We have made it to our third Coronavirus Update! August 24th is approaching quickly, and there is a lot of news to cover! Today, we look into some newly released details on what the return to school will look like for you. (Please note all information below is intended for Middle and High School Students. All information is taken from the latest Back to School Blueprint).

General Details

• The Coronavirus Pandemic is evolving by the minute, and Mineral Point Schools are ready to change with it
• Focus on Student Education, Saftey, and Emotions are at the forefront of planning
• Communication will continue with changes.
• School begins Monday, August 24th for ALL grades (excluding 4K) on Monday, August 24th, either Virtually or In-Person. Dismissal for students in the building will be pushed back 30 minutes to 2:55
• If nessecary, students who are all virtual or are on a virtual day of the hybrid model will be able to pick up meals from their building that will be charged to their account

Hybrid Model Details

The MS/HS Weekly Rotation is as Follows:

Monday: 9th Grade & 6th Grade

Tuesday: 11th Grade & 8th Grade

Wednesday: All Virtual

Thursday: 10th Grade & 6th Grade

Friday: 12th Grade & 7th Grade

Here are the Middle School and High School Bell Schedules:

Middle School Expectations (Via Back to School Blueprint):

A letter from Ms. Dahl was sent to each grade level this week, and more information will be coming this week.

High School Expectations (Via Back to School Blueprint):

• 1 In-Person Day Per Week
• 1 Zoom Meeting Per Week
• 2 Virtual Learning Activities Per Week
• Students will be Required to attend Zoom Meetinggs, Advisory Groups, and In-Person Learning

Teacher Zoom Meetings – Teachers will reach out This Week with Schedule Times for Zoom Meetings.

Advisory Groups – Advisory Groups will meet Wednesday Mornings from 8 to 8:30. These will happen via Zoom and will be used for Grade Checks and other Check-Ins.

Full-Time High School Virtual Students – These students will be expected to follow their schedules unless otherwise noted. For in-person days, virtual students will participate via Zoom with the class following the 8 to 2:55 Schedule.

First Week – Students Should meet via Zoom to go through Basic Classroom Practices and Syllabus.

MS/HS Lunch

• Lunch will take place in Cafetorium
• Students will go through line, socially distanced
• All food will be Pre-Packaged and be served by a member of Food Service Staff
• Students will sit at Tables of Four
• There will be Dividers on the Table to Seperate the Students
• Social distancing Guidelines will be Followed

MS/HS Student Guidelines

• School Days will be Seven Periods, from 8 AM to 2:55 PM
• Masks will be required upon entering the Building and Social Distancing Guidelines are Required to be Followed
• Lockers will not be Used, meaning Students may carry a Backpack from Class to Class to Transport their belongings
• High School Students may enter and exit through Door 1 and Door 2 (Main Enterance and Enterance by Blue Railing in front of Building)
• Middle School Students may enter and exit through Door 3 (South Enterance to Middle School off of Driveway
• Students should not arrive prior to 7:45 AM
• Breakfast will be Available as students enter the Building and may be Eaten in the Cafeteria, with Social Distancing Guidelines being Followed
• Clear Watter Bottles are Encouraged, as the Water Fountans will be turned off. Students can still use Water Bottle Fillers
• Students will Report Directly to their First Hour Class when entering the Building
• Cell Phons should be Turned Off Entirley and Kept Inside the Student’s Backback
• If a Student has a Phy. Ed. Class, they are expected to bring a Seperate Bag with a Change of Clothes. Bags and Clothes will be taken home Daily
• If there is time Permitting at the end of a Class, Teachers may take Students Outside (weather permitting) for a Mask Break
• Students would move in the same group Throughout the Day (groups will be released soon)
• Classes will Focus on Project-Based Learning
• Grade Levels would each be seen once every week, except 6th grade, who will be seen twice per week
• Ideally, Group Sizes will remain at Ten People or Less per Room
• Elective Classes will meet Face-to-Face with Simmilar Group Sizes
• Focus of Learning would be on Teaching the Essentals, Project-Based Leaning, and using “Flipped” Classroom Instruction
• Teacher’s Classrooms would be used to Set-Up Meetings, Check-Ins, and Resources for Studnets on Virtual Days
• Students will be Expected to Participate in Virtual Learning when Not in the Building
• No Students will be in the Building on Wednesdays
• Students must respond to emails within 24 hours
• Students must be on Zoom Meetings and attendance will be taken
• Academic Honesty Must be Practiced

All Virtual Details

Should the COVID-19 situation force another disruption to in-person learning in the future, the
district will move to deliver education to students via an online continuous learning model. If the
online continuous learning model is implemented, there will be some noticeable differences from
the online learning that occurred in Spring 2020:

• Online Continuous Learning
• Atendance by Teachers
• Coursework will be Graded and Credits will be Granted
• Online Courses will consist of both Live and On Demand Learning

Coursework would be Presented in Many Ways:

• Resources Posted For Instruction, ie. videos, websites, etc.
• Regualr Zoom Meetings for Learning
• Weekly Advisory Check-Ins
• Set Schedule
• Flipped Classroom Instruction and Project-Based Learning

Other Important Information

Safety Practices

• Schools will use designated Entry and Exit Points
• Large Gatherings will be Avoided
• Students should be Self-Screened before going to School
• Everybody over Five Years Old without certain medical conditions, disabilities, or sensory sensitivities will be required to wear a Face Covering. The chool will be provvoding every Staff Member and Student with a reusable mask
• Floor Adhesives will be Placed in High-Traffic Areas to adjust Traffic Patterns
• Plexiglass Bariers will be installed in Public Spaces where Advisable
• Circulation of Outside are will be Increased
• Classroom Set-Ups will be modified to Enhance Social Distancing
• Classes will minimize Movement through the Building
• Common Areas will be Reconfigured
• Passing times will be Staggered
• Extracurricular events will be Limited

Transportation

• Students Riding the Buss will be Placed One Per Seat, with an exception for Siblings or Students going to the same Daycare Provider
• Masks will be Required
• Busses will carry a Maximum of 23 Riders, unless there are siblings
• Hand Sanitizer will be Available

Food Service (for In-Person Lunch/Breakfast Rules, see Above)

• Meals will be available for Virtual Days
• Meals are available to all K-12 Students and ar provided through the School’s Food Service, meaning your family’s account would be charged. Deposits must be made when account balance gets low
• Rates may differ for families recieving Free or Reduced Lunch
• Check the Back to School Blueprint at mineralpointschools.org for the Link to a Form for Sign Up
• The form is for One-Time signup, that will get you lunch/breakfast until it is not offered anymore, or by contacting Jane Barr to cancel
• Meals will be sent home on the last attendance day for the week. Meals would be available for pick-up for 100% Virtual Students

Extra Curricular Activities

• Public Attendance at events would be Limited
• Guidance from the WIAA will be coming tomorrow

Here are the current numbers (as of 8/16/2020) from the Wisconsin DHS and The New York Times:

Iowa County

97 Cases

0 Deaths

Wisconsin:

69,560 Cases

1,047 Deaths

As always, Stay Healthy and Stay Safe!