Dear Upper Elementary School Parents,

I wanted to thank you, as always, for your continued partnership with our school. I understand that the Hybrid A/B Model is proving challenging for many students/parents, and we’re hopeful that MOPH will give new guidelines, and we’ll be soon welcoming back more students.

I have had a few parents reach out to discuss concerns over learning loss over the past year and a half. I wanted to speak to our efforts to combat learning loss, so you are aware of the actions we have in place.

Each of our students is currently completing beginning of the year assessments. In the UES, this includes a writing assessment, reading running record, and baseline math assessments we give students, to pinpoint their beginning levels, and any areas of strength or struggle. We also have our MAPS testing starting on September 20, which looks even deeper at student performance levels. In addition, our teachers have worked with our instructional coaches to condense learning standards and targets. By narrowing our focus, and looking at student performance, we can target classroom instruction to best meet student needs.

In addition to this, students with documented learning needs have been offered some format of A/B, everyday assistance. Over 50 families have requested this everyday attendance, but we have had to prioritize this invitation to kids with documented needs. This is due to each classroom only being able to hold 15 maximum students and the availability of staff to assist with home learning, while the teacher is instructing students in class. We also have a strong Student Learning Support Team in the UES. They analyze data, liaise with teachers, and supply extra instruction for those that need it.

We all want UES kids to be back as soon as possible. Parents have been asking why we can’t open up like some sections in LES. LES class sizes hover around 15. This allows them to stay within the MOPH mandate of 15 max with less minimal interruption. In UES, our class sizes are nearly 22 students. To open fully, and to stay within the current 15 max, we would have to relocate about 50 students per grade and create 9 new classrooms.

Many parents have also asked, why can’t UES go synchronous, like the MS and HS. Early on, our hybrid model of asynchronous off days was chosen to mitigate the harmful effects of having kids 8-12 years old on technology for nearly 7 hours per day.

Again, we are all hoping we can fully open and serve all students everyday. In the meantime, we have assessed students, condensed curriculum, offered support within capacity, and will continue to serve students. We thank you for your partnership, and we are motivated to positively impact each of your students.

In Partnership,

Mr. Toby Tebo

Upper Elementary Principal

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The PTA wishes to extend a warm welcome to our new and returning families, we look forward to meeting with you soon! Each year, the PTA publishes an Information Guide with some useful information about ASD and more information about the PTA. Please click HERE to check it out!