Parents and Community Members,
2020 has been a year full of uncertainty and change. As an educator in this community, it is important that I reach out to you and your family during these trying times. Covid-19 has flipped all of our lives upside down, but I want you to know that I continue to advocate for your children. I’m joining Angie Lakey-Campbell and other superintendents throughout the region who are advocating for our students to continue to receive their education in person.
After nine months we know that Covid-19 is real and it is serious. With that being said, we continually become aware of more research showing no consistent link between school reopening and increased community spread of COVID-19 which makes us question why our students may have the opportunity to receive instruction at school taken away. The Oregon Health Authority, The Governor, and the Oregon Department of Education have stated that the Cove School District must transition to Comprehensive Distance Learning by January 4, 2021 if our county numbers do not decline. We contend that the protocols we have in place are effective in mitigating the disease and that we should be allowed to make the decision to continue face-to-face instruction locally in conjunction with the local health authority.
In the coming weeks, I will be calling on you and your children to help us advocate with our local statesmen as well as joining our social media campaign.
Step 1
By December 11th-
We need you, your children, and your relatives to write to the governor and ODE. I have prepared a template you are welcome to adapt for use. You can access it here.
You can send correspondence to Governor Brown here.
You can send correspondence to Governor Brown’s Education Policy Advisor at lindsey.d.capps@oregon.gov
You can send correspondence to Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction, Colt Gill, at colt.gill@state.or.us.
Please be respectful when doing so.
Step 2
By December 17th- On December 17th please post on all social media accounts that our students should be in school and that protocols schools are using are working. Photos and videos work best. Please hashtag with #kidsinschool #protocolswork.
Thank you for your continued support for our students
Earl Pettit, Superintendent