attend school related events are encouraged, but not required to, wear a mask. Hand washing practices and hand sanitizer stations will also be encouraged and provided. We encourage parents to continue monitoring signs of student illness and the staying home when ill practice. Furthermore, we will continue the thorough cleaning practices that we used during the past year. Otherwise, we plan a traditional start to the 2021-22 school year.
Southern Local Schools Continuity Plan
Southern Local Schools will be receiving supplemental funding that was made available to schools via the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER). The purpose of this funding is to assist school districts in addressing needs to help recover student learning loss that occurred due to the recent pandemic.
We have identified the district priorities that will best help our students to grow and prosper as we move toward a new post-pandemic school year. We are hopeful that our investments will accelerate learning in critical areas such as literacy and mathematics as well as learning recovery. Additionally, we have allocated funds that will address the social and emotional issues that surfaced during the pandemic along with the infrastructure and technical improvements necessary for providing our students with every opportunity for success.
The ESSER monies received by Southern Local Schools will be allocated according to the following guidelines:
- Must be spent by September 2024
- 20% of the funds must be spent on learning recovery strategies
Our district will invest in strategies supporting four priorities with its ESSER funds:
- Learning Recovery and Supports for Schools
- Infrastructure Improvements
- Technology
- Professional Development
Learning Recovery and Supports for Schools:
- Summer School
- Students in grades K-12 have been invited to join our summer academic recovery program that will focus mainly on math and literacy.
- Additional Staffing
- We will employee additional staff to help us focus heavily on providing interventions in reading and mathematics for students who are performing below grade level.
- Literacy Professional Development
- We will continue professional development to help our staff better address the needs of students.
- Social/emotional Support
- We will provide services that will help students with social/emotional issues, attendance, overall academic success, and preparation for college and/or employment.
Infrastructure & Operational Improvements
- We will invest in preventative maintenance throughout our complex
- HVAC will be upgraded
- Cleaning and sanitizing supplies will be purchased and re-stocked
Technology
- We will continue to add to and upgrade our technological capabilities
Professional Development
- Staff members will have access to high quality and research based professional development during summer months, scheduled professional development days, regional and state trainings, and workshops.
Intended Strategies and Outcomes of ESSER Investments
Data shows that some of our students have fallen behind academically, socially and emotionally during the pandemic. Our goal is to not only recover all learning loss, but to make significant gains academically, socially, and emotionally. We plan to accomplish this by providing ample learning supports to our staff and our students.