Dear Monroe School District Families, Students, and Community Members,
With the health and safety of our students, staff, and communities as the primary focus, today Governor Brown and the Oregon Department of Education announced that our schools will be closed for the rest of the school year. We know this announcement is likely to be a great disappointment for our students and means more disruptions and continued challenges for families. Closing our schools was a difficult decision, but this action is intended to keep us all as safe and healthy as we can be.
For our seniors – the Class of 2020 – we know that is particularly heartbreaking for you. It is a painful reminder that sometimes the world can throw challenges and disappointments at you at any time. We are committed to finding creative ways to honor you and restore as much normalcy as we can. At this time, we have not received direction from the state about graduation ceremonies or the opportunity for students to reschedule events like proms, but we will keep you updated as information becomes available.
Today’s announcement also included important information for our high school seniors and their high school diplomas. The state’s Graduation Pathways 2020 plan maintains the 24 credit requirement while providing a clear path to graduation for seniors who were on-track to graduate prior to the statewide school closure. This guidance allows seniors to receive credit for any course in which they were passing at the time the school closure started. We will be able to provide additional focus on securing credit-earning opportunities and learning for seniors who were not yet passing all required courses at the time of the school closure. For the final spring term, seniors shall be awarded credit based on a Pass/Incomplete determination.
As we continue to evaluate this guidance, we will communicate additional details directly with our seniors and their families. Seniors who have finalized course completion for their diploma will receive individual guidance on post-graduation plans. In addition, seniors short on credit or who aren’t passing their semester courses will be contacted for individual distance learning plans. Our staff will reach out to seniors and provide you more comprehensive information. Most importantly, we will do everything we can to ensure that no senior misses out on the opportunity to graduate.
We will continue to honor the distance learning for all of our students in grades K-11 that we began this past week. We have been working hard to make sure our students have the technology and connectivity needed to be successful in a distance learning setting. If your family has needs we can help with (a device, internet connection, etc….) please contact your building principal as soon as possible and let us know how we can help. (Beau Sisneros, MHS Prinicipal or Kathi Holvey, MGS Principal)
We will continue to provide free meals between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Monday through Friday at Monroe Grade School throughout the duration of the emergency closure. We have added a meal delivery to the communities of Alpine (old Alpine Store from 10:00 to 10:30 am) and Bellfountain (Bellfountain School from 10:30 to 11:00). If you are a healthcare worker or first responder, we are also offering child care at Monroe Grade School Monday through Friday. Please contact our grade school office at 541-847-5139 if you qualify and are in need of child care.
We know this is unlike anything we as educators, parents or students have ever seen before. Since this emergency closure began, our priority has been and will continue to be our students. We are committed to being problem-solvers and partners for our students. Thank you for your patience in this!
Bill Crowson
Superintendent
