August 11, 2020
Dear Parents and Students,
Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year! I hope you had a relaxing and healthy summer enjoying time with family and friends. It is an honor and a privilege to continue to serve as Principal of Kenston High School. This school year is my 22nd year in the field of education and it is by far the most challenging. We ended last school year in a non-traditional format working remotely through the last nine weeks. We begin this school year with new protocols and safety procedures to educate our students offering two options of instruction: in-person and virtual. Supports are in place within all buildings meeting the local mandates recommended by our county health department. As we prepare for the start of the year, I will be excited to see students walking the halls again. I look forward to fostering positive relationships and building great rapport with the many young leaders in the high school. We also respect the decisions of families and students who have selected the Kenston Virtual Learning from home. We will make sure the delivery of Kenston instruction remains engaging with daily virtual connections during each block of the day.
I want to thank all Kenston families for having patience and understanding the process of this comprehensive task of planning and implementing the return to school plan. I commend the Kenston Administrative Leadership Team for their efforts spending a tremendous amount of time working through the details of this plan. I must point out that we are grateful to have outstanding departments that support all of our building operations. I thank the directors for their leadership in overseeing these departments, as well as all of the dedicated staff members who have diligently prepared for the first day of school. Thank you to the members of the Kenston Maintenance, Custodial, Food Service, Transportation, and the Technology departments. They have worked extremely hard to not only complete their regular summer tasks but the addition of all the enhancements within each building has filled their days throughout the past 10 weeks.
With changes to some of our building expectations, we cannot forget the importance of progress and development in preparing our students for college and career readiness. High academic standards will be met throughout the school year as teachers plan rigorous, innovative, and engaging coursework for all of our students, whether they are in-person learners or virtual learners. The high school climate will continue to serve students as 21st Century learners, preparing them for a competitive experience after high school.
Today’s communication is intended for all KHS families to provide specific expectations and building logistics to start off the year on Monday, August 31. We look forward to beginning the school year with restorative practices as we transition back into our building, making sure that all student needs are met. The social-emotional well-being of our students and staff will be at the forefront of our work throughout the school year. PEAK initiatives will be the underlying support structure to help students with additional resources and connections to maintain a positive balance as they return to a regular school day.
To help with this transition, please review the presentation slides that provide specific information for many different student groups. This includes freshmen and new students to the building, virtual learners from home, students attending Auburn Career Center, students enrolled in the CCP program, and of course, our senior class of 2021.
If you have further questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me at the school office number provided above or a direct email below.
Respectfully,
Tom Gabram
Thomas Gabram
Principal, Kenston High School