Hello families:
We are planning on returning to the building in August, and just like other schools in our region, we are awaiting guidance from Colorado Department of Education and the Local and State Health Authorities. We are also working closely with the Montezuma-Cortez School District to coordinate activities where it makes sense.
I recognize that no matter what we do, this will be a difficult time for all, and for some it will feel impossible. We are a school community that prides itself on supporting others and being supported. Let us (adults) follow our children’s model of vulnerability, curiosity and wonder as we work through this moment in our history together.
2020-21 Schedules and Options
In June the school 2020-21 academic calendar was adopted and we began working to develop options for reopening school in the fall (i.e. August). The regular academic calendar, you’ll note, has many four-day weeks, as well as regular five-day weeks. And, we will no longer have a 1/2 day on Wednesday, but will be shifting teacher collaboration, training and planning time to Fridays.
The regular academic calendar will be supplanted with new operating modes should our community and state be required to isolate to reduce COVID-19 transmission.
To inform these emerging plans, we will be sending a survey out on Monday to ask about your needs and ideas for your family and student.
In the meantime, I wanted to give a snapshot of the emerging (but NOT final) modes of operation that we think we will be moving in and out of.
Normal Face-to-Face Learning: Cohorts of up to 25 students per room, grades 1-8, attend school at 601 N. Mildred. (Kindergarten will attend school at the Kiva Montessori Children’s House on Empire.). Children will eat in class and stay with their class all day.
Hybrid Learning: Cohorts of 50% class capacity engage in education on a staggered schedule at school and at home. For example, Cohort A comes to school on Monday and Thursday, and learns from home Tuesday and Friday (Wednesday we clean the school and do planning)
Distance Learning: Nearly all students engage in distance learning at home.
Please note: Students with high needs ESS or MTSS may attend the bricks and mortar facility more regularly than other students. In addition, Kiva staff has begun exploring the idea of engaging small cohorts of students in outdoor activities in lieu of at home-distance learning. Finally, we are also evaluating the limitations of distance learning for younger children and how we can be creative in engaging them in a Distance Learning environment.
New Teachers
We are excited to invite four new teachers into our growing school Community: Jeff Sand, Middle School; Hiedy Whitmer, Upper Elementary; Christopher LaRose Lead Teacher, Upper Elementary and Ms. Donitza Ivanovich, Upper Elementary Lead Teacher.
Jeff comes to us from Cortez Middle School and Southwest Open School, Hiedy from Manaugh and Chris was most recently at Dolores Elementary. Donitza was the educational coordinator at the Powerhouse in Durango, and taught science at Montezuma Cortez High School and Battlerock.
Enrollment
Kiva is still enrolling students and space is limited. If you know of someone who would like to enroll their child, send them to our website.
As always, if you have questions, please contact me at 970-769-0808 or at the office at 970-564-9377.
Jeffrey Pope
Head of School