NBSD

JUN 15, 2021

Dear North Bend Parents, Staff, & Students,

Thank you for your ongoing patience, flexibility, and resilience as we come to the end of one of the most challenging school years we've ever experienced. Do you recall my dream this past fall of getting back to the simplicity of a Crayon Box of 8 colors? 2021 brought us all kinds of new twists and turns and challenges, which was like coloring with a box of 120 Crayons.

As we plan for Fall 2021, I'm again hopeful that we will return to some comforts and traditions, such as a typical school schedule and calendar. At the same time, I'm hopeful that we have learned a few things from this pandemic:

• Relationships matter. Zoom meetings and Facetime are wonderful inventions, but they don't replace laughing together, arguing with each other, and learning how to resolve differences. The mute button doesn't exist in the real world. 
• Hands-On Instruction matters. Our teachers and staff have done an amazing job learning how to teach in new and creative ways online, and some of that will remain, but I look forward to seeing students paint, make rockets, do dissections, cook, build things, sing, and perform. School must be a place of engagement and active learning.
• Stay Home When You're Sick. While COVID impacted our schools, our buildings were basically free from the common cold and flu. Let's keep our hand washing routines, use sanitizer, try to not touch our face, and cover our coughs and sneezes. This will result in fewer absences for students and staff and that always helps learning.

 What can you expect for the Fall of 2021?

1. Students will be in school full days.
2. Students will be in school for a full calendar year.
3. The North Bend School District will NOT be offering a K-8 Online Option for 2021. We've done some preliminary outreach and do not have enough families interested to offer this option. We will help students and families connect with our district charter school, Oregon Virtual Academy, which is a virtual school. We will continue to offer limited online/hybrid options for students in grades 9-12 on an individualized basis in connection with our alternative education program, Bridges.
4. Some health/safety protocols will be in place, but it is too early to fully know what those are. We know that things like physical distancing help reduce the spread of disease. We will keep you posted throughout the summer as expectations and requirements for 2021 become clearer.

Last year our theme was “Safer. Stronger. TOGETHER.” Thank you for making our schools safe. It may not feel like it, but I believe we're all a little stronger for having dealt with this, and we couldn't have made it if we weren't working together as a team. Thank you North Bend for your support and commitment to public education!

I look forward to seeing you...in person this fall!

Kevin Bogatin, NBSD Superintendent