Dear Cypress Community,

Happy Independence Day!  I hope everyone has a safe and fun celebration this weekend.  We had our first in-person teacher meeting on Wednesday to continue planning for a return to in-person instruction.  We have formed teams in the areas of campus readiness, distance learning and community-based instruction to continue to work towards a safe re-open.  Your teachers will be in touch to confirm plans for the fall, to determine the make-up of our cohort pods, and to accommodate those students who will continue with a distance program.  If you are planning for your child to attend Cypress remotely through distance learning this fall, please let your teacher know as soon as possible. 

We had some very productive therapy meetings recently to keep evolving our distance program and to talk about how to provide therapy without having physical contact once we re-open.  The OTeam is planning to continue weekly video resources and adding Zoom sessions to have live instruction on topics including sensory, adaptive skills, fine and gross motor.  The Speech Team will add an AAC Zoom session, so keep an eye out for that to be added to our distance learning calendar.  I want to give a shout out to Lesley for her amazing ASL class that started as a Summer Adaptive Behavior Program offering and is now offered weekly.  Stay tuned for additional updates!

I appreciate everyone’s patience and flexibility as we get alternating reassuring and discouraging news about when and how we can safely open.  We look forward to seeing our students soon.  Governor Newsom has signed Senate Bill 98, the education trailer bill that states in-person instruction should be offered to the greatest extent possible.  We know that our students can learn best in person and look forward to providing as safe an environment as we can, following the latest updates in guidance from health officials.  Until we can get back to in-person instruction, I want to acknowledge the positive response and participation we continue to receive from families who have become the direct support staff for their children, so they can attend school remotely.  We appreciate your continued support of our school and your dedication to your child’s education and growth.  Your contributions have reinforced that we must work together as a team to meet the needs of our students. 

Lastly, a shout out to Saskia who is running her first BOOST summer intensive remotely with a packed schedule and managed to climb Mount Everest this weekend as a fundraiser.  She climbed up-and-down a large 300 foot hill in Redwood Regional Park, a combined 100 times, to effectively climb and descend Mt. Everest to raise a grand total of $5,686.  Congratulations on a job well done!

Please join us for a parent meeting Monday July 9^th at 2:30.  Join the Zoom Meeting at:

https://ucpnb.zoom.us/j/86180003205?pwd=UFNKcDQySDQ1ak9CTGNMUHozZndPdz09

Meeting ID: 861 8000 3205                           Password: 045209

Sincerely,

Nate Yates

Director of Educational and Behavioral Services