Pioneer superintendent Benjamin Halsey said he is excited to begin the 2020-21 school year, based on all the preparations staff have made in the more than five months since the pandemic hit.
Mr. Halsey gave his opening message to staff in a video, the first time he has had to do that in 16 years as a superintendent. Normally, Mr. Halsey addresses all staff in an opening day gathering in the Pioneer High School auditorium.
Mr. Halsey praised staff at all levels—maintenance/custodial, food service, teachers, teacher aides and assistants, Instructional Technology Services, support personnel—for going above and beyond to get ready for the school year. "This will be a year unlike any we've ever known," he said.
He acknowledged that this school year will be a challenging one, and it is important for staff to be ready to adapt and change at a moment's notice.
Mr. Halsey said Pioneer has had to reinvent itself, and may have to do it again, with students returning for orientation (Sept. 8-11) and classes Sept. 14. Parents of general ed students in grades 1-12 were given the choice of hybrid instruction or fully remote.