Superintendent grateful for support during pandemic

Bay Village Schools' layered mitigation process is part of its Safe Reopening Plan during the pandemic, as modeled by this Normandy Elementary School class. Photo courtesy Bay Village Schools

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As the Bay Village City School District nears the end of the first quarter, I write to our community to convey my gratitude during this uncertain time. My family and I love living in Bay Village and we would not want to be anywhere else. What sets our community apart are our hometown values: family friends through generations; children riding bikes to school; meeting friends at Friday night Rocket football games and supporting organizations like The Village Project, who heal through giving. The heart of our village touches so many lives.

When COVID-19 disrupted our world, I knew this would change our daily routines significantly. It was hard to imagine how to reopen schools while addressing difficult budget decisions; especially since we were required to refund monies to the state of Ohio due to state cuts. But, our team – who consisted of Board of Education members, teacher leaders, parents and administrators – worked for months to create several iterations of what teaching and learning is today. As expected, we experienced moments of intense, productive struggle, but we leaned on one another to develop a comprehensive plan. 

Some of our reopening plan’s highlights are:

• provide two teaching and learning pathways: virtual (7%) or in-building (93%);
• implement new technologies that are innovative and inclusive;
• move furniture (six semi-trailers) to storage to accommodate six-feet social distancing;
• invest in smaller class sizes so students receive the attention they deserve by voluntarily transferring 12  teachers;
• teach eLearners and in-building students via new technology – equitable access is essential;
• ensure safety precautions by installing every possible barrier to the virus, from masks to plexiglass desk barriers, signage reminders to hand-sanitizing stations;
• design a COVID-19 coordinator position and hotline to support our families;
• and most importantly, deliver a high-quality learning experience for all students.

And through it all, we continue to be encouraged by the community’s positive support. I am so proud of our faculty and staff for their amazing work ethic as evidenced by their commitment to our students, passion for serving others, learning new technology and dedication to excellence in all they do.

Of course, it would be disingenuous to not acknowledge that we receive criticism during this time of great change. The schools are still required to meet many legal requirements even under these conditions, and the purpose of some administrative protocols, like daily attendance, commitment to a learning track and safety measures may not always be evident, but they are necessary.While supporting our students, we also need to prioritize care for our teachers as they manage this challenge. Without them, there would be no school.

Bay Village is a beautiful lake community, but it is so much more than that. It is a mindset, a way of life in which trusting relationships celebrate our strengths, forgive our imperfections, and accept our diverse beliefs and backgrounds.

There are great difficulties due to the pandemic, but we are working diligently to manage them in good faith and with the most up-to-date medical knowledge. Our community’s strength can be a challenge now because our many connections can put us in jeopardy of contracting the virus and bringing exposure to our schools. Encouraging “pods” within our village helps us to stay closely connected with a few, and virtually connected with more.

We do not know day to day what tomorrow will bring, but I know that we are successful because our child-centered community strives for a better tomorrow. Thank you, Bay Village, for believing in us, and helping us ensure our children continue to be successful.