Oregon News

The Gresham-Barlow School Board approved the Gresham-Barlow School District’s Return to Learn Plan for the 2020-21 school year at its August 6 special board work session. The Oregon Department of Education, under its Ready Schools, Safe Learners Guidance, has directed each school district (and its schools) to submit plans and make them available to the public.

The Gresham-Barlow School District’s plan states the school district will offer a comprehensive online distance learning program called eGBSD when instruction begins for students on September 14, 2020. The comprehensive distance learning program will be designed to allow for students and their families to shift from online learning to face-to-face learning, if they desire, when it is allowable based on metrics released by the governor’s office and the Oregon Health Authority.

“District leaders have participated in scenario planning, reviewed and monitored data from medical experts, studied ODE guidelines, and collaborated with colleagues and stakeholders,” said Superintendent Dr. A. Katrise Perera. “The decision to begin the school year in a virtual learning environment is required at this time to maintain the health and safety of our students and staff. We must now ensure our online instructional program is not only rigorous and engaging, but also includes strategies designed to meet the social-emotional needs of our students.”

The school district’s comprehensive, online distance learning program eGBSD, will focus on GBSD teachers consistently connecting with students and families through a cohesive and robust online education program. The program will include a regular and predictable schedule for online meetings with teachers and classmates, standards of practice that lead to academic success, and teacher feedback on academic work and real academic grades. Each student will receive a device and the district will ensure families have access to wifi.

The District has until August 17 to submit its plan to the Oregon Department of Education and the Oregon Health Authority. At that time, it will be posted to the district website.