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101 Walnut Ave. SW, Wagner, SD 57380 Website: www.wagner.k12.sd.us

These are CRAZY times! In the past five months, we have seen the world, our country, our state, and our community go through “unprecedented” times. The COVID-19 Pandemic has been a polarizing world-wide event with people, it seems, on both sides demanding either maximum precautions, or to go about their lives as if nothing has changed. Taking both sides into consideration, the following documents have been developed with input from local health officials.

The Wagner Community School Board and Administration plan to start school Thursday, August 20th with face-to-face instruction at that time. Precautions will be taken and are outlined in the following document.

There will be an online component available to families that are reluctant to send their student(s) to school because of underlying health concerns or are leery for their children being in a school setting because of the COVID-19 Virus.

People will have to keep in mind that circumstances and an influx of positive COVID-19 cases in our community may force plans to change in a very short amount of time. We hope that it does not happen like it did beginning for us on March 11.

Planning has been focused on three themes:

• What is best for our students and their families?

• What is best for our staff?

• What is best for our community?

Explanation for the Back to School Plan:

Our plan is dependent upon your plan. After reading this information, please contact the school...

1. if you are opting for Online Learning.

2. if your child normally rides the bus, but you will be bringing them to school instead.

• Calendar Explanation – The latest school year calendar is included with this mailing. Please keep in mind that there may be changes during the school year. If there are changes, they will be posted on the school website, Facebook page, and notification made through the School Messenger system.

Items included in this advertisement:

• WCS Back to School Plan

• 2020-2021 School Calendar

• Before School Student Checklist

• Isolation or Quarantine

• Online Registration Requirements

The structure of the document attempts to “walk through” what a school day would/could look like for a student and what changes may need to be in place for his or her safety. The “walk through” is broken down into the following categories:

BEFORE SCHOOL REGISTRATION and PUBLIC MEETINGS

STUDENT GETS READY FOR SCHOOL

TRANSPORATION

STUDENT ARRIVES AT SCHOOL

DELIVERY OF INSTRUCTION

STUDENTS AND SPECIALS

LARGE GROUP SETTING

CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT

STUDENT OR STAFF HAS SYMPTOMS

STUDENT OR STAFF WITH A POSITIVE TEST

END OF THE DAY DISMISSAL

EXTRACURRICULAR

General Observations:

• All plans are contingent on the spread of the virus, COVID-19.

• School will begin this fall with face-to-face instruction at the start of the school year but will have strategies in place to protect students, staff, and families.

• There is an online delivery option for those electing not to come to school.

• It’s difficult to make definite plans because the plan needs to be flexible enough for an ever-changing landscape.

BEFORE SCHOOL REGISTRATION and PUBLIC MEETINGS

• Registration will be August 3–7. More information will be released as school gets closer.

• This year, instead of one open house, there will be four public meetings to go over the Back to School

Plan:

o Aug. 3rd – 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM and 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM Main Gym Head of household last name beginning with A – K.

o Aug. 4th – 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM and 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM Main Gym Head of household last name beginning with L – Z.

o After the meeting, parents/guardians may visit student classrooms.

o If parents/guardians cannot attend the designated day for their meeting, they may attend a meeting on the other day.

o If you are unable to attend any of the public meetings, or don’t feel comfortable attending a meeting, a video of the information will be on the school website (www.wagner.k12.sd.us) and Facebook page (WCS Red Raider Nation).

STUDENT GETS READY FOR SCHOOL

• Families must do a daily health check at home. If a student is showing any symptoms, PLEASE, do not send your student to school. Information on symptoms is included with this information.

• Please contact the school if your child WILL NOT be attending school that day because of symptoms, or because they have tested positive for COVID-19. If you do not contact the school, and your child is absent, WCS will continue the practice of calling families.

TRANSPORTATION

• Transportation is being offered but physical distancing is not attainable in school transportation vehicles.

• Seating on the bus will be by family, and students must stay in their assigned seat.

• Parents/Guardians, for the 2020-2021 school year, are encouraged to transport students instead of busing.

• Students will hand sanitize getting on the bus.

• It is RECOMMENDED that students wear face masks, but it is not mandatory. Disposable masks will be available on each bus.

• If a student takes a mask, we ask that the student keeps it for the day.

• Buses will be sanitized after each route.

• If families will not be using busing, please contact Terry at the Bus Barn (384-5752).

STUDENTS ARRIVE AT SCHOOL

• Masks are RECOMMENDED but are optional for students.

• Students will be encouraged to keep physical distance as much as possible, but this may not be attainable in a school setting.

• Hand sanitizing dispensers are available at all entrances.

• Students will be kept in cohorts as much as possible.

• Elementary students will go to their classrooms if they do not eat breakfast.

• Middle school and high school students will go to dedicated rooms if they do not eat breakfast.

• The breakfast program will have students in the lunchroom. Tables will be added for students to spread out and maintain physical distance.

• Parents/Guardians: If possible, please do not bring students before 8:00 AM.

• Parents/Guardians cannot go past entrances in an effort to limit people in the building as much as possible.

• Visitors will not be allowed into the building without prior approval from administration.

Hand Sanitizers Available and Where

• Hand sanitizers have been placed in every room, all entrances, and all commons areas.

• Elementary and preschool levels, handwashing has been built into the daily schedule.

• Students will hand sanitize entering classrooms at all levels.

Water Fountains

• Water bottles are encouraged.

• Only the water bottle fillers will be operational.

• Water bottles will be provided to elementary and preschool students.

• If middle school and high school students need a water bottle, please contact your building principal.

Bathroom Breaks

• Preschool and elementary teachers have it scheduled throughout the day.

Frequency of Handwashing

• Preschool and elementary teachers will have extra handwashing times scheduled and staggered throughout the day.

• Middle school and high school students will be encouraged to wash their hands and hand sanitize as often as possible.

DELIVERY OF INSTRUCTION – PHASES DUE TO POSITIVE CASES OF COVID-19 AFFECTING WAGNER COMMUNITY SCHOOL

**Phases will be determined through consultation with South Dakota Department of Health and the local healthcare facilities.

Phase 1 – School as “Normal” following the 2020- 2021 Calendar

• In Person – Face-to-Face Instruction with safeguards put in place from the South Dakota Department of Health and local health care officials.

Phase 2 – Modified Calendar – 4 Day Student Contact Week

• K – 12 Students Attend School Monday – Thursday: 8:15 AM to 3:32 PM

o Preschool will keep their original schedule.

• Teachers Report to School All 5 Days.

• Mitigation Procedures Increased.

Phase 3 – Flex Learning

• THIS WILL NOT BE THE SAME AS LAST SPRING. This will be a combination of Face-to-Face and Remote Learning. A teacher will be in charge of instruction, planning, organizing, checking on students, grading, etc. It will be organized and structured.

• Google Classroom will be used by all teachers for Flex Learning.

• 2 Week Time Frame.

• K – 8 Chromebooks will be given to students.

• Teachers report to school Monday – Friday for a 4-hour time frame. Times will be worked out with your building principal.

• No School Sponsored Activities.

***People must keep in mind that planning is very fluid! Events, circumstances, and information from the Department of Health may change plans quickly. Online Instruction (If electing to do Online Instruction with your child or children, please contact the building principal as soon as possible to make arrangements)

• Online Instruction for Grades K – 12: For those families who have students with underlying health conditions or are apprehensive to send their student(s) to school.

• Elementary and Middle School the Online Instruction commitment needs to be at least 9 weeks.

• High School Online Instruction commitment needs to be at least a semester.

• Elementary will use Moby Max.

• Middle School will use Moby Max.

• High School will use APEX Learning.

• If a student is doing Online Instruction, and help is needed, please contact the building principal.

• If a student is doing Online Instruction and they wish to come back to school full time, please contact the building principal.

• Those electing to do Online Instruction may not participate in and/or attend school sponsored activities.

STUDENTS AND SPECIALS

Art, PE, Music

• Due to the medical information concerning the projection of breath and droplets into the air, K – 12 music will be done in the gyms and students will be spaced out promoting physical distancing.

• PE will be done outside, weather permitting, as much as possible and will begin the year with no contact games.

LARGE GROUP SETTING

Lunch

• Lunchroom occupancy will be reduced until further notice. Seating and schedules will be adjusted for physical distancing.

• Salad bars will not be used until further notice.

• One entree will be served with no seconds.

• Pre-dished salads, veggies, toppings.

• Grade levels will be staggered more.

• MS/HS may go from one lunch period to two?

• Families electing to do Online Instruction may come to the school for a sack lunch for the student(s).

Recess

• Elementary and preschool will stagger times to reduce the number of students on the playground at one time.

CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT

Classroom

• Space will be utilized as much as possible to allow as much physical distancing as possible.

Surface Cleaning

• Surfaces will be cleaned/sanitized throughout the day.

• Hand sanitizer dispensers have been placed in every room.

• Bathrooms will be cleaned multiple times throughout the school day.

STUDENT OR STAFF HAS SYMPTOMS

• Symptoms – Short term - I.C.E. the student or staff

o Isolate and mask them immediately

o Contact the parent(s)/guardian(s)

o Exit him or her as quickly as possible

STUDENT OR STAFF WITH A POSITIVE TEST

• Department of Health or Parent/Guardian notifies school of a positive case.

• The student, teacher, or staff must isolate for 10 days.

• A student or staff may return if they have followed Department of Health guidelines.

• Department of Health will work with the school to make sure proper steps are taken.

STUDENT OR STAFF WHO MAY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED

• Staff and students in room(s) that have had close contact with someone who has had a confirmed, positive test, must quarantine for 14 days because of the close contact.

o There may be a possibility that a teacher and a classroom could quarantine for 14 days and the rest of the school remains in operation. Department of Health guidelines will be followed.

END OF THE DAY DISMISSAL

• We are still working on this section. The details will be released at a later date.

EXTRACURRICULAR

• At the time of this mailing, South Dakota High School Activities Association has not released their formal plan for state sponsored events and activities.

ISOLATION or QUARANTINE

Isolation and quarantine help protect the public by preventing exposure to people who have or may have a CONTAGIOUS DISEASE.

ISOLATION separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick.

QUARANTINE separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.

ISOLATION

Isolation is for people who are ALREADY SICK.

Isolation separates and restricts the movement of sick people so they can’t spread disease.

Isolation in a home means separating yourself from others in the household.

A sick person isolating at home should seek medical treatment if unable to manage symptoms.

Isolation is usually voluntary, but in a public health emergency, officials have the authority to isolate people who are sick.

Stop isolation only if you've had no fever for at least 72 hours; AND have improved symptoms; AND at least 10 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared.

QUARANTINE

Quarantine is for people who are NOT SICK, but may have been exposed.

Quarantined people may or may not become sick.

Quarantined people must stay at home or another location so they don’t unknowingly spread the disease.

If you are quarantined and you become ill, you can seek medical evaluation from a healthcare provider.

Quarantine can be voluntary, but in a public health emergency, officials have the authority to quarantine people who have been exposed to an infectious disease.

NOTE: Critical infrastructure employees with no symptoms may be required to report to work.

Parents/Guardians:

Wagner Community School will be going to online registration for the 2020-2021 school year. Online registration will be available Monday, August 3 - Friday, August 7. Please make sure you get your child/children registered during this time.

You should have received a letter last week with information for onine registration. There will be three (3) links to complete online registration.

-The first link is for parents/guardians who do NOT have an email address and/or a parent portal log in.

-The second link is for parents/guardians who DO have an email address and/or a parental portal log in.

_The third link is for parents/guardians to setup ONLY if you are a new Campus Parent Portal Account user.

Just a reminder that you will not be able to register until Monday, August 3.

If you have any question, please call 384-3677 and talk to Rodney, Brenton or Stacy.

Thank You!