Hello Maple River,

As you are likely aware, the learning models of some of our neighboring school districts have been changing in the last few days.  Some districts are moving to distance learning until mid-January.  I know there have been questions about this potential for Maple River, and I’d like to share some information with you.

We are committed to continuing to educate our students in the hybrid learning model for as long as possible.  Although we would love to see all of our kids in school everyday, we cannot offer that under the Governor’s current emergency orders.  However, we do not have any plans to move to distance learning unless we are told we must do so by the Governor or until we do not have a sufficient number of staff to continue our daily programming, due to quarantine.

Last week, we received an additional executive order from Governor Walz requiring schools to provide an additional 30 minutes-per-day of planning time for our teaching staff.  As a district, we will be compiling those minutes into one afternoon of planning every Wednesday.  Beginning on December 2nd, students will be released early every Wednesday.  K-4 students will be dismissed at 12:15pm and 5-12 students will be dismissed at 12:30pm.  Bus transportation will continue as usual, using this early-out schedule on Wednesdays.  If needed, we will have K-5 after school childcare available.  The link to sign up can be found here.

A few more things to note as we head into our second trimester of school:

• Kids like to be at school!  Please continue showing interest in what your child is doing for school, whether it’s in the building or at home.  Encourage them to stick with it on the days they’re home so they’re ready for the days they’re in school.  

• Kids need to be at school!  Please encourage your student to stay connected with friends and staff.  The social and emotional support available at school is important for their mental health.  If you have concerns, please contact your building’s social worker or counselor.

• The connection between home and school is vital!  Please ask your kids to show you how they use their Google Classrooms.  Ask to see their daily work.  Hybrid learning is hard on students, families, and our staff.  We need your help to follow through in person when we aren’t able to do so online.  Your support is more important than ever, now that school is also at home.

• School offers a sense of stability in this time of uncertainty.  A regular routine with healthy meals and physical activity is good for everyone.  If your family needs additional nutritional support, please contact your building’s social worker or counselor.  We have several resources available to help you.  

Finally, we would like to thank our students and families.  Schedule changes and quarantines are not ideal, and you’ve shown great flexibility and understanding over the last three months.  Together, we do better.  It's still a great day to be an Eagle!

Dan Anderson, Superintendent

Maple River Schools

Hello Maple River students and families,

We're going back to school!  Things will look a bit different and they might feel a little weird, but we're making it work because you're worth it.  We have spent a ridiculous amount of time and energy this summer trying to put together our plan for the 2020-21 school year, and we aren't going to let a worldwide pandemic stop us.  Inevitably, there will be adjustments to make as we go, but our flexibility is stretchier than ever!

This school year will begin in our Hybrid model.  Grades K-5 will be in school every day. In order to make this possible, we relocated most elementary classrooms, took down walls, and relocated 5th grade to Mapleton.  Students in grades 6-12 will be on an A/B rotation with half of our students assigned to each day.  We do not have enough space in the secondary to spread everyone out and accommodate a daily schedule, so the two groups will alternate in-person and online learning throughout the week.

The State of Minnesota has issued many requirements in order for schools to open this fall. Below is a list of the most significant requirements for you to be aware:

Daily Procedures

• Masking will be required. 
• Social distancing will be required.
• Students may not be dropped off at school until 7:40 am.  
• When students arrive on campus, they must go directly to their first-hour classrooms after stopping at their lockers.
• When secondary students are at home for their A/B rotation, they will be expected to log into Google Meets and attend class virtually.  Attendance will be taken each hour.
• Parents will need to assess their child’s health daily prior to the school day starting.  Please use this checklist as a guide.

Illness Management

Maple River must document its own student data to present to MDH and MDE as the year progresses to avoid being forced into distance learning. In order to keep students in school, please carefully follow these guidelines:

• If your child has been exposed to Covid-19 and/or someone who has been exposed within the last 14 days, please keep him/her home and call your school's secretary.  
• If your child is showing any symptoms of Covid-19, please keep him/her home and call your school secretary.
• If your child becomes sick at school, (s)he will be quarantined and you will be called to pick up your student.

Online Learning

• If you intend to educate your child through distance learning only, please contact the district office via mr-info@isd2135.org. Please do so by August 14th.

Orientation and Back-to-School Conferences

• We will have orientations for 5th and 6th grade students only.  Our team remains committed to making this transition as smooth and stress-free as possible!  Please watch for details in the next two weeks. 
• We will have back-to-school conferences for all elementary students this year virtually.  Your child's teacher will contact you with a meeting time and link for those conferences.  Please watch for details in the next two weeks.
• We will not have stop-and-drop this year.  Your student should bring all materials on the first day of school.
• Grades 6-12 will begin on August 31st.  
• Grades K-5 will begin on September 1st.

Transportation 

• All students who use school district transportation will be assigned a bus and a bus stop.  Your child must use the assigned bus and bus stop to ride district transportation.  Assignments will come out later in August.

Food Service  

• Breakfast and lunch will be provided daily.  On days that your child is not physically in school, we will offer a pickup lunch, in the same manner, we did last spring.  Please sign up online daily and your meal will be available at your assigned pick up location.

Survey

The more information we have, the better prepared we'll be to meet the needs of our students.  Next week, we'll be calling your homes and asking the following questions:

1. Is it your family's plan to send your child to school? If not, will they participate in our distance learning program?  If not, what is your plan to educate your student this year?
2. Will your child ride the school bus to/from school?
3. Will your elementary student need before/after school care?  If so, what site would be the most beneficial to you? (There is a fee for this service.  Students are not allowed to be at school until 7:40 am due to state guidelines.)
4. Will your child eat school lunch when they are at school? On weekdays when your student is not at school, will you pick up a school lunch at one of our school sites? 
5. Do you have sufficient Internet access to support online educating at home when needed? 

As much as we have planned and prepared, we will still need to practice patience and flexibility.  As the months pass, it is possible that our model of education will need to change depending on the exposure rates in Blue Earth County.  This year, it is imperative that your family is prepared in case we are required to move to distance learning.  This includes any potential exposure to Covid-19 or the need for quarantine.  As parents, please know that we understand the stress this could put on your family.  Having a plan in place will help to alleviate that stress for our students as we navigate this unconventional school year together.

Be watching for additional information in the next few weeks.  The new school year is quickly approaching and we are looking forward to seeing everyone soon!

Sincerely, 

Dan Anderson