School District #28 Proposed School Plan Covid-19
The proposal for re-opening that came from Governor Bullock to authorize local control and decision-making in the best interest of students has forced districts to make the decision for ourselves when and how we re-open. I believe we have conducted the best possible remote self-learning plan to stay productive and press forward while remaining safe. We have made it a point to guide the education of essential understandings and expectations that must be met with all the tools that are available.
Schools are unique in that we would have many issues in conducting business as normal in schools under the current guidelines set forth by the Governor. Issues with school opening include:
- Social Distancing with class size of 15-30
- Group congregation in lunch room, recess and passing time
- One student per seat on the bus
- Getting students to come to school with health concerns of parents
- Teachers or Staff with health risks of exposure
- Moving from a stay at home order to congregate with close to 600 people daily in close proximity seems to be extreme
The latest directive provides for the phased reopening of Montana. It establishes guidance applicable to all phases and provides direction for Phase One, including the Stay at Home Directive and reopening non-essential businesses. It also provides local school the flexibility to make decisions about the remainder of the academic year. Executive Orders 2-2020 and 3-2020 declare that a state of emergency exists in Montana due to the global outbreak of COVID-19 Novel Coronavirus.
The meals and buses will continue as planned for the remainder of the year. During the finals period we will run the buses on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday twice a day at 9:00 am and 1:00 pm for students to utilize for finals, school material and checkout return.
Proposal
I. We continue with our plan of support and achievement of essential understandings for every student in every class until finals. We will continue to conduct online enrichment with study guides for every student in every class for the goal of understanding the expectations of the semester essential understandings. The elementary continues to work on standards and expectations set forth at the beginning of closure. The education plan will continue as established at the beginning of closure until finals. All students will need to check in books and chromebooks at the completion of the year and adequately check-out.
II. Finals Period: May 18 to June 5- All teachers will be required to be in school during times that are set up for student assessments and times required by building principals for end of the year reporting and check out with social distancing protocols in place. Teachers will remain available for student support either in school or remotely during the finals period. End of the year assessments will need to be graded and submitted with a letter grade attached. If rubber gloves and masks are needed for grading, let us know, and we will make sure we get you the needed protection. Teachers will be required to hand-in or submit electronically the summative evaluation itself and results of those evaluations for every class by June 5. Teachers will be done:
- When every student has been assessed either at home or at school during the finals period.
- When final grades are submitted.
- When building administration has signed off on all end of year expectations and reporting.
- Elementary Students/Staff/Parents: Students will be given the option of taking final assessments at school or at home over the three-week final assessment period. The expectation will be to have a Math and ELA summative assessment that will measure expected growth of essential understandings. This summative assessment must be something that can be measured and compared to the beginning of the year and/or semester. All other summative evaluations can be completed with needed measurable outcomes that the building principal feels appropriate and needed for final reporting. All students that choose to use the school for final assessments will need to contact their teacher and set up a time and place for assessments. Any students in the building must be supervised with as limited human contact as possible. Students can come in and take the final assessments, turn in books and chromebooks then leave. If online options are available for assessments that will suffice, but students will still need to come in and return books, chromebooks and check-out. We will sanitize any area that has had any human contact. Finalize the summative standard-based assessments and properly check out and students are done for the year.
- Middle School Students/Staff/Parents: Students will be given the option of taking finals at school or at home over the three-week final assessment period. The expectation will be to have a Math, English, Social Studies and Science summative assessment that will measure expected growth and effort. This summative assessment must be something that can be measured and compared to the beginning of the year and/or semester. All other summative evaluations for electives can be completed with needed measurable outcomes that the building principal feels appropriate and needed for final reporting. All students that choose to use the school for final assessments will be set up and supervised with limited or any at all human contact. Students can come in and take the final assessments, turn in books and chromebooks, then leave. We will sanitize any area that has had any human contact. Finalize the summative assessments, check-out and students are done for the year.
- High School Students:
- Seniors will be required to come in or complete finals remotely, when possible, during the week of May 18 to May 22. The finals that are required by teachers for the essential understandings are a requirement and will be graded. Project based assessments will also need to be handed in during this week. Senior Projects must be complete and signed off by May 22. Check out forms must be signed before final checkout will be approved. All chromebooks, finals and checkout forms must be returned before checkout is complete. Any students who do not take finals or meet the expected effort of essential understandings will fail the semester.
- Grades 9-11 High School Students will be required to come in or complete finals remotely, when possible, during the weeks of May 26 to June 4. The finals that are required by teachers for the essential understandings are a requirement and will be graded. Check out forms must be signed before final checkout will be approved. Project based assessments will also need to be handed in during these two weeks. All chrome books, finals and checkout forms must be returned before checkout is complete. Any students who do not take finals or meet the expected effort of essential understandings will fail the semester.
PARENTS/GUARDIANS: Breakfast/Lunch Curb Side Pick-Up will continue into June on Every Wednesday from 10am-1:00pm. Buses will not be running in the summer, but weekly lunch and breakfast will continue for three weeks into June. Breakfast/Lunch Pick Up: June 10th,17th,24th Wednesdays from 10-1:00. All Call reminders will go on Tuesdays.
Summer Education Program K-12: We are working on putting together a June Summer Program for students who may have had a difficult time with online learning or just need some additional support during the month of June. This program would be small group and with social distancing with teachers or para’s in groups of no more than five per room. We would work on credit recovery, standards support and fun math and reading activities to recover any loss during the closure. This will be on an entirely volunteer basis and we would love to see students come in for one of the two sessions daily. Students will need to provide their own transportation to and from the learning summer program. We will use this time to increase proficiency for students that may need some additional support. The program will run Monday through Thursday June 8th to June 25th. Lunch and Breakfast Program will continue for three weeks in June for curb side pick-up. We will also offer lunch and breakfast snacks for students attending summer program. Open times for June summer program will be Monday-Thursday:
8:00-8:30 Breakfast Snack
Session One:
8:30-11:30 AM
11:30-12:00 Lunch Snack
Session Two:
12:00-3:00 PM
Students can attend 1 of the 2 sessions daily.
Drop off and pick up will need to be arranged for each student.
If you are interested in the June Summer Program Please call your building main office and sign up for the June Summer Proficiency Camp Sessions of your choice. We are here to help all students in this time of needed recovery and stable work environments. This is entirely voluntary and we look forward to serving you.
Sign Up Today from 8am-2pm:
Elementary: 406-745-3811 x 302 with Connie Marchant or Jackie Spidel x 263
Middle School and High School: 406-745-3811 x 300 with Lou Rice
We will need your students name and Session Time Preference. Students can sign up for session one or two each day Monday-Thursday.
8th Grade Promotion and Senior Graduation
8th Grade Promotion: Promotion will be conducted on the football field on Wednesday, June 3 at 4pm. Students/Parents/Guardians that the student will be riding with for the parade will park on the track in one car by 3:45 pm. All other guests or family members will need to park in the parking lot and walk onto the football field or stand around the outside fence. We will promote 8th Graders at 4pm. There will be a white flag with each student’s name that will mark where the student sits. All family and guests who choose to attend will sit in a line behind their student marked with Blue and Green Flags. No one will be allowed in the orange flagged areas except for stage personnel and students.
Parents/Guests/Guardians:
· Promotion is not a requirement for any attendees including students, guests, community, parents or guardians. Everyone outside the student marked area is responsible for themselves including, but not limited to, social distancing and any liability in attending this event. It is recommended that all attendees wear facial masks and gloves. School District #28 is not responsible or liable for anyone who chooses to attend the event. THIS EVENT IS OPTIONAL FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED. Students are not required to attend promotion and if they do not attend the event the promotion certification will be mailed.
· If you are at risk for any health reasons; if you have been out of the area in the past 14 days; if you don’t feel well; please stay home and do not attend this event. You can watch the parade from a location of your choosing at the conclusion of promotion. If the family area behind each student is full please remain outside the football field. We will recommend social distance and that guests stay as far apart as possible. We ask attendees outside of the marked areas to observe social distancing (i.e., maintaining a distance from others of at least six feet) and limiting physical contact with others and wearing face masks and gloves to avoid the risk of exposure to COVID-19. The District will be offering the following to attendees outside of the marked areas: (i.e., signs about social distancing, sanitizer/hand-washing station access). School District #28 has consulted with county health officials and are following their recommendations.
· Guests, Family members and Community sitting on the Football Field behind the 8th grade student it is recommended to bring your own lawn chair since chairs will only be provided for five people per student. The family area will be directly behind each student marked with either a green flag or blue flag line. The student and stage area will be marked off by orange flags that no one will be allowed inside of except students and stage personnel.
There will be a short statement from the principal, two student speeches with all other presentations presented on the website. Students will be introduced; they will walk onto the stage; pick up certificates; pose for a picture and return to their designated seat. Everyone on the stage will have social distance. At the end of promotion we will play music and load cars for the parade. A fire truck will lead the parade throughout our community. Community is encouraged to congregate along the city streets to give our 8th Graders a proper salute.
Senior Graduation: Graduation will be conducted on the football field on Saturday, June 6 at 2pm. Student/Parents/Guardians that the student will be riding with for the parade will park on the track in one car by 1:45pm. All other guests or family members will need to park in the parking lot and walk onto the football field or stand around the outside fence. We will conduct Graduation at 2pm. There will be a white flag with each student’s name that will mark where the student sits. All family and guests who choose to attend will sit in a line behind their student marked with a Blue or Green Flag line. No one will be allowed in the orange flagged areas except for staff and students.
Parents/Guests/Guardians:
· Graduation is not a requirement for any attendees including students, community, parents or guardians. Everyone outside the student marked area is responsible for themselves including, but not limited to, social distancing and any liability in attending this event. It is recommended that all attendees wear facial masks and gloves. School District #28 is not responsible or liable for anyone who chooses to attend the event. THIS EVENT IS OPTIONAL FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED. Students are not required to attend promotion and if they do not attend the event the promotion certification will be mailed.
· If you are at risk for any health reasons; if you have been out of the area in the past 14 days; if you don’t feel well; please stay home and do not attend this event. You can watch the parade from a location of your choosing at the conclusion of promotion. If the family area behind each student is full please remain outside the football field. We will recommend social distance and that guests stay as far apart as possible. We ask attendees outside of the marked areas to observe social distancing (i.e., maintaining a distance from others of at least six feet) and limiting physical contact with others and wearing face masks and gloves to avoid the risk of exposure to COVID-19. The District will be offering the following to attendees outside of the marked areas: (i.e., signs about social distancing, sanitizer/hand-washing station access). School District #28 has consulted with county health officials and are following their recommendations.
· Staff that chose to attend the graduation can sit in the bleachers and social distance themselves. Staff is not required to attend.
· Guests, Family members and Community sitting on the Football Field behind the graduate it is recommended to bring you own lawn chair since chairs will only be provided for five per student. The family area will be directly behind each student marked with either a green flag or blue flag line. The student and stage area will be marked off with orange flags that no one will be allowed inside of the orange flag area.
Graduation schedule will include: Introduction by the Superintendent; Principal Statement; Valedictorian and Salutatorian Address; Retirement Recognition; Senior Athlete and Scholarship Recognition and Diploma Presentation and Certification. All other Graduation Components will be recorded and available on our website. Students will be introduced; they will walk onto the stage; pick up graduation certification; pose for a picture and return to their designated seat. Everyone on the stage will have social distance. At the end of graduation we will play music and load cars for the parade. A fire truck will lead the parade throughout our community. Community is encouraged to congregate along the city streets to give our seniors a proper salute.
