Sent to all IHD families & staff and Pearson Early Learning Center families on February 17, 2021

RE: COVID-19 Health Protocols

As a district, we understand schools do not operate in isolation from the greater community. In an effort to provide as much onsite learning opportunities for our students as possible, we want to continue to encourage persons in our community to make choices that follow the most current health safety protocols from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC).  Our collective actions will help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and infections of students and staff within our schools, as well as the greater community. 

In regards to students and staff attending or participating in onsite school and activities, please continue to:

• Take your (or your child’s) temperature daily prior to attending school/work.
• Protect yourself and others by wearing a face covering when at the school site; wash your hands often with soap and water; cover your cough and sneeze; and avoid touching your face with unwashed hands.
• Stay home from school, work, child care and other activities when you feel ill. 
• For reminders on COVID-19 symptoms and district health services resources, click on the appropriate student and staff IHD guide noted below.
• Elementary 
• Secondary 
• Follow health safety guidance from the MDH and CDC
• While our district will not require special travel notification, restrictions or attendance/absence travel management beyond the standard process, we ask that all staff and students please familiarize themselves with the most current guidance from the MDH and CDC as it relates to travel.
• For a summary of CDC travel guidelines, which includes recommendations on domestic and international travel COVID-19 testing and reduction of nonessential activities, please click here.
• The Minnesota Department of Education and MDH strongly recommend students and families in the hybrid or in-person learning model receive a COVID-19 test every two weeks. Shakopee Public Schools does not offer COVID-19 tests for students and their families. Families can find locations for free COVID-19 testing on the MDH’s website as well as Scott County’s website.

Thank you for working together to keep our schools and community safe. 

COVID-19 Student Attendance Line Reminders

An IHD student who is attending school in-person or in the hybrid portion of the learning model should stay home and their parent/guardian contact the attendance line in the following situations:

• When a student has COVID-19 related symptoms (one more common symptom or at least two less common symptoms).
• When a family member in their immediate household has COVID-19 symptoms (one more common symptom or at least two less common symptoms) and/or is in the process of being tested OR has a positive COVID-19 PCR test.

Sent to Secondary IHD families & staff on February 4, 2021

RE: Secondary IHD Program Transition to Hybrid Learning 

Per the action item approved at the January 25 School Board meeting, and the  February 4 Pandemic Response Advisory Team meeting, Shakopee secondary IHD students in grades 6-12 at East Middle School, West Middle School and Shakopee High School will transition into the hybrid portion of the learning model per the below schedule. 

• On February 16, all secondary IHD students in grades 6-12 will transition to hybrid learning.

• February 16 will be an ‘A’ day, onsite
• February 17 will be a ‘B’ day, onsite
• The A/B rotation will continue until a future change in learning model. An updated district calendar with secondary A/B day rotation can be found here.

• February 10 and 11 will be no school days for secondary IHD students only.

• These days will be used as planning/preparation days for secondary IHD staff.
• Previously scheduled no school days will not be changed.
• February 12 and 15 are district wide no school days for all PreK-12 students and remain unchanged.

Please note, Tokata Learning Center follows components of the IHD program, but has additional flexibility in providing services due to the unique nature of their programs. Therefore, their programming does not follow the above schedule.

Additional Secondary IHD Updates & New Information

The following video summarizes the information presented below: https://youtu.be/tCxzsqzGqno

• Secondary IHD Transition to Hybrid Learning: What to Expect and What’s Changed
• Click on the above link to view an important summary of secondary IHD staff/student updates including COVID-19 related procedures.
• A/B Rotation & Hybrid at Home Days

• Secondary students will keep the same 'A' or 'B' day designation that they were assigned in the beginning of the school year.
• Students and parents/guardians can access the A/B designation in Infinite Campus. Need help accessing Infinite Campus? Click here.
• Students will be given work during their in-school hybrid day to complete during their hybrid at home day. Work will also be posted in Canvas modules and the Canvas announcements section. The Canvas calendar will also reflect hybrid at home assignments.
• Parents/guardians have full accessibility in Canvas to check hybrid at home day assignments. Need help accessing Canvas? Click here.
• Students will mark themselves present in Infinite Campus during hybrid at home days. Teachers can provide support as needed.

• Meals 
• In-school meals: Per a recent USDA extension, school meals will continue to be offered to ALL students free of charge, which includes onsite meals for secondary IHD students during hybrid learning. Students and their families will not need to fund meal accounts. 
• A free and reduced meal form (application for educational benefits) should still be on file for those families who qualify as funds are applied to additional areas outside of meals.

• Weekly district meal pick up: The below important updates only apply to those secondary IHD families who have registered for weekly Tuesday meal pickup.
• The last day to pick up weekly district meals at your pre-selected location is Tuesday, February 9th. Starting the week of February 15th, secondary IHD students will take home meals during their in-school day for the hybrid at home day. Locations within the school for student meal collection vary by building. 
• Note: Shakopee Online families that registered for weekly meals can continue to pick up each Tuesday. Additional details will be sent direct to those families. 
• Questions? Please email Carol in Food Services at ctscheak@shakopee.k12.mn.us or call (952) 496-5141.

• School Start/End Time & Schedule
• Secondary IHD students will keep the same school start and end times as well as block schedule as the beginning of the school year.
• East and West Middle Schools: 4 period block schedule; 7:45am - 1:55pm
• Shakopee High School: 4 period block schedule: 8:20am - 2:30pm
• Transportation 
• Secondary IHD students will ride the same bus route (stop, time and bus unchanged).
• Reminder details are available in parent portal.
• Winter Weather Notifications
• In cases of weather-related changes such as snow or cold weather concerns, the district will communicate any adjustments with staff and families in various ways. 
• In the morning, if weather causes school to be canceled or delayed, the decision will be made by 5:30 a.m. Communication starts as soon as the decision is made. If there’s the need to make adjustments prior to that morning, communication will be sent no sooner than 24 hours prior to the start of school.
• Announcements will be shared with WCCO-TV and Shakopee Valley News, sent direct to parents via Infinite Campus (call, text and email), posted on district social media (Twitter and Facebook) and district/school websites.
• Please make sure your contact information is up-to-date in Infinite Campus or by contacting your home school.
• Additional information can be found here.
• Future Communication & Learning Plan Adjustments
• The district will continue to communicate any major updates to the secondary IHD transition to hybrid learning in a timely fashion. Your student’s home secondary school will provide further details on programming, building resources/procedures and other day-to-day related items. Please continue to check your Canvas account and district email on file for updates.
• As we have been, the district will continue to monitor COVID-19 building and Scott County data daily and during the weekly Pandemic Response Advisory Team meetings. Any transition from hybrid learning to distance or -in-person learning for secondary IHD students (grades 6-12) will be communicated at least ten (10) days prior to the intended transition date and include proper preparation days for teachers/staff. 
• District and County COVID-19 case rates are posted on the district website daily.

Shakopee Online Reminder:

• Shakopee Online is a year-long virtual program separate from the IHD program. Students enrolled and participating in Shakopee Online are not included in transition/planning day schedule adjustments nor are the above details applicable. Please refer to the district calendar for Shakopee Online no school days.

Sent to Secondary IHD families & staff on January 28, 2021

RE: Secondary IHD Program to Remain in Distance Learning 

During the January 28th Shakopee Public Schools Pandemic Response Advisory Team meeting, the latest Scott County COVID-19 case rate data was reviewed. As previously relayed, secondary schools in the IHD program (East Middle School, West Middle School, Shakopee High School and *Tokata Learning Center) will transition from distance to hybrid learning when the 14-day COVID-19 cases per 10,000 residents in Scott County falls below 25 and into the range of 15 to 25 cases. Unfortunately, the case rates have not yet fallen below 25 cases per 10,000.  Thus, for the time being, the secondary IHD program will remain in distance learning. For a summary of Scott County COVID-19 case data, click here.

Next step

• The district’s Pandemic Response Advisory Team (PRAT) will meet again on Thursday, February 4, 2021 to examine the COVID-19 data and determine if secondary IHD will transition to hybrid learning on February 16.

*Please note, Tokata Learning Center follows components of the IHD program, but has additional flexibility in providing services due to the unique nature of their programs.

Why is the range from 15 up to 25 important?

Since the beginning of the school year, the Pandemic Response Advisory Team, School Board and district leaders have been using the rationale that ‘the cases per 10,000 data needs to stabilize in the middle of the new, lower range’ prior to making a transition from distance to hybrid learning (or hybrid to in-person). To give more clarity, in the current situation, the middle range for hybrid learning has been defined as being from 15 up to 25 cases per 10,000. Waiting for case numbers to drop into the middle of the lower range prior to making a learning model transition in the secondary IHD program is being done so the program doesn’t bounce back and forth between hybrid and distance learning models, if it can be prevented. The goal is to make this type of transition with a solid expectation our secondary IHD program will be able to safely stay in the new learning model for an extended period of time.

Important Future Secondary IHD Communication 

• Friday, February 5: The district will communicate an update of the Pandemic Response Advisory Team meeting on February 4.
• Previous communications can be found here.
• Upcoming district no school days remain unchanged.

Please continue to work together as a community to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Sent to Secondary IHD families & staff on January 26, 2021

Shakopee Public Schools Board Meeting Brief-- Secondary IHD Learning Plan

How will the determination be made for the Secondary IHD program transition from distance to hybrid learning?

Last night at the January 25, 2021 school board meeting, a recommendation from the Shakopee Public Schools Pandemic Response Advisory Team (PRAT) was approved for the determination of how to begin a learning model transition in the IHD program at East Middle School, West Middle School, Shakopee High School, and Tokata Learning Center. (Please note, Tokata follows components of the IHD program, but has additional flexibility in providing services due to the unique nature of their programs.)

Secondary schools in the IHD program will transition from distance to hybrid learning when the 14-day COVID-19 cases per 10,000 residents in Scott County enter a range from 15 to 25 cases. Case rates are determined by the tracking of initial confirmed COVID cases as reported daily by the Minnesota Department of Health.

Steps for this determination process are below:

• The district’s Pandemic Response Advisory Team (PRAT) meets on Thursday afternoons and examines the COVID-19 cases per 10,000 data for the preceding fourteen days. 
• When the cases enter the range of 15 to 25 cases per 10,000, the learning model will change from distance learning to hybrid learning for all secondary IHD students. 
• The transition will occur 10 days after the date of the Pandemic Response Advisory Team meeting. 
• For example, if the case numbers are in the range of 15 to 25 at the Thursday, January 28 meeting of the Pandemic Response Advisory Team, then students in grades 6-12 will begin hybrid learning on Monday, February 8. 
• Should the case numbers remain above the range of 15 to 25 at the January 28 PRAT meeting, no transition of learning models will be initiated.  Case rates will then be examined at the next PRAT meeting on February 4, with a possible transition to hybrid learning for secondary students beginning on Tuesday, February 16 (due to the February 15 holiday). 
• Should the cases per 10,000 data examined at the February 4 meeting still remain greater than 25 cases per 10,000, this same process will continue on successive weeks until the number is in the 15 to 25 range.  

Additional Information

• A return to hybrid learning in the secondary schools IHD program means a return to the alternating A/B schedule, with one day onsite for one group of students followed by a second day offsite for the same group of students.  
• An updated district calendar would be provided, with A/B rotation for secondary IHD students, once a formal hybrid transition date is announced.
• In accordance with the Governor’s executive order, there will be two planning/preparation days for teachers and staff prior to changing from distance learning to hybrid learning. The two transition days will be held on the two school days prior to the week before the start of hybrid learning. Transition days are no school days for only the students in grades 6-12 in the IHD program.  
1. For example:
• If February 8 is the first day of hybrid-- planning/preparation days for teachers would be February 4 and 5.
• If February 16 is the first day of hybrid-- planning/preparation days for teachers would be February 10 and 11 (February 12 is already a no school day for students).
• Students in the Shakopee Online program will remain in the same program.
• Students in grades K-5 IHD program will remain in-person.

Once the secondary schools in the IHD program are operating in hybrid learning, they will follow an updated structure for monitoring COVID-19 cases and determining future changes from hybrid to distance or in-person learning. 

• New parameters for use in determining COVID-19 cases per 10,000, which impact the secondary learning model 

Important Future Secondary IHD Communication 

• Friday, January 29: The district will communicate an update of the Pandemic Response Advisory Team meeting on January 28

No School Days

These are no school days on the school calendar that will not be altered by changes in the secondary IHD program:

• Friday, January 29, 2021: No school ALL PreK-12 students, including Shakopee Online, Shakopee IHD and Pearson Early Learning Center; end of second quarter
• Friday, February 12, 2021: No school, ALL PreK-12 students including Shakopee Online, Shakopee IHD and Pearson Early Learning Center
• Monday, February 15, 2021: No school, ALL PreK-12 students and staff (includes Pearson Early Learning Center); observance of Presidents Day

IHD Elementary Families,

As shared on January 5, 2021, the Shakopee Public Schools Board approved a recommendation from the Pandemic Response Advisory Team to adjust the elementary (K-5) IHD learning plan. Updated guidance from the State requires a rolling start that, as of now, follows the below schedule. Additional important updates are included in this message.

• Elementary IHD students in grades K-2 shift into the in-person learning model (five days per week, on site, regular school hours) on Monday, January 25, 2021.
• Elementary IHD students in grades 3-5 will remain in distance learning through Friday, February 5, 2021. They will shift to in-person learning (five days per week, on site, regular school hours) on Monday, February 8, 2021.

Additional Elementary IHD Updates & New Information

• COVID-19 Procedures & Protocol: What to Expect and What’s Changed
  • Click on the above link to view an important summary of elementary IHD staff/student updates to:
    • Face masks/coverings, social distancing, transportation and meal procedures
    • Staff COVID-19 testing and general elementary COVID-19 communication
    • Close contact quarantine period 

• Meals 
  • In-school meals: Per a recent USDA extension, school meals will continue to be offered to ALL students free of charge, which includes onsite meals for elementary IHD students during in-person learning. Students and their families will not need to fund meal accounts. 
    • A free and reduced meal form (application for educational benefits) should still be on file for those families who qualify as funds are applied to additional areas outside of meals.

• Weekly district meal pick up: The below important updates only apply to those families who have registered for weekly Tuesday meal pickup.
  • The last day to pick up weekly district meals at your pre-selected elementary location is Tuesday, January 19th. On Tuesday, January 26th, pickups that were designated for an elementary school will move to the below locations. 
    • Jackson meal pickups will move to Shakopee High School
    • Red Oak and Eagle Creek meal pickups will move to East Middle School
    • Sun Path and Sweeney meal pickups will move to West Middle School
  • The last Tuesday meal pickup for registered elementary IHD students, regardless of selected pickup location, will be Tuesday, February 2, 2021. Meals will be provided during school as part of the normal five day in-person schedule. Families with children in the elementary IHD program AND other district schools that have previously signed up for weekly meals can still pick up for their early learning, Shakopee Online (K-12) and/or secondary children.
  • Questions? Please email Carol in Food Services at ctscheak@shakopee.k12.mn.us or call (952) 496-5141.

• School Start/End Time 
  • Jackson & Sun Path: 8:30am - 3:10pm
  • Eagle Creek, Red Oak & Sweeney:  9:05am-3:45pm 
• All elementary schools will start at their normal (pre-IHD) times, which is 1-hour earlier than during the fall hybrid learning period. School start/end times for elementary IHD in-person learning are noted below:
• Transportation Routes
• Bus routes are now available in the Infinite Campus parent portal, please login and review at your earliest convenience. Tips on how to navigate the parent portal can be found here.
• Those students with significant changes will receive a postcard that will be mailed on January 15, 2021.
• The majority of students will ride the same bus route (stop and bus unchanged), with morning pickup being one hour earlier than in the fall.  Additionally, the majority of afternoon student routes will remain unchanged.  
• River Valley YMCA School Aged Child Care
  • Childcare for January 21 and 22 elementary IHD transition days will also be held at CFC. 
• Childcare will continue for all students at Central Family Center (CFC) through January 22, 2021.
• Starting on January 25, 2021, before and after care will be offered at each elementary school for those students attending school in-person.
  • 3rd-5th grade IHD students using YMCA care at CFC will continue to attend at that location through February 5, 2021.
• Starting on February 8, 2021, before and after care will only be offered at the elementary schools.
• Questions? Contact McKenzie Allard at 952-230-6661 or McKenzie.Allard@YMCAMN.org 
• No School Reminders
• No school days are outlined in the most recent district calendar.
• Future Communication
• The district will continue to communicate any major updates to the elementary IHD transition to in-person learning in a timely fashion. Your student’s home elementary school will provide further details on programming, student schedules, building resources/procedures and other day-to-day related items. Please continue to check your SeeSaw account and district email on file for updates.

Shakopee Online & Pearson Early Learning Center Reminders:

• Shakopee Online is a year-long virtual program separate from the IHD program. Students enrolled and participating in Shakopee Online are not included in transition/planning day schedule adjustments nor are the above details applicable. Please refer to the district calendar for Shakopee Online no school days.
• Pearson Early Learning Center is not included in the elementary IHD program and operates on a separate schedule and programming calendar. Please contact Pearson Early Learning Center directly for any specific questions.