Message from CEO Eric S. Gordon

Sept. 7, 2020

Dear Students, Parents and Caregivers:

Tomorrow we will begin our remote learning plan for most students in the District.  As we finalize preparations for eLearning, I want, first, to say thank you to our students, parents and educators who continue to demonstrate flexibility and resiliency.  

Remote learning is new to all of us: students, parents, and teachers alike.  I have urged our educators to take our time this week to help all of us ease into this new way of learning.  I’ve asked teachers to take time to help students and families with connectivity issues, with learning these new platforms, settling into good school routines and making sure that we all gain some comfort with how school is going to work this year before jumping straight into the learning content. 

To help families, we have created a Back to School Checklist for parents, with a number of linked resources to help our students and families settle in to these new routines.  This checklist was emailed to all CMSD homes with valid email addresses and is posted on social media and on our back to school website: www.clevelandmetroschools.org/reopeningCMSD.  

For students who have not already received their devices, our final student device distribution will be completed on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.  If your child does not yet have a device and you don’t know when you can pick one up from your school, please contact your school directly.  School offices are open from 8:00 a.m. to noon and from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. each school day.  Your child’s school and teacher can also help with student log-on information if you need it. 

For additional assistance with your school-issued technology, we have expanded our IT Help Desk hours and added additional Help Desk staff.  The Help Desk is now available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.  You can reach our Help Desk by calling 216-838-0440.  

If you need a meal plan for your children and have not already signed up for one of our two available plans, please complete the Parent Care Plan survey, also found on our back to school website.  There, you will be able to select the meal plan that is more convenient for you and your family.  Again, if you need assistance, please call your child’s school.  We are here to help.

As a community, COVID-19 has caused an extreme amount of rapid change, and change often creates an added amount of stress and anxiety, and sometimes, added fear or anger.  I encourage each of you to give yourself permission to do the best you can and not be afraid to ask for help.  Together, over the course of this week, we will formally make the shift into this remote learning environment.  

Thank you, and welcome back to school for the 2020-2021 school year!

Sincerely,

Eric S. Gordon

EDUCATOR: Chief Executive Officer