Home of the Cavos
Community UpdateOctober 14, 2020
Good morning Emerson, 

One month ago today, Emerson Public Schools returned to their lives of our students, staff members, and the entire community. It has been nothing short of wonderful to have your children back amongst us. 

By all accounts, our restarting of schools has proven to be successful. The ongoing ability to remain open, the management of COVID-19 testing and communication, and the flexibility shown by all members of our school community speak to what we have accomplished so far. Of course, the path forward is not certain, but we will continue to take it one day at a time and will respond to changing circumstances as necessary. Families are reminded to continue to prepare for and remain open to all possibilities based on public health data, COVID-19 spread, and the possible need to move from on-site to remote learning and vice-versa. 

While we should take pride in the results of our collective effort, we also need to remain vigilant as we move into the colder, more indoor-centric season. The one-month mark - as well as the passing of two full incubation cycles - provides us the opportunity to reassess and evaluate our approach. Alongside our school-level work and the District Restart Committee, students, staff, and family members are encouraged to share their thoughts with their building principal or with me directly. The free flow of information in both directions has proven to be successful as we navigate these times together.

It is also important to note that traditional school happenings - clubs, sports, and K-12 student-centered activities - continue to be adjusted and offered. The ongoing willingness to adapt and move forward, obviously with student and staff safety at the forefront, is a hallmark of our approach. Parents are asked to encourage their children to be engaged in our extra-curricular offerings. Many a life's passion has been discovered in a school club or activity. 

In the early days of the pandemic, we would speak often of the need to navigate from safe place to safe place while remembering that the the crisis will eventually pass. This is what we will continue to do for Emerson's students and staff. The district will continue to chart the safest, best, and most student-centric path forward. One day the history of this time will be written and our collective efforts to work together and care deeply for our students will be looked upon with pride. Thank you to everyone for playing a role in making this happen. 

More will be shared with the community in the next several weeks regarding any modifications to our daily schedule, in-district health, wellness, and safety practices, and our overall approach to your child's ongoing education as travel through the 2020-2021 school year together. 

As always, please reach out if you have any questions or concerns. Your thoughts are always welcome. 

We will always be here. 

Have a great day,

Brian P. Gatens, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
bgatens@emersonschools.org