April 2, 2020
Dear Reynoldsburg City Schools Families and Staff,
As you are aware, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine ordered that all K-12 schools will be closed through at least Friday, May 1, 2020 in response to the continued spread of the coronavirus disease 2019, or COVID-19. He will reevaluate the timing of potential continued school closure as May 1 approaches.
Fortunately, our team has been preparing for this eventuality. Our staff is confident we can provide a continuity of learning for all students in RCS. Below is guidance about how we will continue with instruction during our time out of school.
Chromebook Access
• We will offer the option for families to pick up a Chromebook for students to use at home. This is not required, but rather, one option for students to complete some work. The Chromebooks will be handed out the week of April 6th at buildings where students attend. Buildings will send more specific information about times and directions for pick-up.
• The Chromebooks do not have a built-in Internet connection; families may use their own Internet connection or hot-spot, or follow the directions below to for Spectrum’s free Internet service:
• Charter is offering free Spectrum broadband and Wi-Fi access for 60 days to households with K-12 and/or college students who do not already have a Spectrum broadband subscription at any service level up to 100 Mbps. To enroll call 1-844-488-8395. Installation fees will be waived for new student households.
• During the week of April 6th, we are also looking into the possibility of deploying mobile hotspots to specific areas throughout our community to provide some internet access to families. We will share more information about this in the coming days as we are able to solidify plans.
Students who already have Access to Digital Content
• Teachers will continue to add digital content for students to access throughout the month of April.
• Teachers will be active and available on the portal (Google, Echo, Canvas, etc.) throughout the work day, to answer questions and to interact with students.
• Teachers have been given permission to use virtual face to face interaction, as well as to make comments on Google Docs, Google Classroom, Echo, Canvas, etc. If you are not comfortable with your student interacting with teachers using video features in a virtual face-to-face format, this is fine. Interacting in this way is not a requirement to complete the work. We will be sending guidance to students and families who wish to interact with teachers in a virtual face to face format.
• Be sure that you have provided the school a working phone number and email address so that teachers can call to check in as needed.
• Teachers will provide students/families guidance in the form of informal feedback and grading assignments.
• Please encourage your student to complete daily assignments for each course/class they would attend each day.
• Students will have a 2-week window upon return to submit all work assigned during school closures due to a pandemic.
• If you would like to switch to a Digital Content model of instruction using one of our Chromebooks, this is allowed, even if your child started with an instructional packet option.
Students who will continue to work on Paper/Pencil Assignments
• The packets you currently have contained enough work to last through April 9th. Buildings will schedule additional packet pick-up for students who will continue to work off-line for the week of April 6th. Buildings will send more specific information about times and directions for pick-up.
• If you did not have a chance to pick up a packet in the first round of distribution, please plan to pick up a packet during the second distribution.
• Be sure that you have provided the school a working phone number and email address so that teachers can call to check in and exchange assignment information and updates. During the work day, teachers will be active and available to families and students who might contact them through email, Class DoJo, See-Saw, etc.
• Please encourage your student to complete daily assignments for each course/class they would attend each day.
• Students will have a 2-week window upon return to submit all work assigned during school closures due to a pandemic.
Contacts with Staff• Teachers are asked to contact each individual student throughout the time schools are closed. The purpose of the contact is to monitor students’ progress on on assignments and to provide support as they are working from home. Please expect frequent calls from our staff during this time. • To initiate interpreter services to communicate with teachers, please contact Melisa Ray, ESL Coordinator, at [email protected] for support.• For support for digital content, please contact Kris Turner, K-12 Technology Coach, at [email protected].• All other questions should be directed to your child’s Principal.We will continue working collaboratively with the ODE around graduation requirements, high school credits, standardized testing, and how to move forward with continuity of learning that meet Special Education requirements. As we have information, we will share it with our students, families and staff on reyn.org, social media and through our One Call system. Thank you for your understanding and patience as we work through what is quickly becoming a historical event for our nation.Sincerely, 
Melvin J. BrownSuperintendentReynoldsburg City SchoolsClick here to read a PDF of the letter