Frequently Asked Questions Re: School Closure

Here is a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to help families make decisions with regard to sending their child to school on March 16th and March 17th.

1. Will there be school on Monday, March 16th and Tuesday, March 17th?  Answer:  Yes

2. If I want to keep my child home, due to concerns over the current coronavirus alert, will it be marked as excused or unexcused absence?  Answer: It will be counted as an excused absence.

3. Can I accompany my child to go into the school to gather his/her personal belongings and then leave right away?  Answer: Yes. On Monday and Tuesday of this week, if parents and students want to come into school to get a Chromebook and charger, as well as educational materials and resources that will be made available to students during the school closure, just contact the principal to make the necessary arrangements with regard to the time of day that this will be permitted.

4. Will it be business as usual at the school during Monday and Tuesday of this week?  Answer: Our District will strive to keep as many routines in place during the school day.  However, one of the main objectives for students on Monday and Tuesday is to make sure that they have their Chromebook and charger at home, as well as their personal belongings.  Teachers will be talking about what Distance Learning may look like (beginning March 18th through the 27th) with students on Monday and Tuesday of this week.

5. Will school be closed beginning on Wednesday, March 18th?  Answer:  Yes. Governor Tim Walz has closed all Minnesota schools beginning this Wednesday.

6. If I work as a nurse, will I be able to drop off my child at school on Wednesday and continue to do so, while the school is closed, beginning March 18th through March 27th?  Answer:  Yes

If a parent works for the:

  • emergency services profession

  • law enforcement

  • fire department

  • emergency medical technician

  • medical profession

Please contact the school district prior to Wednesday to inform us that you will be relying on the school district to provide supervision for your child between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. and possible extended day supervision, as well. When parents call the school, specific direction will be provided on which entrance to use for drop-off and pick-up of your child during the dates that the school is closed. 

7. Will the school be open during the school closure, so that students have something to do, such as lift weights or shoot hoops in the gym?  Answer: No During the closure, our staff will be cleaning and disinfecting our school buildings. Only authorized personnel and a small group of students will be permitted in the building.  The school will be locked.

8. If I am a nurse, will the bus continue to pick up my child at our house during the days that the school is closed?   Answer: Please call the school district office. The school district has a responsibility of doing what it can to make sure that people in the medical profession are able to continue to fulfill their job responsibilities of caring for people who are ill.

9. When will school resume?   Answer: At this time, students are expected to start attending school again on Monday, March 30th.  This information may change.  Keep monitoring the school district’s Facebook and website for additional information.

10. What if I have additional questions?  Will there be someone in the office to take my call?  Answer: Yes, there will be staff in the office. Please call (218) 545-8801 for additional information.

11. Is it true that the school will deliver breakfast and lunch to my child every day during the days that the school is closed?   Answer: We don’t know the answer to this question yet. All employees will be meeting on Wednesday, March 18th, to discuss what distance learning looks like and which services the District will be able to provide. 

12. What type of services (instruction) will occur during the eight days that school is closed?  Answer: On Wednesday, March 18th, all of the school district employees will gather as a group to develop a plan of how students will be served during the eight day closure.  There will be a reliance on distance learning, while being mindful of equitable access and providing services to our most vulnerable students. Please continue to monitor the school district website and Facebook page on updates.

13.  Will school be canceled after March 27th?  We do not have that answer yet.  The Governor, MDE and MDH will continue to monitor the situation.  Prior to March 30th, a decision will be made by the Governor regarding any future required closing.

 

14.  Can a district implement distance learning prior to March 30th?  MDE wants consistency here.  Districts need to wait until March 30th before starting distance learning.

 

15.  When do districts need to provide the nutritional component and day care component of the plan?  As soon as the district does not have students in session, they must provide meals and day care for the children of health care workers and first responders.  

 

16.  Do families of health care workers and first responders pay for the day care?  If a child of a health care worker or first responder is not currently enrolled in a school sponsored day care program, the health care workers and first responders will not be charged for this district service. 

Additional questions?  We will continue to update these FAQs, as people ask us additional questions.