Principal Responds to Interruption

Rachel Sapola

It’s no secret that the current pandemic has created a time of immense uncertainty for students, teachers, and parents alike. Fortunately, by staying informed, families can optimize their safety and peace-of-mind.

On April 20, 2020, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced that Ohio schools would remain closed for the remainder of the school year with possible blended in-person and distance learning in the fall. The closures of the schools have provided the staff, students, and their families with many challenges regarding how to continue the students’ education over the extended time away from the classroom, as teachers and students have had to make the switch to online education.

“We are all learning on the job. Plus, teachers have their own families to take care of and be concerned about,” Mrs. Isaly-Johns said. “Teachers really miss the structure and consistency of a normal school day and they miss their students desperately.”

Additionally, this has affected many school activities and events. Due to social distancing requirements put in place by the state and the ban on mass gatherings and groups of more than 10 people, the ALHS class of 2020 will have a virtual graduation. Despite this, the graduating seniors can look forward to their Spirit Week beginning on May 1 and the virtual Senior Scholarship night.

The social distancing mandate also requires that Prom and After Prom for the ALHS upperclassmen will also be canceled this year. Mrs. Isaly-Johns added, “The Ohio Dept. of Education has notified us that the social distancing will continue well into the summer months.”

As for grading, students will have letter grades and a GPA for the second semester. For ALHS students, the second-semester grade will be based on the fourth-quarter letter grade and the third-quarter pass/fail grade. These final grades will determine the students’ GPAs for the semester. At this time, the third quarter grades have not closed and any missing work will still be accepted through the end of the semester to allow students and families to adjust to the challenges that accompany at-home education. More information regarding quarter and semester grades for the remainder of the year has been sent out to parents and students.

It is important to be aware of necessary health and safety precautions in this changing time. Families can stay up-to-date on the local happenings of the outbreak on the Avon Lake City Schools website, the Ohio Department of Education website, and through the Governor’s daily briefings. More information regarding the virus can be found on the CDC’s website and by calling the local health department.

“This is an unprecedented situation,” Mrs. Isaly-Johns said. “We, as educators, have never experienced anything like this before. It is difficult for all of us to navigate this new learning environment and we greatly miss our students. We miss the daily contact, conversations, and emotional interactions with our students. We would much rather be at ALHS! We are taking input from students and parents on what is working and what we need to adjust. We are all in this together and we will all get through this together.”