Dear Parents,
During the summer, many preparations were made to prepare for the upcoming school year so that Calhoun County can provide a safe and quality education for your child.
A few of the items being made available are thermal face temperature scanners at all the main doors, so that all student's temperatures are scanned daily, an additional door locking system at all schools, air purifiers in classrooms, laptop or I-Pad for every student and new protocols.
We have also had wi-fi hot spots installed in our parking lots so that our students can access the internet for classwork. These were accomplished through the Governor Justice, Kids Connect Initiative. The Kids Connect Initiative is designed to support the learning needs of children during time outside of school hours.
These changes are for the safety of our students and staff. These are just a few of the many changes that have taken place.
We held a TEAMS meeting with our employees, students and parents to discuss some of the other changes. I know that our staff members are anticipating a productive school year and look forward to working with you to help your child reach their highest potential. Calhoun County is fortunate to have four excellent schools with caring adults to help your child through these challenging times.
Teachers in these schools have been involved in training during the summer to learn new skills to help the virtual and in-person students be successful.
Calhoun County Schools provide many services and programs that are essential to supporting children. At a time when the economy of our county is struggling, the services provided through the school system become increasingly important to the success of many of our children. As I was reflecting on the range of services that are provided to children, I thought you might be interested in some of the information regarding programs and services provided last year.
Calhoun County Schools served over 285,000 meals to students 18 and under from March 13 to August 20, 2020. These meals were provided at no cost to parents. Through an SBA grant, two of the four HVAC units at Pleasant Hill Elementary School have been replaced, and a third one scheduled to be completed this fall.
Last year after-school programs were offered at AES, PHE, and Calhoun Middle/High School. Calhoun County provided a high-quality virtual summer school program for our children's continued academic growth. Calhoun County Schools provided a full array of special education services to exceptional students in our county over the summer. The student services department consisting of social workers and counselors were able to provide virtual services to students this summer.
It may not have been the typical summer school, but it was one in which we strived to meet the needs of our students. High-quality college dual credit and Advanced Placement courses were readily available to students in high school last year and over the summer. Calhoun County has partnered with Glenville State College to offer students an opportunity to earn an associate degree in education or criminal justice while in high school. This means that a student could receive two diplomas at their high school graduation, a high school diploma, and an associate degree. This allows students early college experience.
Finally, Calhoun County Schools received several grants to enable our families to receive additional much needed supplies this summer like cleaning supplies, toilet paper, and gas cards.
We are committed to providing your child with a wide array of quality programs and services. We look forward to working with you to help ensure that your child is successful in their academic endeavors. If you have any questions regarding the services available to your child, please contact the principal of your child's school. I would like to wish you and your children a very successful school year.
Sincerely,
Kelli Whytsell
Superintendent
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