Online enrollment is open on August 11

Oregon Trail Families, Online enrollment/verification   for the 2020-2021 school year is open .  During the enrollment/verification process, you will have the option to choose Virtual Education or Online Instruction for your child.  Please take your time evaluating options to determine the best fit for your child, but we request you complete the registration/verification form by 8/23.  Visit our  Distance Learning webpage  for information about the Virtual and Online options. If you have additional questions, please submit them  here   to be included in our Facts/FAQ’s update that will be released on or around 8/19. 

Tuesday, Aug 11 2020

UPDATE: Planning for Virtual and Online instruction

Oregon Trail Families, We know you have a lot of questions about the fall Comprehensive Distance Learning program, and we want to provide adequate information to help you make the right choice for your child. We will continue to update you as we have more information available.  Virtual Education Virtual classes at every grade level, K-12, will be facilitated by our teachers and may be synchronous or asynchronous.  Synchronous instruction, via live-streamed sessions, occurs during regular school hours. Asynchronous instruction, via recorded sessions, occurs at a time convenient for your family.  Teachers will use our full curriculum, students will submit work and receive grades, and attendance will be monitored. The virtual program will transition to the hybrid model once we are able to bring students back into our school buildings. Online Instruction Online instruction will be provided by Schools PLP for grades K-5, and Edgenuity for grades 6-12. We have used Edgenuity at the secondary level for several years, and both Edgenuity and Schools PLP have a history of successfully partnering with schools.  The online instruction is all asynchronous, via recorded sessions. Students who participate in online instruction would not transition to the hybrid model once schools reopen but would continue with the online curriculum for the full 2020-2021 school year.  Instruction for students on an IEP or 504 We want to assure families and students that when school starts, they will receive communication from their case managers regarding their services, depending on the education option selected. Students will receive IEP and 504 support from their case manager, even with the Online Instruction program. There will be interactive Google Meet options for students as appropriate, according to needs outlined in IEP’s and 504s. We will also have a real-time virtual option for related services such as speech and occupational therapy. You will hear from your student’s case manager during the first week of school to go over their plan for the fall.  Technology support We will work with families to support their technology and internet connectivity needs for Virtual Education or Online Instruction. Chromebooks and WiFi hotspots will be available for checkout, and drive-in hotspots are open at several of our school parking lots.  School/class supplies Supply lists will, of course, be different this year, reflecting distance learning needs. We will post and email the lists to you by the end of August.  Online enrollment process Online enrollment for the 2020-2021 school year will open on August 11 . During enrollment, you will have the option to choose Virtual Education or Online Instruction for your child. There is no cap on either program, so please select the program you believe will best fit your child’s needs.  IMPORTANT : Immediately following this letter, you will receive a brief poll from your child’s school regarding your preference for virtual synchronous, virtual asynchronous, or online instruction. Your response to the poll will help us begin the process of assigning teachers. Poll results are not connected with online enrollment and will not be used to place your child in either program.  Sincerely, Superintendent Aaron Bayer

Friday, Aug 07 2020

Sandy High student wins art competition

Congratulations to Sandy High student Sydney Dawson for being awarded second place in the Oregon Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) art competition. The Sandy VFW Auxiliary also awarded Sydney a $600 scholarship. Auxiliary Scholarship Chair, Jackie Key, said, “I know Sydney has the talent to go all the way next year.”

Friday, Aug 07 2020

Oregon Trail's plan for starting school

Oregon Trail Families, As stated in our July 26 letter, Oregon's guidance for reopening schools continues to be in flux. On July 27, Governor Brown presented state and county health metrics that must be met before welcoming students back into our school buildings. Currently, Oregon's infection rate surpasses the threshold for schools to return to a hybrid model. In addition, holding to the state’s guidance, we have a significant number of staff members residing in nearby counties that far exceed the case rates for a safe return. As a result, all Oregon Trail schools will begin the 2020-2021 school year with a Comprehensive Distance Learning program.  Oregon Trail’s plan for starting school in fall 2020 Our Board of Directors has approved a slight adjustment to our school calendar, moving the start date for students from September 8 to September 14. Staff return on August 31 and this allows time to acclimate to virtual instruction.  We will implement a Comprehensive Distance Learning program for approximately nine weeks, September 14 through November 13, and continue to assess our options based on updated state and county health metrics. Until a vaccine is approved, there will continue to be a lot of uncertainty. Committing to a Comprehensive Distance Learning program provides stability within the first quarter and prevents the inevitable start and stop between transitions that will occur with outbreaks. We hope that we will be able to transition to a hybrid model before Thanksgiving, providing instruction with A/B student cohorts attending school on alternating days.  Student enrollment for the 2020-2021 school year will open by August 10 . We will send you a link when it goes live. During enrollment, you will have the option of selecting either: Virtual education taught by your teacher(s). Virtual education would transition to hybrid when possible, or Online instruction with School PLP for grades K-5 and Edgenuity for grades 6-12. Online programs require a commitment for the full school year.  With both virtual and online programs, there will be an expectation of daily student attendance. We will use a traditional grading system at all grade levels, and all students will receive a report card at the end of each semester.  We will send more detailed information to you next week about the virtual and online programs so that you may consider both options and decide which would be best for your child.  Sincerely, Superintendent Aaron Bayer

Saturday, Aug 01 2020

UPDATE: Reopening our schools

Good afternoon, We appreciate your patience as we work through the state's ever-changing guidance for reopening schools. While there are still uncertainties regarding the upcoming school year, we are hard at work developing academic options - as we prioritize the health and safety of our students, staff, and the community at large. We understand the impact this critical decision will have on all Oregon Trail families and staff. On July 15, we introduced our hybrid instructional model with A/B student cohorts that would attend in-school classes and virtual classes on alternate days. Since that time, COVID-19 cases have been on the rise in Oregon. The regulations and guidance coming down from the Governor's office, the Oregon Department of Education (ODE), and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is in a constant state of flux and will have a significant impact on our path forward. At the same time, our staff wants nothing more than to be back in their schools doing what they do best – providing our students with the quality education and services they deserve – with the COVID-19 health crisis behind us. The Governor's latest press conference included new mandates for Oregonians and resulted in changes to school guidance. In light of these changes, we will continue to advance our hybrid model understanding that we may have to adopt a comprehensive distance-learning program for the start of school. If this becomes necessary, we are working on a plan to provide students with an opportunity to work synchronously and asynchronously with their classroom teachers through virtual means until we can reopen with the hybrid model. In addition, we will offer an online platform that parents and students may choose to attend for the entire 2020-2021 school year. In the coming weeks, we will continue to monitor the information put out by the Governor's office, OHA, ODE, and the CDC to determine which model we will implement to begin the school year. We recognize the need for families to plan schedules for the fall and are working diligently to navigate these challenging times and find solutions that best fit our school community's health and safety needs. Sincerely, Superintendent Aaron Bayer

Sunday, Jul 26 2020

Reopening Survey results

Oregon Trail Parents,  We want to thank everyone who participated in our Reopening Schools survey. We received nearly 2500 responses, giving us a great representation of parent expectations. A summary of the parent survey feedback is attached. Results confirm what we already believed to be true – parents are genuinely concerned about the health and safety of their children when they return to school. The survey results also show that more parents prefer a hybrid instructional model with stringent health protocols, as opposed to a full-time distance learning model. We can all agree that re-engaging our students in their education is Priority 1 - fundamental to a child’s overall development and future success. We have a solid plan to implement the mandated public health protocols, and our teachers and administrators are collaborating to create a hybrid instructional model that will include in-school and virtual classroom engagement. The model includes A and B student cohorts based on a families last name (with exceptions, of course, for students with different last names living within the same household). The cohorts will have alternate days for in-school instruction. Our Operational Blueprint is nearly complete, and schedules are being developed that we will share with you soon. The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) will provide two more updates to their Ready Schools, Safe Learners guidance – on July 21 and August 11 – and we’re hoping there will be no significant additional restrictions. You can expect a detailed update from us by the end of this month.  We all want to see kids back at school full-time with COVID-19 in our rearview mirror. Sincerely, Aaron Bayer, Superintendent

Thursday, Jul 16 2020