Message from CEO Eric S. Gordon

July 2, 2020

Dear Parents, Caregivers and Staff:

This afternoon, Governor Mike DeWine released public health guidance that will shape how schools are able to operate when we return this fall.

As we anticipated, the requirements all schools must follow include strict social distancing and health safeguards that will make it extremely difficult to operate schools as we did in the past.

While we won't be able to resume schools as normal this fall, we do have an opportunity to intentionally design a school plan that protects health and safety and that is also more fair, just and equitable for Cleveland’s kids.

Using the public health guidance released by the governor today and information from a recent survey of our scholars, families and staff, CMSD is developing several scenarios that can serve the varying needs of our learners.

These plans could include:

• an online remote learning environment for all,
• a hybrid model that includes both virtual and in-person learning, with scholars alternating between the two options, and
• a largely in-person, in-school operation for most scholars.

Because public health conditions and related guidance are likely to continue to change throughout the fall, we will likely need to be ready to shift between these kinds of scenarios throughout the school year.

With this uncertainty in mind, we are being thoughtful in our planning for our entire school community.

This includes planning for those scholars, families, and staff members who are unable or unwilling to return to school, and planning for the unique needs of our youngest learners, our graduating seniors, our special education students, and our many other unique learners.

While it is clear that this fall won't look like last fall, this moment does give us an opportunity to provide students with more personalized, project-based learning experiences that promote mastery of concepts as the focus.

I look forward to sharing more details about our planning efforts with families, staff and the community in the days ahead.

I will soon resume weekly communications with our entire school community, updating you on our plans for the fall, including when schools will resume. Until then, I hope our CMSD staff, scholars and their families are finding ways to safely enjoy their summer vacation in this COVID-19 world.

Sincerely,

Eric S. Gordon

EDUCATOR: Chief Executive Officer