SSSD announces two virtual days

Siloam Springs School District officials announced Wednesday that students will attend school virtually during the first two days of Thanksgiving week to give students and staff an additional break.

Students will be learning remotely on Monday, Nov. 23, and Tuesday, Nov. 24, according to a letter from Superintendent Jody Wiggins, posted on the school district website. Schools were already scheduled to be closed for the rest of the week for the Thanksgiving holiday.

In the letter, Wiggins thanks families for the successful completion of the first nine weeks during this challenging time and says students and staff have been working exceptionally hard to launch the school year in a positive way while implementing health and safety precautions.

The decision to pivot to remote learning on Nov. 23 and 24 was made in an effort to alleviate stress and exhaustion among staff and students, the letter states.

“Our staff is tired from planning, teaching and providing feedback to students in both an on-site setting and a remote setting,” Wiggins writes. “Our students are tired from adhering to safety guidelines and learning in a constantly changing educational environment. These burdens have been added on top of the usual pressures affecting both staff and students during a normal year.”

The two days of virtual school allow instructional staff time to

get caught up and plan for the remainder of the semester, the letter states. It will also allow students to have a full week with no on-site instruction and the ability to go mask-free while they are enjoying time with their family, it states.

Schools will be sharing the instructional expectations for the two remote learning days and providing information on how students can access school meals over the Thanksgiving break, the letter states.

“We appreciate your continued support throughout this challenging year,” Wiggins writes.

More information and updates are available on the school website, siloam schools.com.