Woodlawn School District is excited, ready, and working hard to plan options that are in the best interest of our students, families, and staff. Recently, the Governor issued a directive to delay the start of school which moves our WSD first day of school to August 24, 2020. WSD reviews guidance regularly from the CDC, ADH, DESE, and AAA on how to prepare for safety, academics, and extracurricular activities.

We are navigating a challenging time in our nation, but our administration and staff remain focused on the opportunity to innovate and connect with our students and community in new ways. For more information, please take a look at our overview of operations and options below.

Please click the above image to access the overview.

7/29/2020

To the Woodlawn School District (WSD),

There is a state and nation wide push to open schools in August, even though last week, the Arkansas Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics (ARAAP) said it "cannot support a statewide return-to-school decision."  The group suggested that Arkansas officials focus on five strategies and implement them "in partnership with educators, administrators, parents, and students." 

First, the ARAAP stress that decisions should be made on local data-driven decisions.  They believe there should be clear guidance from the state on specific, county-level data indicators that show it is safer to open specific school districts.  The WSD, with our Ready for Learning Overview located on the WSD website, addresses the safety concerns of our district.  The state board announced they believe local school districts should decide their own policies.  The WSD and the Cleveland County School District have developed policies in a united effort.  We have developed similar general plans to address specific safety measures to be used once schools return to open session.  

Second, the ARAAP recommends that K-12 school districts use a mandatory mask order, and thanks Governor Hutchinson for his statewide face mask mandate.  ARAAP suggests an even stronger requirement in schools for mandatory K-12 student and teacher masks, with strong consideration given to requiring them for Pre-k 3 and 4.  At the WSD, the fourth through twelve grade students and the WSD staff will be wearing masks as a regular part of their daily routine when a new school year arrives on August 24, 2020.  The WSD Ready for Learning Plan will include staff and students in grades 4-12 to wear masks following a variety of other safety measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The good news is we have already purchased enough masks to give one to three masks per student.  We think it's the safest way.

Third, the ARAAP recommends social distancing.  They believe districts need clearer guidance on how to achieve social distancing and smaller, consistent cohorts of students.  this will likely require fewer students to be in school buildings at any given time.  Districts should be granted approvals to allow them to expand into space in community centers or to use creative scheduling to allow for social distancing when they open.  The WSD has indicated in the WSD Overview we will make every effort to keep social distancing a priority.  when proper distance is unavailable, we will strongly recommend wearing a mask.  

Fourth, the ARAAP is advocating for federal funds to support safe school re-opening.  The state should utilize its purchasing power to obtain and distribute needed PPE, hand hygiene and cleaning supplies, and sanitation materials, including full medical PPE for all school nurses, building first responders, and teachers/paraprofessionals in self-contained/special needs classrooms.  The WSD would greatly appreciate all the help we can receive!  We have spent a great deal of district funds to provide PPE materials. 

Finally, with the emerging research exploring the possibility of airborne spread for COVID-19, the ARAAP believes districts need funding for needed classroom ventilation updates.  Experts should be consulted to address highest-priority needs.  The WSD would greatly appreciate all the help we can receive in this area as well.  

Each district can adjust things to fit their needs, but the WSD consensus is to offer parents a choice.  Parents will have the choice of on-site learning or they can choose to participate in online-virtual instruction.  The WSD has spent a tremendous amount of time planning, talking to health experts, and researching with other educational leaders.  We have developed the best plan for our district, and we will continue to develop the necessary changes to provide a safe school environment.  We want students in-person as much as possible, because we believe it is best for their educational needs.

We are asking parents to take their child’s temperature before arriving at school.  We wish for all students to arrive healthy every day.  We will provide bus transportation, but we encourage parents to take their children to and from school.  There will be assigned seating on school buses and staggered lunch periods to allow for proper social distancing.  We will require proper mask wearing, the use of hand sanitizers, and we will expect students to comply with all safety precautions.

Parents also have the choice of keeping their children home with online-virtual learning.  We plan to provide educational opportunities for each child daily. If their child chooses to return to campus, we hope for a seamless return.  Whether choosing online-virtual school or on-site learning, we will issue each child a chrome book.  If internet capabilities are demanding, we hope to have “hot spots” available to access instruction.  Those who wish to participate in extracurricular activities must attend on-site learning. We hope for a good school year!

💻Woodlawn School District Virtual School Application💻

Woodlawn School District will be offering a Virtual School for the 2020-2021 school year. This application must be completed in order to participate in the WSD Virtual School program. WSD Virtual School is open to all students who pass the residency requirements or school choice requirements for the Woodlawn School District in the 2020-2021 school year. To access this form, please click on this block of text.

All Woodlawn School District students will be issued a chromebook for the 2020-21 school year. Students will be required to provide a $20 technology deposit before the Chromebook is issued. Students must commit to completing at least nine (9) weeks online. To be able to participate in WSD Virtual School, students must have reliable access to internet services.

Any questions please contact: Woodlawn Elementary School 357-2211/Woodlawn High School 357-8171

Alternate Link for form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdfifVgs0Gof7Qt9beXm2SeWb3jCnlYw9pUj0QX-_o2i-VQVA/viewform?usp=pp_url

ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

7/10/2020

Dear Parents, Students, Staff, and Community,

During Governor Asa Hutchinson’s daily briefing yesterday, school districts were directed to start no earlier than August 24, 2020 and no later than August 26, 2020. 

The Woodlawn School District (WSD) administrative staff are discussing options for School Year (SY) 2021.  We will be seeking additional information from our school staff and the Woodlawn Board of Education before an official announcement will be presented.  I want to thank you for your patience realizing we just received this information yesterday.

The administration desperately wants to give our patrons more concrete decisions, but guidance from state and federal agencies change daily.  Our goal is to continue to provide our students with the best educational experience in the safest environment. 

We will continue to provide the latest guidance and updates as they are presented from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and Arkansas Activities Association (AAA).  We are informing our coaches of the latest safety precautions and guidance, and they are communicating procedures to athletes.

Again, THANK YOU for your patience and understanding!  We want the best and safest return to school for our students, staff, and community.

Sincerely,

Mr. Hume

Superintendent 

2020-21 Household Application for Free and Reduced Price School Meals 

If you have more than one child in the district, please submit the form only one time.

Woodlawn School District Form

Notice: For those still interested in getting a yearbook for the 2019-2020 school year you may do so at this link: Yearbookforever.com

For more information about the Corona Virus, please visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s official page by clicking this text.

Woodlawn School District

Parent Engagement Summary

Click the image above to view the District Parent Engagement Summary document.

The Woodlawn Public School district, in collaboration with parents, established a parental involvement plan that establishes the district’s expectations for parental involvement, and includes programs and practices that enhance parental involvement and reflect the specific needs of students and families. The Woodlawn School District is excited to share above our Parent Engagement summary of the engagement plan.  Ark. Code Ann. § 6-15-1704(a); Rules Section 3.02  

Please give us your feedback!

https://forms.gle/WEhEs2sD7ZYafkni7

Woodlawn School District is proud to be a member of the Southeast Arkansas Education Service Cooperative.

Woodlawn Elementary and High Schools have a free, anonymous, and safe reporting service for bullying, harassment, or any other types of suspicious or illegal activities available for students or parents/guardians to report to school administrators in a confidential manner.

Follow These Easy Steps

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