Dear South Washington County Schools Family,

We have heard from many middle school families about the importance of returning all middle schoolers to school as soon as possible. As a result, we have adjusted our original plan that was shared last week in which all sixth grade students would be returning to full in-person learning.

Instead, all middle school students (6-8) currently in distance learning for trimester two will return to school in a hybrid learning model starting Tuesday, Feb. 16. Students who are in the Virtual Learning Academy (VLA) for trimester two will remain in VLA with their same schedule.

This change will allow us to bring more students back to school sooner for additional support, reduce the potential for large-scale quarantines and provide at least three feet of space between students in the classroom. As a reminder, the hybrid learning model is how the school year began with a combination of in-person learning at school and distance learning at home on alternating days.

Hybrid Weekly Schedule (8 a.m. to 12:55 p.m.)

To review the hybrid learning model and to view the A/B schedule, please visit sowashco.org/hybrid.

• A Day: Student Group A attends school in-person. Student Group B learns at home through distance learning.

• B Day: Student Group B attends school in-person. Student Group A learns at home through distance learning.

• Flexible Instruction Day (8:30 to 11:45 a.m.) - All students will learn through one, or more, of the following ways:

  • Additional in-person learning opportunities (exams, labs, individual and small group learning)

  • Additional distance learning opportunities (either real-time learning or remote learning)

  • Advisory class

• To see how a hybrid school day will look for students, visit sowashco.org/hybrid for the daily schedule.

  • Please note that school day schedules will change on Feb. 16 for the Virtual Learning Academy (6-8).

• View the latest calendar updates for the hybrid learning model at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RuNuwJ968v3NqHkiW85nIe4wQgDv0Wnr/view

  • Please note that shortened school weeks, due to non-school days, may change the days in which students attend school in-person or participate in learning at home during a flexible instruction day.

What this Means for Middle School Students and Families (6-8)

• Middle school students in grades 6-8 will return to the hybrid learning model on Tuesday, Feb. 16.

• Students who are in the Virtual Learning Academy (VLA) for trimester two will remain in VLA.

• Students currently receiving special education services at school will continue to attend school in-person for intensive services.

• Families should have a plan in case their child’s classroom or school must transition back to distance learning due to potential COVID-19 exposures.

  • When possible, a substitute teacher will be hired to cover teacher absences.

• See the middle school hybrid class schedule at sowashco.org/hybrid.

New and Required Safety Procedures

• The 14-day quarantine period will remain in place. If staff or students had close contact with an infected person, the Minnesota Department of Health may direct us to keep them out of school for a minimum of 14 days.

• Face masks are required at all times including during indoor physical activity. When possible, many of our staff may be wearing face masks and face shields together.

• When possible, we will work to maintain three feet of distance between students in the classroom.

• Student support programs such as special education, English learners and counseling may continue to pull students from their primary classrooms in order to provide essential support services with social distancing as much as possible.

  • Clear barriers may be supplied for specific educational settings to divide students from teachers whenever possible.

• Any sick student who is sent to school, or is determined to be sick during the school day, will immediately be sent home.

  • Call your child’s school attendance line to report an absence.

New Calendar and Schedule Updates

For the latest calendar updates for all grade levels, visit https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RuNuwJ968v3NqHkiW85nIe4wQgDv0Wnr/view

• Feb. 5 - All students attend school in their current learning model

• Feb. 12 - No School (Grades 6-12): Staff planning day (No school for Virtual Learning Academy students in grade 6-12)

• Feb. 16 - Grades 6-8 return to the hybrid learning model

• Students in grades 6-8 will learn at home on flexible instruction days that are typically on Fridays except Feb. 19, March 19 and April 30

Thank You

As we transition students back to hybrid learning, we will take a targeted approach to keep students in school. This means if a classroom is exposed to someone who is infected with COVID-19, the class would shift to distance learning during the 14-day quarantine period and the school would remain in session as usual. We ask that families be prepared for the possibility that their child’s class could move to distance learning at any time.

The focus now is to ensure students thrive at school through relationships, connections and social-emotional support. Our goal is to return all middle school students to full in-person learning four days a week in March, depending on COVID-19 infection rates and other factors. I want to thank you for your patience and support.

Dear South Washington County Schools Family,

We have heard from many middle school families about the importance of returning all middle schoolers to school as soon as possible. As a result, we have adjusted our original plan that was shared last week in which all sixth grade students would be returning to full in-person learning.

Instead, all middle school students (6-8) currently in distance learning for trimester two will return to school in a hybrid learning model starting Tuesday, Feb. 16. Students who are in the Virtual Learning Academy (VLA) for trimester two will remain in VLA with their same schedule.

This change will allow us to bring more students back to school sooner for additional support, reduce the potential for large-scale quarantines and provide at least three feet of space between students in the classroom. As a reminder, the hybrid learning model is how the school year began with a combination of in-person learning at school and distance learning at home on alternating days.

Hybrid Weekly Schedule (8 a.m. to 12:55 p.m.)

To review the hybrid learning model and to view the A/B schedule, please visit sowashco.org/hybrid.

• A Day: Student Group A attends school in-person. Student Group B learns at home through distance learning.

• B Day: Student Group B attends school in-person. Student Group A learns at home through distance learning.

• Flexible Instruction Day (8:30 to 11:45 a.m.) - All students will learn through one, or more, of the following ways:

  • Additional in-person learning opportunities (exams, labs, individual and small group learning)

  • Additional distance learning opportunities (either real-time learning or remote learning)

  • Advisory class

• To see how a hybrid school day will look for students, visit sowashco.org/hybrid for the daily schedule.

  • Please note that school day schedules will change on Feb. 16 for the Virtual Learning Academy (6-8).

• View the latest calendar updates for the hybrid learning model at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RuNuwJ968v3NqHkiW85nIe4wQgDv0Wnr/view

  • Please note that shortened school weeks, due to non-school days, may change the days in which students attend school in-person or participate in learning at home during a flexible instruction day.

What this Means for Middle School Students and Families (6-8)

• Middle school students in grades 6-8 will return to the hybrid learning model on Tuesday, Feb. 16.

• Students who are in the Virtual Learning Academy (VLA) for trimester two will remain in VLA.

• Students currently receiving special education services at school will continue to attend school in-person for intensive services.

• Families should have a plan in case their child’s classroom or school must transition back to distance learning due to potential COVID-19 exposures.

  • When possible, a substitute teacher will be hired to cover teacher absences.

• See the middle school hybrid class schedule at sowashco.org/hybrid.

New and Required Safety Procedures

• The 14-day quarantine period will remain in place. If staff or students had close contact with an infected person, the Minnesota Department of Health may direct us to keep them out of school for a minimum of 14 days.

• Face masks are required at all times including during indoor physical activity. When possible, many of our staff may be wearing face masks and face shields together.

• When possible, we will work to maintain three feet of distance between students in the classroom.

• Student support programs such as special education, English learners and counseling may continue to pull students from their primary classrooms in order to provide essential support services with social distancing as much as possible.

  • Clear barriers may be supplied for specific educational settings to divide students from teachers whenever possible.

• Any sick student who is sent to school, or is determined to be sick during the school day, will immediately be sent home.

  • Call your child’s school attendance line to report an absence.

New Calendar and Schedule Updates

For the latest calendar updates for all grade levels, visit https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RuNuwJ968v3NqHkiW85nIe4wQgDv0Wnr/view.

• Feb. 5 - All students attend school in their current learning model

• Feb. 12 - No School (Grades 6-12): Staff planning day (No school for Virtual Learning Academy students in grade 6-12)

• Feb. 16 - Grades 6-8 return to the hybrid learning model

• Students in grades 6-8 will learn at home on flexible instruction days that are typically on Fridays except Feb. 19, March 19 and April 30

Thank You

As we transition students back to hybrid learning, we will take a targeted approach to keep students in school. This means if a classroom is exposed to someone who is infected with COVID-19, the class would shift to distance learning during the 14-day quarantine period and the school would remain in session as usual. We ask that families be prepared for the possibility that their child’s class could move to distance learning at any time.

The focus now is to ensure students thrive at school through relationships, connections and social-emotional support. Our goal is to return all middle school students to full in-person learning four days a week in March, depending on COVID-19 infection rates and other factors. I want to thank you for your patience and support.