Wednesday, September 9, 2020
Revised Start Date for School: Monday September 21, 2020 (Due to Wildfires)
Dear Parents of Butte Falls Charter School Students,
It looks like the last 24 hours have brought enormous challenges for many of you and for our staff. I am so sorry for those of you who have had to evacuate and for the additional stresses of having your homes directly threatened or destroyed.
The ferocity of the Obenchain fire has been unrelenting. It jumped the Butte Falls Highway and seems to be burning its way to Shady Cove. At this point, our school facilities have been spared, but the phone, cable, and fiber optic lines we depend on have apparently been damaged by the highway fire. I am not sure what the power situation is in Butte Falls. The cell tower that serves the town is inactive. Our staff will not be able to work at the school for the remainder of this week.
Until we are able to safely return to our school campus, we will not be able to assess how to restore our technology to support teaching and learning. Additionally, conditions have changed for some of you, and we will want to be in touch to make sure your student will be able to gain internet access and have the materials needed for school.
Here are a couple of significant CHANGES:
1. We will delay the start of on-line learning until Monday, September 21, 2020, if our technology is working.
2. We will delay deliveries of materials and food to families until health and safety conditions substantially improve (fire contained, roads passable, wind-damage hazards taken care of, air quality improved) and utilities are restored to our kitchen.
Here are some RESOURCES that may be helpful:
Notifications: Sign Up for Citizen Alert
Roads: Oregon Dept. of Transportation - TripCheck
Fire Updates: Jackson County Emergency Response Website
Fire Updates: Obenchain Fire Information Facebook Page
Latest evacuation maps: https://bit.ly/32clh0I
Enter information on missing family or friends: https://arcg.is/014bzS
Link for people who evacuated and report themselves as safe: https://arcg.is/14vDXC
We will continue to maintain a COVID-19 safe working environment for everyone by following the Oregon Health Authority guidelines.
This is certainly a time for each of us to take care of our families, friends, and neighbors.
If you need some help or have any additional questions or concerns, please email me at Feedback@buttefalls.k12.or.us. If we are able to help you in some way, we will.
Be safe and take care!
Sincerely,
Phil Long, Superintendent
Butte Falls School District #91