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VAN BUREN SCHOOLS COVID-19 PLAN

As the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to evolve, we will continually share the details of our plans during this public health crisis.

MOST RECENT DISTRICT COMMUNICATION - APRIL 24, 2020

April 24, 2020

Van Buren Families,

On Monday, April 20, 2020, Governor DeWine announced that remote learning will continue for Ohio’s schools for the remainder of the 2019-2020 academic school year due to the COVID-19 health crisis.

We would like to share our continued gratitude toward the staff, students, parents, and community for their patience, efforts, and understanding through this challenging time. We are devastated by the extended closure of our schools through the end of the year. However, we are understanding of these decisions and will do whatever necessary to protect the health and safety of our entire team. We are working diligently to partner with you to ensure the best for your child’s education and well-being. Van Buren Local Schools is committed to reducing the stress of these events on our students and families as much as possible.

Remote Learning to Continue

Although school buildings are closed, we will continue to provide educational instruction and academic support through Friday, May 22, 2020. Teachers will continue to share specific learning plans and activities with the students.

If your child(ren) is having difficulty with meeting the requirements and expectations set forth by the district for any reason, please reach out to a teacher or principal.

Mental Health

During this time, the mental health of our families is extremely important. The following resources are available for your use.

Our elementary school guidance counselor, Mrs. Cheri May, has created a Facebook page “VB Elementary School Counselor Mrs. May” to provide resources regarding mental health and is also available by email at cmay@vbschools.net.

Community Mental Health Resource Guide

Meal Bag Distribution

Meal bags will continue to be available outside the middle school/high school office on Mondays and Thursdays from 10:00am - 2:00pm through Thursday, May 21, 2020.

End-of-Year Supplies Pick-Up and Return

Tuesday, May 262:00pm - 7:00pmFamilies with the last name starting with letters A-H

Wednesday, May 272:00pm - 7:00pmFamilies with the last name starting with letters I-Q

Thursday, May 282:00pm - 7:00pmFamilies with the last name starting with letters R-Z

Friday, May 299:00am - 2:00pmOffice will be open to pick-up any forgotten or “lost & found” items

When arriving for supplies pick-up or drop-off, please pull up to the building entrance and stay in your vehicle. A district staff member will assist you in picking-up or returning supplies.

Student Supplies Still at School

District staff will clean-out lockers and desks and place all items to be returned to students in plastic bags.

Athletic Supplies

Please return any supplies belonging to the Athletic Department during the scheduled times listed above.

Technology Devices

All student devices will remain at home over the summer, with the exception of seniors or any students not returning to Van Buren for the 2020-2021 school year.

Seniors and non-returning students will need to return their device and charger cord during the scheduled times listed above.

If parents in grades K-11 would like to return any devices, they may do so during the scheduled times listed above.

Summer Technology Expectations:

  • Responsibilities and policies outlined in the Acceptable Use Policy which was signed by both parent/guardian and student at the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year are still in effect.

  • Families will be held responsible for any lost or damaged devices.

  • If you need assistance or a device requires repair, please contact helpdesk@vbschools.net.

Library Book Return

Library books can be returned at any time. Please return books to the appropriate middle/high school bin or elementary bin located in the entryway of the elementary school. Library books can also be returned at the scheduled times listed above.

Events

We remain committed to focusing on our seniors, to maximize their opportunities and experiences to the best of our ability within the limitations we are facing. The Van Buren Class of 2020 has certainly experienced many challenges, obstacles, and emotions throughout the year, and for that, we are terribly sorry.

Prom

Unfortunately, given the current circumstances and the projected continuation of social distancing requirements, it does not seem feasible that we will be able to provide our annual Prom. Therefore, we are officially canceling this event.

Senior Awards Program

We will be offering a condensed version of this program, likely to be disseminated virtually at the end of May. Additional details regarding this event will be provided in the weeks to come.

Class of 2020 Graduation

After finalizing plans to reschedule the graduation ceremony to occur at a later date, while honoring social distancing guidelines, the Ohio Department of Education has since advised against these types of gatherings over the summer months. Therefore, we are continuing to brainstorm and plan how we can best honor our students and their families while adhering to these new guidelines. We hope to finalize and distribute plans as soon as possible.

Fifth Grade

The PTO will be organizing a virtual recognition for our fifth-grade students.

8th Grade Moving Up Ceremony

Mr. Clark and the eighth-grade team will be in contact with students and families to provide a virtual Moving Up experience, attempting to replicate our annual in-person event. Watch your email for details and we'll also share the final product on the VBMS social media feeds.

We appreciate your support and know that we will continue to work together as one team to navigate through these challenging times together.

Sincerely,

Mr. Tim Myers, Superintendent