From the superintendent’s desk
District supporting students through challenging year
Dear SCS Families and Community:
I know the last 19 months have been some very challenging times for many people and recognize that we will need to navigate through many issues to keep students in the schools and moving forward this year. We are excited to have most of our students back in the buildings. As we continue the 2021-22 school year, providing a safe and engaging in-person learning environment remains our top priority.
We recognize the mask requirements are a challenge for our community. Many feel like we should not have to wear masks, while others feel like we should be doing more with masks. We are trying hard to work with all community members in an understanding way.
Returning to face-to-face instruction has created challenges that we have needed to work through as the school year has progressed. Having full classrooms can create conflict for students who were used to having more space and working at a different pace last year. Managing fatigue is a concern as students are in class five days a week and participating in after-school activities, which can add an additional commitment of 15 to 20 hours.
Increasing expectations for course work is another stressor for students. Our goal has been to transition students back into school by building relationships and structure so that we could re-establish our expectations for learning in the classroom. We also are working to assess the needs of students both academically and social-emotionally. We know that many students will need supplemental support over the next few years, and we are building support mechanisms and programs to meet their needs beyond the traditional school day.
We encourage students to get involved in the various activities that are available in the district. It may appear that this could create more stress because of the time commitment, but what we find is that students learn time management skills, find peer and staff support outside of the school day, and motivation with the extra activities.
Please encourage your students to reach out to any staff member if they are in need. It is our desire to support them through the various issues that they may face.
Brian Friddle
Superintendent of Schools
