This is Elizabeth Halsey-Sproul, principal of E.J. Russell Elementary School with some important information regarding the next phase of our Return to Learn planning for our students this spring.

As we finalize our plans about when and how we can bring our students back to school for more in-person instruction, we may need to hear from you.

In the coming weeks we will roll out two options for students. The option that you choose as a parent will remain in effect through the end of this school year. The two learning models we will provide are an all-virtual option or an in-person option. The in-person instruction would replace our current hybrid model. It will start at four days per week, expanding later to five days a week.

We assume most parents will want to keep the current model for their children, so you only need to respond if you want a change. For example, if your child is currently a virtual student and we do not hear from you via email, we will assume your child will remain a virtual student.

Similarly, if your child is currently a hybrid student, we will assume your child will be attending in-person instruction beginning at four days per week, eventually changing to every day. However, if you want your virtual student to be in-person or you want your hybrid student to go all virtual, we MUST hear from you by this Thursday, March 18.

We have created a special email address for parents who want to make changes for their children. It’s the abbreviation of our school – EJR – followed by the letters R T L for “Return to Learn,” @ pinebushschools.org. So use the email ejrrtl@pinebushschools.org to let us know if you want a change. Again, we must know by this Thursday, March 18.

You should also use that email if you want to make any changes in the transportation arrangements for your child. You can use ejrrtl@pinebushschools.org to tell us that you need busing your child is not currently receiving or to tell us that you will be transporting your child
and not relying on a school bus to get your child to and from school.

We will be taking all the responses we get by Thursday and using that information to organize our schools to begin executing the new plans sometime after spring break.

Mr. Mains will be outlining the when and how of the latest Return to Learn plans at next week’s board of education meeting.

Thank you and have a great day!